Runzamatic Casserole

I found the following recipe in a local publication earlier this past week. It's called "Runzamatic Casserole". If you are not from Nebraska (or have never been to Nebraska), you probably don't even know what a runza is. It is beef with onions, cabbage and spices inside an enclosed "bun". The origins are German (and possibly Russian). It is often a Husker Game Day staple in and around Memorial Stadium. Here is a picture of a runza and an open runza to give non-Nebraskans an idea of what they look like:

So, anyway, I wanted to try this recipe because it sounded EASY for one thing, and if it actually tasted like a runza, it would be a good thing to take to a potluck sometime. So I gathered the ingredients and made it today in the midst of painting our house (more on that later). This is such an EASY casserole to make and it actually tasted like a runza! So, if you don't have Runza in your area, make this and you'll know EXACTLY what a runza tastes like.

Here's the recipe:

Runzamatic Casserole

2 pkgs crescent rolls
2 lbs hamburger
1 pkg (dry) onion soup mix
2 c. cheddar cheese (grated)
1/2 c. water
1 8-oz pkg shredded cabbage (or shred your own like I did)

Brown hamburger. Add onion soup and water. Add cabbage and cook 15 min. Take one pkg rolls and line greased 9x13" pan. Spread beef and cabbage mixture all over rolls. Lay second package of rolls over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

(This is how the directions were printed. It didn't say what to DO with the cheddar cheese -- put it ON or IN -- so I put it IN right before I spread it in the 9x13" pan.)


This came out SOOOOOO good and tasted EXACTLY like a runza. We were pretty hungry because it was a late lunch/dinner (noon meal - depending on what you call the noon meal). I will definitely be making this again. We have leftovers so we'll see how those are.

Happy cooking!

9/14/10 -- Note after making this the second time: I decided to use THREE cans of crescent rolls so that the entire bottom and top could be covered. It came out great and I think that's what I'll do from now on. I also shredded the cheese coarser this time. I think it was better. I use a little more than they say to use 'cause I like cheese!

Interesting Day

(The following post was written in a notebook but not actually posted on the blog until we received our referral because we didn’t tell our family that we were in process. We waited until we had the referral for our son before we published on the blog because we wanted to do this “covertly” and have it be a surprise to as many people as possible.)

Today was an interesting day. I had made an appointment to do a piano tuning so Meighan and I went down to Murdock. She stayed with my parents while I tuned the piano. We ate lunch when I got back. Then while we were just hanging out, my cell phone rang. It was our agency with a question about my employment…or lack there of…and the fact that we were showing income for me this year. I explained that it was “unemployment.” Oh. So I guess that answered her question. I asked if they’d totten our criminal checks back yet and she said “yes”! Wow! She thought it was strange that we and two other couples had gotten back in 3 weeks but others were still waiting 8-10 weeks! I figure it’s a God-Thing and that there is a little boy in China just waiting foir us and God wants us there sooner than later! We’ll see if this shows us anything in the future!

So we headed home and made a stop to take advantage of some sale prices. When we got home, there was a message from someone regarding a resume I’d submitted. It didn’t recognize the name of the company. I called them back to call me back and they eventually called back. It ended up being a job bank you have to pay to get access to. I may sign up later but right now I don’t have that extra money.

More Forms

(The following post was written in a notebook but not actually posted on the blog until we received our referral because we didn’t tell our family that we were in process. We waited until we had the referral for our son before we published on the blog because we wanted to do this “covertly” and have it be a surprise to as many people as possible.)

So, Tony got the “informal” medical forms yesterday. I delivered them to Holt this morning. They are still waiting on criminal checks from the FBI and mine from Florida. I asked how long those take and was told the FBI can take anywhere from 8-12 weeks! Really? So we are looking at the end of September at the earliest to start the Home Study. She said she would send the bill for the Home Study in a couple of weeks.

We also received our Birth Certificate copies today. Two more documents to check off!

Medical Exams

(The following post was written in a notebook but not actually posted on the blog until we received our referral because we didn’t tell our family that we were in process. We waited until we had the referral for our son before we published on the blog because we wanted to do this “covertly” and have it be a surprise to as many people as possible.)

August 23 was our medical exams with tests that have to be run, including a TB test. For a TB test you have to go back 2-3 days later to have it “read.” So I went back this morning and, of course, it was negative. I was hoping to pick up the one form so I could get it to Holt but it had been misplaced. Wow! I had everything in an envelope. How could that happen?

OK, so another small glitch. I thought I had the form on my flash drive but not THAT form. Only the form for the dossier that needs to be notarized. So I got the email address of the nurse so I could email her the form and have her print it out and have my doctor fill it out and sign it. Tony was going in the afternoon to have his TB test read so I asked him to pick it up if it was ready. Then if his was also ready, I can take both forms to Holt tomorrow. Geesh! HIPPA also plays a role in this and I won’t go into that!

Coordinating getting the Notary there to watch the doctors sign the other forms will be the next challenge!

Steppin' Up

Our little girl is growing up. Not only has she made great strides in her mental and physical growth since we came home 16 months ago, she is now into the next step of her walk of faith. Sunday, our church had their annual Steppin' Up celebration during church. This is where the kids parade into the sanctuary with different colored balloons to represent their different aged classes and they move to their new class.

Well, this year Meighan was old enough to move from nursery to Preschool A (based on her birthdate). She got to carry an orange balloon and most of the kids in this class had a parent to carry them or walk them in. After the parade and a song with the congregation, they all went to their new class. The teacher, Miss Marlo, immediately got out Playdoh for the kids to play with. Meighan was a little apprehensive about touching it but I worked a little bit in my hand to show her what to do with it. She eventually sat down on a chair and I eventually slipped out of the room to join Tony in the service. Afterwards, we went to get her (and show Tony where the room is) and I think she hadn't moved from that chair and one of the helpers was playing with her with the Playdoh! Others of the kids were down playing with toys, etc., but Meighan hadn't moved! She liked the Playdoh! She did wonderful!

I, however, had my little "mom moment" and teared up a little while walking into the sanctuary with her -- knowing that this is a "next step" for her. I'm also a little disappointed that she will be in Sunday School and not sitting with us most of the time. She has come with us to the service most of the time and she's done pretty well. I wanted her to know how to sit in church (as much as a toddler sits!)

So, after Sunday School and church, they had a big celebration out on the front lawn with 3 bouncy houses (something Meighan just LOVES!), carnival games with little prizes, face painting, balloon artists, vinyl sign makers and a meal consisting of hamburgers/hot dogs, chips, drinks and ice cream bars. It was kinda hot that day but at least it wasn't rainy. Quite a nice day for something like that.

So now Meighan will get to spend time with some kids her own age (and maybe start talking more?) and we will actually get to listen to the sermon. There's good and bad things to having Sunday School during the worship service.

Painting a Moving Target

A while back Meighan helped me shake up my nail polish bottles. Then she wanted to shake them up again. That's what she thought they were for--to hear the little balls shake inside them. So I painted my little fingernail and said that's what this is for. I asked her if she wanted her nails painted. No. So I painted my whole hand. Do you want this? No. So I painted my other hand. THIS is what it's for. It's nail polish. Do you want that on your fingernails? No. And she wouldn't let me pick her up. So I took it off.

The other day she wanted me to paint her nails. Then when I got the bottle open, she didn't want her nails painted. So I put the brush away and then she changed her mind...again. (This is normal for her!) I got her one hand painted and then heard a car door. Our speech therapist was arriving. So I painted her other hand real quick. Not a great paint job by any means! I told her to hold her hands up like this (TEN FINGERS!). She greeted the speech therapist like that and WELL after they had time to dry, she wouldn't use her hands. It was quite funny!

So as of today, she's had nail polish on for almost 48 hours. She looks at her nails every once in a while and we say "pretty nails!"

Fashion Sense - NOT!

This is what happens when you let a 32-month-old pick out her own clothes for the day.