Menu Monday

Well today I thought I would switch things up a bit! I am going to treat you to a great appetizer and end with a treat for your taste buds. Am I forgetting something.. nope, the middle, the main course, is for you to fill in. I have always been a appetizer girl and would never turn down a delicious dessert. So save these for a cook out with friends or potluck at church. Either way, they are sure please a crowd :)

**Velvetta Hot Broccoli Dip**
12 Servings Prep 15 mins


1 round sourdough bread loaf (1-1/2 lb.)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red peppers
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. (16 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, crushed
Few drops hot pepper sauce

HEAT oven to 350°F.
CUT slice from top of bread loaf; remove center, leaving 1-inch-thick shell. Cut removed bread into bite-size pieces. Cover shell with top of bread; place on baking sheet with bread pieces. Bake 15 min. Cool slightly.
MEANWHILE, cook and stir celery, red peppers and onions in butter in medium saucepan on medium heat until tender. Add VELVEETA; cook on low heat until melted, stirring frequently. Add broccoli, rosemary and hot pepper sauce; cook until heated through, stirring constantly.
SPOON into bread loaf. Serve with toasted bread pieces, RITZ Crackers and/or assorted cut-up fresh vegetables.

**Almost a Candy Bar**
36 Servings Prep 15 mins Bake 15 mins + cooling

1 tube (16-1/2 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
4 nutty s'mores trail mix bars (1.23 ounces each), chopped
1 package (10 to 11 ounces) butterscotch chips
2-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup chopped walnuts
1-1/2 cups miniature pretzels
1 package (10 ounces) peanut butter chips
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 package (11-1/2 ounces) milk chocolate chips

LET dough stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften. In a large bowl, combine dough and trail mix bars. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. BAKE, uncovered, at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Sprinkle with butterscotch chips and marshmallows. Bake 3-4 minutes longer or until marshmallows begin to brown. Sprinkle with walnuts; arrange pretzels over the top. IN a small saucepan, melt the peanut butter chips, corn syrup and butter; spoon over bars.
In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Spread or drizzle over bars.
REFRIGERATE for 1 hour or until firm before cutting. Yield: 3 dozen.
*You can always subsitute nuts or remove them altogether

ENJOY~

~**~Nicole~**~

Dustins Bday

Dustin just hit 25 one month after me.. which of course he thinks gives him the right to call me his old lady! With the new job that he has taken on, he worked on his birthday for the first time in 25 yrs. Even when he worked with the sherrif's dept he managed to get off. :) We kept it simple this year and headed out to dinner in Athens to RuSans. We had some great Sushi and then met back at our house for some cake. I surprised Dustin with his favorite cake, Black Forrest. I had to go on the hunt for it and finally found it at Publix! Mom made him a funfetti cake and it was awesome too. We have almost finished it :) Dustin got a new gun from the "group". He was so very happy, of course he picked it out, but at least he got what he wanted! Mom got him a lighter that is in the shape of a gun and the perfect size for HB. Now it might not be the best thing for a parent to give their child.. but it did make for funny and cute pictures!! It fit her little hands perfect. Dustin had a fun birthday, and even tho we weren't able to celebrate it in Pigeon Forge like usual, it was a nice change to hang around the house.

Dustins birthday

Pictures of Hailey Bug

Of course I love to take pictures of HB whenever I can. She is so much fun to take pictures of and gets into everything! In these she is climbing the sofa, riding the lawn mower, swinging in the back yard, playing with daddy's money, and splashin around in the bath :) She loves her new swing that daddy put up in the backyard for her so we don't have to drive to the park! She loves being outside and will crawl up to the window door and start beating on it... and then will pitch a fit if we don't go out! haha. She has gotten quite the attitude lately and will let you know exactly what she wants.

10 months random

Menu Monday

Here is a little twist on a classic dish. Almost everyone I know loves Mexican. This is a great Nacho bake that has a little spice to it (that can of course be calmed if needed) I has a very hearty taste and can be great for a family meal or to bring with you to a friends or party :) I have put the bigger recipe below because it is always easier to downsize then to upsize to me

Spicy Nacho Bake
Servings 15 Prep 15 Mins Bake 20-25 Mins
1 lb ground beef/turkey
1 lg onion, chopped
1 lg green peppers, chopped
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15-1/2oz) hot chili beans
1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (11oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 pckg (13oz) spicy nacho tortilla chips
2 cups (16 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

IN a dutch oven or large kettle, cook the beef, onions and green peppers over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain/ Stir in the tomatoes, beans, corn, tomato sauce and taco seasoning/ Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer. uncovered, fo 30 mins (mixture will be thin)
LAYER in a 13x9x2in baking dish, 2 cups chips, and 2-1/2 cup meat mixture/ Repeat layers. Top each with 1 cup cheese/
BAKE uncovered at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until colden brown


TIPS:
*You can always subsitute your favorite meat... ground chicken, turkey, beef, or pork
*To make this dish a little less messy, crush the chips before adding and then you can use utensils
*You can also subsitute taco sauce for tomato sauce.
*I sometime will add a layer of refried beans to add flavor.
*You can always take away or add ingredients that you like. We aren't big fans of beans, so we take them away. Some people like olives and add those
*Great toppings for this dish are Sour cream, guacomole, and shredded lettuce.

ENJOY!!

~**Nicole~**~

Tom and Jerry Give away

My friend Holly at "This Mama Rocks" is doing another great give away for kids. Warner brothers is letting her have two winners and is generously giving away "Tom and Jerry: The complete first season"!! I know that this was a childhood favorite of ours, ESP my brother, so it would be a fun DVD to have around the house. Head on over to her site and enter (you can find her button on the right side bar)
http://thismamablogrocks.blogspot.com/2010/04/tom-and-jerry-tales-complete-first.html

Sunday laziness :)

We had a nice relaxing Sunday today. We first headed to athens and found dustins bday present :) but NOT til Wednesday... although he is bargaining for tues. since I got mine a day early!
We then came home and just hung around the house (well except for the 45 min visit to the pool!) It was great to just SIT there. I made myself, and forgot about the house for once.. and guess what, it's ok! haha. I got some cute pics of HB today. The first ones are the the new ball I got her at Target in my dollar selections today! She LOVES it!
The second ones are when we settled into the first Shrek and Hailey was eating her afternoon snack and juice... good thing she was in her around the house play clothes cause she made a MESS!!! I had to snap a couple of pics because it was just so funny! She was loving the new biter biscuits I got her! :)


Have a great week! :)

10 Months

Hailey is 10 Months!! and WOW I can't believe that I am saying that! She has become quite the big girl, and in a hurry! She believes that she can do anything she wants, including things that she can't! She thinks that she can go up and down the stairs, let herself off the sofa (will literally lunge off of it!) and now even lets go of the furniture and takes one step as if she is going to walk across the room before falling to the floor... then looks at you like 'why did that just happen?' She has learned to do so much in just the past few weeks, and really while we were at Disney. She can now wave bye bye, pat her mouth and make noises, clap for herself and let me tell you she is proud, drink through a straw, and just cut her fifth tooth! She also surprised us this past tuesday and took 3 steps without falling! Of course I was SO EXCITED, but then sat her down and said ok lets take a break! haha I am not quite sure if I am ready for this or not!!! My name has FINALLY converted from nana to mama!! Praise the Lord. But as people warned me, she was dadadadada, and now it is mamamamama! But I do adore it when I hear my name and then get a big hug when I come over to her.
She has just started getting a little stranger anxiety and won't go to a lot of people that she use to right now. She is very unsure of men, which just makes me laugh! I am glad to know that it will only be a phase, but it does make church nursery a chore! She is eating so well and ABSOLUTELY loves our food. She will eat pretty much whatever you give her as long as it comes off your plate and not that slimy stuff from a can! And don't try and trick her cause she knows the difference! haha This is something that we are working at ;) Every month I am amazed at the beautiful, fun and smart little girl that we have. God has truly blessed us with a wonderful child :)

10 Months