The Great Munchkin Swap

There are several phenomenal things about having friends who also have children.  They don't mind mess, they don't mind kids, and they are just as crazy as I am. 

I particularly like to keep company with moms who roll with the chaos.  My best mom friends welcome playdates and clean the mess afterward.  Snacks are plentiful because the kids get hungry, and it keeps them quiet, er happy.

We worry about the fruit and vegetables at our next meal.

Today, a mom who also has four munchkins and myself are performing the most fabulous of all playdates: 

The Great Munchkin Swap

It's called I'll take two of yours, you take two of mine.  No munchkin cries in protest they "have no playdate!" and no munchkin is left behind.

It's a fabulous system.

God Bless all Mommies.  We certainly teach ourselves well.

There are several phenomenal things about having friends who also have children.  They don't mind mess, they don't mind kids, and they are just as crazy as I am. 

I particularly like to keep company with moms who roll with the chaos.  My best mom friends welcome playdates and clean the mess afterward.  Snacks are plentiful because the kids get hungry, and it keeps them quiet, er happy.

We worry about the fruit and vegetables at our next meal.

Today, a mom who also has four munchkins and myself are performing the most fabulous of all playdates: 

The Great Munchkin Swap

It's called I'll take two of yours, you take two of mine.  No munchkin cries in protest they "have no playdate!" and no munchkin is left behind.

It's a fabulous system.

God Bless all Mommies.  We certainly teach ourselves well.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Lasagna Soup

lasagna soup



My friend Candi, over at The Devilish Dish is an amazing cook!!

Anytime she posts a recipe I know I will like it.

(so far she hasn't posted anything with liver or brussel sprouts....)

When she posted this one back in the Fall, I knew I would have to try it.

My family LOVES Pasta and we LOVE soup, so it was a win-win situation!

Candi and I have been friends for a long time.  Almost 15 years. She and I have so much in common, I swear God knew we needed to be friends and put her in that Scrapbooking class I was teaching back in 1997!

One thing that we have in common, we are both a little bit of a rebel.

It's okay. We were raised on Hair Band 80's music --- so it goes with the territory right?

we love our hair band concerts!! (and on those days...Aqua Net!!)

Well, being the rebel I am, I didn't EXACTLY follow her recipe.

That and the fact that I had already been to the store 3 days in a row and managed to STILL not have everything that I needed.

So, I add-libbed.

And because she's my friend, and I know that's JUST how she cooks... tweaking and making it her own, I know that she will understand.

For her recipe click here:

The Devilish Dish's Lasagna Soup

Lasagna Soup

2 lbs ground beef

1 medium onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 14.5 oz cans of petite diced tomatoes (with juice)

1 - 16 oz jar of spaghetti sauce (I like to use Marinara)

4 tsp chicken bouillon (or 4 cubes)

4 tsp beef bouillon

6 cups of water

2 tsp of Italian spice

1/2 thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 box lasagna noodles, broken into pieces

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

ricotta (optional)

 shredded mozzarella cheese

In a soup pot over medium heat brown your ground beef with onion and garlic.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

Drain grease.  To the ground beef mixture add the tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, bouillon, water and spices and seasonings. Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.

Stir in broken lasagna noodles and cook until they are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove bay leaf.  Add Parmesan cheese to soup about 5 minutes before serving and stir in.

Ladle into bowls and top with ricotta and mozzarella cheese.

My notes: We are not fans of ricotta cheese at my house.  When I make regular lasagna, I use cottage cheese.  So I added this to the ingredients, but we didn't use it.  It tasted AMAZING with just the shredded cheese. I actually bought shredded Italian blend cheese.

When you make lasagna, there are always a couple of broken noodles in the box it seems. I always have a couple of extra, too. When I do, I throw them in a Ziploc bag and keep adding to them, then I'm ready for a quick batch of lasagna soup!  That's one other thing about this soup, it's one of those that most likely the ingredients are in your pantry right now!  Like most soups, this recipe works well in the crock pot, After browning your meat, dump it all in the crock pot and let it cook on low all day. Add Parmesan cheese about 10 minutes before your serve.

lasagna soup



My friend Candi, over at The Devilish Dish is an amazing cook!!

Anytime she posts a recipe I know I will like it.

(so far she hasn't posted anything with liver or brussel sprouts....)

When she posted this one back in the Fall, I knew I would have to try it.

My family LOVES Pasta and we LOVE soup, so it was a win-win situation!

Candi and I have been friends for a long time.  Almost 15 years. She and I have so much in common, I swear God knew we needed to be friends and put her in that Scrapbooking class I was teaching back in 1997!

One thing that we have in common, we are both a little bit of a rebel.

It's okay. We were raised on Hair Band 80's music --- so it goes with the territory right?

we love our hair band concerts!! (and on those days...Aqua Net!!)

Well, being the rebel I am, I didn't EXACTLY follow her recipe.

That and the fact that I had already been to the store 3 days in a row and managed to STILL not have everything that I needed.

So, I add-libbed.

And because she's my friend, and I know that's JUST how she cooks... tweaking and making it her own, I know that she will understand.

For her recipe click here:

The Devilish Dish's Lasagna Soup

Lasagna Soup

2 lbs ground beef

1 medium onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 14.5 oz cans of petite diced tomatoes (with juice)

1 - 16 oz jar of spaghetti sauce (I like to use Marinara)

4 tsp chicken bouillon (or 4 cubes)

4 tsp beef bouillon

6 cups of water

2 tsp of Italian spice

1/2 thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 box lasagna noodles, broken into pieces

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

ricotta (optional)

 shredded mozzarella cheese

In a soup pot over medium heat brown your ground beef with onion and garlic.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

Drain grease.  To the ground beef mixture add the tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, bouillon, water and spices and seasonings. Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.

Stir in broken lasagna noodles and cook until they are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove bay leaf.  Add Parmesan cheese to soup about 5 minutes before serving and stir in.

Ladle into bowls and top with ricotta and mozzarella cheese.

My notes: We are not fans of ricotta cheese at my house.  When I make regular lasagna, I use cottage cheese.  So I added this to the ingredients, but we didn't use it.  It tasted AMAZING with just the shredded cheese. I actually bought shredded Italian blend cheese.

When you make lasagna, there are always a couple of broken noodles in the box it seems. I always have a couple of extra, too. When I do, I throw them in a Ziploc bag and keep adding to them, then I'm ready for a quick batch of lasagna soup!  That's one other thing about this soup, it's one of those that most likely the ingredients are in your pantry right now!  Like most soups, this recipe works well in the crock pot, After browning your meat, dump it all in the crock pot and let it cook on low all day. Add Parmesan cheese about 10 minutes before your serve.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Martin Luther King Jr.

This morning, as we were all chillin' in our pajamas, LLG asked if he had to go to school.  He "didn't feel like it". 

I told him it was Sunday.

Never one to give up on such a pressing topic, he continued with his inquisition.  "Do I have to go tomorrow?"

"No.  It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day".

Smiles.  Then silence.

"You know that guy Mom, who shot him?"

"Yeesss."

"Well, if you don't like someone, you don't have to shoot them."


Isn't that the truth.  If only all hearts could be as good as the hearts of children.

 image via www.craigheadcounty.org

This morning, as we were all chillin' in our pajamas, LLG asked if he had to go to school.  He "didn't feel like it". 

I told him it was Sunday.

Never one to give up on such a pressing topic, he continued with his inquisition.  "Do I have to go tomorrow?"

"No.  It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day".

Smiles.  Then silence.

"You know that guy Mom, who shot him?"

"Yeesss."

"Well, if you don't like someone, you don't have to shoot them."


Isn't that the truth.  If only all hearts could be as good as the hearts of children.

 image via www.craigheadcounty.org

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

A Letter

Dearest Moopa,

Please please, Puh-L-E-A-S-E take your nap.  You have been in your crib for twenty minutes and I can hear you chit chatting with the walls. 

This chatter must cease.

Your little eyeballs need to rest for a minimum of ninety minutes.  You need to recharge your toddler batteries in order to perform at optimum levels until bedtime.

It is imperative you obey this request.

Mama has stuff to do.

Regards,

Your Mother

Dearest Moopa,

Please please, Puh-L-E-A-S-E take your nap.  You have been in your crib for twenty minutes and I can hear you chit chatting with the walls. 

This chatter must cease.

Your little eyeballs need to rest for a minimum of ninety minutes.  You need to recharge your toddler batteries in order to perform at optimum levels until bedtime.

It is imperative you obey this request.

Mama has stuff to do.

Regards,

Your Mother

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Buffalo Chicken Chili

buffalo chicken chili

Raise your hand if you LOVE buffalo chicken wings!!

Yesterday I went to the store to do some grocery shopping.  It was a beautiful day, the sun was especially warm and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. 

 This is quite uncommon to have a 62 degree day in Nebraska in mid-January.

But after listening to the weatherman I knew it wouldn't last.

There's a saying here in Nebraska,

 "If you don't like the weather in Nebraska, wait five minutes and it will change!" 

I bought all of the fixings for chili, knowing it was coming, and it DID.

And if the weatherman wasn't right (which he seldom is) my twins are studying clouds in science, and they told me the ones up there are bringing a storm!

The winds are blowing like mad, and I have hunkered down at home in my PJ's for a 

day of laundry and cleaning.  (BOO!)

Last night, I found a recipe for Buffalo Chicken Chili on A Forkful of Comfort's linky party.

I showed it to my oldest son and is statement was "oh, yum."

I decided to forego the usual chili and make this one.

Now I will tell you that when it comes to recipe following, I am a bit of a rebel. 

I can NEVER just "follow" a recipe without tweaking it someway to make it my own.

Her recipe sounded delicious, but if I made it that way I would have to go to the store...again.

I'm in my PJ's, remember?  And I plan to stay in them until I have to go get my twins at school at 3 PM.

(they are getting to the age where I can drop them off in them, 

but they comment when I pick them up in them! ;)

So, I did some tweaking.  Also, my hubby and I are on the WEIGHT-LOSS TRAIN and if I don't want to eat chicken and fish and lettuce daily, I need to TRY to make these soups healthy!

And, people, I LOVE me some soup!

If you click on the link for A Forkful of Comfort up there, it will take you directly to her post, and you can see what changes I have made. Make it however you like, but I say MAKE IT!

I have only taken a nibble of it, as it slow cooks in my crock pot, but I wish you knew just how amazing my house smells right now.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

adapted from A Forkful of Comfort

One Medium Onion, diced

4 Stalks of Celery, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

5 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

1 Tablespoon of Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon of Cumin

2 Tablespoons of flour

1/2 cup of hot wing sauce ( I use Frank's )

2 - 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes with juice

1 - 15 ounce can of black beans

1 - 15 ounce can of dark red kidney beans

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups of chicken broth (we like more broth!)

mozzarella cheese, ranch or blue cheese dressing

In a stockpot over medium heat saute your chicken until it's no longer pink. 

I have to tell you that I never decide what's for dinner in advance!! I took my chicken out of the freezer and threw it in the pot frozen, basically defrosted/cooked it at the same time! The original recipe said to cook it in 3 Tablespoons of butter, I omitted that step. 
If your chicken isn't frozen like mine was, you will need it.

Add the onion, celery and garlic, season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until tender.

(at this point I put it in the crock pot)

Sprinkle with Chili Powder, Cumin and Flour, stirring to coat.  Add hot wing sauce, tomatoes, chicken broth and beans.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

I left mine on low for about 5 hours in the crock pot.

Top with your cheese of choice and ranch or blue cheese dressing.

buffalo chicken chili

Raise your hand if you LOVE buffalo chicken wings!!

Yesterday I went to the store to do some grocery shopping.  It was a beautiful day, the sun was especially warm and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. 

 This is quite uncommon to have a 62 degree day in Nebraska in mid-January.

But after listening to the weatherman I knew it wouldn't last.

There's a saying here in Nebraska,

 "If you don't like the weather in Nebraska, wait five minutes and it will change!" 

I bought all of the fixings for chili, knowing it was coming, and it DID.

And if the weatherman wasn't right (which he seldom is) my twins are studying clouds in science, and they told me the ones up there are bringing a storm!

The winds are blowing like mad, and I have hunkered down at home in my PJ's for a 

day of laundry and cleaning.  (BOO!)

Last night, I found a recipe for Buffalo Chicken Chili on A Forkful of Comfort's linky party.

I showed it to my oldest son and is statement was "oh, yum."

I decided to forego the usual chili and make this one.

Now I will tell you that when it comes to recipe following, I am a bit of a rebel. 

I can NEVER just "follow" a recipe without tweaking it someway to make it my own.

Her recipe sounded delicious, but if I made it that way I would have to go to the store...again.

I'm in my PJ's, remember?  And I plan to stay in them until I have to go get my twins at school at 3 PM.

(they are getting to the age where I can drop them off in them, 

but they comment when I pick them up in them! ;)

So, I did some tweaking.  Also, my hubby and I are on the WEIGHT-LOSS TRAIN and if I don't want to eat chicken and fish and lettuce daily, I need to TRY to make these soups healthy!

And, people, I LOVE me some soup!

If you click on the link for A Forkful of Comfort up there, it will take you directly to her post, and you can see what changes I have made. Make it however you like, but I say MAKE IT!

I have only taken a nibble of it, as it slow cooks in my crock pot, but I wish you knew just how amazing my house smells right now.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

adapted from A Forkful of Comfort

One Medium Onion, diced

4 Stalks of Celery, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

5 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

1 Tablespoon of Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon of Cumin

2 Tablespoons of flour

1/2 cup of hot wing sauce ( I use Frank's )

2 - 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes with juice

1 - 15 ounce can of black beans

1 - 15 ounce can of dark red kidney beans

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups of chicken broth (we like more broth!)

mozzarella cheese, ranch or blue cheese dressing

In a stockpot over medium heat saute your chicken until it's no longer pink. 

I have to tell you that I never decide what's for dinner in advance!! I took my chicken out of the freezer and threw it in the pot frozen, basically defrosted/cooked it at the same time! The original recipe said to cook it in 3 Tablespoons of butter, I omitted that step. 
If your chicken isn't frozen like mine was, you will need it.

Add the onion, celery and garlic, season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until tender.

(at this point I put it in the crock pot)

Sprinkle with Chili Powder, Cumin and Flour, stirring to coat.  Add hot wing sauce, tomatoes, chicken broth and beans.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

I left mine on low for about 5 hours in the crock pot.

Top with your cheese of choice and ranch or blue cheese dressing.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Indulgence

Since having a family, indulgence for me has evolved greatly. 

I have gone from buying myself clothes (high school), to buying myself less clothes (very minimal time in college), to hours at the salon (engagement year), to Babies R' Us to buy anything I could afford (early Mommy years) to trips to Target to buy as much generic as possible (current lifestyle).

Indulgence these days means scented hand wash.  Or Dove soap.  If I'm really feelin' crazy I buy triple bladed razors.

My nails are in bits most days because I clean my floors.  And my toilets.  And most everything else within these walls.

Hey, I even clean the walls.

I can safely say manicures are a far second to money in the school lunch account.  And pedicures?  No one will see my feet until May.

When my munchkins ask (and they do) why my hair is "one color on top and a different color on the bottom", I tell them it's because they are signed up for summer camp.  And that Dad has too much baggage to go anywhere anyway.

Kidding.

I may not have everything I want (my kitchen counters could use a face lift...) but I have more than what I need.  My soul is full and my days are happy.

I am less spoiled in "things" but extremely spoiled in love. 

And it's a fabulous trade.

Happy Weekend to all.  Enjoy it!

Since having a family, indulgence for me has evolved greatly. 

I have gone from buying myself clothes (high school), to buying myself less clothes (very minimal time in college), to hours at the salon (engagement year), to Babies R' Us to buy anything I could afford (early Mommy years) to trips to Target to buy as much generic as possible (current lifestyle).

Indulgence these days means scented hand wash.  Or Dove soap.  If I'm really feelin' crazy I buy triple bladed razors.

My nails are in bits most days because I clean my floors.  And my toilets.  And most everything else within these walls.

Hey, I even clean the walls.

I can safely say manicures are a far second to money in the school lunch account.  And pedicures?  No one will see my feet until May.

When my munchkins ask (and they do) why my hair is "one color on top and a different color on the bottom", I tell them it's because they are signed up for summer camp.  And that Dad has too much baggage to go anywhere anyway.

Kidding.

I may not have everything I want (my kitchen counters could use a face lift...) but I have more than what I need.  My soul is full and my days are happy.

I am less spoiled in "things" but extremely spoiled in love. 

And it's a fabulous trade.

Happy Weekend to all.  Enjoy it!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

banana cake with cream cheese frosting

We were invited over to my Aunt and Uncles for dinner on Monday night, and I was so excited!!

It may not seem like a BIG deal to you, but you see rarely do every one's schedules align.  

Sometimes I think it would be easier to herd cats.

My God-Father, Clyde and my Aunt Carol are two VERY special people to me, and to my whole family.

We try to get together a few times a year alternating houses for dinner.

With 4 kids, them and us,  trying to get wrestling schedules, work schedules, and just life in general to all land on a day that is free for everyone is sometime tough.

Thank goodness they are flexible!!

LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Monday night dinners were a tradition in my Dad's family growing up.  My Grandparents had anyone who wanted to come to dinner on Monday night over, and afterward everyone just sort of stuck around, sometimes playing penny poker.

So when it landed on a Monday it felt like tradition was back.

I told my Aunt Carol that it feels as though we DESCEND upon their quiet and neat house.  I mean when they come over the TWO of them VISIT...

We DESCEND!

They made one of my most favorite meals that night.  Her homemade beef pot pie.  She makes the most amazing pie crust...I want to learn.

Teach me Yoda.

I was in charge of dessert. I didn't want to bring something same 'ol same 'ol. 

I found this recipe for banana cake on pinterest, and it looked really good!

I knew my diet would be out the window on the pot pie..and hey, it had fruit in it, right?

It's got to be better than chocolate right...well not BETTER...but less calories!

You know what I mean.  

I know not much is "better" than chocolate.

look at that yummy frosting!

Banana Cake

adapted from Bake or Break

Cake:

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2Tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 ripe bananas

1/4 c milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8x8 pan with flour baking spray.

Whisk dry ingredients together and set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat butter, oil and sugar.  Beat eggs and egg white in one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well.

In another bowl mash bananas and add milk, stir until combined.

Gradually add dry mix into sugar mixture mixing well.  Add banana mixture, combine well.

Placing batter and smoothing into pan, bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 - 3 Tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)

caramel ice cream topping (optional)

Cream together cream cheese and vanilla, add sugar and continue to cream together.

Spread frosting onto cooled cake.

I topped mine with some drizzled caramel ice cream topping and about 2 Tablespoons of chopped walnuts.

This cake was REALLY good!!  It really is more of the consistency of banana bread. Very dense.

But utterly scrumptious!

banana cake with cream cheese frosting

We were invited over to my Aunt and Uncles for dinner on Monday night, and I was so excited!!

It may not seem like a BIG deal to you, but you see rarely do every one's schedules align.  

Sometimes I think it would be easier to herd cats.

My God-Father, Clyde and my Aunt Carol are two VERY special people to me, and to my whole family.

We try to get together a few times a year alternating houses for dinner.

With 4 kids, them and us,  trying to get wrestling schedules, work schedules, and just life in general to all land on a day that is free for everyone is sometime tough.

Thank goodness they are flexible!!

LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Monday night dinners were a tradition in my Dad's family growing up.  My Grandparents had anyone who wanted to come to dinner on Monday night over, and afterward everyone just sort of stuck around, sometimes playing penny poker.

So when it landed on a Monday it felt like tradition was back.

I told my Aunt Carol that it feels as though we DESCEND upon their quiet and neat house.  I mean when they come over the TWO of them VISIT...

We DESCEND!

They made one of my most favorite meals that night.  Her homemade beef pot pie.  She makes the most amazing pie crust...I want to learn.

Teach me Yoda.

I was in charge of dessert. I didn't want to bring something same 'ol same 'ol. 

I found this recipe for banana cake on pinterest, and it looked really good!

I knew my diet would be out the window on the pot pie..and hey, it had fruit in it, right?

It's got to be better than chocolate right...well not BETTER...but less calories!

You know what I mean.  

I know not much is "better" than chocolate.

look at that yummy frosting!

Banana Cake

adapted from Bake or Break

Cake:

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2Tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 ripe bananas

1/4 c milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8x8 pan with flour baking spray.

Whisk dry ingredients together and set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat butter, oil and sugar.  Beat eggs and egg white in one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well.

In another bowl mash bananas and add milk, stir until combined.

Gradually add dry mix into sugar mixture mixing well.  Add banana mixture, combine well.

Placing batter and smoothing into pan, bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 - 3 Tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)

caramel ice cream topping (optional)

Cream together cream cheese and vanilla, add sugar and continue to cream together.

Spread frosting onto cooled cake.

I topped mine with some drizzled caramel ice cream topping and about 2 Tablespoons of chopped walnuts.

This cake was REALLY good!!  It really is more of the consistency of banana bread. Very dense.

But utterly scrumptious!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad