In honor of Danielle Thorne's new title: Turtle Soup -- debuting with Awe-Struck E-books in the Fall 2009 list:

I give you:

Turtle Soup's Cherry Whip

1 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 large 16-ounce container of whipped topping

Drain the pineapple.

In a large bowl mix the pineapple, cherry pie filling, and sweetened condensed milk.

Gently stir in the whipped topping until blended and smooth. Cover.

Chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours or overnight before serving.

It's a Wrap!

Tonight's meal plan called for wraps. See me, standing in front of my refrigerator. Watch, as I frown at the breadbox.

No fancy sun dried tomato or spinach wraps today, so I reached for the tortillas. Now, what to put in them?

I had turkey slices, and sliced ham.
I had bacon.
I had a red onion.
I had cheddar cheese, and blue cheese.
I had a bottle of ranch, and a bottle of Fresh and Easy blue cheese dressing (yum!).
I had tomatoes, fresh off the sad looking vine.
I had some kalamata olives.
I had lettuce to shred.
And, I had some salsa.
Finally, I located a box of crackers. Yes, that's right. Crackers.

Huh? That's a lot of ingredients that don't really match. What do we get when we put these things together?

1 (Almost) Cobb Wrap
1 Southwestern Turkey & Bacon Wrap.
And, instant lunchable dinner for two.

Almost Cobb Wrap:
(Regrettably, I did not have an avocado).
Slice turkey thin.
Crumble bacon.
Crumble blue cheese.
Dice red onion.
Shred cheddar cheese.
Shred lettuce.
Dice tomatoes.

Spread out wrap
drizzle top with blue cheese dressing.
Pile turkey, bacon, cheddar, red onion, tomatoes, lettuce, a bit more dressing, olives, and finally blue cheese crumbles.
DEVOUR.

For the Southwestern Turkey Bacon
Spread out wrap.
Combine 1 part salsa to 2 parts ranch.
Spread above "sauce" on wrap.
Pile turkey, bacon, cheddar, tomatoes, onion, lettuce (unless you're feeding Perry), and more cheddar.
Melt for 30 seconds in microwave.
Serve extra sauce for dipping.
Make another, he wanted seconds.

For the kids:
Fun up turkey & ham by using cookie cutter small shapes.
Do same for slices of cheddar cheese.
Serve with tomatoes and crackers.
Clean up crumbs!

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

I've been searching for this recipe forever... had to post it IMMEDIATELY upon finding... & link back to Recipe.com - of COURSE.

Ingredients
1 10-ounce package fresh baby spinach leaves, rinsed and well-drained
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers, shredded (3/4 cup)
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese (3 ounces)
2 14-ounce cans artichoke hearts, well-drained and chopped
1/2 cup chopped red sweet pepper
Toasted Pita Chips (recipe follows) or thinly sliced French bread and/or assorted crackers

Directions
1. In food processor*, process spinach in small batches until finely chopped. Transfer spinach to a colander set over a bowl or sink; let drain.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder and pepper with an electric mixer until combined. Add 3/4 cup of the Parmesan, the Monterey Jack and Swiss cheeses. Beat until combined. Stir in chopped spinach, artichokes and sweet pepper. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart oval or an 11x7x1-1/2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
3. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven about 35 minutes or until heated through. Serve with Toasted Pita Chips. Makes about 8 cups (sixty 2-tablespoon servings)
Toasted Pita Chips
Split 5 large pita bread rounds in half horizontally. Using a sharp knife, cut each pita half into 6 wedges. Arrange wedges in a single layer on two ungreased baking sheets. Coat pita wedges with nonstick cooking spray. If you like, sprinkle lightly with paprika. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until wedges are crisp and golden brown. Makes 60 chips.
To tote
Cover casserole with a lid; cover tightly with heavy foil. Transport in an insulated carrier or container. Serve within 1 hour. Place pita chips in tightly covered storage container.

Meal Planning - Week One

This week, we have packed full pantry, a well stocked freezer and fridge, and this mama has a new goal -- I'm meal planning for the entire week.

I've seen it done. I know I can do it. I have a 5 year old starting kindergarten, and life's about to get busy.

The one thing I can control, is what we're having for dinner. My experience lately is, if I have dinner ready without canvassing the audience, chances are - everyone will eat. I've inspected the cupboards, the freezer, and the pantry. Here is this week's meal plan:

Sunday: Stromboli's w/ Pepperoni, mushrooms, & olives
* pack a snack: Juice box & Granola Bar

Monday: Stromboli leftovers w/ Pasta Side Dish & dinner salads for mom & dad
* pack a snack: Juice box & cheezits pack & grapes

Tuesday: Barbecue Pork Sandwiches, fries, and baked beans
* pack a snack: Juice box & Pub Mix

Wednesday: Fish Tacos (Fish sticks & fries for the girls)
* pack a snack: Juice box & cheese crackers & raisins

Thursday: Chef Salad with Grilled Chicken (chicken strips, ranch or barbecue sauce, and veggies for the kids)
* pack a snack: (water bottle / juice box, granola bar, & raisins)

Friday: Hot Dogs & Hamburgers
* pack a snack: (holy cow - week one and I'm ALREADY foreseeing a snack-rut! Help!)
Saturday: Pierogies & Broccoli

Sound good? We'll see how it goes. My goal is to not go shopping for anything other than milk, orange juice, and bananas.

Oh, and send healthy snack ideas for my little miss!