Meal Planning with Connie

Almond Bark Snack Almond Bark Snack 2 pounds almond bark 1 cup peanut butter, chunky or smooth 2 cups roasted peanuts or mixed nuts 2 cups small pretzel sticks, broken Cover baking sheet with waxed paper. Melt white chocolate in top of double boiler, Stir in pecans and pretzels. Quickly spread onto prepared sheet. Cool. Break into pieces. White Chocolate Cherry Almond Bark 1 package (24 oz. size) white chocolate bark 1 jar (12 oz. size) maraschino cherries 2/3 cup slivered almonds 1 teaspoon almond extract Directions: Place white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute at a time until melted; be careful not to scorch. Drain cherries and chop. Add cherries, almonds and extract. Pour onto wax paper; spread out until about 1/4 inch thick. Allow to cool completely and break into pieces.

We have been out-of-town for a few days celebrating our anniversary.  I did want to touch on a couple of comments from last week.  I appreciate my friend, Wayne, sharing his thoughts on the Sausage Squares recipe. I usually use mild-flavored sausage, because that's what Larry and the kids like. I encourage you to experiment with using different varieties of sausage - mild, hot, sage or a combination.  If "hot" is too hot for your taste, but you want more of a kick than you get with "mild," use half mild and half hot. Freeze any leftover browned sausage for the next use. Also, Wayne mentioned halving the recipe and baking it in an 8x8 pan. I, too, generally have great results halving a recipe designed for a 9x13 dish and using an 8x8 pan.  Thanks for the great tips, Wayne! Also, there were a couple of questions about the Sausage Bread recipe, which is an all-time favorite of our Sunday school class.   For clarification, I brown and drain the sausage rea...

I made these for Sunday school this morning, and they seemed to be a hit!  Very moist! Sausage Squares   1 pound sausage, browned, drained and slightly cooled 2 1/2 c. Bisquick 3 cups shredded cheese (one variety or a combination) 2 eggs, beaten 3/4 cup Miracle Whip (or mayo) 3/4 cup milk Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Cook sausage and set aside to cool. Combine last 5 ingredients until moistened. Stir in sausage. Spoon mixture into prepared pan.* Bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown. *At this point, batter can be tightly covered and refrigerated. Just pop it into the oven the next morning!  

I quickly needed a dip to carry to a church fellowship one Christmas. I put this dip together with ingredients I had on hand.  I thought it turned out really well and was quite festive looking. Baked Artichoke Dip Baked Artichoke Dip 1 cup mayonnaise 2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese 1 chopped onion ¼ cup chopped roasted red peppers, drained (pimentos would work, too) 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained A dash or two of hot sauce ½ cup Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat small baking dish with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients except Parmesan cheese and spoon into prepared pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Serve with bagel or pita chips.

Is this not the most wonderful - and the busiest - time of the year?!! We have been meeting ourselves coming and going. And, it's only going to get worse over the next couple of weeks! I did cook a few things over the past few days that I hope to get time to share with you. I made this breakfast casserole for Sunday School yesterday.  I let mine way over brown, so I'll add the photo the next time I make this! This recipe was very good and easy. It was also very Christmas-y with the red from the Ro*tel and the green from the onions. Yet, it would be tasty anytime of the year! If you don't want the heat from the Ro*tel, just add a can of drained, plain stewed tomatoes. This is another one of those recipes I just kind of came up with from looking over several breakfast casserole recipes.  If you have ideas on how to make it tastier, please let me know! Festive Breakfast Squares 1 pound bulk pork sausage, cooked and drained 1/2 cup sliced green onions 1 can Ro*tel to...

15 by the 15th Connie For the last 2 week: 2.5 lbs.!! Total Lost: 15 lbs.!! I reached my goal this morning! Now if I can just maintain until the 15th! It will be quite difficult, as we have lots of good Christmas eating to do in the next couple of week! Many thanks for all your encouragement - kind comments left here, sweet e-mails and personal words of support have really helped me to stay focused on my goal!  Many blessings to you all!! Here's a cute recipe I have used in the past for making little Christmas happies for friends, neighbors, teachers, etc. This is also a great little recipe to whip up for breakfast anytime of year! Larry and the kids love these! Christmas Morning Chocolate Chip Muffins 1 cup self-rising flour 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup chopped pecans Mix all ingredients.  Spoon into a sandwich-sized Ziploc and remove as much air as possible.  Pop Ziploc into a little gift bag and ...

Ham and Macaroni and Cheese Soup I made this soup today with the last of the Honey Baked Ham and a bag of macaroni from the pantry.  The kids really liked it. Ham and Macaroni and Cheese Soup 8 ounces macaroni pasta, prepared according to package directions 4 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons flour 4 cups milk 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus a bit for garnishing 1teaspoon dry mustard 1 cup chopped ham salt and pepper, to taste While macaroni cooks, melt butter in soup pot.  Whisk in flour until a smooth paste forms.  Gradually add milk, whisking occasionally until it begins to thicken.  Add cheese.  Stir until melted and smooth. Continue to cook until desired thickness. Stir in mustard.  Add ham and drained macaroni; heat through.  Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese. Good served with cheese toast.