Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Honey, Pecans, and Chicken

Great Tastes Tuesday is here and I have a recipe for you! This is my favorite of the week; a different and tasty way to cook your chicken!
Hope you enjoy!


Ingredients:

1 cup Bread Crumbs
1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
1 cup Crushed French's French Fried Onions (optional)
1 1/2 tsp. Seasoned Salt
1/3 cup Honey Mustard
1/3 cup Melted Butter
3-4 lbs. Chicken Pieces, skinned

Directions:

1. Mix your bread crumbs, nuts, crushed fried onions and seasoned salt in a bowl and set aside.
2. Combine the mustard with melted butter in  a small bowl. Brush the mixture on the chicken pieces.
3. Dip the chicken pieces into the nut mixture; press firmly to coat. Place the chicken in a well greased pan.
4. Bake chicken at 250 degrees for 1 hours or until the chicken isn't pink. Enjoy! Serve with honey mustard for dipping.



Monday, April 29, 2013

Mexican Minestrone

Here is a great tasting soup that I made the other day! It has a great Mexican taste to it and I serve it up with cheese quesidilla's. Great for dinner!


Mexican Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

2 15 oz. can of Black Beans, Rinsed and drained
2 14 1/2 oz. Can Mexican style Stewed Tomatoes
2 14 oz. Can of Vegetable Broth
1 15 oz. can Whole Kernel Corn, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz. can Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups diced skinned potatoes
2 cups frozen cute green beans
1 cup Salsa
Sour Cream

Directions:

In a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker combine drained black beans, undrained tomatoes, broth, corn, garbanzo beans, potatoes, frozen green beans, and salsa.

Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 9 to 11 hours or on high-heat setting for 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours. Serve with sour cream. Makes 12 servings. (You can cut this recipe in half)

Friday, April 26, 2013

Link Party #2

Invite A Guest Friday 4/26/2013

Here is our Guest for Invite A Guest Friday!
I love this post! It is so fun and so great to see other peoples ideas out there! This is a tutorial on making a Quiet Book! Go check more out at

Covers:
I made these last, and I must admit - they are mostly for myself.  I was inspired by THIS quilt a long time ago and have been dying to try out the technique for awhile now.  I figured the extra texture would be perfect for my cover.  Next time I will use higher quality flannel, though.  I think it will fray better.


Name Pages:
Those Ns and Xs were especially hard to sew by machine.  Too bad each of my kids has one in their names!  :)  I also added ribbon to the zippers to make them easier to grab.


Shapes:
I added a tiny bit of batting to the shapes to make them a little puffier. 

I used Pellon extra firm non-fusible interfacing for my pages (copying "Serving Pink Lemonade"). 

Barn:
I was mostly inspired by THIS barn.  Pattern for this page can be found HERE.  Those are little finger puppets hiding inside. 


Houses:
I was going to make up my own house, but then I ended up copying THIS one because I liked it the best.  The windows and doors open up to reveal a member of our family.


Beads:
This one was the simplest page to make.  Just slide the beads on the ribbon.  Inspiration HERE.

I-Spy:
I came up with this one all on my own!  I didn't want to buy special vinyl just for this project, especially since I only needed a tiny amount, so I made my own using packing tape!  It didn't hold up to the sewing machine on round one, so I tried again using liberal amounts of hot glue.
It's filled with rice, 3D stickers of woodland creatures and cars (with tape on the back to keep them from sticking to things), beads, and some buttons.
p.s. What does that shape look like to you?  It's supposed to by a magnifying glass, but I suppose a backwards Q (for "question") would work too...

Tree:
Inspiration/Pattern found HERE.  Luckily, I didn't have to sew that tree down, thanks to my Heat N Bond.  :)

There are pieces in the pocket for...
Spring

Summer

Fall

and Winter (The snow clumps were my own addition.  Around here our trees aren't just bare in the winter, they are heavy laden with snow.)

Rocket:
Inspired by THIS post (pattern included).  I considered making THIS one, but decided against it.  The rocket slides along the ribbon.

Tiffany at http://sewinsomethin.blogspot.com/2013/03/quiet-books.html Fish:
I think my original inspiration for the fish was THIS post, and then THIS one.
I originally made the fish with felt, but the magnet wasn't strong enough to work through the thick layers.  The fish were much harder to sew with regular cotton fabric, but they work!



Robot:
Original inspiration HERE.  Although I really wish I could have made something like THIS.
The arms/legs are elastic, and the gears turn.  The hubby says this looks more like a monster.  What do you think?


And finally, the backs.  I just sewed two pieces of flannel onto the back of my last page.
Peak Hour Cars

and some of my last bits of Letters

I attached the pages by sewing them together back to back and then punching holes in them (HARD to do through three layers of flannel!) for a ribbon tie.

We've tried these out a few times and so far they are working nicely!  The boys seem to like the name pages and the house pages the best.  Thanks for visiting!

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Easy, Fun Power Snacks for Children!


Here are some fun healthy snacks for your children and even you! Fast and Easy to Make! 

Turkey Tortilla

Place deli turkey, low-fat mozzarella, and lettuce on a whole wheat tortilla. Roll tightly, seal, and refrigerate. Cut into 1-inch slices.
turkey tortilla rolls

Sweet Smoothie

Blend a banana with one cup nonfat milk and two tablespoons cocoa powder. You can add variety by mixing in other fruits, yogurt, and peanut butter.

Fruit Kabobs

Place melon chunks, pineapple wedges, and grapes (sliced in half if your child is under 4) on an ice-pop stick, alternating fruit with small cubes of low-fat string cheese. Use yogurt for dipping.



Wednesday, April 24, 2013

10 Health Benefits of Yogurt


I love yogurt! It can taste good any time of the day.

So when I saw this article I thought it was fun and that I would share it for my Healthy Wednesday Tip for the week. 
Here are 10 benefits that come from eating yogurt! 
1. Yogurt can give you flat abs. 
Eat 18 ounces a day and you can drop a jeans size. People who ate that much -- in conjunction with cutting their total calories -- lost 22 percent more weight and 81 percent more belly fat than dieters who skipped the snack, according to research from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. 
2. Most brands of yogurt contain good-for-you bacteria.
The words "live and active cultures" on the container mean that your yogurt has probiotics, beneficial bugs that live in your digestive tract and help crowd out harmful microorganisms that can cause intestinal infections. (Only a very small number of companies put yogurt through a post-pasteurization process that kills off all bacteria.)
3. Yogurt is loaded with vitamins.
One serving is a significant source of potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin, iodine, zinc, and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid). Yogurt also contains B12, which maintains red blood cells and helps keep your nervous system functioning properly. 
4. A cup of yogurt a day can help you recover faster after a workout.
With the right ratio of protein to carbohydrates, yogurt, particularly high-protein Greek yogurt, makes an excellent post-sweat-session snack. "The perfect time to grab a container is within 60 minutes of exercise," says Keri Gans, RD, a nutritionist in New York City. The protein provides the amino acids your muscles need to repair themselves, Gans explains, and the carbohydrates replace your muscles' energy stores, which are depleted after a hard workout.
5. Not all yogurt is equal when it comes to calcium and vitamin D.
Since it naturally contains calcium, you'd think the amount would be the same no matter which yogurt you pick. Wrong. "The levels can vary widely from brand to brand, so you really need to check the label.
6. Yogurt may prevent high blood pressure.
Every day 70 percent of us consume more than twice the recommended amount of salt; over time that can lead to hypertension and kidney and heart disease. The potassium in yogurt, almost 600 milligrams per eight ounces, may help flush some of the excess sodium out of your body.
7. A daily serving of yogurt keeps colds away.
Dig into four ounces each day and you may find yourself sniffle-free in the months ahead, according to a study at the University of Vienna. Women eating this amount had much stronger and more active T cells, which battle illness and infection, than they did before they started consuming it. 
8. Yogurt can help your smile.
Despite its sugar content, yogurt doesn't cause cavities. When scientists at Marmara University in Turkey tested low-fat, light, and fruit flavors, they found that none of them eroded tooth enamel, the main cause of decay. The lactic acid in yogurt appears to give your gums protection as well. 
9. Raw doesn't mean better.
Virtually all the yogurt in your grocery store has been pasteurized -- that is, exposed to high temperatures to kill any harmful pathogens. Raw-dairy fans claim that unpasteurized milk, yogurt, and cheese are better for you because they contain more health-boosting bacteria, but pasteurization doesn't destroy beneficial probiotics, Newgent explains. Plus, studies show that those who eat raw yogurt don't have stronger immune or digestive systems than people who stick to the pasteurized stuff. And raw-dairy products carry a risk of food poisoning. "E. coli and salmonella are two of the pathogens that can lurk in these foods and end up in your body," Newgent says.
10. Yogurt is a high-protein food.
Yogurt can be an excellent source of protein, but "one variety may contain more than double the protein of another," Blatner says. . If you're eating it for the protein, look for brands that provide at least eight to 10 grams per serving.




Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Pico de Gallo

My Great Taste for the Week is up!
Pico de Gallo! One of the best tasting add-on's when you order anything Mexican!
I love Pico de Gallo and I always have to ask for extra!
It is so quick and easy to make too! Only 10 minutes to make.
Add to any great Mexican dish you make - Make it tonight!

Ingredients:
3 Large Diced Tomatoes
1/2 Onion Diced
1 Lemon with all the juice squeezed out
1 tsp. Salt
1 Bunch of Cilantro
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 Jalapeno (Optional)
Avocado (Optional)
Cucumber (Optional)

Directions: 

1. Wash tomatoes and cilantro.
2. Dice tomatoes, onions, chop cilantro, and the optional ingredients (jalapeno, avocado, cucumber)
3. Put ingredients in a bowl.
4. Add salt, garlic, the juice of half a lemon. Mix it up and serve.

*Note: You can roast your tomatoes for great flavor.
heat up a frying pan or skillet on medium high. Place whole tomatoes in the cookware and toast the outside of it until the skin begins to break and split apart. remove from heat and continue with step two.

Also, if you prefer smooth salsa as opposed to chunky just put all this good stuff in the blender.

Monday, April 22, 2013

The Best Pork Loin Ever

Who likes pork loin?
Or who doesn't like pork loin because it is always too dry?
This is the perfect way to cook your loin.
It tastes so good and juicy and it will never be dry.
My husband was raised and still works on a pig farm.
He has been around pork for a long time and this is his most favorite way to cook loin. 
I have never tasted anything from a pig that was better! Try it!
Simple ingredients that bring out the best flavor! 


Ingredients:
Pork Loin (without the bone)
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper (in a pepper grinder)

Directions:
Set your barbecue grill on medium high. Cut your pork loin into 1 inch slices so  they are about the size of a steak or little smaller. Place your meat on the grill and start cooking. Add your salt and pepper. The sea salt really brings out the taste in the pork and lots of pepper just makes it even more delicious! Grill your loin just until the point that it is almost done. 

When you can still see just a tiny bit of pink pull the loin off and stick it in a Tupperware container. Let it sit in there for about 10 minutes. Having your meat closed off in this container makes it finish cooking itself.

If you leave your meat on too long until it will loose all the flavor being too done. Note: You can also so this same thing with tenderloin. 

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Party #1 Share it With Us Saturdays! Starts every Friday night 8:30 p.m. mountain time and runs all weekend!

Friday, April 19, 2013

Guest Friday with Christine!

I am excited to announce my Guest today for my Invite A Guest Fridays!
This is from Christine over at I Dig Pinterest and I Did It Too!
She is letting me post here wonderful cupcake recipe that looks delicious!
Visit her today! Her blog is awesome!


The Very Best Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Filled Cupcake Option

 I'm not a big fan at all of cakes made from the box.  So whenever I make a chocolate sheet cake, I reach for my Grandma's Chocolate Buttermilk recipe.  It makes a cupcake/cake with substance...one which isn't airy and doesn't crumble and fall apart like the mixes seem to, and it's chocolatey-good to boot!

The Hostess Cupcake uses the Chocolate Buttermilk batter as a base and then adds a tasty cream cheese/chocolate chip filling, and is topped with rich chocolate buttercream frosting. It's a chocolate-lover's delight!  Next to the St. Patrick's Day Cupcake , they are some of the best cupcakes I've bitten into.



{CHOCOLATE BUTTERMILK CAKE}

2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 c. cocoa
2 t. soda
1 c. oil
1/2 t. salt
1 c. boiling water

For the cake base, stir together dry ingredients.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together wet ingredients (except buttermilk and boiling water).  Add dry to wet and mix until combined.
In small increments, pour boiling water and buttermilk into the mixture, alternating and mixing between.

Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 32-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 


{HOSTESS CUPCAKES FILLING}

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened, but not melted
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
dash of salt
6 oz. package chocolate chips

If making cupcakes, line muffin tins with cupcake papers and fill 2/3 full with batter.  Mix together cream cheese, sugar, egg, and salt.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Add a scant spoonful of cream cheese filling on top of the batter and bake at 350 degrees for around 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.


{CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING}

1/2 c. butter
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 heaping spoonfuls natural, unsweetened baking cocoa (I love Hershey's)
Add just a little milk at a time and mix until it is a creamy consistency, perfect for frosting!

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Best Ever Stove-Top Granola

Try this granola recipe! 
It tastes amazing!
I made it last night and my husband and I almost ate it all!
This is a smaller recipe so if you want it larger double or triple it.
Also, I wasn't feeling raisin's so instead I added about 1/4 cup each of chopped up walnuts, coconut, and chopped up chocolate chips. 
This was to die for!
Easy, fast recipe to try!

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. Butter
3 Tbsp. Milk
1/4 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp. Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Raisin's
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
2-3 cups Quick Oats

Directions:
Melt the butter. Stir in the milk and sugars. Bring to a boil and continue stirring for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla. Stir in the oats to a desired texture.

For crispy granola, spread on a cookie sheet and broil for 3-4 minutes in the oven. For chocolate chip granola, substitute the chocolate for the raisin's. 

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Great Taste for April 16th


Here is the Great Taste for Today on my Great Tastes Tuesday!

Homemade Chocolate Frosty's are the best! Try this great recipe!


INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.Copy-Cat Wendy's Frosty!  Only 3 ingredients and tastes extremely close to the real thing!

Monday, April 15, 2013

14 Ways to Encourage Kindness in Your Children


Right now I am in the middle of starting my family and raising my own children. Being a parent and mother is one of the greatest things. But, you don't learn how to be a parent overnight! That is for sure! 
I am always trying to read things and do things that will help me become a better parent. But while doing this I always think of what I can do to help my children become good people; someone that others will look up to as great people in their communities.
I ran across this article and thought it had some great points. If I can teach my children how to simple be kind people and help their neighbors I will be happy! Hope you enjoy these 14 point!
I have highlighted in red some lines that I think are extra great!

Great thinkers from Martin Luther King Jr. to the Dalai Lama to my daughter, Addison, all have had something to say about the importance of helping others. The civil-rights leader stated, "Life's most persistent and nagging question is 'What are you doing for others?'" The soft-spoken spiritual leader called doing good deeds "our prime purpose." And my 12-year-old put it this way: "Helping feels good because it's nice for the other person and for you."
Smart words. And as it turns out, kids are actually hardwired to be considerate and kind. "The desire to help is innate," says David Schonfeld, MD, director of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. And their sense of doing good develops as they grow. "At first, children like to help others because it helps them get what they want. Next, they do so because they get praise. Finally, they begin to anticipate the needs of others, and it becomes intrinsically rewarding to do nice things for people in their lives."
Bottom line: Kids want to help. And as parents, it's our job to nurture and guide a child's natural inclination to pitch in so it becomes a lifelong habit. "It's important to be a good role model -- children learn to be helpful from watching you," says Dr. Schonfeld. Try out a few of these simple ways to nudge your kid's helping gene.

1. Make helping a family affair.

When a friend gets sick or a local family falls on hard times, grown-ups know what to do. They send flowers, bake casseroles, and pass the collection plate at church. Get your kids involved in these projects. Ask them what they'd like to do to help out, or suggest arranging the bouquet, layering noodles in the lasagna pan, or collecting cans of food. And when you drive over to deliver the gifts, take your kids along. They'll find out firsthand how good it feels to brighten someone's day. This is also a great opportunity to talk about being on the other side of the good-karma equation -- ask them whether they remember when someone did something nice for them and how it made them feel.

2. Share the wealth.

Teach your kids to see the abundance all around them and to think of people to share it with. When your rosebush explodes in bloom, invite your child to snip a few buds and take them to her teachers. Is his shelf overflowing with books? Suggest he donate a box to the library or a local family shelter. Package up leftover soup or cinnamon rolls, and take them to an elderly neighbor.

3. Teach respect for the earth.

Never litter. Even if something drops by mistake, make a point to pick it up. And if you see an old newspaper or a used coffee cup left on a park bench, throw it away. It feels good to take care of a mess you didn't make and weren't "supposed" to clean up.

4. Recycle.

How's this for a double whammy of doing good? Have your child collect and take empty cans and bottles to a recycling center that pays you for what you bring in, then drop the money you make into the donation jar at the supermarket checkout.

5. Assign chores.

Kids should understand that a certain amount of helping is requested and required "just because": just because they're members of the family, just because they live under the same roof, and just because it's the right thing to do. So show them where the cat food is and how to clear the dinner table and make their beds. And keep a chore chart to track and reward the completion of their tasks. Your kids will feel great pride in doing their share.

6. Teach teamwork.

How often have you hosted a play date and been left with what looks like a scene from the movie Twister: dolls and their tiny clothes strewn everywhere, glue and glitter splattered on tables and rugs, juice cups and crumbs all over? When your child is a guest, make sure she helps clean up before she climbs into the minivan. If the host insists it's not necessary, say, "Let us pick up three things and then we'll be on our way." Putting away a few army men or Legos is a great way to practice the art of pitching in.

7. Perform small acts of kindness.

I have a friend who'd had breast cancer. I asked her, "What was the nicest thing anyone did for you when you were sick?" She told me that the mother of one of her daughter's friends packed lunches for her little girl for the entire month after the surgery. This simple gesture meant my friend could take the time to recuperate minus one daily chore. Plus, her daughter enjoyed some new tasty treats in her lunch box.

8. Give your kids rose-colored glasses.

Sometimes, it can seem as if bad news is all around us. Point out to your kids the good things that are happening and the good people who are helping others (I love optimistic people). Cut out newspaper articles about student groups who volunteered to build homes or collect clothes after a natural disaster. This makes your kids feel better about the world they live in and also gets them thinking creatively about ways they can make a difference.

9. Don't criticize their efforts.

Yes, you can get the wet towels off the floor faster, sort the laundry better, and pour the milk without spilling it, but if you take over (or critique too much) it leaves your little helpers feeling inept, unskilled -- and less likely to offer their services again. If you're impatient, you can turn a teachable moment into a missed opportunity. "Kids want to help cook dinner, wash the car, and do the dishes, and, sure, they'll do it slowly and imperfectly at first," says Dr. Schonfeld. You're teaching them that they can make a difference at home. Just imagine how good they'll feel when they step out into the world.

10. Lighten someone's load.

Send your child out to meet the mail carrier on the sidewalk before he or she has to climb your steps or walk up the driveway. Offer a fellow grocery shopper help to the car with her bags. Let someone with less stuff go ahead of you in line at the supermarket.

11. Cheer up a stranger (or a friend).

If you see that your neighbor's newspaper is always getting soaked by the sprinklers, toss it onto her porch. If the guy who drives your bus has been gone for a few days, ask him how he's feeling when he returns. Is a friend sad? Give her a hug. Teaching your kids to notice what's going on in the lives of folks in their own backyard fosters empathy and can inspire them to become keen helpers.

12. Do something that's above and beyond the call of duty.

If your neighbors have lost a pet, call and ask whether they've found their furry friend. If they haven't, you and your child can offer to hang up more signs and keep an eye out for their pal.

13. Give thanks.

Compliment a stranger on her great sweater, say "good morning" to a neighbor, and thank the pizza delivery guy. Sometimes a simple acknowledgment or expression of appreciation is all the boost someone needs to get through the day.

14. Be a good neighbor.

My family lives in an area that was built in the 1940's as a place where returning WWII veterans could buy a first home, settle down, and start a family. Today, many of the houses are still occupied by their original owner, typically an elderly widow. On our street, there are five such women, and a neat thing has happened. Without anyone's suggesting it, the immediate neighbors of each of these ladies have taken to rolling their garbage cans in and out of their garage and to the curb and back every Monday (trash day on our street). We recently joined the ranks of the Croydon Avenue trash-can brigade when the husband of our elderly neighbor passed away. The Monday morning after the funeral, Travis, my 10-year-old, said, "Maybe we should get Ann's cans too." And so now we do. There's probably a group that needs help or a problem to be solved in your own neighborhood. So the next time you see something awry, don't complain. Look at it as an opportunity to get involved. Inspire your kids to find ways to make their corner of the world a brighter place.
Copyright © 2007. Used with permission from the October 2007 issue of Parents magazine.






Article found at: http://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/advice/14-little-ways-to-encourage-kindness/?sssdmh=dm17.646308&esrc=nwpmmdailytip011413

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Chicken Lo Mein

This was featured on Studio 5 the other day so I thought I would try it out. (http://studio5.ksl.com/)
We Loved it!
My husband is not a Chinese food type of guy, but this recipe is definitely family friendly for anyone. I agree that most people will like it.
Also, don't forget it is super fast and easy to make!


Pineapple Chicken Lo Mein

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 T minced fresh gingerroot or 1-1/2 tsp dry ground ginger
  • 3 T canola oil, divided
  • 2 medium carrots, julienned
  • 1 medium green pepper, julienned
  • 8 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained (this can be any kind of spagetti noodles)
  • 3 green onions, sliced
  • 1 T cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup of your favorite teriyaki sauce (I like Soy Vay Very Very Teriyaki)
  • 1 T sesame seeds
  • Cilantro, for garnish- optional

Method:

Drain pineapple, reserving 1/3 cup juice (discarding remaining juice or save for another use); set pineapple aside. In a large skillet, cook the chicken, garlic and ginger over medium heat in 2 tablespoons oil for 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in the carrots, green pepper and pineapple. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in spaghetti and onions.

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, reserved pineapple juice and remaining oil until smooth. Gradually add to chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in teriyaki sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds & fresh cilantro.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home