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A Week of Kitchen Happenings

I had a very busy week in the kitchen.  It all started Sunday.  I knew I’d have kids and grandkids here on Monday for what we call “big family supper”.  It just means that whoever is around comes for supper.  It’s pretty much a standing invitation.

In light of that on Sunday I decided to make some food.  First it was Cherrio Bars.  They are a favorite with everyone.  You can find the recipe HERE.


I made a batch of Brazilian Feijoada.  A blog reader sent me a recipe for it.  You can find it HERE. The recipe is awesome.  The meat is great for any type of Mexican dish.  We had it with Tacos.

This recipe is so good because one…we love it and two, it lets me use up any meat in the freezer, even the undesirable cuts like boiling beef.  I often hide some meat in it that needs to get used up.  This time around I had a couple of pork chops that were okay but were looking like freezer burn was going to set in.

The little boys even liked it.

Here is Eli…

Here is Emmett.


I’m happy to report that even Kalissa’s wildly fluctuating all day-morning sickness, could handle the meat.

I also tried this recipe for roast brussel sprouts

This is the recipe.  It was from the Cookbook from Nashville Needlework Market.  I didn’t have carrots so left them out.  We liked this but next time I think we would half the amount of pepper.  As is they were too spicy for the kids.


I had the neighbor’s kiddos here last week.  I was doing back up childcare.  Kalissa didn’t work her and Gannon came over.  We had a great time.  I think the kids did too. The kids played and Kalissa and I chatted.  It’s been a bit since we’ve had the chance to chat.

We ended up taking that meat from the night before and made a pizze with it.  I put guacamole and queso on the bottom for a sauce.  I added a little salsa and then the meat.  The kiddos got cheese pizza.

After it came out of the oven, we added taco pizza type toppings, lettuce, Doritos, black olives, onions…  Kalissa said it was the best homemade pizza I’ve ever made.


That same day Kalissa said it had been a long time since I made homemade doughnuts.  She was right…so I made doughnuts.


I love my mixer.  I will forever be so grateful for a childcare family who gave me gift certificates for my birthday, Christmas and Valentines one year back in about 2002 to the local kitchen supply store.  I saved the certificates, added money to it and I bought my mixer and have loved it ever since.  This is by far my most used gift EVER.


I had a helper making doughnuts…even Rosie is licking her lips!!


Kalissa was the froster.  Maple flavor frosting is always the favorite around here.  We actually made a double batch. She took some out to the farm where Craig works.

The next day Kalissa was by again.  This day…it was spaghetti with my yard sauce.  Find the yard sauce recipe HERE.  It was so good…and for a treat, we made pumpkin flavored Whoopi Pies.  You can find that recipe HERE.


Kalissa was over again the next day.  On this day it was leftover spaghetti and be made Grandma Kramer’s Coffee Cake.  I don’t have the recipe for that on the blog and I forgot to take pictures.

Now you can see why the title of this post was Kithen Happenings as there has been a lot happening in the kitchen this past week.  I have a new recipe I plan on trying for Maple Cookies.  I’ll have to let you know how they are.

9 thoughts on “A Week of Kitchen Happenings”

  1. Dear Jo, would you share your recipe for maple frosting? I haven’t found one I like yet, and I’ll bet yours is delicious. Looks like you have really had lots of family suppers over the last little while!

  2. All that food looks wonderful. I think it is always fun to make food that your kids are hungry for that had been part of their growing up years. I sure would like to try that meat dish.

  3. Me too! I would love your maple frostIng recipe. Love anything maple and I can’t find a recipe that I like. First thing I noticed was the picture and They look so good.

  4. Thanks for the recipes, Jo! The meat one looks delicious. I will try the Cheerios bars with Rice Krispies. I am the only one here who doesn’t like Cheerios. LOL. Hang in there, Kalissa! I had 8 months of nausea when I was pregnant. I found it helped when others cooked.

  5. Praying for Kalissa. All day morning sickness is no joke had 8 months of it too. Right up to delivery day. Your food looks so yummy. Suggestion for maple frosting. Use real maple syrup, the real average is unbeatable. Why is it when littkes get food l over themselves it’s so cute? Your grands are growing and changing so fast.

  6. I too ♥️ My KA mixer, and have told my husband that if the house is on fire, it and it’s attachments (along with my sewing machines) are priority grabs as we get out of there! Have you looked into replacing your beater? As is common with the enameled ones, it looks like yours is chipping. Not something you want getting mixed in with your food! The retreat sounds like a lot of fun- hope all who are lucky enough to go have a great time!

  7. The meat dish sounds wonderful, and I hope to make it and serve it with rice and then make a pizza like yours. The boys are getting so big, and Eli is super cute with his glasses. Happy to see Kalissa looking better, hope the morning sickness is getting less and less. Enjoy those maple glazed donuts and please share the recipe for the glaze.

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