Kids Craft - Mummy

       So I have to admit I have been seriously loving this month of October.  We have been having a ton of fun creating little fun projects with the kids in the past week since we have been required to have some down time with these super fun colds :)  To get our minds off being sick I tried to think of some fun ways to keep our kids occupied and include the Halloween spirit.  Yes, I know there are only 5 days away until Halloween, but you have plenty of time for this!  Wanna make one??  Follow along below.

You will need 5 things:
- toilet paper roll
- white paint
- white fabric (cheap kind) or you can use muslim
- googly eyes
- hot glue gun

       First things first, you need to paint the toilet paper roll white!  Let your kids get in on this action, this is the fun part, just letting them create!  While they are painting, take your white fabric and rip it into strips.  I preferred mine to be long strips and yes, you rip them.  When they are ragged they look so much more fun!  After your toilet paper roll is dry, take the fabric or gauze and wrap it around the toilet paper roll stopping every so often to glue it.  You really don't need a lot of hot glue or it is bumpy.  Last, glue on your googly eyes!  There you have it!  Your done!  And it fits in perfect with all the Halloween decor we've got going on over here. Now go make some! Enjoy!

Simple Kids Craft

Simple Kids Craft

       Here is the Kids Craft Tutorial I promised!  My kids love to craft as I am sure yours do as well.  They just love being big enough to do things on their own.  It is so fun to have them sit along side me and do their crafts...that's what holidays and crafting are about...making memories.  So here is a fun Halloween craft that your kids can do and is especially great for sick days!  First you will need: a Cross Stitch Hoop; a washable fabric marker, embroidery floss in Halloween colors or whatever colors they want for their pictures, and some muslin or other cheap fabric.

       Cut a large square of fabric that will be at least 2-3 inches bigger than your hoop all around.  Now let your little artist sketch out their Halloween picture.  The bigger the better, trust me on this one, they lost patience when there is too much detail. (My daughter's scarecrow is sad because her spider scared her :) ).  Once there picture is finished place into the cross stitch hoop ad make sure you pull all ends tight!

       Okay, now thread your needle with whatever color they want to start with.  I tried to show my daughter how to do a real cross stitch but it is a little too tricky to do so she decided to just do straight lines back and forth...so cute and worked great!  Make sure to tie a knot in the back when they are done with each color before starting a new one.  Once you are done, you will put them in the washing machine on gentle cycle so the marker washes off.  Don't stress when they fray :)  We are almost finished with them and then we are going to make them into little Halloween pillows that we can use each year!  I am going to put the date on them and their names before I sew them up.

       I will post a tutorial for the pillows when we are done with these :) Hope you enjoy crafting with your kids!

- Kristin

Week 2 Recipes

Week 2 Recipes

       Hey friends!  Here are your recipes for Week 2...I apologize for not posting more this last week...we are sick again...so between that and planning a wedding I think it is safe to say that I literally hit an exhaustion point that was not even possible.  But hey, that's life and I am still here, I promise!  So this week I promise to really show you some fun recipes for Halloween and a fun activity that my kids and I have been working on!  So tomorrow morning I will get that up and running for you.  Okay here is your first recipe...you can cut down on fat by using fat-free cream cheese and using wheat pasta shells but other than that the meat is lean along with the tomato sauce.  Whenever I say season to taste, make sure you actually taste it occasionally to make sure it has enough flavoring :)  Don't shy away from casseroles...sometimes that word makes people shudder but really there are some good easy dishes for winter that are casseroles!

     
       Okay so you should still have some pork left!  Use that and make some sweet pork salads today, this is kind of one of our favorites and we cook it a lot because it is so easy, so healthy, and so flavorful!  Remember all the other recipes for sides and toppings are on my website so check it out!

       This is a recipe passed down to me from my mom.  It is good and easy and requires very few ingredients.  My kids still don't like it since they are the pickiest eaters but I have passed this on to lots of people who claim their kids LOVE it because it's ingredients are so simple.

       I have to admit I don't like frying stuff that much...but there are some things that just require it and this is one of those.  These are a really fun recipe to do every once in a while and we always make extras so we can have some with honey-butter after for a fun dessert!

       I love Hawaiian Haystacks!  My husband doesn't love them because he got sick once while eating them but I am trying to get him back into the groove.  I love all the fresh veggies that you can put on them.  They are so colorful and so flavorful!  Just try them, you'll like them, I promise!  You can cut down on fat by using fat-free sour cream :)

       Okay here is a fun one for Halloween!  I put some tips on the recipe card to make them into mummies! My whole family besides my husband hates olives but we stick them on there for this and then give them to dad after we pick them off :)  They are just too fun to not have them in there.  Make some veggies and throw them in there on the side or just throw in a bag of chips.  Either way your kids will appreciate this fun dish to get them ready for the Halloween spirit!  Can't believe it's next week!  If you try the recipes let me know what you think.  It's always nice to know that people are actually getting some useful information out of the website :)  Enjoy!

Kristin

         Recipes for Week 1

     
       My internet is being so crazy!  It is taking me about an hour to upload these recipe cards...I was going to upload some pictures of the yummy pasta and salad from Monday with a tutorial but I don't think it would even upload if I added that on.  Don't forget that if you ever want to have all the recipes ahead of time you can always go here and have them all downloaded.  I figured it was easier if I posted the recipe cards at the beginning of the week, that way throughout the week I can give you some fun additional recipes you can use for the holidays...because I KNOW you love to bake around the holidays right/??  Okay enjoy these fun recipes this week and if you skipped out on Sunday's recipe because you weren't sure of all the ingredients, you have to try it...if anything the salad (Panzanelle) is amazing. If you love the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella at Macaroni Grill then you will LOVE this!  My amazing neighbor made this at a get together and it has been one of my pregnancy cravings.  If you have any questions or recipes you would like me to try, leave me a comment below or email me, I love to hear how the recipes turned out for you!  Enjoy!



- Kristin

Helpful Hints and Halloween Decor Tutorial

      Helpful Hints and Halloween Decor Tutorial

       Stay awake until the end, I have a fun Halloween Decor Tutorial for you!  I have to share a quick "foodie" story with you that might entertain you.  I can cook my kids all the yummiest food in the world yet they are the pickiest eaters and would probably eat Ramen every single day if I let them.  Yes, Ramen, the most elegant of the "fast food" items we have in our house.  My daughter believes with all her heart that they are called Rotten Noodles.  So as she is playing with her friend the other day, I hear her tell her "My mommy always makes me Rotten Noodles.  She is really good at making them!  You should have her teach your mom!" Ha...I can't imagine what her mom thought when she ran home and told her to get some cooking tips on making Rotten Noodles.
     

       Okay first things first!  Did you clean out your fridge before you went shopping??  Always make sure you clean it out BEFORE you go...that way you know exactly what you have and what you  need.  That way there are no "surprises" waiting for you when you get home.  It is much easier to stick everything in there organized then to just throw it in there and not know where it belongs.

       Next I just wanted to throw in some of my helpful hints for cooking to make it easier on you!  I have a secret...I don't like cooking bacon!  I don't like the way my house smells for days after I cook it, I feel like it permeates the fabric in my couches and just lingers for days.  I buy Fully Cooked Bacon by Oscar Meyer.  It is more expensive...but definitely worth the money for me to buy this since all you do is microwave it and you are done.  I always microwave it a little more than it calls for because I like crispy bacon.

       
       Okay so I know some of you had trouble finding this Homade Chili Sauce.  It is found in the barbecue sauce section of Walmart or you can buy it at Macey's as well.  If you live out of state, I am not sure if they sell it anywhere else but here so you might want to fill me in.  This is my favorite sauce to use!  We are using it in this rotation for our tortilla chip dip and it is seriously delicious...try it...you'll like it...I promise :)

       
       Next I have included a list of spices that I use all the time for seasoning.  I always have these on hand in my house along with the Fiesta Lime Seasoning by Mrs. Dash found here.  The Fiesta Lime is my favorite but any of these are great!

       
       Okay, are you ready for some Holiday Cheer??  No it is not Christmas but Halloween is a Holiday and with all this candy how can you NOT be cheerful??  I was searching for something to fill my apothecary jars with for Halloween.  I went to numerous stores only to find that they are already putting their Halloween stuff away and are on to Christmas...totally bypassing Thanksgiving!  Come on people! Anyways, I am sure someone somewhere has already thought of this but since I couldn't find anything I finally found some clear glass Christmas Balls on sale at Hobby Lobby for $3 for 12 and the ideas started spinning.  Here is what you will need.

       
       You will need a glass measuring jar...or any glass jar with a spout for easier pouring.  The trickiest part is getting the paint inside these little ornaments.  You will need 3 colors of Acrylic Paint in Black, Purple and Orange.  These are the 3 I used.  You will also need Clear Glass Christmas Ornaments like the one below..  I used glass, plastic might work but I didn't try it so don't take my word for it.

        Okay here is what you do and I am sorry I didn't take pictures of the whole process, it was a little tricky with just me as the camera man.  Choose which color you want to do first.  Squirt quite a bit of paint in your glass measuring jar.  Pour in just a TINY bit of water.  Seriously, don't overdo the water because it looks terrible inside your jar, all runny and you want it more opaque.  You can always add more water but you can't take it out.  Make sure you mix it really well after you add a little water.  Next remove the top of your ornament.  Pour the paint inside...yes inside the ornament.  Now you just turn your ball to spread the paint until it is evenly coating the whole ball then flip it upside down to dry on top of 2 paper towels.  Mine took 2 days to dry so you have to have some serious patience for this. While they are drying, paint the top part of the ornament that you removed...you know the part where the hook would go? I don't know all the technical terms for it :) Do that with all of your balls in different colors and you have this below!

     
 Now if that doesn't make you excited for Halloween I don't know what will :)

   
Enjoy!!

- Kristin

New 3 Week Rotation

Sorry I am so late in posting this!  We have been crazy busy over here getting Halloween costumes made and decorating the house...hopefully you guys were able to get your subway art up in your homes because we definitely need some holiday cheer after getting over these yucky colds that seemed to linger forever!  Here is your new Menu, Recipe File and Grocery Shopping List for the next 3 weeks!  I know there seems like a lot of ingredients this time, just remember to go over the spices because there are a lot you probably won't need to buy more of.  Don't forget that if you need to do a Costco trip, the 3 things I buy are Pork Roasts, Ground Beef and Chicken Tenders, they will simplify your life :)  You will find the lists below.  Let me know how you like the recipes and if you have any questions leave a comment below or e-mail me!  Enjoy and I will be posting some yummy pumpkin recipes soon.  Sorry for the delay!

Menu

Recipe File

Grocery Shopping List

Enjoy!

Kristin

Recipes for Week 3

      Recipes for Week 3!  Hey everyone, here are your recipes for week 3.  I will be posting a new recipe file, menu and grocery shopping list for our next rotation on Thursday!  If you are new or need a little refresher on how this works, check back here or here or go check out Helpful Hints for some more ideas, and as always feel free to e-mail me with any questions.  I have some awesome new fall favorites I can't wait to share with you for the next couple of weeks, including some fun Halloween ideas!  I love Sweet and Sour Meatballs for an easy recipe.  My kids actually don't mind these as surprising as that is.  I think they just like to eat them because they are round.  The meatballs I buy are Italian Seasoned but if you bought regular they are fantastic too!  Mine are basically precooked before they are frozen but I still like to give them about 3 hours to cook so that they are tender.  Serve these over mashed potatoes or have them on the side and they are great!

      I love mashed potatoes but we never make them unless it's fall or winter just because to me they are a comfort food.  I have a little something against potatoes from a box...I mainly think it's because I grew up on homemade mashed potatoes and my mom is seriously such an amazing mashed potato maker!  So I took her little secret of adding in sour cream and use that in this recipe which I love as a basic "smashed" potato recipe as my husband calls them.

      Okay, I seriously love these orange rolls.  Technically they are not a dessert but since my husband thinks anything sweet is classified as a dessert we usually end up having these as a dessert.  I love the sweetness of these and I like to make my rolls from scratch but if yeast scares you, these are still great with Rhodes Rolls found in the frozen section of your grocery store!  Try them out, you will love them!

      I loved my mom's cooking growing up.  She really was so good about always having something ready for us to sit around the dinner table together and eat as a family.  Those are always good memories for me.  This recipe is no exception...I love this recipe from my mom!  Don't be scared to add the nutmeg, it adds such a subtle hint of spice that enhances the rest of the flavors.  Do keep in mind that as you are simmering this, it takes a while to thicken but be patient and it will get there and will be totally worth it in the end.

       Yet again, another from my mom's recipes box.  This is actually a really easy version of taco soup.  I like this one a lot and to cut down on fat, we use ground turkey instead of lean ground beef but the choice is yours, they both are still great.  I also have a version with chicken that I will post for you later that is equally delicious but is basically a "white" sauce soup instead of "red."

      Just like it says in the notes, this is a yummy moist "cake-like" cornbread and I have never had a problem with it turning out dry or crumbly on me.  I like it best plain but you could make a little honey butter and spread some on individual servings if you like. this last time i actually melted some honey and butter together and drizzled it on and it was fabulous my girls still preferred it plain.

   Last but not least for this rotation is the Creamy Chicken Taquitos from here,,,she has some great recipes that are fun to try out!  I like this one because you can make a bunch ahead of time and freeze them just like the taquitos you buy in the freezer section at the store and then bake them up when you are ready and they taste just as delicious yet you know exactly what went into those instead of the alternative :) Don't forget to check back for the next 3 week rotation or sign up to subscribe to my newsletter and have it delivered right to your inbox! If you have any recipes you would like me to try out, email them to me or leave me a comment, I am always up for trying out new recipes! Enjoy!

- Kristin

Recipe Cards for Week 2

 Recipe Cards for Week 2

         Hey everyone!  Here are your recipe cards for week two and I will just put some little helpful suggestions to go with each one.  For the Cilantro-Lime Chicken listed above, she says to marinade it for only 3 minutes, no this is not a typo, I have checked the original recipe numerous times.  However I like my chicken to have lots of time to absorb flavors so I always let it marinade a couple of hours before cooking so I have not tried this the original way but if you are crunched on time I am sure you could try it!  Let me know how it goes!

    For the cilantro-lime rice, I use the Jasmine rice I told you about before listed here.  I love all the flavors combined.  Just make sure you cook it on low so you don't overcook the rice and burn it.

       This recipe was submitted to me by my friend Andrea and looks delicious!  I actually have not tried this recipe yet but am looking forward to it...I LOVE soup in the Fall/Winter!  It was originally doubled in size so I scaled it down to feed less people for my little family since I am not sure how well this will freeze with the heavy whipping cream in it.  Just a suggestion, I would do part heavy whipping cream and part half and half to help cut down on fat...but hey there is no harm in trying it just the way it is for the first time :)

    This recipe was submitted by my sister in-law Irys!  I can't wait to try this as well since this will be my first time too.  I am a big fan of ranch but my husband is not so I decided to include my other dressing topping to go with this instead of the ranch.  This dressing is specifically for pasta and pasta salads and is delicious.  However I am sure the ranch is too!  Go ahead and let me know what you think :)

   I love fajitas...I honestly can't tell you how much I love them.  I love all the colors, they are seriously so appealing to eat.  You can also make this with flank steak as well and it is super delicious.  If you notice, we eat a lot of chicken around my house.  You are more than welcome to substitute meat for a lot of those recipes but my kids prefer chicken, it is leaner and more inexpensive so it is the easy route for us because there are no fights at the dinner table :)  I included Emeril's Essence Recipe again.  Remember I told you about it here??  So you should already have some made and tucked away but in case you don't, here it is again.  Don't be scared to try this, I use it on so many things because it is really delicious and takes time from measuring out all the different seasonings each time.  You can buy this in the store next to all the spices but it's about $3 a bottle and this makes SO much more for SO much less!  If you have any questions, feel free to let me know.  If you have any recipes you would like to submit to try for the next rotation, go ahead and e-mail me by Monday, September 10th so I can get them on.  Enjoy!!

- Kristin