A Day In My Life

The Cat In The Hat is in the house:)

I woke up this morning...went out into the kitchen and saw this:

 

I laughed outloud...all I could think of was that the Cat In The Hat had been in my house and stacked the dirty dishes:)

Ah well...I finished the Prom Table Centerpieces for the Casion Royale theme.  I will take them to the school in the morning, they are all packed up and ready to go!

 
I had to make 15 of them...and ran out of Boa at just the crucial moment of having almost all of them done...BUT they are now done!

 
 
Scott got the deck furniture out and both Lauren and Nate have been away working all day.  My nest gets so empty:(

I baked a cake this weekend...just had the urge to bake something.  i really wanted whoopie pies, but went with a chocolate cake with mocha frosting instead:

 
And now? I am off to grill some burgers for Scott and I:)  THAT makes me very happy!

Enjoy your Sunday evening!

Dancingly, Denise

Andes candies Cookie Recipe

I am joining a Christmas Cookie Exchange online here Christmas Cookie Exchange 2010 » lifeingrace

 

and thought I would share one of our favorite cookies of the season.  I have been making them for a few years now and they are always a hit!

ANDES CANDIES COOKIES

3/4 c. butter 1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar 2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 eggs 2 tbsp. water 2 1/2 c. flour 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 pkg. Andes candies mint candy In large pan, cook over low heat, butter, sugar, and water until melted, then add chocolate chips. Stir until almost all melted. Remove from heat and continue stirring until all melted. Pour into large mixing bowl and let stand 10 minutes. With mixer at high speed, beat in eggs, one at a time. On lowest speed, add dry ingredients. Chill 1 hour in refrigerator. Line cookie sheet with foil. Roll dough into balls and place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees, less than 12 to 13 minutes (slightly underbake). While still warm, put candy on top. Wait a minute, then swirl with a knife.

Enjoy!

Dancingly, Denise

Our ThanksGiving

We had a beautiful Thanksgiving, one to remind us to be thankful everyday all year long!

My husband has a BIG family...this was our table and it did not contain all of his family as some live away...and some were other places!

 
I love this picture of Nate and his Grammie...this was the first year Nate has been able to sit at the BIG table 9yes there is a small table with little ones too) . He and his cousin Katelyn were happy to sit at the big peoples table for the first time!

 

I made cookies for the party...sugar cookies with frosting.  They didn't come out how I wanted them too (I used a leaf cookie cutter to start out, but they just grew to a blob as they cooked).  Nate encouraged me to cook some with just a circle shape and so I did.  I still didn't want to bring them, but both Lauren and Nate said nobody will care...they taste good!

While the grown-ups were still eating, one of the kids asked if they could have a cookie and someone said yes, and then we didn't think anything more about it.  At some point someone stood up from the table and this is what they saw:

 
Nate and Katelyn went for a ride on Ralph and Joette's golf cart after dinner...it amazes me that it doesn't matter it only goes 1 mile an hour (or so) and they still love driving it around!

 
 
While my sister in law Suzanne and I did dishes and chatted...Scott and little Jake were caught reading a book and resting!

 
It is hard to believe Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas is almost here!

Have a great rest of your weekend and travel safe for those who travel during the holiday!

Dancingly, Denise

Random Blatherings...

...on a rainy Monday afternoon.  A friend pointed out to me today, that ALL of my blog post lately have some reference to food.  I will have to go back and look at them, but I THINK she might have exxagerated slightly:)  Nonetheless, I will start out todays post with a picture of my snack today.  I am trying to get back on the Weight Watchers band wagon, AND I love this blog The Week in Bentos: August 9-13, 2010 | Wendolonia  Have you ever seen a Bento?  I am so doing this this year for Lauren and Nate for snacks or lunch SOMEDAYS!  Not everyday though...too much!  Anyway, I put together a trial run one for me today, with WW points all accounted for:

YUMMY!!!!  Plus I love the flower cupcake holders:)  BUT that is the entire thing about the bento boxes...make them look pretty or cool...keep everything tightly packed so it doesn't move around.  The site that I linked has all kinds of lunch and snack ideas  for Bento style boxes.  She does these EVERYDAY:)

AND more food info!  I finally got the monthly menu done for August and September.  August is a little sketchy because I am still waiting on work schedules on some days.  BUT I was pretty much able to fill in September's.  None of it is written in stone, because as you know, when you have teens (or kids) and a husband who will work overtime if offered, best laid menu plans can fall apart pretty quickly.

I spent about 2 hours at Old Things today.  I hadn't been for almost 2 weeks!  UGH...I always go a couple times a week and now I know why.  My costume booth looked like some parents let their kids use it as a playroom.  I am all for them checking out the costumes and toys, BUT clean up when you are done...it is such a common sense, courtesy sort of thing to do.  The other booth was needing some TLC too, so I spent the time and now I am hoping to pull some things out of the garage to take over.  I will try to remember my camera next time.

In the meantime...in the need of some leotards to start your daughter out in dance classes this fall?  or some cleats for soccer?  There are some there in my booth. Plus a HUGE Brio train set and lots of other fun things for dress up and creativity.

I am off to watch some tv and relax!  Enjoy your evening...

Dancingly Denise

Crock Pot Sunday

Well, here we are again at Crock Pot Sunday!  I did accomplish two recipes this week...one was AWFUL!  The other was pretty darn good:)

Let's get right to it. 

Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole

12 slices bacon cooked and crumbled

4 cups toasted bread cubes

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

8 eggs

1 1/2 cups skim milk

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Spray the inside of crock pot with cooking spray.  In large mixing bowl combine cheese, eggs, milk salt and Peppr.  Put bread cubes in the crock, pour egg mixture in and place bacon pieces on the top.  Cover and cook 6-8 hours on low.  When eggs are set, top is browning and sides are pulling away from crock take off cover and let the steam evaporate for about 15 minutes.

This was AWFUL!  Now I have made it in the oven and liked it...but this was terrible.  FIRST I would suggest NOT adding the salt.  This stuff was so salty tasting...guess the salt in the bacon was enough.  PLUS I knew it would cook faster in my crock, so I didn't start it until midnight.  When the door alarm went off at 4:30 (low battery) and woke me up i should have shut it off...in any case, there really is nothing worse than the smell of over cooked eggs!  I absolutely could not eat the stuff...Scott ate a bowl of it so I thought he liked it.  When i asked him he said "You don't have to make it again"...I asked why he had eaten it "because I was hungry".  if anyone out there has tried this and likes it PLEASE let me know!

From the book Fix It and Forget It I made a CAKE in the crock pot for Friday night scrapbooking.  This was YUMMY! and very chocolatey and made a ton!

Chocolate Pudding Cake

18.5 oz choc. cake mix

3.9 oz pkg instant choc pudding mix

2 cups sour cream

4 eggs

1 cup water

3/4 cup oil

1 cup semisweet choc. chips

Combine cake mix, pudding, eggs, water and oil with electric mixer.  Beat on medium for 2 minutes.  Stir in choc chips

Pour in greased slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or high 3-4 hours.  Done when toothpick comes out clean

This was YUMMY!!!!  We added ice cream to it and Connie had brought a carrot cake so we added that too:

Dancingly, Denise 

Crock Pot Sunday

We had some yummy crock pot stuff this week.  But I goota tell you...I made a breakfast casserole in it last night and can I just say YUCK.  Not sure if it cooked too long or what...but I didn't like it, Scott didn't like it and the kids wouldn't even look at it!  I'll share the recipe and mor details nect week;)

This past week I made Spaghetti Pie and Brocolli and cheese soup.  YUMMY!  And without further ado...here are the recipes: First  Spaghetti Pie which I got here: Crockpot Spaghetti Pie Recipe But I am writing it out with the way I did it and MY changes

Crock Pot Spaghetti Pie

8 oz whole spaghetti, dry
2 large eggs
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 cups 1% cottage cheese
2 cups  spaghetti sauce

1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella

Cook spaghetti according to package. Beat eggs, add parmesan and mix well. Pour over cooked spaghetti and mix well. Pour this into the bottom of your crock and form into a crust. Spread the cottage cheese over the crust. Then spread the sauce over the cottage cheese. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Makes 6 servings.

Number of Servings: 6

This spaghetti pie was delicious...BUT it only took about TWO hours to cook on low rather than 6...UGH.  Good thing I was home.  Everyone in the house ate it and liked it...it is def. a keeper!

The next one is Broccoli and Cheese Soup  from www.Cooks.com
 Crock Pot Broccoli and Cheese Soup

1 (10 oz) pkg...frozen broccoli (not thawed)

2 cans cream of celery soup

2 cups milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

add all ingredients to the crock pot in the order given (I did not mix them around...just plopped them in)

Cook on low (it said 5-6 hours) but it was ready in 4

The soup was thick and YUMMY! I can see cooking this again this week!

So...how many of you out there use your crock pots?  I would LOVE to hear your favorite recipe in it...PLEASE share!

Have a great Sunday...

Dancingly, Denise

Crockpot Sunday!

I had two recipe winners this week...BOTH of them went over well with the meateaters in the house:)  I gotta find more recipes for Nate...

I spoke of the Brown Sugar Chicken recipe several times...and I know my facebook friends are waiting for it...so here it is I got it here http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/08/crockpot-brown-sugar-chicken-recipe.html:

Brown Sugar Chicken

--12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or 6 boneless, skinless breast halves
--1 cup brown sugar

 --1/4 cup lemon-lime soda

--2/3 cup white vinegar

--3 cloves smashed and chopped garlic
--2 T soy sauce

--1 tsp ground black pepper

The Directions.

Plop the chicken into your crockpot. Cover with the brown sugar, pepper, chopped garlic, and soy sauce. Add the vinegar, and pour in the soda. It
Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. The chicken is done when it is cooked through and has reached desired consistency. The longer you cook it, the more tender it will be.

This chicken was WONDERFUL!  I am, because of my weight issues, going to try it with half the brown sugar next time...but it really was yummy.  The second day I had it in salad and that was yummy too.  Scott and Lauren both liked it...and it made alot and it went fast.  Nate , ofcourse did not eat it.

My second recipe was CHILI...I made chili with meat in the crockpot and chili with just beans on the stove top.  It was a very easy crock pot recipe...I used this:

McCormick Slow Cooker Chili

Add savory and hearty flavors to your favorite family meals as they gently simmer in the slow cooker.

USAGE

You Will Need
2 lbs. lean ground beef or turkey
1 pkg. McCormick® Slow Cooker Chili Seasoning
2 cans (14 ½ oz. each) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (16 oz. each) kidney beans, drained
1 can (15 ½ oz.) tomato sauce

BROWN ground beef or turkey in large skillet. Drain fat.

PLACE cooked beef, Seasoning, tomatoes, beans and tomato sauce in slow cooker. Stir until mixed well. Cover.

COOK 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH. Stir before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

IMPORTANT: For best results, do not remove cover during cooking.

PRODUCT INGREDIENTS

SPICES AND HERBS (INCLUDING CHILI PEPPER AND BLACK PEPPER), SALT, ONION, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, GARLIC, GREEN BELL PEPPERS, AND SILICON DIOXIDE (ADDED TO MAKE FREE FLOWING).

 

It was good...but next time I would like to make it totally from scratch.  The nice thing about this is that it was so easy...just not sure about something added to make 'free flowing".  What the heck does that mean?

What I discovered is that McCormick makes a few different packets of seasoning for slow cookers, I will try some of them.

 

Today?  I have lemon chicken in one crockpot and CORN BREAD in the other!  Corn Bread...can you imagine?  I was searching for something Nate might at from the crock pot and found that recipe...I gotta tell you it smells delicious.

 

That's it for now...I need to write about some things going on in my mind...but gotta get them clear first:)

See ya soon...

Dancingly, Denise

 

 

Crock Pot Cooking Sunday #3

I was pretty darn successful in my crock pot cooking this week...I even cooked the one I missed last week.  I LOVE my smaller crock pot and I gotta say i want an even smaller one...BUT first I want a bread maker...any suggestions on a bread maker???

So here are this weeks recipes...the first one is Fried Rice ...I got the recipe here:  http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/  I did change some things and I wrote those in red:

Crock Pot Fried Rice

--2 cups leftover rice/quinoa

--3 T butter

--2 T soy sauce

--2 t worcestershire sauce

--1/2 t black pepper

--1/4 t kosher salt

--1/2 diced yellow onion

--1 cup of whatever frozen or fresh vegetables you have on hand.

--leftover meat (cut up)

--1 egg

--sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

I used MINUTE BROWN RICE...no onion or sesame seeds cuz I didn't have any.  I used mushrooms and I used the leftover CHEESE BURGER CHICKEN ( i checked for bones first;)

Put everything in the crock pot...I did NOT add the chicken cuz I knew NATE wouldn't eat it if it had meat in it.  I cooked it for 3.5 hours on low and after Nate got his out I added the chicken and cooked it for another 1/2 hour.

This fried rice was very good...BUT it tasted more like stuffing and chicken...the rice was so mushed.  I think next time I will try long cooked rice and see if that makes a difference.  Scott and I really liked it...though I'm not sure I would add the salt next time cuz it was def. salty.  nate liked it okay...but hated the mushrooms, so next time no mushrooms.  This really is a great...quick meal!

My second recipe was Rice Pudding at Nate's request.  This was YUMMY and comforting and tasted great with a little lite cool whip on it.  I am not sure where  found the recipe...I had done a search for crock pot rice pudding and then chose this one...I altered it a bit and it was really good, Nate liked it, i liked it and nobody else had any...it made enough for about 6 servings.

CROCK POT RICE PUDDING

2 cups cooked rice

16 oz half and half

3/4 cup raisins

3 eggs

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Grease the pot with butter.  In a separate bowl beat half and half, eggs, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer.  Stir in rice and raisins.  Pour in crock.  Sprinkle top with nutmeg and cinnamon.  Cover and cook on high 1/2 hour stir well.   Cook on low 2-3 hours.

I didn't add raisins cuz I didn't have any:)  Good thing too cuz Nate said he wouldn't have eaten it with raisins.  I added cinnamon...cuz I really like the combo of cinn. and nutmeg together.  I will make it again and again!

 

My third recipe is Crockpot Oatmeal and I found it at www.mrbreakfast.comthis was a little complicated because the suggestions were to not cook it overnight cuz it burns...so I mixed it all up and at 6:00am this morning I turned it on low...it was ready by 9:00am...and by 10:00 it was starting to burn on...I altered the recipe so it isn't quite the same as you will find on the website:

CROCKPOT OATMEAL

1 cp oldfashioned oatmeal

2 cups milk (i used 1 cp half and half and 1  cp skim milk)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tblsp butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cp chopped up apple

1/2 cp raisins

1/2 cupped chopped walnuts or almonds

I didn't used any nuts in mine(didn't have any)

I put everything in the crock last night...mixed it up good and left it.  Like I said I turned it on at 6:00 am this morning (when Lauren left for work) and had some at 9:00 YUMMY!  so warm and comforting and filling.  Cody said he had never had oatmeal before so he would try it.  He ate all I gave him and said he really liked it.  No body else had any...so I have enough left for a couple of mornings this week since I am trying to NOT eat at Mcfatty's...just the diet coke:)

 

Right now I have chili in the crockpot...I'll let you know how it goes next Sunday.

For now...enjoy your crock pot!

Dancingly, Denise

Crockpot Sunday

Well folks...it is official I have already fallen behind in the crockpot category...BUT never fear I am back on track again.  Here was the problem, Monday I made another crockpot meal...delicious...I'll share it in a moment... BUT the  problem was this:  My crock pot is waaaaay too big!  AND when you cook in a crock pot you really want it to be about 3/4 full or it doesn't heat well, so when I made the dish the other night, my husband's coment was "But we already have TWO other types of chicken in the fridge to eat".  Hmmmmmm, that is a problem, since he and I are about the only ones who will eat meat.  Lauren does occasionally and Nate never does.  So, here was the issue...we now have waaaay too much chicken to eat and the crockpot is way too big.  Add to that, I am trying to do low-carb and my kids are vegetarians.  Okay folks, I really had to reevaluate this idea, and I did and I came up with solutions.  1. I bought a much smaller crockpot yesterday  2. I suspended chicken cooking for the rest of this past week 3. I have been scouring for both low-carb and less meat oriented recipes.  I do think this will work, honest...and here is the new baby which I can't wait to try out tomorrow!

okay so on to the recipe I tried on Monday...(I found the recipe here: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/06/crockpot-bacon-and-cheese-chicken.html

Crock Pot Cheeseburger Chicken 

--2 T olive oil

--4-6 chicken breast halves, or equivalent bird pieces

--12 pieces cooked and crumbled bacon

--1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

--1/2 cup Ranch salad dressing (i used reduced calorie)

--1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

 

Put the 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the bottom of your crock and spread it around. If you are using thighs or fattier cuts of meat, this step is probably optional.

Put the chicken in the crock on top of the oil.

In a small bowl, combine the teriyaki sauce and the ranch dressing.

Pour sauce over the top of the chicken. Add the shredded cheese and the crumbled bacon to the crock, getting between the chicken pieces, if you can.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4. The cooking time will depend on how thick your chicken pieces are, and if they are fresh or frozen.

 

Okay so here's the thing...I used 8 chicken breast (remember that crock pot is huge!)  AND here is where i made a mistake...I did not know that I had mistakenly picked up chicken with BONES...ugh.  The chicken cooked up so well that it fell off the bones and then I had bones and bacon and they both look a bit alike.  HOWEVER, it was very good and I will make it again...but with less BONELESS chicken.  Not sure why it is called cheeseBURGER Chicken, but it was a keeper. 

Dancingly, Denise

A Fresh Start

Have I mentioned how much I like a New Year and a clean slate?  One of the things I vow to change EVERY year for many years now (I wasn't always overweight) is my weight.  I am here once again to say I NEED to get a handle on it.  I like tonight because the new season of THE BIGGEST LOSER starts...and  the show always helps my motivation level.  Today I decided to get the sugary, crappy food out of my system and started a low-carb eating schedule.  Just for a couple of weeks.  In the past it takes me about two weeks to get rid of all those sugary cravings that I have...including the bread cravings...chips...sweets.  So today I started.  I have been HUNGRY all day!

Tonight, Nate and I went to the grocery store and I got all kinds of high protein, low carb goodness.  I came home and cleaned out the fridge and now can look in it and see all kinds of things I can eat!  THAT is a fresh start to me.  AND the good news is I now am NOT hungry...I just had some shrimp, some chicken and some cottage cheese and I finally feel TOO full!

Tomorrow I will clean out the cupboards...and also put all the left over Christmas goodies on a tray to send in to work with Scott.  Another FRESH START.  I like fresh starts!

I am also hoping that the change in diet will help the bronchitis and extreme exhaustion.  Less sugar in my body to make me feel sluggish...but for now I will continue to take it easy. 
Anyone else out there embarking on some healthy changes this New Year?  I would love to have you share what you are doing, what your plan is...or even if you are just going to fly by the seat of your pants.

Also, I was corrected on what year I was embarking on the crockpot cooking;)  I DID mean 2010...and I have changed it to reflect that.  Tomorrow I am trying another recipe...and although it is high protein it isn't the BEST for me...it has chicken, bacon and cheese in it;)  Okay I didn't say I was PERFECT...but it is still in the range of NO CARBS! I will let you know how it goes.

I want you to meet Willie:

WHO is Willie?  Is he a kangaroo?  A weasel?  Nope...he is a mouse...BUT he isn't finished and will look quite a bit different when he is done.  Now that I have the "go ahead" from my order I will be making several...some similar...some smaller...some bigger...some completely different.  Stay tuned:) 

I am off to list some things at my etsy shop.  I am suggesting you check it out as ALL of my 2009 purses are at least 50% off...I have sold four recently which feels really good!  Check it out...there will be other things including Fairy Jars soon: www.dancinglydenise.etsy.com

Also, don't forget my other blog where you can see what is going on in my ARTful life of selling:  Maine PURSEnalities(and more)

Goodnight!

Dancingly, Denise