Camping, Stealing Ham and other fun things :)

3. Go camping 4 times (1/4)
We finally took our first camping trip since August 2009. We were way overdue for it! This was an untradional camping experience, as we actually camped in my parents' yard! My parents own 40ish acres of land so we had our own little piece of it to ourselves. It was Easter weekend and my family from NJ was visiting, so the house was full! We had a blast over the weekend, and I can't wait for another weekend of camping for just our little family! I don't feel like hunting down my camera for pictures, so here is one of Caleb with his cousins on Easter Sunday.



18. Try 25 new recipes (10/25)
Tonight I tried a new recipe! Brooke over at "...and a cookie for dessert" posted this recipe for Ranch Ham & Cheese Pasta last year. Ham is very rare in our house, so I snagged a bag of Easter leftovers from my Mama. :) I made a few changes, my recipe is below. I only had a taste but this dish has great flavor. The whole thing came together in about 20 minutes, great for a weeknight dinner!

Ranch Ham 'N' Peas Rice

80z brown rice, cooked
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free milk
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup (8 ounces) reduced-fat sour cream
2 cups cubed fully cooked lean ham
1 cup frozen peas
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In a Dutch oven, melt butter; whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk and seasonings. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Reduce heat; fold in sour cream until blended. Add ham, rice & peas; cook and stir until heated through. Remove from the heat; stir in Mexican cheese blend until melted. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!