Friday Family Faves...Squash Casserole

Thanks Pam for the yummy recipe!

This past summer was the first year we had our garden.  It was such a joy for us to plant, care, grow, and pick our fresh fruits and veggies.  Learning as we went, we ended up with plenty of squash to which my husband said, "You should call my mom and get her recipe for this squash dish she used to make us growing up".  And that was that...I was addicted to squash casserole.  We've modified my mother-in-law's original recipe slightly to make it our own and fit our family's taste, but the basics are still there.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
6 c. squash, diced (~4 medium squash)
3 c. whole wheat saltines, crumbed
6 eggs
2/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
1/2 an onion, chopped
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar
2 c. milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix everything together in a very large bowl.  Bake uncovered in a greased 13x9x2 pan for 60 min at 350 degrees.

LIGHTER VERSION:
Cut amount of butter by up to half.  It comes out a little drier with a more cracker taste, but still delicious.

VARIATIONS:
Substitute 1 of the cups of squash with 1 c. diced mushrooms.

Yummy!  I've been tricked into eating squash :)

Conversations with a Toddler

Our son Ethan LOVES to looks at himself in the mirror....dishwasher, oven door, you name it, if he can see his reflection he stops and admires.  So this is how the conversation went after Ethan kept starring at himself in the mirror...

Justin: "Ethan are you vain?"
Ethan: "NO, I'm a big boy!"
Justin (laughing): "Ethan are you vain?"

Ethan (affirmative): "NO, I"M NUMBER 1!"

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Ethan LOVES numbers as much as her loves looking at himself in the mirror.  So this is how my conversation went with Ethan...


Brittney: "Ethan, you're number 1"
Ethan: "Mommy, you number 2"
Brittney: "What number is Claire?"
Ethan, yelling in excitement,"ZERO!"

Well, glad to know where we all stand :)

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Ethan is one smart cookie.  He is 2.5 years and definitely "exploring" his boundaries with mom and dad.  We are a pretty scheduled family so we have the same bedtime routine around the same time every night...bath, book, bed.  This is how bedtime went the other night...

After bath and book, which Ethan really wasn't even paying any attention to....
Brittney, "okay Ethan, time for bed"
Ethan (whining): "No Mommy! Snuggle! Snuggle! Snuggle on koch (couch), banket (blanket)"
Brittney, "ah, you want to snuggle with mommy under a blanket on the couch?"
Ethan (all smiles), "YES!"

Man...He's good!  Looks like he may have figured out how to wrap mommy around his little finger.

Growing Up

 Ethan at 2.5 years

Our little man is 2.5 years.  He had his Well-Check appointment at the Doc yesterday.  He's 29lbs (50th %), 37 in (75th %) and his head circumference is 19.75 in (75th %).  He's still potty training and doing great with it.  He's starting to chat up a storm.  Loves repeating words and has no problem telling you his opinion.  He is a bundle of joy that makes us smile and laugh everyday.  

Saying Cheese

Eating his Easter ring pop

At Doctor

Claire at 4 months

Our little momma is 4 months already!  She is a ball of hair that we affectionately call, "Crazy Hair Claire".  She loves to laugh and smile and she is definitely a Daddy's Girl.  She can be screaming in terror but the moment daddy holds her, she's all smiles.  She's cooing now, but it's more of a purring or low growl that makes us laugh every time.  Her new favorite thing is blowing lots of spit bubbles which calls for wearing bibs most of the time.  She has discovered her feet and still has to have something in her mouth...usually her fist.  Ethan adores her, as we all do, and I'm sure he can't wait until she's big enough to actually play with him.  Claire has her 4 month appointment this coming Monday so we'll update the blog with her measurements  ....Claire's update:  12 lbs 7.5 oz (15th %), 24 in tall (25th%), head circ. 15.5in (15th%).  Development is great.  Doc says developmentally she acts like a 6 month old and that she's very proportional...which could be why everywhere we go, at least one stranger will approach me to say she looks like a little doll or little china doll :) 

The shirt needs an "s".  And yes, this is her poopface.  She had a massive explosion after I took the picture and had to be changed out of the outfit :)

Thirsty Thursday...Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Quick and Easy chocolate banana smoothie

1 1/2 banana, sliced & frozen
3/4 c milk
2 Tbsp chocolate malt Ovaltine


Put all ingredients in blender and blend til smooth.

Mormon Temples

Mormon Temples

 (click for article from Huffington Post article, with pics)

Weekend Getaways

We took a weekend trip to Brittney's hometown to visit with friends and family.  We stayed at Brittney's grandma's house, sharing a full bed between us and Ethan with Claire in the pack N play just beside...tight quarters made it more fun.  We were able to go out to dinner at Red Lobster & to Toys R Us with Brittney's Dad and Kathy.  They were sweet and bought Ethan, Salty and James the trains from the Thomas the Train series.  Ethan had been wanting those trains for awhile, but we weren't able to find them around here.  So, Ethan was in heaven all weekend with his new talking trains.  We then headed to Brittney's niece Alex's 9th  birthday party at a local hotel.  She had some friends over and they swam at the hotel pool.  The next day we managed to go to church and then head to Brittney's mom's church followed by Cindy's baptism and a pitch-in lunch with the family at the church.  Afterwards we visited Brittney's college roommate, Melissa, at the Griffin's home.  The Griffin's son, Dale, was killed in action serving in Afghanistan 2.5 years ago.  It was so great to see everyone and hear stories of Dale.  Finally...back home we went, exhausted, but feeling blessed.  So grateful to have such wonderful people in our lives.

Getting ready to travel

Claire and Mimi

Claire, Mimi, and Great-Gma Elsie

Ethan and Pappy checking out the live lobsters at dinner

Claire, cousin Alex, and Alex's friend Payton

Daddy and Claire getting ready for church

Gma Elsie and her best friend Zelma.  Gma Elsie is 88 and Zelma is 98

Gma Elsie, Mom, Uncle Randy, Aunt Kimba, and Zelma

Visiting Alex at her hotel birthday party.  Claire was giggling up a storm at Alex.  Of course by the time we grab the camera she was done...there's a good laugh at the beginning of the video though.  She'd been laughing like that at Alex for at least 30 sec or more. It was so sweet.

Friday Family Faves...Homemade Enchiladas

One of our Peterson family favorites is Homemade Enchiladas.
 Try them for yourself...Yum!

Stuffing:
1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 c. diced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 c. light sour cream
1 c. sharp cheddar shredded

Sauce:
2/3c water
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin


8 Corn tortillas
additional cheese & sour cream to garnish

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1. Preheat oven 350
2. Cook beef, onion, & garlic in 10 in skillet over medium heat. Once cooked, drain grease.  Stir in sour cream & cheese. Set aside.

3.  Heat water, tomato sauce, chili powder, & cumin to a boil. Simmer uncovered on low heat for ~ 5 min.  Pour into ungreased pie plate, & wait until slightly cooled.

4.  Dip each tortilla in sauce, coating both sides.  Spoon in beef mixture.  Roll, and place in ungreased 11 x 7 x 1.5 in baking dish.  Continue with all tortillas

5.  Pour remaining sauce over tortillas and bake for 20 min.  Top with additional sour cream and cheese.

Homemade Enchilladas

LIGHTER VERSION:
-Use 1lb ground turkey, or 1/2 ground turkey with 1/2 lean beef, or use shredded chicken
-Use reduced fat tortillas and reduced fat cheeses

VEGETARIAN VERSION (AKA cheese enchiladas):
-Use 2 cups Monterey Jack or taco blend cheese instead of beef, mix with onion, sour cream, 1 c. sharp shredded and stuff into drenched tortillas.  Top with additional cheese before baking.