Food

 I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words 8th – 14th December 2013.

       Food is a major part of any celebration.  Whoever coined the phrase eat, drink, and be merry knew what they were talking about!  With the gluttony of Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas just around the corner I am eagerly anticipating another big holiday meal.  Since I am the cook, the extra work associated with preparing a huge feast is largely up to me. 

        Christmas is full of time honored traditions and rituals and what’s on the menu is no exception.  Every year I bake a ham for dinner.  There are an assortment of sides and usually a special dessert.  One dish that has become a tradition is cheesy hash brown casserole.  It is a dish I prepare every year which the whole family looks forward to with eager anticipation.  It is that good!   It simply wouldn’t be Christmas without it.  No more than it would be New Year’s Eve without steaks on the grill with baked potatoes drizzled with cheese sauce.  Holidays bring the plate of deviled eggs to the table and dessert.  I rarely make dessert for the every day.  Holiday meals demand it!!  What would Thanksgiving be without pumpkin pie piled high with whipped cream?

     So while food is a basic necessity needed to survive, it also plays a major role in our holiday celebrations because we like to eat, drink, and be merry.   Where people gather there will always be food.  Lots and lots of food!!

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

1       bag of frozen hash browns thawed

      ½   C butter melted

1       C  sour cream

1       C  French onion dip

2       C  shredded cheddar cheese

1       can cream of chicken soup

½ C chopped onion

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

Topping

  2 C cornflakes

 1/4 C butter melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix ½ cup butter, sour cream, French onion dip, cheese, soup, and onion in large baking dish.  Add potatoes and toss to coat.

Melt ¼ cup of butter then add cornflakes.   Toss to coat.  Top potato mixture with the cornflake mixture.

Bake for 1 hour.

A Smart Choice for Lunch

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Wonder bread for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

      Since my kids have recently made the conscious decision to take their lunches from home I have been challenged to come up with meal plans that include food that my kids will actually eat and be nutritious at the same time.  While working at a number of schools cafeteria’s I was amazed to realize how much of the school lunches are thrown away.  It is such a waste.  I also realized that everyday my kids came home from school starved because they weren’t eating the school lunches I was paying for.   Determined to cut costs and the problem of wasting food, I decided to buy both of them lunch bags and pack their lunches with only what they intended to eat.  So far, the plan has been a success because they are actually eating what is packed so I am getting my money’s worth.

      Ever since my son has been on solid food when asked what he would most like to eat his reply has always been a sandwich.  Not to hard to imagine that sandwiches are a staple at my house.  That is why when I want to make a sandwich that is delicious and nutritious, I pick Wonder bread.  Not only has Wonder Bread been around for over 90 years satisfying tummies, it comes in over 20 different varieties.  This last summer, Wonder Bread introduced the best bread yet.  It is called Smart White for Kids.  Not only is it smart for kids, but from the facts I have gathered, it is pretty smart for big kids like me too.  Smart White contains no high fructose corn syrup and is only an amazing 50 calories a slice unlike most breads that pack a whopping 120 calories a slice.  Each slice has the same amount of fiber as a slice of 100% whole wheat bread, contains the same amount of calcium as an 8 ounce glass of milk, and is a great source of 9 essential vitamins and minerals!

       For those of you that spend lots of time on the internet like I do, Wonder Bread offers the amazing The Sandwich Wonder-izer! which allows you to build the perfect sandwich, view the nutritional information, and share what’s for lunch on your favorite social networks so your friends can sample your culinary masterpiece.  You will be amazed at the wide range of ingredients to choose from allowing you to really let your imagination soar!!  I encourage you to like Wonder Bread on Face Book where you can find great tips, recipes, and yummy ideas.

       Last but certainly not least I hope you will try a sandwich that I created that my kids simply love!  You can check out the Wonder-izer to see the nutritional content which says this particular sandwich is only 245 calories.

Apple Turkey and Cheese Sandwich

2 slices of Smart White Bread

Smoked turkey lunch meat

1 apple sliced in thin slices

Mayonnaise

1 slice of Kraft singles cheese

Spread both pieces of bread with mayonnaise.  Top with turkey, apple slices, and cheese.  Assemble and enjoy.  For an even yummier treat, try heating this sandwich in a sandwich maker or fix as you would a grilled cheese sandwich on the stove.

Tasty Tuesday: Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Sundae

1/2 cup yogurt
2 TBSP grape nut cereal
1/3 cup chopped apple
pinch of cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp raisins


Place yogurt in bowl.  Sprinkle with cereal and apples.  Top with cinnamon.

Tasty Tuesday: Crunchy-Topped Lima Beans

1 (10-ounce) package frozen Lima beans
1/4 cup water
1 (10-ounce) can Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup celery
1/4 cup parsley
1 (3 1/2 ounce) can French-fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine Lima beans and water in microwave-safe dish.  Cover with plastic wrap, venting on corner.  Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes.  Drain well.

Combine soup, milk, beans, celery, and parsley in a medium bowl.  Stir well.  Grease a medium baking dish.







Add half the French-fried onions to the bowl.  Spray baking dish with non-stick spray.  Spoon mixture into dish.  Bake until hot and bubbly, about 35 minutes.

Arrange remaining French-fried onions around the border of the casserole.  Bake until the onions are crispy, about 10 minutes longer.



*Note: If you would like to substitute the Cheddar Cheese soup, you could make a cheese sauce with a combination of a simple white sauce combined with  shredded Cheddar cheese.