Eating Together

While in Arizona we all split the meals up so that not one person was bombarded with making meals and feeding everyone. We split the days up and worked together making and planning meals. We definitely did not starve - there was always plenty of food and it was all delicious!

The first night we were there Shannan and David made Chicken burritos/tacos. They were so good . The best part about it is that they are so easy to make. The went out and grilled some chicken on the grill and fish for people that like nasty fish! They then cooked some Spanish rice and heated up some beans. They also bought the yummy tortillas that you have to cook. You then could top off your burrito/taco with cabbage, cheese and salsa. So you then built your own burrito/taco. They were Delicious!!!!

The next morning for breakfast Michael and I scrambled some eggs and cooked some sausage for breakfast burritos. It was funny because the girls were STARVING and so they kept eating all the sausage. We had to slap those little girls hands! Nothing like a yummy breakfast burrito in the morning! I love breakfast burritos.

That night Michael and I made crock pot lasagna. It had been a really long time since we last had the crock pot lasagna and it was so yummy! Everyone seemed to love it, we should have doubled the recipe.

Crock Pot Lasagna:
Brown 1 lb. hamburger, mix with 32 oz. jar spaghetti sauce.
pour 8 oz. tomato sauce on bottom of crock pot. Then layer
Put 1/3 meat mixture, 3 uncooked lasagna noodles, 1/3 jar Alfredo sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese....repeat 2 times. (I don't really measure, I just put in.)
Cover, cook on low for 3 1/2 hours....or longer if needed.
Everyone loved the lasagna. I had to promise to share the recipes. :)

The next morning Michael and I made breakfast for Dad Bertram and we had breakfast sandwiches. I always like a good breakfast sandwich. They are so good and easy to make. It was nice to sit and visit with Dad Bertram.

It was Christmas eve night so we all went over to Grandpa McCoy and Emilee's house. They had all different kinds of pizza for dinner along with pop and homemade brownies and ice cream. It was really tasty.

The next morning for Christmas we made a big breakfast and had french toast, bacon, hashbrowns and scrambled eggs. There was so much food, but it sure was delicious. I was giving Dad Bertram a hard time because I like to put peanut butter on my french toast and top it with syrup. He hates the smell of peanut butter in the morning which made it even more fun for me to eat it.

For dinner on Christmas we all pitched in and made a delicious ham dinner. We invited Grandpa McCoy, Emilee, Grandpa Lindberg and his lady friend Sherri over for dinner. Dad Bertram glazed the ham and cooked it all day. I don't know what he did to glaze it, but it was soooo good. It almost had a smokey taste to it. Shannan made a green bean casserole and it was really tasty. Michael was all giddy about it because he LOVES green bean casserole. I made the cabbage salad. It was all so tasty and good.

Cabbage Salad:
1/2 chopped cabbage
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup browned slivered almonds (place on a cookie sheet in oven for 5-10 minutes at 350 degrees)
Package of Top Ramen (chicken flavor), crumble the noddles
Dressing:
3 Tablespoons vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Flavor packet from the Ramen noodles
Mix cabbage, onions, almonds and the ramen noodles together. Mix dressing together and add right before serving (I usually double this recipe for larger groups.)


The next morning we woke up and had cold cereal and it was so good. I love fruit loops!! It was yummy for my tummy! :)

This last night together Michael made his famous ribs with baked beans, homemade coleslaw and homemade potato salad. It was sooooo good. We don't have his ribs very often and when we do they are so tasty!
Michael's Famous Ribs:
Get your ribs and baste them with liquid smoke and season them with your favorite seasonings. You smoke the ribs in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Pull the ribs out of the oven and cut off all the fat. Then you cover the ribs with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 3 hours. Once the 3 hours are up you get BBQ sauce and mix it with pineapple juice (1 little can of pineapple juice per bottle of BBQ sauce). Throw the ribs on the grill and baste them with the BBQ sauce mixture and grill until glazed. YUM! YUM!

Coleslaw:
Ingredients:
8 cups finely chopped cabbage (about 1 head) or you can use the coleslaw mix from the produce section, that is what we do.
1/4 cup diced carrots (finely)
2 Tablespoons minced onions
Dressing:
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 Tablespoon white vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix cabbage and carrot mixture in a large bowl and stir in minced onions. Prepare the dressing, mix until smooth and creamy. Pour over slaw and mix thoroughly. Let sit overnight or for 3-4 hours.

Potato Salad
Now this is a hard one for me to put a recipe down as I usually just eyeball it and throw it together.
Boil a panful of potatoes until done (you stick a fork in and if the fork slides into the potato it is done. Don't cook too long or they turn to mush. You cook for probably 30-45 minutes or so). Drain the water off the potatoes and let cool. Peel the skins off of the potatoes and cut into chunks.
Boil 6-8 eggs and cool - peel eggs and cut into chunks and add to the potatoes in a bowl.
3-4 stalks of celery chopped, add to egg and potatoes
Bunch of radishes chopped, add to egg, potatoes and celery
Salt to taste
As for the dressing, you mix miracle whip and mustard together. For a panful of potatoes you use about a bottle of miracle whip (give or take). Put miracle whip and mustard into a bowl and combine - for the mustard I just add until it looks good. Add to potato salad and coat until evenly covered. You may need to add more dressing if needed, you just put in the dressing to your liking.

It was a really tasty meal. Michael always make a mean Rib dinner. :) With my help I might add!
I guess the best part of having meals together is that quality time that we got to spend with each other. It was nice to be able to take a break from everything that we are doing and just visit with each other. While visiting with each other there is always lots of laughs and lots of stories! That to me is why eating together as a family is so very important.
I just want to say thanks to everyone for the yummy meals and wonderful time that we got to spend with each and everyone of you.