Nesting

I don't know that it is too soon to be nesting, we still have 4 weeks left. This nesting isn't so much a cleaning as a cooking. I have been taking one day a week, random days, a day I feel really energetic and we don't have to leave the house, and I put some freezer meals together. Here is what I've done so far: (this also has to do with the fact that I have things in my fridge that I don't want to eat today or tomorrow but I'm afraid will go bad before I get to it)

Enchilada Casserole:
2 cups diced chicken
1 can crm chicken soup
1 soup can of milk
1 4oz can diced green chiles
diced onion
grated cheese
about 16 corn tortillas torn up (I prefer to cut them because I can do 5 or more at a time)
Mix everything in a bowl with some cheese, put more cheese on top. Line an 8x8 pan with foil and place the casserole inside, using the excess foil to fold over and seal. Leave it in the pan and put in freezer. When it is mostly frozen you can remove the foil wrapped dinner from the glass pan and put back in freezer. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40m, stir to aid heating if you forgot to defrost it first :) Serve with olives, green onions, sour cream, avocado, spinach/lettuce, tomato and whatever else sounds good. My daughter doesn't like the green chiles so I mix it all together without them, spoon some of the mixture at one end of the pan and then add the chiles to the rest of the mixture.

I had cooked 2lbs of beans in the crock pot with some spices I froze in old sour cream and cottage cheese and yogurt containers we save and used them for the next recipe.
Burritos
Ground turkey/pork/beef (I had 1/3 lb probably) mixed with cooked beans (just over a pint)
brown rice (already cooked, I keep bags of it frozen in my freezer) mixed with chopped cilantro (2-3 Tb) and tomato sauce (1 sm can)
cheese
Heat soft taco size flour tortillas till warm and pliable. Fill with bean mixture, rice mixture then add cheese. Fold, place on cookie sheet, place in freezer, when they are frozen remove and place in a ziplock back, label. Cook in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or allow to thaw and bake in the oven at 350 until warmed through, about 15-20 min. (I like to use my meat thermometer to check) Obviously you can change the recipe any way you like and fill with your family's favorites, we haven't had these for dinner yet but I ate some of the leftover filling in a tortilla for lunch and I really liked it.

Taquitos
I have a friend with a great recipe here but I invented mine with chicken, cheese, sour cream and some spices. Roll the mixture in warmed corn tortillas and place close together on a cookie sheet. Spray with cooking oil and bake at 425 for 12-14 minutes until crispy. Allow to completely cool then place in a plastic bag, label and freeze. Cook in the microwave in a paper towel or allow to thaw and re-heat in oven (they will be crispy again).

Taco Soup
1/2lb ground beef
1 sm onion
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans (I used my already cooked beans)
1 can corn, undrained
2-3 Tb taco seasoning mix
sliced olives
2 c water
Cook ground beef, add everything else, bring to a boil, cool, freeze. (I use old 32oz yogurt containers and they stack nicely and I don't have to buy plastic bags)

Twice baked potatoes (this one is easy enough)
Funeral Potatoes (I think we all have a recipe we like) (note: cooked potatoes freeze great, raw potatoes are not so great)

Hot dog casserole
5-6 medium potatoes cooked, peeled and cut into 1" bits
1 can crm mushroom soup
a little milk to desired consistency
1 can green beans, drained
diced onion
1 lb hot dogs, sliced
Saute onions in some butter, add sliced hotdogs and allow to cook, I like to brown them, adds flavor. Mix potatoes, soup, milk and beans in bowl, add onions and hot dogs. Spoon into foil lined 9x13 pan, put grated cheese on top and freeze. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

We received a rice cooker for our wedding and I cook up the biggest batch of rice it will hold then put it in ziplock bags in the freezer. Nice for when you forgot to start the rice! I also (as stated) have frozen cooked beans in my freezer. We like beans so they are nice to have already cooked because I don't buy canned beans, just dry.

All of these have worked well for me, I have only been doing this for 2 weeks but it is so nice because by 4 or 5 o'clock I am just about done for the day and to pull a meal out of my fridge (because I pulled it out of the freezer last night to defrost) and throw it in the oven has been nice! Plus, I am sharing the recipes because I am always looking for something new to feed my family so I am sharing my recipes with you, maybe if you use one you will share one with me? :) I hope you enjoy!!

Belief

We had a person of another religion stop at our door today and I chatted a little with him. I of course mentioned I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and he asked me what we believed about Armageddon. It took my pregnant brain a minute but I gave him a fairly satisfactory version of wars and destructions and Christ coming to reign on earth. But, after he left I thought I shouldn't have said that. I should have told him that we are not concerned with Armageddon. It is going to come no matter what we, personally, nationally, worldly, do. Christ will come to destroy the wicked. I should have said, sir, we concern ourselves with each individuals relationship with God and Jesus Christ. If ye are prepared ye shall not fear so we concern ourselves more with being prepared, repenting, serving, obeying the commandments, exercising Faith in God and Jesus' Atonement etc. Then, when it does come, even if I am killed in all the destruction, I will be okay. Isn't that a much better answer? Maybe next time!!

If you were wondering...

Well, I guess it is time to tell the rest of you that we are having a baby. When am I due you might ask? Next month :) Sorry, I'll tell you the whole story some other time but for now I will tell you we did not find out the gender, we want a surprise. When you already have one of each, the only thing you absolutely need are diapers so why find out? (now I have slightly changed my mind and this may be the only child we don't find out with :) ) Well, to get ready for the arrival of this unknown person I decided to cut my hair. I love it, I used to be afraid to cut my hair but this style is so easy and it looks like I tried! So, after the baby comes, (and before) I roll out of bed, shower, maybe just wet down my hair, throw in some gel and it looks like I am actually ready for the day! ps. this picture was taken after church and doesn't do my curls justice but you get the point :)

And, one last note, I have pregnancy induced baking disease. In layman's terms that means that I want to bake all the time! We did bagels the other week and this week we made soft pretzel bites, yummy, and we didn't even make the cheese sauce. Try it! (they look crunchy but they are soft, I swear!)