Christmas Morning Casserole

Merry Christmas!

Have you heard?

We are celebrating Christmas at the End of May this week with a giveaway of Gooseberry Patch's brand new cookbook Quick and Easy Christmas Recipes!

For today's festivities let's check out this great little recipe for Christmas Morning Casserole.

To whip up this yummy breakfast treat, I first grabbed my best kitchen accessory...

Miss Add  was in charge of the mixing bowl while mommy was in charge of the blurry camera.

Meanwhile, I popped some sausage from the freezer into my microcooker and let 'er cook right up... 

This sausage just so happens to be from Miss Heather's farm.

6-8 minutes later...

While that was cooking up, Miss Add and I grabbed 6 eggs

Oops... we obviously miscounted... anyhoo... we then whisked them up...

Added 2 Cups of Milk

And mixed 'er up

Then we added 1 t Dry Mustard

And 1 t Dried Oregano

1 Cup Bisquick

1 Cup Shredded Cheese

I mixed it up and poured it into two square pans... one for now and one to freeze for later.

I baked them up at 350 degrees for a little over a half an hour. You should just bake until set.

Click on the card to print individually.

Enjoy!

 

Links featured on GOODEness Gracious are often affiliate links. GG often receives products for free to review. GG opinions are however very much Cris' own. Just try to get her to say something she doesn't believe in... dare ya ;) If you have any questions about the products or recommendations found on this blog, just pop us an email :)

He sees me.

Today is mine and Puddie's 13th Wedding Anniversary.

Source: dudelol.com via Cris on Pinterest

And while I don't have a beautiful song to share like he does, I do have an observation that hit me the other day that I thought I'd share.

Puddie and I were chatting and, like a lot of times, I was being hard on myself--like a lot of mamas do I suppose.

I have so much I want to do in this life that often I get caught up in keeping all of the plates in the air that I feel guilty that in doing so much I fear that I might not always be giving the most and best attention to one of my most important roles... that of being mommy to little Miss Add.

Puddie stopped me and in great detail described a moment he had recently observed between Miss Add and I.

It was a simple moment.

Something I never imagined he even paid attention to... and something I never paid attention to myself...

But, he described it to me at that moment in such detail... to prove to me that I was getting this mom gig right.

At that moment, it hit me... like it did almost 15 years ago when I first got to know him...

He sees me.

And, in this world of hustle and bustle... it is truly a blessing to have that... to have someone who really sees you.

When someone sees you, it is like fuel to be who you really are inside. Puddie has always been that for me. Someone who has always wanted me to be me... and that is truly a gift.

Source: iobad.com via Cris on Pinterest

So, here's to you Puddie. Thanks for seeing me back then and every day since.

Source: etsy.com via Cris on Pinterest

Christmas at the End of May-- Quick & Easy Christmas Recipes Review & Giveaway

Dear Reader-


Do I have a treat for you! 

My friends at Gooseberry Patch recently sent me their brand new Christmas cookbook, Quick and Easy Christmas Recipes... and you guessed it... one for one of you too!


So, since it is a Christmas book, we are declaring it Christmas at the end of May! 


Miss Add is going to be sooo excited that we can sing Christmas carols again...


So, while I am busy cooking up yummy things to share with you this week, I thought I'd get this lovely giveaway started...


And, since it IS Christmas at the end of May, how about something festive to drink while we peruse this lovely book?

I found this recipe for Sycamore Farm Christmas Drink while flipping through the Dessert section... 


Now, truth be told, while in the Dessert section of a new Christmas cookbook, I would normally be drawn to recipes like Cherry Christmas Pizza, Chocolate Fudge Pie, Shelle's Millionaire Pie, Lemon Fluff, Annie's Crescent Cookies, Chocolate-Toffee Candy Cookies... well ya get the point... 


And, well... I was definitely drawn to them... 


However, since I  am on the home-stretch of project "fit-in-the-dress" later this week... 


I opted for this drink, thinking it might be something  that we could drink now as a special treat and freeze some for later.

And, oh my word, I am glad I did... 

This drink reminds me of the flavors in a delicious apple crisp... it a mug... yum! 

Very flavorful and complex... and DELICIOUS! 

This will be our go-to "cider" from here on out. This is a perfect drink to sip warm in the morning and, honestly, I am looking forward to giving this drink a try cold as well.

You start out by pouring a 64 oz bottle of apple juice and a 64 oz bottle of cranberry juice into a large stock pot.

Psst... keep those empty bottles, they are a great way to store and freeze the extra cider.

Add  1/2 Cup Orange Juice

1 T Whole Cloves... I heart the smell of cloves...

1 T Cinnamon and 2/3 Cup Sugar. Now stir it up and heat through...

Your house will smell like you lit an amazing holiday handle... Fa...lalalala...la...la...la..la

Now sift out the cloves....

And drink up... YUM!

Now, pour yourself a cup and let's take a look at this new book.

One of the things I have enjoyed about this book is that even though it is a Christmas book, it has a lot great everyday recipes.

In the Breakfast & Brunch section we really enjoyed the Christmas Morning Casserole. It is perfect for everyday and for special occasions. I will be sharing pics and the recipe later this week. Other recipes we are looking forward to trying is Lisa Ann's Crustless Quiche, Artichoke Squares, Oatmeal-Blueberry Pancakes, Brandi's Egg & Spinach Bake and Busy Morning Banana Bread.

In the Snacks & Appetizers section we are going to fix up some Holiday Freezer Cheese Balls. Love the fact that we can make them ahead and pop them in the freezer-- my favorite kind of recipe... just sayin' Other recipes we are looking forward too from this section are Mexican Pinwheels, Peanut Butter Popcorn,  Shrimp Puffs, Glazed Walnuts and I am sure Miss Add will love the Zippy Snack Crackers!

In the Soups, Sides & Salads section, we are going to fix up some Seafood Pasta Salad. It sounds like it is right up Puddie's alley. Other recipes we are looking forward to are Easy Cheesy Orzo, Oven Fried Potatoes, Beckie's Garlic Soup, Souper Rice, Walnut-Parsley Pesto Linguine and Tortellini & Broccoli Soup.

In the Mains section, we are going to cook up some Teriyaki Chicken. Other recipes we are looking forward to are Quick & Easy Creamy Chicken, Chicken & Rosemary Pizza, Saucy Pork Chops, Easy Beef Pot Pie, Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu and Taco Pasta Skillet.

Last but not least there is a Slower Cooker section! I am so excited to try the Unfried Refried Beans. Other recipes we are very excited about trying are the Make-Ahead Scramble Eggs, Overnight Sausage & Egg Casserole, Hot Spinach Dip, Simple Stew for Two, Broccoli & Cheese Casserole and Patty's Au Gratin Potatoes.

Now, how about that giveaway! Merry Christmas!

There are LOTS of ways to enter to win. You don't have to use them all, just do the ones you want. Just make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry.
1. Follow GOODEness Gracious through Google Friend Connect (GFC) (right sidebar)

2. Join our Facebook Community

3. Follow @crisgoode on Twitter

4. Subscribe to us via email (right sidebar)

5. Subscribe to our feed (right sidebar)

6. Check out Real Farmwives of America blog and follow through GFC 

7. Fan Real Farmwives of America and Friends on Facebook

8. Follow @realfarmwives on Twitter

9. Fan Gooseberry Patch on Facebook

10. Comment on Gooseberry Patch's Blog or Facebook Page and tell them Cris sent you.

11. Follow @gooseberrypatch on Twitter

12. Tweet about this contest and include @crisgoode and @gooseberrypatch in your tweet

Contest ends 9PM EDT on June 6th. Winner must live in the continental U.S.


Links featured on GOODEness Gracious are often affiliate links. GG often receives products for free to review. GG opinions are however very much Cris' own. Just try to get her to say something she doesn't believe in... dare ya ;) If you have any questions about the products or recommendations found on this blog, just pop us an email :)

I was a Senior Hottie

There are some gals in the blogosphere having quite a ball with some senior hottie flash backs... and as someone always willing to poke fun at myself... I thought I'd play along!

Here Aunt Lou and I were at my graduation... weren't we such pretty cryers???

Here I am in my Senior prom get up... including every detail like silver fingernails and a backwards French braid up the back of my head.

You can't fully appreciate the braid and its awesomeness from this shot... it took hours... and had to be done.

Truth be told though... nothing could outdo my junior year hotness... I mean seriously...

We're talking black velvet, poofy arms AND a built in choker... just sayin'

Check out the other hotties over at A Belle, A Bean and A Chicago Dog.

Zippy Shredded Pork

The other day I got the most touching comment from an anonymous reader about a recent Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork post...

Every Monday I make dinner for a family who has a child in the hospital battling leukemia ~ hospital is 2 hours away from home. Mom pretty much lives at the hospital while Dad is holding down the fort with his 2 other sons (both teenagers) and his father. Always looking for new and easy ideas that fit in with my work schedule and will keep everyone happy. Brought this over tonite with fresh rolls, coleslaw and homemade mac and cheese. A HUGE HUGE HUGE success and so simple ~ cooked 2 pork loins on low all day in the crockpot. Delicious. Sweet aby Rays is our favorite, too. Thank you!

Well Anonymous, first of all, God bless you and your heart for people. And, secondly, thank you so much for sharing your story with me... it made my day. Thirdly, this post is dedicated to you. It too is quick, easy and an awesome use of that time saving crockpot!

I found this new spin on pulled pork in my Slow-Cooker Recipes Cookbook that I have been telling ya'all I wanted to start using a bit more... and I am glad I did!

This recipe is soo easy and sooo tasty.

I started with a 4 lb loin, but I cut up half of it for various marinades and such (that I will be sharing on Sweet Jeanette in June).

With the other half, I popped a crockpot liner in my Smartpot and put the other half of my loin in... salt (Lawry's) and peppered it...

And then flipped it fat side up and salt and peppered it again.

Then I just grabbed my favorite salsa and a can of chilies and poured them over the top.

Then I put a lid on it...

And set my Smartpot on high for 6 hours (or low for 8).

After it was done cooking, I took two forks and that baby just fell apart ;)

Now we had sandwiches that night...

Put enough in the fridge for lunch the next day...

And froze enough for lunch on another day... Mommy score!

Enjoy!

Click on card to print it individually

Links featured on GOODEness Gracious are often affiliate links. GG also often receives products for free to review. GG opinions are however very much Cris' own. Just try to get her to say something she doesn't believe in... dare ya ;) If you have any questions about the products or recommendations found on this blog, just pop us an email :)