T'is the Season ...to Bake!

This week I started one of my favorite parts of the holiday season - baking!! 

I thought I'd share the recipes I'm cookin' up this holiday season, in case you need some inspiration. These recipes are tested and approved by everyone in my family! 

Saltine Cracker Toffee - Over the past few years, these have become a family favorite at Christmastime. They are super easy to make and so delicious. 

What does Ginger do when she gets mad? She snaps! 

That's a joke that someone I used to work with told everytime he saw me. Well, with this recipe, Ginger (cookies) won't snap but instead melt in your mouth. I like it better this way. 

Brown Butter Soft Batch Ginger Snaps 

Christmas isn't complete without Sugar Cookies and cookie decorating. I let the kids go to town last night. There was sugar and frosting everywhere - counters, floor, foreheads, etc. At the end of it, I was so proud that I was able to suppress my clean-freak tendencies so the kids could have a fun time. Memory making in progress! 

This year, I let Trader Joe's save the day on the Sugar Cookies. This kit was too cute to pass up. We added M&Ms, mini chocolate chips and colored/glitter frosting to the decorating line-up. 

This is a lot of cookies even for us, so we're planning to package them up and bring them to the neighbors this afternoon.  

I came across a recipe for Almond Shortbread that looks pretty tasty. I haven't tried this recipe yet but I'm hoping to make them soon.
 
Finally, I also like to make pecan pies during the holidays. I tried this recipe (Trisha Yearwood's Pecan Pie) last year and loved it and everyone I shared it with loved it too. I'm planning to make it again this year. Maybe for New Year's Eve? 

What are your favorite holiday recipes? I'd love for you to share them! 

Happy Baking! And may your holidays be merry and bright! 

Comfort Food for Fall

I haven’t been keeping up with my blog as much as I would like because things have been so busy lately. I honestly have no idea how professional bloggers are able to blog every.single.day. The thought amazes me.

I do want to take a minute to tell you about some awesome new recipes I’ve tried lately. Believe me, you’ll thank me for these yummies! Combined, they make the perfect fall dinner.

To start, I used Picky Palate’s Pesto Ranch Chicken with Rachael Ray’s Roasted Potatoes and Pepper recipes as my guide. I switched a few things up though.

First, on the chicken recipe, I bought a package of chicken breasts and a package of chicken thighs and separated/split the meat between two freezer storage bags. I also bought two prepackaged pesto sauces (in the refrigerated section at the store) for each bag of chicken. Basically, I was planning to double the recipe. In the freezer bags, I poured one package of pesto over each bag of chicken. Instead of using a ranch dip package, I made this homemade ranch dip recipe and split it between the two bags of chicken. I’m trying to move away from prepackaged ranch dips to save money and save us from a slew of preservatives. Plus, this tastes SO MUCH better!

Then, I put both bags of chicken in the freezer to use at a later time, like on a crazy hectic Monday! I put one bag of chicken in the fridge the night before, and in the morning, pop the chicken into the crockpot and let it cook on low all day. Then, you only have to cook the potatoes in the evening. (And I still have the other bag of chicken in the freezer for another night. Score!)

Last but not least, for dessert, I suggest Peanut Butter Nutella Apple Nachos. The only change I would suggest is to add a tablespoon (or two!) of peanut butter to the Nutella before you warm it up. 

Look! My kids are eating fruit without a fight! 

 

Enjoy!!

Meal Plan: "Taste of Home" Edition

We were home most of the weekend with sick kids. It gave me a chance to get organized for the upcoming week, including working on my meal plan. I've gotta admit, I've been slacking off on my meal planning. The hubby has been gone a lot in the field and between that, and the recent heat waves, I haven't had much motivation to cook or eat. In a perfect world I'd snack my way through the day. But, I'm going to power through this week and try to eat well. Plus, I was recently introduced to Taste of Home magazine/website and have several recipes I want to try. So, here's what's cooking this week....

(To view the links, you might have to sign up on the Taste of Home website; it's free and a great resource. You won't regret it, I promise!) 

Greek-Style Pizza

Monterey Artichoke Panini

Crowd-Pleasing Taco Salad

For Dessert: Strawberry Trifle

Lastly, I came across this article about giving up microwaving. I've given up on microwaving several times in the past because I've always thought it seemed "unnatural" to me. But, sometimes with kids, you need food and you need it fast. Still, I try to use it sparingly and rely on my toaster oven to reheat leftover food (great for leftover pizza or kids chicken nuggets, etc.) Apparently, I'm not the only person who has this weird quirk about microwaves. 

Hope you all have a great week and happy cooking! :) 

To-Do Lists and Monday Meal Plan

I love lists. (Cue Modern Family: “She can make lists for days.”) And I’m always looking for ways to fine-tune my organization, schedule and list management. But, you know what? I keep coming back to the basic paper calendar sheet. To me, it really is the best organization system. I think I need the visual reminders or something. Anyway, I’ve come across the coolest little organization tools and wanted to share them with you.

For broad-scope to-do items – such as, appointments, calls, errands, visits, etc. that need to be made or done soon but not necessarily tomorrow – I recommend the “Ultimate To-Do List” which I found on RealSimple.com. To download the document, click here.

For daily and weekly organization, I highly recommend the Week at A Glance and Daily Log from A Holy Experience blog. I love, love, love these documents because they allow me to put all the mundane to-do items in one place without forgetting about my “bigger picture” focuses, like relationships I want to work on and/or a place for a memory verse. For her explanation on the purpose of each section and to download, click here.  

Here’s my Week:

I lead a very fascinating life. Ha! So, I fill this out every Sunday night and post on our cupboard. I think hubby likes it, too, because it helps him keep track of his on-the-go family.

Ok, now for some fun stuff…recipes, recipes, recipes!

(Click on titles for links to recipe)

My newest favorite breakfast:

Cinnamon Sugar Waffle “Fingers” – you AND the kids will gobble these up, I promise! And so easy!!

A tasty soup:

Zesty Chicken Tortellini – this recipe is designed for you to make and freeze for future use. We ate half and froze the other half. It’ll make for a quick and easy dinner on a busy night. Two birds with one stone!

For dessert:

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownie Bars – Pumpkin, chocolate, cheesecake…”these are a few of my favorite things”…I made these this weekend on our stay-at-home-in-our-pjs Saturday. These brownie bars are very moist and cakelike, but not too sweet (despite what you’d think by the name). Great with vanilla ice cream. See the temptation below…

Have a great week!

Meal Plan: Part 4 and General Housekeeping

Happy Monday everyone! 

Hubby will be missing several dinners this week (back to "real" Army life!) and when it's only me and the kiddos I don't need to cook as much. Still, I'm trying to remind myself I don't have to live on chicken nuggets and pizza when he's gone. So, here's what's cooking this week at our house: 

Lemony Tuna and Olive Oil Pasta

Frito Chili Pie 

The Frito Chili Pie recipe reminds me of high school (in a good way). We used to make something similar to this with the cafeteria food. It was one of the only cafeteria meals I could stomach. I had a sophisticated palate even then! Anyway, I'm sure this recipe will be worlds better!  

And for our sweet tooth: 


Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Vanilla Sheet Cake (say that five times fast!) 


As I read this blog, I know God is working on my heart in this same area, the need to let go and accept the chaos of my house and the messes. The breaking process is so hard for me! I still want that perfect - and clean - house! When my house is in order, I can concentrate, when it's not, I can't. I've actually always considered that a personality "plus" but more and more I'm seeing it's a personality flaw. The kids won't remember the clean house. And on my death bed, I won't wish I had spent more time cleaning. Trying to find a balance....


And finally, is anyone else READY for Christmas?! I am. And from many of your Facebook status, I know you are ready, too! I found these two cute ornament crafts, a perfect use for those random ornaments that I've inherited over the years, and they seem to be crafts that I can actually do. (I'm a bit craft-challenged) 


Odd Ball Ornament Chandelier 

Ornament Window Hangings


Click through the slides for more creative ideas. 


Have a great week!

Meal Plan: Part 3 - and more!

I’m back!

I broke one of my “rules” and took a mini-vacation from blogging. Not because I wanted to or because I didn’t have anything to write, but because I don’t have three arms and two heads (but imagine what I could do if I did!). Actually, most of October was a wash due to allergies, colds, and stomach bugs…and all the chaos that life threw at us in-between. But, I’m ready to get back on track!

For starters, here’s my meal plan this week. It’s going to be another hectic week (the reason this is going up mid-week instead of on Monday) so I’m relying on Mr. Crockpot to save the day!

Crockpot Recipes:

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Salsa Chicken

And some good ol’ comfort food...

Easy French Bread Pizza

4-6 French bread sandwich rolls

shredded Mozzarella and/or Colby Jack cheese

sliced salami

sliced pepperoni

jar of pasta sauce

Preheat oven or broiler to 425-degrees. Slice sandwich rolls and lay halves on a cookie sheet. Top with pasta sauce, cheese, meats and any other topping you prefer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is slightly bubbly and golden. Serve with salad.

A side note, we all need a dose of encouragement now and again. Especially when you hold a somewhat thankless and unglamorous position of stay-at-home Mom. It's easy to get discouraged and frustrated. Thankfully, I was given the dose my heart was needing. I was flipping through Sienna's Awanas book and reviewing her work when I saw this note she had written:

  

Well, golly gee! I saw this and ruffled up my feathers. In Sienna’s eyes, I’m right up there with the best of ‘em. If that’s where I rank on her list, then I might be doing something (slightly) right and at the same time will continue to do my best to keep my rank. It was a small note that provided a big dose of encouragement!

It seems those doses of encouragement come when you need them the most, even if you have to look hard for them.

Meal Plan: Part 2

Here’s what I learned about meal planning this week: It’s filling! Our fridge was stocked all week with food, leftovers and snacks…and the meals kept on coming! 

The benefits of meal planning were well worth it. Here are the kiddos enjoying family dinnertime…

This week, we have a super busy week ahead of us. There is something going on every night so I’m keeping it easy. Here’s the plan:

1) Crockpot Creamy Chicken and Rice

Ingredients

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

1 can Cheese Soup

1 8oz container of sour cream

Place chicken breast in crockpot. Pour the three cans of soup over the top. Cook on low 6-8 hours. One hour before you are ready to eat, shred the chicken and add the sour cream. Stir well. Cook an additional hour.

Serve over rice and pair with sautéed zucchini.

2) Skillet Chicken Parmigiana

Ingredients

One package of thin-sliced chicken breasts

1/3 cup Italian style bread crumbs

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (not Kraft)

One egg, slightly beaten

Mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl or plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip chicken in egg and then coat with bread and cheese mixture. Add chicken to skillet and cook for about 10-15 minutes, turning once, until cooked through. 

You can serve with any pasta of your choice. I will probably pair with Pasta Roni Shells & White Cheddar (one of Sienna’s favorites!) and these delicious marinated tomatoes.

  

3) “Fácil” (that’s Spanish for easy) Tacos

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef

Old El Paso Hard & Soft Taco Dinner Kit

Toppings: Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa and sour cream

Follow the directions on the box and enjoy!

Have a great week!

Meal Plan: Part 1

I’ve decided to start meal planning for our week. I’ll be the first to admit that meal planning has not been my strong suit in the past. Generally, I grocery shop by memory, a.k.a. a jumbled messy list in my brain, or by what sounds good to me at that moment. But, I feel the need to be more organized, hope to save money by only buying what I need, and plus, it gives me an opportunity to try all the recipes that I have flagged in magazines or from other blogs. This past week was my first “go” at it and it worked out really well and I tried THREE new recipes! Variety is the spice of life, right? I’m only ambitious enough to meal plan for one week, and I’m not being a stickler about what day we eat what. This is a flexible working plan. And I’m only planning a few recipes because I know I won’t actually cook every night. Some nights are too hectic - or I’m too tired - and frozen pizza is our pinch hitter.

The good news is, I’ve decided to share my meal plan with YOU. In fact, I’m hoping to post my meal plan every Monday. It’ll keep me accountable, and who knows, maybe it’ll inspire you, too!

I’ll link recipes when available or I’ll type them out for you. So, here goes…this is what we’ll be eating this week:

Meal One

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Coleslaw

Place 2-3 chicken breasts in the crockpot with Buffalo or BBQ sauce and sprinkle a ranch dressing season packet on top. Cook for at least 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Shred the chicken, spread on rolls with cheddar cheese slices and, if to your taste, sliced onions. Serve with coleslaw. For the coleslaw, I buy pre-shredded cabbage and mix with either Lighthouse or Marie’s coleslaw salad dressing (in refrigerated section at the grocery store).

Meal Two

Pumpkin Patch Pasta

Meal Three

Chicken Marsala (thanks, Andrea, for this recipe!)

1 lb. thinly sliced chicken breasts

½ cup chicken broth*

½ cup marsala wine

1 cup of sliced mushrooms

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. olive oil

2-3 cloves of garlic

flour for dredging

Directions:

1. Melt 1 tbsp. of butter with 1 tbsp. of olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and garlic to skillet.

2. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour and add to skillet and brown on both sides.

3. Add chicken broth, marsala wine and other 1 tbsp. butter to skillet and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens.

4. Serve with pasta.

*Since we’re a “saucy” family, lately, I’ve been doubling the marsala wine and chicken broth. You decide what works best for you.

Last but not least, dessert!

Pumpkin Blondie Bars

And finally, a Honorable Mention....

I tried this recipe last week, the preparation is a bit messy but SO worth the mess! They are delicious. The moistest scones I’ve ever met and the maple icing is heavenly. A perfect fall breakfast! Give ‘em a try!

Maple Pecan Scones

Ok, I’m off to the grocery store! Ciao!