Santa Spotting

December 25th, 2007

We went to a friend’s holiday open house and Santa happened to stop by to see the children. As we were too sick to make it over to see our amazing mall Santa (he truly is!), we decided this was a perfect opportunity to get the kid’s special visit in with Santa.

Pictured here is how polite our son is… some of the time anyway! He is raising his hand and saying, “Excuse me, Santa! Santa, excuse me! I need to speak with you”

Ethan quickly plops down in Santa’s lap and talks his ear off. A last minute change of plans occurrs where his original plan of getting a Monster Truck was now changed and he wanted a Hummer Truck that he could ride in (price tag of $300). He says Santa told him to write it all out and he would see what he could do. Unfortunately, Santa already shopped and Santa did not have $300 in the Santa fund to spend. What can I say? Our Santa is cheap.
Emily is watching Ethan talk with Santa and is really excited to see him. I mean, you can just see it in her face. I know that this is the year that we get that amazing shot of her with Santa. This will not be a repeat of last year. She is going to look so cute on Santa’s lap….Oh! We are getting excited now. I hand her over to Santa and all of a sudden…
Santa looks at me and says, “Oh no! There is something wrong with this one” (All pictures can be expanded for real-life detail and trauma we invoked on our child)

Better luck next year, I say! Merry Christmas, everyone!

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Lazy Gal’s Chicken & Noodle Soup

December 24th, 2007

Source: Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade Cookbook

Lazy Gal’s Chicken & Noodle Soup

4 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup frozen peas (or leftover peas from a previous meal, just throw them in at the end)
4 (14 ounce) cans low sodium chicken broth
2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
2 cups egg noodles, cooked

Remove skin from the chicken and chop the meat. Put the chicken into a slow cooker with the onions, celery, carrots and peas (see above if using leftover peas).Stir in broth, mushroom soup, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 8 to 9 hours. When soup is finished, stir in egg noodles. Season to taste and serve. Enjoy!

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Creamy Stovetop Mac & Cheese

December 24th, 2007

I made this one day for a playgroup and it was delicious. This comes from the ” The American Test Kitchen” cookbook (an excellent investment for a home cook!)

Creamy Stovetop Mac ‘N’ Cheese

8 ounces macaroni (2 cups)
Salt
2 large eggs
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco (I omitted this ingredient)
Pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (3 cups)

Bring two quarts water to a boil in a large pot for the macaroni. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the macaroni and cook until almost tender but still a little firm tot he bite. Meanwhile, mix together the eggs, half of the evaporated milk, the mustard mixture, Tabasco, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Set the pot over low heat and stir in the butter until melted. Stir int he egg mixture and half of the cheddar. Continue to cook over low heat, gradually stirring the remaining milk and cheddar, until the mixture is hot and creamy, about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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The Best Birthday Cupcakes

December 24th, 2007

Pictures are posted here! You can’t go wrong with this cupcake and I have made these for many events in our family. Enjoy!

The Best Birthday Cupcakes

24 paper liners
1 package plain butter recipe golden cake mix (I subbed with white and loved it!)
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Syrup Frosting (recipe to follow)
Colored sprinkles or candy cake decorations for garnish

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line cupcake cups with liners. Set the pans aside. Place the cake mix, cream cheese, sugar, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend on low speed with an electric mixer for 30 seconds, until the ingredients are well blended then stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Increase the mixer to medium speed and beat for 1 1/2 minutes to 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should be smooth and thickened. Spoon or scoop 1/4 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two thirds of the way full (You should get between 22-24 cupcakes). Place the pans in the oven. Bake the cupcakes until they are golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 24-27 minutes. Remove pans from oven and place them on wire racks to cool for five minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool fifteen minutes before frosting. Meanwhile prepare your frosting…


Chocolate Syrup Frosting

1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
3 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate syrup in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined (about 30 seconds). Stop the machine and add the sugar, milk, and vanilla. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute more. Use to frost your cupcakes.

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Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

December 24th, 2007

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
(these can be made into a cake too- whichever you prefer)

1 package plain white cake mix
1 cup whole milk
1 stick of butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Frosting:
1 stick butter
3 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
3-4 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and flour & grease 2 9″ pans (for cakes) or line your cupcake tin. Place cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend for three minutes (stop to scrape once). Pour into pans and bake for 27-29 minutes (for cake) or 22-25 minutes (for cupcakes). Allow the cakes to cool completely.

Beat butter until fluffy for frosting. Add all other ingredients.

Note: I froze half of these (without frosting) to keep in our freezer for another occasion. They freeze very nicely!

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Macaroni Grill Rosemary Bread

December 24th, 2007

Serve with olive oil for dipping!

Macaroni Grill Rosemary Bread

1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons rosemary (fresh is best, but you can sub with dried)
2 tablespoons butter

Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl or food processor and allow mixture to become bubbly. Mix in 1 T butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Add one tablespoon of the fresh chopped rosemary. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in food processor about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add more flour if necessary. Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover with a towel. Punch down dough and divide in half. Let dough rest about 5 minutes. Spray baking pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray. Shape the dough into 2 small rounded oval loaves. Sprinkle remaining 1 Tablespoon of rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface. Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375° F. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Carefully remove from oven, brush with remaining butter (and salt if desired.).

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Easy Pizza Sauce

December 24th, 2007

I make this sauce in huge batches and divide it in containers for the freezer. It is easy (and no splattering) if you can prepare this in your slow cooker.

This is great for your pizzas, for making bagel & English muffin pizzas for the kids, or as a dipping sauce. Visit this entry for more details on streamlining that homemade pizza routine.

Easy Pizza Sauce

2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 cloves garlic (I use the minced garlic in the jar)
3 tablespoons dried parsley flake
4 teaspoons dried onion flak
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups water

Place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker (This is ideal when making large batches). Cook on low for six to eight hours.

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Cheeseburger in Paradise

December 22nd, 2007
I couldn’t resist? I apologize if the song is now stuck in your head.

Since we have been sick, I have been all about simple cooking and quick dinners. I have had this recipe in my “to be tried” pile for quite some time, and it seemed like the perfect meal for this busy time of year.

Unfortunately, I can’t add this one to the Aldi Queen blog. It contains two non-Aldi ingredients- shell pasta (which could be subbed with a rotini or elbow mac from Aldi) and a can of cheese soup (currently not available at our Aldi).

Regardless, this is a quick and easy pantry meal. It is like Hamburger Helper, but definitely has more of a distinct flavor than those flavor pouches that come in a box.

The best part about this dish…only one pan to clean up! That is why skillet dinners get two thumbs up in our house.

Enjoy a stress-free night of cooking!

Cheeseburger Pasta

1 lb ground beef

1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cheddar cheese soup
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can beef broth

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup ketchup

2 cups medium-size pasta shells

Brown the ground beef. Add all other ingredients and heat to a boil. Cook over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes or until done, stirring often. (Amy’s Note: This took a little over fifteen minutes for me, uncovered)

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Freebie Friday: December 21, 2007

December 21st, 2007

Thank you again to Heather, from Freebies 4 Mom, for her help with compiling our freebies for the week.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Health & Beauty


Food

South Beach Living Foods Sample Pack (drink mix, granola clusters, and coupons)

Promise Activ SuperShots (coupon for free product to first 500 each day)
Jolly Cook Cookbook (requires confirmation link by e-mail and subscription to e-newsletter)

Entertainment

Free audio download of, “You are Special” by Max Lucado

Free issue of Bridal Guide

Liz Magazine

Poster from Snowmass, Colorado for signing-up for e-newsletter


Amazon Unbox Free Download of Mary Tyler Moore Show Episode 14: Christmas and the
Hard-Luck Kid II
Small Business Marketing for Dummies book (when registering for MicroSoft’s Small Business monthly newsletter)

Free 8×10 from Walgreens (Use code VERYNICE– valid only through 12/21)

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When Do You Have the Talk?

December 20th, 2007

Wow, I have been reading a sea of blog entries on teenage pregnancy since the whole thing with the Spears family has come out. Ironically, the feel-good movie of the year is, “Juno” which also deals with the issue of teenage pregnancy.

As a parent of children under five, I have not had the big talk yet. I am really curious who out there has had the talk and at what age you discussed this? Was it you and your husband together? Did the conversation stem from a particular circumstance or was it just something you decided to talk about with your child? Did you talk from the heart or did you tackle the discussion with some learning materials?

I guess what I am asking is, what can we as parents do to help prevent our children from being a statistic?

I don’t say this to stir up controversy, but only to understand how other parents have dealt with topics such as these!

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