Meals Mommy Makes

I had a lot of fun doing "Menu Monday" but as you can see I didn't keep up with it every Monday! So I have decided to start doing "Meals Mommy Makes" so that I can share it with you when I find great recipes, anytime, and when I have time! :)
Below are few recipes that I have cooked lately and the have be FABULOUS!! My new favorite things to cook are slow cooker items and meals that I can make extra of and freeze. So these are the best from what I have been cooking lately :)

EASY POT ROAST AND VEGGIES
*I am always looking for different varieties of Pot Roast. I found this one and added a few of my own ingredients and one that was a suggestion from the grocery store. Put them all together and this was "the best pot roast you have ever cooked" -the hubby!
6 servings
3-4lb, chuck roast
4 med. size potatoes, cubed
4 med. size carrots, sliced or 1lb baby carrots
2 celery ribs, sliced, optl (i left out and added bell pepper)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
3 cups water (this is where i substituted the ingrd from the store, 1 can beefy mushroom)
PUT poat roast, potatoes, carrots, and celery in slow cooker
ADD onion soup mix and water (soup)
COVER and cook on low 6-8 hours.

CREAMY COOKER CHICKEN
*We just had this one tonight and the chicken was literally falling apart! You can serve over rice or noodles to make this a complete meal, or pair you favorite veggies with it to make a wholesome meal!
6 Servings
1 envelope dry onion soup (works great bc comes in a two pack!)
2 cups sour cream
10 3/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
COMBINE soup mix, sour cream, and cream of mushroom soup in slow cooker.
ADD chicken pushing it down so it is submerged in the sauce
COVER cook on low 8 hours

HOMINY TACO CHILI
*Here is a great spin on the traditional "colds night" dinner. The extra ingredients in this dish make it burst with flavor!! I would make it every week if Dustin would let me :) And it also freezes great!
4 Servings
1lb ground beef/turk
1 onion, chopped
1 can hominy, drained
1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 sml can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (i opt out)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (i opt out)
1 cup water
1 envlp taco seasoning
1 envlp ranch dressing mix
1/2 tspn garlic salt
1/2 tspn pepper
Corn chips, optional, serve with

COOK beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. drain, stir in the next 11 ingredients
BRING to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 mins. Serve half of the chili with corn chips if desired.
FREEZE remaining chili in a freezer container for up to 3 months.

CHEDDAR POTATO CHOWDER
*This is one of Dustins favorite dishes and so good even after frozen (up to 3 months) It is also a great dish to have around the holidays because you can use left over ham in this recipe!
6 Servings
2 cups water
2 cups diced unpeeled red potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups milk (2%)
2 cups (8 oz) shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
1 cup cubbed fully cooked lean ham
COMBINE the first seven ingredients (on stove top) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10/12 mins or until veggies are tender
MEANWHILE place flour in a lg saucepan, gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Add cheese, stir until melted. Stir the ham an dht cheese sauce into undrained vegetables until combined.

CHEESY SPAGHETTI BAKE
*Another one of Dustins faves! This is a spin on the traditional spaghetti dish! It is very light with the tomato soup, but very heart and filling. This meal also freezes great for up to 3 months, just double everything and make all at one time!
6 servings
1lb uncooked spaghetti, broken into 3 inch pcs
1 1/2 to 2lbs ground turk/beef
onion, chopped
green pepper, chopped
1 cup milk (or 2 if you want a creamy sauce)
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of mushroom
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
COOK spaghetti according to pckg directions. Drain and place in tow greased 13x9x2 baking dishes, set aside
COOK the beef, onions and green pepper over med. heat until meat i no longer pink, drain. Add to pot, milk, tomato soup, mushroom soup and 1 cup cheese. Bring to a boil.
SPOON over spaghetti (will absorb during baking) Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
BAKE, uncovered, at 350 for 40-45 mins or until bubbly and top is lightly browned.

Well I guess this makes up for the weeks I have been missing now!! I hope that you are able to use some of these recipes and you family loves them as much as we do!!

ENJOY!

~**~NICOLE~**~

Santa Pictures

hey There!
I have kept myself pretty busy lately, and apologize for not posting many updates as to what is going on in our lives! My Photography has picked up and I am having a lot of fun doing that :)

I am going to be hosting Santa Pictures on December 4th! I am very excited about this opportunity! Such fun to see kids with Santa. If you are interested (or if you dont have kids or if they are too old, please pass along to your friends!)then please check out my website for details
www.nicolefloydphotography.com under "Santa's Coming"
packages range from $15-50!!

thanks :)

$100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Head over to This Mama Rocks and enter to win a $100 Visa GC! What a great thing to receive just in time for the holidays. I don't know anyone that would turn down a chance at winning $100! Follow the link below:
http://thismamablogrocks.blogspot.com/2010/11/100-visa-gift-card-giveaway.htm
Good Luck :)

Leading up to Halloween :)

We have been up to a lot of activites lately with Halloween :) here are a few pics from it :)and of course I can't wait to load the ones of our little black kitten after trick or treating tonight :D

Halloween Part 1

Having Fun

We went and visited Granny and Dadpa and Hailey had so much fun!! She always loves to go up there and visit them :) She got to feed the fish and play with all their toys. She loves to have Gran Gran read her books, she will just sit in her lap and flip pages with her.. it is so sweet :) This time she found a baby doll they had and was carrying it around everywhere! She would hug it and kiss it and pull it real close to her! She even wanted to read the book with her :)
I bought a craft for me and Hailey to do together! It is a wooden wall hanger with pumpkins. It had a place to put her name and everything. I thought this would be fun and special for her. So once she woke up from her nap, I took her outside and started the painting!! She looked like a natural with the paint brush in her hand :) She even helped me paint her name on it... which is why the letters are so straight and jagged ;) We had a lot of fun and now it is hanging up right outside her room!
Everyone have a great weekend!

Having Fun

Finger Painting

I forgot to post the picture of my proud display on the fridge... haileys first finger painting! :D

16 Months Old

Hailey has now turned 16 months old! WOW!! She has hit such a fun age and is just a joy to be around... except of course the few days that those dreaded molars were coming in :( She has such a personality and is just a ham! She is constantly making us laugh at the things that she does :) She now LOVES our Camaro since she has had a ride in it, and ask Daddy everytime they are outside together. So it is now a Friday treat for them to go on a ride in the neighborhood together! She also LOVES for her Daddy to get in her tent with her! The tent is pretty spacious.. .but it is def. a funny sight to see! lol Last Sunday we got to go and meet our newest addtion to the family for the Bagwell side, Gracie! She was such an adorable little baby. She sleeps so well! Hailey hasn't been around to many babies, especially teeny tiny ones like her... so she wasn't quite sure? haha. She ignored her at first and just played with toys, but once we finally showed her to Gracie, she was giving her kisses! It was very sweet :) She had a lot of fun at Hunter and Gracie's house!

Baby Gracie

(click on album)
Fall is def. one of my favorite times of the year, because the house starts getting decorated!! Went we and got some pumpkins for the front porch and HB loved picking them out. She even pointed to one of the small ones and said "this" (of course!) and carried it around the whole time. She even wanted it to be part of our display outside :) I can't wait for pumpkin carving and Halloween costumes!! It is going to be so much fun :)

pumpkin pickin

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Since she is getting to be such a big girl, I decided to take some cute little pictures of her and have sort of a mini photo session! She wasn't quite up for it, but we did have some fun. She looked so cute in her little tutu and flowered hat! I even put some cowgirl boots on in the end, and she was adorable if I do say so myself :) I am having so much fun being a mom and feel truly blessed with the beautiful and loving child that God has given us!! (I also threw in some cute bath pictures! everyone loves those ;) )

16 mo mini session

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As for me and Dustin, we have been keeping busy as well. His work is going very good! And I am starting to get a little busier with my photography! I am def. having fun with it and it doesn't seem like work when you are persuing your passion :) I am very excited that I will be doing Santa picutres this year!!! So if you would like your kids to see Santa or know someone that would, please tell them to give me a call or visit my website for details and pricing :)
http://www.nicolefloydphotography.com/santas-coming.html

I hope everyone is doing well :)
Have a great week and hope to update you soon :)