A Taste of Home...and a little giveaway.

When I was little, my mom didn't cook much. She always told my sister and I that she just hated to cook, and nothing would change that. I know a lot of people that don't like to cook, and you can't hold it against them! :) I must admit I'm glad I didn't inherit that, as I love cooking and baking and anything that has to do with food really, and one of my greatest joys is making things for my family. They don't always turn out well, but I don't expect anything ALWAYS works......right?

While I love to make new meals and try new things, there are a few meals that I always go back to that are quick and easy, and even more so, remind me of home. Because even though my mom didn't like to cook, she did have a few recipes that she did like to make and that even when I grew up and moved out, would make whenever I came home (because she knew I wanted them). The one recipe that always stood out to me was her mac and cheese. And because I love this mac and cheese so much, I thought I would share with you my tweeked version that makes it all the easier! Not to mention, it is unbelieveably easy!

Macaroni and Cheese, Mom Style

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 pound elbow macaroni (or any type of non-stringy noodle)
1 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4-1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 8x8 deep cassarole dish. Cook macaroni. While the macaroni is cooking, slice the cheese. And when I say slice, just slice it like you would if you were serving it for cheese and crackers. Once the macaroni is cooked, place 1/2 the macaroni in the bottom of the cassarole dish. Cover that layer with cheese. Cover the cheese layer with the rest of the macaroni. And top it off with another layer of cheese. I normally make sure to cover every bit of macaroni...because I like cheese. So, if you want to do that, you may need a bit more cheese! :) Once everything is layered, pour milk into the pan. I always err on the side of more milk (1/2 cup) because I don't want the macaroni to dry out...and you can always pour out any remaining milk if needed after you remove the dish from the oven. Place the dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, or until the cheese and noodles on top are brown and a little crispy. Let cool for a few minutes, and enjoy!

If when you take it out, you still see some milk on the bottom of the dish, let it cool and then drain. It tastes just as good with a little runny milk on the bottom (and when refrigerating leftovers it tends to solidify), so this step isn't necessary, exactly.



This mac and cheese recipe has been a hit with pretty much everyone I have made it for. It is easily adaptable to larger servings (just use a pound of cheese to every pound of macaroni) and you can easily make your own additions if desired. Also, would you believe I didn't realize that mac and cheese isn't typically baked like this until I met my husband? :)

I wish I had some pictures for you all, but I haven't been able to make this dish in quite some time. Next time I make it, I will be sure to take pictures and add them to this post though!

Now, for the other fun part! I am submitting this recipe to the Tastes From Home with Frito-Lay Sweepstakes. You can enter as well, and I encourage you to if you have a good recipe that reminds you of home!

Frito-Lay has been kind enough to send me some chips to giveaway to my readers. They have new chips coming out that are inspired by regional flavors and include all the flavors you see here:

A little more about them:

• They are made with all-natural ingredients and cooked in healthier oils like corn and sunflower oils



• There is less sodium in a serving then in a bagel!

To be eligible to win the bag of chips, all you need to do is respond to this post with a recipe that reminds you of home. Maybe I'll even try your recipe and post about it on my blog? :)

This giveaway will end on Wednesday, August 31st, at 11:59pm.

Can't wait to see what you leave me with!

Starting Again

Hi Everyone,

Been a long time since I last posted. I've been through a lot. I wanted to post...to get my feelings out...but it was so hard. I was also struggling with where I wanted to go with the blog. I have some ideas and some things I would like to post about, so I anticipate that things will hopefully start picking up around here again. :) Hopefully too, there will be some changes for the positive, once I get the time, but until then, it will be good to at least be posting again. :)

Hopefully some of you are still around... :)

The perfect costume

I must admit, I was extremely excited for P's first Halloween. This is probably the only time I'll really get a say in her costume right? :) B and I had an idea for a costume LONG before Halloween came around, but when we started searching for it, came across another, that was absolutely perfect. We even took her out trick or treating with her cousin and she loved seeing all the people.

At any rate, here she is, my SKUNK! :)

In the yard before trick or treat

I just love this face! :)

Not sure what to make of everyone around her, but getting ready to head out!

We got rave reviews all around, and I can't begin to tell you how many people said it was their favorite costume of the evening. I thought she looked adorable, and kind of wish it would fit next year too! I love having a little one to dress up!

This post was written as part of the SITS Halloween Party. You should check it out!

Pumpkin Carving

When I was little, my favorite thing about Halloween, besides the candy, was carving pumpkins. Of course, I couldn't carve the pumpkin myself, but my dad always had my sister and I draw our faces on our pumpkins and he would carve them out. Every year, I wanted the same thing. A pumpkin with heart eyes and messed up teeth in his smile. He also had to have ears. I think my dad had an incredibly hard time with my heart eyes, but he never complained. :)

After I grew up and went to college, I stopped carving pumpkins, although I did paint a few. After B and I got married, we began carving pumpkins again. I was excited to make a pumpkin with a fun face, but when I got the carving kit, it came with tons of neat designs that we could carve on our pumpkins. So, we decided to try those out instead and loved the results. This is what our very first pumpkins looked like:

My only disappointment was that they went bad so quickly after so much work!

This year, we had P, and while we planned to carve a fun pumpkin for her, somehow one of the pumpkins we bought went bad. So, while we didn't carve one for her, she did get to play with a small one and watch her mommy and daddy carve theirs. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

B and I again carved some elaborate pumpkins (his moreso then mine with the werewolf), and I loved it. I'm not a crafty individual, persay, so to be able to make something like this is fun for me.
Next year though, P will definitely have a carved pumpkin!

I wrote this post as a part of the SITS Halloween Party...you should check it out!

Ghosts of Halloween Past

I've always loved Halloween...getting dressed up and of course, the candy. When I was little, I had many favorite costumes and good times. We often celebrated at our church with apple bobbing, costume contests and games before we would go out and get lots of candy. Of course, Halloween has changed from when I was young. I remember we would always go out right at dusk, on October 31st, and knock on the doors that had lights on. When the door opened, we would shout "Trick or Treat," and we would go until there were hardly any lights left on (because people had run out of candy!). Nowadays, where I live, Trick or Treat is a set day, hardly ever on the actual Halloween, and a set time, normally before dark. People sit outside and pass out candy, there is no knocking on doors. It makes me sad that it has changed so much.

After I grew up and began my big kid job, Halloween was a BIG weekend at my job. The university I worked at was known for the block party at Halloween, and my job required me to be on duty pretty much all weekend during Halloween. Although it required long hours and we were often quite tired, I loved Halloween weekend because it meant good food and great staff bonding time. We weren't allowed to dress up, but at the staff meeting beforehand, we would normally dress up and have fun. I loved that Halloween took on a new meaning for me during these years and that it could still be so fun.

Some of my staff one Halloween (that is me in the middle...I was supposed to be a ninja...not sure it entirely looked like that!)

Now, I have my daughter, and I look forward to seeing how she enjoys Halloween and Trick or Treating. I hope it is as much fun for her as it has been for me through all these years.

This post was written as a part of the Halloween Party over at SITS. You should check it out!

7 months

Princess P,

You are 7 months old today. Time is flying!

This month you've really focused on trying to talk more. You've gotten dada and daddy down really well. You make some m sounds, and continue to say hey, and hi. I believe we even hear nanana and gaga. I'm hoping by next month you'll have mama down, but who knows.

You are crawling better then ever, and no longer feel like you have to stay in the room with mommy and daddy. Now, you just take off and go to the other room with no problem. I love the way you crawl...we can definitely hear you coming as you slap your hands down! You are cruising along the furniture with no problem and can pull yourself up like you've been doing it forever. You love to climb up and all over mom and dad, especially when it will help you reach something you want. I've seen you try and stand a few times, but you weren't able to. I'm sure you'll keep working on it though!

You love to stare at your reflection and talk to yourself and give yourself kisses. You also love to play with the remote and telephone. The animals are one of your favorite things, and they always put a smile on your face. You love to try and talk to them and pet them whenever they are around. You are going to be an animal lover just like your mommy!

Daddy thinks you are starting to get your first tooth, and I think so too. You've been biting everything you can. I'll sure miss your toothless smile if you really are getting a tooth!

We started you on solids this month, and while we haven't really given you a lot, you seem to like them. You have liked everything we've given you, and now, you will beg people for their food if you see them eating. I hope that you continue to be such a good eater!

We visited a few new places this month, went hiking and picked out your first pumpkin. You also were visited by Grandma and Aunt H, and got to meet more of daddy's family.

Our biggest struggle continues to be getting you to sleep through the night. You are nowhere near that...waking every 2 hours most nights, although sometimes I'm lucky and you sleep 4 hour stretches. It has been rough on mommy not getting a lot sleep, so she is starting to night wean you and look at ways to help you put yourself back to sleep. Hopefully when I write your next letter, sleep will no longer be an issue.

Regardless, you are the greatest joy. Your laughter and smiles are the best parts of my day. I love seeing you grow and change. I love seeing you discover new things. I love how excited you get while jumping on the couch and how you love your daddy. I'm so lucky to have you.

Love you more then words can tell.

7 months old!

6 months

Princess P,

You are 6 months old today! I cannot believe it has been 6 months since we brought you home from the hospital and I didn't know what to make of you.

This month you have achieved many milestones. At about 5 and a half months, you pulled yourself up to standing using the couch for the first time. The very next day, you started crawling! You haven't been on the move as much as I expected you would be once you learned how to crawl, but that is mostly because you love to stand and walk along the furniture. Doing so means you get to see what Mommy and Daddy are doing, and you like that. In recent days though, you have become a bit more daring in your crawling and followed me in to the kitchen, and then went in to the kitchen by yourself. I definitely have to keep an eye on you now!

You are starting to talk more now that you are no longer focusing on learning how to move around. I've been hearing some m's and d's and think you are starting to put together some mamama and dadada sounds. One of these days you'll say your first word, but I'm patient. You've been focusing on so many other things first!

I'm very happy to say that we made it a full 6 months exclusively breastfeeding. You have had a few tastes of food in the recent weeks, but nothing that would be considered a meal. I think we've been pretty lucky not to have any real problems and I've really enjoyed our special time. To thin that I helped you get to the size you are is really quite amazing. I don't know your stats yet because we haven't been to the doctor, but I know you are getting big. You are in size 3 diapers and are growing out of all clothes that have the number 3 in them. We tried to give you some banana today, as we start baby-led weaning, and you thought it was fun to mash it around. One of these days you'll get that it goes in your mouth. :)

You still absolutely love to laugh and giggle all the time at Mommy. Daddy has gotten much better at making you laugh too...I think he even found a tickle spot!

This month you went to your first fair, and hiking with Mom and Dad. You've done a lot of traveling to see Grandma and Grandpa and other family, and have been outside a lot. You love to be outside.

You have brought me more joy then I can express. Although I've found your sleepless nights difficult at times (and oh have they been sleepless...up every 2 hours), I can never be upset with your smiling face for long. I sometimes think to the future when making faces at you will no longer make you laugh so easily...and it makes me sad. But for now, I am enjoying every second and trying to remember it as best I can. You have inspired me to be someone I never thought or knew I could be. I can't thank you enough.

I love you little one.

6 months old!