Happy 400th Post!!

I am playing along with Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom and Wordful Wednesday on SevEn cLoWn CirCus:-).

May I present...a Christmas Snowman! Made from snow that fell on Christmas Eve:-)

And yes, it is my 400th post and my blog will be turning two-years-old in a few days too! I have nothing but this snowman in tow to celebrate because I have been busy redesigning my blog for the new year. I am hoping that it will make it easier for you to enjoy your time here. So, come back Friday and see all the exciting changes:-)

Until then, I hope you all have a very Happy New Year!!

Tackling a Young Girl's Dream

It's time for Tackle It Tuesday with 5 Minutes for Mom . She asked for Barbies for Christmas. When Santa left her 9 Barbies, a full Barbie wardrobe and a Barbie house, this was her reaction:

That smile was my best Christmas present ever!!

Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

I hope you all had as good of a Christmas as we did:-) It was fun and relaxing and delicious! I am doing more menu planning with I'm an Organizing Junkie and finding more deals at Pick N Save for $5 Dinners . I also usually play along with I Blame My Mother on The Food Network Chefs Cooking Challenge (FNCCC). However, she is taking a little bloggie break so, I am on my own.

As for this week, we are gearing up for New Years. We always have a special dinner on the eve and Pick N Save is helping us out with that. They have Beef T-Bone Steaks or Porterhouse Steaks on sale for $4.99/lb. (normally $8.99/lb.). Along with the potatoes that they have on sale ($1.49/10lb), we are going to have a wonderful steak dinner:-)

Also, dumplings recipes are traditional in the New Year. Well, the closest I am going to get to that is a Chicken and Dumplings recipe that I have for you below:-)

Here is everything that I am serving this week:

Monday: Semi-Homemade Spaghetti

Tuesday: Chicken and Dumplings (See the recipe below)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Jeff's "Plain Old Steaks" Steak (New Year's Eve)

Friday: Eat Out (Happy New Year!!)

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast tenders
1 Tbs olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
2 Tbs butter
1 russet potato, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced or thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 rib celery, diced
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning, 1/3 palm full
2 Tbs flour, a handful
1 quart chicken broth or stock, canned or paper container, preferred brand Kitchen Basics
1 small box biscuit mix(preferred brand Jiffy Mix)
1/2 cup warm water
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 cup frozen green peas

Directions:
1. Dice tenders into bite size pieces and set aside. Wash hands.

2. Place a large pot on stove over medium high heat. Add oil, butter, vegetables and bay leaf and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season mixture with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Add flour to the pan and cook 2 minutes. Stir broth or stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Add chicken to the broth and stir.

3. Place biscuit mix in a bowl. Combine with 1/2 cup warm water and parsley. Drop tablespoonfuls of prepared mix into the pot, spacing dumplings evenly. Cover pot tightly and reduce heat to medium low. Steam dumplings 8 to 10 minutes. Remove cover and stir chicken and dumplings to thicken sauce a bit. Stir peas into the pan, remove chicken and dumplings from heat and serve in shallow bowls.

Servings: 6

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/6 of a recipe (17.4 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 402.32
Calories From Fat (27%) 107.22
% Daily Value
Total Fat 12.09g 19%
Saturated Fat 4.26g 21%
Cholesterol 76.35mg 25%
Sodium 948.48mg 40%
Potassium 1118.99mg 32%
Total Carbohydrates 36.86g 12%
Fiber 5.07g 20%
Sugar 6.26g
Protein 35.59g 71%

Recipe Type: Chicken, Main Course

Source
Author: Rachael Ray
Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicken-and-dumplings-recipe/index.html

Menu Cost: $10.95
Serving Cost: $1.83

FNCCC Week: 16

My Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom is going to be more like Wordful Wednesday on SevEn cLoWn CirCus:-).

I am playing along with I Blame My Mother on The Food Network Chefs Cooking Challenge (FNCCC). This week the chef of choice is Emeril LaGasse. I am doing his Pasta with Vodka Sauce and Sausage. I posted the recipe on Monday but the best part is...

I was so touched that my daughter thought of me in every country she visited during her time in Europe. She brought wonderful culinary delights which I included this:

Homemade Pasta from Italy

AND

Olive Oil from Spain

And here is what the final product looked like:

The Verdict: With ingredients from Europe and Emeril's expertise, we feasted like royalty. Just delicious! Especially when we paired it with this:

Rioja Wine from Spain

AND

Brie from France

Top your brie with honey and almonds and oh my gosh...you don't even need dessert. Did I just say that? Then you know it MUST be good:-)

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

Tackling a Welcome Home

It's time for Tackle It Tuesday with 5 Minutes for Mom . This weekend, we tackled welcoming our older daughter home from a trip to Europe. She was gone for three long months and it was the longest I had ever been apart from her. Needless to say, I was so glad to see her and we ate like kings while she was here.

We started off with a Welcome home breakfast:

My Strawberry Stuffed French Toast. Yummo:-)

Then, we did Ladies Who Lunch:

Chicken Pesto Salad with Whole Wheat Pasta

We ended with a spectaculor dinner that I will write about tomorrow:-)

Pasta with Vodka Sauce and Sausage

I am doing more menu planning with I'm an Organizing Junkie and finding more deals at Pick N Save for $5 Dinners .

I am back from my blogging break and I have to say, I had a fantastic week. It was so good to see my daughter after her long 3 months studying abroad. She brought back so many adventures and presents for everyone. I can't wait for you to read about it all here tomorrow:-)

As for this week, we are staring down the barrel of the holidays. We have some great things planned for Christmas but we have to get there first. Thank goodness for good old Pick N Save. They have chicken on sale for $1.59/lb. (normally $4.79/lb.) and I included it in my menu this week.

Amongst all this, I am still playing along with I Blame My Mother on The Food Network Chefs Cooking Challenge (FNCCC). This week the chef of choice is Emeril LaGasse. I am making his Pasta with Vodka Sauce and Sausage with ingredients that my daughter brought back from Europe!! Check out the recipebelow!

Here is everything that I am serving this week:

Monday: Chicken and Pasta

Tuesday: Pasta with Vodka Sauce and Sausage (Come back on Wednesday for a picture and a review.) (Sing along at school)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Christmas Eve Dinner

Friday: Christmas Buffet

Pasta with Vodka Sauce and Sausage
Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage, removed from the casing and crumbled or chopped
2 cup chopped yellow onions
2 tsp salt
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 11/16 Tbs minced garlic
2 cup crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chiffonade of fresh basil leaves
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish

Directions:
1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain in a colander and return to the saucepan.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until browned and all pink has disappeared, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onions, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until thick, about 2 minutes. Add the vodka and cook until the sauce reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in the basil and remove from the heat.

3. Toss the sauce with the pasta to coat evenly and transfer to a pasta bowl for serving. Top with cheese and sprig of basil and serve immediately.

Servings: 8

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/8 of a recipe (10 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients. One of the recipe's ingredients was not linked. This ingredient is not included in the recipe nutrition data.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 743.9
Calories From Fat (31%) 228.63
% Daily Value
Total Fat 25.95g 40%
Saturated Fat 8.24g 41%
Cholesterol 68.97mg 23%
Sodium 1121.38mg 47%
Potassium 714.6mg 20%
Total Carbohydrates 83.07g 28%
Fiber 5.02g 20%
Sugar 3.7g
Protein 24.75g 50%

Recipe Type: Italian, Main Course, Pasta, Pork

Source
Author: Emeril Lagasse
Source: The Food Network
Web Page: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/pasta-with-vodka-sauce-and-sausage-recipe/index.html

Recipe Cost: $12.26
Serving Cost: $1.62

Taking a Break

This beautiful young woman is coming home from Spain tomorrow:





She is going to be here for a week and as such, I am taking a bloggie break to spend some time with her. I will be back next week with more recipes and escapades for my little corner of the blogosphere.

Friday Foto Fun with Christmas Plants

Sorry it took me so long to get back. Our power went out Tuesday night and came back Wednesday night. Losing 24 hours in the busiest season but me waaaaay behind.

But, I trudge on because t's time for Carrie's Friday Foto Fun! This week: my Christmas plants. If you recall last year, I struggle with getting my plants to live and bloom. May I present, my Christmas cactus:



and my Poinsettia:


It's not the most beautiful thing but by golly, I brought it back!! This year, I win:-)

FNCCC: Week 14

My Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom is going to be more like Wordful Wednesday on SevEn cLoWn CirCus:-).

I am playing along with I Blame My Mother on The Food Network Chefs Cooking Challenge (FNCCC). This week the chef of choice is Duff Hoffman. In honor of the Ace of Cakes, we are to post our favorite decorated cake or cupcakes. This is right up my alley and in honor of the holiday, I am republishing my Santa's Bag:

The Verdict: I made these for our Iron Cupcake: Milwaukee Christmas Challenge last year and they are so simple!! Red velvet cake with peppermint buttercream. Stick some white chocolate candy presents in the bag and tie it with red licorice and you are off and running to spread Christmas cheer:-)

Pork Chops

Check me out over at At Work, At Play or At Home All Day talking about girlie stuff:-)

Here, I am doing more menu planning with I'm an Organizing Junkie and finding more deals at Pick N Save for $5 Dinners . This week, they had an unadvertised sale on pork chops for $1.88/lb. (normally $3.99/lb!!!). I grabbed a bunch for this week's menu because...

My daughter comes home this coming Sunday!!!! Yahoo!!! She has been in Spain for 3 months and I can't wait to see her. However, I do have to wait because I have sooooooooo much to do before she gets here! The baking is done but I still have the shopping and the wrapping and the cleaning and the preparations to do.

As such, I am taking the week off of the new recipes. I am still playing along with I Blame My Mother on The Food Network Chefs Cooking Challenge (FNCCC) however, this week the chef of choice is Duff Hoffman. And we can link up decorated cakes or cupcakes. Since I have a plethera of these, I am going to put my focus elsewhere:-)

Here is everything that I am serving this week:

Monday: Spaghetti (Cleaning Day)

Tuesday: Pork Chops and Mashed Potatoes (Shopping)

Wednesday: Leftovers (Co-Chairing the Bake Sale @ school)

Thursday: Garlic Chicken Risotto (Wrapping)

Friday: Eat Out

Friday Foto Fun with Homemade Ornaments

It's time for Carrie's Friday Foto Fun!

Every year, the first ornament to go on the tree is the first ornament my daughter ever made for me. It is also the last ornament to leave the tree and it is always front and center. Well, now, I have two:

The little angel is my little angel:-)

Holiday Cocktails, Mocktails, and Appetizers

I am going to take a break from gardening for a few weeks to play along with Simply Sugar and Gluten Free for her Holiday Food Fest.

She is featuring Holiday Cocktails, Mocktails, and Appetizers and I thought it was a perfect way to plan my Christmas Day menu this year. Since there are 15 of us, we always do appetizers so we can graze all day while we open presents. We always seem to bring the meat and this year is no exception:

Christmas Day Menu:

Sausage Stars
Pigs in a Blanket
Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Servings: 20

Nutrition
Serving size: 1/20 of a menu.
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from menu items.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 970.37
Calories From Fat (51%) 491.66
% Daily Value
Total Fat 54.76g 84%
Saturated Fat 17.46g 87%
Cholesterol 111.16mg 37%
Sodium 1831mg 76%
Potassium 395.28mg 11%
Total Carbohydrates 89g 30%
Fiber 3.82g 15%
Sugar 13.54g
Protein 28.46g 57%

Menu Type: Christmas, appetizers

Menu Cost: $39.34
Cost per Serving: $1.97

FNCCC: Week: 13

My Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom is going to be more like Wordful Wednesday on SevEn cLoWn CirCus:-).

I am playing along with I Blame My Mother on The Food Network Chefs Cooking Challenge (FNCCC). This week the chef of choice is Dave Lieberman. I am doing his Mexican Chicken Stew. I posted the recipe on Monday and here is what it looked like:

The Verdict: We liked this. It was warm and spicy and perfect for fall. It was yummy but nothing groundbreaking....just good.

Tackling Planning for Cookie Day

It's time for Tackle It Tuesday with 5 Minutes for Mom . This week, I planned for our annual Ewing Family Cookie Day.

If you remember our haul from last year, we produce way more than our families can/should consume. But, we love baking all day so we didn't want to do less. We just decided we were going to give away more. So, the school's bake sale and the Veterans are going to reap the harvest of our labor. We are very excited about our giving this year. It makes me feel like we are in the true Christmas spirit.

So, here is my plan for Cookie Day:

Peanut Butter Blossoms
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 egg
2 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
54 Milk chocolate kisses or stars

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.

2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in the 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie's center. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 54 cookies.

3. To store: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Servings: 54

Vanilla Sugar Cookies
Cake Journal is one of my favorite sites for decorating inspiration. I converted this recipe from grams from her site:-)

3.5 oz sugar
3.5 oz Powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
16 oz all-purpose flour
7 oz unsalted butter, diced
1/4 recipe Royal Icing
1/2 recipe Marshmallow Fondant

1. In a bowl or in the kitchen mixer with paddle attachment, mix the two types of sugar, vanilla and the egg. Add the flour and the butter and keep mixing just until the dough comes together.

2. Knead the dough lightly by hand on your flour dusted kitchen counter and wrap it well in cling film and put it in a plastic bag. Chill the dough for 2 hours.

3. I always roll out my dough on a sheet of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour and I set my oven to 325F (170C) when I bake cookies and place the baking tray in the middle of the oven. Depending on size I bake them from 15-20 mins. You want them to be light golden brown without being raw in the middle.

Servings: 30

Source
Author: Cake Journal
Source: http://www.cakejournal.com/archives/vanilla-sugar-cookies

Molasses Cookies
1 cup butter
1 1/3 cup Sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp allspice
1 tsp ginger
3 cup All-purpose Flour

1. Preheat oven to 375. In large bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add in molasses and cream. Add in eggs one at a time until combined. Add in spices, baking powder, and baking soda until combined. Add in flour and mix just until combined. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let stand on baking sheet for 5 minutes for removing to wire racks to cool.

Servings: 24

Source
Author: Sherry
Source: Lamp Unto My Feet
Web Page: http://lampuntomyfeetandalightuntomypath.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-goodies-1-molasses-cookies.html

Lemon Bars
Lemon bars absolutely sing spring! The citrus awakens your taste buds, while the rich buttery crust satisfies all dessert cravings. Simple enough for an after-supper treat at home, these are also pretty enough for a spring bridal shower, baby shower, or tea party. Enjoy!

1 cup softened butter
2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
4 eggs
2 cup sugar
6 Tbs flour
6 Tbs lemon juice

1. Mix sugar, salt, and flour. Cut in butter. Press into an 8×12 pan. (9×13 will work, too, you’ll just have thinner bars) Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

2. Mix together while crust is baking. Pour onto hot crust. Bake an additional 25 minutes. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store in refrigerator.

Servings: 12

Source
Author: Amy's Finer Things
Source: http://amysfinerthings.com/lemon-bars/comment-page-1#comment-3713

Pecan Delights
2-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup light corn syrup
1/8 tsp salt
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 lbs whole pecans
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1. In a large saucepan, combine the first four ingredients. Cook over medium heat until all sugar is dissolved. Gradually add milk; mix well. Continue cooking until a candy thermometer reads 248° (firm-ball stage).

2. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla until blended. Fold in the pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Chill until firm. Loosen from paper.

3. Melt chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Drizzle over each cluster. Cool.

Servings: 48

Source
Source: Taste of Home
Web Page: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Pecan-Delights