Recipe Swap - Budget Friendly Florentine Mac 'N Cheese

Greetings!  

Glad that you stopped by!  Today's post includes Alex's State 4-H Food Show entry for this year's competition! 

The theme this year for Food Show was to fix a "budget wise" recipe.  This recipe is just that - costing only $5.25 for the whole dish that serves 6 and its a HUGE serving - good for a "meatless meal";  that's .88 cents a serving.  The secret ingredient is SMOKED GOUDA cheese - O.M.G. - it is SO good!  The healthy hit is the added spinach.  By adding spinach into this classic dish, it ups the nutritional value up by 48%!  So you've got a great taste along with a healthy twist on a comfort food! 

 

Our local 4-H group leaves Monday for 4-H State Round Up held down on the Texas A&M campus.  Both of my boys have photography competing, our Childress Mohair team (Sheldon, Coleman, Alex & Aric) compete on Wednesday and on Thursday is Alex's day with Food Show!  It's going to be a great time!

Budget Friendly 

Florentine Mac ‘N Cheese

3/4 lb. (3 cups) Elbow Macaroni; cooked according to package instructions
3 Tablespoons Butter
1/4 cup Finely Minced Sweet Onion
1/3 cup All-purpose Flour
2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
4 cups Milk (2 cups whole milk / 2 cups 2% milk)
4 cups Spinach leaves; cut into 1/2" strips
2 cups shredded Cheese (1 cup White Cheddar & 1 cup Smoked Gouda)

In a dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and saute’ until softened, about 3-5 minutes.  Whisk in flour until mixture is golden.  Gradually add whole milk, whisking constantly.  Add 2% milk; raise heat to medium-high, bring to boil and continue to whisk until sauce is smooth and thickened, 10-12 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.

Stir in cheeses until melted, add spinach to sauce; stir until spinach is wilted.  Add cooked pasta and stir.  Serve immediately!

 

Thank you to all that voted either grass green or navy blue placemat on facebook.  Your input was very helpful - Alex is taking BOTH and will decide on Thursday on which color to display his dish on for the public viewing!  Either one will be a great choice - I think!

Would love to hear your comments and suggestions for this recipe!  The only difficult item to find in this recipe - in our big C-Town, is smoked gouda - we have to buy it out of town.  Other than that, you already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen!  

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you are enjoying the summer time! Remember to hug the ones you love the most, until next time...

Busiest Week yet in 2013

Greetings from the Vannoy Clan!  

Welcome 

Spring Time!

They tell us, as parents, that we will miss these busy times...

I wonder if this will be true?  LOL!  We are trying to get everything prepared for our annual church trip to LTC at the Anatole in Dallas, Tx.  Track is going strong - along with Aric playing basketball.

Alex has begun judging poultry for FFA.  In 4-H, the boys are preparing for the annual photography contest - as well as, the community-wide Easter Egg Hunt that 4-H sponsors every year.

SO!  We have been very busy...  my "list" runneth over!  LOL!  Plus Piano Guild and group has started up and both boys signed up to play the piano at "Share the Fun" for 4-H at District Round Up.  Whew!  Needless to say - we are busy!

How are you?  Wishing you a blessed day, today!  Thanks for stopping by!


Guess who the Easter Bunny is this year?

Alex was very nice and volunteered to be the Easter Bunny at the 4-H Easter Egg Hunt!  The costume is one that was made a while ago - you can hardly see through the mask - but the kids LOVE it!  

This week is only a "4 day" week - Easter weekend!  We've got a track meet Thursday in Wellington, Tx (both high school and junior high - thank goodness!) and then it's off to Dallas - Friday morning for LTC! (Leadership Training for Christ).  LTC post, along with March's Card Swap post coming soon!  Be sure and check back!  

Remember to hug the ones you love the most, until next time...

Perfect Fall Weather... 2012

Hello there!  

So, hope you are having a great day!  

It's been so beautiful the last two weeks - know that cooler days are ahead - just soaking up the fall season each day!

Both boys played their last football game Thursday night against Bushland.  We chose to stay in town for Alex's game - when dropping off Aric (who was traveling away) remarked that he was going to run for a long touchdown and was sorry that we would miss it... (guilt trip!)  Guess what?  The little toot did - he ran a 82 yard touchdown for the last one of the 7th grade season - ARGH! Great! - well, all I have are some pictures of Aric during his last pep rally - playing the drums. 

 Saturday, we traveled to the District 4-H Food Show!  Both boys survived! - Aric had 16 in his division (biggest category there) - he didn't make the top 5 but Alex won 4th in his division.  It was a good day!
Don't they look handsome in their suits - where are my little boys?

OF COURSE, we had to grab some geocaches!  We were able to get 10 caches, including 3 FTF's.  FTF means "First To Find" - if it's a new cache and if you find it first - you get bragging rights to having a "FTF"! So, to us - this was a big thing to get 3!!  Making 10 FTF's total for our team, along with 610 caches.  Think we can get a total of 700 before 2012 ends?  Hmmmmm!  

Wishing you a great week - can't believe that we are fixing to be off for Thanksgiving break - yahoo!  Remember to hug the ones you love the most, until next time...

Recipe Swap - "Patriotic Picnic Club Sandwich"

Ooooooh, Happy Day!  

Thanks for dropping by!  This week's Recipe Swap is Aric's 4-H Food dish that he entered in the Food Show.  

It's a classic sandwich - been on menus since 1899 - his healthy twist was adding swiss cheese, lean ham and turkey, no bacon, whole wheat bread and a tasty sauce instead of just plain mayo!  Since Aric's favorite time is the summer - he picked the 4th of July for his Holiday!  "Looks like Uncle Sam, huh!"

Patriotic Picnic Club

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
• 9 slices bread, toasted
• 3 thin slices deli ham
• 3 slices Swiss cheese
• 3 thin slices deli turkey
• 6 thin slices tomato
• 3 lettuce leaves

Directions

• In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, chili sauce and pickle relish. Spread 1 tablespoonful on each slice of bread. Top three slices of bread with a slice of ham and Swiss cheese. Top each with another slice of bread. Layer with turkey, tomato and lettuce. Top with remaining bread. Secure with toothpicks if necessary. Cut into quarters. Yield: 3-6 servings.

Wishing you a GREAT week ahead!  Remember to hug the ones you love the most, until next time...

Recipe Swap "Merry Berry Salad"

Hello!  Wishing you an awesome day - today!  This post is my weekly recipe swap - and this week is Alex's 4-H Food Show dish.  

This recipe takes a classic green salad and with adds a healthy twist to it by adding apples, almonds and dried cranberries!  Also features a fresh cranberry vinaigrette dressing - that adds a whole lotta taste to this salad!  The theme for this year's 4-H Food Show is Healthy Holiday - so he picked Christmas for his holiday recipe!

"Merry Berry Salad"

Ingredients

• 1 package (10 ounces) mixed salad greens
• 1 medium red apple, diced
• 1 medium green apple, diced
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• DRESSING:
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup thawed apple juice concentrate
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon grated onion
• 1 cup canola oil

Directions

• In a large salad bowl, toss the first six ingredients.
• In a blender, combine the cranberries, sugar, vinegar, apple juice concentrate, salt, mustard and onion; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream.
• Drizzle desired amount of dressing over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate any leftover dressing. Yield: 10 servings.

Thanks for stopping by, remember to HUG the ones you love the most, until next time...T

4-H County Food Show

Happy Fall Y'all!

Hope you've had a chance to enjoy the fall days that we are having.  Such beautiful weather, here in Texas!

 This year, 4-H has switched gears in their presentation and their categories for the 4-H Food Show!   The boys had to retrieve their "individual" calorie needs at the website - www.choosemyplate.gov website and study the info there.

The theme for this year's Food Show is "Healthy Holidays" - objective is to pick a classic dish and put a healthy twist to it along with picking out a Holiday to serve it during...  the categories are:  Grain, Vegetables & Fruit, Dairy and Protein.  Aric prepared a "Patriotic Picnic Club" celebrating July 4th and Alex mixed up a "Merry Berry Salad" to be served at Christmas (note:  both boys HATED the hats... but wore them anyways...)  I'll post recipes for my weekly Recipe Swaps soon!

We had a very "young" group this year - lots of newbies!  

The boys did well and will be competing at District Food Show in Vernon on Nov. 10.

Thanks for stopping by - remember to hug the ones you love the most, until next time...

I LoVe the FALL season!

LOVE the changing of the leaves - God is truly an amazing artist with His palette of colors for the Fall Season!  We are very blessed to watch the season change and enjoy the variety of each one!  Wishing you are wonderful day - and thanks for stopping by!

We've been busy at school with our annual Red Ribbon week activities, dress ups and events.  Along with football games - we've been busy most every night!  Only 3 more games to go for the season this year.

The boys are also busy studying and preparing for the 4-H Food Show.  They have changed things up and so we are trying to get everything ready - County Food Show is this Sunday.  I'll be posting the boys recipe next week!  Also have October Cards Swap on the agenda for posts!

Remember to hug the ones you love the most, until next time...

October is here!

Here's the first weekend in October and 

FALL IS HERE!  

We are enjoying it with the fireplace on!  Yippee!  Found this "Why I Love Fall" sign and I'm posting it today - all the things written on it are AWESOME fall things!  We are also in for a 3-day weekend...  it's be a looooong 6 weeks and this comes at a time that is much needed!

On Saturday, the boys and I participated in the One Day 4-H at the recycling center of Childress.  We were on the spot to help unload community citizens who brought up their recyclable items!  It was VERY cold - but we had fun!  

These crazy kids had more fun playing IN the dumpsters more than anything! LOL!  Do you recycle?  Our recycling area is located behind the football stadium - Childress can recycle magazines, newspaper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum cans and white paper (at an alternate location).

Saturday was the annual "World Card Making Day" - I tried to celebrate by making a double slider card and some "one sheet wonder" cards for a door prize.  My "mojo" is taking a vacation...  LOL!  It was one of those days that things just didn't click... maybe later!  

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you a very FALL weekend along with rest and relaxation!  Remember to hug the ones you love the most, until next time...

Here we go, September!

Hello!  Things are moving right along for the month of September.  School is great - largest classes ever this year!  I have a total of 132 students right now, two preps - Art 1 & Art 2.  

Something BIG on campus is our addition of each student with an ipad!  We had ipad roll out on September 3 - guess it was a compromise of having to come to school on Labor Day!  So if you know of any iphone or ipad app that you use and like - PLEASE let me know!  The teacher have only had them a week - so I am VERY lost in trying to find out just how these things work!

This week - the boys helped with the 4-H Open House at elementary school.  They both get anxious doing this - but they don't realize how these younger kids really look up to them!  Crazy boys - they look so interested, huh!

Football is off to an exciting start!  Here are some pictures from the "Meet the Bobcat" night for Childress High School!  Alex will be on the Junior Varsity team this year - here is a pic of the team sitting up in the stands of the gym.  This was a neat event where the band, cheerleaders, volleyball and football kids were all recognized and then ate hot dogs and homemade ice cream!

Thanks for stopping by - next on the agenda post will be a recipe for something that SMELLS very nice!  Remember to hug the ones you love the most, until next time...