SOCIAL MEDIA

Friday, May 10, 2013

Teacher Appreciation Gifts

 This year I tried to do some different gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week.  As a former teacher, I know how important this week is to them and I wanted to make it special for them.  Each day had a theme and I {kinda} went with it but changed some of them up.  I got a lot of ideas off of Pinterest and changed some to our preferences.  Karis and Brayden both have an assistant so I had to send 4 of each item.

MONDAY:  Bring some kind of sweets.  I made homemade chocolate chip cookies and sent them early last week so they could enjoy them before the sugar overload.
 
TUESDAY: Send school supplies to restock their classrooms.

{Just so we are clear...this rainbow of colors makes me happy, happy, happy!}



WEDNESDAY: Seeds of knowledge (any kind of seeds or gardening tools)


THURSDAY: Chocolate Lover's 


 FRIDAY: Your own choice


 So thankful for the 4 ladies that have taken care of my sweet children this year.  It eases my heart to know they are well take care of emotionally and physically and challenged academically.  We will be forever grateful to them!  They are truly heroes in my book!

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The BEST Iced Coffee...EVER!

So I found a recipe on Pinterest for an Iced Coffee and I thought I would give it a try.  UMMMM...worth a post all on it's own because it.is.soooooo.good!  I got the recipe from here and here is the recipe....

First...
You have to make your coffee concentrate.
(This is the only part of the process that takes some time)
Don't worry,  the gallon of coffee concentrate you end up with will make enough to last you for a month in the fridge!

You do NOT want to brew a normal pot of coffee for your iced coffee.
You want to cold-brew it.
This leaves you with a smooth, acid-free coffee base that we all love for a refreshing cold drink.

Iced Coffee Concentrate.  

Ingredients-
  • 1 gallon water (I buy a gallon of drinking water)
  • 1 lb bag of your favorite rich coffee (course ground if ya can get it)
  • Coffee filters or several layers of cheesecloth
  • a fine mesh strainer.
  • a large bowl
  • pitcher (big enough to hold a gallon)
Directions-
  1. Pour gallon of water into your large bowl.
  2. Dump the entire bag of coffee into the water/bowl.
  3. Stir to make sure all grounds are saturated with water.
  4. Walk away, for 12 hours or overnight.
  5. line a mesh strainer with a coffee filter or several layers of cheese-cloth, set the strainer on top of your pitcher.
  6. Pour (or ladle) your coffee mixture into the strainer. (this part takes awhile...  I often had to walk away while it filtered into the pitcher)   If using coffee filters, you might have to replace them several times during the filtering process.
  7. Once all the coffee concentrate has been filtered, stick it in the fridge (it will last for a month!)
Sweet Cream
Ingredients-
  • 1, 12oz can of evaporated milk
  • 1, 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
Directions-
  1. mix both cans together, refrigerate. 
Dana's Sweet & Creamy Iced Coffee 

  1. Grab your favorite glass and fill it to the top with ice.
 2. Pour iced coffee concentrate into your glass, filling it a little more than half-full.

 3. Add Sweet Cream into the coffee/ice glass until full (or to taste)

 4.  stir to combine.

 5.  Enjoy!


The coffee concentrate takes a while (I did it overnight) but it's not hard.  The filtering takes a while too because you have to do it little at a time and walk away and let it drain.  I used coffee filters and changed out the filter each time I poured more coffee.  OH and I used Dunkin Donuts Decaf so I could drink it any time of day.

Seriously...better than Starbucks...and MUCH cheaper!

Thursday, April 18, 2013

What's cooking...

 I haven't posted my menu in a while and while I am trying some new pinterest recipes this week, I thought I would post them.  I know, like all of you, I have made some horrible recipes from Pinterest but some have been some winners too.

We made these burgers earlier this week.  They were definitely good but not much different than any other grilled burgers we have cooked in the past.  The sauce was good though.

Best Burger Recipe Ever with Secret Sauce

I am kinda a stickler when it comes to homemade burgers. I can’t stand the dryness of pre-constructed or frozen patties, or when the patty turns into a giant dome that I can hardly bite into–and my burger muuust have cheese. So last year I set about creating the perfect burger, and you know what? I don’t even make it on the grill.
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Ingredients
Burger
  • 2 lbs ground beef 85/15
  • sesame seed buns
  • ½ cup of grated Monterrey jack cheese
  • ¼ cup BBQ sauce
  • season salt to taste
  • cracked black pepper
  • onion powder
Secret Sauce
  • ¾ cup of mayo
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup relish
  • 2 tablespoons worcestershire
  • seasoned salt
Instructions
  1. Combine the ground beef, grated cheese, bbq sauce, and seasonings. Shape patties that are about 1 inch thick.
  2. Then it is very important to push a ½ inch indent into the center of the patty–this is what prevents the patty from becoming a dome. These burgers stay extra moist because the bbq sauce and cheese are mixed in with the meat.
  3. Wait for the skillet to get super hot and then apply a very thin layer of butter to the pan. Place the patties on the pan, indent side up.
  4. Reduce heat to medium and allow this side of the patty to cook for about 4-6 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t burn. Then flip the burger over and cook until done.
  5. For the sauce: Combine all ingredients and whisk until well mixed. Taste and adjust ingredients to your liking.
  6. Assemble the burgers and serve with avocado, lettuce or your choice of toppings!
Notes
I also butter and toast the buns on a skillet Pioneer Woman style. Something about a sesame seed bun makes the burger seem more legit. UPDATE: Many of you have had trouble with the burgers falling apart. For some reason, I have made these burgers many times and this has not yet happened to me. But for those who are experiencing this, here are a few of my suggestions. 1. I don’t ever put this type of burger on the grill because it is too moist and will fall through the grates–which is why I use a grill pan. 2. I wait to flip the burger until one side is very thoroughly cooked, so that it holds together better before flipping. 3. If you are worried about them falling apart still, perhaps use less BBQ sauce than what I have listed in the recipe (try 2 tablespoons instead). 4. Some commenters have suggested adding some bread crumbs. I hope these tips help. These really do have a yummy flavor, sorry for those having trouble.

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 I made the burgers with these fried (baked) pickles.  These were pretty yummy I must say and my whole family loved them.  I will tell you that they were made with LOVE because you have to roll each one in three different bowls and it was a little tedious but they were good and definitely a different side than we are used to.  I will make these again!

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 7-10 min
Serves: 1 selfish fried pickle lover or 4 picky eaters
Ingredients:
3 Large Kosher Dill Wholes
3 Eggs
3 TBLs Milk
1 cup Flour (All Purpose)
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup Panko Crumbs
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese (Finely Shredded)

Prep & Cooking Directions -
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Slice your Dills into “chips” about 1/4 inch in thickness.
  3. Take 3 small mixing bowls and put the flour in 1, the eggs and milk in the second(and beat them together), and combine the bread crumbs, panko crumbs, and the shredded cheese in the third bowl.
  4. Coat each pickle chip with flour, then the egg/milk mixture, and then the cheesy bread/panko crumb mixture, and place on to an oiled cookie sheet.
  5. Bake @ 425 degrees for 7 – 10 minutes or until desired “crispiness” is reached.
  6. Add a side of ranch to dip into and ENJOY!
  7. Now make more!


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 For small group I made this Chocolate Chip Pound Cake.  I have made it before and it is always a hit!

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
Ingredients:

1 pkg dark chocolate cake mix
1 pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
1 16 oz sour cream
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preaheat oven to 350. Grease a bundt pan. Mix together ingredients and pour in pan. Bake for one hour and then cool. Top with powdered sugar!



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Last night I made this John Wayne Mexican Casserole with some homemade salsa.  It was good and Jay loved all the fresh ingredients in it!  It was husband approved!


'John Wayne Casserole'
Source: Adapted from Mississippi Magazine

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef, cooked and drained
1 (1.25-ounce) packet taco seasoning
4 ounces sour cream
4 ounces mayonnaise
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 cups biscuit mix
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 (4-ounce) can sliced jalapeno peppers

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325. Brown ground beef and add taco seasoning and water, according to packet instructions; set aside.

2. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, 4 ounces of cheddar cheese, and half of the onions; set aside.

3. Stir biscuit mix and water (directions on box) to form soft dough. Pat dough on the bottom and one-half-inch up the sides of an 9 x 13 in. greased casserole dish.

4. Saute remaining onions and bell peppers until slightly tender.

5. On top of biscuit mix, evenly distribute ingredients in the following order: ground beef, tomato slices, green peppers, onions, jalapeno peppers, sour cream mixture and end with remaining shredded cheese.

6. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until edges of dough are lightly browned.


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I made this homemade salsa which was YUMMY!  So fresh and good.  The pin is bad but the recipe is down below the pic. I will also post it here for my future cooking as well.
 Here is my pin and here is the recipe....
Great homemade Salsa: * 2 cans of diced tomatoes * 1 little can of diced green chiles * 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped * 1 clove of garlic, minced, or garlic powder * 3-4 whole green onions (stem included) chopped up * Couple shakes of red pepper flakes * 1 tsp of salt Blend it all together minus the tomatoes, then add the tomatoes and blend a little to mince the tomatoes. Delicious! - Tastes just like restaurant salsa!

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I haven't cooked this next one yet but hoping it's good.  I make chicken and dumplins Grandmother Lucy style but excited about trying this easier version of Chicken and Dumplings recipe.

  • 2 cups Flour
  • ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1 cup Milk, A Bit Less Than A Full Cup
  • 2 quarts Chicken Broth
  • 3 cups Cooked Chicken
  •  
  • In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the milk, mixing with a fork until the dough forms a ball.
    Heavily flour a work surface. You’ll need a rolling pin and something to cut the dumplings with. I like to use a pizza cutter. I also like to use a small spatula to lift the dumplings off the cutting surface.
    Roll the dough out thin with a heavily floured rolling pin. Dip your cutter in flour and cut the dumplings in squares about 2″x2″. It’s okay for them not to be exact. Just eye ball it. Some will be bigger, some smaller, some shaped funny.
    Use the floured spatula to put them on a heavily floured plate. Just keep flouring between the layers of dumplings.
    To cook them, bring the broth to a boil. Drop the dumplings in one at a time, stirring while you add them. The extra flour on them will help thicken the broth. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes or until they not doughy tasting. Add the cooked chicken to the pot and you’re done!

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    I haven't made these Ultimate Chicken Fingers yet either but hoping they turn out good!
     3/4 cup Bisquick® Gluten Free mix 
    1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
    1 teaspoon paprika 
    1/2 teaspoon salt 
    1/2 tsp garlic powder
    3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips (or 8 tenders)
    2 eggs, slightly beaten 
    Cooking spray
    1. Heat oven to 450°F. Line cookie sheet with foilor parchment paper; spray with cooking spray.
    2. Stir Bisquick mix, cheese, paprika and salt in shallow baking dish. Dip chicken strips into eggs, then coat with Bisquick mixture; repeat with other pieces, dipping in eggs and Bisquick mixture two times each. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Spray chicken with cooking spray.
    3. Bake 12 to14 minutes, turning after 6 minutes, until no longer pink in center.

     




Friday, April 12, 2013

I spoke too soon...the sickness continues.

 Ok I know you read my last post and although it was written days before, it was set it to post at 4:00 on Thursday, the exact time that I would be leaving to pick Jay up at that exact time.  I don't exactly like to post on public forums that my husband is out of town, and especially out of the country until after the fact for safety reasons.

But my last post ended with this statement....

"Whew...what a weekend.  Glad it is over and that the girls didn't end up getting it.  Being 5 days post-sickness and having cleaned our house completely, I hope our house is in the clear.



JUST IN TIME FOR DADDY TO COME HOME THIS AFTERNOON...isn't that the way it always works?! By the time you read this, we will be on our way to pick him up from the airport!"
Well about the time this posted, we were on our way to pick Jay up from the airport and we were SOOOOO excited!  Did I mention I missed him?!  And that is when our good day turned very, very sour, literally.
All of a sudden Lucy started whining, "Mommy I want you!  I want you!"  I looked back in the rearview mirror just in time to see Lucy lose her entire lunch, projectile.

Then I hear Brayden screaming, "OOOOO gross!"  His strength is not compassion ha!

I finally got to the nearest gas station, pulled over and started trying to clean up what was an impossible task by taking our bag of extra clothes for all the kids that I keep in the car (thank goodness I had it!) and putting it under her on a clean seat and gave her a plan of action for if it happens again.  I knew it was too late to go back home and we just had to pick Jay up and then go straight home. 

When we got to the airport, instead of going in and waiting at the gate like we always do, we decided to just park in the short term parking garage for Jay to come out just in case Lucy got sick again.  She apparently had the bug we had and we knew it wasn't over yet and it probably was going to come out both ends before it was all said and done.  We sat there in the garage for about 10 minutes until we decided to just through and pick him up at the door.  

We get to the door and park where we knew he was about to come out by baggage claim (he was still waiting on one bag).  About that time, Lucy starts crying, "I need to go POO!"  I knew it wasn't going to be a normal "poo" if you know what I mean and I knew I didn't have much time.  Quickly I decided we had to pull back around and park in the short term parking, again,  so I could take Lucy  (who had traces of vomit on her clothes, needed to poo and was wearing ONE shoe because the other was covered in you know what.)

We managed to park, RUN inside (all of us) to the bathroom, all the while literally waving at my husband that I haven't seen in 11 days as I ran past him, who by the way, still didn't know what had happened because I was scared to death to tell him what he would be greeted with when he got to the car.

Because I haven't mentioned yet that Jay DESPISES vomit and has a very weak stomach.  I knew he just might lose his lunch or dinner or whatever.  So I take Lucy to the bathroom, Karis and Brayden reveal to Jay the wonderful bit of news of what had happened and we head back to the car and wait on Jay to meet us there.

Jay got to the car a few minutes later, loaded his suitcases in the back, sits down and barely closes the door and Lucy starts throwing up again, over and over again (in the shirts I had given her earlier...again so glad I had them!) and Jay quickly starts rolling down every window he can and as fast as possible!  We pulled up just a little bit to the nearest trashcan and just started throwing away all the tshirts that were now ruined all the while, I had still not even hugged Jay.

WELCOME HOME HONEY!  :)

Luckily Lucy never got sick again, we made him home all in one piece and got all cleaned up and all was fine other than us absolutely freezing all the way home because it was 50 degrees and we had the windows down all the way home!!!

I hope we NEVER have a reunion like that again and I will cross my fingers that this is the end of the dreaded stomach bug and that Karis and Jay don't get it!!!


He did come home bearing gifts....




The next day when we had finally all recovered from our tragic night, we made Jay's favorite meal to welcome daddy home properly...steak, asparagus, and sweet potatoes!

 And we made Frozen Hot chocolates for dinner and they were delicious!!! I got it here.

Frozen Hot Chocolate, adapted from: Tasty Kitchen, here
3 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tbsp hot cocoa mix
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cups white chocolate chips
12 ounces evaporated milk, divided
4 1/2 cups ice
whipped cream, to taste
mini marshmallows, to taste
combine sugar, cocoa mix, and butter in the top of a double boiler that is set over gently boiling water. stir often until melted and a smooth paste forms. add semi-sweet and white chocolate chips; stir. as chips melt, slowly stir in 1/2 cup of evaporated milk. stir until smooth. cool to room temp. combine chocolate base mixture, the remaining evaporated milk and ice in a blender. blend until smooth. pour into frosty glasses. top with whipped cream, marshmallows and chocolate chips, if desired. enjoy!