Tracey's Ramblings

More Grocery Bill Slashing

2011-06-22T13:46:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted in a while, but that doesn't mean I haven't been couponing! School is out for the summer so I figured I would really try and see what I could stock up on now so I don't have to do so much once school is back in! This is just an example of what I got this week at 3 different stores:

Publix:

2 boxes of Froot Loops, 1 box of Apple Jacks, 1 side of Mashed Potatoes, 1 side of Macaroni and Cheese, 1 box of Great Grains Cereal, 4 boxes of Betty Crocker Potatoes, 1 deodorant, 2 bags of Wacky Mac Pasta, 1 package of Bagel Thins, 2 Hormel Kid Meals, 2 packs of Chicken Nuggets, 4 bags of Frozen Pasta (ravioli, stuffed shells and tortellini), 2 boxes of Cheddar Bites

Total before discounts/coupons: 75.64

Discounts and coupons: 51.29

Total paid: 24.35

Percentage Saved: 67.8%

Bi-Lo:

4 containers of Nuts, 6 boxes of Hamburger or Chicken Helper, 1 bag of Tostito Chips, 2 packages of Cheese, 4 Gallons of Milk, 1 carton of Eggs, 2 packages of Smoked Sausage, 5 peaches, 1 container of Dip

Total before discounts/coupons: 78.82

Discounts and coupons: 43.82

Total paid: 35.00

Percentage Saved: 55.6%

Ingles:

2 boxes of Raisin Bran, 2 packages of Oatmeal with Fruit, 1 bag of Sugar, 6 containers of Peanut Butter

Total before discounts/coupons: 32.42

Discounts and coupons: 17.56

Total paid: 14.86

Percentage Saved: 54.2%

Week 3-Part of Week 5 of Slashing the Grocery Bill

2011-05-23T19:08:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Southern Savers again, I was able to do pretty good the past couple of weeks shopping. Here is my Bi-Lo trip:

Price before coupons/discounts: $42.06

Price after coupons/discounts: $18.12

Total savings: $23.94

What I got: 3- 8 pack Lance crackers, 2 packages of pads, 2 boxes of tampons, 2 jars of spaghetti sauce, 1- 4 pack disposable razors and 1- 3 pack Jell-O Temptations

My new favorite store, Publix:

Price before coupons/discounts: $52.76

Price after coupons/discounts: $11.27

Total savings: $41.49

What I got: 2 bottles of salad dressing, 1 box cheese sticks, 6 containers of yogurt, 2- 4 pack kid's yogurt, 2 tubes of toothpaste, 3- 6 pack Propel water, 2 bottles Trop50, 2 containers of almonds, and a bag of dog treats

I can't seem to get the hang of it but still go to CVS:

Price before coupons/discounts: $14.72

Price after coupons/discounts: $4.80

Total savings: $9.92

What I got: 1 box of Q-tips, 1 bottle of laundry detergent, 3 containers of Pringles

Last, but not least, Ingles:

Price before coupons/discounts: $51.40

Price after coupons/discounts: $17.13

Total savings: $34.27

What I got: 4 cans of corn, 4 cans of green beans, 4 boxes (76 tubes total) powdered drink mix, bottle of mustard, 2 packages of hot dogs, 1 bottle of BBQ sauce, 1 package of napkins, 1 bottle of marinade, 2 packages of cheese

Week 2 of Slashing the Grocery Bill

2011-05-05T19:45:00.000-04:00

Well, I spent most of Tuesday night stalking the Southern Savers website waiting on all of the local store ads to update. When they were all updated I did a little cheer and grabbed my coupons and came up with a plan. A plus to David being home now is that I can do more shopping in the afternoon and not worry about having to rush to get the boys from daycare. I went to 4 different stores this week and feel like I did pretty good overall.
First stop was Ingles:

Price before coupons/discounts: $34.20

Price after coupons/discounts: $13.36

Total savings: $20.84

Next up was Publix:

Price before coupons/discounts: $28.98

Price after coupons/discounts: 9.79

Total savings: $19.19

Then I went to Bi-Lo:

Price before coupons/discounts: $18.33

Price after coupons/discounts: $8.46

Total savings: $9.87

Last stop was CVS:

Price before coupons/discounts: $10.28

Price after coupons/discounts: $2.28

Total Savings: $8.00 + $1 ECB

Overall I spent $33.89. I know I could have done a lot better had I had some coupons, but I think I did fairly decent with it being my 2nd week. I did learn that you have to watch the coupons while things are getting rung up. I went through the self-check out at Bi-Lo and realized later that one coupon did not double like it was supposed to. A mistake I will not make again. Also, they were out of the soap at CVS I was hoping to get for free. Can't wait to see what next week holds!

Slashing the Grocery Bill

2011-04-30T19:47:00.000-04:00

I always thought of myself as a savvy shopper when it came to groceries. I meal plan week to week and then I shop for the big bulk stuff at Costco and the other stuff I just get at Wal-Mart with coupons when I have them cause you know...Wal-Mart is cheaper...right? Well, we found out almost 4 weeks ago that David was getting laid off the end of April. What a total shock to us! While I am very thankful that I still have my teaching job, we all know that there is no way I could support our family of 4 (still hoping for 5 someday) very long and keep up our current lifestyle.

After having what I now call our week from hell, which included losing electricity one night/morning, hitting a deer and needing a new bumper for the van, and an ER visit for Jonas, I decided I needed to start figuring out more ways to save money NOW. Thankfully I have friends there to help and teach me. I have quickly learned that Wal-Mart is not the cheapest place to get all things! I actually went shopping at Publix for the first time ever today. I thought it would be fun to post every week about my savings. Now, I am currently building up my coupon stock (please let me know if you would like to contribute) so it may take a while, but I already have a shopping trip I am proud of! Check it out:

Price before coupons/discounts: $13.45

Price after coupons/discounts: $2.74

TOTAL SAVINGS: $10.71

I actually ended up getting paid 25 cents for the razors! I don't plan to turn into one of those crazy people who can feed an army for several years on what they have stockpiled, but I do hope to be able to buy things that my family will eat for little to no money! I am actually looking forward to the challenge ahead of me! Stay tuned for next week's savings!

Golden Chicken and Noodles

2011-04-30T19:28:00.000-04:00

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 10 3/4-oz. cans broccoli cheese soup
2 cups milk
1 small onioin, chopped (I will probably leave this out next time)
1/2-1 tsp. salt
1/2-1 tsp. dried basil (I didn't use this)
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 oz. macaroni noodles, cooked

Place chicken pieces in slow cooker.
Combine remaining ingredients except macaroni noodles. Pour over chicken.
Cover. Cook on High 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low. Cook 5-6 hours.
Before serving, mix macaroni noodles into mixture.

Deep-Dish Layered Southern Banana Pudding

2011-04-23T09:13:00.000-04:00

46 Nilla Wavers, divided
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 pkg. (3.4 oz each) vanilla flavored pudding
2 cups cold milk
1 tub (8 oz) cool whip, thawed, divided
4 bananas, sliced
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Heat oven to 350 F. Crush 30 wafers; mix with next 4 ingredients. Spread onto bottom of 15x10x1 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 5 min.; stir. Bake 3 to 5 min. or until golden brown; cool.
Beat pudding mixes and milk with whisk 2 min. (pudding will be thick). Stir in 1 cup cool whip. Layer 1/3 of the crumb mixture and half each of the bananas and pudding in 2 qt. serving bowl; repeat.
Beat cream cheese and granulated sugar in medium bowl with mixer until blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of remaining cool whip; spread over top, sealing to edge of bowl. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture, Refrigerate 3 hours. Top each serving with remaining cool whip and whole wafers just before serving.

Sante Fe Soup with Melted Cheese

2011-04-23T09:06:00.000-04:00

1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
15 1/4-oz. can corn, undrained
15-oz. can kidney beans, undrained (I used black beans and will drain and rinse next time)
14 1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies
14 1/2-oz. can stewed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. dry taco seasoning
corn chips or soft tortillas

Combine all ingredients except chips or tortillas in slow cooker.
Cover, Cook on High 3 hours.
Serve with corn chips as a side, or dip soft tortillas in individual servings in soup bowls.

Tie Dye Cupcakes

2011-04-03T20:42:00.000-04:00

These were a lot of work but turned out great! The frosting was a bit of a challenge for me, but I thought of a better way to do it next time. Sure hope my students love these!

-1 box white cake mix
-water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
-gel food colors or paste food colors in read, range, yellow, green, blue and purple (I used liquid)
-2 containers white frosting

1. Heat oven to 350F. Place baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake mix as directed on the box for cupcakes, using water, oil and egg whites. Divide batter evenly among 6 bowls. Add a different food color to each bowl to make red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.

2. Place 1 level teaspoon of each color batter into each muffin cup, layering colors in order of rainbow- red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. Do not stir! Each cup will be about 1/2 full.

3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove to cooling racks. Cool completely.

4. Divide frosting evenly among 3 bowls. Tint 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 blue with food colors. Refrigerate about 30 minutes. In large disposable decorating bag fitted with #6 star tip, place spoonfuls of each color of frosting side by side in bag, alternating colors and working up from tip of bag. Do not stir colors together. Starting at 12 o'clock on outer edge of each cupcake and using constant pressure on bag, pipe frosting clockwise for 3 rotations, working toward center and ending in small peak.

Of course my boys had to try them out and make sure they were okay! I think they approved!

Adoption

2011-02-19T20:04:00.000-05:00


Sorry- these guys are not up for adoption!

I have debated for the past month to post this or not. I am still unsure about it but decided to go ahead and post to try and get over some of my insecurities about the topic. Long story short- David and I will be exploring adoption soon! Now here's the long story:

Back in September 2009, our pastor began a series all about adoption. This series looked at adoption in a variety of ways. Several examples of adoption were given and David and I decided then to sponsor a child through Compassion. This was the extent we were willing to go to at the time in regards to adoption.
Fast forward a bit to January 2010 when our pastor announced our partnership with a children's home in Haiti and the possibility of an upcoming mission trip. Once information came out about this trip, I debated back and forth about going. I had decided not to go on the trip, (you will see where I am going with this story in a bit) but felt very unsettled about my decision. I prayed about it and still felt unsettled but was sticking to my guns about not going. A little later we had a cookout for our community group in our backyard. During the cookout, Haiti came up and the possibility of going was brought to my attention. I said a prayer in my backyard that night and decided I needed to go to Haiti. I almost felt an instant relief when I changed my mind!
In July 2010, I went to Haiti. This is a trip I will never forget and something that I feel makes an impact on my daily life. I saw things that I never knew existed! Now, I went into Haiti knowing adoption from Haiti was not an option since their minimum age requirement is 35. That didn't change the fact that my heart ached for all of the children there who were orphans or deserved so much more out of life. When I returned, I discussed with David the idea of adoption. We kind of put it on the back burner as a possibility.
Several months later I revisited the idea through prayer and looking at it financially. I decided that it wasn't the best decision for our family. Again though, I had a very unsettled feeling about it (see, I got there...now that's how it links to the Haiti situation). At that point I figured I would give it up to God and just file it away as something not for our family.
A little over a month ago, I had a child placed in my classroom who is in foster care. This brought the idea back to my mind and I brought it up with David again. Of course, David is such a laid back person and is open to just about anything I am willing to consider. Again, I decided it wasn't a good idea for us.
Almost a month ago, we were told about a little girl locally who might need a new home. We were at church when I had this conversation and it was before the service. I said I would think about it, knowing in my mind that we had decided it wasn't for our family. Boy did God have something else in store! Through our pastor's sermon, (which was about shalom or peace) I realized that most of the reasons behind our decision were for selfish reasons. Most of my reasons revolved around money (which is there, but being spent in other ways currently) and the fact that I really don't like change. I realized that I am too comfortable with my current lifestyle and I shouldn't be. After the service, I decided I was interested.
We found out a little over a week ago that adopting this little girl is very unlikely at this time due to the entire circumstance. While I was initially sad, I realized that this is a God thing! Much like the cookout in our backyard, I needed a situation to show me the reason why I felt unsettled about adoption.

Now, David and I are really going into this blindly. We have family members and friends who have gone through the adoption process who I am sure I will bug between now and the end of the process. While I am a major planner, I am trying not to over plan this entire situation. I know God is in control and that there is a child out there for our family. For the time being, we are planning to begin the process with DSS and go from there. Now, we know there isn't a guarantee that we will get a child placed in our home through DSS, but it is a starting point for us.

I have been asked by several people so far about our reasons behind adoption. Yes, I know we have two healthy wonderful boys and there really isn't a valid reason why we couldn't have more children. We decided after Jonas, however, that we were done having biological children. This is a decision I still stand firm by. My personal reason for adoption is to give a child a home who might not have a home otherwise. We are not seeking out an infant for several reasons. For now, we are hoping for a child between 1-5. For my own selfish reasons, I really want a little girl (this house NEEDS some pink).

Again, I know God already has our child picked out and has seen this entire situation from the beginning to the end. I am thrilled to see what he has in store for our family!

South of the Border Chicken Soup

2011-02-19T19:18:00.000-05:00

Sorry no picture, it wasn't really pretty once I remembered to take a picture, but it sure was yummy!

1 tsp. canola oil
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. cumin
4 cups 99% fat free chicken broth
14 1/2 oz. canned diced tomatoes
10 oz. frozen corn kernels
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 cup salsa

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add chicken and cook until browned. Remove chicken from saucepan and keep warm.
Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook until tender. Stir in cumin and cook 1 minute. Add broth, tomatoes corn, beans and salsa; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and heat through. Serve with cheese and tortilla chips.

Makes 10 (1 cup) servings

Cheese Enchiladas

2011-02-19T18:57:00.000-05:00

-8 oz. low fat cream cheese
-7 oz. fat free shredded cheddar cheese
-1 cup salsa
-6 flour tortillas (I used whole wheat)
-sour cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.
Beat cream cheese and 1 cup cheddar cheese together. Spread on tortillas.
Place tortillas seam side down in a greased pan.
Cover with remaining cheese and salsa.
Bake covered for 20 minutes.

Beefy Corn and Black Bean Chili

2011-02-06T15:46:00.000-05:00

1 pound ground beef, browned (I used 1/2 pound to cut back a bit)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 can corn
1 can black beans; rinsed
1 can beef broth
1 can tomato sauce

Place all ingredients in your crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Makes 5 (1 cup) servings

Smothered Steak

2011-02-06T15:40:00.000-05:00

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 (4-ounce) cubed steaks
3/4 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons canola oil
Cooking spray
3/4 cup thinly sliced onion

1. Combine first 3 ingredients. Dredge steak in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Reserve excess flour mixture. Combine reserved flour mixture and broth in a 1-cup glass measure, stirring with a small whisk; set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak to pan. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until brown. Remove from pan.
3. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; saute 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in broth mixture, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return steak to pan. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 7 minutes or until gravy thickens and steak is tender. Serve sauce over steak.

Makes 4 servings

Chicken Scaloppini

2011-02-06T15:34:00.000-05:00

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons water
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet.
2. Combine egg white and water in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Place breadcrumbs in another shallow dish. Dip each chicken breast half in egg mixture; dredge in breadcrumbs.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of chicken to pan. Cook 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate; cover and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and chicken.
4. Add broth and lemon juice to pan, stirring to loosen browned bits. Cook, uncovered, over high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until reduced to 1/3 cup. Drizzle sauce over chicken.

Makes 4 servings

Egg Mugs

2011-02-06T15:28:00.000-05:00

Denver Omelette in a mug!

AKA...the best breakfast in a flash, ever! I regularly get e-mails from Hungry Girl and thought these sounded totally gross at first. I got brave one weekend and tried them out. They are my new favorite thing to make for breakfast before work. They are super quick to make and easy to clean up after as well. I don't think I will make scrambled eggs or an omelette the old fashioned way again! David and I tried two different recipes and loved them both. If you are interested, head on over to the website and do a search for egg mugs. A list of past e-mails with recipes will come up!

Egg McMuggin'

Beef Steak in Mushroom Gravy

2011-02-06T15:19:00.000-05:00

6 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 (4 oz.) cubed steaks
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup jar sliced mushrooms (drained)- I didn't use these
1 3/4 cups beef broth

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, onion flakes, and parsley flakes. Coat steaks on both sides with flour mixture.
2. In a large skillet, sprayed with butter flavored cooking spray, cook steaks for 3 minutes on each side, until browned.
3. In a large bowl, combine mushroom soup, mushrooms, beef broth, and remaining flour mixture. Pour soup mixture evenly over steaks.
4. Bring mixture to a boil, evenly spoon gravy over steaks.

Makes 4 servings.

Roasted Potato Wedges

2011-01-10T14:43:00.000-05:00

These are great as a side to just about anything!

-1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved (see below for my fab find)
-1 teaspoon olive oil
-1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (I used Italian seasoning mix)
-2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-cooking spray

I found this little bag of potatoes and thought I would try them. While they weren't so cheap, they turned out great!

1. Preheat oven to 475.
2. Combine potato and oil in a medium bowl, tossing to coat. Combine rosemary, cheese, and salt in a large zip-top plastic bag; add potato, tossing to coat. Place potato on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 475 for 20 minutes or until browned and crispy.

Yields 4 servings (about 3/4 cup)

Smoked Sausage-and-Vegetable Pile-Up

2011-01-10T14:29:00.000-05:00

-Cooking spray
-7 ounces smoked turkey sausage, diagonally sliced (I used 14 ounces)
-1 cup chopped onion
-1 cup chopped bell pepper
-1 cup sliced zucchini (I didn't use this)
-1 (20-ounce) package refrigerated garlic mashed potatoes (see below for what I used)
-2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn

I used these for my mashed potatoes. They are great because they are low in just about everything and cheap!

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage; saute 2 minutes or until browned. Remove from skillet; keep warm.
2. Return pan to heat; recoat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, bell pepper, and zucchini Coat vegetables with cooking spray; saute 5 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown.
3. While vegetables cook, heat potatoes according to package directions.
4. Add corn and cooked sausage to onion mixture. Saute 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve sausage mixture over mashed potatoes.

Yields 4 servings (1 cup sausage mixture and 1/2 cup mashed potatoes)

French Dip Roast Beef Sandwiches and Cheese Fries

2010-12-04T20:19:00.000-05:00

French Dip Roast Beef Sandwiches
One 8-ounce loaf French bread, cut into 4 equal pieces (we actually did 2 equal pieces)
12 ounces cooked lean boneless roast beef thinly sliced
2 cups hot beef broth
4 slices provolone cheese (optional)

Pour 1/8 cup beef broth on each piece of bread, cut side up.
Place roast beef and cheese on bottom of sandwich, close up and wrap with foil. Place in oven at 350 for 10 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Cheese Fries
cooking spray
2 large uncooked potatoes
salt
pepper
2 ounces low-fat or fat-free cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400.
Peel potatoes. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch strips. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spray with cooking spray.
Place potatoes on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Toss fries around and bake for another 20 minutes. During final 2 minutes, take fries out of the oven and cover with cheese.

Makes 4 servings,

Mexican Cornbread

2010-12-02T19:37:00.000-05:00

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded, deveined and finely chipped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup minus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 cup uncooked yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup drained cooked fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 egg white

Preheat oven to 400. Spray 8" square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In large nonstick skillet, heat oil; add jalapeno peppers, onion and bell pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 8 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Transfer to small bowl; cool to room temperature
Meanwhile in medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Add corn, milk, yogurt and egg white to onion mixture; stir to combine. Add corn mixture to flour mixture; stir just until combined. Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan; bake 30 minutes, until cornbread pulls away from sides of pan. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool.

Makes 6 servings

Skillet Chicken and Biscuits

2010-11-30T18:17:00.000-05:00

1 (10-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
2 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimiento, drained
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons parsley
1 (4-ounce) can reduced-fat crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 450.
Combine soup and sour cream in a large nonstick skillet; add chicken and next 4 ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.
Unroll dough, separating dough along perforations into triangles; cut each triangle in half. Bake at 450 for 6 to 7 minutes or until browned. Spoon chicken mixture over 2 pastry triangle halves.

Makes 4 servings

Parmesan Pork Tenderloin and Twice-Baked Garlic Potatoes

2010-11-28T18:17:00.000-05:00

Parmesan Pork Tenderloin
1 lb. pork tenderloin
3 T. seasoned bread crumbs
1 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 t salt
1/8 t pepper
Cooking oil spray
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

1. Cut tenderloin into 8 pieces, approximately 1-inch thick. Place each slice on its cut surface and flatten with heel of hand to 1/2 inch thickness.
2. Combine crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper; dredge pork slices to coat.
3. Heat large non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat.
4. Add pork, onion, and garlic and saute 8 to 10 minutes, turning pork once and stirring veggies occasionally.
Makes 4 servings.

Twice-Baked Garlic Potatoes
4 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Paprika

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Pierce the potatoes with a fork several times, place them on a baking sheet. Wrap garlic clove in foil and place along side the potatoes. Bake until the potatoes are tender and the garlic is browned and softened; 50 to 60 minutes. Let the potatoes and garlic cool until comfortable to handle; about 15 minutes.
3. Halve the potatoes lengthwise; scoop the pulp into a large bowl, leaving the skins intact. Cut the garlic clove in half, squeeze out the pulp and add to the potato. Add the broth, sour cream, and pepper; stir and mash with a fork to the desired texture. Spoon the stuffing back into the potato skins; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika.
4. Return the potatoes to the baking sheet and bake until heated through and lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.

Beef, Bean, and Vegetable Tacos and Mexican Rice

2010-11-27T18:17:00.000-05:00

Beef, Bean, and Vegetable Tacos

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

½ pound ground beef

1 cup frozen kernel corn

1 (1.25 ounces) envelope taco seasoning mix

1 (14.5 ounce) can chili-style tomatoes, drained

1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

3 tablespoons cilantro

10 taco shells

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

½ cup (2 ounces) reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper; sauté 3 minutes. Add beef and cook until beef is browned and vegetables are tender, stirring to crumble meat.
Add corn, taco seasoning mix, tomatoes, and beans; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered, 15 minutes or until mixture is slightly thick. Stir in cilantro.
Spoon 1/4 cup beef mixture into each taco shell; top evenly with lettuce and cheese.

Makes 5 servings.

Red Mexican Rice

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup rice, uncooked

1 clove garlic; minced

¾ cup water

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon pepper

In pot heat oil over medium-high heat, add onion, rice and garlic. Cook stirring frequently, until rice browns slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water, salt, oregano, pepper and tomatoes with juice. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork; transfer to serving bowl.

Makes 6 servings.

Baked Yams with Pineapple

2010-11-21T20:28:00.000-05:00

Sorry there isn't a picture, these aren't that pretty but are very yummy! Another bonus is that sweet potatoes are cheap this week!

2 large yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices
1/2 navel orange, cut into 4 slices
One 8-ounce can unsweetened pineapple tidbits (reserve juice)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons reduced-calorie margarine

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. In a 2-quart casserole, combine the yams, orange, pineapple and its juice, cinnamon and nutmeg; dot with the margarine. Bake, covered, until the yams are tender, about 45 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.
191 Calories
1 g Total Fat
44 g Carbohydrate
6 g Fiber
2 g Protein

Cream of Broccoli-Cheese Soup

2010-11-18T18:22:00.000-05:00

Behold...the creation that killed my blender!

1 onion, chopped
4 cups chopped broccoli
4 chicken flavored bouillon cubes
3 small all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups skim milk
1 carrot, shredded
3/4 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

1. Spray a large nonstick saucepan or Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray; heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli, potatoes and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

2. With a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor. Puree, then return them to the liquid. Add the milk, bouillon cubes and carrot; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring as needed, until the carrot is softened, about 5 minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the heat; cool about 1 minute. Add the cheese; stir until the cheese is melted.

Makes 4 servings
Calories: 278
Fat: 5g
Carbohydrate: 40
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 20g

Sweet-and-Sour Chicken

2010-11-16T18:23:00.000-05:00


Check out one of the cool mixing bows the boys got me for my birthday!

1 (15-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 cup red bell pepper strips
1 cup green bell pepper strips
2 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

1. Drain pineapple, reserving 2/3 cup juice. Combine cornstarch and soy sauce, stirring until cornstarch dissolves. Stir in reserved pineapple juice, brown sugar, and crushed red pepper.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until browned. Add peppers; saute until tender.

3. Add cornstarch mixture; cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Add pineapple; cook 2 minutes. Sever over rice.

Yields 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups of chicken mixture and 1/2 cup cooked rice)

Calories: 352
Protein: 29.7 g
Fat: 4.1 g
Carbohydrates: 46.9 g
Fiber: 2.9 g
Cholesterol: 66 mg
Iron: 2.6 mg
Sodium: 389 mg
Calcium: 33 mg

Pork Chops and Potatoes

2010-11-11T20:04:00.000-05:00

6 4-ounce pork loin chops - trimmed

1 10 3/4-ounce can Campbell's 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 clove garlic - minced, or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

6 medium potatoes -- thinly sliced

1 onion - sliced

In skillet, brown pork chops in 2 tablespoons oil, if desired. Drain fat.

In any size Crockpot Slow Cooker, mix soup, chicken broth, mustard, thyme, garlic, and pepper. Add potatoes and onion, stirring to coat. Place browned pork chops on top of potato mixture.

Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH 4 to 5 hours.

Serves 6.

WW Points: 5

Chicken with Apples and Cider

2010-11-11T20:01:00.001-05:00

Makes 4 Servings

-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
-1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
-1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
-4 (4-ounce) skinless boneless chicken breasts
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
-1 medium onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
-1/2 cup apple cider
-1/4 cup cider vinegar
-2 cups hot cooked wide noodles

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Saute the apple until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the brown sugar; cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 3-5 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate.

2. On a sheet of wax paper, sprinkle the chicken with the cinnamon, salt, and pepper. In the skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Saute the chicken until browned, 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to another plate.

3. In the skillet, cook the onion, covered, until tender, 6-8 minutes; stir in the cider and vinegar. Reduce the heat and simmer 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet; simmer, spooning the sauce over chicken, until chicken is cooked through and liquid is reduced by half, 4-5 minutes.

4. Return the apples to the skillet; cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Arrange the noodles on a platter; top with the chicken mixture, pouring any remaining juices over chicken.
WW points: 8

Cheese Stuffed Manicotti

2010-11-11T19:42:00.000-05:00

Makes 6 Servings

-1 teaspoon olive oil
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomato puree
-2 teaspoons dried oregano
-2 teaspoons fresh basil, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
-1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
-1 1/4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
-3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-1 large egg, lightly beaten
-1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
-12 manicotti shells, cooked

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Saute the garlic until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree, oregano, basil, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F; spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and parsley. Fill the manicotti shells with the cheese mixture; place in the baking dish. Pour sauce over shells. Bake until browned and bubbling, 30-40 minutes.
WW Points: 8

Chicken Noodle Casserole

2010-11-03T18:30:00.000-04:00

4 cups egg noodles - cooked and drained

2 cans condensed reduced fat cream of mushroom soup

1/4 cup skim milk

6 ounces cooked chicken breast halves - chopped

1 can tomatoes with green chilies - (Rotel)

10 ounces frozen mixed vegetables

Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Place into a 9 x 12" baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Serves 8; 4 points per serving.

Philly Cheese Steaks and Bakes Sweet Potato Fries

2010-11-03T18:27:00.000-04:00

Philly Cheese Steaks- 7 points

1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray
1 medium onion(s), thinly sliced
1 pound(s) raw lean flank steak, cut into 8 thin slices
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 roll(s) reduced-calorie hot dog bun(s)
1/4 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; set pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add onion and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove onion from pan; set aside. Add steak to skillet and sauté until browned and cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper; cook until liquid is absorbed. Divide steak evenly between buns and top with onion and cheese. Wrap in foil, transfer to oven and bake until cheese melts, about 5 to 7 minutes. Yields 1 sandwich per serving.

Oven Fried Sweet Potatoes- 2 points

4 medium sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt

Place potatoes in bowl of water and let stand for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a non stick cooking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside. Drain potatoes in colander. Spread on paper towels and pat dry. Put potatoes in large bowl. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients and toss gently. Arrange on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn potatoes and bake another 20 minutes or until golden brown, turning sheet halfway through each cycle to brown evenly.

Baked Chimichangas

2010-10-27T19:27:00.000-04:00

8 ounces ground 90% lean turkey or beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup chunky salsa

1 teaspoon chili seasoning

8 (6-inch) flour tortillas

1/4 cup no-fat sour cream

Preheat oven to 475° F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil-flavored cooking spray.

In a large skillet sprayed with olive oil-flavored cooking spray, brown meat and onion. Stir in garlic, 1/2 cup salsa, and Jo's chili seasoning. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon 1/4 cup meat mixture into center of each tortilla. Lightly spray tops with butter-flavored cooking spray.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.

For each serving, place a chimichanga on a serving plate, spoon 2 tablespoons salsa and 1 tablespoon sour cream over top.

Serves 4 (2 each). Serving size (2 chimichangas)

WW Points: 6 pt.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

2010-10-27T19:26:00.000-04:00

12 oz uncooked macaroni, elbow-type
1/2 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
12 oz fat-free evaporated milk
8 oz low-fat cheddar or colby cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp dried bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain and transfer to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream; set aside. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges (known as scalding). Reduce heat to low, add cheese and simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat and stir in mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 3-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
Only 5 ww points! I got this recipe from Weight Watchers.

Baked Chicken Parmesan

2010-10-27T19:21:00.000-04:00

4 (8 oz) chicken breast halves, sliced in half
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
1 cup marinara
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450°. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with spray.
Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Melt the butter in another bowl. Lightly brush the butter onto the chicken, then dip into breadcrumb mixture. Place on baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken. Lightly spray a little more cooking oil on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn chicken over, bake another 5 minutes. Remove from oven, spoon sauce over chicken and top with shredded cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
Servings: 8 • Size: 1 piece • Time: 40 minutes • Calories: 231 • Points: 5.5 ww points
I got this wonderful recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes.

Baked Beef Ziti

2010-10-18T18:29:00.001-04:00

12 oz uncooked ziti
2 tsp olive oil
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced (I actually just used garlic powder)
1/3 pound(s) raw lean ground beef
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

-Preheat oven to 350°F.
-Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
-Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat.
-Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
-Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface); top with half of cooked ziti. Next, layer with half of remaining beef-tomato sauce and half of mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining ziti and then top with remaining beef-tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serves 8.
5 WW points

Smothered Chicken with Pierogies

2010-10-17T19:16:00.001-04:00

1 dozen potato and cheddar cheese pierogies
1 can lowfat cream of chicken soup
1 can (4 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained (I left these out)
1 cup frozen peas (I used peas and carrots since that was all I had)
2 cups cubed or shredded cheese

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 2 quart dish with cooking spray.

Thaw pierogies in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain and place in dish.

In a large saucepan, combine soup, mushrooms, peas, and chicken. Cook stirring about 5 minutes or until heated through. Pour over pierogies. Bake 15 minutes.
Serves 4.
I am excited over the fact that pierogies are only 1 WW point! This entire meal was 7 points per serving.

Chicken Macaroni Bake

2010-10-16T21:52:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:

0.25 cup Onions, chopped
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup milk
10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups chicken (or Turkey), cooked & cubed
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces pasta, any variety, cooked
1/8 cup buttered bread crumbs

Directions:

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Brown onion in butter. Stir in soup, chicken, milk, and 3/4 cups cheese; heat until cheese melts. Blend sauce with cooked noodles; pour into buttered baking dish. Mix the remaining cheese and bread crumbs and place on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until hot.

Servings:

4-6 (We actually turned it into 8 servings which made it 5 WW points a serving).

Freezing Instructions:

Prepare up to the point of baking – DO NOT BAKE. Place foil on baking dish and write the following instructions: Remove foil. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (if thawed) or 1 hour (if frozen) or until hot.

Another great recipe from Once a Month Mom.

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Bars

2010-10-16T21:48:00.000-04:00


	1 spray(s) cooking spray
	9 whole reduced-fat cinnamon graham crackers
	3 Tbsp butter
	16 oz fat-free cream cheese
	1 cup(s) sugar
	2 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
	1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
	1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
	1/4 tsp ground ginger
	1/4 tsp ground cloves
	3 large egg(s)
	1 cup(s) canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Coat a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can use a 9 X 13-inch nonstick pan.
Grind graham crackers until fine in a food processor or place crackers in a resealable plastic bag and crush with rolling pin. Place crumbs in a small bowl.
Melt butter on stove top or in microwave and pour over graham cracker crumbs. Mix with a fork until completely moistened.
Press crumbs evenly into bottom of prepared pan and place in refrigerator while preparing pumpkin filling.
Place cream cheese in bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and mix until incorporated.
Mix in 1 cup of sour cream until just combined and then add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Add remaining sour cream and mix until just combined.
Slowly beat in each egg one at a time until incorporated, and then mix in pumpkin. (Note: For best results, all ingredients should be at room temperature and mixed as little as possible, until each ingredient is just combined.)
Pour pumpkin mixture into prepared pan, spread evenly throughout and smooth top.
Bake until set at edges, about 30 minutes (I ended up baking them for an hour). (Note: The very center will be a little loose.) Cool completely and refrigerate overnight before cutting into 18 pieces and serving.

Only 3 WW points!

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

2010-10-07T19:00:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:

10 ounces cream of chicken soup
.25 cups onion, diced
.25 cups mayonnaise
1.5 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon curry (I didn't put this in mine since I didn't have it)
2 cups chicken, cooked & diced
1 cup cooked broccoli, drained & chopped
.5 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces refrigerated biscuits

Topping

.25 cups sour cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon celery salt (Once again, didn't have, didn't use)
.5 teaspooons salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a deep dish 8×8 pan combine chicken, broccoli, soup, onion, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and curry. Mix well. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Separate biscuits and each in half. Arrange biscuit halves around edge of hot casserole, cut side down. Place topping over biscuits. Bake at 375 degrees for an additional 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.

This is another great recipe I got at Once a Month Cooking.

Cake Mix Cookies

2010-10-06T20:01:00.000-04:00

18 oz. pkg. cake mix (I used dark chocolate)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 Tbsp water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients at low speed until dry ingredients are moistened and dough is thoroughly mixed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2" apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 14 minutes. Cool two minutes on cookie sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool.

Serve to the 2 cutest boys in the world!

Slow Cooker London Broil

2010-10-06T19:55:00.000-04:00

2 pounds London Broil
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tomato soup
1 packet onion soup mix
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

-Mix everything together except the London Broil in a bowl

-Place London Broil in the crock pot.

-Pour mixture over London Broil. Set slow cooker to low and cook 8-10 hours.

Cheese and Onion Enchiladas

2010-10-05T21:39:00.000-04:00

3 tablespoons butter, divided
3 large onions, sliced and separated into rings (I actually used only 1 and had leftover onions)
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
a generous 1/3 cup taco seasoning
1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
3-4 cups shredded cheese, Mexican blend
10 flour tortillas
Salsa
Sour cream

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Saute onions in butter until very soft and starting to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a second large skillet. Mash beans and add to skillet. (I mashed the beans right in the skillet.) Add in half of the tomato sauce and the taco seasoning. Cook until heated through.

Mix the enchilada sauce with the remaining tomato sauce and spread about 1/2 cup in the bottom of a 9×13 pan.

Spread a large spoonful of the bean mixture on a tortilla. Top with onions and then sprinkle generously with shredded cheese. Roll up and place, seam side down, in the 9×13 pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Spread the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with additional cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
I got this wonderful recipe from Feels Like Home.

Taco Soup

2010-10-03T09:04:00.000-04:00

-2 pounds ground beef (I used 1 since we aren't major meat people)
-1 1/4 cups onion, diced
-Can of kidney beans, undrained
-Can of black beans, undrained
-Can of pinto beans, undrained
-Can of corn, drained
-Can of Ro-Tel
-1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning
-1 package of taco seasoning
-Can of tomato sauce

Yes, I am a supporter of Wal-Mart!

Brown ground beef and onion, drain.

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook for 3-5 hours on high (I did 10 hours on low) or until heated through. Top with sour cream, cheese, and/or jalapenos. Serve with chips if desired.

This recipe can be frozen as well! To freeze, let cool; divide into 2 gallon size freezer bags. Reheat on stove top or microwave 2-3 minutes or until hot.

I got this recipe from Once A Month Mom...a cool website with a lot of recipes good for freezing!

Spicy Teriyaki Pork Chops

2010-10-02T19:03:00.000-04:00


In addition to the pork chops, I made stir-fry veggies and fried rice.

-2 pork loin chops
-5 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce
-2 Tbsp. soy sauce
-2 cloves garlic, minced (I used garlic powder)
-1 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce (I didn't see this at Wal-Mart so I didn't use it-probably why mine wasn't spicy)
1/4 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc bag or storage container and allow to marinate all day.

Coat glass baking dish with cooking spray and add chops, pour sauce over chops, cover with foil.

Bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Flip chops, bake at 225 for 45 more minutes.

I got this recipe at: SparkRecipes if you are interested in checking out more of the recipes they have.

Quick Chicken & Dumplings

2010-09-22T18:47:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup frozen green peas and carrots
1 cup cut-up cooked chicken
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup Bisquick mix
1/2 cup milk
Paprika, if desired

1. Heat 1/12 cups milk, the peas and carrots, chicken and soup to boiling in 3-quart saucepan, stirring frequently.
2. Stir Bisquick mix and 1/3 cup milk until soft dough forms. Drop dough by small spoonfuls onto chicken mixture (do not drop into liquid). Sprinkle with paprika.
3. Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer.

I served this over rice with cut up fruit. Next time I will add some seasonings to the Bisquick though.

Seven-Layer Rigatoni

2010-09-21T19:11:00.000-04:00


Not the best picture in the world...but you get the idea!

3 cups uncooked rigatoni pasta
1 lb bulk Italian sausage
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, undrained (I will drain them next time)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I used garlic powder)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1 package (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms (3 cups) (I didn't include these)
1 jar roasted red bell peppers, drained, chopped (I forgot these at the store)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (I used grated)
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13x9 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

2. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain. In small bowl, mix tomatoes, garlic and basil.

3. In baking dish, layer half each of the pasta, sausage, mushrooms, bell peppers, Parmesan cheese, tomato mixture and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers.

4. Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes or until hot and cheese is golden brown.

*I added a jar of pizza sauce since there really wasn't a lot of "juice" to bake everything in. I should have drained the tomatoes...that was just really runny and didn't do much. As you can tell also, I omitted a lot of the veggies in hopes my kids would eat it.

Country Salisbury Steak

2010-09-21T18:56:00.000-04:00

(This is all that was left after the kids attacked them! Landon at 1 3/4 patties himself)

1 1/2 pound extra lean ground beef
1 pkg. Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 1/2 cups water, divided
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 pkg. fresh mushroom, sliced (I didn't use these)
1/2 cup Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix meat, stuffing mix, 1 1/4 cup of the water and the onions until well blended. Shape into six 1/2 inch thick oval patties. Place on 15x10x1 inch baking pan.

Bake 25 min. or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add mushrooms; cook on medium-high heat 5 min or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add barbecue sauce and remaining 1/4 cup water. Reduce heat to low, simmer 1 to 2 min or until sauce is heated through. Serve over the patties.

Chicken and Asian Rice

2010-09-14T19:17:00.000-04:00

1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1 cup baby-cut carrots (I used matchstick cut)
1 medium stalk celery, thinly sliced-1/2 cup (I didn't put this in mine)
1 small red bell pepper, chopped- 1/2 cup (I used a green pepper)
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup water
4 boneless chicken breasts- 1 pound (I used chicken tenders)
3 tablespoons teriyaki baste and glaze (I used more per judgement)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (I didn't put this in mine)
1/2 cup cashew pieces

1. Heat oven to 374 degrees F. In ungreased 11x7 inch (2 quart) glass baking dish, mix rice, carrots, celery, bell pepper, broth, teriyaki sauce and water. Arrange chicken on rice mixture.

2. In small bowl, mix teriyaki basted and glaze, and ginger. Brush over chicken, using all of mixture. Cover baking dish with foil.

3. Bake 45 minutes. Sprinkle with cashews. Bake uncovered 10 to 15 minutes longer or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut and rice is tender.

Reflections of Haiti Part IV

2010-08-04T10:47:00.000-04:00

Day 4 in Haiti was Sunday, which meant one thing... church! My experience at church was astounding! While I didn't understand a single word said the entire 2+ hours we were there, it was a very moving service. The songs and preaching were absolutely beautiful. The emotion and effort put into church was something I have rarely experienced here at home. Church began at 7 in the morning and like I said, was a little over 2 hours long. The people who were in attendance appeared to be dressed in their best clothes and all came on foot! When was the last time you put on your best outfit and walked to church down a "street" covered with filth and mud puddles? During one of the songs, the Haitian people lifted their arms and swayed them back and forth. This represents their freedom from the bondage of Voodooism. While Christianity can be found in Haiti, Voodooism is the dominating religion. What a great thing that these people have been saved from Voodooism and will be in Heaven with me!

Sunday afternoon we began making cookies for our luau party that night with the girls. What a challenge! Much like the brownies, making cookies was not an easy thing to do. I had to laugh when the back of the package said to soften the butter in the microwave...obviously that cookie company has never made cookies in Haiti!

We actually ended up making chocolate chip brownie bar type things because the cookies were just too runny. We had to use the eggs and some other things in the Pastor's house but we didn't have a key for it so...Walt just broke into the Pastor's house. What's a mission trip without a little breaking and entering?

That night we headed to the girls' house and had the luau party. The girls seemed to have warmed up to us a bit and seemed to have fun. For their dinner, they were treated to fruit cocktail (a rarity) and teriyaki chicken sandwiches.

What a HUGE blessing this night was to the girls and us! I think this successful event was able to give us all much needed energy and encouragement.

Reflections of Haiti Part III

2010-08-02T16:31:00.000-04:00

Day 3 in Haiti brought about some realization of needing to focus more on God. We had power from 6 pm- 6 am thanks to a generator everyday. I woke up this morning wanting to send out a quick e-mail to a family member. Not paying attention to the time, the generator cut off before I was able to complete the e-mail and send it. At first I was disappointed but then I quickly reminded myself that my family knew I was okay and what I had typed was insignificant compared to the fact that I was letting God's beauty of the Hatian people go on around me unnoticed.

The biggest thing we did was clean Pastor Andy's house this day. Cleaning a house in Haiti is not an easy process. In order to clean the floor, we had the opportunity to use a handmade broom. No vacuum was available, but we didn't seem to notice. In order to mop and clean the bathroom, we had to go out and get buckets of water from the faucet located outside. We were thankful for the breeze coming through the limited number of windows because that was our only ventilation since A/C is nonexistent in Haitian homes.

The big thing I take away from this day is the fact that the children here have very little but make the best with what they do have. Some of the boys have mastered the art of making kites out of trash. I was amazed at how they could look all over the compound for materials and after a short period of time craft something that actually worked. I took this situation and thought about how spoiled my own children are. I am sure Landon would not be able to make a toy to play with if I gave him a pile of what looks like trash. I am challenging myself as a parent to downsize the amount of "stuff" my children have and make them more appreciative of what they do have.

Reflections of Haiti Part II

2010-07-31T10:29:00.000-04:00

Our 2nd day in Haiti was an awesome experience! One of the big things we did this day was have a slumber party for the girls at the girls' home. We had the experience of making brownies for all of the girls.

That wasn't an easy feat considering the stove was gas and we weren't sure how it would cook. We also had to go get the water to wash dishes with and make the brownies. We are so fortunate in America to have running water that is safe for us to consume! The slumber party went great. We were able to paint fingernails and toenails.

The girls also made tons of bracelets and necklaces with the beads we were able to bring.

Even though it was incredibly hot inside the girl's house, it was a great way to interact and spend time with these girls. Before bed, the younger girls sang and said prayers. Even though I wasn't able to understand any of it, it was absolutely beautiful. What an amazing reminder that people from all over the world with be in Heaven and it will be a great mix of the nations!

Since Haiti is considered a tropical place, the water was beautiful...as long as you didn't look down. Some of us had the opportunity to go swimming in the afternoon.

The water in some spots was almost too hot to stand in. This was a great opportunity to bond with some of the boys.

This day was also the day when we experienced several rain/thunderstorms. After one rain storm, we were able to see an amazing double rainbow. What a great reminder of God's promise!

The sunset is absolutely amazing as well! What a picture to capture God's work!

Reflections of Haiti Part I

2010-07-30T12:53:00.000-04:00

Wow! First, let me saw how amazing my trip to Haiti was. I am so pumped by the way I have seen how God works. While I have a lot of questions about things, I have a better sense of how mighty God truly is. I hope to be able to reflect on here over the next couple of days about my experience in Haiti. I went on this trip with little to no expectations other than just to help however I could.

My first reaction to Haiti was surprise at the level of poverty. While I had read news articles and seen pictures about it, it didn't seem all that real until I had seen it first hand. When we got to Port de Paix, I was immediately greeted by people who are working just to survive. With no infrastructure, running water and electricity is scarce. At night, we could look across our part of the city and few lights were seen. Once the sun goes down, Port de Paix becomes an even darker place.

The biggest thing I took away from the first day in Haiti was the story about Steven. When I first met Steven, I found him to be a precious little boy who was seeking love. I quickly learned about his fight early on in his first few years of his short little life. Steven has Autism...which really pulled on my heart strings. His parents did not know about Autism or what was wrong with their child but did believe there was something wrong. Voodoo is very strong in the country of Haiti so Steven's parents immediately thought that was the cause for Steven's oddities. They proceeded to set his arm of fire in hopes to burn the problems away. By the grace of God, he was taken in by the Lashbrooks and is living a much happier life than ever before.

Mini Meatball Sandwiches

2010-07-16T20:09:00.000-04:00

I got this recipe originally from the Pioneer Woman. I changed it a bit by using frozen meatballs and cooking them in the crock pot. When you have two little boys running around, you are always looking to cut corners! Head on over to the above link for the recipe!

Choices

2010-07-16T10:51:00.000-04:00

As I was leaving Wal-Mart today with the boys, I had a local radio station on and the DJ was thanking the listeners for making the choice to listen to them this morning. He said "When you woke up this morning, you had many choices and I am glad you chose to spend some time with us." While this was such a simple statement, it got me thinking.

We have so many choices in life. Through the Bible study I have been doing for the past couple of weeks, we have been looking at the choices women have made in the Bible. It makes me think about a very important choice that changed the way God intended the world to be. When God created Adam and Eve, the one thing asked of them was to not eat the fruit...well we all know the story...Eve ate the fruit and had Adam do the same. Such a simple choice that had so many consequences so many years later.

Every time we make a choice in life, there is a consequence. This is something I am trying to instill in Landon right now. Even as adults, we are faced with different choices everyday. While some are easy like choosing what to eat for breakfast, some are more complicated that will have huge consequences to those around us.
So, I ask you, what choices have you made today and what consequences (good or bad) have you seen come of them? Are these choices that have made you proud, or even more, choices that would make God smile?

Crock Pot Barbecue

2010-07-15T20:32:00.000-04:00

Yumm-o! I didn't get a picture taken of this, but it was good and oh so easy!

-4 lbs. boneless beef chuck roast
-1 med. onion, chopped
-1 1/2 c. hickory smoke flavored BBQ sauce
-1 c. catsup
-1/2 c. brown sugar
-1 tbsp. mustard
-Chili pepper to taste

Cut roast in half; place in 3 quart crock pot. In medium size bowl stir together remaining ingredients; pour over beef in crock pot. Cook on low setting for 10 to 12 hours, stirring occasionally. With fork separate large pieces of beef, beef should be tender enough to separate into small pieces. Skim fat before serving. Spoon onto hamburger buns. Serves 12.

While in Haiti

2010-07-13T08:10:00.000-04:00

Several people have asked me what our team will be doing while in Haiti and I have been telling them I wasn't really sure. We had a meeting Sunday and I am so excited about some of the things I found out we will be doing while there! The first day there we will be having a Luau with the kids. This will be a HUGE treat for them. We plan to bring a little bit of the fun to them with grass skirts, leis and just decorations in general. Another treat to them will be teriyaki chicken for dinner! The children are used to eating mainly rice for their meals and very little meat if any.

The second day we are there, we will be hosting a slumber party for the girls who live in the girl's home. There are 5 women going, so this is going to be a blast. We are in the process of finding enough nightgowns for all of the girls. I have gotten enough fingernail polish together and we are also bringing snacks and High School Musical to watch. I know this is going to be so much fun for these girls and I get an opportunity to see what it would be like with a little girl in the house!

Another day we have the opportunity to go to Tortuga. If you are not familiar with Tortuga, it is an island north of Haiti. We will actually be able to see the island from where we will be staying. This island became famous by the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. While it is a small island, there are still people living there who do not know God. While there for the day, we will be doing crafts with some of the children that live there and really just praying over the island.

The rest of the time will be spent mainly helping out where needed. There are several construction type things that need work and lots of children that need love. The workers are tired and need a much deserved break. We hope to come in and ease some of their workload for the week and show them love and appreciation as well.

I continue to ask for prayers for our team and the people of Haiti. We will be leaving the afternoon of the 21st and will be landing in Haiti 8:00 am on the 22nd. I am currently praying that we will be a blessing to these people we are going to minister to and for the safety of our entire team.

Blackberry Cobbler

2010-07-05T18:40:00.000-04:00

-2 1/2 cups blackberries
-1 cup sugar
-1 cup all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 cup milk
-1/2 cup butter, melted

1.) In a medium bowl, mix the blackberries and sugar. Let this sit for about 20 minutes or until a syrup forms. Heat oven to 375.

2.) In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and milk. Stir in the melted butter until blended. Spread in ungreased 8-inch square dish. Spoon blackberry mixture over batter.

3.) Bake 45-55 minutes or until dough rises and is golden.

Conversations with a 4 Year Old!

2010-07-01T07:59:00.000-04:00

Landon humors me every day with some of the things that he says. For example:

L: Mommy, can we grow some tomahhhhhtoes?

Me: You mean tomatoes (with a long a)?

L: No, I mean tomahhhhhtoes!

Me: They are the same thing sweetie.

L: No they aren't!

UGH!

Cheesy Potato Soup and Broccoli-Cheese Muffins

2010-06-29T18:23:00.004-04:00

So, what do you cook for dinner when it is 90+ degrees outside? Soup of course! I wanted something easy for dinner tonight and this is one of my favorite crock-pot soup recipes. I threw in the muffins to try with the boys...you know to add more cheese to our diet!

Cheesy Potato Soup
-1 bag (32 oz) frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes
-2 cans (14 oz each) chicken broth
-1 cup water
-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-1 cup milk
-1 bag (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese (2 cups)

1.) In 3- to 4- quart slow cooker, mix potatoes, broth and water.
2.) Cover; cook on low heat setting 6 to 8 hours
3.) In small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to high. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens.

Broccoli-Cheese Muffins
-1 1/2 cups Bisquick mix
-1/2 cup milk
-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
-1 large egg
-1/2 cup steamed broccoli, drained and finely chopped
-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
-1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1.) Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2.) In large bowl, stir together Bisquick mix, milk, oil and egg. Stir in broccoli, cheese and onion powder just until combined. Spoon mixture onto greased cookie sheet (I used a small cookie scoop).
3.) Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes, remove from pans. Serve warm.

What made these two recipes the best is that both boys ate dinner! This is a big accomplishment!

Mommy Monday!

2010-06-28T08:32:00.002-04:00

We took the plunge this weekend and bought a minivan! Not too many people drive a minivan unless they have kids. After a trip to the beach in our Camry, we quickly decided we needed more room! Who knew 2 little boys took up so much room? Nothing screams "Mommy" louder than a minivan with 2 carseats in the back!

Women of the Bible

2010-06-18T09:09:00.002-04:00

First of, a quick disclaimer, this is the first time I have even blogged about a Bible study of any kind and I am taking a step way out of my comfort zone. This past Wednesday I started a Bible study discussing the Women in the Lineage of Christ. The 5 women we will be studying about are Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary. This study will run from now until almost the end of July. I am really excited about the study and cannot wait to see what I discover on my own and learn from the other women in the group.

So far, I have done a little bit of studying about Tamar. Who would have known the Bible held some trash? If you are interested in reading her story, you can find it in Genesis 38: 1-30. So far I have only read her story and looked at the different people that are a part of her story. Let me just say though, times were TOUGH! It appears that if you were wicked in God's eyes, your were killed. Just imagine what it would be like if our daily lives ran like that of the Old Testament! I hope to be able to report more back about Tamar the more I study.

Mommy Monday!

2010-06-14T11:18:00.002-04:00

Last Monday I had a class to go to so my Mom kept the boys for me. After picking them up, I ran to Taco Bell to quickly get a burrito. The following is Landon showing his true side:

Taco Bell Worker (TBW): Can I take your order?
Me: Yes, I would like a blah, blah burrito
Landon: I don't want anything Mommy!
TBW: Will that be all?
Me: Yes.
Landon (screaming from the backseat): I ate at my Grammy's house and I'm not hungry anymore!

PAUSE

TBW: (laughing at us)

Gotta love being a Mommy!

Happy 6 Year Anniversary!

2010-06-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

Time sure does fly by! It is hard to believe that six years ago today I married my best friend! David and I have gone from a friendship formed in 10th grade accounting class to married with 2 boys! It is truly amazing what God has blessed us with. I sit here and think back over the years and wonder where the time went and how I got so lucky. We didn't start dating until 12th grade but during that time a lot changed. I went from not wanting a lot out of life to believing in God and myself. Before David I didn't have high expectations for my future but after meeting him, I decided to go to college and become something more. This coming September will make 11 years total that we have been together in some form and it is amazing the changes that have taken place! I just wanted to share some pictures from our special day. Sorry the quality is yucky, that's what you get for taking a picture of a picture though!

Our wedding program:

Me before the wedding:

David before the wedding:

Right after being announced as Mr. and Mrs. David Thackston:

Cutting the cake:

One of our many posed pictures:

On our way to spend a week with the mouse:

Time Out!

2010-06-11T15:19:00.003-04:00

Even though I have been saying those words A LOT this past week, I won't be discussing discipline...I will be discussing an awesome new nail polish I bought! I was so happy to have a good excuse to go to Target today (had to buy a birthday present) and decided to splurge and get new nail polish. Now, I have a ton of polish already but a lot of it is old and funky and just doesn't have that new appeal. Following me?
Since my youngest decided to take an awesomely long nap, I decided to take a time out for myself and paint my toes! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the new polish! I bough Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure polish and will definitely buy more! I bought the color wine not, but of course it looks nothing like the website shows. What I love about it is the brush. It's sort of flat which makes it oh so easy to put the polish on!
So, if you are looking for an awesome polish, I highly recommend this one!

(picture from the Sally Hansen website)

Mommy Monday!

2010-06-07T13:41:00.003-04:00

I honestly think I have the best of both worlds, for majority of the year I work full time with students who have special needs. I love these children and the challenges they bring each and every day. Then for a small part of the year, I get to become a stay at home mom to the best little boys in the world! Well, that small part of the year began today! I attended a short training this morning and am now home with my boys! I figured to add some excitement to my Mondays, I would start a new post called "Mommy Monday." This will basically be where I can unload some things that have happened from the week before that remind me I am a Mommy!

1. Landon always asks what today is. He asks if it is school day or church day. He doesn't really call Saturday anything. Well, today I had a different answer! I told him it was Mommy Day! It will be an odd transition for him to not go to daycare everyday for a while, but I look forward to teaching him some things this summer.

2. It hit me Friday afternoon when I was grocery shopping that that was the last time for a while that I would be grocery shopping by myself for a while. I usually go on the way home Friday afternoon before picking the boys up from daycare. That won't be happening this Friday! It will be the 3 of us heading to the store, hopefully bright and early in the morning before the majority of all of the other shoppers!

3. There is nothing better than hearing a random "I love you Momma" from Landon. I prefer being called Mommy however!

That's all for this Monday. I am sure after my first full week home with the boys, I will have plenty more to share next week!

School's Out for Summer!

2010-06-04T17:58:00.004-04:00

Wow this school year flew by! That could be because I had an awesome group of students this year. I was truly blessed with well-behaved students. I am almost afraid to find out what next year holds! I hope to do a lot of planning this summer though so I am ready for whatever next year happens to throw at me!

Our summer is going to be jammed packed with family celebrations, trips to the library, a week at the beach and I am sure some weekend fun. Then my summer will end with a bang with a trip to Haiti.

My goal is to try at least one new recipe a week and post about it in addition to cooking at home as much as possible. I hate looking at the budget and realizing how much money we could have saved had we eaten at home.

The one thing I am looking forward to the most about summer is spending time with these two guys:

Haiti

2010-05-17T16:34:00.003-04:00

I have been wanting to post something about Haiti for a while but could never find the exact words I wanted to say...here it goes!

Back in January, our lead pastor announced at church that we were pairing up with a ministry in Haiti, the Lashbrook Family Ministry, and that there would possibly be an opportunity for a mission trip sometime later in the year. I was interested immediately. I remember our pastor saying that by pairing with this ministry we would form relationships with these people and whenever we heard of natural disasters such as hurricanes heading that way, we would know WHO we were praying for. If only he knew...flash forward a week or so and the earthquake hit! I remember getting online and seeing pictures of the initial damage and crying for these people I have never met!

In the next couple of whirlwind weeks, our pastor and several other guys ended up taking 2 trips down to Haiti to assist in any way possible. From that point forward, my interest in going to Haiti grew. Many pictures were taken along with video footage and my heart just ached for these people who experienced their entire world getting turned upside down. I wanted to help! Not only did I want to send supplies and money I wanted to go more than ever.

Fast forward to now. I am going! In late July, I am going with a team of other Christians to Haiti for a week. After praying over the logistics of the trip (I do have two adorable little boys to think of and one not so little one as well) and praying that I was making the right decision, I made up my mind. Right now I am going with no expectations in place other than to watch God work.

Now, I have never traveled out of the country and have not flown in over 24 years so it will be a very interesting adventure that I am thrilled to take! We will be going to Port de Paix, which is around 150 miles or so north of Port au Prince. Right now the plan is to just go love on the orphans who live at the mission and help out any other way possible. I just ask that you pray for the people of Haiti and our team as we prepare over the next 2 months for this grand adventure. Of course, if you would like to contribute financially to our trip, feel free to contact me!

A Birthday Party and Ultimate Chicken Fingers

2010-01-24T18:55:00.002-05:00

Landon's birthday party was a success! While our menu consisted of hot dogs, chips and other things you would normally have with hot dogs, everyone was well fed! Landon was thrilled with all of the wonderful gifts he got and is still busy playing several hours later! I still find it hard to believe that we had his 4th birthday party today! It feels like just the other day I was planning his 1st birthday party. I still remember him trying to toddle around the house. It is hard to believe it has been close to 4 years since he made his dramatic entrance into our world!

For dinner tonight we had ultimate chicken fingers from the Bisquick Recipe Cards book I recently received in the mail. I love getting recipe books in the mail, especially when they include awesome recipes like this one. To make it even better, Landon ate two pieces of chicken! This is definitely another meal we will be making!

Ultimate Chicken Fingers

What you need:
-2/3 cup Bisquick mix
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt or garlic salt
-1/2 teaspoon paprika
-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
-1 egg, slightly beaten
-3 tablespoons butter, melted

What you do:
1. Heat oven to 450F. Line cookie sheet with foil, spray with cooking spray.
2. Mix Bisquick mix, cheese, salt and paprika in 1-gallon resealable plastic food-storage bag. Dip half the chicken strips into egg; place in bag of Bisquick mixture. Seal bag; shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.
3. Bake 12 to 14 (I actually ended up going 20) minutes, turning after 6 minutes with fork, until no longer pink in center.

Polka-Dotted Banana Pops and More!

2010-01-23T16:04:00.004-05:00

Wow it has been a while! I need to get back into the habit of updating this blog! It's actually a great way to keep up with what my kids are up to since I am so far behind on baby books. Good thing we aren't having any more children or I would have that many more empty baby books! Not much has been going on. The kids are growing like crazy and are into everything. Crazy that we are celebrating Landon's 4th birthday this weekend! Jonas' 1st is right around the corner as well!

Just thought I would share this recipe since we made them today and Landon seemed to enjoy them!

Polka-Dotted Banana Pops

You will need:

1 banana

8 mini vanilla wafers

peanut butter

sprinkles

popsicle sticks

You will:

-cut the banana in half crosswise and stick the popsicle stick in the flat end

-spread peanut butter all over the banana

-put 4 mini vanilla wafers around on each banana

-sprinkle sprinkles all over

-serve to a cute awaiting kid

You can also freeze these for up to a week when wrapped in cling wrap.

Here's a picture of Jonas that I just have to share!

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

2009-11-25T08:14:00.002-05:00

(photo courtesy of kraftfoods.com)

3 cups chopped cooked chicken (you could also use turkey)

1 pkg. frozen vegetable blend

1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese, cut into small cubes

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

HEAT oven to 375

COMBINE first 4 ingredients in 13x9-inch baking dish

UNROLL dough; place over chicken mixture.

BAKE 20-25 min. or until crust is golden brown.

Weeknight Ravioli Bake

2009-11-22T17:59:00.002-05:00

(Photo courtesy of kraftfoods.com)

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 lb. frozen cheese ravioli

7 oz. Mozzarella cheese

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

HEAT oven to 400

MIX spaghetti sauce and tomatoes; spoon 1 cup onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish.

LAYER half the ravioli and 1 cup shredded cheese over sauce mixture. Top with remaining ravioli and sauce mixture. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese; cover.

BAKE 30 min; uncover. Bake 15 min. or until ravioli is tender and heated through. Spring with Parmesan. Let stand 10 min.

Cheese-Lover's Pasta Roll-Ups

2009-11-09T18:34:00.003-05:00

1 egg, beaten
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Italian cheese (I used the pizza blend)
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 jar spaghetti sauce
16 lasagna noodles, cooked (I used 11 and then ran out of cheese mixture)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

HEAT oven to 375

MIX first 5 ingredients until well blended

SPREAD 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Spread each noodle with 3 Tbsp. cheese mixture; roll up. Place, seam-sides down, in dish. Top with remaining sauce and Parmesan; cover.

BAKE 40 to 50 min. or until heated through, uncovering the last 10 min.

I actually made this last night, popped it out of the fridge today after work and cooked it! It was great!

Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes

2009-11-07T20:05:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I have blogged so I thought I would jump back into it with a good fall recipe!

1 pkg spice cake mix
1 pkg vanilla instant pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg

HEAT oven to 350

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package. Add dry pudding mix and pumpkin; mix well. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffing cups.

BEAT cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in sugar and egg; spoon over batter. Swirl gently with small spoon.

BAKE 18-21 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

Up, up, and kind of away!

2009-05-25T20:53:00.002-04:00

This weekend was Freedom Weekend Aloft and guess what!!! Landon got to get in a hot air balloon. He only went up about 15-20 feet, but still! I am so proud!
The balloon going up right down the street:
Another balloon going up right down the road:
Landon and Aunt Tammy starting to go up:
Getting brave and looking out:
This might actually be fun:

Crock Pot Lasagna

2009-04-21T18:34:00.002-04:00

1 lb lean ground beef
1 26 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 8 oz tomato sauce
1/2 a 9 oz package no boil lasagna noodles
1 jar Alfredo sauce
3 cups mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Brown ground beef until cooked, drain off fat.

2. Spray a crock pot with non-spray cooking spray (or use the Reynolds crock pot liners) spread 3/4 of the pasta sauce on the bottom. Stir in the remaining pasta sauce and the tomato sauce into ground beef.

3. Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in slow cooker, break noodles if necessary. Top with 1/3 of the Alfredo sauce and spread evenly. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese and then top with 1/3 of meat mixture.

4. Repeat layering twice, using 2 lasagna noodles for the last layer, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.

5. Cover; cook on low setting for 3.5 to 4.5 hours.

Serves 8
WW Points: 9

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

2009-04-20T18:51:00.002-04:00

1 pound ground beef
1 (15 ounce) can chunky Italian-style tomato sauce
Cooking spray
1 can refrigerated pizza crust dough
1 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese

Cook meat in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring until it crumbles. Drain, if necessary, and return to skillet. Add tomato sauce, and cook until heated.

While meat cooks, coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Unroll pizza crust dough, and press into bottom and halfway up sides of baking dish. Top with meat mixture. Bake, uncovered at 425 degrees F for 12 minutes.

Top with cheese, and bake 5 additional minutes or until crust is browned and cheese melts. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings
WW Points: 8

Cubed Steak and Wild Rice

2009-04-18T18:43:00.002-04:00

(from www.allrecipes.com )

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter
1 pound cube steak, cut into bite size pieces
1 (4.5 ounce) package long grain and wild rice mix
2 cups water
5 fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder

DIRECTIONS

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, and saute the cube steak until evenly browned.
In a medium pot, mix the cooked steak and juices, rice, water, mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes, or until all liquid has been absorbed.

Goodbye Old Friend!

2009-04-18T17:57:00.002-04:00

We said goodbye to my very first car today, Zippy. It was a nice long 11 years, but time to trade her in and get a newer model. David is now the proud owner of a Honda Fit. Here's to hoping for another 11 good years with a Honda!

3-Step Jambalaya

2009-04-08T18:35:00.002-04:00

1.) In large saucepan over high heat, saute for 5 minutes:
-2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
-Rice from 1 pkg. of Rice-A-Roni Spanish Rice
-1/2 cup chopped onion
-3/4 cup chopped bell pepper

2.) Mix in and bring to a boil:
-2 cups water
-1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (drained)
-Rice-A-Roni Spanish Rice special seasoning
-1 pkg. Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices

3.) Final Steps:
-Lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Remove from heat and stir. Add hot sauce to taste.

Makes 4 Servings.

Overnight Rotini Bake

2009-04-07T18:37:00.002-04:00

1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 large bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, undrained
2 cups hot water
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 cups uncooked rotini pasta (9 oz)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Spray 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook beef, onion, bell pepper over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is throughly cooked; drain. Sir in tomatoes, water, soup mix (dry), Italian seasoning and pasta. Spoon into baking dish.

2. Cover tightly with foil; refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

3. Heat oven to 375F. Bake covered 45 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.

Georgia Aquarium

2009-04-04T09:10:00.002-04:00

We finally took Landon to the Georgia Aquarium yesterday and he had a blast. To save you the details I am going to show parts of our visit in pictures:
An excited Landon waiting in line for the elevator to the walkway:
The tank that greeted us on our way into the aquarium. There was an identical one on the right wall as well:
Landon watching the fish go by. He could have stood there for hours!
A jellyfish:
The sea turtle landon had to see:
The big mantaray:

Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas

2009-04-01T18:59:00.002-04:00

These were really yummy and David didn't even realize there wasn't meat in there until I told him.

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (11 oz) Mexicorn, undrained
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, undrained
2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)
1 can (19 oz) enchilada sauce
10 flour tortillas (6 inch)
Shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, chopped avocado, sour cream and salsa, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350F. Spray 13x9 inch glass baking dish. In medium bowl, mix black beans, corn, green chiles, 1 cup of the cheese and 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce.

2. Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over bottom of baking dish. Spoon 1/4 cup bean mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas; place seam sides down in baking dish. Spoon remaining enchilada sauce over enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray. Cover baking dish with foil, sprayed side down.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve topped with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream and salsa.

Make-Ahead Cheeseburger Lasagna

2009-03-30T19:28:00.002-04:00

YAY! A new recipe. I actually cooked something new for dinner tonight and it turned out great! A new twist on the classic lasagna! Enjoy!

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
3 tablespoons instant minced onion
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 egg
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Cheddar-American cheese blend (8 oz)
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, sliced
1/2 cup dill pickle slices

1. Spray 13x9 inch (3qt) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium0high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, water, ketchup and mustard. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat egg with fork or wire whisk. Stir in ricotta cheese and 2 cups of the cheese blend.

3. Spread 1 cup beef mixture over bottom of baking dish. Top with 4 uncooked noodles. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over noodles; top with 1 1/2 cups beef mixture. Repeat layers once with 4 noodles, remaining ricotta mixture and 1 1/2 cups beef mixture. Top with remaining 4 noodles, beef mixture and 1 cup Cheddar cheese. Cover with foil; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

4. Heat oven to 350F. Bake lasagna covered, 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 25 to 35 minutes longer or until bubbly. Remove from oven. Cover with foil; let stand 5 to 10 minutes before cutting.

5. Just before serving, top with lettuce, tomato and pickles. Serve with additional ketchup if desired.

1 Month!

2009-03-26T14:36:00.004-04:00

Jonas is 1 month old today! Happy Birthday little guy!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-25T08:46:00.002-04:00

The coolest new things being used in our house:
Click here to check out more WW!

Top Ten Tuesday: Children's Books

2009-03-24T11:52:00.004-04:00

As a primary teacher and mother to two adorable little boys I love children's books. I think I buy books for Landon and Jonas for myself truly. We belong to a book club for children and I could spend a small fortune every month ordering books, but my frugal side restricts this. Using Landon's bookshelf I bring you the top ten children's books we read in our house:

1. Any books from the Skippyjon Jones collection by Judy Schachner . Landon loves these, especially when I use my most creative Mexican voice.

2. Any books from the How Do Dinosaurs... collection by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague. Landon's bedroom is done in dinosaurs and they interest him.

3. Mouse Mess by Linnea Riley is a very cute book. Landon's Aunt Shelley gave him this book and it is one he often asks for at night time.

4. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. This book is great for incorporating counting into your reading. The only problem with this book is that Landon now thinks the sun comes out from an egg. Obviously a major misinterpretation of the beginning of the book!

5. The Flea's Sneeze by Lynn Downey. This book is repetitious and reminds me of The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.

6. The Llama Llama books by Anna Dewdney. Not only did these books teach Landon what a llama is, but they also teach children that it is okay to feel a certain way in different situations.

7. How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight? by Varsha Bajaj. Once again, a good one for counting and rhyme. We always end with a shower of goodnight kisses.

8. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch. We haven't read this book in a long time, but I used to read it all the time to Landon when he was a baby. Time to break it out for Jonas!

9. Anything by Dr. Seuss. Landon loves the silliness found in these books and I love that they introduce rhyming.

10. The Toddler's Bible. Landon received this for Christmas from his Uncle Jon, Aunt Tammy and cousins and loves to read it. If it were up to him we would read 50-100 pages of it every night!

Check out more Top Ten Tuesday lists at: ohamanda.com

Welcome to the Jungle!

2009-03-21T08:52:00.002-04:00

Instead of fun and games though we have pancakes! Williams-Sonoma has these awesome jungle pancake molds that I just had to have! Landon and I were busy whipping up some yummy pancakes this morning. I was hesitant at first but once I got the hang of it, it was simple. I think they turned out pretty good and see many more themed sets of pancake molds in my future!
There is a lion:
A monkey:
An elephant:
The end result:
One happy little boy with his elephant:

So In Love!

2009-03-17T09:31:00.002-04:00

It is hard to believe that in 2 days Jonas will be 3 weeks old! Time is flying by! I can tell he has changed so much over the past couple of weeks. His head control amazes me every day. To me, he feels more "together" than Landon did. Could have something to do with my comfort level being high with him versus Landon. With Jonas being the 2nd baby things come more natural.

My time lately has been filled with taking care of Jonas, keeping up with laundry (Jonas pees on every outfit we put on him), healing, and of course some shopping in there. Jonas is the best shopper and makes it so easy to go out and about.

Good news on the potty front...Landon went potty at school yesterday! This is a HUGE accomplishment for him considering I saw him in diapers until he graduated from high school! He is so stubborn and against pottying in the potty.

I am still working on writing Jonas' birth story. Also working on recipes. We haven't had to cook a lot lately but I will get to it! I leave you with some recent pictures of Jonas.

At 2 weeks old:
Clean after his 1st real bath:
Playing:

My 2 Sons

2009-03-09T09:20:00.002-04:00

Wow...it feels totally weird typing my 2 sons! Kind of like when I am talking to someone and I say the kids now as well. It is hard to believe that I am Mommy to 2 precious little boys. So much has happened in the past year that makes it seem surreal that I am here with my little boy at almost 2 weeks old. God works in mysterious ways. After this post I got discouraged about having another baby but then was blessed again 2 short months later. Now here I am with an almost 2 week old!

We washed Jonas' hair for the first time this weekend. He was born with far less than Landon but it was starting to look dirty and no longer smelled like a baby. He didn't care for the event at all which makes me dread when his belly button cord finally falls off and I can give him a real bath. Landon was right in on the action though and loves helping out with his little brother.
Here's what Jonas thought about washing his hair:
Cute little feet:
Glad to be done:
Both boys clean and getting ready for bed:

We had beautiful weather this weekend and were able to get outside and take some pictures. Here are some of my favorites from this weekend:
The proud big brother:
The not so aware little brother:
Both of my boys:

I am going to work on my birth story for anyone who wishes to read it. While it was a very by the book c-section, I still would like to share my experience. I am also planning to get back into the groove of cooking new recipes so that is something else to look forward too.

Mini Photo Shoot

2009-03-05T16:26:00.002-05:00

I had fun yesterday taking pictures of the little guy. I wanted to get some shots before his "fuzz" fell off. Here are some of my favorites:

Oh What a Night...and then some...

2009-03-03T10:03:00.002-05:00

On Sunday we were thrilled to bring Jonas home before the snow started falling. While enjoying our cozy little family and watching the snow fall, our good feelings were crushed. Our power went out! Needless to say we packed in the dark and headed down to David's parent's house for the night. We ended up at my parent's house after losing power at David's parent's. We have since been "homeless." Below are some pictures of the snow at my parent's house. We have none from our house since we haven't been there since it started to snow.
Looking down my parent's street:
A tree in their backyard:
Landon trying to make a snowball to throw at me:
All three of us out in the snow:
What Jonas thinks about the whole situation:
Say some prayers that we get power SOON!

Jonas Parker

2009-03-01T15:11:00.002-05:00

We proudly announce the birth of Jonas Parker! He was born February 26th at 12:33 pm weighing in at 8 lb 10 oz and 19.75 inches long. Enjoy the pictures!
Landon being a good big brother feeding Jonas:
Our first family picture:
The infant carrier didn't seem so big until we got Jonas into it:
Even Chewy has to greet Jonas:
A good wide eyed shot:
We are home!:
Just sleeping....what Jonas does best:
Proud big brother and Jonas:
Proud Daddy and Jonas:
Resting while I can:

Landon's Birthday Party!

2009-01-25T16:49:00.002-05:00

Yup, another post packed full of pictures. Landon had a blast at his party last night. I didn't get a lot of pictures, but the pictures I did get show his excitement. His big present was a John Deere Gator. My parents also got him a castle since he is in love with castles. By the time it was present time, it started to get dark, but I was able to get Landon's Gator in the flood lights so he could see it and jump right on it!
It was worth it getting it around back and in the light to see the reaction on Landon's face when he saw his Gator.
Thankfully, Landon hopped right on and took off!
The only problem we have right now is Landon hasn't grasped the concept of steering just yet. One of us needs to run alongside him and help him steer.
After getting out of the cold Landon went right in and started unwrapping his present from my parents. He is thrilled to have a huge castle of his own to play with.
To go along with the theme we got a John Deere cake for his birthday party.
He really tried hard blowing his cake out. Sorry to all of the party guests who got the extra "treat" of Landon spittle on their cake!

Remind Me Please!

2009-01-25T04:45:00.002-05:00

Someone please remind me when time flew past me and Landon got so big! We took him yesterday for his 3 year pictures and it wasn't until then when I realized how big and grown up he had gotten. Honestly, where has the past 3 years gone? Landon did great with his pictures and followed directions so well when asked to do certain things. It was very hard picking out pictures since they were all so good! Here are some of my favorites:

Stay tuned for pictures from his John Deere birthday party! He had a blast and went straight to sleep afterwards! He was exhausted from all of the excitement.

The Nursery and Shower Pictures

2009-01-23T19:42:00.004-05:00

My Mom came over this afternoon and helped me get some of the nursery put together. I wanted it to look somewhat put together at this point. Little do most people know...the closet is packed full of stuff! Here is the tour:
Looking straight in the door:

Looking to the right with a total cheeser in the picture. You can also see all of my goodies from my shower in the right corner:Looking to the right again to the dresser and back out the door:
Our cool new glider with the bear Landon built for Jonas:
Close up of the crib and bedding:

Work threw me a shower this past Wednesday as well. Here are some pictures from it:
The yummy cake:
Some of the presents:
Opening presents (looking like a total fatty):

Baby Jonas is Growing!

2009-01-23T06:43:00.002-05:00

Just a quick belly shot progression. I will post later with pictures from my shower and more!

Our New Floor!

2009-01-04T20:22:00.002-05:00

Our carpet in our living room depressed me every time I looked at it. It was a constant sore thumb unless I spent an entire day and close to $100 cleaning it. The bad thing was that the dirt seemed to come right back. I decided about a month or so ago to replace the carpet with hardwood floor. Guess what! It is complete. After a FULL weekend of David, my Dad, and David's Dad working it is done and looks GREAT!
We started Thursday with pulling up the carpet. Landon had a blast helping his Pop Pop (David's Dad):
Then the flooring had to be moved in for a day or two so it could get use to the climate in our house. This is what my living room looked like from Thursday afternoon until Saturday morning:
Here is the final product:
To say I am thrilled is an understatement. All I need now is an area rug to put in the space in front of the coffee table and we are ready to go!

Praise God!

2008-12-30T19:00:00.002-05:00

We had our 3rd ultrasound for Jonas yesterday and received awesome news. The choroid plexus cysts that were found on his brain at the last ultrasound are all gone! This is definitely the news we were hoping for. We got some shocking news as well. Seems this "little" guy is measuring quite ahead of schedule. He is estimated to currently be 4 pounds 8 ounces. This is in the 74th percentile for his gestational age. YIKES! His head was measuring 36 weeks and his tummy 38 weeks (I am 2 days shy of 31 weeks). Talk about a big boy. We were able to get some great pictures though. I have a feeling he is going to look a lot like Landon!
Here is the front of his face. He kept opening his mouth during the ultrasound and was practicing breathing!
A great profile shot:
His are and hand. Check out those long fingers:
Legs:
A foot:

Santa Decided Landon Was Good This Year!

2008-12-26T09:53:00.002-05:00

My child is spoiled! There are not other words to describe his Christmas experience this year. He got so many new gifts and is thrilled about all of them. Here are some pictures to give you an idea of how he spent his Christmas:
Here is what Santa left at our house:
Landon's expression when he first saw what Santa left. He was so cute, he stood there for the longest time just looking until we told him he could go play with his new toys.
Playing with his favorite, the pirate ship:
Batter up:
Riding his Big Wheel that Santa left at Grammy's house:
An odd moment...Landon sleeping on the floor. He was exhausted!

What A Difference 4 Weeks Makes

2008-12-24T17:35:00.001-05:00

As promised (a day early)...my 30 week belly shot. I included my last one from 26 weeks for a comparison.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!