A Star Wars Kind of Father's Day

When my girls and I were deciding what to do for my hubby for Father's Day, we tried to think of things that HE would enjoy.

Besides Phish, (and if you don't know who Phish is, then good for you!  Some day, I'll write about how this band has made it's way into my life, and into the lives of my children.  Until then...), my hubby has one lifelong love.

Star Wars.

It started when he first saw the movie at age 3, and has continued ever since.

I'm sure if he thought I would allow it, he would be one of those guys that dresses up in authentic Stormtrooper gear and parades himself around at various Star Wars conventions.

But he doesn't think I would allow it.

He may or may not be right.

BUT, on Father's Day, it's all about him!

We started our day by waking him up with the hugs, cards, and the Best Donuts EVER!

The girls has even made him a sign earlier in the week that said, "We Love You More Than You Love Donuts!"

After daddy ate his donuts and watched a little ESPN,  it was movie time!  We all settled in for a viewing of The Empire Strikes Back!

When it was time for lunch, we had some Hans Solo Sandwiches, Skywalker Watermelon, Princess Leia Pretzels, Wookie Cookies, and Jedi Juice.  All on Star Wars plates, of course :)

Daddy even got a special cup!

The girls and I had even made Lightsabor's out of pool noodles and Duct Tape earlier in the week.  After the movie, an EPIC battles ensued!

The girls decorated these mugs for his desk at work.  We used Sharpies and baked them, according to the instructions on this post I got from Pinterest.

After all of our Star Wars themed activities, daddy watched the Cubs game, I got a nap (yep...best husband EVER!), and then we had daddy's favorite dinner: Chipotle!  And of course, I made him key lime pie for dessert, which is also one of his faves!

We also celebrated my father-in-law earlier in the weekend.  As his gift, the girls and I picked strawberries from a nearby field, washed and chopped them, and then used this recipe to make Strawberry Jam.

Faith loved being able to pick the berries right off the vine!

Addy was impressed that we could get as many as we wanted!

We not only gave him a bottle to take home, but we invited him over to enjoy some with us for a Father's Day breakfast!

YUM!

He really is a wonderful Grandad to my girls, and a great Father to my husband and I!

Grandparent love!

Here's hoping that you all enjoyed Father's Day as much as we did here!

A (Homemade) Cough Remedy That Actually Works!

So I mentioned yesterday that I have bronchitis along with a sinus infection.

Good times.

But since I HATE to take OTC meds for that kind of stuff, because they never seem to help anyway, I was just kind of dealing with it until I could get to the doctor.

But I came across this home remedy on Pinterest and I happened to have all the stuff already in the pantry.

So I gave it a try.

And By Golly IT WORKED!

Let me warn you that it's pretty nasty.

I just held my nose and drank it down.  (Remember to only take 1 TBSP at a time!)

And I wouldn't give it to my kids (because of the Cayenne Pepper.  But if your kids like hot stuff...go for it!)

But it totally did the job, and WAY better than those OTC meds.

Plus, no side effects like drowsiness or hyper activity.

So next time you feel a sore throat or cough coming on, give this a try first!



I'll be linking up with WFMW at We Are THAT Family, too!

The Monday Soup Swap

It's Here!

The Monday Soup Swap has officially begun!

AND, to start it off, I am sharing one of my favorite soup recipe's with you!!

Easy Peasy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup:

3-4 frozen Chicken Breasts
2 cans of diced tomatoes (or 2 cans of rotel, which makes it a little spicier).
1 can of corn
6 cups of chicken broth
1 pkg. of taco seasoning
1 pkg. of ranch salad dressing seasoning
1 can of cream of chicken soup

Tortilla Chips
Shredded Cheese
Sour Cream (optional)
Chopped Cilantro (optional)

Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Then, go ahead and pour the tomatoes and corn over the chicken. After that, you can mix the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, ranch seasoning and taco seasoning together, and pour over the chicken. (or do it in reverse order...it will taste exactly the same.  It's almost impossible to mess this one up!)  Cover and simmer on low for 3-4 hours or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken breasts and shred them with two forks.  Place them back into the slow cooker, stir, and cover.  Cook on low for another 30 minutes. 

Place tortilla chips in a bowl, sprinkle a little cheese on them (or a lot if you're like me!), and ladle the soup over the chips.  You are now about to get the most melty, gooey, yummy cheese....mmmmmm.

And, just before I eat it, I like to place a small dollop of sour cream on top.  It gives it that little extra creaminess.  And if you're REALLY feeling crazy, go ahead and add some fresh snipped cilantro!

There you have it!

Now it's time for you to share a yummy soup recipe! 

Link up below the direct link to your soup post.

And after you link up, make sure to visit some of the other links too...we could all use another soup recipe and a little blog love! 

Oh!  And while you're at it, go ahead and grab the Monday Soup Swap button below and add it to your page to let your readers know you linked up!


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And just so you know, I'LL be linking up at Still Being Molly,

and at The Brassy Apple

Who Wants Some Soup?

Doesn't everyone love soup?? 

I know I do!

In fact, during the fall and winter months, we have it at least once a week. 

One of the things I love most about soup is that it makes a lot and I can eat it one night for dinner, and eat the rest of it all week for lunch.

OR, I can serve half for dinner and freeze the rest for another week.

And BTW, I consider all chili's and stews a soup also.  So LOTS OF STUFF can fall into my soup category!

And the thing is, I can never get enough soup recipes.  I would love to try a new soup each week!

Which has lead me to the decision to start a Soup Swap on the blog! 

Next Monday will be the official kick-off!  You'll be able to link up all of your soup recipes and share with the soup loving community!

It can be an old or new blog post, but make sure you're linking up your *own* recipe.  (ie, don't link up someone else's blog post please!).

And be creative. 

It can be a detox soup, your grandma's favorite beef stew, or a chilled soup.

Whatever it is, link it up so we can check it out!

And if it goes well, who knows...

maybe The Monday Soup Swap will become a regular link up.

So get to cookin'!! (and maybe take some pics too)

And we can all be eating delicious soup all winter long :)

I am linking up with We Are THAT Family for WFMW

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10 food Blogs Every Mom Needs To Read!

Meal planning is one of the toughest things for me.

And it's not because I don't like to cook.

It's because I have four different people to please, and I hate making the same things all the time.

AND because the crazier our schedules get, the harder it is to think of healthy, fast, and tasty meals.

So I rely heavily on the food blogs I read for new ideas and recipes.

Here are the Top Ten Food Blogs I think every mom should be using as a resource!

1.  Once A Month Mom:  This is a GREAT site for freezer meals.  (And I am NOT just saying that because she is a real life friend!).  I would use her site even if I didn't know her, (but I'm glad I do!!), because of the HUGE variety on her site.  Everything from Whole foods, Diet menus, Gluten and Dairy Free, and Traditional foods.  And don't get scared by the words freezer cooking...she breaks everything down for you into simple and easy steps.  Believe me when I say that if I can do it, anyone can do it!

2.  The Pioneer Woman:  If you haven't heard of Ree Drummond by now, you probably are living under a rock.  She has taken the world by storm, and for good reason!  While she's not just a "food blogger", her recipes are fabulous, and generally easy to make.  I use her site often!

3.  Eat At Home:  I met this gal at Blissdom last year, and after I got back, I decided to check out her blog.  Sooo glad I did!  Easy Peasy recipes that my kids like and are budget friendly.  Plus, she has menu lists that has printable grocery lists too!

4.  Crcokpot365.blogspot.com:   This is a great site for slow cooking.  I use my crock pot at least once a week, so this site has come in handy more than a few times when I want to make something different than the usual.  They even have slow cooker dessert recipes!

5.  KevinandAmanda: Speaking of desserts, this is one of the VERY best dessert sites I have ever seen!!  Again, not just a food blog, but my favorite recipes are these fabulous desserts that are sure to raise your cholesterol and increase your weight, but oh so worth it!

6.  Our Best Bites: This is a great site for a little bit of everything.  Plus, they always have really great kitchen tips!  For example, if you want to know how to pick out and cut a watermelon...Check it out here!

7.  Real Mom Kitchen:  This is another great site for those of us who need normal, every day, no nonsense recipes.  Everything on her site is pretty simple and easy to understand.  It quickly became one of my favorites!

8.  Plain Chicken: The name might suggest that it's just a chicken recipe site, but that's not the case. They have lots of other good recipes. BUT, I must admit that I use it mostly for the chicken recipes, (because we eat a lot of chicken around here..cluck cluck!). They are tried and true

9.  Skinny Taste:  This is a blog I found via Pinterest.  I realized that i was pinning a lot of the recipes/ideas and decided to start following the blog.  She has a lot of great recipes that are low fat and healthy.  And she also has a lot of great switchout ideas using better/healthier ingredients in traditional recipes.

10.  Cooking With My Kid:  The title is pretty self explanatory.  This site has great recipes that are also kid assistant friendly.  I use this one on days that the girls want to help me in the kitchen and I want to keep them busy!

I will be linking up with Many Little Blessings for Top Ten Tuesday and We Are THAT Family for WFMW.  Check em' out!



Grilled Cheese Perfection!

Sometimes, it's the simple things that are the best.

Take grilled cheese for instance.

It's so simple, but soooooo yummy!

And, I make a pretty mean grilled cheese sandwich, if I do say so myself.

{Okay, it's not mean at all.  It's really very nice.  In fact, it could become your best friend.}

I actually prefer my grilled cheese over any other grilled cheese that I've ever had....even in those expensive restaurants!

And my family loves it, too. 

So, I'm sharing my grilled cheese secrets with you!

Here's what you need for 1 sandwich:

2 pieces of Texas Toast (you can use other bread, but this one is thick and holds up well against the crazy amount of cheese on this sandwich!)
Butter or margarine
2 slices of American Cheese
1 slice of Swiss Cheese
1 slice of Cheddar Cheese

Spray your pan with cooking spray and turn it on to medium heat.  While your pan is heating up, butter one side of each piece of bread. 

Lay one piece of bread, buttered side down, on your pan.  You should hear a slight sizzle. 

Now, this next step is important!  Lay 2 pieces of American Cheese down.  Then the Swiss, and then the Cheddar.  DO NOT mix up the order!  There is something about having the cheeses in that order that make it so good.  I think it's because the Swiss is a little bitter, and the American and Cheddar are sweeter. 

Next layer place the other piece of bread, butter side up, on top. 

After about 4-5 minutes, flip the sandwich over.  The side that was on the bottom first should be golden.

 

After another minute or so, go ahead and put a lid on top of the pan.  It helps the cheese to melt without having to leave your bread on too long.

After about 2 minutes, remove the lid and press down the sandwich slightly with your spatula.

Once the second side is golden brown, remove your sandwich and cut it across. 

Or straight.

Or in fours.

It's really your choice...

And just look at that yummy, melty cheese! 

WARNING:  The cheese will be molten hot at this point.  I know it's hard, but try to wait a few minutes to give it a chance to cool off.

And then enjoy the best grilled cheese you've ever had!

Top Ten Sides to Take To A Cookout

One of the reasons I love summer is the food.

Because let's face it, corn on the cob isn't the same in November.

Nope, summer brings on some of the best food there is.

And the very best thing is to get invited to a cookout where you get to sample all kinds of calorie loaded yumminess. 

And you don't have to feel one bit of guilt for it either because it would be impolite to not try everything.

Some things must even be tried twice to make sure no feelings are hurt.

{I am such a people pleaser...}

And of course, you can't show up without some yumminess of your own to share.

That's where I come in.

Here are 10 dishes that you can't go wrong with!

10.  Baked Beans!  My mom always made the very best baked beans, and I still use her recipe to this day.  Here it is:

2 large cans of beans, (any variety will do...I usually use the store brand)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 TBSP of ketchup
2 TBSP of yellow mustard
2 TBSP of Worcestershire sauce
1 TBSP of Tabasco Sauce

Mix it all together and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until onions are soft.  Allow it to cool for about 15 minutes before serving so that the sauce can thicken.

9.  Macaroni and Cheese!  I always use this recipe from Paula Deen.  It's my absolute favorite, and truly southern.

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8.  Crack Potatoes!  They have a gazillion different names, but it's basically the hash brown casserole that becomes completely addictive.  Here's my recipe:

1 bag of frozen shredded hash browns
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of cheese (or more if you like them really cheesy!)
1 TBSP of Onion Powder
1 TBSP of salt

Mix it all together and cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

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7.  Fruit Salad!  Someone has to bring something healthy, right?!  I opt for fresh fruit, and this recipe looks really delicious!

6.  Taco Dip and Chips!  I think I've shared this recipe before, but it's super easy and always a hit.  So, I'll share it again!

1 Can of Refried Beans
16 oz. sour cream
1 packet of taco seasoning
shredded lettuce
2 Cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 tomato, diced

Mix the sour cream and taco seasoning.  Layer in a 9X13 pan: Refried beans, sour cream mixture, shredded lettuce, cheese and diced tomatoes.  Serve with tortilla chips.

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5.  Ranch Pasta Salad!  I like a Pasta Salad with Italian dressing as much as the next gal.  But my mom made this ranch version and it has become a favorite, too.

1 16 oz. box of macaroni noodles, (or any pasta!), cooked and drained
2-3 carrots, chopped into small pieces
1 cucumber, chopped
1 packet of ranch dressing mix, prepared.
1 Cup of shredded cheddar

Mix all the ingredients together and allow it to chill in the fridge for at least one hour.  Note: You can get REALLY creative with this and add any veggies you like!  Sometimes we have added frozen peas, red or green peppers, ham, etc.  And if you want a southwestern flair, try adding corn and black beans.

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4.  Pulled Pork!  If you're going to a gathering where a heartier dish would be appreciated, try this slow cooker recipe.  It is my go-to pulled pork recipe and the whole family enjoys it!

2-1/4- to 3-pound pork shoulder roast
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin or chili powder
3 cups bottled barbecue sauce
12 to 16 hamburger buns

Trim the fat from the roast. Cut roast, if necessary, to fit in your slow cooker. Add water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and cumin or chili powder. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours.
Remove meat from the cooker; discard cooking liquid. Using two forks, pull the meat apart and return it to the cooker. Stir in barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on high-heat setting for 30 to 45 minutes or until heated through. Transport in slow cooker and serve within 2 hours.  Makes 12 to 16 sandwiches.


3.  Corn on The Cob!  I haven't tried this method yet, but I certainly am going to as soon as I get a chance!

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2.  Loaded Potato Salad!  This is the recipe that my husband always requests. 

4-5 baking potatoes, diced and boiled until semi-soft
16 oz. sour cream
1/4 cup of mayo
1/2 lb. of bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/8 cup of diced green onion. (or you could use red onion...or none at all.  Your call!)
1 TBSP of salt

Mix all the ingredients together and chill at least two hours.

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1.  Coleslaw!  I am NOT a fan of traditional coleslaw, so I would opt for this Crunchy Asian version!



I will be linking up with Many Little Blessings for Top Ten Tuesday!  Be sure to check them out!





Chicken Stuffed Shells

One of the benefits of going to our house church is the yummy dinner each Tuesday.  There are some GREAT cooks there, and our bellies happily benefit from their talent.

One week, my friend Kylee brought this dish and I was in HEAVEN!  It didn't sound good to me at first, (stuffing and pasta??).

Oh.  My.  Goodness.

These stuffed shells are one of the best things I've ever eaten.  It's total comfort food, and my girls love it too. 

And now, I'm sharing the recipe, so that you can experience this yumminess too!

Here's what you'll need:
1 pkg jumbo pasta shells
2 lb chicken
1 6 oz stove top stuffing
1 1/2 C mayo
4 C chicken broth
2 cans cream of chicken soup

First, you'll want to cook the chicken.  (I boiled mine, but you can bake it, or get a rotisserie and take the meat off...basically, whatever works for you).

After it's done, allow it to cool. 

While it's cooling, go ahead and cook the shells. 

Note: I cooked mine in the chicken stock for some extra flavor...but if you like bland shells, go ahead and do it in plain old water :).  They should be in boiling water for about 9-10 minutes.

Drain the shells and then lay them out of a cookie sheet to cool.  Trust me on this one!  Steamy hot shells are no fun to work with.  I have the burnt fingers to prove it.

While they're cooling, you can make the stuffing (just use the box directions), and chop up your chicken. (You'll want to chop it into pretty small pieces so that you can pipe it into the shells!)

Once cooked, combine the stuffing, chopped chicken and mayo.

And yes, I used full fat mayo. 

Now don't go getting all healthy on me.  I know it's bad for you.  But the thing is, I LOVE mayo.  Especially Kraft.  So I have absolutely no problem adding it to pretty much anything.  I know I should probably feel bad about it, but I don't.  Not even a little bit. 

I guess you could try light mayo...

And if you truly have some kind of misplaced hatred of all mayo, you might be able to try Greek yogurt.  Not promising that it will taste the same or even hold the mixture together the same way, but it will add the creaminess you're looking for.

Place it in a large plastic bag and seal.  Twist the top and cut off the tip to make a piping bag.  Set aside.

Combine chicken broth and soup and then ladle small amount of soup mixture into bottom of 9x13 pan.

 
Fill the cooled shells and place them in the pan.

Ladle the remaining soup mixture over top.

Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, occasionally spooning sauce over top.

TIP: This can be made the day before and refrigerated, just increase baking time.  It can also be frozen.  Just fill the shells but DON'T put soup mixture on the bottom or the top.  Instead freeze filled shells, and when you're ready to eat, thaw in refrigerator, and just before baking, pour the sauce over the entire thing.  Cover, bake and increase baking time to about 45 minutes.

I really hope you enjoy these shells as much as my family does!

I will be linking up with We Are THAT Family for WFWM.  Be sure to check them out!