Weekly Pinterest Challenge # 4

With a birthday party and Halloween upon us, I decided to switch to a food item from my "Recipe Board".  It's football season (which we love) so an appetizer type recipe seemed perfect.  Taste of Home shares a quick recipe for Mozzarella Sticks that is different!  Here is the inspiration photo:

Don't those just look yummy?  There were a few comments that said you could bake them to be healthy but sometimes, a deep fried treat tastes so good so I stuck with the original recipe and did just that.  This is how mine turned out:

These were FANTASTIC!!!  So super easy too!!!  The recipe calls from egg roll wrappers and string cheese.  I had won ton wrappers on hand so I cut each piece of string cheese in half. 

The Recipe:
Egg Roll or Won Ton Wrappers
String Cheese
Oil for Frying

Lay the string cheese on the corner of the wrapper and roll half way, fold in the sides of the wrapper, use water on the edges and finishing rolling; seal. 

Place in hot oil, heated to 375 (I heated mine only to 350 and they didn't brown as much as we would have liked) and fry for 30 -60 seconds.  Dip in your favorite marinara sauce :-)

Too Cute Not to Toot!

One thing I love to find is ideas for home made gifts for showers (even though I seldom make them yet!) and this idea from The Seasoned Homemaker is just too cute to pass up.  I have a friend due in the spring so maybe, just maybe I'll get this idea made :-)

My boys need hats for the winter (I do have one saved on Etsy that I love!) so when I saw this tutorial over at Moth and Sparrow I had to save it for later.  They are just super cute!

I realize that this is one day late for October/Halloween but I love this candy corn topiary from Deep in the Heart of . . . Arkansas - it is just so adorable!

This is another idea for next year, but my kids would have loved it this year - they are SOOO into "Pukin Pach" (Pumpkin Patch).  This idea for a Pumpkin Tree from Love & Sugar Kisses is super adorable!

I'm looking for ideas to fill up my October Family Fun Binder with and this is perfect - a Roll a Pumpkin Game Printable from Happy Home Fairy.

I will be adding this list also from Happy Home Fairy to that same binder; it has tons of ideas that will help with planning next October :-)

Ok, don't hate for me for posting this next idea but, it is after Halloween so it might be ok :-)  Craftomaniac shares a really cute idea to do with twine - a super adorable Christmas Card.

This pumpkin idea from i gotta create was too cute not to share this week.  This would look super cute on a Thanksgiving table.  If you planned ahead you could probably find stuff at good will or even the dollar store to use :-)

I have a thought that over the next couple of weeks we will see tons of great Christmas ideas.  It is hard to believe that it is already November - where did the year go?

Enjoy!

3 Ways Words Speak to your Child

One of the blogs I enjoy reading, http://www.thebettermom.com/, shares great encouragement for moms and I wanted to share just a couple of posts with you today that I've found encouraging and convicting.  Please take time to click on the links provided and read the simple truths!

First, back in August (I know, hard to believe it is already November . .almost!), one of the writes of the website, wrote a great article on 3 Ways Words Speak to Your Child.  (It actually links back to the authors own blog).  We all know the simple words to the children's rhyme "Sticks and Stones May Break my Bones but words will never hurt me" and we all know that is not true!  This post gives some great truths on how to use words to help your children become stronger people.  As moms, we have the power of words to use every day - but how do we use them?  I re-read this article periodically as a reminder to use my words wisely.

Second, just today, Janelle from Comfy in the Kitchen posted A Child's 10 Commandments.  Wow, take time to read that and then, put it into action this week - I plan on printing this information and posting it near my desk to help me remember some simple truths about my children! 

Finally, there is another blog that I have started to read entitled An Inch of Gray.  This family recently lost their son in a freak accident during all of that flooding that occurred early this fall out East.  She posted this post on her blog thanking her son for all that he taught them.  As I read it, it reminded me of the things I should be looking for in my kids as well as modeling for them so they can learn.  I don't think when she wrote those simple truths that she thought they would be used to teach other parents how to be better - yet that is what it has done. 

I believe that if you take time to read through these posts, you will learn lessons just as I did and also, your heart will be touched. 

Enjoy!

Halloween!!!

I will admit, I love Halloween.  I don't get into all of the scary, gruesome stuff but I don't have any issue with enjoy the spirit of fun.  I love decorating with pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, black cats, and other fun stuff.  Picking out costumes for my kids, getting candy, and planning fun little things to do is just, well, fun.  It is one of my favorite holidays, behind Christmas and birthdays :-)  This year was more fun then normal because my kids are starting to "get" the "triceeting" (Trick-or-Treating).   It was funny, on Friday night we put the boys to bed and my oldest said "Josh go night-night, get up, get in truck, and go triceeting" ha!!  We had to do a lot of searching this year though, because, due to my husbands work schedule, he won't be around Monday evening and he didn't want to miss Trick-or-Treating. 

First up in our Trick-or-Treating fun was a trip to the annual Autumn Fest which is held in our downtown.  The businesses all hand out candy plus the businesses from outside of the downtown set up "trunk or treat".  It did not take long for my little Engineer and Scarecrow to figure out how to get candy! 

 Waiting for candy at the first store - they were still a bit overwhelmed at this point - with the people, the noise and the crazy costumes.  (Well, we think they were costumes - in our town you never know HA!)

 The weather was perfect - notice that there are no coats over the costumes?  The last two years it was so cold that we almost froze to death.  This year was so much fun because the boys could run around and actually be part of the whole evening.

There were a few raindrops as we came to the end but the boys just stood under an awning while I got the balloons :-)  Such a fun night!  Both boys slept very late the next morning :-)

Our next trick-or-treat adventure took us to a church that did indoor Trunk-or-Treating on Saturday night.  We really didn't know what to expect but it was great.  They actually just had people set up every few feet, handing out candy.  Some were dressed up but the main focus was candy :-)  Josh and Nate loved getting to pick out what they wanted (and yes, they already know what they love!).  The cutest thing is when we got to the end, they had Cider and Donuts, Josh held up his bag for his "treat" HA!  I got him a donut hole and he put it in his treat bag :-)

We sat and enjoyed some of the treats while watching Charlie Brown before heading home. 

Finally, because no matter how hard I try, getting a really good photo of my little cuties is hard.  Thankfully, we have a photographer who does a free Halloween Shoot every year and she got awesome shots!

Aren't they just adorable?  I love picking out their costumes every year! 

I'm still debating whether or not to take them to our Church Trunk-or-Treat on Monday evening; that is a decision that wait until the last moment :-) HA!

Happy Halloween!!!!

Weekly Menu - October 29th

Last weeks menu was a mix of success and failures with both lunch and dinners!  I look forward to sharing some of those recipes with you in the coming weeks!

This next weeks menu is based on two principals: 1) With the birthday party last week, I have a smaller amount of money left in the budget for this week so I needed to try to keep things simple 2) I'm helping my mother-in-law with a wedding shower for my niece next Saturday and there are a few new recipes I need to try before we actually make them for the shower! 

Check out what we are eating this week!

Saturday: It is going to be a simple day - we are planning to go to the Zoo Boo so I'm not sure if we will eat at home or what - I have Pot Pies (The cheap frozen ones) on the menu for lunch and Pancakes and Sausage for dinner. 

Sunday: Stuffed Shells (with Cheese), Green Beans and 7-up Biscuits for our main meal; Then for dinner, Breakfast Casserole in the Crockpot and Donut Muffins - these are two test recipes for the shower. 

Monday: Homemade Cheese Pizza (kid style) and chips

Tuesday: Overnight French Toast with Bacon Stuffed Sausage Roll-ups (another trial run of recipes!)

Wednesday:  Gingerbread Waffles and Bacon (are you sensing a theme this week HA!) 

Thursday: Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Brown Rice, Peas, and Lonestar Rolls (finally "real" food!)

Friday: Chicken Fried Steak, Fried Corn and Mashed Potatoes with parsley Gravy


In case you hadn't figured it out yet, we are doing a Brunch for the shower :-)  I'm hoping that everything is good and I'll be able to share all of the shower recipes and ideas with you after the shower (it will be a Pinterest post since most of the ideas came from there!)

Enjoy and keep cooking!

Food Friday - Breaded Chicken with Parsley Potatoes (and a bonus recipe too!)

Welcome to another "episode" of Food Friday.  I have soooo many recipes to share with you that I just can't seem to keep up!  I really enjoy cooking, I enjoy great recipes, and I enjoy sharing what I find with others so you can enjoy too!  Just the other day, one of the blogs I follow (Shugary Sweets) even shared a recipe on her blog that she read on mine - how flattering!  Anyway, I'm holding back from posting some because there is a recipe challenge I want to start being part of but one of the requirements is to have all of your own photos - some of my posts I've used photos from other sites so I need to make the recipes again and take photos :-)  (Or I may just delete some photos on some for now!)  Hoping I can "join up" soon!

I believe that I've mentioned that I've been getting ideas for my weekly menu from Confessions of a Homeschooler. She posts a monthly meal calendar at the beginning of each month and it has really inspired me AND has given me some new, great, easy recipes!  That's where this meal comes from and it is a new favorite!

Breaded Chicken with Parsley Potatoes
adapted from Confessions of a Homeschooler

This recipe was a very quick family favorite - the kids ate everything and the adults love it too :-)  I actually used bone-in chicken thighs because they were so much more less expensive then boneless.  I did pull off the skin though :-) Also, the potatoes - they are fantastic - I have never had success with "flavored" potatoes - they always seem so bland - but this recipe really, truly reminds me of what you get in a restaurant!  

Breaded Chicken:

• 6 boneless/skinless chicken thighs (can substitute with chicken breasts, but let’s face it, they’re just not as yummy!)
• 1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs (I use Progresso Italian)
• 1/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1/2 c. milk
• olive oil

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 pan with cooking oil.
Step 2: Mix breadcrumbs & shredded Parmesan cheese in shallow bowl. Beat egg and milk together in another shallow bowl. Dip each chicken breast into egg mixture then coat with bread crumbs and place into 9×13 pan.
Step 3: Drizzle breaded chicken breasts with olive oil and bake at 350 for approx 45 minutes or until golden brown

Parsley Potatoes:

• 3 russet potatoes (can substitute with red potatoes)
• butter
• 1 T parsley
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp onion salt

Step 1: Fill large sauce pan with water and bring to boil.
Step 2: Wash potatoes thoroughly, then dice into about 1” pieces and place in boiling water. Cook approximately 15 minutes or until tender. Drain water.
Step 3: Meanwhile, melt approx 4tbs of butter in saute pan on low. Add garlic salt, onion salt and parsley. (Can add more of any ingredient to taste)
Step 4: Stir cooked potatoes into butter mixture until coated well and serve!


Now, I "promised" you a bonus recipe.  We had this chicken dish on a Sunday after church; I try to plan our main meal for "lunch" and then make dinner something simple.  I cooked a couple of extra chicken thighs and we made some awesome Chicken Quesadillas for dinner!

These are so simple!  I just used to tortillas (I used taco shell size so that they are easier to flip).  Lay one shell in a small skillet, layer in cheese, chicken, onions or any other toppings you would like, and place another shell on top.  Heat over medium heat until the cheese has started to melt; flip and finish cooking.  It is such an easy meal and again, everyone loves them because they can put in only what they want! 

What I'm Reading

I'm not sure if you realize it or not, but I love to read! HA!  This is something that was instilled into my brothers and I from the time we were little and, for the most part, we still all love to sit down with a good book.  I'm so thankful that my kids seem to be picking up that same love of reading too!  I think it helps that they see me picking up a book and reading too.  Yes, they already do have favorites and they both have books that they can even "read" themselves - it's fun to hear them say words from a page and reading it with the same "voice' that I read it to them in. 

Lets get to what I read this week!

This book, What Women Fear by Angie Smith, is one of the books from this "quarters" reading list.  It was a new release as of September and, I must tell you, it is fantastic.  I couldn't put it down and, for a non-fiction book, that says a lot.  Don't get me wrong, but I think most of would say that when reading a non-fiction book that is meant to teach, it is hard to just read through the book.  The way the book is written makes it so easy to read and understand.  In each chapter, Angie introduces a fear such as "The fear of the 'what if . .'".  She beings with an example from the Bible, such as Sarah and Hagar, but she doesn't just tell you the well known in's and outs of the story, she tells it in a way that allows you be in that moment and even, at least for myself, pointed out ideas that I had never thought of before in relationship to the particular scripture.  From there, she goes to real life examples, explanations, ideas, solutions, and just talking about how to have some success over the fear.  Each of the fears she hits are fears that many women have or can relate to in some way.  Personally, I don't live a life in fear, like the author has had to overcome.  There is one thing that I truly fear though.  I am not an "over-protective mother" and by that I mean that I am not a germ-a-phobe.  My kids ride in a grocery cart without a fabric seat, I pick toys up off the restaurant floor and give them back to the kid who dropped it, I didn't sterilize a pacifier that fell on the ground.  (I will admit that we crossed a line recently, though.  We were in Walmart to buy tennis shoes for the boys and Josh was in the back of the cart.  I turned around and said "Oh my word, we did not bring that chicken nugget with us."  He had found it in the cart  . . Darryl quickly ripped it out of his hand  . . well the half he hadn't eaten and tried to explain to him he wasn't in trouble but not to eat things out of a cart as I went into the next aisle and dry heaved for a few moments.  Man that was gross!)  BUT the one fear I have, the one thing that I can obsess over if I'm not careful, is that something will happen to my kids.  If we are out somewhere, they are never out of my site - I keep my hand on theirs, strap them in to anything, and walk behind the wagon if we are using that.  The thought of someone taking my kids can be almost crippling but I've learned to trust God more in this area - do I still constantly keep my eye on them, yes, but I also pray for peace and safety for each of my boys.  I think that whomever picks this book up will find that it will speak to you in some way.  I highly recommend this book to anyone. 

I had to go back to some Fiction for now until I can pick up another book on my reading list.  This book, by Tracie Peterson called What She Left for Me is a book that tells a true story of a family; of strong women actually.  It is the story of Jana, who faces great tragedy but, through it all learns more of family history and comes to love a mother who she thought never loved her as she discovers the truth about the past.  This book, in some ways, is not an easy read because it touches on tough topics like divorce, death, rape, drugs and the hippie lifestyle but, don't let that scare you - it is very well written and in the end you see a beautiful picture of forgiveness and reconciliation.  This is a great book to pick up and read this winter - sit back with a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy a good read.

Jumping in Sunset by Dawn Ringling is another fantastic read - one that I had trouble putting down.  The story begins as Pamela Thornton's husband abandons her and destroys the life she thought was perfect.  As she regathers her wits and emotions with a friend at a rustic lakeside cabin, she realizes how much she has been missing in her life.  She discovers the depth of true friendship, the solace of her artistic talent, and the comfort and compassion of God.  This is a great story of true healing and it is almost fun to watch the character unfold, learn and grow.  Another great book for a cold, snowy day! (Yes, sorry those are coming!)

I've shared this series before - The Elm Creek Quilt Series - and they really are very good books.  This is by far one of the best in the series.  The Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaveriniok - this one can stand alone, you won't know the connection she has with some of the names in the book but really, this book is about her life.

That's what I've been reading!  My next book I'm working on now is

I started this previously, then put it down, now I've restarted it all over again and really want to read the whole thing so instead of trying to do it as my daily devotions, I'm just going to read it :-)

See you next week !