Easy Veggie Packed Crockpot Ziti

Catherine McCord you strike again!  I found this recipe and altered it only a tiny bit.  It is so easy and so yummy.  You literally dump it all in the crockpot and just walk away.  Could a busy mom ask for anything better?  I think not!  Well maybe other than the fact it is packed full of veggies and even the pickiest of picky will fall for pasta.  And honestly so will moms and dads, because it's pasta.  My mouth is actually watering as I type this :)

So again, make use of your food processor or box grater with this one as you will need to grate 2 small zucchini and a large carrot.  Dice your bell pepper and onion fairly small if you wish to keep them relatively hidden.  (This is also why I used a red bell pepper.  If you don't have a kiddo that is picky, you could just as easily use green.  In fact, around here, green is about half the price.)  Make sure the onion is a sweeter one too.  I have found those to be a little more pleasing to a picky palate.  And I won't judge you if you eat this, alone, when the kids are napping, with an entire loaf of bread.  In fact, I encourage it.  Moms need to find sanity where they can and I often find mine mixed into a large loaf of chewy bread hehe!

I used my Ninja 4-in-1 cooker for this.  If you have one, comment below and tell me why you love it :)  I'd marry mine if I could!

Ingredients

• 1 pound of ziti
• 2 small zucchini. grated
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small sweet onion, chopped
• 2 - 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes (opt for fire roasted if you see it)
• 1 - 15 oz can of tomato puree
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups of shredded mozzarella

Recipe

• Place everything, except 1 cup of the mozzarella into the slow cooker and stir to combine.
• Top with the remaining cup of mozzarella and place the lid on the cooker.
• Cook either 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high.
• Enjoy!!

Let me know how you like it!

Love

Misty

Kid-Friendly Toddler Approved Cheesy Broccoli Carrot Orzo (in 15 minutes!!!)

Is there really anything harder than getting a toddler to eat something?  I am certain there isn't.  I am certain that trying to fit myself into last year's skinny jeans is an easier task than convincing A1 to eat something that he has defiantly decided against.  He wasn't always a picky eater.  In fact, peas were his favorite.....but now....now if it is green he hates it.  Heck he may hate something today that he loved yesterday.  I have officially entered a war that I cannot win.  Or so I thought :)


I am not a huge fan of hiding veggies.  I think kids should learn that they can be yummy little delights, but sometimes you just have to decide to get them to eat.  So in comes this recipe.  I have an absolute love for Catherine McCord and the website Weelicious.  It has brought me so many recipes and ideas for recipes to please babies, toddlers and adults alike.  So when I stumbled upon the little gem below, I just had to try it.


As a busy mom (as so many of ya'll are), time is not just of the essence, but it's like gold.  You never have enough of it.  Whether its to play with the littles, cook dinner, do laundry, shop, take a shower, or sip an amazing cup of coffee (or glass of wine if its been that kind of day!).  After finally getting both littles down for a nap, and then having the baby pop right back up and land on my hip, I needed a quick and easy recipe that pulled in the veggies that are steadily rejected now.  So I turned to this recipe and made a couple of adaptations, and it is packed with flavor and just goodness.


Start out by making your food processor your friend.  I could honestly be a spokesperson for Ninja products.  I love them so.  I use their blender/food processor all-in-one for about darn near everything.  And the 4-in-1 cooker.....well you will see it make an appearance later in a post. 


Ok where was I?  OH YES!  The recipe! :)  So start with food processor and add in one shallot and one clove of garlic.  Pulse until you get a pretty fine chop.  Then add in your carrots and broccoli.  (My broccoli was frozen and it works out just fine, you just may want to cook it a little longer if it is.)  Blend until you get some fine chunks, like shown.  Be mindful to scrape the sides once or twice during blending.

You will want to use a large pot and melt 2 Tbsps of butter.  (Shout out to Ree Drummond for this awesome Pioneer Woman brand cast iron pot.  It's a doll and I highly recommend her line if you haven't tried it.)

After the butter has melted, add in 1/2 tsp of salt, the veggie puree, and 1 cup of orzo.  (If you have never tried orzo, its awesome for quick cooking.  It is the tiny rice shaped pasta).  Cook this mix for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring continuously, as this will stick if you don't.

Next pour in 1 cup of water and 1 1/2 cups of low sodium chicken broth.  Let this go for about 10 to 15 minutes, just to get it thickened and let some liquid cook out.  If you use fresh broccoli this is about a 10 minute step.  Frozen, I'd go with 15.   Make sure you get a low boil on it.  Doesn't have to be an angry high bowl, but needs to bubble a bit.

Finally, add in about a 1/2 cup of grated Parmesean cheese.  I actually used a mix of Parm and Romano, and I think it was so good, but you can always go with just Parm.  Let that melt in and enjoy :)

So there you have a super quick and easy, kid-friendly meal.  Let me know how you and the kiddos like it!!  Don't forget to share the link and follow me on FB or Instagram!!


Love

The Captain of the A-Team or Mom or Misty


Adapted from Weelicious


Ingredients

• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 small shallot
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 1 cup broccoli florets (frozen or fresh)
• 2 tablespoons butter (try to find unsalted and I recommend KerryGold)
• 1 cup orzo
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (try to use low sodium here too...if you can't then hold off on the added salt until you taste test)
• 1/2 cup parmesan and romano blended cheese, grated

Preparation

1. Place shallot and garlic in food processor and pulse.
2. Add carrots and broccoli florets to the food processor and pulse, scraping down the sides half way until finely chopped.
3. In a large stock pot, heat 2 tbsp of butter and sauté the chopped vegetables, raw orzo and salt for 4 to 5 minutes stirring continuously.
4. Add the water and broth to the pot and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes uncovered (15 if the broccoli was frozen), or until the liquid starts to evaporate and the mixture thickens.
5. Add the parmesan/romano cheese blend and stir to combine.
6. Enjoy it!!

All About Those Bars - Homemade Protein Bars

Oh fitness...how I love and loathe thee.  Trying to get back in shape after baby #2 is a tough thing to do, mainly because you are running after baby #1 while tending to baby #2, working, keeping household stuff under control and still managing to find time to shower!  So I try and squeeze workouts when I can and make good eating choices as often as possible so I can get back into fighting shape as soon as I can :)

As a mom of 2 kids under 2, it's all about planning and making the most of meal prep days.  So I try and cook up a ton of stuff for the week, portion out my meals, and make easy grab and go options, like these bars.  The recipe is from Jamie Eason and if you haven't had a chance, look her up on FB or on bodybuilding.com.  Her recipes are great and her LiveFit Trainer program has a really great success rate....and it's free!  No sign-ups, no videos, nothing to sell you.  Just free fitness.

The recipe is easy to make and uses some ingredients you will find easily at the local grocery stores.  One ingredient is baby food....and before you roll your eyes, remind yourself that this should be food in its purest form since its to be fed to new tummies.  If you are uncomfortable buying a jar of organic pureed baby food, then by all means, peel, cook and puree your carrots...but I am up for the short cut.  I used sweetener in these, but with the super sweet protein powders on the market today, you probably could cut that out all together.  The protein powder I used was Pure Protein, but not one I recommend.  I bought it as a have-to and would definitely gravitate towards a different brand given more time/options.  I could do a whole blog post on just protein powders honestly.

Jamie Eason's Carrot Cake Protein Bars

• 1 cup of oat flour (do not buy this...use regular rolled oats and run it through a blender or food processor to make your own!)
• 2 scoops of vanilla whey protein
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp each allspice and nutmeg (alternative - use pumpkin pie spice)
• 4 egg whites
• 3/4 cup Splenda, Stevia in the Raw or sweetener of your choice
• 8 oz baby food carrots
• 4 oz water

Directions

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees
2. Mix dry ingredients - flour, whey protein, spices, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
3. Mix wet ingredients in another bowl - egg whites, sweetener, carrots, and water.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix.
5. Spray a glass baking dish with non-stick spray.  (I have used both a 11x7 and a 8x8 dish.  Both work well)
6. Pour mixture into dish and bake for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick/cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle.  **Note these won't be typical protein bars and dense and chewy.  They are airy and cakey in texture**

The Zoo Crew

We decided to take the A Team to the zoo in Nashville, TN for a day of family fun and I thought it would be nice for families considering a day trip there to get a little review.

First, the zoo recommends coming Mon-Thurs due to packed houses on the weekend days, and I agree with this.  It was packed to the brim on the Saturday that we went.  So if you don't want to feel rushed or crowded, I recommend taking a day off from work if you can and visiting during the week so the kids can see better and you can get better photos without feeling insanely rushed.

You can bring your own stroller or rent one (prices were $8 for a single, $10 for a double - and they hold a photo ID for collateral).  I would recommend bringing your own if you go on a crowded day, as they are first-come, first-serve and do not take reservations to secure one.  So you can leave yours in the car and chance it, but I wouldn't want to leave it at home and chance it.

Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 2 -12 (free for members).  Children under 2 are free.  Not there is also a $5 parking charge if you are a non-zoo member.  I think the membership would be great if you live close by, but since we don't, the $35 for a one day excursion was fine.  Train rides, carousel rides and feeding the lorikeets are all additional charges.

So things we loved while inside - the food was pretty good and while a little pricey as at most places like zoos or theme parks, I was pretty impressed that it was called out to be fresh and farm-to-table when possible with options like locally sourced salads, meats, etc.  I mean don't expect perfectly healthy options all the way around, but it was nice to be able to get a salad that tasted fresh or a sandwich with real flavor, as opposed to just frozen chicken tenders (which of course were also available).  The free animal encounters were great for the kids.  They could pet goats and run around on a path with free roaming kangaroo and cockatoos.  A1 lost his mind over these!  Overall cleanliness was big here too.  You didn't see much over-flowing garbage, etc which was surprisingly considering how crowded it was.  The atmosphere was pretty awesome too.  It felt more natural, like you were walking in the forest than some other places we have visited.  You could also bring in your own food and coolers to help cut down the cost of feeding a hungry family (just no glass).

Things we didn't love - where are the lions, tigers, and bears? (oh my?)  Ok so there was 1 tiger.  No lions.  No bears (although they had a sign that said coming soon). No hippos.  No rhinos.  I felt like big animals were lacking, outside the 1 tiger and the elephants.  If you were looking for a wide variety of animals, this was not the place to find it.  The train was only a tiny train that didn't go around the zoo, but cost the same as those that do.  Definitely could benefit with a playground type area for kids to burn off the mounds of sugar readily available in the form of ice cream, chocolate covered bananas, etc.  I didn't even see a splash pad for the summer (maybe I missed it?)

All in all it was a great place, but there were a few things I didn't love.  But I have an overwhelming love for Nashville, so I would not only recommend the zoo but the city as a whole.  It has a little bit of everything for everybody from cowboy to hipster.  You just can't go wrong with Nashville :)

Recipe Trial - Southwestern Sausage Quiche

If you know me, you know I have a love for Plain Chicken.  If you haven't heard of her, then head over plainchicken.com and I think you will love her as much as I do.  Her food is outstanding and although she roots for the enemy (she's all in for Auburn and ya'll know I bleed Crimson, White and a little houndstooth), she is where it is at for fun-loving tailgate food and other comfort must have's.  This week I tried out her Southwestern Sausage Quiche, with a few tweaks.  Not only did I love it, but the family did too.  A1 devoured it, while A2 stared at my plate longingly wondering when her bottle would be replaced with a plate of cheesy goodness. 


Warning - this is a rich dish.  I lightened it up in some aspects, but by now means is this going to get you swimsuit ready!  But when its raining and yucky outside, it sure is yummy!


Recommendations - use a deep dish pie crust, or if you can't find one, don't fill it to the brim.  And let it set up after cooking, maybe even 15 minutes (original recipe says 5-10).  (Wanna know a secret - we were hungry and didn't want and just ate a big pile of mess with some crust under it.  Tastes the same :P)  And I didn't have regular milk, but plain almond milk works just fine.



Adapted from Plain Chicken


3/4 pound turkey sausage (original called for 1/2 pound but we are carnivores)

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (10 oz) mild Rotel tomatoes (pulsed in food processor - I didn't drain mine)
2 eggs
1/4 cup light Ranch dressing
1/4 cup light sour cream
1/3 cup unsweetened original almond milk (I normally would use skim but this is what we had)
1 9-inch unbaked deep dish pie shell



Preheat oven to 350.



In a large skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink. Drain and set to the side. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, ranch dressing, sour cream and milk. Add sausage, cheese and Rotel to the egg mixture. Stir to combine. Pour mixture into pie crust.



Bake 1 hour. Allow quiche to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

The girl is back in town...

So it's been a while...like a whole other baby later!  That's right, God blessed us with a sweet baby girl in February of this year without even the tiniest struggle to have her.  We couldn't be happier to be a family of 4!  Which is what led to the renaming of this blog.  You knew it before as "Making of the Sims 3."  Well that didn't exactly make sense anymore since we've gone from 2 to 3 to 4!  So since both kiddos have names that start with the letter A, Captain of the A Team was born.  You can still find all the old archive posts from our struggle and attempts at adoption and then finally having our sweet baby boy, but going forward I figure the name should be a little more accurate.


So now the blog will take on the shape of my many trials at different recipes I find online, on Pinterest, or ones that I revamp to be a little healthier.  I will probably also occasionally post on fitness to act like I am in shape or something (lumpy is the new toned in case you hadn't heard).  Food.  And there will be the occasional DIY projects that I either destroy or actually turns out ok.  Food.  And yes...there will be posts on my amazing family, because they are awesome.  And did I mention food?  So basically this blog is going to be a big hot mess of stuff, which perfectly represents its author :) 


So sit back and enjoy the ride and let's have a snack along the way :)

Tonight I'm Gonna Party Like It's 1999...eh...I mean 2013 :)

Wow!  I cannot believe 2013 has already come to a beginning and a close.  This year FLEW by for me, as I am sure it did most of ya'll.  It was quite the year for me to say the least.  This time last year I was balancing home studies, creating a portfolio for the adoption agency, trying to raise enough money to pay for it all and wondering if I would ever actually be a mom.  Little did I know in just a few days I would meet a birth mother, have an adoption fall through, and find out I was expecting and 9 months later have the most beautiful and precious baby boy anyone could imagine.  Needless to say 2013 was indeed my year!

I learned a lot through 2013.  I learned what a woman's body is capable of by producing, nurturing and delivering human life into this world.  I found out labor pains are just as much fun as they sound (hopefully you hear that sarcasm...).  I found out that 17 hours of labor and 2 hours of pushing sound much longer than they seem.  Granted I had an epidural so the pain was minimal and that helped it not seem so long, but I was also so consumed with watching monitors, greeting my family and friends, and just thinking about becoming a mom that it felt like the day zipped by.  I learned what going into labor feels like and that it's ok to call your mom and 4 am to tell her but not ok to start swiffering the floors before you leave for the hospital. 

One thing I learned that I didn't really expect was that I only thought I knew what love was until I laid eyes on my son for the first time.  I said "hi baby" when he was laid on my chest and he looked right into my eyes and from that moment forward I would never be the same.  He is the first thing I think about in every thing I do now.  My mom always told me it would be like this, but I guess I just didn't get it until now.  He just sort of captured me that day and hasn't let go yet.  Every time he holds my figure, smiles, giggles, falls asleep  on me, plays, eats, pretty much anything he does....I fall a little deeper in love with this little guy. 

He's taught me so much in his 4 short months here in our home.  He has taught me that I need help even when I don't want to admit it.  He has taught me to love deeper and stronger than I ever knew I could.  He has taught me about how sweet the tiniest moments are, like just sitting on the couch and holding him where he can sit up and play or bath time which has become his new favorite past time.  He has taught me to slow down and cherish all those moments I used to glaze over.  He has taught me that pictures truly are worth a thousand words as they capture memories we will cherish forever.  Every day I relive moments I already lived but through his eyes, and it's just magical.  To see him see a ceiling fan for the first time in awe and wonder was pretty much the coolest moment ever haha!  He's taught me that it's ok to not fit back into my skinny jeans just yet, because I had a healthy and wonderful pregnancy.  And he's taught me to hold his hand now as many times as I can and lead him down his little life's journey for now, and one day he will return the favor when I need him to help me.

2013 was definitely the best year of my life so far.  I am thankful for the blessings I have experienced this year and the ones that have become even more relevant.  I am thankful for friendships that I wouldn't trade for the world.  My Golden Girls are my rocks and I have so many loving friends around me that helped me when I thought I was never going to get to the place I am now.  I am thankful for the family I have that love not just me, but Ashton more than words can express.  I am thankful for still having a job in a year where furloughs and budget cuts loomed over our heads.  I know work isn't always where I want to be since I would love to be with my little peanut all the time, but I sure am thankful to have our bills paid and food on our table at all times.  I am thankful for my puppies who were my first babies, and still are my biggest babies!  I am thankful for my husband who stood by me through everything and has become the best father I could ever imagine.  And I am thankful for all the fun in my life even when others think its weird to love Bret Michaels, wrestling, cars, and crafting as much as I do :)  Fun keeps us sane and reminds us that life isn't about just living to work but working to live. 

I know 2014 will be awesome too as I see so many of Ashton's firsts.  I can't wait to take his first steps with him, hear what all he has to say, watch him try new foods, learn to play even more, and just become his own little person.  But for now...I am pretty content in him staying my little baby just as long as he can.  I am watching him nap as I type this and not 1 minute goes by that I don't realize how truly lucky I am for it all.  So to sum it up, 2013 I bid you farewell and will always remember you as the year of miracles and thankfulness.  I will never forget this year and have no idea where I take this blog now.  Maybe a fitness blog on how to lose the baby tummy? haha  Seriously I am not sure where it goes from here, but if this past year was any indication...it's going to be a lot of fun :)

Have a safe and happy new year everyone!

I love each and every one of you reading this because you all made 2013 my year in some way, whether it was through supporting me through the adoption then pregnancy, praying for us, making me laugh when I wasn't sure I could, or just letting me be me.  You got me where I am now and that also makes you one of the biggest blessings in my life.  I hope you hear that often, but in case you don't, hear it now.  You are absolutely precious to me and my family for all you did :)

Now go party it up!!  It's New Year's Eve after all :)