Meet Heidi's Table

Here’s Heidi then and now!

Heidi is in 1/3 MOPS and this is her first year as a DGL.  She has 3 kids.

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions?

Traveling to see family and making "babka."  It's a sweet bread with chocolate and cinnamon rolled into it. It's delicious! 

Meet her table!

not pictured: Renee, Timaree, Tina, Pam

A few of the ladies at Heidi's table shared some delicious recipes! They were asked this question:

"What is your go-to meal that you bring to new moms?"

HEIDI

Chicken Poppyseed Casserole

3 cups dry eggs noodles

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 - 1 cup sour cream

2 cups cubed/shredded chicken

2 Tbs butter

1/2 pack crushed Ritz crackers

1 tsp poppy seeds

-Boil noodles

-Mix cream of chicken soup, cheese, sour cream, and chicken

-Add noodles to mixture, pour into casserole dish

-Mix butter, crackers, and poppy seeds

-Sprinkle over top, and bake at 350º for 20-30 minutes

MENTOR MOM-JULIE

CHELSEA

Lemon Rosemary Chicken

1 lb chicken breast

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp rosemary

2 tsp parsley

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 lemon

Preheat over to 400ºF.  Coat shallow baking dish with cooking spray.  Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.  Transfer to pan and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with lemon juice, rosemary, and parsley.  Pour broth around chicken to cover the bottom of the pan.  Bake chicken until cooked through about 30 min.  Garnish with fresh lemon and serve.

ASHLEIGH

 Cheesy Chicken Crescents

1 pkg crescent rolls

2 chicken breast, cubed or shredded

2 Tbs shredded cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

2 cups cheddar cheese

Mix chicken and 2 Tbs shredded cheese and put into crescent rolls.

Mix together cream of chicken soup, milk, and cheese.  Warm on stove until cheese melts, stirring constantly.

Place some of cheese sauce on bottom of 9x9 pan. Place crescents in pan and cover with remaining sauce.

PAM

Sloppy Joes

1 lb ground beef

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup mustard

2 Tbs brown sugar

3 Tbs vinegar

Brown hamburger, add ingredients and simmer.  

RENEE

Baked Spaghetti Casserole

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti

1 pound ground beef

1 large can spaghetti sauce (26.5 ounces)

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup chopped green peppers 

⅓ cup chopped onions

8 ounces cream cheese

2 tablespoons milk

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

French-fried onions (small can)

Cook spaghetti according to directions on the package. Cook to al dente, drain and set aside.

Brown ground beef. Drain excess grease. Add spaghetti sauce to skillet and heat.

Combine onions, peppers and butter in small glass bowl. Cover and microwave 4 minutes on HIGH until soft.

Add cream cheese and milk to vegetables and stir well. (If cream cheese is not soft, nuke it for 20-30 seconds to make it easy to spread.)

Using a 12 x 8-inch baking dish (or something close), assemble in the following order: thin layer of spaghetti sauce, cooked spaghetti, cream cheese/vegetable mixture, remaining spaghetti sauce, parmesan cheese (amount subject to your own taste)

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Top with french-fried onions and continue baking 5 more minutes. (This is the secret ingredient–don’t let them burn.)

TIMAREE

LALLENIA

TINA

Thanks for sharing your table AND recipes with us, Heidi!

Meet Leigh's Table!

Here's Leigh then and now!

Leigh is in 2/4 MOPS and this is her second year as a DGL.  She has three kids.

What is your favorite thing to do in the fall?

I like to go to the pumpkin patch, make pumpkin chocolate chip muffins & chili, jump in the fall leaves with my tribe!

Meet her table!

not pictured: Hilary

Each person was brave and answered this question:

What is your most embarrassing mom moment?

LEIGH: Returning to the elementary school, in which I taught for 8 years, with my new baby Sam.  My principal wanted to hold him and Sam coated her in spit up.  Quite humbling!

MENTOR MOM- LINDA: I left my 3-year-old, Blake, at Fuddrucker's alone

HILARY: One time my daughter & I were walking on the Minneapolis Stone Arch Bridge looking down at the river. She had been looking in between railings as we stopped & walked, but then somehow she got her head stuck in one! Lots of people were walking by and I had to try to yank it out as she was screaming for about a minute. Embarrassing!

MARIE: When my oldest son, who is on the autism spectrum, was learning to initiate conversation, he went into the women's bathroom with me and went right up to a girl, got in her face and said "Hi." I was happy that he was trying to start a conversation, but embarrassed that it happened in a bathroom to a very confused little girl.

JESSICA: It was in the middle of the summer and I was eight months pregnant, throwing a baby shower, when I walked into the kitchen and my mom said, "What's on your back?" I had tucked my dress into my spandex tights. I had walked through the entire shower that way. 

Kristen: A few weeks ago, Emma went potty in the potty chair for the first time.  In excitement we ran to the kitchen to call daddy to tell him, and as we told him she continued to go on the floor.  Running back to the bathroom I stepped in the poop on the floor and tracked it back to the bathroom. 

KATIE: My hair falling out after both my daughters were born.

KARI: When potty training my youngest, he had to strip naked every time he went potty.  At soccer, we had to use the porta-potty.  Of course, he had to take everything off.  I know everyone outside could hear me saying, "Please keep your clothes on.  It's nasty in here." :)

Thanks for the great stories, ladies!

Black Bean Soup by Leigh

2 cans black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 can chicken broth
1 small red onion, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
1 tsp thyme
1 T cumin
2 bay leaves
Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Sour cream
Tortilla chips

Heat oil in large stock pot. Sautée onion & garlic until fragrant. Add all other ingredients & simmer for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Remove bay leaves before serving. (Or whoever ends up w/ a leaf in their bowl makes a wish...our family tradition.) Garnish with cheese, sour cream, and/or tortilla chips. Add crushed red pepper for more spice. Easy & economical! Enjoy!

Meet Megan's Table!

Here's Megan then and now!

Meet her table!

not pictured: Stacy

Each person was asked this question:

Where is your favorite place to take your kids?

MEGAN: I love visiting my parents in Iowa.  They live in the country, so the kids can run around and get into all sorts of messes!

MENTOR MOM-BECKY: Since they are in college now, my favorite is just when they come home and I can cook for them and have family dinner.

JESSICA: My favorite place is our family cabin in Colorado: no cell phone, no computer, no TV. :)

LISA: Scheels (Blake loves it!!!)

SARAH: I like to take them to the library-they love to read and get new books. 

JAMIE: To the park so he can explore and run off energy.

STEPHANIE: On walks, for ice cream, or the zoo.

STACY: Vala's pumpkin patch! We love the fall season!

Thanks for sharing your table with us, Megan!

Fire-Roasted Tomato Basil Soup by Megan

(adapted from Food.com)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

5 garlic cloves, minced

3 (14 oz.) cans fire-roasted tomatoes

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup heavy whipping cream or half & half (use less if preferred)

1/2 tablespoon sugar (optional)

15-20 fresh basil leaves (rolled and cut into a chiffonade)

salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Cook the onion until translucent.

2. Add the minced garlic and cook with the onion for about four minutes.

3. Next add the cans of fire-roasted tomatoes, including the juice, to the pot and cover for about 15 minutes. **Make sure you stir your mixture every few minutes.**

4. With the lid off the pan, add the chicken broth and heavy whipping cream or half & half and bring the pot to a simmer. The mixture should start to thicken as it reduces. This should take about 10 minutes. You want the soup to be somewhat thickened but not soupy. If your soup is thin, let it simmer a bit longer while occasionally stirring.

5. When it comes to the right consistency, add the fresh basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Lower your heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes more.

6. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup mixture until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, use a ladle to place the soup mixture in a regular blender and puree until smooth. Do this in batches. Please use caution when handling as it could burn your hand as you press down on the lid. Use a small kitchen towel to prevent this. Pour back into the original pot.

7. Excellent with crusted bread.

Meet Kelly's table

Here's Kelly then and now!

Kelly is in 1/3 MOPS and this is her first year as a DGL. She and her husband have a little boy and a baby on the way.  

Do you have a favorite Halloween tradition or memory from your childhood?

My mom made our costumes every year. Nothing was ever too difficult for her to make and now having my own children, I appreciate it so much more. She made it fun and lots of love went into those costumes.

Meet Kelly's table!

not pictured: Sarah C

Each person was asked this question:
What was the biggest adjustment that you had to make when you became a mom?

KELLY: Planning life around someone else's schedule other than mine, and saying no to things that I would have previously jumped at the opportunity to say yes to.

MENTOR MOM (and Kelly's mom!)- LORI: Everything!! :) The biggest adjustment was not realizing how my heart could grow so much and love another human being that way.

MELANY: Being responsible for another human...the worry, the care and the intense love and connection I have with my babies.

SARAH B: I would say sleep! I used to love to stay up late and sleep in before I had kids.  But now I've traded it for bedtime stories and saying prayers at night which is well worth it!

WENDY: No more sleeping in! I didn't realize how much I put my needs above the needs of others, and having a child really showed me that. 

JULIE: Realizing that suddenly I couldn't go anywhere without taking this child with me!

STACY: Having only 5 minutes to get ready, smelling like spit up, and having constant conversation.

SARAH M

SARAH C: The biggest adjustment has been learning to happily adjust the family's schedule with each new kid.

Thanks for sharing your table with us, Kelly!

Pumpkin Pie Squares by Kelly

Crust: 
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg

Filling:
2 eggs
1 can pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Topping: 
1 cup reserved cake mix

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

Grease 9x13 inch pan.  Empty cake mix into bowl and measure out 1 cup and put aside.  Add melted butter and beaten egg to cake mix in bowl.  Press into pan.

Prepare filling by beating 2 eggs, add milk and remaining ingredients and pour over crust.

Prepare topping by cutting together the ingredients, then sprinkle over filling.

Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

Meet Joy's table!

Here's Joy then and now!

Joy is in 2/4 MOPS and this is her first year as a DGL. She and her husband have 2 kids.

Do you have a favorite fall tradition or memory from your childhood?

In the fall, my mom would make the best cheese broccoli soup and chili. I think that is why I crave making soups even the first cool day of fall!

Meet her table!

not pictured: Shanna 

Each person was asked this question:

What is one thing you do to make your life easier? 

JOY: Set out clothes the night before.

MENTOR MOM-KAREN: Using the crockpot in the winter...dinner in a flash! :)

ERIN: I plan out my meals for the entire week. Including breakfast & lunch. Makes it so much easier for me to make and go grocery shopping. I know I have everything & can make it. I don't make it "Monday is meatloaf"....I just make a list of 7 dishes and make them. :)

DAWN: I use a Swiffer Vac for hard floors.

MELISSA: Plan-don't procrastinate.  "Fail to plan...plan to fail."

DEANNA: Use a grocery list and Menu Plan

SHANNA: I keep toothbrushes/toothpaste downstairs as well as upstairs.  It helps in the morning when they go up to their rooms to brush and they never come back down! :)

SARAH: I use my crockpot. 





Did you know that the secret to cutting brownies is to use a plastic knife?  It glides right through without leaving it all crumbly!


Thanks for sharing your table with us, Joy!

Whole Roasted Chicken by Joy 

1/4 melted butter, coconut oil, bacon grease, or duck fat

1 whole chicken

1 onion, cut into large chunks

4-6 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 orange or lemon cut into 6 pieces

2-4 large carrots, cut into large chunks

1 Tbs Herb Salt Blend

Black Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Brush the bottom of a large roasting pan with some of the melted butter.

Remove any gizzards or organs from the inside of the chicken.  Stuff the chicken with the onions, garlic, and some of the citrus.  Place the carrots around the chicken in the roasting pan.  Brush the chicken with melted butter, and sprinkle it with the Herb Salt Blend and the black pepper.

Roast until the chicken reaches 165° F when a thermometer is placed between the leg and breast.

Cooking time depends on the size of the bird but is approximately 20 minutes per pound.