Hashbrown Corn Flake Casserole

Since Dave and I don't live by family, I really wanted to have our own Easter dinner here.  There are certain things that mom or grandma made that I think of when I think of family dinners.  Hashbrown Corn Flake Casserole is definitely one of them.

I made a smaller one (8x8) because it was just Dave and me.

You need:
1 c. sour cream
1 c. cheddar
cream of chicken soup
frozen hashbrowns
corn flakes
butter

If you think of it, thaw the hashbrowns.  For a 9x13 use a full pound, but for the 8x8 I used half a pound of hashbrowns.Then, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl put half can of cream of mushroom (for 9x13 use full can)

Mix in 1 cup sour cream. (for 9x13 use 1.5 or 2 cups sour cream)

Mix in 1 cup shredded cheddar (for 9x13 use 1.5 or 2 cups cheddar).  And salt and pepper.

Add the hashbrowns (half pound for 8x8, full pound for 9x13)

Put in pan.

Sprinkle with some shredded cheddar.

Melt 3T. butter and add to 1 cup of corn flakes.  (2 cups for 9x13)   Put them over the top of potato/cheese mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Enjoy!!!

And, did you see our newest edition??
We've had Buddy..

And now "Beethoven"!

We think he's a great pyrenees, cattle dog mix.  Sheep dog jumped fence to cattle dog?  I think it works..

Low Calorie Cobbler

Instead of going out of town for the holiday weekend we decided to have a little "staycation".  We bought a blow up pool, (classy, right?!), and grilled fajitas.  Called some friends at the last minute, and hey - people showed up.

I needed to make a quick dessert, and since a lot of people were from Crossfit, I decided to go with a "low-calorie" dessert.  This is sooo easy, and I remembered it from somebody from Weight Watchers in college.

You'll need:
2 bags frozen fruit (any variety - no sugar added)
1 box yellow cake mix
1 can diet sprite or diet sierra mist

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Dump the 2 bags of frozen fruit in the bottom of a 9x13.

Pour yellow cake mix over the top.

Pour Diet Sierra Mist over the top, make sure to cover all cake.

Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 40 minutes.

And there you have the easiest dessert, super yummy, and low calorie.

We had a good time!

And by the end, Buddy was really ready for us to go to bed!

Clay Pot Chicken

We got to see an adorable couple the other night, Amy and Mike, and she gave me the sweetest gift, because she remembered that a year ago I had said I'd never tried cooking with a clay pot and she and her husband love cooking with it!  I wish I had a picture of them from the other night, but I don't.  Hopefully next time!!

She gave me a cookbook as well, but I decided to just wing it and see what happened.  It actually turned out pretty well!

So, to start you HAVE to soak the clay pot for 10 minutes in water (both pieces) to fill in the pores. 

During that time I prepared the chicken. 

After cleaning the chicken, put olive oil on the outside.

Then generously add salt and pepper.  And rub it all around.  Put some on the inside too.

Then roll 2 lemons to get the juices moving, prick them with a fork and put them inside the cavity of the chicken.

Smash garlic cloves and put a few of those inside the cavity as well.

Place the chicken in the clay pot.

Squeeze juice of a lemon over the top.  Leave the lemons in the pot.

Cut up an onion and put it around the chicken. Add some garlic in there.

Put rosemary in there.  I have my own rosemary now, yay!!

Now, put it in a COLD oven and then turn the heat to 450 degrees.  Let it cook for 1 hour 15 minutes.  Uncover it and let it cook for another 15 minutes.

Take it out and put it on a potholder or trivet, (not the cold counter, don't want it to break).

Let it set for a few minutes, then you have some yummy chicken!!  Enjoy!

This is Paleo for all you paleo people out there :)

Here's cute Buddy helping me out!

Clay Pot Chicken:
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
3 lemons
6 garlic cloves
salt
pepper
olive oil
onion
rosemary, thyme, oregano (whatever you have)

Directions:
So, to start you HAVE to soak the clay pot for 10 minutes in water (both pieces) to fill in the pores.  After cleaning the chicken, put olive oil  on the outside.  Then generously add salt and pepper.  And rub it all around.  Put some on the inside too.  Then roll 2 lemons to get the juices moving, prick them with a fork and put them inside the cavity of the chicken.  Smash garlic cloves and put a few of those inside the cavity as well.  Place the chicken in the clay pot.  Squeeze juice of a lemon over the top.  Leave the lemons in the pot.  Cut up an onion and put it around the chicken.  Add some garlic in there.  Put rosemary in there.  Now, put it in a COLD oven and then turn the heat to 450 degrees.  Let it cook for 1 hour 15 minutes.  Uncover it and let it cook for another 15 minutes.  Take it out and put it on a potholder or trivet, (not the cold counter, don't want it to break).  Let it set for a few minutes, then you have some yummy chicken!!