A Day In My Life

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

First Day of School

It's that time of year again.  The time when you see Moms skipping up the driveway after dropping the kids at the bus:)  Or in my case after I dropped him off at school.

Things were a little different this year though cuz Lauren is still home until next week.  So she and I went school shopping today.  She has to have all black, professional like clothes for school so it limited us in what to buy and where to buy it.  We had a great day though and Nate seemed "okay" with school.

Tonight we had his "back to school" supper. he chose Stuffed Manicoti, garlic Toast and Eclair Cake.  Might I add that it is in the 90's here in Maine right now and way too hot to cook!  BUT it is a tradition, so I did it.  Some of the schools have dismissed early due to the heat which is a first here in Maine.

Now, can I ask you...HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN? (see picture below)

UGH...seems like I just cleaned that out, but evidently not.  yesterday i took it into my own hands and cleaned it out.  Both Nate and Lauren take their lunch and Scott almost always takes a meal to work, so it will make for much easier preperations.  So now it looks like this:

Not a single thing in there is missing its cover now!

Well, I am exhausted and my foot hurts, so I am going to go and have some eclair cake and relax.

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

Graduation Party Number 2

We had a second Graduation party this past saturday for Lauren and her cousin Lindsey...this was dubbed the Field's Family Graduation Party!  Scott's brother, Ralph and his wife graciously offered the use of their camp! This is the picture of the two girls that I used on the invitation:

Ok so I can't post the picture of them when they were little cuz it is on my other computer and I can't get the internet to work on it so I can send it to myself:(  I'll post it soon, it is adorable:)

And this is the picture of them taken on Saturday:

I told everyone ahead of time about a PINK LEMONADE cake I made for the party...it was soooooo yummy!

 
our chef for the day: (Scott)

And random shots:  Grammie (Sott's mom)

Suzanne and Barry (Lindsey's parents)

Bruce (Scott's brother who was in the recent accident):

Scott's brother Ralph...who's camp we were at...I was telling him a joke to get him to smile:

Scott and Brother Shawn:

Lot's of swimming!

Lauren and CeCe

Joe and Nate:

Lindsey and her pals...and Lauren and hers:)

We had a great time! 

Dancingly, Denise

Celebrating the Graduate! (HEAVY on pictures!)

We had a great graduation party yesterday for Lauren.  I had mentioned that it was going to be PINK and BROWN themed, instead of her school colors Purple and Gold.  Friday after Graduation we had cake and ice cream back here and I did the typical school colors, but she really wanted to "move on" with her party.  Several people have emailed me and asked me what I used for graduation decorations in that color scheme (no schools really have Pink and Brown as their colors;)  I did my own decorations so i thought I would show you what i did...plus show you some pictures ofthe party...

I made yard signs for her with my Cricut paper cutting machine:

Scott wasn't available to put the signs together as he was up at the hospital with his family (Brother Bruce was in an accident Saturday night)...so Nate and Cody put them up...the third sign is way up by the house and is blocked in the picture.
  
Scott worked hard on the deck area and we had the pool relined!  I am so happy to have our pool back and it was put to good use yesterday as we had a beautiful day. 

okay, now one of my really bright ideas was to buy PINK beachballs...my theory was they would "fill" the pool and make a cool decorating statement.  Only problem was...I didn't look at what size they were...they were waaaaay to small!  Oh well...the kids liked them, and Lauren let each of the little ones there take one home!

We went with Pink and Brown balloons and a regular "real" graduation balloon on the mail box!

I made tissue paper pompons for both the ceiling and the chandelier:

The table I used a pink table cloth on and then covered it in pictures of Lauren and then put a clear plastic table cover over it...it was great to look at all those pictures, and so many people said there were lots of pictures they hadn't seen! (If they only knew how many thousands I have;)

I had seen, on the internet, where people did a "Candy bar" for special occasions.  They took candy in the colors of their themes and set them out on a table.  In theory it is a wonderful idea...however it is a pricey undertaking AND since people spent most of the time outside things just didn't get eaten:(  BUT it was beautiful!  All pink and brown!

 The white milk glass was on loan from Old Things in Orland...isn't it gorgeous?  The candy was all from SILKWEEDS in Searsport!

We had pink and brown drink!  And a PINK tub to pput soda in! (the wonderful ladies at Old Things loaned the tub too!)

The food was great...the people were the BEST!  We had so many friends and family stop by all day long.  Kids, friends, relatives, teachers...

 

 

I am sure you are not surprised to hear that i have a TON more pictures!  There were so many people there I just kept snapping away!  BUT that is all I will share for tonight.  We had a wonderful time...and the smile on my daughters face ALL DAY LONG was PRICELESS!!!!  It's been a long busy week...and I rested some today...I hope I get my mojo back soon.  But I will go for now...catch you later!

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

 
Greetings on this very early Sunday morning!  One of the things I wanted to try in this New Year is Crockpot cooking.  I have always been intrigued by my crockpot, but frankly I only use it a couple of times a year to make spaghetti sauce...and I find it a hassle to clean:)  However I find ALL cleaning a hassle.

I thought you might like to join me on this adventure as we enter 2010.  So here is MY goal...104 recipes in a year...in the crockpot.  WHY 104 you ask????  Well, that is two times aweek, on average using my crockpot, which is a great deal more than spaghetti sauce twice a year...AND I have used it twice this week, so it sounded good:)

This morning at 4:AM I am unable to sleep, (although NOW at 5:30 I am fading fast), so I got up and started looking at crockpot recipes.  I found THIS site http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/ about a month ago and so I looked on there and found a FRENCH TOAST recipe...I have all the ingredients, my kids like french toast, it would be great for lunch today for Lauren, Nate, Bronwyn and Me (Scott is at work)...so why not try it?  As of 5:15 I had a loaf of bread, 12 eggs, sugar and spices started in my crockpot.  I will update this blog entry later with the recipe and such and a short critique of how it was.

For now...the other night I made GARLIC CHICKEN in the crockpot...for the meat eaters in the house it was really really good and I will make it again.  I found the original recipe here:http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2009/04/crockpot-20-to-40-clove-garlic-chicken.html but I had to tweak with it a bit do to ingredients so this is what I did:

Recipe #1 2010

GARLIC CHICKEN

3.5 pounds of boneless breast of chicken

1 large onion

25 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp Olive Oil

2 tsp salt

2 tsp basil

1 tsp pepper

Slice the onion and place it on the bottom of the crock pot.  Mix all other ingredients together is a bowl.  Dip chicken into the mix and place in the crockpot (on top of onions)...pour remaing mixture over chicken.  You will be tempted to add water...DO NOT ADD WATER!  Cover and cook...I started mine out on HIGH for about an hour and then turned to low.  (My cooker cook fast and hot even on low)...I cooked it from 10:AM-about 3:30 and then turned it on warm as the chicken was shredding and definitely done.  We ate it for supper with baked potato and salad and stove top stuffing.  The verdict?????  YUMMY and I can't wait to make it again, maybe with rice next time.

 

Recipe #1 2010

Crockpot FRENCH TOAST

1 loaf of bread

12 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups milk (I made that change it was originally 4...we shall see, the original recipe said it had a little too much liquid after 8 hours)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup nuts (I didn't have any so I didn't use them)

Spray crock with Pam...add bread (just throw it in there)

mix all other ingredients in a bowl and pout on top of bread...I mixed it around a bit with a wooden spoon and my hands (gasp) just to be sure all the bread was covered.

Started at 5:AM on HIGH for 1/2 hour and then turned to low and am now going back to bed for a bit:)  I'll let you know the results...

8:00am...woke up to the dogs whining (I was only going to shut my eyes for a minute:)...French toast looked sizzly the liquid was gone...I decided to add the milk I had left out cuz it just shouldn't be burning on...turning it down to warm while I shut my eyes for just another little bit...

Okay so I didn't shut my eyes again, and a half hour later I turned it back up to low.  It is now noontime and Bronwyn and I have had the French Toast.  I say YUMMY, but odd.  Bronwyn said it was "GOOD, but weird". Lauren said "I am NOT eating that", and Nate?  Still sleeping:) Would I make it again???  YUP!  Changes?  I would just add the right amount of milk from the beginning and maybe a little more cinnamon.  We ate it with butter and maple syrup...

I wanted to show you a picture...last night I walked into Nate's room to say goodnight and this is what I found:

Odd boy:)

It is 12:15 and I have mice to make...I have got one all sewn up and ready to stuff and decorate...

Have a great day!

Dancingly Denise

Signs of Hibernation...

I put the electric blanket on the bed tonight...

I have applesauce cooking in the crock-pot:

One of my favorite fall candles going:

Hot Vanilla Chi tea in my Big Girl panty cup:)

Flannel cooking on the stove:

WHAT?????  Flannel on the stove?  Okay...that is not a sign of hibernation...probably more of a sign of craziness:)  I am tea dying some flannel for a project...honest I fed my family spaghetti tonight NOT flannel:)

I am headed to snuggle in and watch So You Think You Can Dance and then GLEE.

Lauren didn't go to dance tonight as she was not feeling well...and I am still not feeling great, so it's time to lay low...

Good Night

Dancingly, Denise

   

CAKE...

Okay, so I don't want to talk about life today, cuz things are just to  mind boggling:)  So I am going to share with you the cake I made Ruth (my mom-in-law) the other day for her birthday.  This is NOT to be confused with the white raspberry cake I made LAST week...I will, maybe, post that recipe, but it is several pages long so I may not.  This cake was easier, BUT oh so delicious!

 

Quick 'n' Easy Chocolate Cake (from the book The Birthday Cake Book)

Makes 2 9x2-inch round pans

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup sifted natural cocoa

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups water (room temp)

2/3 cup veg. oil

2 tblsp. apple cider or distilled white vinegar

1 tblsp. vanilla extract

350 degrees

1.coat inside of 2 pans with nonstick cook spray, line the bottoms with parchment rounds, spray the parchment.

2. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large bowl.

3.  Whisk together water, oil, vinegar and vanilla in med. size bowl.

4. Pour wet ingredients over dry ones and whisk until combined and smooth. (I didn't whisk I used my  new "MORE POWER" electric hand beater:)

5. Pour mixture evenly into two pans.  Firmly tap the bottom of pans on work surface to dislodge any bubbles (This was so cool!)

6.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the layers shows a few moist crumbs.

7.  Cool the pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Unmold, peel off parchment, place on racks to cool (I left parchment on till cooled as the cake was so moist it sort of was sticking to the wire rack:)

Now, when they were cool I still had a half portion of raspberry frosting left, so I added more confectionery sugar to it...some milk...and some raspberries and Voila a YUMMY cake!

************************************************************************************

Nate and I had a nice time tonight while waiting for Lauren to finish dance classes.  He and I ate at Applebee's.  I have missed having that time with him, and he talked non stop!

Cakingly,

Denise