Quinoa with Corn and Green Onions

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked quinoa

2 - 15 oz can corn, drained

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 tsp pepper

1 TBSP honey

2 TBSP lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

4 green onions, chopped

Directions:

1.  Cook quinoa according to package directions.

2.  In a bowl, mix butter, pepper, honey, lemon juice, and salt.

3.  Add quinoa, corn, and green onions to bowl and toss to coat with dressing.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
8 oz elbow macaroni
2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups milk
1/4 cup butter, plus 2 TBSP
2 TBSP flour
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
pinch of paprika 

Directions:
1.  Cook pasta according to package directions, drain.
2.  Melt butter on stovetop.  Add flour and stir.
3.  Add milk stirring constantly.
4.  Stir in cheeses and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and sauce is slightly thickened.
5.  Put macaroni in 9x13 baking dish.
6.  Pour cheese sauce over macaroni and stir until well mixed.
7.  Melt 2 TBSP butter over medium heat.  Add bread crumbs and brown.
8.  Spread bread crumbs over macaroni and sprinkle with paprika.
9.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 cup milk

2 tsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp pepper

4 can cut green beans, drained

2 1/2 cups French fried onions

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Stir all ingredients together (except 1 cup fried onions) and place in 9x13 baking dish.

3.  Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

4.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining fried onions.

5.  Bake another 5 minutes.

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Peanut Butter Protein Balls

These protein balls are a great energy snack.  They taste like a dessert and are filling so we usually eat them mid afternoon to hold us over until dinner.


Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1.  Stir all ingredients together.
2.  Use a small scoop and roll into balls.
3.  Store in air tight container in refrigerator for up to a week.


*This recipe makes about 12 balls.

Beef and Bean Taco Bake

My family loves taco night and all of the children eat this dish really well.  It can be prepared and refrigerated until ready to bake.  I'm in a season of life right now when two of my children are in school and the two children still at home take afternoon naps.  I've been using nap time to make dinner so that I can spend time with my older kids when they get home from school.  Then I can put dinner in the oven when we are ready to eat.  It makes our afternoons a lot smoother and dinnertime is a lot less stressful for me since I'm not cooking while four children are wanting my attention.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
16 oz refried beans
16 oz thick and chunky salsa
1 package taco seasoning mix
2 1/2 cups broken tortilla chips
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 green onions, sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  cook and crumble beef over medium high heat; drain.  
3.  Stir in beans, salsa, and taco seasoning.  Heat to boiling stirring occasionally.
4.  Place 2 cups of the broken tortilla chips in bottom of 9x13 baking dish.  Cover chips with beef mixture.
5.  Sprinkle with bell peppers, onions, cheese, and 1 tomato.
6.  Bake 25 minutes or until bubbly.
7.  Remove from oven and top with lettuce, 1 tomato, and 1/2 cup chips.

Hershey Bar Cake

You want a piece of that cake right now, don't you!?!  This is one of those recipes I made when I was first married and kind of forgot about.  I don't know why, because it is so good!  My youngest child turned two last week and this is the cake I made for his party.  The cake is yummy and the icing is the perfect mix of sweetness and lightness with chunks of Hershey Bar throughout.

Sweet Sawyer was excited about his cake and party!

Ingredients:

1 box Swiss chocolate cake mix

3 large eggs

1 cup oil

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 cup sour cream

1 small vanilla pudding

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Icing:

8 oz cream cheese

16 oz powdered sugar

12 oz cool whip

1 tsp vanilla

3-4 Hershey Bars, chopped

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Grease three round cake pans with Crisco.  Cover Crisco lightly with flour.  Shake excess flour off.

3.  Mix all cake ingredients together and divide evenly between three cake pans.

4.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Icing:

1.  Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar together.

2.  Fold in Cool Whip, vanilla, and Hershey Bars.

Assembling the cake:

1.  Allow cake to cool.

2.  Place one round cake on serving dish.

3.  Spread generous amount of icing on surface of cake.

4.  Add second layer of cake on top of icing.

5.  Spread generous amount of icing on top of second layer.

6.  Place last layer of cake on top of icing.

7.  Spread the rest of the icing on top and sides of cake.

8.  Garnish with grated Hershey Bar shavings.

*Store in refrigerator.

I even like this cake better the second or third day after making it.