Taco Mac and Cheese

Last week I wanted to make a dinner that was similar to my Taco Pasta Bake...but I didn't want to turn on the oven!  So I made a stovetop version and it turned out great!

Your Shopping List for the Taco Mac and Cheese:

• 1 pound shell pasta
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 cup taco sauce
• 2 cups milk
• 1 block of cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Now Let's Make the Taco Mac and Cheese:

1. Cook your pasta according to box directions, drain, and set aside
2. In a large skillet, cook your ground beef, drain, return to skillet and add minced garlic - cook until fragrant
3. Add the taco sauce and taco seasoning to ground beef and keep warm on low heat
   
4. While you make the ground beef mixture, begin warming milk in a large pot
5. Add the cubes of cream cheese to warm milk and stir until melted
6. Add cheddar cheese to milk mixture and whisk until melted, combined, and thick
   
7. Add pasta and ground beef mixture into the cheese sauce, stir to incorporate everything
8. Remove from heat and allow to sit five minutes before serving

Friday Favorites: Fourth Of July Edition

Happy Happy Friday!  I am doing an extra happy dance today because John is off, so we have a three day weekend!

Here's the thing, Christmas aside, the Fourth of July was always my favorite holiday growing up!  I loved the huge picnic my parents used to throw every year, and I loved loved loved fireworks!  My kids have never seen actual fireworks yet because we follow a super strict bedtime, but I am looking forward to starting that tradition in years to come (maybe next year when Paisley is 18 months old and my bigger girls will be almost 5 and 4).

1. Red White And Blue Cookie Bars

I shared them for Memorial Day and I am sharing them again!  If you are going to a picnic and you have no idea what to bring - make these cookie bars!  They are easy!  And they are delicious!  And they are festive! 

2. Berry Baked Oatmeal

Speaking of festive food, my Berry Baked Oatmeal would be the perfect July 4th breakfast!  You use raspberries (red) and blueberries (blue) to give the oatmeal a patriotic effect!  Click here for the recipe! 

3. Firework Art

I saw this idea on Andrea's blog and I fell in love...with how easy it was!  Here's the thing, my girls - especially Lacie - are always asking to do crafts!  They particularly enjoy painting.  And I am not crafty.  My years as a Kindergarten teacher did nothing to instill a love of arts and crafts in me...it probably did the opposite to be truthful.  But this was cute and so so so easy.  Rubber band together 6 bendy straws and then bend them outwards.  Allow the kids to dip into red and blue paint and stamp on paper - creating FIREWORKS!

4. Freshly Picked Born in the USA 

I always make sure my girls have cute Red, White, and Blue outfits for July 4th Weekend, but I've never even thought about their shoes!  Then I saw these Born in the USA moccs, and they are the sweetest things I have ever seen!  

5. All The Red White and Blue
A look back at the girl's Fourth of Julys!

Fourth of July 2014

Last year I was 15 weeks pregnant on July 4th! 

Fourth of July 2013 - Sweet B was 7 months old!

I will always remember Blakely's first July 4th because it was the day she stood up in her crib for the first time...and tried to use the bumper to help her climb out.  Needless to say we lowered the crib that night.  She was only 7 months old!  She walked two months later!

Lacie on July 4th 2013!

Lacie on her first 4th of July - 2012! 

Today I am Linking Up with:

Berry Baked Oatmeal

I'm always looking for new, fun breakfast recipes because - if I'm being honest - my girls will sometimes eat breakfast for lunch and dinner too!  Breakfast foods are so easy when you have little kids - especially kids who go to bed before John and I are ready to eat dinner!  Last week, we had a playdate and I decided to put together a little Baked Oatmeal featuring some delicious Jersey Blueberries and Raspberries!

It turned out DELICIOUS! 

And I definitely plan to make a few flavor variations of this soon!  I'm thinking bananas and chocolate...coconut for a summery flavor!  Lots of ideas! 

Your Shopping List for the Berry Baked Oatmeal:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/3 cup raw sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup raspberries
• 2 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 2 tsp vanilla

Now Let's Make the Berry Baked Oatmeal:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease a 10x8 baking dish (you could use a 9inch square or a 9x13 - you would just have thicker or thinner baked oatmeal)
2. In a mixing bowl, stir the oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt
3. Add half of the berried and spread the dry mixture into the prepared baking dish
4. Top with remaining blueberries and raspberries - set aside
   
5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, coconut oil, and vanilla
6. Pour wet mixture evenly over dry mixture and berries - lightly shake your casserole dish to ensure that the milk mixture has been evenly distributed
   
7. Bake in preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes until casserole is set
8. Remove from oven and cool for at least 5 minutes before serving

Mommy Mondays: My Tiny Dancer

Saturday and Sunday, Lacie Jane danced in her very first dance recital!  She completed her first year of dance along with about 15 other little girls all aged 2.5 - 3.5!  I felt so many emotions and definitely had tears in my eyes as John and I watched our little ballerina skip across the stage!  She went up on that stage and was so brave and determined to do her dance without missing a step!  Since Lacie is finished with her very first year of dance, I thought it would be the perfect time to do a Mommy Monday look back at my Tiny Dancer!