Lots of soup and a yummy sandwhich!

Ok, so I know for the rest of you it is still about 70 degree weather out, but for us here in Colorado, winter has already arrived and we are going on our third day with snow still on the ground! What happened to Fall I want to know!
So, in light of our weather situation, we have been having a lot of soup/stew around here lately! For a few meal ideas, this is what we have been putting together:

Taco Soup (super easy and one of the kids favorites!)
3 cans red beans (I usually only use 2)
2 cans italian recipe tomatoes (sometimes I just use 1)
1 jar picante salsa
1 lb. hamburger
2 cans vegetable beef soup (I personally don't like the beef in this type of soup so I just use vegetable soup, my favorite is the Kroger chunky brand)

Brown hamburger, mix into pan with all canned ingredients (do not drain cans)and heat over stove until warm. Serve with cheese and sour cream.

We are having the Bear Creek potato soup tonight, which comes in a bag. You just add water and heat up. I also add corn and cooked sausage to it.

Tomorrow I am going to make Kari's Beef Stew recipe. I think I've given you all the recipe before, but if not, let me know and I can pass it on.

Last night we had Roast Beef Sandwiches. I've tried a few different recipes for this same thing and I think I like this version the best so far, and everyone will eat it, which is the real test. It is super easy! I got the recipe out of my coupon section from my newspaper. :)

Dripping Roast Beef Sandwiches
1 can Campbell's French Onion Soup
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (I think this is too much, so I use about 2 tsp.)
3/4 lbs. sliced roast beef
4 Hoagie rolls
4 slices of Provolone cheese cut in half
1/4 cup drained pickled banana pepper rings (I make mine without the peppers)

Heat oven to 400.
Heat soup and Worcestershire sauce in saucepan to a boil. Add beef and heath through, stirring occasionally.
Divide beef mixture among rolls. Top beef mixture with cheese slices and place sandwiches onto baking sheet. (I usually spoon extra soup mixture onto sandwiches)
Bake 3 mins. or until sandwiches are toasted and cheese is melted. Top each with peppers.

This only makes 4 sandwiches, so you will probably have to double it to feed everyone, except for Donny and Sarah. :)

Ghosts and Spiders

Last week was Kaden's week for snacks at preschool. Being Halloween week and all, I couldn't just take anything. So, all week I took Halloween themed snacks. It probably won't do you much good now, but maybe next year...

On Monday I took chocolate dipped pretzel sticks - Witches Broomsticks!
(The top half of a Pretzel Rod rolled in whatever color of molding chocolate with Halloween sprinkles on top.)

Wednesday we took Boo Cups!
3 1/4 cups cold milk
2 boxes (4 serving size)instant chocolate pudding
1 tub thawed Cool Whip
20 Oreo cookies (I used more)crushed (I used Halloween Oreos w/ orange frosting just to be festive!)
30 mini chocolate chips

Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding. Beat with whisk 2 mins. or until well blended. Gently stir in half of the cool whip and half of the crushed cookies.

Spoon 1 tbsp. remaining crushed oreos into 15 cups. Spoon pudding mixture evenly into cups, top with remaining crushed cookies.

Drop remaining cool whip by spoonfuls onto desserts to create ghosts. Use mini chips for eyes. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 15.

Friday we took Spiders!
I saw these on a kids tv show a long time ago and have done them a few times. All you do is spread peanut butter, or cream cheese since a lot of kids have peanut allergies, onto a cracker. Break pretzel sticks in half and add 4 on each side for spider legs. Spread peanut butter or cream cheese on another cracker and place on top of original cracker. For eyes you can use either raisins, or I like craisins. Stick onto cracker using either the cream cheese or peanut butter.

I took pics, but for some reason blogger won't upload them so I will send them to your emails so you can see what they look like.