Easy {Tater Tot} Casserole

 

I really enjoying cooking especially if I can do it with someone. I also enjoy teaching and sharing really good things with my friends. (That's why I blog)  So today, I will share with you a recipe that my family has been enjoying for many years. Not only is this my son's favorite dish but it's always a hit at pot-lucks and family events. Weekly, When I ask my son what he wants for dinner, he always says "Tater tot Casserole". We don't eat it every week because it is high in calories. Since not having this dish in a few weeks, I decided to have it in this week's menu. I realized in my planning that Dylen, my son, had not learned to cook this dish. I thought, what better way to engage him in cooking by teaching him to cook his favorite meal. It's so easy even a teenager or preteen can do it(with some parental guidance).

Here's Dylen emptying the contents into the casserole pan while talking to his buddy!

 Wonder what in the world are those black hideous things hanging from my microwave? Well, they are fire extinguishers! Luckily, we have not needed them!

Ingredients:
2 lb Ground Beef
2 lb Tater Tots
16 oz Sour Cream
2 lb block Sharp Cheddar Cheese (block is cheaper than pre-shredded)*
2 15 oz Cream of Onion (Regular Size)
Salt/Pepper

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

• Spray 9x13 casserole pan with non-stick spray

• Place tater tots into pan (As many as will fit without piling on too high) (I like my tatertots cooked and somewhat crispy so I cook them before I put the casserole together.)

• Place in hot oven and allow to cook while you prepare the rest of the dish

• Brown ground beef, season with salt and pepper and drain thoroughly (Sometimes we add Italian seasoning or garlic powder. I have even added fresh onions)

• Mix together  sour cream and cream of onion (If I use onions in my ground beef, I will use cream of mushroom or cream of chicken)

• Remove tater tots from oven

• Add all the ground beef on top of the tatertots

• Pour sour cream and cream of onion mixture on top of ground beef

• Lastly, add shredded cheddar cheese

• Spray foil with non-stick spray to prevent it from sticking to the cheese. Place on casserole and cook for approximately 20-25 minutes until it's heated through.

• Remove from oven and allow to cool, if you can, for 10 minutes.

•  Serve with sweet peas and a green salad!

*Note: I always buy block cheese as it is much healthier for you. Have you ever noticed the fine powder that is on the pre-shredded cheese? Well, that is a synthetic powdered cellulose (made from wood pulp) that packaged- food producers use to coat the cheese, to preserve it, and to block out moisture to prevent clumping. Find out more here on The Wall Street Journal.  It is also in many other products like bread, ice cream and cereal bars. In my research, I have not found any negative side effects but since being educated, I'm not crazy about eating wood pulp. Just because the government allows it, doesn't mean I want to eat it. Plus, we are trying to eat a little healthier. The little things do count!

Need I say more...

You may have to run an extra mile or workout an extra 30 minutes after consuming this dish. I'm not sure how many calories are actually in it, I just know it's a lot.

I hope you enjoy this meal as much as we do. And if you happen to try it, please let me know what you think. And of course, if you tried something different, I would love to hear! I'm always looking for variety.

~Happy Cooking~

dee dee

My Favorite {Homeschool} Online Magazine

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post about one of my favorite homeschool blogs. You can read more here.

Well, today's feature is a website that is a homeschool online magazine. Meaning, it first started out as a magazine that you subscribed to and they delivered it to your door the old fashion way...snail mail. If you are like me, I still prefer to get newsletters and magazines in the mail. There is just something about the smell and the feel of a good read in your hands.

Now, they are online. The website is...The Old Schoolhouse Magazine! You can subscribe to their magazine for FREE online. I just love FREE, don't you? Since it's free, you just read the whole issue straight from your computer or from you phone at your convenience. (I have a secret...I hide under my covers at night and read their issue from my phone)

They have the best writers and editors. The magazine is filled with encouragement, ideas, trouble shooting, curriculum, scheduling, planners and lots more. God has used this magazine so many times in my life to answer my homeschool prayers. When I've needed encouragement, it's been there. When I needed curriculum advice, it's been there. When I was struggling with an idea or whether or not to send my high schooler to public school, the answer was there.

I hope this magazine ministers to you as much as it has to me and that you will share it with a friend.

Free Crocheted Small Flower Pattern

 I just love these small flowers. You can add them to just about anything. Attach them to head bands, ponytail holders, beanies, blankets, jackets and purses. The possibilities are just endless. Theses are the great flowers that I add to my "Ivy Lynn Baby Coccon and Beanie"  . I found this pattern online and altered it to my own liking. I've tried several patterns but this is the one that I like best.

The great thing about it is that you can use 1, 2 or even 3 different colors. I've found that bright colors work best. My favorite yarn and the one I've used here is "I Love This Yarn" sold at Hobby Lobby.

So enough of me jabbering, here's the pattern.

Small Flower

Materials:

G Crochet Hook

Scissors

Various yarn colors, the brighter the better. I used red, yellow, hot pink, white,orange and teal.(These are not the actual names of the colors. Sorry I throw away the label after purchase, just too much hassle to keep)

Abbreviations:

Ch: Chain

Sl St: Slip Stitch

St: Stitch

Dc: Double Crochet

Tr: Triple Crochet

Let the Fun begin:

Begin with a slip knot/stitch

Row 1: ch 2

Round 2: 6 dc into 2nd ch from hook. (*Note below)  (Can change color here)

Join with sl st to first dc of round.

Round 3:  2 dc in each st around. (12 dc made) Join with sl st. Fasten off first color but leave a tail long enough for sewing your flower. Join in your next color on top of first dc st.

Round 4: *ch 2, tr 1 into first dc st; tr 1, ch 2, sl st into next dc st*. Rep from * to *  to end of round. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Makes 7 petals

*Note- If changing colors here, I like to do it before I slip stitch. This hides the fact that you’ve changed colors. Notice in Picture 2 I did not change colors before I slipped stitched or chained. It doesn’t look as neat, does it?

Picture 2, color change added after slip stitch

 Notice the white yarn in the middle of the yellow and again the yellow yarn in the red petal.

Red petals with yellow center. Notice the tail for sewing!

The above picture is a sample of the color change done before the slip stitch. You can not see where it was changed. Doesn't this look so much better?

If you have any questions, please leave a comment. And if you get to make these great flowers, please share a picture with me so I can post them here. And as always, if you find an error or just a better way, I am always open to your suggestions.

Happy Crocheting

~dee dee~

My Favorite {Homeschool} Blogs

Well, it's that time of year where us parents are mentally gearing up for "back to school". I've already started getting my plans together for next year. (No need to applause, I have friends who have already started school.) We generally start around Labor Day. (It depends on whether or not we have Labor Day plans)

What I thought I would do is feature my favorite blogs in the next few weeks. I have several and they are packed with so much info I knew I couldn't fit them all in one blog. So I will talk about them one at at time.

My first one is...Simple Homeschool. Jamie Martin is the blessed author/blogger and she covers topics from educating moms, field trips, homeschool misconceptions, curriculum, family time, home management, homeschool methods and much more. I just love her heart. She shares her struggles and how she has overcome many obstacles that us homeschool moms face. She has 3 children, 1 biological and 2 adopted. You can read more about her here. Hopefully, you will connect with her as I have.

She has recently wrote another great book called "The Steady Mom's Freedom Guide~Joyful Motherhood on your own terms"

I personally have not read this book but do have it on my "Must Read" homeschool material. As one who struggles with insecurity, I'm constantly searching for encouragements, confirmations and affirmations. I'm sure she will deliver in a big way. Hey, and I know there will be ideas I've never thought of.

So, no more listening to me ramble on, it's time to head on over to Simple Homeschool. Oh and be sure to visit her other blog...Steady Mom.

My next Favorite Homeschool Blog will be about a FREE newsletter that I read straight from my phone. You will not want to miss this one.

If you are thinking of homeschooling and are not sure where to start, please feel free to leave a comment. I may not have all the answers but as an 8 year homeschool veteran, I would certainly love the opportunity to guide you in the right direction. Also, be sure to check out my post from last summer "Homeschool Newbie Website". There are a lot of helpful tips there as well. And of course, be sure to read Jamie's blog post "6 Homeschooling Misconceptions Erased".

Happy Homeschooling

~dee dee~

Our New (to us) Used SUV

We got a new but used car. Or actually an SUV. After praying, researching and looking for a used car for about a year we finally found the car that God had for us. Yes, we believe that God has great plans for us (Jer. 29:11) He knows our future and we kept praying that He would lead us to the car He had for us.

After our only car died (read more in my previous post...Total Money Makeover Update #2) We were forced to get one immediately. So to Consumer Reports I went. You can get a monthly membership for $6.95 and can cancel at anytime. They suggested several used SUVs so I online shopping. One of the SUVs they suggested was a Toyota Highlander. I did a Google search and found a 2005 with only 42K miles and for only $13,852. I emailed the dealership to inquire whether or not the mileage was a typo. (I've had this happen to me before) A car salesman returned my call and informed me that it was no mistake. I told him we would be there by 5:30 p.m. for a test drive.

Would you believe me if I told you that it had been sitting for so long that the battery was dead. They had to jump the thing off. "Red flag"! I thought, there is no way I'm buying this SUV. Someone had traded it in in April and so it had been sitting. I couldn't believe that no one was interested in this car and that it had been sitting here for that long. Then the Holy Spirit assured me that everything was o.k. and reminded me that I had asked Him to lead us to the right car for us.

We drove it and boy did we like it...A LOT! I couldn't believe how well it drove. We had test driven other new and used cars in the past 6 months and none compared to this one.

While we were sitting inside waiting for the salesman to bring us the final price, I kept praying that God would give me the peace I needed to know that this is what He wanted for us. I tried to make up the most perfect scenario of purchasing a used car from a dealership. I couldn't come up with a better one. An 8 almost 9 y.o. vehicle with only 42K miles and $4000 under suggested resale price. Plus it was a vehicle that had excellent ratings all across the board from Consumer Reports, a company we've used and have trusted for many years.

I was feeling so anxious and nervous that I was jittery and nauseated. I even asked my sister before we got to the dealership to please pray for me cause I thought I was going to throw up. She just reassured me that God was in control and that He would give me peace when we found the right car and to just enjoy the journey, which is what God has been speaking to me for several months. 

As I sit waiting for that peace, our salesman said "If this is the right car, you will have peace". Really?! I wasn't expecting that. In a few minutes it did just that...came like a warm blanket. My thinking, nerves and emotions just come to a complete halt. I knew then that God was with us and this was what He wanted. I even spoke to Lynn about what he was feeling. He was at complete peace from the beginning. He doesn't get in knots like a do.

By Friday midday, our financing came through and we were proud owners of a 2005 Toyota Highlander for $13,100 with GAP insurance and a 3 yr/36K bumper to bumper warranty. It already had new tires and rims. It was the most smoothest transaction ever. If this was God plan, which I know it was, then it's up to Him to help us make the payments. Which I know He will. This was not something I wanted, but it's something that He wanted.

To top it all off, we made such a huge Kingdom connection with our salesman, that it made the enemy mad. I had the weirdest of dreams Thursday night (Which was the night we test drove the SUV). He is the one of the first persons we've met that has the same thoughts, ideas and convictions about Christianity, the church and our heavenly Father. God is so sneaky. He's been so sneaky so many times in our lives that we have given Him a nickname of "Jehovah Sneaky"

This transaction was multifaceted. Which is how our Father works. It was a "WIN-WIN" situation for all.

Our New 2005 Toyota Highlander

Stay safe and live debt free!

~dee dee~

Total{ Money} Makeover Update #2

We are on a Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. You can read about our story in my first post...Our Total Money Makeover. I wanted to give you an update.

I am almost finished with his book "The Total Money Makeover". I just can't wait to start so I did just that by starting with the "baby steps". Baby Step #1 is to save $1000 Emergency funds, FAST! We did have a small savings account but not $1000. Dave instructs you to sell your extras, i.e. extra cars, boats, furniture, via Ebay, Amazon, garage sale etc. We had a mini van that needed about $1500-$1800 in repairs and after the repairs it would only be worth about $500. We decided that it was not worth it. So we sold it! Whoo Hoo! We only got $440 for it but HEY!, that's closer to our emergency savings, right? Baby steps remember!

Our only car now is a 2000 Buick Century. We know it needs some work so we thought we would use our emergency funds for some repairs. Before you fuss, the emergency fund according to Dave Ramsey is for unplanned car repairs and real EMERGENCIES! As I stated before, we really didn't have much of an emergency fund. So we spent $89 of our emergency fund to purchase a water pump and a thermostat and a few other little things for the car. (My husband is a back yard mechanic and made these repairs himself. I'm so proud!)

Well, we had a small wrench thrown in our plans. Having the water pump and the thermostat replaced unmasked a much greater problem. Are you ready for the really BIG bad news?! I sure wasn't. Well, after a professional mechanic looked at it, he discovered that we have a blown head gasket or a cracked head. Yep, I said it! Those most dreaded words that any car owner wants to hear. We figured it happened when we went to the Blue Bayou in Baton Rouge, LA. We heard a thump and the car got hot but then ran fine after that. Weird, huh?

The repairs needed on the Buick Century were going to be anywhere from $1500-$1800. These major repairs my husband couldn't do so it was going to cost a lot more. My dh has been saying for months that we just need to get another car. I have been encouraging him to please just make the needed repairs so that we could keep it until we were credit card debt free. Which will be January 2014. (I know, right? I'm so excited) I just didn't want to get into any more debt. I was fine driving the "green gobblin",( as my kids called it) that only had 1 hub cap. I was willing to live like no one else, so that we could live like no one else...DEBT FREE!

The mechanic actually suggested to us that we get another car. He said that once a head is cracked or a gasket is blown it just creates so many more problems and that a car with over 150K miles was just not worth the investment. This is just what my husband wanted to hear. We went home just feeling hopeless. My plans of being debt free seemed to just fall away so quickly. All I could see what $$$$$$ and more money going that coming in. We went to bed praying for God to lead us in the right direction for purchasing a used car(Which we had been doing for about a year). He did just that. I will tell this story in detail on another post as I like to try to keep my post short.

So to keep it short, HAHAHA! we got a used 2005 Toyota Highlander with only 42,000 miles and $4,000 under Kelly Blue Book value! AHHHHHHHHH! (That's me screaming) We are so excited. Yes, we are in debt $13,000 more but what were we to do? We had to have a car. How else was my husband going to get to work? At least we did take Dave's advice and get a used car instead of a new one. And with our snowball debt we will be able to pay this thing off in a couple of years instead of six.

God is so good and He knows just what we need and want. Yes, he is concerned about our wants as well. He's our Daddy!

Be sure to look for my post about our new SUV.

Until then, be safe and live DEBT FREE!

~dee dee~

Cheddar {Hamburger} with Compost

Do you really like hamburgers as much as we do? We are always looking for different recipes to change it up a bit. If you like onions, then you are going to like this one. 

So this recipe comes from one of those many cooking shows. Sorry, I don't remember which one. There are so many to choose from. The chef shared this recipe for onion compost. Compost? Yep, that's what I said. It is so delicious.

Compost Ingredients:
2 red onions sliced long ways
1/2 cup beer (no particular brand)
1 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
Add all ingredients to frying pan and cook onions down til they are brown. Takes about 1 hour. In the meantime, start on your burgers.

Burger Ingredients:
1-1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (I use 80/20 lean ratio, cost less)
1/2 lb cheddar cheese (shredded)
salt/pepper to taste
1 egg
2 tbsp flour (to make the burgers stick together)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Sesame seed buns
Lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, mayo and other toppings of choice.
Mix all burger ingredients
Grill or fry until done.

Place your condiments on each grilled bun, add compost on top of burger, place top bun and enjoy. I served mine with homemade salsa and chips. I'll share the homemade salsa recipe later.

Wanna share? Be sure to give credit where credit is due!

If you try my recipe, please let me know how it turned out.