Sarah Boop's Campfire Cookie Treats

It was Mark's birthday on Thursday so that meant he didn't have to work(isn't that cool?) and he had Good Friday off too.... So we decided to go camping! We headed out Wednesday afternoon for Lake Bob Sandlin State Park near Pittsburg, Texas. It is one of our favorite spots and just over an hour from home.



I woke up frrrreezing on Friday morning so I stoked the fire and got a good one going with the last of our firewood. By the time it died down the girls were awake and hungry. Sarah thought it would be awesome to have grilled Chips Ahoy cookies, and she was right! But what really made them special was what she did next....




2 cookies per person
1 marshmallow per person(or treat, however you choose to see this, I don't judge!)

Put the cookies on a cooler part of the grill. Wasn't our fire ring the best? I LOVE the flip grate!! Roast the marshmallows over the coals to desired doneness. I do mine ever-so-slowly so the insides are pretty much liquid while the outside is a nice golden brown. The girls burn theirs. Anyway, carefully lift a cookie off the grate, apply a marshmallow, and then another cookie. Eat up and thank Sarah later!!





(Sarah and friend)

A Party Favorite...

One of my favorite things about Christmas is the food. Especially the party food! Chex Mix, peanut brittle, chips, dips, spreads, cakes, cookies, deviled eggs... if its festive I love it!

Today our homeschool group is having a casual Christmas party at our weekly park day. Everyone will bring a little something to share with the rest. Usually, we bring lunches for our own so this is a treat. My contribution to our table came about from a number of ideas. Several years ago I made an Olive Cheese Ball(recipe is on an old computer somewhere) that was well received. I've also been craving those little cream cheese and walnut finger sandwiches and tortilla pinwheels. So, here is a combination of a few of my favorite things...

Lavash Pinwheels

1 pkg Joseph's lavash(I used 3.5 of the 4 sheets)
2 8oz blocks cream cheese, softened
1/3 of a stick of butter
1 cup sour cream
2 cups finely grated cheddar cheese(sharp or mild, your call)
1 small can of chopped black olives
1 3oz pkg real bacon bits
1/4 cup salsa, I use a local brand that tastes very fresh-not like the cooked Pace kind
1 tablespoon taco seasoning(I use a blend from Frontier Foods)
or few shakes of cumin, oregano, and chipotle powder.
few shakes of onion and garlic powder
4 scallions, finely sliced
1/2 cup, loosely packed, cilantro, finely chopped(measure before chopping)
1-2 tablespoons finely minced jalepeno or bell pepper(optional)

Mix cream cheese and butter together with a hand mixer or cut with a knife(my method) until well blended. Add shredded cheese, salsa, and powdery seasonings and continue to mix well. Stir in olives, scallions, bacon bits, and sour cream. Spread onto a lavash sheet, covering the whole thing, make sure to divide the filling by the number of sheets you have so you don't come up short. Starting at one of the long sides, roll up, taking care not to squeeze the filling out. Wrap in plastic wrap or foil and refridgerate for several hours. Using a serrated knife, cut into 1/2 inch slices and serve!

Special Dilled Potatoes

I made this up three Thanksgivings ago and forgot about it. Sarah asked me this morning if I would make that delicious potato thing that tasted like ranch dip. I knew immediately what she was talking about. It is sooooo good!!

Special Dilled Potatoes(or Quick, let me throw something potatoe-y together!)

7 medium potatoes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup cheese whiz*
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Wash potatoes and put in pot with water to cover. Boil them, in jackets, about 20 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool. Combine soup, cheese whiz, milk, sour cream, and spices. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel skins off and dice into 1/2 inch cubes(bigger won't be as tasty). Combine with sauce mixture in buttered baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 along side broccoli rice casserole, for about an hour, browning the top during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.

These are perfect for a buffet and go wonderfully with ham or turkey. I can't believe I only made them once. Must've been out of dill or something.

*or make your own.

Broccoli Quinoa Casserole(just like mom used to make-sort of)

Growing up, we usually had Thanksgiving with my grandparents in Oklahoma or at home with just us. My grandmother was an excellent cook and went all-out for Turkey Day. There was turkey and cornbread dressing(with nuts and green beans in hers-maybe a can of Veg-all even), mashed potatoes, rolls and so forth. These foods are so typical at Thanksgiving that I don't think they qualify as a family tradition but more of a national tradition.

Family traditions, to me at least, are the quirky things that make each family unique. Like playing toss the football in the yard, our annual walk to the back of my in-laws property(quite a trek these days since they don't tend to the land any more), chocolate pie, coconut pie, Millionaire pie, watching football from a pile of pillows in the floor, you know, that kind of stuff. Many of these things still happen in our family's harvest celebration but my very favorite is the Broccoli Rice Casserole. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it.

My parents live almost a thousand miles from us so we don't share Thanksgiving any more(they come to us for Christmas). SuperHub's mom cooked much like my grandmother did but she has Alzheimer's Disease and can't now. Since I never had to do the meal myself until recently, I still kind of struggle with it. Several years ago I had not been able to find frozen chopped broccoli ANYwhere so I used spinach as a substitute, which gave the casserole a more earthy flavor. The next year I discovered that I didn't have rice on hand when it was time to do my cooking but I did have a package of quinoa that I didn't quite know what to do with so...

Broccoli-Spinach Quinoa Casserole(makes a full 9x13 pan)

olive oil
1 bag frozen chopped broccoli
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 ribs celery, sliced
1 onion, sliced
8 oz cheese whiz(I use the great value brand from Walmart, but you can even make your own healthier version)

1-1.5 cups dry quinoa, rinsed well
about 3 cups water

Bring water and quinoa to boil, reduce heat and simmer til water is absorbed.

Cook onion and celery in olive oil until transluscent. Add greens, soups, and cheese product. Stir til well blended. Add quinoa and mix well. Pour into a buttered 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Serve warm.