Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY... Monday, January 25, 2010

Outside my window... Still inky black, up early today

I am thinking... of how I really enjoyed my weekend, even tho I had to work

I am thankful for... My job, even if it does drive me bonkers most days

I am wearing... pink bunny pajamas and a sweater - it's gotten COLD outside

I am remembering... such sweet kisses from my little Gwennie pig

I am going... to be staying home today until my Honey gets home this evening - then to Wal-Mart for a few things and out to eat

I am currently reading... A Sherlock Holmes story

I am hoping... to watch the rest of Return to Cranford today

On my mind... organizing everything around here

Noticing that... I have been really lax in keeping this blog up!

From the kitchen... Leek and Potato Soup, lemon pie. Later on in the week - Green Chili Beef Burritos, chicken tetrazzini, teriyaki pork tenderloin

Around the house... sweep and mop - again! Otherwise, organizing my cabinets

One of my favorite things . . . food magazines! I am hopelessly addicted!

From my picture journal...


It's CAT TV! Honey put up a bird-squirrel feeder just outside the living room window. Constant, non-stop entertainment for the kittie!

got daybook?


Chicken Tetrazzini

1 (16 ounce) package thin spaghetti (I like to use cavatappi)
1/3 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
1-2 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (or use 1-2 cans sliced drained mushrooms)
1/4 cup whipping cream
3 cups chopped cooked chicken or cooked turkey
1 (10 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 (10 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 (10 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup frozen peas
fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish (or a large oval casserole dish). Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente (do not overcook the pasta, leave semi-firm as it will cook more in the oven) drain, then transfer to a large bowl. Add in whipping cream and all three canned soups, cooked chicken or turkey, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, 1-1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese and frozen peas, toss well to combine. In a large skillet melt butter; add in the mushrooms and saute until done. To the skillet with the mushrooms, add in onions and garlic; sauté until onions are soft; add to the soup mixture. Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Season with seasoned salt and pepper (I use Morton's Nature's Seasoning). Transfer to prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake about 30-35 minutes (or until hot and bubbly); uncover and sprinkle with about 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, return to oven and bake until cheese is melted (about 5-8 minutes).

I also top this with some french fried onions. Sliced almonds are a very welcome addition as well. You can use whatever cheese you like. This makes quite a large dish, will serve 8.

Recipe originally from Kittencal on Recipezaar. I modified just a tidge.

Well, Honey is off to work now, time for me to get busy doing all the myriad of little things that need doing. Wishing you all a warm and productive day!

Taco-Tator Casserole

Sometimes we get too busy. Too busy to appreciate the blessing of family.

I know I do at times. Working a 40-hour a week job, working in the house, cooking and cleaning, giving time to my son and my fiance. Sometimes I feel there is no time for me.

But then I think - how lonely would I be if it were just me? No family around?

My middle brother has been working here in town doing some yardwork to make some extra money. He comes over in the afternoons after working his regular job and brings his wife and her 8 year old granddaughter. Sometimes, it drives me crazy, as I have to work some evenings. Today, I just decided to let it go. And I thanked God for the blessing of having family close.

I made this casserole with a fresh salad for supper. Turned out great. Nice and restful. God knows what we need!

Taco Tator Casserole
Serves a bunch!

2 pounds ground beef
1/4 to 1/2 cup onion, chopped
2/3 cup water
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can nacho cheese soup, undiluted
1 can corn, drained
grated cheddar cheese
1 bag tator tots

Brown ground beef in skillet with onion. Drain fat off. (I usually put it in a colander and run hot, hot water over it.) Add water and taco seasoning and simmer for a bit. Add corn and soup, mix well. Pour into a 9 x 13 greased pan. Top with grated cheddar cheese if desired (this was my addition, not in original recipe). Top that with tator tots and bake 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with a fresh salad. I think this would be good with some black olives sliced into the soup mixture, and some extra peppers.



It is always good to toss your tots with a little olive oil - makes them crispier!

Pizza Tot Casserole

Ok, yet another quick-n-easy! But kids of all ages LOVE this and it is indeed quick, freezes well also. We took a pan to my sick auntie.

It is a not-so-traditional spin on a hamburger-tator tot casserole.

Hope everyone is doing well with the heat, we are back to normal here. We did get some nice rain, about 1-1/2 inches.

This is a TOH recipe.

Pizza Tot Casserole
Serves 4-6

1 pound hamburger (can use sausage here)
1/2 of green bell pepper, chopped small
1/2 medium onion, chopped small
1 can tomato soup, not diluted
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 fat clove garlic, minced
Italian seasoning to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 bag frozen tator tots
Snipped pepperoni - optional

Grease a 9 x 11 pan. Preheat oven to 350F. Brown hamburger with garlic, pepper and onion in skillet. Drain well (I usually rinse with boiling water after draining). Stir in tomato soup and season to taste. Mix in mushrooms. Spread in pan. Top with cheese and finally with tator tots. Top that with the snipped pepperoni. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with crusty breadsticks and a nice green salad.



You can mix and match this however you like, according to what you usually put on your pizza. Throw some canadian bacon in, or olives.

Chicken Enchiladas

Ok, I know that just about everyone has a version of chicken enchiladas. So today, you all are going to get mine! Note that this is another quick-n-easy recipe. The other night I was going to have left-overs for supper, when to my surprise, all of the left-overs were gone! So another quickie! I do promise that I don't cook like this ALL the time!

I made 2 more pans of these this morning, one to take to my sick auntie and one to pop in the freezer for us. Don't imagine it will be around long.

Chicken Enchiladas

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
Approximately 1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 small can chicken gravy
1 can green enchilada sauce
Corn tortillas

In a bowl, mix chicken, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, gravy, sour cream and about 1/3 can of enchilada sauce.

Grease 2 8-inch pans.

Warm tortillas slightly in microwave so they are pliable. Take a tortilla and spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling down the middle. Roll up and place seam side down in the pan. Repeat until you run out of filling. You can use more or less filling, depends on how quick you want to get done!

When done, drizzle 1/3 can of enchilada sauce on each pan. Then put about 3/4 cup of cheese on top.



You can now freeze this for baking later or bake it right now. Bake about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

You can mix up the cheese and the sauce for these, use pepper jack cheese or a hot enchilada sauce if you like it spicy. You can also saute onions and peppers and add to the filling. I am just giving you bare bones here. Also, DS does not care for onions and peppers, so I try to accommodate! Also before you bake, sliced black olives are great to strew over the top. Serve with a green salad with fresh tomatoes.

Back from vacation

I am back. I had such a great time, I wish that you all could have been there. I got to see a lot of my cousins that I haven't seen in a while. And aunts and uncles, etc. The old home place has not changed much. It was so good to see. We went into the town where I lived in grade school and so many of the places I remember have not changed at all! I got some pictures and I will be sharing them with you as time goes along.

We had an eventful trip on the way up, it rained on us about half of the way, we got kinda lost because we had an old atlas and they moved the Missouri River bridge at Lexington so we had to detour about 40 miles out of our way, and in Kansas we had a tire belt that busted so we had a blow out, had to change the tire and buy a new one. But all in all, it was ok.

The weather was gorgeous the whole time we were there, sunny during the day, but not too hot, cool at night and not a lot of wind. No bugs. I had forgotten how beautiful Nebraska was. The rolling hills of prarie. You can see, literally, for miles. The miles and miles of crops. Corn, wheat, soybeans. The breadbasket of the nation. Amber waves of grain. Towns are usually few and far between. The farms are big. The home place is half a mile wide and a mile long. Half of a section.

We had a beautiful drive, the wild flowers are all in bloom. Queen Anne's lace (white), chicory (blue), black-eyed Susans (yellow and black), Indian paintbrush (bright orange), clover (purple and white), bird's foot trefoil (golden yellow), daisies (white and yellow), purple coneflower. God has been busy with his paintbrushes!

The drive back was very nice, we took the sceneic route, stopped a few times and took pictures, stopped and ate. All in all, we had a lovely trip. It was just too short, but aren't they all?

Before we left, Dad requested that I make him a Cottage Pie to "tide him over" while we were gone! Mind you, this is a short-cut version!

Cottage Pie

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 can beef or mushroom gravy
1 (1 pound) bag frozen mixed vegetables (corn, carrots, peas, green beans and lima beans)
1 can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
5-6 medium-sized potatoes, mashed with milk and butter
Shredded cheese (I used mozarella and cheddar)


Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet and drain. Meanwhile, cook the mixed vegs in a small amount of salted water and drain. Cook your potatoes and mash. Season well.

Mix the beef, vegs, gravy and mushrooms. Season well. Put in a greased casserole dish. Pile the potatoes on top. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for about 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and pie is hot through. Serve with crusty bread and a green salad.