Sour Cream Enchiladas- It's what's for dinner tonight!

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   Ingredients:

   Boil chicken breasts - then cube or shread.  I actually threw them in the crock
   pot

   1 dozen tortillas

   1 cup grated cheese- your choice- I'm doing a colby-cheddar mixture

   Ingredients for the Sauce:

   2 cans of cream of chicken soup -undiluted

   1 pint of sour cream

   1 small can of diced green chiles

   Mix together sauce ingredients.  Put some sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 dish

   Take flour torts put meat and sauce in the center, roll and place in dish.

   Fill pan with enchiladas, put sauce on top, add grated cheese on top. 

   Bake 30 minutes @ 350 degrees.

Crock-Pot Chicken Alfredo

Apparently this is not a new recipe but it is new for me and will be a frequent flyer in our house!

Crock-Pot Chicken Alfredo
1 cube of butter (not margarine)
1 pkg of Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix (or off brand is good to and I went to make it once and found I had no Italian mix so I added real Italian dressing and it too was yummy)
2 chicken breasts

Cook on High for about 3 hours.

Add to the butter sauce:
Cubed Chicken
8 oz package of cream cheese
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup of water.

Heat and serve over fettuccine noodles.

So easy and so yummy!

Richard's 37th Birthday!

I am so behind on blogging since our computer charging cord when caput!  So I will be catching up little by little.

Richard decided that he wanted to go see Lion King in the theatre with kids.  My response was "Really?"  It was his birthday so ok off to the movies we would go with a 6 yr old, 3 yr old and 20 mo old.  My idea of tourture.  I for some reason had it in my head that Richard's birthday fell on a Thursday when in fact that it fell on a Tuesday so I was behind by 2 days in my planning but it all happened.

It turned out that the 3pm showing of Lion King on a Tuesday was not so popular - in fact we were the only people on in the theatre!  Thank you God.  The kids had a blast running up and down the stairs and each of them sat in no less than 30+ seats each. 

Next up was dinner.  We are humongos fans of sushi and new sushi place opened up and had happy hour sushi specials.  Since the kids have taken to eating our sushi we either go without them or find a place that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

It was one of the most stressfull meals I have ever eaten.  Very promplty Little Lou was trying to climb on the table, Bub put his straw through the side of a styrofoam cup spilling cranberry juice everywhere, there was screaming as to who would hold the baby doll and dinnner couldn't come quick enough.  Food finally arrived and the kids finally quited down that is until Little Lou put an entire blob of wasabi in her mouth.  I saw it go in but couldn't move quick enough.  Needless to say dinner was over, food was boxed up and a few quick pics and we were off. 





Everyone smile so we can leave.  Poor Little Lou still has tears in her eyes.

We ran home for cupcakes & presents (my favorite part)! 

  BarBQued chocolate cupcakes


OUR SUPERHERO DADDY!

 

 
I got this idea from TipJunkie.com with a few twists of my own.  All in all it went well and I think Rich had a great time!

Broiled Tilapia Parmensean

Change of plans for our dinner tonight.  SOMEONE used the last of the hamburger that I had slotted for taco soup tonight so I looked at my freezer inventory of what frozen meat I have and Tilapia it is!

But one of my favorite recipes of all time and super fast too.
Broiled Tilapia Parmesan (or any other cheese you might have)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (or any other type of cheese - just not velveta)
2 T butter, softened
1- 1 1/2 T on mayonnaise
1 T lemon juice ( I have omitted this when I didn't have it- works good with or without)
1/8 t dried basil
1/8 t black pepper
1/8 t onion powder
1/8 t celery salt
1 lb of tilapia fillets (I usually get the big bag of individually frozen fillets)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven's broiler (I do this in my toaster oven on broil).  Grease a broiling pan or line with aluminum foil.
2.  In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together.
3.  Arrange fillets in a single layer on the pan.  Broil a few inches from the heat for 2-3 mins.  Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more mins.  Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the mixture on the top side.  Broil for 2 more mins or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork.  Be careful not to over cook the fish. 

Yummo!

Reason #2 NOT to coupon

It will take too much time.  It's just not worth MY time!

Oh this was my song for years.  That was until my husband got a job that was 100% commission.  I was forced to figure out someway to not spend $700 a month on food, paper and soap (and I was buying all off brand).  There is a learning curve but I had to suck it up and learn if we wanted to be able to eat and not smell funny.

Once I did I started to share it will anyone who would listen because it would've meant so much to our family to be able to save as much as we do now.  In the beginning I spent close to 3 hours planning and a couple of hours shopping to get our budget down to $250/mo.  At that time I was shopping Walmart, CVS and Kroger to get all the good deals.  Now I am primarily Walmart with a little Walgreens thrown in.  I spend ONE hour a week planning my trip and about one hour shopping.  Let's do some math.  Our current budget is $200/month on all our need expenses including dog food and diapers and a pretty decent stockpile.  I spend 2 hours a week total.  We are saving at least $500/month.  That comes out to $62.50/hr that I am "making."  If only I could figure out some way to earn that hourly rate for being a Mommy??

Baked Potato Soup - Bennigan's Style and some Potato Skins too.

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I very much miss Bennigan's especially the Monte Cristo with the raspberry dipping jam and the Baked Potato Soup so I went on a mission to find a descent recipe.  I may tweak it a little next time but for the most part it was yummy and Richard and all the kids ate it like champs.
Here it is!

3 lbs potaoes (medium size)
1 T. butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions but I added some leeks too
2 T. minced garlic
1 can of chicken broth- I put in 1.5 cups made from bouillon
3 cups of milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper - I used white pepper
optional toppings- bacon bits, shredded cheddar cheese, chives

...Preparation...

Scrub the potatoes and pierce each one with a fork a few times.  Bake the potatoes in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender.  You will want to flip them once half way through.  Remove from the oven, let cool enough to handle, then peel the potatoes (BUT WAIT- Bennigan's also used to sell potato skins which I also loved) so I cut the potatoes in half and scooped out the middle making sure I had 3 potatoes worth of cubed potatoes and then the rest I mashed.  I froze the potato skins so that we can make them later.  Melt butter in large pot.  Stir in the chopped onions/leeks and minced garlic.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until soft- do not brown.  Stir in the mashed potatoes; mix thoroughly.  Add the chicken broth, milk, salt and pepper.  Cook and stir over medium heat for a few minutes.  Reduce heat, cove and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the cubed potatoes, stir, and cook for a few more minutes or until heated through.  Add any desired toppings to individual servings.

The Advent Project with Mom & Me at Faith Bible Church - Latest sign ups.

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As of Monday, November 13th at 2:00pm this is the latest!  I will continue to update this as people sign up. 
We will be meeting at Teddy Bear Park on Mon, Nov. 14th @ 9am to exchange the ornaments and potentially do some wrapping.  Details about that closer to the date.
For those of you who aren't real familiar with this here's the low down...
There's a book called Advent Jesse Tree by Dean Lambert Smith that leads you through, with you children, daily devotionals from December 1st through Christmas (by the way for each day there is an adult and a child devo in case you are worrying that it might be a bit juvenile for you fam).  As you go through each day there is an ornament that coordinates with the devotional.  Once you "have" all 25 ornaments you will wrap them and label them 1-25.  In the past these ornaments have gone on the kids mini tree but it works just as well if you don't have one.   Ideally it would be great if we have 25 ladies involved so each lady would make 25  of the same ornament and then we trade off. 

Below is a list of the daily ornaments along with suggestions that I have done in the past.  If there is no suggestion and you have one either run with it or reply and give me a suggestion b/c clearly I had no good ideas and printed off a picture last time.

Since I'm going to type is so many times hobby lobby will be abbreviated HL.  BEFORE you read through this.  These suggestions are just that suggestions and I (insanely) decided it would be more economical for me to do them all and pass them out last time.  NUTS RIGHT?    First I think it is very possible to get 25 ladies involved and if not I don't mind taking up the slack.  Second please don't spend a lot of money.  Last time I did this by myself for about 20 sets and spent about $25 for all of it so if you spend $5 that would be a ton of money- do a little searching and creative thinking.  I also have pre-cut ribbons that work great for the loop for the hook a ton of them really.  And about 20 glue guns so if you need to borrow please ask. 

Things highlighted in RED are already taken.

Day     Symbols
1           a globe or picture of earth - the mini key chain globes work but in the end I ended up printing a picture off for the ornament  -Jennifer Evans
2           an apple and a snake wrapped around it.  In the xmas section of hobby lobby (HL) are tiny apple ornaments and then I got snake stickers (in the scrapbook section) and attached them.  Nichole Langford

3.          an ark w/ a rainbow. Karen Branch

4.          a camel and a tent. 
5.          a lamb.  HL has small wooden lambs that could be painted and then I glued a place for a hook -Andrea Carrier
6.         a ladder.  HL has small craft sticks.  I cut them and glued them to look like a ladder and then I glued a place for a hook.  I still have these craft sticks so whoever signs up for this one let me know and I'll get them to you. Nichole Langford

7.          a colorful coat.  I used an old piece a material that I sewed the edges together and then a loop for a hook.  I bet joanns has some colorful super cheap fabric for this.  Ashley Rubli

8.         a tablet with 10 letters.  Beige card stock cut in the shape of the ten commandment tablets and then I wrote roman numerals 1-10 on them- somewhat of a fetch.  Emily Sanders
9.          a cluster of grapes.  HL has purple clusters of glitter grapes.  I took them apart and had 4-5 each and then a loop for a hook.  Melissa Montgomery
10.       a sheaf of wheat.  Michaels has bunches of what I think i wheat in the dried floral area- attached a loop for hook. Kaitlin Lipe

11.      a sling shot.  This was printed but wouldn't be so hard to make a tiny one.  Lisa Veach

12.       a scroll or Bible.  I used off white card stock and rolled it up sealed it with hot glue and tied a very thin gold rope around it. Jenny McMillian

13.     a stump with a fresh shoot or green leaf.  This can be a small stick with and artificial leaf glued to it.  I have 8 bazillion artificial leafs so let me know and I'll get them to you.  Andrea Irby

14.     a lion and a lamb. Jennifer Evans

15.      a dove and a crown.  This came from the wedding section of HL and same thin gold rope glued to it's head with a loop for a hook.Mikey Johnson

16.      a lamb and a shepherd's staff.  This was a candy cane to represent the Shepard's staff with a loop for a hook. Lisa Veach

17.      a cross.  I think this was in the paint the wood area.  Very small unfinished cross then attached a loop for a hook.  I have 4 crosses leftover from last time.  Kaitlin Lipe
18.     a heart with writing on it.  I used tiny red balls in the miniature ornament section and then wrote Jer 31:33 w/ gold paint pen on it.  Abby Stevens
19.   a Bethlehem town silhouette with a star.  Tara Edwards

20.    a fiery furnace.  This was pretty dense red shiny garland that I cut and tied in to balls then attached a loop for a hook.  Lisa Veach

21.      a brick wall.  Jenny McMillian
22.     a star.  Again with the miniature ornament section. I think they were gold. Angel Frank
23.      a candle or light.  I just bought votives and each mom can put it in a holder and light it while you are reading the devo. Abby Stevens

24.      an angel.  I think this was from the miniature ornament section but it may have been the wedding section.  Very tiny plastic white and then attached the loop for a hook.  Sarah Morgan

25.       a baby in a manger or a nativity scene.  In HL there is a section of kids Christmas crafts and there was a stamp that had the manger scene.  I let the kids stamp each other hands. Mikey Johnson

If anyone wants I can but small boxes in bulk or at least find some super cheap ones and we can have a wrapping party.

Feel free to forward this on and please let me know if you have any questions.  No need to be a member of Faith to participate.

Reason #1 Not to coupon

I will just end up buying things I don't need!

I do not buy things I don't need.  I DO "buy" things that I don't need but only if they pay me to do so.  At Walmart if the coupon exceeds the price of the item Walmart will pay you cash!  So yes I have denture cream (that I donate to the nursing home) and yes I have Tide in which I'm allergic to (that I give away as door prizes or to the Montgomery County fire victims) as long as they pay me to do it.
Recently there was a $2 any Tide no size restrictions coupon.  In the travel section there are 1 load Tide packages.  Walmart paid me $1.03 for every one I bought.

Why not count that as a discount to your organic milk or off a load of bread?