August 28, 2008

Dinner That Will Make Your Kids Love You…

And while the kids will have enough energy to run off all the calories (hey, they’re kids), You, however, will most likely get fat.

Really fat.

It’s dinner in the shape of a muffin, full of starchy goodness. It’s decieving in it’s cuteness, and super easy. If I can make it, anyone can.

Basically, what you have is a Texas Sized Muffin tin. You make a recipe of Buttermilk Biscuits and as lightly as possible push a circle of dough into each tin. On top of that, you add some of your creamiest, gooey-ist, cheesiest mac-n-cheese. Then shove bite sized pieces of grilled or panfried chicken into it. Use little bits of leftover biscuit dough to put on top, then sprinkle a bit more cheese on it, then pop into the oven for your biscuits stated bake time. It won’t take long, as everything except the biscuits are cooked already. You may think you won’t be able to get the concoction out of the tins, but the biscuits are like magic and puff and grow and hold it all together. I used a silicon pan, and no trouble at all. At all.

As you can see, I made my own mac-n-cheese using colored curly pasta from the Amish store not too far from here. You really need a creamy cheese to make this suit the kids taste – Velveeta would be great. Just so you feel better about it, make some peas.

Peas are not a starch, and will remind your kids that yes, you really are a Mom.

That’s a good thing, I guess.

Now for some me time. Skip on down to the next blog in your reader if you don’t care to read anymore about moi…but you may miss something. Just maybe. There might be a quiz.

Big weekend coming up for me. Huge, actually. This Friday the Fox News crew is coming to the house to shoot an “Out & About” story that will air in October. “Out & About” is a 5 minute segment on the nightly news where the interviewer goes and hangs out with the person they are interviewing to get a feel for what it is we do. In my case, baking. For Baking GALS. Luckily, I have recruited my mother, cousin, and Capt. Ballards wife (our first GALS recipient) to come up and bake too. So that’s Friday at 4.
Friday around 7 our friends from Raleigh (who used to live in the commune with us back in the day) will be coming in for our annual bash. More on that in a minute. So they are coming Friday through Monday. That will be so great. I can’t wait to see them!
Saturday will be busy busy, as it marks the first day of FOOTBALL SEASON!! I am super stoked, you have no idea. I LOVE NCAA Football. I know I may not be your typical girl…but honestly, I watch more college football than Jon. I start with the noon games and watch two or three at a time, all the way until midnight. I love it. And yes, I play those “for Business Stimulation Purposes Only” Cards weekly. Last year I won $60!! Oh it’s fun. So Saturday. Virginia Tech Hokie Football starts. We’ll be watching the game here with all the friends, eating chips, ribs, fries – all kinds of goodies. Then Jon’s folks arrive for the rest of the weekend. His Dad will be trying to move in to his new apartment over the weekend about 40 minutes from here…and his Mom will be still living at their house back home until they can sell it or she can find a job here.
Then SUNDAY. Seven’s First Birthday!! I can’t believe he’ll be one already. Honestly, I can still taste the Chicken & Dumplin’s they served me in the hospital right after I had him…that was good stuff. But I digress.
We have had a huge party every year around this time since we moved here in 2002. We supply all of the food, we hire a band, we invite just about everyone we’ve ever met. This year we are expecting over 80 people, and combining it with Sev’s birthday works out great for me! We call the party the BillHilly Bash – long story – and it’s always so much fun. The music is bluegrass, the food is pork bbq, the friends are great! If anyone reading this thinks they want to come – please email me – I will send you directions. Seriously!

I can’t think past Sunday. Besides, I will be lucky if I even make it that far.

Any suggestions on what 3 desserts (other than birthday cake) I should make for the shindig? Leave me a comment!! Best ideas win a prize – don’t ask me what, just a prize!!

Oh, just kidding about the quiz. Gotcha.