Turkey Pancakes!

So much fun! Happy Thanksgiving!
(From: Little Nummies)

Banana Pops

For breakfast I tried something that my kids really liked. I cut a banana in half, stabbed a fork in the end (you could use a popsicle stick or sucker stick) spread vanilla yogurt on it, and rolled it in crushed graham crackers. I have also rolled it in granola. The kids really liked this. You could have a lot of fun with it.

*banana
*yogurt
*crushed graham crackers, granola, sprinkles or anything else

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Dinner in a Pumpkin:

1 small-medium pumpkin, cleaned
2 Tbsp. veg. oil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 (4oz) can sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 c. cooked rice
1 chopped onion
1 1/2- 2 lbs. ground beef
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup
1 (8oz) can water chestnuts

Clean out pumpkin. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook onion in oil. Add meat and brown. Drain meat. Add soy sauce, sugar, mushrooms, and soup. Simmer 10 min. Stir occasionally. Add cooked rice an water chestnuts. Spoon into pumpkin shell. Replace top. Bake on cookie sheet 1-2 hrs. Pumpkin will brown. Serve in shell.

Make sure to scoop some pumpkin meat with you serving.

Kid Friendly Recipes...

Hi fellow moms,
I have recently been looking for kid pleasing recipes as I have 4 children and it never fails to have at least 1 child protesting what I've made for dinner. Here are a few recipes I have found and tested.

Kid friendly Chili:
1/2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
2cups Progresso® red kidney beans (from 19-oz can), drained, rinsed
1can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
1soup can water
1tablespoon instant minced onion
2to 3 teaspoons chili powder
　
Cook meat, then add the rest of the ingredients. Heat.
I'm a huge Chili fan, but my kids hate the peppers and tomato chunks that they find in my favorite recipes. This one is quick, easy and tastes pretty darn good too.

Taco-Rice Dish

1lb Hamburger
1 pk. taco seasoning
1 tbsp. dried onion/ or add as much fresh onion as you like
2c. water
2c. instant rice
1c. cheddar cheese

Brown meat with onion, drain and add taco seasoning and 2 c. water. Bring to boil and add rice. Turn down, and cook until rice is done. Add cheese.
Top with: green onions, corn chips, lettuce, sr. cream

My kids all liked this recipe. They thought it was just like a taco salad, which it basically is.

Halloween Costume ideas?

If you have any easy, fun Halloween Costume ideas I would love to add them to the blog.

Temple Pictures

I have a friend who does photography. She wanted a beautiful picture of the Logan Temple, but didn't want to pay hundreds of dollars. So she went and took some herself. She has since added pictures of more temples. She sells them for a very reasonable price. If you'd like to check them out here is the link: ldstemplepictures.blogspot.com .

You can also have it personalized on the bottom corner.

Make your own curly hair clips.

I just found a website that shows you step by step how to make those darling, curly hair clips. I will post pics of my finished project after I try it. Here is the website www.instructables.com/id/Curlykorker-hair-bows/ . Have fun!

Travel activity boards/pillows

Yes, I know it is a miracle that I finally posted something new on this blog, but I finally have something that I think is worth posting.

My friend was the inspiration for these. I wanted to make something that my kids could put on their laps to draw and color on while we travel this summer. This is what I, with my friends help, came up with. This is a clip board (from the dollar store) attatched to a small pillow (that I made using my coupon from JoAnn's for the stuffing). I attatched it with velcro so the kids could take the board off and use the pillow to sleep on. If I would have had more velcro I would have taken it around the outside edges, but I think this will work.

I was able to make all 3 of these for under $10.

Yeah,

I have something to post. I'm copying this from my friends website. Thanks, Audrie and Chelsea!

These are headbands you can make on your own. They are so cute and super cheap. Here is the website for instructions.

http://foofanagle.wordpress.com/2007/06/12/best-band-ever/

3-20-09

So, I have been neglecting this blog for a little while. The weather is just too nice. I'll get back in gear soon. So check back later!

Save some money...

I recently added a few links to this blog about couponing. If you are interested take a look. There is: fabulesslyfrugal.blogspot.com, krazycouponlady.blogspot.com, and pinchingyourpennies.com.

Item of the week (3-1-09)

This is the best idea for an inexpensive piece of jewelry. Turn a washer into a necklace.

Supplies:
Washer
Scrapbook Paper
Glue
Tile Hardener
String
Beads
Clasps

We did this as a girls night out craft a few weeks ago. You just take the washer and glue it to the scrapbook paper and cut it out. (Or just outline the washer on the paper and then cut it out and then glue the paper to the washer). Mix the ipoxy, or tile hardener. Put it over the washer. Let dry for at least 24 hrs. and then add your beaded string. It is even cute with just the string and no beads.

Recipe

I know these look terrible, but they are awesome!

Eclairs
Dough:
1 1/3 C water
2/3 C butter
1 1/3 C flour
5 Eggs

Filling:
2 1/2 C milk
2 Sm.Pkg. vanilla instant pudding
1 9oz. Cool Whip
1 tsp. vanilla

Topping:
2 Squares semisweet choc. squares
(I use about 1/2 c. choc. chips)
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 Tbsp butter
1 C powdered sugar

Dough: Heat butter and water to rolling boil. Stir in flour all at once over low heat until ball is formed. Beat n eggs one at a time with mixer. Spoon onto greased pizza pan/cookie sheet to form circular shape. (Remember they will double in size.) Bake at 400 degrees for 45 min.

Filling: Mix pudding and milk until thick. Beat in cool whip. Insert filling into center of the pastry or cut pastry in half and spread filling in the middle.

Topping: Microwave the chocolate to melt it. Combine the rest of the ingredients. Until it is smooth. Spread on top of Eclairs.

Warning: (There will not be leftovers.)

Favorite Item of the week 2-16-09

Ticket to Ride board game: This game has been so much fun for our family. We've been playing it for a few years now thanks to some friends who introduced it to us. We love to play it with friends and just as a family.

In the game you have a few destinations that you have to get to. It takes you across the U.S. and is great for kids as they learn names of the cities. It takes about 1 hour to play.

To buy: just google the name. There are many places to get this game.

Thank you's!

I'd like to thank all my devoted blog followers. Your comments mean alot to me. So thanks to my one and only fan, my twin sister Amber. he he

Favorite Item of the week (2-9-09)

Fisher-Price Precious Planet Portable High Chair Cover

My sister gave me one of these when Alyssa was born. We started using it a few months ago when she was old enough to sit in a restaurant high chair. I love this chair cover! I don't worry about Alyssa putting her mouth all over the chair, with yucky germs from other kids. I can flip this over a high chair in about 30 seconds, and she can still be buckled into the seat.
This can be found on Amazon for about $10.

Favorite Item of the Week.

I will try and post a favorite item of the week. This week I have chosen to post about the infant baby sling called the "Peanut Shell". I got this from Target.com just before Alyssa was born and I have really liked it. Especially when Alyssa was younger. I would put her in it to do the grocery shopping or anything like that because she didn't like to be sitting in her car seat. They have lots of colors to choose from. This costs about $35.

Contribute

I would like people to be able to contribute. If you'd like me to add something this blog. Just leave a comment.

A few new Recipes from 2008

Pineapple Black Bean Enchiladas
Serves: 8
2 tsp. vegetable oil 1 tsp. salt
1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup) 3 c. (12 oz.) grated low-fat cheese
1 20-ounce can pineapple tidbits, drained 1 10-oz. can mild enchilada sauce
1/3 c. pineapple juice, reserved 8 whole wheat flour tortillas (8" or 9")
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained, rinsed 1/2 c. fat-free sour cream
1 4½-ounce can chopped green chilies 8 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Spray a 13x9" glass baking dish with cooking spray. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add onion and bell pepper; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in pineapple, beans, green chilies and salt. Cook and stir until thoroughly heated. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in 1/2 c. cilantro and 2 c. of the cheese. Spread 1 Tbsp. enchilada sauce on each tortilla. Spoon about 3/4 c. vegetable mixture over sauce on each. Roll up tortillas; place seam side down in baking dish. In small bowl, mix reserved 1/3 cup pineapple juice and remaining enchilada sauce; pour over entire surface of enchiladas in dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Spray a sheet of foil with cooking spray; place sprayed side down over baking dish and seal tightly. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes, removing foil during last 5 to 10 minutes of baking. Top each enchilada with 1 Tbsp. sour cream and 1 tsp. cilantro. Nutritional information: 330 calories, 7 grams fat, 7 grams fiber

This is one of my new favorite recipes. I could eat it every day!

Creamy Pasta Bake
1 Jar (30 ozs) spaghetti sauce (Ragu or whatever)
1 pk Rotini cooked & drained
1 1/2 c Sour Cream
1 pk Chopped Spinach (frozen) (thawed and drained)
1/2 c Grated Parmesean Cheese (2 ozs) Heat oven to 375 deg F. Mix all ingredients. Spoon into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Bake 25 minutes.

Very easy, and yummy!

3 layer Jello

2 lrg. jello's- (For Christmas I used green and red, 4th of July blue and red.)
Top-Dissolve 1 box jello in 1c. boiling water. Add 5-6 ice cubes. When all ice is melted,
pour into 9x13 dish. Let set until firm (1 hr. or so)
Center- 1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. sugar
1 carton cool whip
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 spoonful miracle whip
Mix all together and spread over 1st layer. Let set about 30 minutes.
Bottom-Just like the top layer. Pour evenly over center and let set until firm.