Over the weekend, we visited T's aunt and uncle in Oklahoma. His aunt loves cooking and made a delicious fruit salad that I really wanted to replicate. She mentioned the dish had both cream cheese and sour cream (say what!?) so I did a quick Google search and found Better Homes and Gardens' recipe using both ingredients. After reading the BHG recipe and seeing yogurt listed as an alternative to sour cream, I immediately decided to switch it up and try it out.
Ingredients:
1 package cream cheese, 8 ounce, fat free
vanilla Greek yogurt, about 10 ounces
1/4 cup brown sugar, Splenda variety
1 tsp vanilla
1-3 tbsp milk
fresh fruit
Directions:
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth with electric mixer. Add yogurt, brown sugar and vanilla and continue to beat. Add milk until mixture meets desired consistency. Refrigerate for one hour before serving. Serve with various fresh fruits.
T and I both were pretty happy with how this turned out. I don't think I beat the cream cheese enough, but T advises he likes the texture it created. Also, we opted to add enough milk for the fruit dip to become a sauce to drizzle over our fruit. Delicious!
12/31/2012
Les Misérables - Movie Review
About a week ago, my future husband T and I Les Misérables. One word: ah-maz-ing.
Les Misérables, a musical based on a French novel, tells the story of Jean Valjean who goes from being a prisoner in a slave camp to being a parole violator who is constantly on the run from Javert and a business man who seeks to help those in need. The most notable person Valjean aids is Fantine who has lost everything and become a prostitute to support her daughter Cosette. While Fantine is on her death bed, Valjean promises to find Cosette and care for her as his own. The story continues with Valjean living under a different name due to his parole violation and Valjean becoming a family to young Cosette. Some time passes and Cosette meets the love her life who is joining a revolution against the French government. Valjean, who is still running from his past life and Javert, offers aid to the revolution and to Cosette's soul mate.
Prior to seeing this wonderful movie, I knew nothing about the storyline. In fact, my fiance described it simply as an opera based during the French revolution. I was most excited about it being a musical as I love, love, love music and theatre-based movies. As we sat in the theatre waiting for the movie to start, I was slightly worried that I didn't know enough about the plot to really enjoy the movie. Luckily, I was wrong!
Stars of the movie include Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried. Of the four, Amanda Seyfriend is the only one I recall hearing sing. But they were fantastic! I was highly impressed by their singing talents and am disappointed when I read reviews that state otherwise. I've since read that the songs were not pre-recorded and dubbed over the film, but instead were filmed live which I find incredibly impressive.
Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe play opposite each other in many scenes. I loved them together and feel they both did an excellent job of portraying their respective characters.
Anne Hathaway, who is winning all sorts of awards and nominations for her role, was stunning. Her transformation from a gainfully employed woman to a poor and destitute prostitue was incredible. She did such a wonderful job expressing the sadness and misery her character was certainly feeling.
Amanda Seyfried is no stranger to musicals having starred in Mama Mia! While Les Misérables was a great undertaking for anyone, Amanda Seyfriend did an amazing job and was definitely an asset to the film. I love her voice and most movies she's been in and am glad this was no different.
Other notable actors include Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter. This is the first movie I've seen Sacha Baron Cohen in. To be honest, I typically avoid movies he in as I always think of Borat and how every clip I saw looked terrible. But together, he and Helena Bonham Carter, brought life to the characaters they played and did an incredible job.
Overall, I would highly recommend this movie. T loved it as did my aunt, uncle and cousins who saw it with us. Although the movie ran longer than I would prefer (two hours, forty-five minutes) and there were some heavily emotional moments, I loved it and will definitely be seeing it again.
Les Misérables, a musical based on a French novel, tells the story of Jean Valjean who goes from being a prisoner in a slave camp to being a parole violator who is constantly on the run from Javert and a business man who seeks to help those in need. The most notable person Valjean aids is Fantine who has lost everything and become a prostitute to support her daughter Cosette. While Fantine is on her death bed, Valjean promises to find Cosette and care for her as his own. The story continues with Valjean living under a different name due to his parole violation and Valjean becoming a family to young Cosette. Some time passes and Cosette meets the love her life who is joining a revolution against the French government. Valjean, who is still running from his past life and Javert, offers aid to the revolution and to Cosette's soul mate.
Prior to seeing this wonderful movie, I knew nothing about the storyline. In fact, my fiance described it simply as an opera based during the French revolution. I was most excited about it being a musical as I love, love, love music and theatre-based movies. As we sat in the theatre waiting for the movie to start, I was slightly worried that I didn't know enough about the plot to really enjoy the movie. Luckily, I was wrong!
Stars of the movie include Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried. Of the four, Amanda Seyfriend is the only one I recall hearing sing. But they were fantastic! I was highly impressed by their singing talents and am disappointed when I read reviews that state otherwise. I've since read that the songs were not pre-recorded and dubbed over the film, but instead were filmed live which I find incredibly impressive.
Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe play opposite each other in many scenes. I loved them together and feel they both did an excellent job of portraying their respective characters.
Anne Hathaway, who is winning all sorts of awards and nominations for her role, was stunning. Her transformation from a gainfully employed woman to a poor and destitute prostitue was incredible. She did such a wonderful job expressing the sadness and misery her character was certainly feeling.
Amanda Seyfried is no stranger to musicals having starred in Mama Mia! While Les Misérables was a great undertaking for anyone, Amanda Seyfriend did an amazing job and was definitely an asset to the film. I love her voice and most movies she's been in and am glad this was no different.
Other notable actors include Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter. This is the first movie I've seen Sacha Baron Cohen in. To be honest, I typically avoid movies he in as I always think of Borat and how every clip I saw looked terrible. But together, he and Helena Bonham Carter, brought life to the characaters they played and did an incredible job.
Overall, I would highly recommend this movie. T loved it as did my aunt, uncle and cousins who saw it with us. Although the movie ran longer than I would prefer (two hours, forty-five minutes) and there were some heavily emotional moments, I loved it and will definitely be seeing it again.
Turkey Tetrazzini
Good evening! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed your holiday celebrations! We had a wonderful Christmas! My brother came home from Las Vegas with his girlfriend and her two sons. We had a fantastic time visiting the zoo, looking at Christmas lights and other holiday celebrations. This past weekend, my fiance and I celebrated the holidays with his family. We also made a traditional turkey dinner. My fiance loves cooking turkey and all the trimmings, but it always leaves us with a ton of leftovers! Solution: Turkey Tetrazzini by Rachael Ray Magazine. Below is a slightly modified version that is easy to make and tastes great!
Ingredients
shredded turkey
garlic salt and pepper
Italian seasoning
6 tablespoons butter
1 tbsp fresh thyme
3 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup grated parmesan
1 package frozen mixed vegetables
bread crumbs
Directions
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating, cook the pasta according to the package directions until just about done. Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add turkey and season with garlic salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Add fresh time and sautee for 2-3 minutes. Transfer turkey to a separate bowl. Next, melt the remaining butter in the skillet. Whisk in flour, milk and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer while you grease a 9x13 inch baking dish, 1-2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and mixed vegetables. Finally, mix pasta, turkey and sauce together and transfer to the prepped backing dish. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Bake approximately 12 minutes until the sauce is bubbly.
12/25/2012
Merry Christmas!
May you all enjoy your time with your family and friends celebrating the Christmas season. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
12/21/2012
Mosaic Love
My fiance and I recently had one of our engagement pictures printed on canvas. I was so excited to hang it, but quickly realized the wall needed something else. I quickly decided a small shelf with something decorative was the way to go. But what would that something decorative be? I decided to head to Hobby Lobby and see what I could find.
Supplies:
Cardboard letters (see photo below) - they're 3D, heavier duty and perfect for decorating
Various sheets of coordinating scrapbook paper
Mod Podge, matte
Sponge brush
Directions:
I first tore off several small pieces of each scrapbook sheet and made a little pile of torn paper. Then I got to work glueing the pieces onto the letters. Modge Podge works as both a glue and a varnish so you want to make sure its both under and over the pieces of paper. Fill in each letter covering as much or as little as you'd like. Finish with one final coat of Modge Podge over the entire project. And voila!
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Supplies:
Cardboard letters (see photo below) - they're 3D, heavier duty and perfect for decorating
Various sheets of coordinating scrapbook paper
Mod Podge, matte
Sponge brush
Directions:
I first tore off several small pieces of each scrapbook sheet and made a little pile of torn paper. Then I got to work glueing the pieces onto the letters. Modge Podge works as both a glue and a varnish so you want to make sure its both under and over the pieces of paper. Fill in each letter covering as much or as little as you'd like. Finish with one final coat of Modge Podge over the entire project. And voila!
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I decided only mosaic the tops and left all of the sides with their natual cardboard color. I did put a coat of Modge Podge for a slight varnish, but wanted the front to really stand out. I also decided that as much as I love these, they didn't fit well with the intended idea. They've now found a home on one of our bookshelves and we used vinyl lettering to finish our canvas instead.
Marinated Mozzarella
This week was our division wide Christmas luncheon at work. With over 250 invited, we needs lots of food. There's always plenty of potatoes, veggies, desserts and other salads, so I signed up to bring an appetizer of some kind. I spent some time browsing online for easy appetizers for hungry crowds and found a recipe for Marinated Mozzarella. Not only was it easy, but it was a crowd pleaser as well!
Ingredients:
18 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 jar green olives
toothpicks
Directions:
Mix olive oil and seasoning. Pour over cubed cheese and let marinate 8-48 hours. Using toothpicks, skewer one green olive and one cheese cube and put on serving platter. Enjoy!
I cubed the cheese and prepped the mixture on a Monday. I wanted to let the cheese have plenty of time to marinate. On Wednesday, when I opened the bowl, I was quite horrified. The chemical reaction of the cheese and olive oil soaking had resulted in a foamy texture of flavored water. Don't worry! I learned that one you have moved the mozzarella from the marination the condensation will disappear. Just allow for some time before serving and all will be well!
Ingredients:
18 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 jar green olives
toothpicks
Directions:
Mix olive oil and seasoning. Pour over cubed cheese and let marinate 8-48 hours. Using toothpicks, skewer one green olive and one cheese cube and put on serving platter. Enjoy!
I cubed the cheese and prepped the mixture on a Monday. I wanted to let the cheese have plenty of time to marinate. On Wednesday, when I opened the bowl, I was quite horrified. The chemical reaction of the cheese and olive oil soaking had resulted in a foamy texture of flavored water. Don't worry! I learned that one you have moved the mozzarella from the marination the condensation will disappear. Just allow for some time before serving and all will be well!
12/18/2012
Easy as Pie Blueberry Banana Cheesecake
So I'm a sucker for desserts. I love looking at them, making them, eating them. I enjoy it all! But my absolute favorite: cheesecake! Enter: Easy as Pie Blueberry Banana Cheesecake. Yum!
Ingredients:
1 package instant cheesecake flavored pudding mix, sugar free
Milk, per pudding instructions
1/2 cup blueberries
1 banana, sliced
Graham Cracker Crust
Lite Cool Whip
Directions:
Make pudding according to the box directions. Before pudding sets, add blueberries and banana slices. Add two spoonfuls of cool whip, if desired. Mix well. Pour into crust and let set for at least an hour in the refrigerator. Serve. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
We enjoyed this delicious dessert last night after letting it set for a couple of hours. I just ate a piece and it was even better as it had set a little longer. I imagine this would be good with any fruit, chocolate chips or anything ingredients you would normally use with cheesecake. With it being winter, its more difficult to find fresh fruit, but I managed. My fiance advises he would like the pudding just as much by itself as he did in cheesecake form. I like the textural difference with the fruit and crust added in. Either way: delicious and easy! Two of my favorite things!
Ingredients:
1 package instant cheesecake flavored pudding mix, sugar free
Milk, per pudding instructions
1/2 cup blueberries
1 banana, sliced
Graham Cracker Crust
Lite Cool Whip
Directions:
Make pudding according to the box directions. Before pudding sets, add blueberries and banana slices. Add two spoonfuls of cool whip, if desired. Mix well. Pour into crust and let set for at least an hour in the refrigerator. Serve. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
We enjoyed this delicious dessert last night after letting it set for a couple of hours. I just ate a piece and it was even better as it had set a little longer. I imagine this would be good with any fruit, chocolate chips or anything ingredients you would normally use with cheesecake. With it being winter, its more difficult to find fresh fruit, but I managed. My fiance advises he would like the pudding just as much by itself as he did in cheesecake form. I like the textural difference with the fruit and crust added in. Either way: delicious and easy! Two of my favorite things!
12/17/2012
50/50 - Movie Review
I must admit I was slightly nervous about watching 50/50 starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen. My aunt suffered cancer for over ten years and movies with related stories immediately strike a chord. My fiance watched 50/50 and was super impressed thus highly recommending the movie to me. And I couldn't be happier that he convinced me.
Summary:
50/50, written by Will Reiser and based on a true story, is the story of man named Adam who is diagnosed with spinal cancer. The movie offers an inside look at the emotions Adam and his familhy and friends experience after the diagnosis.
Thoughts:
I loved this movie. While telling a serious story of fear and grief, it also told the story of friendship, family and love. Although a serious subject matter, it still managed to bring in humor.
I'm not an avid watcher of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's work. Don't get me wrong, he has talent, but his movies are not normally of interest to me. In 50/50, he did a great job of portraying Adam's character. He was not only believable, but he caused me to feel emotions about different scenes in the movie. His breakdown before surgery had me in tears as did his goodbyes to his family before heading to the exam room.
It's hard to picture funnyman Seth Rogen in a serious movie. This role was perfect for him! It gave me a different view into the acting dimensions Seth can take on. His character Kyle is not only rude and crude, but is a caring and compassionate man who wants nothing more than to see his friend overcome his illness and wants to provide any support he can. I initially didn't think the character would turn into much, but I was pleasantly surprised to see such a wonderful friendship transpire between Adam and Kyle.
Anna Kendrick plays therapist Katherine. I love Anna Kendrick and most movies she's in so I was happy to see her name in the credits. While her character was not such a fantastic role, she played the part with heart and emotion and turned a not so great role into a great one!
Adam's mom, played by Angelica Huston, is touted as being smothering and overprotective. However, her reaction to Adam's diagnosis is to be expected. Angelica does a great job of being the protective mom who wants her son to be happy and healthy. One of my favorite moments of this character is the moment before Adam heads to surgery when she's cherishing the seconds she has with her son not knowing if they will be their last.
For me, having had a loved one suffer at the hands of cancer for so long, this movie was relatable. There were moments of intense emotion that move the watcher as well as moments of jokes and laughter to help lighten the mood.
If you're looking for a feel good movie that leaves you with a smile, 50/50 is it.
Summary:
50/50, written by Will Reiser and based on a true story, is the story of man named Adam who is diagnosed with spinal cancer. The movie offers an inside look at the emotions Adam and his familhy and friends experience after the diagnosis.
Thoughts:
I loved this movie. While telling a serious story of fear and grief, it also told the story of friendship, family and love. Although a serious subject matter, it still managed to bring in humor.
I'm not an avid watcher of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's work. Don't get me wrong, he has talent, but his movies are not normally of interest to me. In 50/50, he did a great job of portraying Adam's character. He was not only believable, but he caused me to feel emotions about different scenes in the movie. His breakdown before surgery had me in tears as did his goodbyes to his family before heading to the exam room.
It's hard to picture funnyman Seth Rogen in a serious movie. This role was perfect for him! It gave me a different view into the acting dimensions Seth can take on. His character Kyle is not only rude and crude, but is a caring and compassionate man who wants nothing more than to see his friend overcome his illness and wants to provide any support he can. I initially didn't think the character would turn into much, but I was pleasantly surprised to see such a wonderful friendship transpire between Adam and Kyle.
Anna Kendrick plays therapist Katherine. I love Anna Kendrick and most movies she's in so I was happy to see her name in the credits. While her character was not such a fantastic role, she played the part with heart and emotion and turned a not so great role into a great one!
Adam's mom, played by Angelica Huston, is touted as being smothering and overprotective. However, her reaction to Adam's diagnosis is to be expected. Angelica does a great job of being the protective mom who wants her son to be happy and healthy. One of my favorite moments of this character is the moment before Adam heads to surgery when she's cherishing the seconds she has with her son not knowing if they will be their last.
For me, having had a loved one suffer at the hands of cancer for so long, this movie was relatable. There were moments of intense emotion that move the watcher as well as moments of jokes and laughter to help lighten the mood.
If you're looking for a feel good movie that leaves you with a smile, 50/50 is it.
Zesty Barbecue Chicken and Baked Beans
Happy Monday! Today was a super busy day between work and appointments, so we opted to to use one of the best inventions every: a slow cooker! We've made this great Barbecue Chicken before and love it! Its super easy to make and requires very few ingredients.
Zesty Barbecue Chicken Ingredients:
1 bottle of barbecue sauce - I like to use a honey barbecue flavor
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar - We use Splenda
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
frozen, skinless chicken - 6 breasts or 10-12 tenderloins
Directions:
Place chicken in the slow cooker. In a separate bowl, mix barbecue sauce, dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce together. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. About an hour before serving, I shred the chicken and place back in the slow cooker to absorb more of the juices. Delish!
I've been testing possible side options for this great chicken and decided to try a new Baked Beans recipe. I came across two recipes here and here that had ingredients I liked, so I opted to mix and match.
Baked Beans Ingredients:
1 can kidney beans
1 can butter beans
1 can lima beans
1 can grillin' beans
bacon pieces - I used 1 package, but you can use however much you want
onion - I used about a 1/4 cup fresh and 1/4 cup minced
1/1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
2-4 tablespoons brown sugar - I used Splenda
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Simmer brown sugar, onion, barbecue sauce and other seasonings for about ten minutes. Drain butter beans, kidney beans and lima beans and mix with grillin' beans and bacon pieces in a separate bowl. Add in barbecue sauce mixture and mix well. Pour into greased pan and bake for one hour.
I'm happy with how this turned out! And my fiance loved it! There was the kick he loves, but it wasn't too spicy for my palate. Next time, I may skip the minced onion and opt for all fresh. Otherwise, great complement to the barbecue chicken. Dinner is served!
Zesty Barbecue Chicken Ingredients:
1 bottle of barbecue sauce - I like to use a honey barbecue flavor
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar - We use Splenda
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
frozen, skinless chicken - 6 breasts or 10-12 tenderloins
Directions:
Place chicken in the slow cooker. In a separate bowl, mix barbecue sauce, dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce together. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. About an hour before serving, I shred the chicken and place back in the slow cooker to absorb more of the juices. Delish!
I've been testing possible side options for this great chicken and decided to try a new Baked Beans recipe. I came across two recipes here and here that had ingredients I liked, so I opted to mix and match.
Baked Beans Ingredients:
1 can kidney beans1 can butter beans
1 can lima beans
1 can grillin' beans
bacon pieces - I used 1 package, but you can use however much you want
onion - I used about a 1/4 cup fresh and 1/4 cup minced
1/1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
2-4 tablespoons brown sugar - I used Splenda
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Simmer brown sugar, onion, barbecue sauce and other seasonings for about ten minutes. Drain butter beans, kidney beans and lima beans and mix with grillin' beans and bacon pieces in a separate bowl. Add in barbecue sauce mixture and mix well. Pour into greased pan and bake for one hour.
I'm happy with how this turned out! And my fiance loved it! There was the kick he loves, but it wasn't too spicy for my palate. Next time, I may skip the minced onion and opt for all fresh. Otherwise, great complement to the barbecue chicken. Dinner is served!
Update: Since we had more than half a pan of baked beans left, we decided to add ground beef and make a meal of it! It was delicious!
12/08/2012
Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bake
I love breakfast foods, but I can never get myself to eat when I first wake up or even before I leave for work. Inevitably, I find myself searching for a snack mid-morning to satisfy my hunger. I believe I've found the perfect solution: Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bake. I love this! I can take a serving of this deliciousness to work, pop it in the microwave to heat it up and enjoy a fantastic breakfast even after leaving home!
Ingredients:
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/3 cup brown sugar - we used Splenda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Chinese five spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups milk
1 egg
4 tbsp butter, melted
2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray oven safe pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the bananas together. Pour into the baking dish and arrange the banana slices on top. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top if you choose. Bake 30-40 minutes or until oatmeal is golden brown.
Inspiration Recipe: Inspired Taste's Baked Oatmeal with Strawberries, Banana and Chocolate
Ingredients:
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/3 cup brown sugar - we used Splenda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Chinese five spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups milk
1 egg
4 tbsp butter, melted
2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray oven safe pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the bananas together. Pour into the baking dish and arrange the banana slices on top. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top if you choose. Bake 30-40 minutes or until oatmeal is golden brown.
Inspiration Recipe: Inspired Taste's Baked Oatmeal with Strawberries, Banana and Chocolate
Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese
I think I've mentioned before that I love Mac & Cheese! Its such a comfort when life gets busy and stressful. Between the holidays and our busy schedules, we've not spent a lot of time at home recently. Luckily, we had a some time at home today to relax and catch up on things around the house, so we decided to a slow cooker Mac & Cheese would be a perfect solution for dinner! I ran across Crock-a-doodle-do's recipe and thought it sounded like a great foundation for our dinner tonight.
Ingredients:
1/2 pound macaroni noodles, uncooked
3 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
4-5 cups shredded cheese, any flavor - I say 4-5 cups as I had 4 heaping measuring cups
Salt, pepper, garlic salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper - just a dash!
1 can chicken in water, drained
1/2 package of precooked bacon bits
1 cup frozen corn
Directions:
Against my better judgement, I didn't spray the slow cooker crock with cooking spray and I didn't use separate bowl for mixing. Instead, I just threw everything in the crock and mixed it. I cooked on low for about an hour and switched it to high for another half hour to make sure the noodles were soft. After an hour and half cooking time, I turned the slow cooker off and let the mac and cheese cool for about 15 minutes or so. The cooling time also allows the final juices to be absorbed. We both at a bowl of mac and cheese and we have plenty left for dinner tomorrow.
While eating, we discussed adding broccoli or onion next time. Or possibly more corn and bacon bits. Or even topping with bread crumbs. I'm excited about the prospective ideas!
Ingredients:
1/2 pound macaroni noodles, uncooked
3 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
4-5 cups shredded cheese, any flavor - I say 4-5 cups as I had 4 heaping measuring cups
Salt, pepper, garlic salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper - just a dash!
1 can chicken in water, drained
1/2 package of precooked bacon bits
1 cup frozen corn
Directions:
Against my better judgement, I didn't spray the slow cooker crock with cooking spray and I didn't use separate bowl for mixing. Instead, I just threw everything in the crock and mixed it. I cooked on low for about an hour and switched it to high for another half hour to make sure the noodles were soft. After an hour and half cooking time, I turned the slow cooker off and let the mac and cheese cool for about 15 minutes or so. The cooling time also allows the final juices to be absorbed. We both at a bowl of mac and cheese and we have plenty left for dinner tomorrow.
While eating, we discussed adding broccoli or onion next time. Or possibly more corn and bacon bits. Or even topping with bread crumbs. I'm excited about the prospective ideas!
Cheesy Chicken & Rice Bake
My future husband loves rice, and I love Mexican food. When I came across this recipe from TastyKitchen.com I knew it was perfect for us!
Ingredients:
4 cups brown rice, cooked
2 cups cooked chicken - we like Tyson's grilled chicken strips that are precooked as it saves time when we're in a rush
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
1 can black beans
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 can green chilis, juice only
1/2 cup chunky salsa
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese plus additional for for topping
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together, then transfer to oven safe bowl. Top with cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes.
We've made this a few of times and haven't felt the need to make many changes from the original. We've increased the corn and decided we like chunkier salsa. We've been throwing around the idea of adding onions, increasing the amount of black beans, or forgoing chicken to change it up a little. With or without the changes, this is a super easy and tasty recipe!
Ingredients:
4 cups brown rice, cooked
2 cups cooked chicken - we like Tyson's grilled chicken strips that are precooked as it saves time when we're in a rush
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
1 can black beans
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 can green chilis, juice only
1/2 cup chunky salsa
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese plus additional for for topping
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together, then transfer to oven safe bowl. Top with cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes.
We've made this a few of times and haven't felt the need to make many changes from the original. We've increased the corn and decided we like chunkier salsa. We've been throwing around the idea of adding onions, increasing the amount of black beans, or forgoing chicken to change it up a little. With or without the changes, this is a super easy and tasty recipe!
11/14/2012
Past Projects
Wow! So much has happened since I last posted on this blog! After a family illness, vacations, engagement, lots of overtime at work, and other life events, I'm back and hoping to do a much better job at documenting my crafting, cooking and everything in between.
So here are a few projects I've finished over the last several months.
I made this spring wreath using the same idea of my St. Patrick's Day wreath. The yard wrapped wreaths are such an easy way to spruce up the front door for any holiday!
My First Quilted Wall Hanging! I returned the pattern to its originaly owner and can't recall the designer. But I'm super happy with the outcome of this project!
My most recent project is a fall color wreath. Unfortunately, the colors in this photo aren't great. Instead of yarn, I opted for Jute to wrap the wreath form. The flowers were both felt flowers and flower embellishments I found in the scrapbook section in orange, brown, green and burgundy.
I'm so grateful to my mom for introducting quilting and crafting to me. They provide such an outlet and find both incredibly relaxing. I've got a few project in progress and I hope to share them soon!
So here are a few projects I've finished over the last several months.
I made this spring wreath using the same idea of my St. Patrick's Day wreath. The yard wrapped wreaths are such an easy way to spruce up the front door for any holiday!
My First Quilted Wall Hanging! I returned the pattern to its originaly owner and can't recall the designer. But I'm super happy with the outcome of this project!
This T-Shirt Quilt was made for my fiance for his birthday. He had so many shirts from his college days that he had a hard time throwing out. My alternative: design a quilt with his favorite shirts. Special thanks to my mom for all her help with this project! It was quite overwhelming for me as one of my first projects, but my mom stepped in and shared her expertise with me on this special project.
I've yet to find or design a decoration for our front door for the summer time. This year, I opted to make a neutral yarn wreath for off season times.
Next is a fun Halloween decoration made with random fabrics from my mom's fabric scraps. The pattern is called October Scare and is super easy to make.
My most recent project is a fall color wreath. Unfortunately, the colors in this photo aren't great. Instead of yarn, I opted for Jute to wrap the wreath form. The flowers were both felt flowers and flower embellishments I found in the scrapbook section in orange, brown, green and burgundy.
I'm so grateful to my mom for introducting quilting and crafting to me. They provide such an outlet and find both incredibly relaxing. I've got a few project in progress and I hope to share them soon!
2/19/2012
Yarn Wreath - St. Patrick's Day
I love St. Patrick's Day! And I love decorating for it! After seeing Take Heart's yarn wreath tutorial, I knew it would be perfect for a new St. Patrick's Day decoration! First step: Hobby Lobby!
Supplies:
Yarn - I used Naturally Caron.com Spa yarn since it had the green I liked the best. It's 251 yards.
Straw Wreath Form - Leave the plastic on.
Felt
Scissors
Hot Glue
Embellishments - Optional. I chose a leprechaun I found in the craft section.
After finishing the wreath, I wanted to add some St. Patty's Day flare: felt flowers and a cute leprechaun embellishment.
To make the flowers, cut a curvy edged circle like so:
Pick a place and start cutting in a spiral shape for a long strand of fabric. Make sure to leave an oval shape at the end for the base of the flower.
Take the end of the felt that you began cutting and roll.
Keep rolling until you're at the end. Using the hot glue, paste the oval shape over the bottom to hold the flower together.
Finished flower:
Supplies:
Yarn - I used Naturally Caron.com Spa yarn since it had the green I liked the best. It's 251 yards.
Straw Wreath Form - Leave the plastic on.
Felt
Scissors
Hot Glue
Embellishments - Optional. I chose a leprechaun I found in the craft section.
Directions:
First, wrap the wreath with the yarn. Tie it at the beginning and you can wrap right over the knot. It'll take some time (about two hours!), but its a perfect activity for catching up on missed tv shows.
When you get close to the end, add a loop to hang the wreath. You can really add this at any point you'd like. I also tied the end of the yard to the loop to tie it off.
After finishing the wreath, I wanted to add some St. Patty's Day flare: felt flowers and a cute leprechaun embellishment.
To make the flowers, cut a curvy edged circle like so:
Pick a place and start cutting in a spiral shape for a long strand of fabric. Make sure to leave an oval shape at the end for the base of the flower.
Take the end of the felt that you began cutting and roll.
Keep rolling until you're at the end. Using the hot glue, paste the oval shape over the bottom to hold the flower together.
Finished flower:
Make as many flowers as you'd like. Once you've finished your flowers, you're ready to hot glue them and any additional embellishments onto your wreath.
I love it! And I'm excited that I have a month to display it!
Two-Ingredient Fudge
I ran across this recipe on Cookies and Cups blog a few weeks before Valentine's Day and was super excited about making it for the boyfriend. Unfortunately, due to an illness in the family, the recipe was put on the back burner - until today. It's super simple and yummy!
Ingredients:
1 can strawberry frosting
1 package white chocolate chips
You'll also need: cooking spray, cake pan, microwave-safe bowl and spoon
Directions:
Ingredients:
1 can strawberry frosting
1 package white chocolate chips
You'll also need: cooking spray, cake pan, microwave-safe bowl and spoon
Directions:
First, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave following the package directions (you can also melt via broiler).
Once the chocolate chips are melted, add the strawberry frosting and stir evenly.
Spread into your prepared pan. You can add designs, sprinkles or any other topping you choose.
Refrigerate for about half an hour to set.
Cut into squares or any shape you desire and serve. Store in air tight container for up to a week.
Want something other than strawberry? Just alter the flavors of the chocolate chips and frosting and you're good to go!
Bacon-Spinach Grill
The last few weekends have been crazy and have left Troy and I on weird eating schedules. We're neither one hungry at the same time resulting in one person meals. We had the ingredients for this quick meal and I decided to try it out.
Ingredients:
Tortilla
Fresh Spinach
Feta Cheese
Bacon
You'll also need Cooking Spray and a hot skillet.
Directions:
First, I made the bacon. I almost always use the microwave for cooking bacon. While it was cooking, I heated the skillet and laid out the initial part of the dish. Put spinach and feta, whatever amount you prefer, onto half of the tortilla.
When the bacon is done, lay it on top and fold the tortilla in half. Place in skillet and grill evenly on both sides. Pretty simple, yet delicious!
Ingredients:
Tortilla
Fresh Spinach
Feta Cheese
Bacon
You'll also need Cooking Spray and a hot skillet.
Directions:
First, I made the bacon. I almost always use the microwave for cooking bacon. While it was cooking, I heated the skillet and laid out the initial part of the dish. Put spinach and feta, whatever amount you prefer, onto half of the tortilla.
When the bacon is done, lay it on top and fold the tortilla in half. Place in skillet and grill evenly on both sides. Pretty simple, yet delicious!
1/30/2012
Dark Chocolate Cherry Balls
Working a full time job and taking classes at night leaves me constantly on the lookout for quick snack options. I recently came across a recipe for Dark Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites and thought something similar would be a great go-to when I'm short on time.
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
1 cup oats
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup Cinnamon Sugar Land O' Lakes
2 handfles dried cherries
1 handful pumpkin seeds
1 handful flax seeds
1 handful dark chocolate morsels
Directions:
Mix all ingredients. Unfortunately, I don't have a food processor (yet); so with some patience, we used the blender to mix and chop the ingredients. Once mixed, roll into balls. Refrigerate.
1/29/2012
Corn Salsa
In need of a simple, yet flavorful party recipe? Think Corn Salsa! Its fresh, vibrant and healthy - can't beat that!
Ingredients:
1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1/8-1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
3-4 tbsp Lime Juice
1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Prepare all ingredents. Mix together in large bowl. Cover and chill. Add more salt, pepper, lime juice and vinegar to taste. Serve with Tortilla chips.
Ingredients:
1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Corn, drained
4 Roma Tomatos, seeded and chopped
1 medium Avocado, peeled and chopped1/8-1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
3-4 tbsp Lime Juice
1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Prepare all ingredents. Mix together in large bowl. Cover and chill. Add more salt, pepper, lime juice and vinegar to taste. Serve with Tortilla chips.
Broccoli Chicken Mac & Cheese
Sometimes we all need some comfort food. And who wouldn't choose Mac & Cheese? I love it! But I like to add texture and variety to the sometimes simple meal. Broccoli Chicken Mac is a great solution!
Ingredients:
1 box Elbow Noodles
6 tbsp Light Sour Cream
1 cup Reduced Fat Mild Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
3 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1 tbsp Parmesan Cheese, Finely Shredded
1 can Chicken in Water
4 tbsp Evaporated Milk
5 tbsp Bread Crumbs, Plain
1 head Broccoli, uncooked and chopped quarter size
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Cook pasta according to package directions without salt or added fat. Drain and add Sour Cream and Chicken (drained). Set aside.
Heat milk in a small sauce pan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges. Reduce to low. Add Cheddar Cheese and Broccoli. Simmer and stir with whisk until cheese melts. Once cheese is melted, add Mustard, Salt, Pepper and Nutmeg.
Add cheese mixture to noodle mixture and mix. Transfer to a 3 quart casserole dish. Top with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs.
Bake until top is golden brown, approximately 30 minutes.
Serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
Ingredients:
1 box Elbow Noodles
6 tbsp Light Sour Cream
1 cup Reduced Fat Mild Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
3 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1 tbsp Parmesan Cheese, Finely Shredded
1 can Chicken in Water
4 tbsp Evaporated Milk
5 tbsp Bread Crumbs, Plain
1 head Broccoli, uncooked and chopped quarter size
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Cook pasta according to package directions without salt or added fat. Drain and add Sour Cream and Chicken (drained). Set aside.
Heat milk in a small sauce pan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges. Reduce to low. Add Cheddar Cheese and Broccoli. Simmer and stir with whisk until cheese melts. Once cheese is melted, add Mustard, Salt, Pepper and Nutmeg.
Add cheese mixture to noodle mixture and mix. Transfer to a 3 quart casserole dish. Top with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs.
Bake until top is golden brown, approximately 30 minutes.
Serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
1/24/2012
Melted Crayon Field of Flowers
Pinterest has a ton of beautiful pieces of artwork including melted crayon art. I've seen several designs, but this one by JKCreate is one of my favorites. I spent some time looking over the piece and decided I would try to recreate the design.
Supplies:
Art Canvas - I used 16X20.
Crayons - I bought a box of 144 but only used the greens, browns, and yellows. I also had to add in a few from a box of 12 and a box of 24 to cover edge to edge.
Hair Dryer
Splatter Protection
Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Flower Embellishments
Directions:
First, I pulled all of the greens, browns and yellows from the box of Crayons.
Next, I used the glue gun and glued each crayon onto the bottom of the canvas with the point towards the top.
After gluing all of the crayons to the canvas, I was ready to set up my melting station. As the crayons heat, they will splatter, so you want to be sure to protect the area you're working in. I leaned the canvas against an old box so the crayon would drip down the canvas as the wax melted. I also used old boxes on either side to catch any of the splatter. Once I had everything set up, I was ready to start melting the crayons.
I used high heat and held the hair dryer 3-5 inches away from the crayons. I started getting results within just a few minutes.
Continue this process until you have the amount of melted crayon you'd like. Once the crayon is dry, you can flip your canvas over to add the embellished flowers.
Use the hot glue to attach as few or as many flowers as you'd like to your artwork. Once completed, you can frame or hang as is!
Slow Cooker Apple Crisp
I love, love, love desserts! I came across a few apple crisp desserts on All Recipes and mixed and matched to make the following:
Ingredients:
6 medium apples - I used half red, half green - cored and sliced
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar - I used Splenda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon all spice
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
Directions:
First, grease the bottom and sides of the slow cooker. Next, arrange apple slices in pot. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, spices and butter. Pour over mixture ensuring that the mixture sifts to the apples at the bottom of the bowl. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Serve with frozen vanilla yogurt. Delish!
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Kansas is crazy. We've had such a weird winter without snow and mostly semi-warm temperatures. Its been delightful! Last week the weather decided to break its streak and brought some pretty cold temperatures. To fight the cold, I decided to make Chicken Noodle Soup in the slow cooker. I came across a delicious looking recipe here at the Creatively Domestic website and decided to alter it slightly.
Ingredients:
5 cans of chicken broth
1 can of cream of chicken
1/2 cup white onion
5 celery ribs
5 carrots
1/2 cup green onions
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 package frozen peas
3 packages Ream's egg noodles
2 cans cooked chicken, drained
1 tbsp parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
2 bay leafs
1 tbsp poultry seasoning
Directions:
First, chop the white onion, green onions, celery and carrots. Put them into the slow cooker. Add peas, corn, cream of chicken, chicken broth, and seasonings to pot.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours. An hour or so before eating, added chicken and noodles. Turn temperature to high. Once your soup is ready, remove the bay leaves and serve.
You can certainly cook chicken instead of using canned. I like to set up my slow cooker during my lunch hour, so I opted for canned chicken to save time. Also, feel free to add extra vegetables and seasonings - whatever works for you and your family.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 can of cream of chicken
1/2 cup white onion
5 celery ribs
5 carrots
1/2 cup green onions
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 package frozen peas
3 packages Ream's egg noodles
2 cans cooked chicken, drained
1 tbsp parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
2 bay leafs
1 tbsp poultry seasoning
Directions:
First, chop the white onion, green onions, celery and carrots. Put them into the slow cooker. Add peas, corn, cream of chicken, chicken broth, and seasonings to pot.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours. An hour or so before eating, added chicken and noodles. Turn temperature to high. Once your soup is ready, remove the bay leaves and serve.
You can certainly cook chicken instead of using canned. I like to set up my slow cooker during my lunch hour, so I opted for canned chicken to save time. Also, feel free to add extra vegetables and seasonings - whatever works for you and your family.
Enjoy!
1/23/2012
Valentine's Day Ribbon Wreath
My recent discovery of Pinterest has resulted in a strong desire to experiment with crafting and cooking. What better way to explore these new finds than through blogging!
My first project was inspired by Tator Tots and Jello's Halloween Ribbon Wreath. I loved the variety of ribbon and the prospect of experimenting with the different textures. First stop, Hobby Lobby!
Supplies Needed:
Ribbon - I bought 6 varieties to go with the 3 I already had. Hobby Lobby runs a sale on ribbon quite often.
Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Wreath - I chose a heart, but any shape will do.
Felt - This is optional. I used it to hide the wreath form, so use your judgement.
Instructions:
First, I laid out all of my supplies to make sure I wasn't missing anything. Then, I wrapped my wreath form in pink felt to hide the wreath form.
After the wreath form is wrapped, you're ready to prep the ribbon. I cut the ribbon around 4-6".
Next fold the ribbon in half and hot glue the ends together.
Once you've looped your ribbon, you're ready to glue it to your wreath form. Mix and match the ribbon and try not to overthink it. Make sure to cover the top, outside and inside of your wreath form.
Once I finished gluing all of the loops to the wreath, I glued a long ribbon to either side of the back of the wreath for hanging. And voila!
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