Friday Festivities in Iowa

I was just going to post the same request as Ad did. We're definitely going to try the jello drinks. I'm excited to go full fledged this year and to also make everyone eat with weird utensils, etc. like mom used to do. AND I'm going to invite Barbara. She'll either think we're crazy or she'll love it.

Here's what our meatloaf cupcakes looked like a couple years ago.

I'd like to get some other ideas, though, if anyone has some.

Festivites on Friday

Attention everyone who is cooking on this Friday April the first!  I would like for everyone to think of some fun food that can fool the family...or just Dallas.  Someone once gave me a good idea...I think it was Joce, but I have promptly forgotten.  Here's the ideas so far:

Jell-o drinks
Cupcake meatloaf

but I already  did this last year...very funny as I recall, so if anyone has any new ideas that would be fantastic!  Thanks!

St. Patrick's Day Dinner

Saint Patrick's Day Dinner

Creamy Vegetable Soup

Romaine Lettuce & Spinach Salad

Green Jello Squares (supposed to be shamrocks, but my cookie cutter got lost in the toy tornado since it's been used for play dough more than for cooking)

Four-leaf Clover Rolls

Sauteed Spinach & Onions

Any recipes available upon request.

It was so good J.C. wanted to stuff everything in his mouth at once.

Oh, wait. J.C. does that every meal.

Really, it was nothing special. Just something fun for St. Patrick's Day.

Fun in the Crock Pot!

We go through a lot of yogurt at our house, and someone in the ward recently told me how to make it in the crock pot. I made my second batch this week. It’s surprisingly easy and tastes great.

Crock Pot Yogurt

1. Pour ½ gallon milk into the crock pot. Turn to low setting and heat for 2 ½ hours.
2. Turn the crock pot off and cool for 3 hours.
3. Mix one 6-oz carton (or ½ c) plain yogurt with 1 to 2 cups of the warm milk, then mix it in with the rest of the warm milk. I usually add about 1/3 c powdered milk at this time too. Helps thicken the yogurt.
4. Wrap the crock pot in bath towels to insulate it, and let it sit for 8 to 12 hours.
5. Strain for about 3 hours in the fridge in a strainer lined with paper towels or coffee filters.
6. The end.

The “drippings” (whey) from the yogurt when you strain it can be used as a substitute for buttermilk. I usually mix a raspberry pie filling or something similar with the yogurt to flavor it.

I also made applesauce in the crock pot this week. It worked, but I used Gala, so it tasted awful.