Super, Super Easy Mac-n-Cheese

FOODY FRIDAY

SUPER EASY ONE POT MAC-N-CHEESE

Okay, I can't remember where I learned this technique, but I have been making this quick and easy meal for the last year (I want to say that it was from Alton Brown from the Food Network). My daughter eats this up and doesn't know the difference! I always have frozen peas on hand, so even if I don't have canned tuna, I'll still add the peas.

Favorite pasta (I use Barilla Smart Pasta, Rotini) as much as you need
Favorite cheese
Approx. 1 T. all purpose flour
milk
canned tuna or chicken (optional)
frozen peas (optional)

Cook your pasta as normal and drain. Sprinkle pasta with flour, just so it covers the top with a thin coating. Shred cheese over pasta and pour in a little bit of milk (1-2 T. or so) to make it creamy. Now, to make it well rounded you can do what I do. Stir in canned tuna or chicken or left over chicken if you have it and some frozen peas. You may have to add a bit more milk if it starts to get too thick.

Don't worry, the flour helps the cheese melt well and to keep it from getting gloopy!!

Enjoy :-0

By George, She Gets IT!!

All of a sudden she gets it. We are now stunned once again at how much little Miss Elle understands. It shouldn't be that much of a surprise that she is learning, but each time she shows her understanding I find my jaw dropping.

Most recent jaw dropping experiences:

I made the comment to my Mother-in-Law that Elle's lovey, (stinky, pink, dolly she sleeps with and wipes milk off of her face with...ew...) "needs a bath." Elle grabbed her lovey and disappeared. I followed her, and much to my surprise, she had put it in the bathroom next to the bathtub!!!! Well, she doesn't know that Lovey actually gets a wild ride in the washing machine:-) Nothing gets by her!

Elle uses sign language to communicate (along with her few words), so its common for people to ask what is she saying/signing?? So, last night, Elle's Grandma asked "what is she saying?" Bernhard said that she had to her hands together to pray before dinner. She had just begun to put her hands together to pray. This was the first time that she initiated praying. Tears came to my eyes.

Elle and Isaac sharing the Lego bucket

Last week I babysat Isaac, Jenny's little boy. He and Elle played together and shared toys, then Isaac took a nap in Elle's pack-n-play. After the Wilson clan left (after a great day together of playing and eating), I realized that they had forgotten Isaac's lovey and nuk. Elle was walking around with them and I told her "those are Isaac's lets put them on the table." Later on she took them off the table and disappeared with them. I found them later on. She had put them in the pack-n-play:-)

Isaac brushing Elle's hair

Elle has learned to finally make a kissing sound with her lips when she kisses (say goodbye to the open mouth kiss...) and to give REAL hugs. Today in the grocery store she was constantly reaching her arms around me to hug me from her seat in the cart. Mommy was a puddle on the floor...

And finally, we attended our first ECFE class (Early Childhood Family Ed. is a great program in Minnesota where parents and their kids, ages birth-5, can attend pre-school type classes with the parents. The parents then have a parenting type class and social time while the kids are alone with the teacher). Elle was sooo social (really, I'm not surprised). It was just great to see her interact with other kids her age and other adults. Since she is not in daycare, and does not go to a big nursery at church her true interaction with kids in large groups is minimal. She certainly didn't show it this week. She showed her teacher her "signs" and read lots of books.

Learning is truly amazing. I feel so blessed that I am able to stay home with her and that I get to watch her learn all of these little, but oh so important things :-)

BLT Pasta Salad

F~O~O~D!!!!!

WELCOME TO FOODY FRIDAY!

Ok, so I have been wanting to participate in Foody Friday and link to my dear friend Jenny's Foody Friday blogs for a LOOOONG time :-) Finally I am getting 'round to it. So, her theme for the week is Quicky and Healthy. I'm not so sure bacon qualifies as being healthy, but I tend to buy nitrate free bacon and it is sure yummy and healthier for us.

I threw this meal together this week when I was loaded down with fresh tomatoes and had leftover bacon on hand, and was desperately craving BLT's. Elle isn't quite able to eat a sandwich yet, so this is what came flying out of my kitchen.

BLT Pasta

6 (or so) slices of bacon
5-6 Roma tomatoes or 2-3 large tomatoes, seeded
1/2 lb. of pasta (we use Smart Pasta Rotini--yummy and good for you too)
Lettuce
Fresh parsley
1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
Olive oil
Apple cider vinegar
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 a small onion
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Fry bacon while water is boiling for the pasta. Once bacon is crispy, set it aside on paper towels. Reserve about 1 tsp (or less or more) of bacon fat in the pan. Add about 1 T of olive oil to pan and about 2-3 T. of vinegar. Scrape up burned on bits of bacon and then add minced garlic. Saute until fragrant and sweet smelling. The vinegar will reduce down and there will be a couple of tablespoons of sauce in the pan. Add the drained pasta to the pan and sauce and mix well.

2. Once well mixed, put pasta into a large serving bowl. Chop tomatoes and add to pasta (the more the better). Add torn lettuce (I think arugula would even work, but romaine sounds the best to me since it is crisp), diced onions, and crumbled bacon. Sprinkle a handful of shredded cheddar cheese and fresh parsley.
ENJOY :-0

P.S. When I made it the other day, I discovered that our lettuce had frozen in our too cold refrigerator, so there was no "L" present in our BLT pasta, but it was still yumm-o!!!