Happenings

Yesterday morning, Donna stopped by and dropped off a couple bags of veggies from her garden.  One bag had 6 large, beautiful green peppers.  I immediately thought about making stuffed peppers even though I'd never made them before.  I searched online for some recipes and went to Aldi's to pick up the rest of the ingredients I needed.  Also, Dakota specifically asked for some muffin mix.  He wanted strawberry, but they only had blueberry.  I got back home and he and I made up the muffins.  He measured things out and mixed it all up.  Those were some yummy muffins!

I love finding new-to-me blogs and websites from homeschooling/unschooling families.  I enjoy the discovering of new ideas for projects or finding a book someone might enjoy or a link to some amazing video.  I found just that video yesterday.  Go HERE and watch and learn.  My life changed.  For real.

At Christmas, Max gave Britney The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit.  She picked The Hobbit up the other day and started reading and yesterday began reading it to Dakota.  I absolutely love when she reads aloud.  She puts so much emotion into it.  She does voices and sings and acts things out.  It held The Boy's attention, that's for sure.  I just don't have that power.  She's such a wonderful big sister :)

Back to the stuffed peppers:
It's kind of a long process and I didn't go by a set recipe, but they turned out pretty darn good!
I filled them up with ground beef, brown rice, sauteed mushrooms, onions, garlic, tomato sauce and different seasonings and topped them off with parmesan cheese.  Yummo!

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Several years ago, I attempted making homemade chicken and dumplings.  I failed miserably.  According to Britney, it is the single most vile thing I've ever provided for her to eat.  Needless to say, I haven't attempted them again...until today!

You know how EVERYONE is posting or sharing recipes on The Book Face?  Well, this recipe was shared by a friend the other night and I knew I had to try it.  I needed to redeem myself with my girl :)

Here's what ya need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts  (we used chicken tenders because that's what was on sale at the store)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion, finely diced
2 (10 oz) packages refrigerated biscuit dough torn into pieces

Place all ingredients (except for biscuit dough) in slow cooker.  Add just enough water to cover.

Cover and cook for 5 to 6 hours on high.  About 30 minutes before serving, place the torn pieces of biscuit dough in the pot.  Cook until the dough is cooked through.  (30 to 35 minutes seemed about right)
*We did not use all of the biscuit dough...almost half.  The kids added it until they felt like it was enough.  I then baked up the rest to serve with the main event.

It is YUMMY!  Brit gasped and I thought something was wrong and she was like...no, I'm just trying to keep from crying because it's so good.  SCORE!  Bobby said it's a keeper recipe and Dakota ate all of the chicken but didn't like the dough.

It is VERY filling and I believe you would have to be super hungry to even think about going back for seconds.  It made a lot of food!  We all ate, Bobby has some to take to work and the kids have enough for lunch tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Baked Hard 'Boiled' Eggs

I have a good bit of trouble pealing our boiled eggs.  I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I saw an idea for cooking them in the oven and thought I'd give it a try.

Place the eggs in a muffin tin, which keeps them from rolling around.  I've read online since that you can place them directly on the oven racks, but I'm fairly certain I would drop some of them this way.  The muffin tin makes more sense to me...many eggs in and out of the oven in one motion.  Anyway, bake at 325* for 30 minutes.  Using tongs, remove eggs and immediately place in an ice bath/cold water for 10 minutes.

They were definitely easier for us to peal and they tasted great.  They did have little burn spots where they touched the muffin tin.  I just cut those small pieces off.  I'm really not convinced this is a better way of doing things, just another way.

Thanksgiving

Bobby had to work Thanksgiving night, but worked off that Friday morning.  We had made plans with Dad and Rosie to celebrate with them, so we were packed up and ready to leave when he got home from work.  That means I was up in time to watch the sun rise.  Can't go wrong with that.  Beatiful!

We got to Dad's around 9:30 and Bobby headed straight to bed.  The kids and I hung out with Dad, Rosie and Max.  I soon ventured outside to get some pictures, but honestly don't think I took any good ones.  Settings were just wrong on the camera...or in my brain.

Rosie had cooked so many delicious things.  She seriously made the best turkey I've ever had.  It was moist and so full of flavor.  Yum!

Max made this ridiculously tasty and very pretty cake.  It was fantastic!

HIGHLY recommend it!

Recipe...just in case you feel the need to stuff this in your face.

Ingredients:

1 package yellow cake mix (regular size)
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 carton (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/3 cup chopped Diamond of California® Pecans, toasted

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, eggs, oil and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans.
Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar and remaining pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice; beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with a fourth of the filling. Repeat layers three times. Drizzle with caramel topping; sprinkle with pecans. Store in the refrigerator.

 

Seriously.  Go. Make. It. 

 

 It was cloudy for most of the day, so it was nice to see some blue out there for a bit.

Max also made chocolate cupcakes for the kids to frost with the peppermint cool whip he made.  

They had so much fun!

Especially Max :)

After dinner, dessert and a food induced coma, we helped them get their GINORMOUS Christmas tree up.

Bur first, the Christmas train for around the tree.

Cody really liked this thing.

See?  Ginormous. 13ft I think.

Then, Rosie began decorating the house.

Brit and Cody's stockings

We spent a couple days.  Bobby, Max and I took Britney hunting for the first time.  Bobby and I saw three deer but I later learned that Britney was literally freezing to death and never even saw them.  She will wear Dad's hunting gear should she go again.

We had a really great time.  I enjoyed watching Dad and Rosie making memories with the kids.  I walked in from hunting the second time, and Rosie and the kids were at the table putting a puzzle together and Brit was telling her all about the play.

And before we left, they all made two big batches of Rice Krispie treats together.  Good stuff, people.  I mean the time spent together and memories made, not the treats.  Although...they were pretty darn good too :)

Taco Soup

What a beautiful 1st day of October! It's cool and there's not a cloud in the sky. It's perfect taco soup weather! There's a big pot on the stove that I'm taking to our Life Group this evening. Yummo!

1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 large onion, chopped
2 envelopes taco seasoning
2 envelopes ranch dressing mix
2 cans whole kernel corn
1 can tomatoes with green chilies
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can tomatoes
2 cups water

Brown the ground chuck with the onion. Drain well. In a large pot, combine the ground chuck and onion with the taco and ranch seasoning mix. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours. Serve with cheese, sour cream.
This also works great in the crock pot.

Spiced Tea

Fall is definitely in the air!
Around this time of year, I make up a batch or two of Spiced Tea.
It's naughty...not healthy in the slightest, but it's nice to indulge in once in a while.

2 Cups Tang
2 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Instant Tea
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

Mix that all together in a large bowl and then store in an air tight container.
Add...I don't know, maybe three tablespoons of mix to your cup and fill up with hot water. Use more or less mix depending on your taste.

Enjoy:)

Pineapple Pie

This is one of our most favorite desserts and it's so easy to make. We all like it so much that I always double the recipe and make two pies.

1 can crushed pineapple in it's own juices (do not drain)
1 package instant vanilla pudding
8 oz sour cream
1 graham cracker pie crust

Just mix the pineapple, pudding and sour cream together and pour into pie crust. That's it! I have found that it's best to sprinkle the pudding onto the pineapple and mix thoroughly and then add the sour cream.
Refrigerate until ready to eat. It's best to let it sit overnight. It's SO much better the next day!

~Enjoy~

Biscuits

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp butter cubed
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425*
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Cut butter into mixture until it looks like cornmeal.
Make a well with flour mixture and slowly add milk into the middle.
Knead dough with your fingers and add milk if necessary.
Roll dough onto lightly floured surface into desired thickness and cut out biscuits.

Butter skillet and place biscuits in pan.


Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

ENJOY!