Trick or Treat!

We're taking our kids trick or treating tonight. It should be fun. I'll get some new pictures up later. This one is from last year. Drew will be Harry Potter, Cooper is a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Maddie is a Dallas Cowgirls cheerleader, and Emma is a fairy princess. I'm thankful for the mild temps tonight. It ought to make things more enjoyable.

Our town has official trick or treating hours, from 5:30-8:00. Although I've never heard of a town doing this, I'm glad. It's always a challenge to get the kids settled in for the night after Halloween. They get so sugared up!

Have a safe Halloween!

Sawdust Pie from Patti's on the Pier

This is one of our favorite dessert recipes. It's definitely rich, so we add sliced bananas to make it seem more healthful. He He! Whipped cream goes nicely as well. The recipe is courtesy Patti's On the Pier, Grand Rivers, KY. http://www.pattis-settlement.com/. We go to Patti's whenever we're in Kentucky to visit David's family. It's a wonderful place for families to visit. They have gorgeous flower gardens and animals for the kids to see. This past summer, while visiting Patti's, we took a trip down to the lake via horse-drawn carriage.

Sawdust Pie
7 egg whites, unbeaten
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups pecans
1 1/2 cups coconut
9-inch unbaked pie shell

Mix all ingredients together and stir by hand. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven until glossy and set (about 25 to 30 minutes). Do not overbake! Serves 8.

Special Meals

David-steak, homemade creamed corn, hash brown casserole, and blackberry cobbler with ice cream.

Drew-supreme pizza, cooked cinnamon carrots, fruit salad, and oatmeal raisin cookies,

Cooper-hamburger pizza, corn on the cob, yellow sliced apples without the peels, chocolate cake with chocolate icing.

Maddie-spiral-shaped pasta with meat sauce, green beans, and apple pie with ice cream.

More Special Meals

Here are some more menu favorites from our family to yours. Please note that recipes are coming the near future!

David-scrambled eggs, hash brown casserole, and fruit salad.

Drew-tacos, peas, pineapple and apple slices, and vanilla milkshakes.

Cooper-hot dogs on buns, hash browns, corn on the cob, pears, and homemade chocolate cake with chocolate icing.

Maddie-pepperoni pizza, green beans, peaches, and chocolate chip cookies.

Lori-stuffed manicotti, Caesar salad, kiwi, and lemonade pie.

Past Special Meals

I'm busy gathering some of our past Special Meals and will be adding favorite recipes in the near future. If you're looking for a new menu, perhaps this will give you some new ideas. Please note that the menus were created and chosen by our four children and my dear hubby. Enjoy!

Special Meal's #1

Drew-soft tacos, cinnamon carrots, pear slices with peels, and white cupcakes with white icing.

Cooper-hot dogs with buns, corn on the cob, pears without peels, and strawberry shortcake.

Maddie-spaghetti and meatballs, cheesy broccoli, oranges, and ice cream sundaes.

David-roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, and Sawdust Pie (one of our favorites!)

What are Special Meals?

I originally came up with the idea of Special Meals to encourage some picky eaters in our family. The idea is to allow each child (and spouse) to choose a main course, vegetable side, fruit, and dessert. I usually write the menu on a sheet of paper and hang it on the fridge with a magnet. We try to create a new menu each month. That way the kids can look forward to their Special Meal each month. The only thing I ask is that they don't repeat more than one food a month. This encourages them to venture out a bit and try new foods. Each child gets to help prepare his or her Special Meal. This includes setting the table and cleaning up after mealtime. I try to make the entire process as special and fun as possible.

After implementing the Special Meal concept for a few years, I've noticed a dramatic change in the children, one in particular. Cooper, now 9, was our pickiest eater for several years. However, I'm happy to report that he now loves a variety of foods and will try just about anything!

Between soccer and t-ball, gymnastics and piano lessons it is so challenging for our family to make time to sit down together to a nourishing home cooked meal. We still hit the fast food drive-through's when time necessitates. However, in our busy little family of six, we have found our Special Meals to be. . . well . . . special.

Welcome to Special Meals!

This website was born out of my love for my family and food. As a mom to 4 growing kids and wife to a wonderful man with a hearty appetite, I positively enjoy preparing quick, nutritious, and fun meals for and with my family. Our kids love to cook and bake, so I try including them in meal preparation whenever possible.

I have such fond memories of baking with my dear grandmother, Nanny, whom I adored. She taught me that time spent in the kitchen and love go hand in hand. This site is lovingly dedicated to her.