Birthday Breakfast Casserole Recipe

I wanted to share a yummy recipe with you!  At our house, it is served on birthday mornings, though I also use this recipe for other special occassions such as Easter or Christmas. 

While this recipe always results in many acolades, the number one question is, "What is that sauce on top??".  Well, I aquired this recipe, along with the special sauce from my grandmother and I am willing to share it with you.  You won't tell anyone will you?

Birthday Breakfast Casserole

6 to 8 slices of bread - no crust
1lb. ground sausage - cooked
2 cups grated cheese - or more
6 eggs
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 to 2 cups of milk
1 can cream of chicken soup

Tear bread into chunks and place in the bottom of the casserole dish.  (When I am lazy, I simply lay bread in the bottom of the dish).  Crumble sausage on top of bread.  Crack eggs into a large bowl and whip them up with a fork.  Add in milk, 1 cup grated cheese, and mustard.  Mix together with the eggs using fork, then pour over bread and sausage layers.  In same bowl, mix cream of chicken soup with a little milk to loosen it up (a tablespoon or 2 should work).  Pour over top of casserole and spread with the back of a spoon.  Top with remaining grated cheese.  If you need to, you can let this casserole sit overnight in the refridgerator, though many times, I go ahead and cook it immediately.  Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 for 40 to 60 minutes.  Cheese should be starting to brown lightly and casserole should be hot and bubbly.  Enjoy!

Cake!

Yes, it is as good as it looks!  Spring is birthday season around here as this one is a favorite!

Vanilla Cake

1 1/2 c. self-rising flour

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour

2 sticks butter, softened

2 c. white sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 c. buttermilk

2 t. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to  350 degrees.  Grease and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans.  Beat butter on medium with a mixer for about 3 minutes.  Combine flours in a small bowl while butter beats.  Gradually add the sugar to the butter and continue to mix until fluffy, about anouther 3 minutes.  Add each egg one at a time until well mixed.  Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts while alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla.  Beat until mixed together but no more than that. Pour equal amounts of batter into the two pans.  Cook for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from pans and cool on a rack.

Chocolate Butter Cream Icing

3 sticks of butter, softened

2 T. whipping cream

1 T. milk

1 1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate morsels, melted and cooled to room temperature.

1 t. pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 c. powdered sugar

Place chocolate in a small glass bowl and microwave on high for about 45 seconds.  Remove bowl and stir well.  Place bowl in microwave for another 30 seconds, remove and stir well.  Continue for another 30 seconds until chocolate is melted.  Be very careful that you do not burn the chocolate!  Set aside to cool (I usually do this part while the cake is in the oven.  It give the chocolate pleanty of time to cool off).  Beat butter with mixer for about 3 minutes. Add the milks slowly and continue to mix until the butter and milk are incorporated.  Add the melted chocolate and continue to mix.  We like fluffy icing so now is the time to crank up the mixer speed and really whip in some air!  Turn mixer down and slowly add sugar. Mix until creamy.

Chocolate Ganache

3/4 c. whipping cream

1/4 c. butter

3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Heat cream and butter over medium heat in a saucepan.  Get it hot but remove it before it begins to boil.  Place chocolate in a small bowl and pour hot cream mixture on top.  Let sit for a minute then whisk until smooth.  Let cool until thick but pourable.This can take a while so prepare before buttercream icing.  Whisk every now and then.

Assembly

Ice cake once the cake is room temperature.  I place the cake into the refridgerator for about 15 minutes to cool and set the icing.  Starting in the middle, slowly pour ganache on top of cake. 

A Little Spring

School Morning Breakfast

School morning breakfasts really need a makeover by this time in the year.  To keep the meal hearty and healthy, I usually don't mind whipping up a batch of muffins or pancakes on Sunday afternoon that we can slide in around the cereal mornings.  But during the holiday season, pre-cooked breakfasts even become difficult to come by.  One FAST pre-cook breakfast is WILDBERRY WAFFLES.  I purchase 2 packets of muffin mix (one strawberry and one blueberry), combine them in a bowl, add 1 and 1/2 cups milk or water (whichever the packet calls for), and mix.  I then pour about a cup and a half onto my waffle iron to cook.  It makes delicious waffles without needing eggs,oil and other homemade ingredients.  I put them in the refridgerator and give a quick toast in the toaster in the mornings.  YUM!  My kids love these things!  Thanks for letting me share!

Wildberry Waffles

2 packets of muffin mix

1 1/2 Cups milk

Mix and pour approx. 1 1/2 cups batter onto waffle iron. 

Flourless wheat-free COOKIES!

I thought I would share with you one of my families favorite cookies! This peanut butter cookie recipe is fool-proof!

We like ours with oatmeal added, but if your diet does not include oats, no problem! We also will add chocolate chips too! But let me warn you - we like our cookies crunchy on the outside and chewy and gooey on the inside!

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 stick butter, softened
1 C PB, smooth or crunchy
3/4 C. white sugar
3/4 C. brown sugar
3 T. corn syrup
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
2 C. oatmeal (uncooked)
2t. baking soda
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Using a mixer, mix butter and peanut butter together for 2-3 minutes. Gradually, add each of the three sugars and mix well. Add both eggs and vanilla and continue to mix well.

Combine baking soda and oats then stir these into the batter. If adding chocolate chips, stir these in now also. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes. Let cool for a couple of minutes before removing!

So you don't do oats??
Follow recipe above except, do not use any butter, and obviously, do not use the oats!

Need some extra fiber and omega 3s?
Follow the above recipe, except reduce oats by 1/4 cup and add in 1/4 milled flaxseed. I promise that your family will never know that it is there!

He gives...

He tries to see it as just ...life...responsibility. The kind of responsibility you were warned about when all you could think about was life void of imposed curfews. Only you found that once you achieved this level of maturity, your own folly came at the end of a long list of tending to the needs of others.

He tends to two families. One he chose and the other he was born into. One in the depths of age and one in its prime. It isn't easy. Is it really even possible? That question doesn't really matter, doesn't need to even be asked, because it is his responsibility. There are no other choices. He can only hope that his absence at one dinner table to is appreciated at the other.

You can find him cleaning and preparing breakfast for one family, then cleaning milk from a spilled cereal bowl for the other family. Putting wool socks on old tired feet, then settling an argument between mother and daughter over what is appropriate attire for school. He reads short stories by Ferrell Sams under fluorescent lights, then calls out spelling words on a Thursday night . He helps one stand and walk on wobbly legs, and then teaches another how to swing a bat.

His siblings muse about how sad it is to see their father this way, but he doesn't have the luxury to take time and reminisce.

So I try not to complain when I pick up the water towel off the bathroom floor each morning; a new phenomenon that has only presented itself in the last few months. I try not to huff when he interrupts my thoughts and chores with his own. I try not to do a roll call from my own to-do list when he complains that I need to pick up his work clothes from the cleaners. I ignore it when he leaves his supper dishes on the table, something he expects his children not to do.

Because someone needs to care for him too.

Lord, please help me to fill his cup, so that he can in turn give more of himself to others.

P.A.T.H. - Teaching kids to Pray

If your family is anything like mine, you try to be a good parent and teach your kids great habits that will carry them through like. Praying is one such habit. The difficult part is trying to slowly transition from parent-prayed goodnight prayers to your child initiating prayer on their own. I was really feeling that my kids had hit a plateau and stopped "transitioning". We were stuck in our patterns..."Thank you God for mom and dad"...We needed another boost!

P - Praise

A - Apology

T - Thanks

H - Help (for others then yourself)

The kids and I took four poster boards and wrote one of the above words on each. We arranged them in order all around our backyard ( in order to spell PATH). Quietly and reverently, we walked and encircled a poster. Each person gave praise, apology, thanks or asked from help as we arrived at the designated poster. Do not forget to pull out your Bible and compare the Prayer Path to the Lord's Prayer!

What a difference this has made at bedtime prayers! Good luck and please let me know if you give this a try!

Zucchini Banana Nut Bread for Breakfast!

YUM! My kids ate this all week for breakfast. I sliced it up and toasted it in the oven for a few minutes and VOILA, breakfast. My daughter likes hers with cream cheese and my son prefers butter. Either way, its a great way to get your day movin'!













Zucchini Banana Nut Bread

2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 c. grated zucchini
1 mashed banana
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat four
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. shopped pecans

Combine first 6 ingredients. Sift dry ingredients well together and stir into first 6 ingredients. Gently fold in pecans. Pour into 4x9 greased and floured pan. bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Dog Days of Summer - Children's Summer Activities

The best idea that I have ever had came to me about four years ago. My kids were 3 and 6 years old. Since I teach school, we are all home together each day and boredom was already setting in by July. I was also craving some alone time, but was too cheap to find a babysitter.

A good friend of mine owns and runs a dance studio, but like me, spends her summer days galavanting with the kiddos. We organized a kid swap over Happy Meals at the McDonald's playground. We each planned to take all four kids one day a week allowing each mom an entire FREE DAY. Sitting down with our schedules, the entire summer was planned around things like vacation, VBS and camps. Times were also scheduled. Kids arrive at 8:30 am and will leave around 5:00pm.

Theme days quickly developed and the kids would get so excited about them. We have had "Pirate Day", "Colonial Day", "Candy Day", etc. It wasn't long before my kids were helping plan our weekly theme day too (giving us other things to do during the week).

"The Dog Days of Summer" occured last week and I wanted to show you our FUN!

The day started with puppet making around our kitchen table. The puppets were to be dogs to be used later in the day for a puppet show.










The crafts were going so well, that the girls made puppy dog ears on some headbands while the boys went to ride bikes for a while. We then played "Doggie Doggie Who's Got your Bone" (pardon the grammar, but that is the name of the game). Did you play this in school? One person is the dog and sits in a chair with their eyes closed. There is a bone under the chair. Someone sneaks, steals the bone and sits on it then the doggie tries to guess who has it.

Our dogs were in on the act also. Wizzie got a walk through the neighborhood.










We had a few other neighborhood kids join in for the dog races! If you have a pool, you could have doggie paddle races!











We also made doggie biscuits. This proved to be a kid favorite also. By this time, my group of 4 had become 8 so I made them in 2 batches (girls and boys).











Doggie Biscuit Recipe
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup oats
2 tsp beef or chicken bouillon granules
1 egg
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Stir all together and roll out to about 1/2inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

By this time, mom and kids were exhausted so we settled down to watch Benji (I found this DVD in the $5 bin at Walmart. It brought back a lot of memories).

I hope you have gotten a few ideas to try your own theme day. Have fun and don't be afraid to let the kids help plan it!

It is about LOVING not being RIGHT - The Indian Talking Stick

The smell of residual smoke is in the air. It is tense. Angry voices can be heard. Far off drums are beating. The sound of stone scraping against stone is heard where the grown men huddle. Younger men are eager. Older men are solemn. The ground seems to vibrate under scurrying feet. It is humid and difficult to breathe. Older women pack dishes and clothing into messy piles and rush them into the tent. Wishing they could say something, but knowing, now is not the time. Older children push smaller children into dark tents. Babies are hushed.

Boundaries have been crossed. All could be gone. In 5 minutes? In and hour? Tomorrow? An entire people could be gone, forgotten.

Fate arrives. Angry voices are yelling, screeching. Boastful young men beat on their chest. Weapons are shaken in the air. You don’t have to understand the Cherokee language to know war is at hand.

An old man reaches from a large bag and slowly pulls out the Talking Stick. Everyone knows what this means. In an almost instant, bodies sit; yelling turns to hot glares and weapons sit on folded legs.

Everyone knows the rules and is willing to abide by them. The person with the Talking Stick gets to speak first. They get to speak as long as they wish until they feel their point has been made. No else may speak, only listen, until the talking stick is handed off to the next. Time passes. Some yell when they speak, some become frustrated, some are calm, but all get an opportunity. The yelling slowly fades and weapons sitting in laps become something to pick and twiddle instead of an object to injure.

It is over and anti-climatic at the least. Days of endless talking have resulted in tribes shuffling down a dusty path. Some young are disappointed; they wanted to show their new found strength. The wise, though, are solemn and relieved; they go hug their families. They understand that life is about love, not about who is right.

The disaster has been averted. This time it worked. It doesn’t always work, but this time it did.

I need to think about this. Does the Indian Talking Stick need a place in my family? Jesus understands love. He was willing not to just comprise, but to give it all up for love. Even for people who were determined to be right.

Here is a cute craft tutorial that explains how to build an Indian Talking Stick.

Indians would make their own Taking Stick, decorating the talking stick to symbolize their life, accomplishments and strengths. This site gives some great ideas for embellishing the Talking Stick. Have your kids reflect on their accomplishments and strengths as they decorate. Your family could even add decorations as conflicts are resolved.

Thanks for visiting!

Book Review of Parenting with Love and Logic

I have been going through “Parenting with Love and Logic” for a while now. I must admit, when I first got the book, I was afraid it was going to be one of those feel good books or a new parenting trend that would be rendered useless in a couple of years. However, in this case I was pleasantly surprised.

“Parenting with Love and Logic” bases parenting around allowing your children the opportunity to make mistakes and then learn to deal with the consequences. As parents we are constantly directing (or re-directing), our children even in the minutia of daily life such as, “Put on a coat, it is cold outside” or “Tie your show before you fall”. Cline and Faye advocate giving your children information but then allowing them to make the choice. A typical example of their practice would be a parent informing the child that it is cold out and suggesting that they wear a jacket then allow the child to go outside or to school without the jacket if the child chooses. If the child gets cold, so be it. They will be more likely to remember or heed your warning next time.

My favorite aspects of the book are the example conversations that are given between parent and child to illustrate the author’s practice and advice. I found them to be practical and ‘real life”. I have employed several statements during family conversations that were used in the book. Topics and sample conversations are given on a variety of situations such as homework, whining, sibling rivalry, etc.

I highly recommend this book to any parent at any stage of parenting. The practices discussed here can be used with a toddler, grades-school child and teen. If you have read this book, let me know your thoughts on it too!!!