Feeding My Family and Friends

Snack Time

2011-06-22T14:18:00.004-05:00

I have sweet tooth the size of Texas. My daughter inherited this gene and often times puts me to shame. haha! I've learned not to buy a bunch of junk food at the store because it will be us two chicas that scarf it down. Hubby and son can take it or leave it but my baby girl and I take it and take it when it comes to the sugary stuff.

My latest discovery came from the Schwan's man. Strawberry Cream Fruit Bars!! Yum!! It's only 100 calories and 11 grams of sugar so it's just enough to satisfy that sweet craving and it tastes just like strawberry ice cream.

Way to go, Schwan's!! These 2 sweet girls give it 2 thumbs up!

New Venture

2011-03-24T21:36:00.005-05:00

For those of y'all that aren't on facebook or aren't friends with me on facebook, I'm now an Uppercase Living demonstrator. I mainly signed up so I could get discounts but the more I get involved the more obsessed with it I get! I have so many crafty ideas in my head and I'm constantly thinking of all the possibilities...doctor's offices, dorm rooms, classrooms, wedding gifts, birthday gifts. The list could go on and on!!

My first crafty project required a trip to Goodwill. Imagine that. :)

I found 2 identical black frames for $3.99 each. They were in pretty good shape but had a few scratches on them. After a fresh coat of black paint and a good wipe down on the glass they were ready to go.

The expression "Simple" was one of the freebies I got in my demonstrator kit. I love how it turned out!!!

Before:

After:

This would also be precious if I had "Mr." and "Mrs." to hang in our master bedroom.

Brown paper bag technique

2011-03-17T15:22:00.006-05:00

I saw this technique on a blog I stumbled across the other day and was so impressed by the way it turned out for her that I knew I had to try it somewhere. She did it on her staircase going to her basement. (must not have been a southern gal) For a while now, I've been wanting to do something to the back of my island. Paint is usually my first thought but I decided to try the brown paper bag technique. It was easy peasy! And cheap, too!! I already had the roll of brown paper...I used it to cover the kids' v-day boxes, so all I needed was Elmer's glue, water and clear protectant.

That. Simple.

Before: not a very good picture, sorry!

After: still a little wet from the protective coat

Chair re-do

2011-02-11T20:04:00.006-06:00

I heart Goodwill! You must think outside the box when you are shopping at the second-hand shop and once you do...the possibilities are endless!!

A few weeks ago I found this chair and immediately I knew I NEEDED it! :-)

Before

After

Happy Homemaker

2011-01-27T13:55:00.006-06:00

My daughter is 7 years old and she's the reason for this post. Time is going by so fast, as most of you know! When she was 3 or 4 she would want to help me in the kitchen but I usually shewed her off because I didn't want a big mess or I was in a hurry. Oh, how I wish I could take those days back. She still wants to help but doesn't ask nearly as often. It's so hard to look at the big picture when you're in the moment. I want to raise a christian woman who knows how to cook and enjoys being a homemaker - what was I thinking!! After all, I count it the greatest blessing to be a full time homemaker. The house needs me full time and my kids certainly do.

The saying is true, "if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." If I'm always walking around griping about something or nagging them to do something - nobody is gonna be happy! I've got to do better.

Often times I catch myself being a drill sergeant around here. "Do your homework, clean up your room, don't do that, go brush your teeth - NOW!" I forget to stop and smell the roses. I enjoy being a homemaker, really, I do. I wouldn't trade it for a million dollars. I need to show my daughter the joys of being a mom and wife.

Phil. 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Life lessons

2011-01-27T08:35:00.004-06:00

I'm teaching the infant class at church this quarter and I absolutely love it. I usually have 4 or 5 one year olds and while we don't do a standard lesson we sing our little hearts out. A few weeks ago, while we were singing "This Little Light of Mine" I thought to myself, "I really need to take these words to heart." Here I was singing a song that I've sung since I was a toddler and then BAM a wake-up call.

So many times I get caught up in the moment and I don't let MY light shine. We've all been in situations where we could've taken a stand for the truth and didn't or stood up for someone who was being bullied or just gone out of our way for someone and we didn't. Sometimes it's my attitude that gets me in trouble. And believe me, people are watching and listening to you even when you don't realize it.

Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light shine before men, so they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

As the second verse of the song says, "never let the devil blow it out." This week I'm going to work on shining my light and not giving the devil a chance!

Jenny

Shakin' it up

2011-01-26T07:29:00.002-06:00

I've had this overwhelming urge lately to write about much more than just food. I'll still throw in the recipes when something spectacular shows up but this is mostly about being a better me. I'm a Christian, wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. I'm passionate about being a stay-at-home mom and I know this is where God wants me to be. I'm hoping that blogging about spiritual matters, being a happy (and healthy) homemaker and better servant will help keep me on track.

Tomorrow's blog...Lessons from the nursery Bible class! Come back and check it out!

What's for dinner? Poppy seed Chicken

2011-01-18T17:20:00.004-06:00

Poppy Seed Chicken (minus the poppy seeds)

4 chicken breast cooked and shredded

1 can cream of chicken

1 can cream of celery

1 pt. sour cream

1 sleeve ritz crackers, crushed

1 stick butter

If you've never cooked your chicken in the crock pot you must try it. It just falls apart and makes shredding so easy. Cover it with water and put it on low if you need it to cook all day or high if you need it done in 3-4 hours.

Once your chicken is shredded, mix the 2 cans and sour cream together. Pour mixture in 9x13 and top with crushed crackers. Drizzle with butter and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. The original recipe calls for poppy seeds sprinkled on top but I never have them and don't plan on buying them. haha!

What's for dinner? Turkey Pot Pie

2010-11-30T18:16:00.003-06:00

This Thanksgiving I decided to put my big girl pants on and cook a turkey. I've never done that before because the "adults" usually cook it and us "kids" bring the sides. My turkey came out great but we had a ton leftover. Tonight I made turkey pot pie...something else I've never made before. ha ha! I have to say, it was really pretty easy and the hubby gives it a big thumbs up!!

Turkey Pot Pie

1 or 2 cups leftover turkey

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1/2 small onion, chopped

6 or so baby carrots or 2 momma carrots, chopped

1/3 cup flour

1 can chicken broth

1 cup milk

1 pie crust

butter

salt and pepper

Saute the celery, onion, and carrots in the butter until they are tender. Add the flour to the veggies and stir in the chicken broth and milk. Add turkey and salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into casserole dish. I used a medium size pyrex bowl. Lay pie crust on top and flute the edges...as good as you know how. :) Cut 2 or 3 slits in the crust to allow for ventilation. Trim any excess off and bake on a separate baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until the crust is done.

Enjoy!

Dessert Time

2010-11-17T11:37:00.002-06:00

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Bars

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 stick butter, melted

2 cups peanut butter

3 cups rice krispies

16 oz. semi sweet chocolate (I used Hersey's chocolate chips)

Mix powdered sugar, butter, peanut butter, and rice krispies together in a large bowl. Lightly butter a 9 x 13 pan and pour mixture into pan. Smooth out with the back of a spatula. Melt chocolate in your microwave for 15-20 seconds at a time until smooth and runny. Pour chocolate on top of the peanut butter layer and smooth out until every square inch is covered. Refrigerate for an hour or until chocolate hardens. Cut into bars and serve immediately.

You can thank me later. :)

Got Chaos?

2010-10-11T10:55:00.003-05:00

If your family is anything like my family then you need all the short cuts and organization you can find. Between piano lessons on Monday, soccer practice on Tuesday, Bible class on Wednesday I'm looking anything that will make my life easy. My Food Saver has become a very good friend of mine. I buy 5 lbs. of ground beef at a time and set aside one day to cook it. I just eyeball a pound at a time and brown it then let it cool and package it up. Throw them in the freezer until the day comes when I realize at 4:30 that I have no clue what's for dinner. You can either defrost it in a pot of boiling water (like a bag of rice) or throw it in a skillet on low heat. At this point, you can add taco seasoning, spaghetti sauce, bbq and ketchup or put it in a casserole.

Also, if you're into buying your meat in bulk (which is usually wayyy cheaper) try different marinades and package your leftovers up for later in the week or month.

I love my Food Saver!!

What's for dinner? Quick and Easy Veggie Soup

2010-09-08T11:53:00.002-05:00

Quick and Easy Vegetable Soup

1 lb. ground beef, browned

1 can sliced carrots, drained

1 can green beans, drained

1 can tomato sauce

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 cup water

dash of chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper

Put everything in a big stock pot and let simmer for 30-45 minutes. I told you it was quick and easy. :) Enjoy!

What's for dinner? Turkey Meatloaf

2010-08-26T19:51:00.002-05:00

Body for Life Turkey Meatloaf

1 lb. lean ground turkey

1 onion, chopped

4 egg whites

1 cup salsa

3/4 cup quick oats, uncooked

1 sm. package italian seasoning

1/2 cup ketchup

In a large mixing bowl, combine everything except ketchup. Press mixture into 9 x 5 loaf pan and spread ketchup over the top. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. This serves 6 so once this is finished baking, go ahead and slice the whole thing. This will help with portion control. :)

You could make this up ahead of time and put in the fridge uncooked. When you get home from your crazy busy day just turn the oven on and it'll be done in no time.

I pair this with mashed red potatoes and green beans. I'll share my green bean recipe another day. YUM!

What's for dinner? Turkey Burgers

2010-08-24T16:44:00.003-05:00

Ground turkey

1 onion

sliced cheddar cheese

Sandwich rounds

Everyone knows how to make a burger but too many people are putting way too many "extras" on them. Season with herbs and onions for a low fat/low calorie meal. I usually grate half the onion to put in the meat, 1 or 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, and onion powder. Then I saute the other half of the onion to put on my patty once it's cooked.

An adult should have 25g. of carbs per meal so if you choose to eat the bread - skip the chips. Or if you're like me and like a little crunch with your burger, just eat the meat and splurge on baked chips. Remember to not eat the whole bag and keep in mind that you'll be eating again in 3 hours. :)

What's for dinner? Taco Pasta

2010-08-23T13:44:00.002-05:00

New start, New school, New YOU!

This is a Body for Life recipe and can be found in Eating for Life cookbook. It's one of our favs - the kids even ask for it.

8 oz. rotini pasta

1 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp. Taco seasoning mix

4 Tbsp. salsa

4 Tbsp. sour cream

4 Tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese

Prepare pasta according to its package directions.

While pasta is cooking, brown beef until no longer pink. Add water and taco seasoning to beef. Simmer until it thickens, stirring occasionally.

You can either combine the sour cream and salsa or leave them separate. I leave them separate because the kids don't like salsa.

Once beef is ready and pasta is cooked, mix together in one pan.

This is 4 servings so divide it up in 4 bowls and top with sour cream, salsa, and cheese.

This is a balanced meal with a portion of carbs and a portion of protein. Enjoy!!

Tips and Tricks

2010-08-11T10:25:00.003-05:00

If you're like me, it's easy to become overwhelmed by all the hype about nutrition. I'm not completely organic nor do I plan to be. Little changes and baby steps can make a big difference. Take for instance, Yoplait Yogurt. Yoplait now has a Simply GoGurt that is free from artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners. Woo hoo!!!

Another yogurt tip, don't buy flavored yogurt because it is stacked with sugar. Buy plain yogurt and add vanilla flavoring, honey, or even a spoon full of sugar would be better than the 38 grams they have packed in per serving. Our favorite is plain yogurt, dash of cinnamon, sliced strawberries, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 1/2 packet of stevia.

Fruit Salad - a new twist

2010-07-07T08:50:00.004-05:00

Fruit Flag Salad

2 cans (8oz. each) pineapple tidbits in juice

2 bananas, sliced

3 pints fresh strawberries

2 pints fresh blueberries

Cool Whip

Drain pineapple, reserving juice in small bowl. Pat the pineapple dry with paper towel. Toss bananas in pineapple juice; drain well. Reserve 15 - 20 strawberries for flag stripes and cut into quarters. Reserve a handful of blueberries for the stars.

Slice strawberries and mix with all the other fruit. Pour fruit in a 9 x 13 dish and cover with Cool Whip. Arrange blueberries and strawberries to resemble an American flag.

This is a variation of a Pillsbury recipe and since I forgot to take a picture of mine I'm using theirs. :)

What's for dinner?

2010-05-05T13:09:00.004-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen! This might be the easiest dinner I've ever made and maybe the yummiest BBQ I've ever had. This is slow cooker meal so go get it out!!

Barbecued Beef

3 pounds boneless chuck roast

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 Tblp. Dijon-sytle mustard

1 Tblp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Sandwich buns if desired

Place chuck roast in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour BBQ sauce mixture over chuck roast. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or 4 to 5 hours on high. The meat will shred with a fork when done cooking.

Enjoy!!

Snack of the Day

2010-03-21T16:02:00.004-05:00

Cinnamon Apples

1 Granny Smith apple

cinnamon

1 tsp. stevia or sugar

1 tsp. butter

Core, peal and slice the apple. Layer in a small microwavable dish and spread butter across the top layer. Sprinkle cinnamon and stevia or sugar. Microwave for 2 and half minutes or until tender.

Total calories: about 100

Lunch Break

2010-03-03T12:52:00.002-06:00

Black Bean Chicken Salad

1 cup cooked, chopped chicken

2 large spoonfuls salsa

1/3 c. shredded Jack cheese

1/2 c. drained and rinsed black beans

For this recipe, I used Tyson frozen fajita chicken strips and Pace Picante sauce. I thawed the chicken in the microwave and tossed everything together. YUM!

I toasted 1 slice of Oroweat Sandwich Rounds and ate it open faced. This would be great with rice or crackers.

The recipe serves 2 and each serving is only 170 calories!! Can't beat that!

What's for dinner?

2010-02-01T11:37:00.003-06:00

Salsa Chicken over Baked Potato

2 chicken breast

1/2 jar of salsa

2 russet potatoes

Put chicken in crock pot and pour salsa over it. Cook on low 5-6 hours.

Rub potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook in oven at 350 for 2-3 hours.

When chicken is finished cooking, shred with a fork and serve over baked potato.

You could substitute rice or noodles for baked potato.

5 can Soup

2010-01-06T08:48:00.002-06:00

5 Can Soup

3 cans Progresso Minestrone Soup (low sodium)

1 can Rotel

1 can Ranch Style Beans

Plus 1 can water

This is an open-it-up-and-dump-it-in kind of soup. By adding the ranch style beans and rotel you can't tell this was from a can. This easily feeds 6-8 people for way under $10. I usually take some out for my kids before I add the rotel...I don't want any excuses to not eat dinner!

Breakfast of Champions

2009-12-11T21:06:00.004-06:00

Sausage Balls

1 lb. Owens Breakfast Sausage

1 bag (2 cups) shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup pancake mix (I used walmart brand)

You gotta get your hands dirty on this one. Take your jewelry off and use the best 2 tools you have in your kitchen. Once mixed, roll into pecan size balls and place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Snack of the Day

2009-07-22T17:06:00.004-05:00

Raspberries!

I have been on a fruit kick lately and raspberries are at the top of my list. Not too sweet or too sour. Just wash and eat. What a perfect snack!

Lunch Break

2009-06-04T15:25:00.005-05:00

Chicken Salad

1 large can of chicken. I prefer all white meat but whatever you like is fine.

2 heaping tablespoons of sweet relish

3 or 4 scoops of mayo - about 3 tablespoons

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mash chicken and stir in other 2 ingredients.

Possible add-ins:

chopped pecans, sliced grapes or chopped apples

What's for dinner?

2009-06-03T17:43:00.009-05:00

Breakfast for Dinner

I usually try to have breakfast for dinner on Wednesdays. That's what we had growing up and I like the tradition.

Tonight's menu:

Egg and Sausage Casserole

1 lb. breakfast sausage

4 slices of bread, crust cut off

6 eggs

1 cup shredded cheese

1 cup milk

1 tsp. salt

I forgot the milk in this picture. Sorry!

Brown your sausage.

Whisk together eggs, cheese, milk, bread and salt.

Once sausage is cooked, mix with egg mixture and pour into 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Easy peasy!

To make it more interesting, use cookie cutters to make designs instead of cutting plain ol' squares.

Serve with biscuits and jelly! Yummy!

Snack of the Day

2009-05-20T15:33:00.005-05:00

Homemade Popsicles

Who doesn't like a popsicle? We go through a lot of them during the summer but this year will be a little bit different. Instead of feeding my kids the sugar-filled, tie-dyed junk pops I'll be serving my version of the cool treat.

Yogurt Pops

1/2 cup Plain Yogurt, full fat (low fat and fat free usually have added sugar)

5 Frozen Strawberries or berries of your choice

1 Tbsp. Honey

1/4 cup milk

Plastic popsicle holder thingy (I bought mine at Wal Mart for about $2)

Put everything in blender and pour in holder and freeze.

(as you can see in the picture, we couldn't wait for them to freeze so we had a smoothie)

I've also used Capri Sun Waters and that was a hit! 1 pouch made 3 popsicles...how cheap is that?!

Lunch Break

2009-05-18T10:15:00.004-05:00

I call it a TAC roll up.

2 slices Turkey lunch meat

1/2 Avocado, mashed

1 slice of cheddar Cheese

This portion size makes a great lunch or you can half it to make a snack.

Assemble like so

Roll up and enjoy!

Snack of the Day

2009-05-17T16:04:00.004-05:00

Today I'm snacking on my new favorite thing...

Cream cheese, all fruit spread, and triscuits!! Yum!

I just learned about all fruit spreads. If you've never bought any before I suggest that you try it. It is a great alternative to sugar-filled jelly. What I'm eating today is Polaner brand strawberry spread.

What's for dinner?

2009-05-14T18:28:00.008-05:00

Pecan Crusted Chicken

6 chicken tenders

1 stick butter

5 oz. pecan halves

Blend pecan halves until it resembles a coarse meal - just enough for it to stick to the chicken but you still recognize the pecans. Unless you have a picky eater that doesn't like pecans in which case blend it as much as you want!

Melt your butter.

Dip chicken is butter and then roll in pecan meal to coat and place on baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 35 minutes or until chicken is done. How easy was that?

While that is baking saute half an onion and 2 yellow squash.

I added some fresh green beans and ta-da!

Dinner is served

2009-05-14T09:46:00.000-05:00

With the encouragement from some friends, I finally have a little spot in the blogging world. My goal is to bring you easy, cheap, and most importantly, kid friendly recipes and ideas. Having two small children of my own, I know first hand the challenges many moms face when it comes to feeding our families.