Spicy Sausage and Pasta

I often feel that I am falling off the wagon with this blog.  I admit that it is not a priority but more of a catch all that keeps things organized for me whenever I get around to typing something or adding something.  Anyway, the point is, I am still trying new recipes.  I stumbled upon this one on Pinterest and give credit to the blog Kevin & Amanda for the picture, but it originally comes from the Best Simple Recipe cookbook.  As I always mention, a recipe is filed as a "keeper" and "blogable" if my son inhales the dish.  That was the case tonight.

Here is what you need:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb smoked sausage
1.5 cups diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles, Mild
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz penne pasta
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

1.) Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2.) Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.
3.) Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with scallions. Broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly.

Makes 4 servings

It is a super fast and easy meal to make and it is super yummy.

Camouflage!!!

This is a twin sized camouflage themed blanket that I put together for my neighbor's son. The front is Mossy Oak camouflage and the back is army camouflage.

I love the way it turned out!

Wild Rice and Turkey Soup

Another yummy soup. I love soups especially when I can make them in the crockpot.

Here is what you need:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 medium stalks celery, diced (1 cup)
2 medium carrots, diced (1 cup)
1 cup diced smoked turkey (6 ounces) ( I used 1lb ground turkey)
1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated fat-free milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup frozen peas

1) if using ground turkey, brown in skillet. Add the oil. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots. Add to the crockpot.
2) combine all other ingredients except milk, flour and peas into the crockpot
3) cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.
4) during last 30 minutes of cooking, add the mix the milk and flour in a small bowl. Add to the crockpot and stir to incorporate. Add in the peas.
5) cook until the peas are done and the soup has thickened.

Enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana Soup

This was a super yummy soup. It is supposed to be a copycat to Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana. I have not had that at the Olive Garden for a long time so I can not say if it was a "true" copycat. I do know that this was super yummy and we LOVED it. And the best part is...I made it in the crockpot!!!

Here is what you need:
4 slices bacon, diced
1 lb ground hot Italian sausage
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups (32 oz) chicken stock
3 cups russet potatoes, cubed
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups kale, in bite size pieces
1 cup heavy whipping cream
parmesan cheese, grated

1) brown sausage in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté. Drain.
2) combine all ingredients except kale, parmesan and whipping cream into the crockpot.
3) cook on low 6-8 hours.
4) during the last 30 minutes to hour of cooking add the kale and whipping cream.
5) serve topped with Parmesan if desired.

Enjoy!!

Chicken Ranch Tacos

I made this awhile back. I used a pork tenderloin instead of chicken. It was quite tasty. I am not sure why I never think about doing the simplest things when I cook.

Here is what you need (as it is written):
3 chicken breasts (i used a 1 lb pork tenderloin)
1 pkt. taco seasoning (chicken or beef)
1 pkt ranch dressing mix
1 can chicken broth
taco shells
lettuce
cheese
Any other taco topping

1) Place frozen chicken or pork in the slow cooker. Add the taco seasoning and ranch mix. Top with the broth.
2) Cook on low all day or on high for 3-4 hours.
3) Shred the chicken.
4) Use the taco shells or tortillas and form your taco.

Enjoy!!!

Chicken & Cheese Lasagna Roll-ups

I found this recipe tonight on Pinterest. The only change I made was to the sauce. I used a jar of Alfredo sauce instead of the spaghetti sauce. It was SO good!!! RJ ate the entire thing without bribes and complaining!!!

Here is what you need:
3 cups chopped cooked chicken 1/4 cup milk
1 cup Ricotta cheese
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
8 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups Prego Spaghetti Sauce

1) In medium bowl, combine chicken, cheeses, milk, and pepper
2) Spread 1/2 cup mixture on each lasagna noodle; roll jelly-roll fashion
3) In a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce
4) Arrange lasagna rolls, seam-side down in sauce in baking dish
5) Top with remaining spaghetti sauce
6) Cover and Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes or until hot
7) Serve, if desired, with additional Parmesan cheese.

Scripture Cover

This may seem somewhat "juvenile," but I wanted to make a book cover for my scriptures. Every Sunday, they get thrown into my church bag with my other books I have to take to church. The corners on them were starting to wear and look haggard. I love my scriptures, and I didn't want them to break or ruin sooner than need be. I thought this was the best solution. The color is not my first pick but I love the way the cover turned out.

Orange Chevron Baby Blanket

Even though it is a lot more work, I LOVE making chenille baby blankets. I love the look of the "quilted" top and the "ragged" backs. I knew for quite awhile that I wanted to do a Chevron stripe one. It just took me awhile to find fabric I liked.

Here is the completed blanket. The back fabric was "earth tones" with brown, green, and yellow. My only regret with this blanket was that the green and yellow didn't show up in the "ragginess" more.

As a whole, I love it!

Girly military Camo blanket

I really wanted to do something with camouflage. It might just be the country in me, I don't know, but I really wanted to complete a camouflage blanket. I knew that I didn't want it to be a "dark" blanket though. I saw this idea for ragged stacked blocks and I knew it would be perfect. I love the "ratty" look and I think it turned out cute. :)

Car Seat Canopy

This is only the second car seat canopy that I have ever made, and I LOVE the way it turned out.

Like the previous blanket post, this canopy is for my friend Holly and she picked out the material. She chose 2 minky materials-one the print and the second the green for the inside. As I mentioned before, I am not a fan of sewing with mink---especially if both pieces being sewn are mink. I was nervous about how it would turn out. Surprisingly, it turned out awesome and it went together very easily.

I only wish the pictures did the colors justice :)

The Worst Hard Time....

...by Timothy Egan is the next book that I would LOVE to praise.  I realize that I do not get around to praising or reviewing books much on this blog even though reading is one of my all time favorite pastimes. 

This is a historical factual story of the survivors of the Great Plains and the Dust Storm of the 1930s.  The book starts out with a mention of the Homestead Act of the 1860s and the "rush" of "nesters" to the Great Plain States.  Then the author gives account of the Booming 20s when World War I was on and commodity prices were up.  During this time, the farmers were "booming" in wealth.  They were taking out mortgages to buy more land and actual machinery-doing away with the horse/mule and plow.  After the Booming 20s, the stories of the Stock Market crash, the Dust Bowl, the 7 years of drought on the plains, and the Depression are all told.  It talks about President Roosevelt's New Deal and Conservation plans.  The book ends with President Roosevelt visiting Amarillo, TX one day, and on that day, the rains finally began again.  In the Epilogue, the author talks about how the farmers have now drilled into the Ogallala Aquifer for irrigation, but how at the rate they are pumping the water, the aquifer will soon dry up.  The Epilogue discusses how there are very few profitable "homesteaders"-that most of the farm ground is now government paid and subsidized. 

This book was significant to me.  Why?

I love reading about history in different parts of our country, but more importantly, this book literally is "home" for me. My great grandparents on at least 3 sides of the family that I know of fled starvation and unemployment of the east coast and Ozarks to Kansas and Oklahoma during the Homestead Act of the 1860s and the Booming 20s. Most of them stayed through the Dust Bowl and stuck it out. Some died. Some (my grandmothers family) left and migrated to the mountains of Colorado. My hometown, the farmlands I was raised on, drove through, tromped through, etc, are all featured in this book.   My parents hosted many Boy Scout camp outs on the Comanche National Grassland in Southern Prowers County and Baca County.  This National Grassland is a direct-surviving Conservation effort to reclaim the land as mentioned in the book.  It was one of the few Conservation Projects that survived from the 1930s.  My hometown of Lamar is full of Work Progress Act (WPA) projects.  My high school football stadium and the original hospital are just 2 of them.  My brother played middle school football at that stadium; I ran high school track there; the whole town watched Friday night football games there.  The original hospital was later converted into the "first" college in town, and then later converted into an apartment building, which is where my brother's apartment was located.

From my great-grandparents who decided to settle the plains of Kansas through my childhood, my life was deeply impacted by The Worst Hard Time.  Though I obviously was not alive in the 20s or 30s, this book has been significant to me in understanding my great grandparents and why they chose to homestead where they did. It helps me understand the mentality of my 2 grandmothers that are still living after surviving the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. 

It is a very good read and I am so happy that I finally took the opportunity to read it.

Monster & Mink Rag Blanket

My friend Holly is expecting a little boy and asked me to sew her a baby blanket for him. She picked out the fabric and let me arrange it how I wanted. This is the first time I ever tried using the mink (cuddle & soft from JoAnns) in a rag blanket. In fact, I usually avoid sewing with mink like the plague because I find it annoying to work with.

That being said, I love LOVE the way it turned out! This may be my new favorite way to sew rag blankets.

As a side note, I am so happy that the whether is getting colder and that gardening and canning season are over.  More time for sewing blankets and reading!!!! :)

Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

This is another Pinterest find and it was absolutely delicious!  It is from food.com and I thank them for the yummy recipe and for the picture. I admit that my 4-year old did not eat it, but he doesn't like soup unless there are noodles in it. 

Here are the ingredients that you need.

1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 medium chopped onion
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups half-and-half (I used evaporated milk as a substitute as I forgot to buy half and half)
4 cups chicken stock
1 lb. (16 oz.) fresh or frozen broccoli florets
1 cup grated carrot
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

1) Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat, and sauté onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add additional butter and flour, whisking for 3-5 minutes to create a roux. Whisk while adding the half-and-half and chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.
2) Stir in the broccoli florets and grated carrot. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer over low heat for 30-35 minutes.
3) Remove soup from heat and pulse with an immersion blender until smooth. Or, puree the soup in batches in a food processor until smooth, adding mixture back to the pot.
4) Return pot to low heat and stir in cheddar cheese. Simmer for 10 minutes, and serve.

That is all there is to it.  Enjoy! 

Pulled Pork Enchiladas

I know that I have mentioned before that we love Mexican food at our house and I am always a fan of trying something new.  These are super easy to make and are similar to other enchiladas that I normally make.  I just never would have thought of using the pork or seasoning it the way this recipe does.  Quite tasty and yummy.  Thank you Better Homes and Gardens for the wonderful idea! Another great thing about this recipe is that it is adaptable to your family's taste buds.

Here is what you need for these:
3 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (I used a 2 pd pork roast and it made 11 enchiladas)

1-14 ounce can chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp ground cumin

2-3 tsp ground chipotle chile pepper or hot chili powder

1 tsp salt

3-10 ounce cans enchilada sauce (here is where you can alter to suit your family.  I used 1-10oz can medium and 1-29oz can mild)

1 Tbsp snipped fresh cilantro

4 ounce can diced green chile peppers

8 ounces cotija cheese, shredded (2 cups) (I used normal shredded cheese)

8-12 8 inches flour tortillas

Snipped fresh cilantro

Diced tomato or quartered grape tomatoes

Sour cream (optional)

 

1.Trim fat from pork. In a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine pork shoulder, broth, onion, garlic, cumin, ground chipotle chile pepper or chili powder, and salt. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 11 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove pork from slow cooker, reserving cooking liquid. Using two forks, pull meat into coarse strands.*

3.

4. In a medium bowl combine the remaining enchilada sauce, 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid (discard any remaining cooking liquid), and the diced green chile peppers. Spread about 1/2 cup of enchilada-green chile pepper mixture in the bottom of a 3-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside.

5. Divide pork mixture and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese among tortillas, placing meat and cheese near the edge of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas. Place filled tortillas, seam sides down, in the prepared baking dish (place tortillas close together); top with the remaining enchilada-green chile pepper mixture. Cover with foil; bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 5 minutes more or until heated through and cheese is softened and starts to brown slightly.

6. Sprinkle with additional snipped cilantro and tomato. If desired, serve with sour cream. Makes 6 servings.

 

It looks like a lot to do, but it is so simple since the majority of it is done in the crockpot.  The flavor was great and the meat was so tender.  Definitely a keeper and a repeat at our house.

 

PS...if there ends up being a weird a bullet point in the middle of the ingredients, I am sorry.  I tried very hard to remove it.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

I totally did not create this one, BUT it was so super yummy that I wanted to have it recorded with all my other recipes.  I stole this one from pauladeen.com.  During the month of October, there are several fabulous food celebrations and holidays that take place.  Three of these are national apple month, national caramel month, and national homemade cookie month. SOOO...I decided to combine all this deliciousness with these fabulous Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars from Paula Deen. For me, personally, this is the absolute BEST of everything.  I LOVE caramel, apples, and cheesecake, so for me this was heaven :D

 

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup caramel topping (I used store bought, but I think homemade would be so yummy!)
Streusel Topping
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
*****Mix all this with a fork or your fingers until it is a nice crumbly mixture.

1)Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2)In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13-by-9-by-2 inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3)In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
4)In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping.
5)Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. (Mine was about 40 minutes)
6)Drizzle with caramel topping.

SOOOO yummy!


Sausage Corn Chowder

It is pretty much soup season again!!!! I am very excited about this.  This was a new soup for my family, and we all LOVED it! RJ, the picky 4 year-old, even ate 2 bowls.  Though the recipe is a stove top recipe and that is how I made it tonight, it can easily be adaptable for the crockpot too.

Here is what you need:
1 pound sausage
1 Cup chopped onion
3 Cups cubed red potatoes (I used 3 small Russet because that is what I had)
2 Cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp marjoram, crushed
1/8 tsp pepper
1 15oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 14oz can cream style corn
1 12oz can evaporated milk
***I also used about 1 cup chicken broth because it needed a little more liquid for my liking.

1) Cook sausage and onion until sausage is browned.  Drain off grease.
2) Return sausage and onion to dutch oven or pot.  Add in cubed potatoes, water, salt, marjoram, and pepper.  Bring to boiling; reduce the heat.  Simmer covered for 10 minutes. (I had maybe 30 minutes to an hour before the hubs came home, so I just turned the burner WAY down to the lowest setting and just let it simmer until he got home.  Then I did step 3.  This is also why I think I had to add the chicken broth.  I think the water just cooked off.)
3) Stir in the whole kernel corn, cream corn, and evaporated milk.  Cook and stir until heated through.

As I said, yummy!!!

Makes 6 servings; 491 calories per serving

Beautiful Heartbreak

This is almost a follow-up post to my post titled "Food for Thought-Faith." This is a very inspirational and uplifting song. The music video features the woman that was burned in the plane crash that I mentioned in the above post as well as other individuals who have overcome struggles and trials.

Here are the lyrics is to the song. I find that even by reading the words they are just as powerful as Hillary Weeks' voice singing them.

I had it all mapped out in front of me,
Knew just where I wanted to go;
But life decided to change my plans,
And I found a mountain in the middle of my road.

I knew there was no way over it,
So I searched for a way around;
Brokenhearted I started climbin',
And at the top I found...

Every fear, every doubt,
All the pain I went through;
Was the price that I paid to see this view;
And now that I'm here I would never trade...

The grace that I feel,
And the faith that I find;
Through the bitter-sweet tears,
And the sleepless nights;
I used to pray he'd take it all away,
But instead it became a beautiful heartbreak.
I never dreamed my heart would make it,
I thought about turning around;
But heaven has shown me miracles,
I never would have seen from the ground.

Now I take the rain with the sunshine,
Cause there's one thing that I know;
He picks up the pieces,
Along each broken road.

Every fear, every doubt,
All the pain I went through;
Was the price that I paid to see this view;
And now that I'm here I would never trade...

The grace that I feel,
And the faith that I find;
Through the bitter-sweet tears,
And the sleepless nights.

I used to pray he'd take it all away,
But instead it became a beautiful heartbreak.

I would never trade...
The grace that I feel,
And the faith that I find;
Through the bitter-sweet tears,
And the sleepless nights.

I used to pray he'd take it all away,
But instead it became a beautiful heartbreak.

I have been listening to this song a lot the past few days as I have thought about the "mountains" in my life that have encountered in my road. I think my road can be compared to the Rocky Mountains or a roller coaster. I feel that I reach the peak of each mountain and get to realize the view and the blessings and then I get to start all over. I am not complaining. I know there are others that have trials and struggles way beyond what I have been asked to bear. I only hope that each time I climb a mountain, I am learning what Heavenly Father wants me learn.

Today is the anniversary of the death of our baby boy, Ryan. Not once in the last year have I asked why we have had to go through this loss and pain or why Ryan was needed on the Other Side. I have spent most of the last year trying to learn and grow. I am not sure if I have learned all the lessons that Heavenly Father has wanted me to, but I can pray and hope that my faith has been strengthened and that I have come lean and rely more on my Savior for help, strength, comfort, and piece.

Though I miss my angel terribly and I pray that I never have to experience this type of loss again, "I would never trade, The grace that I feel and the faith that I find through the bitter-sweet tears and the sleepless nights." I would much rather have Ryan here with us on the earth but I am very grateful for the peace and comfort that comes from knowing we are still family and NOTHING can change that.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

I needed something fast and easy for dessert the other night when we were having the missionaries over for dinner.  Now, I know that missionaries are really unpicky, BUT I take any opportunity I can to try out new recipes.  This cinnamon roll cake was the pick.  I have been wanting to try it forever and just needed an excuse.  Cinnamon rolls are by FAR by all time most favorite treat, so I was intrigued by this dessert.

I loved every bite...warm and delicious...just like a cinnamon roll!

Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Originally from Life as a Lofthouse and Pinterest.

All about Fabric Strips-Girl

This blanket was totally fun to do. We wanted something different that used strips. We had several ideas but we decided for the size of the blanket and the amount of fabric, that this design would be best. There is not a "true" center.

The back of it is solid pieces of purple and teal. I top stitched along the strips' seams for the "quilted" look to hold it together. Instead of self-binding it, I used some of the charcoal/cream zebra fabric. This is also the first blanket-larger than a baby size- that I have rounded the corners for.



The finished sized is approximately 81"x81".  This blanket is going to a young lady who is turning 11 this year, and she happens to be my closest friend, Niki's daughter.

I LOVE the way it turned out!

Medium-hot Salsa

This post is the first ever "canning" or food preservation post that I have ever done, and I am not sure how many others I will share because the reality is that I don't know how much of the food I can, freeze, or dehydrate will actually taste yummy.  However, I know this homemade salsa is SO good! We tried making our own salsa last year and we just couldn't get a "mix" that we liked.  I found this one online, and I will definitely be keeping it as a permanent fixture.

8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained
2 1/2 cups onions, chopped (1 large onion was about 2 cups-I just used that)
1 1/2 cups green peppers (3-4 bell peppers from the garden is what I used)
1 cup jalapeno pepper, chopped (8-10 little to medium peppers from the garden)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons pepper
1/8 cup canning salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce (I used 2-8 oz cans, so I technically had 16 oz)
1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste

Directions:
1) Mix all together and bring to a slow boil for 10 minute.
2) Seal in jars and cook in hot water bath for 10 minute.
3) This is a medium salsa. This is also a chunky salsa so if you want a smoother salsa cut your veggies into smaller pieces.

Yields 3-6 quarts or pints.

Notes:
I didn't measure the tomatoes that I used from my garden after sending them through the food processor.  When I added everything to the pot to cook on the stove, I thought it needed a little bit more, so I added 2 cans of drained diced tomatoes.  As stated above, this is a MEDIUM to HOT salsa.  If you think it might be too hot, you can always start with fewer jalapeno peppers and then taste test as you mix it on the stove.  If I wanted to make this for little man, I would definitely use about 1/2 the amount of jalapeno peppers.  The way I made it, when all said and done, I ended up with 7 pints plus about 10 oz that I just refrigerated to eat, which is why I know this is a VERY yummy recipe. :)

Ranch/Italian Pot Roast

Another "recipe" to be chalked up as a keeper, and it is the MOST simple and amazing recipe ever! I have no idea how come I have never thought of cooking a roast with this seasoning combination before.  So simple, so delicious, and it's in the crock pot!!!!!

It is very basic.

1-roast (I am not sure on poundage.  I just unwrapped a roast and put it in)
1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix
1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
1 packet dry Brown gravy mix
1/2 Cup water (I used 1 cup...1/2 just didn't seem enough)

1) Place roast in the crock pot.  Combine the 3 mixes with the water.  Pour over the roast.
2) Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.

I served ours with mashed potatoes, but I think it would be delicious with noodles or rice too.

Sorry, no pics again.  When something is delicious, it disappears before I have a chance to take pictures.

Cowgirl/horse Rag blanket

This blanket was just a simple square ragged blanket that I made for my cousin Stacey who is expecting a little girl. She and her husband live on a ranch and he ropes. I didn't want to do all pink and brown so I threw in the black as an accent color. I thought it turned out super cute.

Peanut Butter Honey Granola

I am a sucker for granola.  I am a sucker for ANYTHING that has to do with peanut butter and honey together.  This granola was a perfect match. :)

Here is what you need.

1/4 Cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 Cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 Cups oats

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1) Combine peanut butter and honey in a bowl.  Then microwave it 20 seconds.  Stir and then add cinnamon and vanilla.  Add in the coats.  Stir/toss until the oats are coated with the peanut butter and honey mixture.

2) Bake 10 minutes.

 

Enjoy!

 

Note: I personally will add a bit more vanilla and cinnamon to this...It goes back to me being a spice loving person.  However, I took this with me on my relay race, and all my team mates liked it as it was.  Go with your taste buds :)

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Say what?!?!? Yummy!!!!!

I have had pumpkin cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter/oatmeal/chocolate chip cookies, BUT I had never even thought of adding oatmeal to a pumpkin cookie!  Maybe I am just a bit slow on the uptake on this one.  I am stoked I came across this recipe.  New favorite for me :)

Here is what you need.

1 Cup wheat flour

1/2 Cup white flour

3/4 Cup sugar

1/4 Cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/2 Cup butter, softened

1 Egg

1 Cup canned pumpkin

1 3/4 Cup rolled oats

1 1/4 Cup chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven 375 degrees.

1) Stir together the flours, sugars, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.

2) Add in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.

3) Stir in egg and pumpkin. Then add the oats and chocolate chips.

4) Drop by spoons onto a sprayed or lined cookie sheet.

5) Bake 10-12 minutes.

 

Notes: I LOVE these as they are, but next time I am definitely going to mess with the spices some more...I am a spice-type-of-person.  I also think that you could either use all wheat flour or all white flour--I am not sure as I didn't do either of those options. Also, my first pan did not really spread out, so on my next 2 pans, I smashed the cookie balls just a little. :)



Zucchini Brownies

YES!!!! Another way to use up some surplus of zucchini.  The added bonus is that the main brownie is eggless and milk-less making it perfect for those with allergies.  The frosting recipe that is also attached does have dairy products.

One very important note though....The recipe says to use a 9x13 pan.  I used the next size smaller without even thinking.  The brownies ended up being like over 2 inches thick and took forever to bake.  SOOOO...I will definitely be using a 9x13 pan from here on out.

Here is what you need for the brownies.
1/2 Cup oil
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Cups grated/shredded zucchini
1/2 Cup walnuts, optional

1) Preheat oven to 350.  Mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla. 
2) Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix well.  The batter may appear lumpy or dry.
3) Fold in the zucchini and walnuts.
4) Pour into a greased or lined 9x13 pan and bake 25-30 minutes.
5) Cool and then frost with chocolate frosting.

Optional Frosting:
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 Cup Margarine
2 Cups powdered sugar
1/2 Cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

1) Melt the cocoa powder and margarine in a small saucepan over low heat.  After it melts, set it aside and let it cool. 
2) Blend together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.  Stir in the cooled cocoa and butter.  Mix well.  Spread over the cooled brownies.

****Note****I did frost mine with chocolate frosting, but I did NOT use this recipe.  I can not vouch for whether this one tastes good or turns out.

Monterrey Chicken

Again, this post has no pictures.  I am just simply trying to get some of our favorite recipes from the past couple months typed up and recorded.  I am SO far behind.

This chicken dish is so easy and simple.  You will see in the steps that you are supposed to bake it for a few minutes to melt the cheese.  I simply did this all outside on the BBQ grill.  I am one of those people that has no problem throwing cake pans or cookie sheets onto the grill if it means that I do not have to turn my oven on in the summer.  THAT being said, this meal was AWESOME for us!

Here is what you need:
Chicken Breasts (I did three...one for each of us)
1/4 Cup BBQ Sauce
1/4 Cup Real Bacon Bits
1 Cup Shredded Cheese
1-14 oz Can of Rotel tomatoes with Green Chilies

1) Preheat oven to 400.
2) Grill chicken until no pink.  Place on a cookie sheet.  Top each chicken breast with BBQ sauce, cheese, tomatoes, and bacon bits.
3) Bake about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Enjoy! Simple as that! :D

Girl Giraffe Rag Blanket

I made this cute little blanket for a friend and neighbor expecting her first baby girl. She was going with the pink and green jungle theme, and this is what I finally decided on. I LOVE it.

Front and Back together

Front of the blanket

Close-up of the front

Pizza Casserole

This casserole was quite a yummy twist on pizza.  I like the fact that it had all the pizza flavor with without the usual "pizza."  It is hard to describe, but the important thing is that we all LOVED it.

Here is what you need:
1 Bag Egg Noodles, cooked
1 large can/bottle Spaghetti Sauce (maybe slightly more
3 Cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 lb sausage or hamburger
1 package pepperoni

1) Preheat oven to 350 and grease/spray 2 qt casserole or 9x13 pan.
2) Layer 1: Just enough sauce to cover the bottom.  Layer 2: 1/2 of cooked noodles.  Layer 3: 1/2 of ground meat.  Layer 4: 1/2 of remaining sauce.  Layer 5: 1/2 of cheese.  Layer 6: Rest of ground meat. Layer 7: Rest of sauce.  Layer 8: Rest of cheese.  Layer 9: Top with pepperoni.
3) Cover and bake for 30.  Remove the cover and back for 15 additional minutes.
4) Let sit for 10 minutes and serve and enjoy!

Lemon Cookies

I LOVE lemon.  I am always looking for new lemon recipes.  This one is a very fast, simple, and basic lemon cookie recipe.  They taste SO yummy, too.

Here is what you need:

1/2 Cup Butter, softened

1 Cup Sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp lemon zest

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 Cup flour

1/2 Cup powdered sugar

1) Preheat oven to 350 and spray/grease cookie sheets.

2) Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add the egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  Whip it together.  Add the dry ingredients except the powdered sugar.  Mix until moist.

3) Put the powdered sugar on a plate or platter.  Form the dough into balls (I used a tablespoon cookie drop) and roll each dough in the powdered sugar.  Place on a cookie sheet.

4) Bake for 9-11 minutes until the bottoms are just starting to brown.

Like I said, I used the tablespoon cookie dropper and ended up with 20 cookies.  I would definitely double the recipe if I use that scoop again.  I also did not actually measure the lemon zest or juice.  I LOVE lemon, so when I make them again and choose not to measure, I will be adding more zest and juice.  I do not know if what the recipe calls for is sufficient.

RJ's Thomas the Train Blanket

I finally made a blanket that will stay in our house. I found this super cute Thomas the Train fabric back in March or April. There wasn't enough of it to do an entire blanket with it so I put it back on the shelf. Rj saw it and pulled it off the shelf and would not set it down. Well, I finally decided that there was enough that I could use it as a "base" so I bought it. I finally didn't have any orders so I was able to sew a twin size blanket for rj.

I LOVE the way it turned out. Rj loves it too...the trick now is to make it "disappear" without him missing it until his birthday. :)

Lemon Zucchini Bread

Anyone you has every grown zucchini knows that it grows like a weed and that there is more than enough to go around an entire neighborhood.  Hands down, my favorite thing with zucchini is either zucchini bread or zucchini carrot muffins.  So, I am always on the watch for new recipes to try with my zucchini. 
This recipe is so GOOOOOOD....it combines a lemon bread and zucchini bread into Lemon Zucchini Bread.  It may not be a combination that one would think "normal" but it was so yummy, and I am happy to have another zucchini usage.

Here is what you need:
2 Cups Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Oil
2/3 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon (I personally am going to use 2 next time, BUT I LOVE lemon)
1 Cup grated zucchini

1) Blend together eggs, oil, sugar, buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest.  Then add zucchini and mix well.
2) Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until blended but do not over mix.
3) Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then on wire rack.
4) Make glaze and drizzle over top (optional).

Lemon Glaze
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
Juice of 1 Lemon

Greek Pasta Salad

I came across this very simple yet very yummy salad recipe.  It is a combination of a pasta salad and a green tossed salad.  It was so yummy!!!!

Here is what you need to make this awesomeness:

1 box Caesar Pasta Salad (or you can just use regular pasta if you already have your own favorite Caesar recipe)

1/4 Cup Water

3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

4 Cups Romaine lettuce (um, yeah, I don't really measure that)

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 small cucumber, diced

1/2-1 green pepper, diced

4 oz Feta Cheese

sm can of sliced olives

Croutons

-Cook the pasta and rinse with cool water to cool it down.  Mix the Caesar seasoning from the pasta salad with the water and vegetable oil.

-If you are NOT going to serve immediately, only mix in pasta, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and olives.  Then chill until 15 minutes before serving at which time add the lettuce, Feta, and croutons.  Toss to evenly distribute.  If you ARE going to serve immediately, add the remaining ingredients and pasta and toss to evenly distribute.

Side note: I personally have not added chicken to this, but I personally think that grilled chicken seasoned with herbs would be absolutely DELISH sliced up added in this, and then you could have a complete meal :)

Springtime Mother's Day gift blanket

A very wonderful friend asked me to make a blanket for her so that she could give it to her mother for a Mother's Day gift. She said that her mother liked pastels. The following is what I came up with. I LOVE it and the "Spring" feeling to it. There is a close up and an overview picture of it.

The finished size would be considered a "throw size" blanket and I, obviously, finished it with the rag look.  Like the previous "Cowboys" blanket, I used batting as a center to each square.  I thoroughly enjoyed making this gorgeous blanket!

PS...The pictures do not even begin to do the awesome colors justice. :)

"Cowboys" themed blanket

A really good friend of mine from high school requested a "blue king sized blanket" and then later added to his request "can you make a Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Red Wings block?" I was all maybe. Well due to finding supplies, we decided to scrap the Red Wings and just go with the Cowboys, SO...the blanket was born. I LOVE it!

As stated, the finished size is a king and I ended up with 5 Dallas Cowboys blocks (1 in each corner and 1 in the center).  In the top left corner Cowboys block, I stitched in a date that is very significant to my friend and his girlfriend.  Each block has batting sewn into it to make it a "heavier" lightweight blanket.

Sierra Bagley's blanket

So, this blanket was supposed to be a queen size and ended up being a king. I used the "cascading" reversible style for the pattern but we chose to do only one color on the back.

I finished this blanket about a month ago but Sierra's birthday wasn't until today, so I can finally post pictures of it!

This has been my absolute favorite blanket to sew partly because I LOVE her and her family to pieces but mostly because I LOVE the colors!

So here are some photos of the overview, a close up, and one with Sierra receiving it-which I don't get recipient photos often :-)

Chore Chart

I have been wanting to make a chore chart for RJ forever. So I spent a little bit of time on Pinterest looking at different ideas. I knew I wanted something with pictures. Even though some are not age appropriate yet for him, I LOVE the way it turned out and the simplicity of it!

South of the Border Sandwiches

These were SOOO yummy and different for a sandwich. They had a little more "prep work" than a normal sandwich would take which I was not thrilled about, but the end result was worth it!

Here's what you need.
1 loaf French Bread, sliced in about 1' slices (I used about 1/2 a loaf for 2 of us)
1/2 cup chopped olives
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Mayo
1/3 cup Sour Cream
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
Sliced turkey (deli, leftover, or lunch meat)
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
2 ripe avocados, sliced
shredded or sliced cheese

1) Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, combine olives, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Mix well and set aside about 2 Tbsp of this mixture. To the remaining olive mixture in the bowl, add the mayo, sour cream, and green onions. Mix well.
2) Place sliced bread onto a cookie sheet. Spread each slice with the mayo mixture. Top with sliced turkey, tomato, and avocado. Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese or place sliced cheese on top. Finally, top each slice with some of the reserved 2 Tbsp olive mixture.
3) Bake for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

No Bake Energy Bites

Basically, these are a "granola" ball. I was leery of them when I came across the recipe, but I really liked them. I usually ate one either right after a run when I would be hungry or mid-afternoon when the "snackies" started to bother me. I am not sure if they gave me more "energy" but they were definitely more filling than most snacks I would normally reach for, so that is a bonus for me...and of course the other "approval" test is whether RJ likes them, which he did!

Super easy and fast:
1 Cup oats
1 Cup coconut
1/2 Cup chocolate chips
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup ground flax seed
1/3 Cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

1) Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Let chill in refrigerator about 30 minutes.
2) Roll into whatever size ball you want (mine were about golf ball size). Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a bout a week.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

So YUMMY!!! Thank you Pinterest for giving me a Chinese Food dish that I like! Oh and the 3 year-old at my house LOVED it too!

For the Chicken:
3 to 4 chicken breasts, cubed
salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch (I used maybe 1/2-3/4 cup)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 Cup oil

For the Sauce:
3/4 Cup Sugar
4 Tbsp ketchup
1/2 Cup Vinegar
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp garlic salt/powder

1) Preheat oven to 325. Season the chicken with salt and pepper (I just mixed my salt and pepper in with the cornstarch). Place cornstarch in a shallow container and eggs in another. Dip chicken into the cornstarch and coat well. Then dip into the eggs and coat well.
2) Preheat oil in a skillet. Place the egg coated chicken into the heated oil and cook until browned, but not cooked through. Once browned, transfer the chicken to a greased 9x13 pan.
3) Mix all the sweet and sour sauce ingredients together. Pour evenly over the chicken in the 9x13 pan.
4) Bake for one hour, turning the chicken every 15-20 minutes to ensure it gets evenly coated with sauce.Serve with Fried Rice. Delish!!

Newborn Pink Chenille Blanket

I recently finished up my second chenille blanket. Can I just say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way it turned out!?!?! It is WAY cute.
Due to my human error while cutting the fabric, this one turned out slightly smaller than the first chenille blanket that I ever made. It's finished size is about 29.5'x40.5'. Despite that, it is the perfect "snuggle" size or "newborn" size blanket.

This is a close up.And the finished project.

Cheesy Cracker Barrel Brunch Casserole

Another "breakfast for dinner" meal that was super easy and super fast and super yummy! Again, I can take zero credit for this recipe as I am stealing it from Pinterest. We LOVE egg casseroles at our house, but we just don't have time to do actual breakfast meals for breakfast, so we do a LOT of breakfast for dinners. I have also tried a LOT of egg casseroles. This one, for its simplicity, has been the best. RJ had 2 servings!!!! (huge for my non-egg eating boy!)

Here are the basic and simple ingredients:

4 Cups Croutons (your pick on kind)

1/2 Cup diced ham (I honestly eyeballed it)

12 oz sharp Cheddar Cracker Barrel Cheese, shredded (I didn't use...I don't like sharp)

8 Eggs (I used 10)

4 Cups Milk (I used 3 since I used more egg)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp onion salt or powder

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp pepper (I never measure my spices either)

1) Heat oven to 325. Spread croutons in the bottom of a greased 9x13.

2) Evenly scatter diced ham and shredded cheese on top of croutons (which is why I eyeballed the "1/2 cup" stated above)

3) In a mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and the spices and mix. Pour over the croutons, ham, and cheese in pan.

4) Bake for 40-45 minutes until an inserted knife comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes.

5) Serve and enjoy with Salsa and/or additional cheese, if desired.

Makes 8-10 servings

Note: I also think that it would be super easy and yummy to substitute sausage or crumbled bacon in for the ham, or if you are feeling "meaty" do a mix.

Additional Note: I have discovered when I start a blog post on my phone and then finish it on the computer that the formatting does weird things. I have yet to discover if there is a fix for this. I apologize for any oddness in the format of the post.