Crazy Busy Mom's Ham and Bow Tie Pasta

This is a one pot, oh so simple dish my family loves.   This is all you need:

Two ham steaks diced

One box of bow tie pasta

Half a small bag of frozen peas

One jar of Alfredo sauce

In a large pot, boil water. Add salt and a little bit of olive oil to the water. 

Add bow tie pasta and cook until nearly tender. Add peas and ham to the water before the pasta is done. 

Drain mixture and return to pot. 

Add Alfredo sauce. Mix well and heat through. 

Serves 4

Crazy Busy Mom's Beef Stew

You can either make this in an hour with a pressure cooker or let it go all day in a slow cooker. Preparation is quick and easy. Here's what you need:

At least one pound of stew beef

4 large potatoes cut up into small pieces

Half a bag of baby carrots

2 stalks of celery

3 cloves of garlic (to save even more time, get a jar of chopped garlic and add 2-3 teaspoons)

1 onion chopped

Two large cartons of beef broth

Cut the stew beef into small pieces and put them into the pot. Add all the other ingredients. Seasonings are not necessary as the broth will be salty enough. 

If you are using a pressure cooker, seal it up and let the stew run for about an hour. 

If you are using a slow cooker, cover it up and set on high for at least 6 hours. Serve with crusty bread or in a bread bowl. 

Serves 6

Crazy Busy Mom's Simple Calzones

My calzones consist of cold cuts and cheese, but really you can put in any filling you want. Here's what you need to make mine:

Pizza dough from the grocery store 

Turkey

Salami

Ham

Corned beef

Cheddar or American cheese

Provolone cheese

Swiss cheese

Either melted butter or a beaten egg

Heat the oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or aluminum foil. Spray the foil with Pam so the calzones don't stick. 

Generously sprinkle flour on a cutting board and a rolling pin to keep the dough from sticking. 

Cut the pizza dough into fours. Take one and set the other three aside. 

Roll out the dough so you get a reasonably large surface to put you meat on. 

Take one slice of you meat, then place a piece of cheese on top. Keep alternating your meat and cheesed until you've used one of each. 

Roll up the dough, tucking in the sides as you go.  Place the end in the bottom of the calzone and put on the baking sheet. Do this for the other three pieces. 

Take a little bit of melted butter and brush the calzones so they have a light coating. You can also spray them with a little Psm or neat an egg and brush that on top. Use whatever you have. 

Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serves four. 

If you are going to substitute the cold cuts for say meatballs or something that has a sauce, you're going to need to work fast as the dough will get soggy and unmanageable quickly and may not get crispy on the outside. 

Back to School – a blessing for some, not so much for me

Many a parent pop the corks of champaign bottles when the kids go back to school. I’d be right there with them if it didn't signal the beginning of my super crazy season. My daughter just started Middle School and for the first time she’s taking the bus with all the neighborhood kids. She’s thrilled as she gets to connect with some of the kids that she’s been in classes with in the past, but not this year. They don't have before care in middle school, so the bus picks her up only a half hour later than we would have left for before care. Boy does that half hour count!  And we still run out the door with my son who is now in school across town from my daughter. So picking them both up on time from extended day after an hour and a half/two hour commute is a race against time. Still trying to get comfortable with that routine. 

Fall also brings on the full battery of activities that the kids are in.  I was THAT parent that swore the kids would only have one activity each. That proclamation died when they were old enough to have activities. My son is a Cub Scout (my husband is the Den leader), does karate and plays soccer twice a week . My daughter is a Girl Scout (I’m the leader), she skates twice a week, dances and does karate. AND she just sign up for running club and interactive writing right after school. Sunday is the only day I get to lay my head on my pillow for any significant amount of time. The lack of sleep and any personal time are a small sacrifice compared to the incredible people they are becoming. Programming everything into my smartphone is a complete must. I'm pretty confident that if Siri asked me for a raise I would give it to her. 

It seems that Fall also represents the barrage of fundraisers that have to be done at my house – my son has to sell trinkets for school and popcorn for Scouts.  My daughter needs to sell nuts and magazines for Girl Scouts. All come at the same time and many end at the same time. This is a little disconcerting for me as I need t go through everything and figure out what I want, then remember to fill out the slips and put them in the correct place. 

With the resumption of our crazy, busy schedule, I need to figure out and make dinners for the week. To save myself time and mental energy I may not have when it comes time to make supper, I plan my meals for the week and get all the ingredients at once so that everything is in the house when I need it. The dishes are typically not fancy, but they are quick. I will share them in separate posts so you can try them if you want to. 

Until next time, stay sane!

Review - Mythos Restaurant in the Islands of Adventure at Universal

 

This is a beautifully themed restaurant in Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. It looks as though you are eating in a brightly lit cavern. The tables and chairs were extremely elegant and piano music added to the atmosphere. You are definitely transported out of the park and into a fine restaurant.

Our server Gilley was friendly and prompt. When he bought our drinks, he also brought warm, crusty bread. We ordered the Asian Chicken off the salad menu to start things off. The salad, which is usually ordered as a meal served four of us as an appetizer. I loved the taste of the sesame dressing and the cashews gave the meal a nice crunch. It was a nice, light start to our lunch.

I ordered the salmon and asked for it well done and it came to the table perfectly cooked. The portion was smaller than I expected, but it was delicious. My daughter got the beef medallions. She said that her meal was tasty and cleaned her plate. My husband got Pad Thai. He said that although the flavored were different than he was used to, it was very good. My son had the standard chicken nugget fare. The prices of chicken were a good size and he finished them without complaint.

We don't usually get dessert, but we did today. I got the chocolate banana gooey cake, my daughter got the kids' banana split and my husband got the Creme brûlée. All the desserts were delicious and made a great ending to a great meal.

This establishment is a little pricy, but if you're able to splurge while you are on vacation I would recommend giving this a try.

Review - Lombard's Restaurant at Universal Studios

Lombard's is a nice fish Restaurant located in the Universal Studios Park. This is a spacious, clean, sit down place to eat. Alicia was our waitress. She was super nice and very professional. The menu had a variety of seafood, burgers and salads. The only sugar free item to drink is the unsweetened iced tea. Warm rolls and butter were served when we received our drinks. They were warm and delicious.  My husband got the shrimp cocktail and enjoyed it.  I got the salmon Cesar salad. The onion rings on top gave it a great crunch. The salmon was perfectly cooked. In short it was a great salad. My husband who got the chicken version agreed. My daughter got their Chinatown Noodle Bowl and it was absolutely delicious. The broth is full of flavor and had a good amount of noodles and veggies. My son got the kids chicken fingers and ate them up the portions are a good size. So much better than the typical amusement park fair. Highly recommended not only from me, but the entire family.

Review - T Rex Restaurant at Downtown Disney

 

Super fun place to go for a meal!  I can't even tell you how much we love this place. The decor is prehistoric Earth and the dinosaurs are all animated. Every 20 minutes or so there is a meteor shower.

Our waitress Dani was super friendly and got our drinks quickly. The food is pricy for adults -- most run $16 and up. The kids menu at the time of this review were $8.99. The adult drinks are good and strong.

I got the bronto burger, my daughter got the pasta, my son got the Mac and cheese and my husband got the pasta. The nachos we got as an appetizer were delicious. Although my husband said his pasta dish was too salty, the kids and I enjoyed our meals.

A couple of words or warning 1). Little children might be scared of the moving Dino's and/or the meteor shower, so keep that in mind. 2). This place is insanely popular. If you don't have a reservation, there is a really, really good chance that you will not get in. Plan as far in advance as you can. You will be really glad you did.

Review - Nine Dragons Restraurant

We came here for dinner at Epcot. This little place serves traditional Chinese Food. I got the shrimp fried rice and it was very bland. The pot stickers were good as was the spring roll. My husband and daughter enjoyed their Orange chicken so hit or miss I guess. The food is reasonably priced. Not much else to say.

Review - Flame Tree Grill at Disney's Animal Kingdom

We come to this restaurant every time we visit Animal Kingdom. They have a limited menu, mostly barbecue fare, but the sauce is flavorful and worth trying. We get the pulled pork sandwiches every time -- they're that good. Outdoor seating makes for a cool atmosphere. There is no table service, you order your food and carry it to an available table.

Review - Food at Splitsville in Downtown Disney

This is a little restaurant attached to the Splitsville Bowling Alley. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. We chose to eat outside. There is music that plays. It was a little loud for my taste, but the songs were good. Soon after we arrived they switched over to live music, which was very good. The waitress Kacie was super friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. We got our drinks quickly. Our calamari appetizer took a little while to come out. The calamari was crunchy and had a really flavorful sauce. I would order it again.

My daughter and I ordered the California Roll sushi. It was fresh and tasted good. I was surprised that a place like this had sushi, but the truth is they have a very large and varied menu. My husband got the pulled pork and my son got a cheese pizza. My son said he liked his pizza. There was nothing left of the pulled pork on my husband's plate.

Review - Dessert in France (well not really, but in Epoct anything is possible!)

For dessert we stopped into Boulangerie Patisserie at the French Pavilion  at Epcot's World Showcase.  In short, they have the best pastry  I've ever had. Most are around $4.50. The place is a good size sit here's lots of seating. I recommend getting your dessert here!  They also have mimosas if you feel inclined ( I was and it was delicious!).

Review of the Katsura Grille (Japanese) at the Epcot World Showcase

We ate at Katsura Grill in the World Showcase. This is a little place in The Japanese pavilion a Epcot. The staff inside is very friendly and helpful.They serve fresh sushi, tasty udon noodle soup and chicken teriyaki. Most dishes are under $10 each. The place is small, but very clean and they also have outdoor seating. They have a beautiful Koi Pond that you can enjoy while you are there.  For entertainment, there are drummers that perform for about a half hour every hour.  They are excellent and it is a lot of fun to watch.  If you like Japanese food, this is a good place to stop.  If you don't want to eat in Japan, you can still enjoy the koi pond and the drummers.

Review of the SciFi Diner at Disney's Hollywood Studios

 

This is a very fun themed restaurant. It mimics a drive-in theater. You  sit in seats styled in 1950's cars.  There is a movie screen that plays old horror movie trailers.  Definitely one of the best themed places to eat in Disney. The menu is limited, but they do offer some healthy options. This place is really fun, but it's not cheap. A "build your own" burger is $17.99, so be prepared to pay. The wait staff are dressed in 50's costumes and are friendly and attentive. The food is flavorful and fresh.

If you have the extra cash to splurge, I'd go ahead and do it. It's a fun experience.

Review of Cosmic Ray's Restaurant at the Magic Kingdom

This is a very cute place to eat. The main attraction is Cosmic Ray, an Alien Lounge Singer that serenade s you during you meal. He also tells jokes.  Much of he food is typical Disney fare, but they also have options for adults such as the rotisserie chicken and pulled pork sandwiches. You can also find soups. The food is reasonably priced, with many of the options either under or slightly over $10.
I didn't take any pictures as I was still recovering from my illness, but if you go online and Google it, I'm sure there are tons of pictures to look at.

Sidelined by illness during the Disney Trip

 

 

I was hoping to give a play-by-play of my entire Disney trip, but unfortunately I was sidelined by an infection and had to go to a medical facility on the third day.  For those who stay on Disney property (and quite possibly anyone who stays in the Orlando area, but I don't know), there is a medical facility called Centra Care (407-934-2273) that will come and pick you up from your resort (great news for those of us who do not rent a car), take you to the facility to get treatment and then bring you back. 

We were originally supposed to go to Hollywood Studios on the day I got sick, so my husband took the kids to Blizzard Beach instead.  It was a blessing -- I'm not a fan of water parks.  Walking around all day in a wet bathing suit is definitely NOT my thing.  That and the fact that I'm completely "unplugged" when I'm there.

We went to Hollywood Studios the following day.  We got up early so that we get in line and sign my son up for the Jedi Training Academy.  It's always a treat for this geeky mom to watch her son "fight" Darth Vader.  When we got there, there were already hundreds of people there.  Here's the scam -- if you go to the park extra early for a character breakfast, you can get in way ahead of the crowds and get the best times for the academy.  This is a wildly popular event with kids and slots fill up early.  I was nervous that we wouldn't get him in, but we were lucky to get an afternoon appointment.  I have tons of pictures and video to commemorate the event.  :-)  While we waiting for his Jedi debut, we occupied ourselves with the ever awesome Star Tours ride, the Great Movie Ride, Toy Story Ride, and most of the others.  My husband is a fan of the Rock n Rollercoaster and the Tower of Terror so he went on those.  I'm a total chicken and stayed on the tamer rides.  We also got the opportunity to eat at the SciFi Diner.  I'll do separate reviews for the restaurants that we ate at in case anyone wants to give them a try.

One of our favorite night-time places to visit is Downtown Disney.  We usually went there at night to head to the arcade DisneyQuest.  This place is filled with tons of arcade and video games.  It also affords an opportunity for budding artists to learn how to draw classic Disney characters such as Mickey, Goofy, Minnie, etc.  Unfortunately, this will be our last visit to DisneyQuest as it is slated to close next year. I think that it a great shame as it is the only fun place to take kids.

Our next adventure was at Animal Kingdom.  I enjoy this park, not only because of the animals, but it also has several of my favorite rides -- the safari, the Kali River Rapids and most of all the Dinosaur ride.  With fast passes, we finished this park after lunch time.  There is plenty to do that would fill up the day, but this is not my husband's favorite park so he wanted to get all the good rides in and move on.

After doing the Disney Parks for seven days, we headed over to Universal Studios to experience the Harry Potter phenomenon.  Diagon Alley and all the other Harry Potter areas were amazing.  I highly recommend doing it.  There are other incredibly fun rides to go on other than the Harry Potter rides.  Spiderman, Transformers, Men in Black and the Minion rides were all favorites.  My husband and kids went on the Jurassic Park and other rides and roller coasters that I just sit and wait for them to finish.  We did that for two days before heading home.  It was a fun and exhausting time.  I am glad to be back because now I need to catch up at work and set the Fall Schedule for the family.

One thing that I didn't get to do while I was on vacation was edit my book.  However, I was able to write a flash fiction story on the plane on the way home.  :-)