Bruschetta Steaks and Barley Casserole

Picked up some cheap, thin steak cuts at the grocery store. Trying to eat on a budget, finding ways to cook up cheap cuts of meat is a challenge I face happily. (Please excuse the kids' christmas plate, dishes in the dishwasher)

Bruschetta Minute Steaks (adapted from Kraft Kitchens)

1 Tbsp. oil

6 thin boneless beef steaks (1/4 to 1/2-inch thick, 1-1/2 lb.)

1 can chopped tomatoes, drained well

1 bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup Italian Dressing

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken, prepared as directed on package

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese(or any other shredded cheese on hand, I used Costco's cheddar/jack blend)

Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add steaks; cook 1 min. on each side or until lightly browned on both sides. Meanwhile, mix tomatoes, peppers and dressing; spoon over steaks. Top with prepared stuffing; sprinkle with cheese. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 3 to 5 min. or until cheese is melted and steak is cooked to medium doneness.

Served with a delicious Barley Casserole found on epicurious.

1/2 pound mushrooms
4-5 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped very fine
1 cup pearl barley
Salt, pepper
2-3 cups beef or chicken broth

Slice the mushroom caps and chop the stems. Heat the butter in a skillet and add the chopped onion. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes and add the mushrooms. Cook another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the barley and brown it lightly, mixing it well with the onions and mushrooms. Season to taste with salt and pepper and pour into a buttered casserole. Add enough boiling broth to cover the mixture and come 1/2" above it. Cover the casserole tightly and bake in a 350°F. oven for 25 minutes. Taste the barley for doneness. Add more broth, if necessary, and continue cooking until the liquid is absorbed and the barley tender.

Not-so-good-for-you Macaroni and Cheese (courtesy of Paula Deen)

Can she make anything that is actually good for you? Probably not.... but she does make some darn good comfort foods.

This is the kids favorite Mac-n-Cheese recipe (we have multiple recipes we make at different times, a motherhood standard). Hers is made in the slow cooker, I adapted to bake it in the oven.

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8-ounce box isn't quite 2 cups)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stuck) butter, cut into pieces
• 2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook the macaroni to al dente. Drain, mix in the rest, reserving a handful of cheese for the top. Pour into casserole dish, top with reserved cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 min.

Family Gadgets: The Safety Turtle

Being a mommy, I am always looking for something to make my life a little easier, or simply interested in what gadgets are created for family fun, convenience, and safety. While flipping through my One Step Ahead cataloug, I came across this interesting little gadget that fascinated me.

The Safety Turtle. Place the band around your child's wrist and plug in the base alarm station(the large speaker). If your child happens to fall in the water, when the band is submerged, it sounds a loud alarm through the speaker, working within a range of 100 feet, so you are alerted and can quickly respond.
What a neat device. We had a couple scares with Elisha enthusiastically jumping into the pool at my mother's, which scared the life out of me (you would be amazed how silently little ones can slip into water without you realizing it), and I could see this thing coming in handy for people who have a pool or live near a lake. It would certainly put a anxiety-ridden heart like mine a little more at ease. Upping the response time of getting to your child's aid when you are not glued to their hand or are engaged in a bit of conversation poolside, seems like a good thing to me.
Though at $199.95 for the speaker and one wrist band and $79.95 for each additional wrist band, it would not be worth it to us, since we are pool-less at our own house. But if we did have a pool, with 3 energetic little boys that can get into trouble faster than you can blink, I would perhaps consider choking down the price of a little extra peace of mind and heart.