Tater Tot Casserole - Guest Blog - Katie

1lb ground sirloin or turkey
1 bag tater tots
1 can cream of broccoli soup (or mushroom)
1-1 1/2 C shredded cheese

Brown sirloin (I add garlic, pepper and onion), drain grease once thoroughly cooked.  Mix in soup and coat meat well.  In casserole dish (that has a lid) layer bottom with frozen tater tots, sprinkle little cheese and use half of meat/soup mixture to coat.  Add another layer of tater tots, cheese and use remaining mixture of meat/soup mix and top off with remainder of cheese to coat the top.  Cover and bake for 40-45 minutes on 350.  I remove lid and let brown for about 7 minutes at very end.  Prep time is about 15 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Flammkuchen - Guest Blog - Andrea

We spent a couple years living in Germany and the thing we miss most is the amazing food.  Jason will be over there for the next couple of weeks and I’m jealous.  He’s going to be eating out at our favorite restaurants every night with friends I haven’t seen in years.  He’ll call me every night and tell me how much fun he’s having and describe every last detail of his fabulous dinner. I’ll love hearing all of it and at the same time hate that I can’t be experiencing it too.  Anyway, during a recent bout of jealousy/nostalgia I decided to make one of our favorite good time foods from Germany.

Flammkuchen is a bit like a pizza.  Here is the official description from Wikipedia.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarte_flamb%C3%A9e  What I love about it is that it’s a food to eat with friends.  It’s pretty light so you eat a lot of it over the course of a few hours.  You open a bottle of wine, make a flammkuchen, eat, drink, have a good time, then make another version of flammkuchen, eat and drink some more, then make yet another one.  

Here is the official recipe:

2 cups creme fraiche
4 cups flour
2 T yeast
1 ½ cups warm water
½ t salt
thinly sliced onions
diced lardons

I live in an area where creme fraiche isn’t readily available so I have to make my own.  I start out with 2 cups of heavy cream at room temp.  I pour that into a quart size lidded jar along with 2 T plain yogurt.  That goes into the oven overnight with just the oven light on.  
(Loren says some Giant Eagle stores carry it. Medina specifically)

In the morning I wake up to a thickened cream in the oven which I then put into the fridge where it thickens up even more.  It’s basically creme fraiche at this point and can be used anytime within the next week.

The crust for the flammkuchen is made by mixing 4 cups of flour, 2 T yeast, ½ t salt and the 1 ½ cups of warm water in a bowl.  Mix it until it’s smooth and forms a decent dough.  Let it rest for about half an hour, just cover it with a damp towel or something so it doesn’t dry out too much.

Preheat the oven to 500F.  

Roll a baseball sized amount of dough out on a floured surface.  Roll it as thin as you can get it.  1/16” to as thick as about ⅛” would be perfect.  Transfer that to whatever baking pan you’ll be using.  Top the dough with some of the creme fraiche.  You don’t want to see dough through the creme fraiche.  I would say that it should be a layer about the same thickness as the dough itself.  I generally sprinkle that with salt, pepper and some dried herbs (italian blend or herbs de provence).  That’s not part of the recipe but it’s what I think tastes best.  After that, add some onion and the lardons.  Once again, I live in a rural area where lardons are hard to come by.  I usually use canadian bacon, thick sliced bacon or diced ham instead.  

That’s it, just put it in the oven for 8-10 minutes.  The dough will bubble up and turn a dark brown.  Take it out of the oven, slice it and eat it.

Now the beauty of this simple dish is how many varieties there are.  It’s like a pizza, you can do anything you want with it.  Variations my family love include making one similar to a pizza, just using tomato sauce instead of the creme fraiche.  We will also make a vegetarian one with only onions and then top it with shredded cheese.  

IVF 3 Results

So our BFN for #3 happened on November 14th

 

So results from Doctor. it can be one of two things:

1. Embryos are just not healthy enough (not what he thinks it is)

2. Endometrial lining is not healthy enough or on the right "date" that it should be.

So the plan as of now is once the IVF nurse schedules me (should talk to her tomorrow):

We will run a mock cycle. Complete with hormones, meds, and injections just like a regular IVF FET cycle just no transfer. When the transfer would normally take place, they will do a biopsy and send it off to the lab for a endometrial "date" and then adjust meds according to what they find out from the lab.

Then we do our normal cycle again with FET.

We are looking at biopsy by January. Next FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer) would be March maybe. So the hope is we have 4 frozen embryos to work with and they will thaw two at a time.

Crockpot Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner w/ apple juice turkey!

So, 13 days away from Thanksgiving, and I am CRAVING turkey dinner stuff. So, I had a few new recipes to try for turkey stuffs. Since my MIL will be hosting the family Thanksgiving dinner, I wont get to play much for the actual day of dinner since I am in charge of dessert. That is a whole different blog for next week :) Trial runs... though my quality control will be out of town. Hmm. So without further adooo (thanks Bryce) here is what we had for dinner this evening!

Turkey Butter!

Slow-Cooker Turkey Breast

(1) 4-6 pound turkey breast
1 1/2 cups apple juice
Garlic Powder
Garlic Salt (optional)

Place turkey breast in slow-cooker. Pour apple juice over turkey and make sure that there is at least an inch to an inch and a half of apple juice covering the bottom of your slow-cooker--you may need a little more than a cup and a half! Sprinkle generously with garlic powder and garlic salt. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, depending on the size of your turkey.

Source: Rachel vs "The Kitchen"




SIDES:

Apple and Onion Stuffin’
Ingredients

2 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 fresh bay leaf
4 celery stalks from the heart with leafy tops, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 or 4 Macintosh apples, quartered, cored, and chopped
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
8 cups cubed unseasoned stuffing mix
2 - 3 cups chicken stock

Source: Rachael Ray

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular)

   OR Make your own like I have to! (see below)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
2 cans cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions

Directions:

• Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.
• Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling.  Stir the bean mixture.  Sprinkle with the remaining onions.
• Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown

Source: Campbell's Kitchen

Broccoli Cheese and Rice Casserole

1 bag Frozen Broccoli - thawed
2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup (or make your own, see below)
2 cups Minute Rice
2 cups Water
8oz Cheez Whiz
1 stick Butter

Directions:
Mix everything together and pour into a 9x13" pan or baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.


Mashed Potatoes
Peel & boil potatoes until folk tender.
Drain water
Use masher and mash taters adding a small amount of milk as you mix it up.
Add 2 TBS butter and serve!

Final Product:

Cream of Mushroom soup:

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Butter
  
  
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1/2 whole Onion, Diced
  
  
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 pound Crimini Mushrooms, Chopped
• 1 teaspoon Thyme, Dried
• 1 teaspoon Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt, or to taste
• 6 cups Chicken Stock
• 1/2 cup Cornstarch
• 1 handful Parsley, Chopped
• 1 cup Cream Or  Half and Half

IVF: Why Pineapple?

Many of you have asked why the pineapple with the core...
Here is the best description I have found. :) So this one goes out for all my friends trying to make em stick!!


Using Pineapple core to Assist Implantation: Pineapple contains bromelain. Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme that breaks up proteins that inhibit embryo implantation. Consuming a whole pineapple (focusing on the core as it has the highest concentration of Bromelain) during a fertility cycle can be beneficial.

For IVF [in vitro fertilization] cycle: one pineapple, divided into 5 portions - consume one portion each day, over five days, beginning on the day of your embryo transfer.

IUI [intra-uterine insemination] cycle: one pineapple, divided into 5 portions - consume one portion each day, over five days, beginning on the day of your IUI.

Timed intercourse cycle: one pineapple , divided into 5 portions - consume one portion each day, over five days, beginning on the day after ovulation.

Note: Be careful not to start consuming pineapple core too early in the cycle. Beginning to consume pineapple core BEFORE the recommended days above can actually affect your vaginal and cervical mucus PH, making it more acidic.

IVF Round #3 - 1st FET cycle

So I will do some background blogs later, but many friends have asked to see the pics we get every time we go. So I figured I would post them here and document our journey as we proceed so as to show our kiddos (once we get them) can see how precious they are. :) So this still start right now with our 3rd round and I will blog more on the others later.

Our previous rounds of IVF (In Vetro Fertilization) we had to go through the stimulation cycle. This round is FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer) Which means no stimulation since we had frozen embryos from our 2nd cycle.

This cycle started October 5th, 2012 while we were at a Fall Colors Rally at the Pennwood Airstream Park in Limestone PA. This cycle includes Lupron injections every morning by 7:30am in the abdomen. fun! Then estrogen patches on the fleshy part of my behind (they range from 1-4 at a time.) Also numerous other vitamins, pills, and things. Then the progesterone in oil shots started... OWWWIE! So until the positive pregnancy test, I get the PIO in the butt/hip by Mike in a horribly large needle every night. Maybe one night I will take a picture and add a pic of that!

Heating pad, gauze pad, band aid, and alcohol swab

Progesterone, 1 needle for withdrawl, alcohol swab, 1 needle for injection

PIO needle for withdrawl, PIO needle for injection, Follistim Needle

Another view, check out the openings of the needles! (Thank you Amy for the better pics of the needles!)

Then we got to Nov 5th. On Nov 5th we had to report in Akron at 11:15am. On the way to Akron, a one hour 15 minute drive from our place, I had to drink 2 8oz glasses of water and take a Valium One whole hour prior to arrival. Do you realize how hard it is to have a full bladder and ride in traffic with bumpy roads?! OY! The embryologist calls you back to a small room in the office and asks how you're feeling before having you sign off on how many embryos they thawed and plan to transfer. They also at this point give you a picture of the embryos they will be transferring. Then they take you to the "recovery room" so you can get your gown on and the partner can get his suit on before they take you into the operating room. Once you waddle (because you have a full bladder and are now feeling valium effects) into the operating room, they prep the area (totally need the valium just to get through this part) and ask you to confirm it is your name & birth date on the petry dish. You then watch on the monitor as they suck the embryos to be transferred into the catheter. The embryologist then carries it into the doctor where they are transferred. Tada! 15 minutes total for the procedure.
They then wheel you once you are changed down to your waiting vehicle and its off to bedrest for 48 hours with light duty for the next 2 weeks. We go for our pregnancy test on Nov. 14th and that will be a very long day. In to the Akron office before 9am and call with results after 2pm. L O N G   D A Y!

So to recap... BED REST SUCKS! Just sayin'!

Here is a picture of the two they transferred this round. 

Classic Baked Mac & Cheese - Guest Blog - Crista

Most of you don’t know me, so you don’t know that I cook at a 5^th grade level.  Normally, if I play around with ingredients, the dish ends up a flop!  (side note: I know that my husband is Mr. Perfect-for-me because he eats everything I cook and doesn’t complain about the flops!)  I had the guts to play around with my Mac & Cheese dish and it has become one of 2 dinners that my friends and family request at gatherings.  I make it extremely cheesy, and with a kick.  I’ve tried it without the roux/rue and it didn’t taste nearly as good as it does with it.  You can use any cheese combo; the ones listed below are just my preference.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as my we do! -Crista

Classic Baked Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

 

1 cup milk	½ teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons butter	1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup half & half	1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4-5 cups Kraft shredded cheese	2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Ex: mozz, sharp cheddar, kolbe & monetary jack	1 box elbow macaroni

1.      Prepare pasta according to package directions & keep warm
2.      Melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat
3.      Whisk in flour until smooth
4.      Cook, whisking constantly for 2 minutes
5.      Gradually whisk in milk and half & half and cook, whisking constantly for 5 minutes or until thickened
6.      Stir in salt, black pepper & crushed red pepper
7.      Add cheese a small amount at a time until all melted
8.      Add cooked pasta
9.      Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 Pyrex and top with a cup of cheese
10.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes (or bubbly)
11.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving