NOT Oprah's Favorites.......

The boys are finishing getting ready for their big ANNUAL hunting trip to South Dakota.  They are missing 6 days of school!!!!  Very scary.  I hope they don't get sick the rest of the semester.  Kevin just walked in the door and is starting to pack....thought we were supposed to leave at noon....but it is 11:40...I think I have time to do a random post.

I have been stockpiling a few photos for a while of my favorite foods and munchies, for no reason really, just thought it might be interesting.  Look at the smorgasbord of healthy veggies and tasty treats below.  I thought hey, Oprah, always has her fancy smancey favorites show.... and she is a gazzilionarie....so why shouldn't I do a simple post with my favorites?  

One of our families favorite all time soups is 

CHEESE WHIZ soup.

This Caldron was purchased especially to make this soup.  I used to have to borrow my neighbors big pot each time I made it.

I have modified the recipe a bit over the years, making it a lot more healthy.  But if you want to make it, the original recipe is below....with my mods noted.  You should try the real deal first.....YUM!! 

Cheese Whiz Soup

3 c. diced potatoes

1 c. carrots

1 c. celery

1 c. chopped broccoli

½ c. chopped onion

3 c. water

4 chicken bouillon cubes

Cook above ingredients in lg saucepan for 15 min. until tender.  Do not drain.

Melt ¾ c. butter or marg. & ¾ c. flour in soup pot until Carmel color.  Add –

3 c. milk

2 c. half & half

1 t. crushed basil

¼ t. pepper

12 oz bottle Cheese Whiz

Cook on low heat until blended.  Combine w/ veggies and water.

This is the basic recipe…I modify and change it up a lot.  I usually double the recipe (I use a huge caldron).  Maybe triple the veggies.  Any meat is delicious.  I add canned pumpkin often.  Usually I just use 2% milk and no half and half.

This next favorite I attribute to my dad.  He ALWAYS has Ready Whip in the fridge.  Always!!  He likes to have it handy to do just what Ryker is doing below.  He needs a little something sweet....well, ReadyWhip stands ready to please.  He usually assumes the entire room of people has the same hankering, so we all get a mouth full of goodness.  I keep my eyes open for when I can get it very inexpensively.  I like having it on hand for Hot Cocoa mostly, any kind of cocoa will really do.  I also love to add a variety of coffee creamer to make it extra rich (I only get the creamer because I can get it for free with my coupons.   I had to find a use for it....turns out this it the perfect use).  There are all kinds of yummy flavors to shnaz up a plain old cup of cocoa....French Vanilla, Italian Cream, Butter Pecan, and on and on....delish!

Lately I have been loving Peter Pan honey roast creamy peanut butter.  With couponing I was able to try these Nature Valley Granola Thins for no cost, so I snatched up a few boxes.  They already have pb on one side....very nice, but I like to go for the extra fat mile and put another layer of PPHRC on top of that. That is a MAJOR YUMMY TREAT!  Try that!  

Recommended deli meat....you may not be able to see it, but that is Oscar Myers, BARBECUED SEASONED chicken.  The best!!!  Flavor packed.  Throw some pickles, spinach of course, honey mustard, mayo, on some kind of thin and Voila!  

In My Opinion....the best fastest, healthy, snack, or breakfast for me right now is the TRUE DELIGHTS blueberry Quaker oatmeal.  Really satisfying, I like eating my oatmeal, yogurt, and small puddings with a dash of ready whip, and a plastic spoon....it just makes it that much better.  

Don't you love throwing away EMPTY CONTAINERS?

It feels like such an accomplishment....it is such torture getting the last inch of contents out of any bottle, it is so freeing to get rid of that old nasty bottle.

Got two in one day here!

The kids love these Fresh Stacks for lunches....they are the perfect sized packs.....

it seems like we used to have loads of half eaten Ritz packs before that would get thrown away

because they got all stale....WELL NOT ANY MORE!

NOT A FAVORITE........Buddy Fruit packs....these little guys were on sale a few weeks ago.  I thought I would give the kids a thrill and include them in a few of their lunches.  Ryker saw them and knew immediately what they were.....Are those Fruit Buddies???  Yes!  You've seen them?  Mom, I am not taking one to school.  Everyone makes fun of kids that bring those.  Hmmmm?  I went ahead and sent one w/ Ethan (he had not heard the conversation).  When he got home I asked about how he liked it....he said he gave it to a kid that squirted it all over the inside of the garbage can.  How wonderful.  I tried pawning one off on McCauley.....but she was like, Don't kids make fun of you if you take those?  What is the deal at that place??  Who decides what is cool and what is not?  Lamos.  Why do our kids care so much???  Why did I?

What are your favorites??
come on....just for fun.

PS - just reread my post.....kind of feel retarded that these are my favorites.....the soup yes, the rest lets just say these are some fun convenience foods that I like right now, and might recommend you try.