Fun Projects

I have been working on a few thing lately and just wanted to share them. I made a crayon roll a few weeks ago and have also been working on the cutest little dollhouse. The tutorials for these projects can be found here:

Crayon Roll
Fabric Dollhouse

Anyway, here's my finished crayon roll which works GREAT for church. I was carrying the crayons in a plastic baggie. Of course they would spill all over the place which is never a good thing.

  

Here's the dollhouse I've been working on for a while. It's turning out really cute but I still have a lot to do. I'll post the finished product eventually. It doesn't just have to be a house. I thought of making an airplane hanger for my nephew and I've also thought of making a dinosaur cave for another nephew. Obviously the "cave" would be more like a house, but it would serve it's purpose. I found some fabric that looked like some kind of hunters fabric, but would work beautifully for a cave. It had deer that looked like they had been drawn onto the fabric so of course those would be the cave drawings. I also found some fabric that looked like a lot of pebbles scattered across it, which would be the outside of the cave. For the airplane hanger I was going to use some camouflage material for the inside of the hanger and the outside would be all gray. I was also going to do a black runway with white lines sewn onto it. But since it's taking me forever to get this one done, I won't be doing the others :)  Anyway, here's what I have so far:

I still need to add a window beside the door and something to the back of the house.

Pay no attention to the mess surrounding the house as well as my crooked seam in the "grass" :)

Apple

Chicken Tetrazzini

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. The weather has been so nice lately we've been taking advantage of being outside. It's been great! Lots of walks and just playing and enjoying the weather. We've also been remodeling our kitchen. That takes up A LOT of time so I haven't been able to post. My hubby put down ceramic tiles and now we're painting our cabinets. It's looking nice, but it's hard to envision what the end result will look like. Normally I'm pretty good at envisioning what a project will look like when it's finished, but not with this one. Anyway I needed a tasty and hearty meal the other day so I made Chicken Tetrazzini (probably not very authentic, but yummy anyway). I think it's kid friendly, my little one has gobbled it up before, but decided a peanut butter and jelly sandwich would be better that night.
Here's what you need:

2 cans of cream soups (I used one cream of chicken and one cream of mushroom)
1 Cup of sour cream
1/2 Cup milk
2 cooked chicken breasts shredded or chopped
4 oz jar of pimentos
8 oz cooked spaghetti noodles
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
sliced mushrooms (I used about 4 oz)
Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1:

Combine the soups, sour cream, and milk. I accidentally added my pimentos to this step, but I usually saute them with the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and chicken.

 Step 2:

Saute onions, mushrooms, garlic. Add pimentos and chicken to saute. Stir the saute into the soup mixture and add noodles, combine thoroughly.

   

   

   

 Step 3:

Pour into a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes.

Apple

Paper Bag Puppets

I bought a tri-fold display board, some fabric, and some ribbon to make a puppet "stage". Everything cost me less than $15 and I think it looks great. I made it a while ago so I don't have pictures of the project in stages, but it's very easy to do. All you need is a glue gun and obviously the board, fabric, and ribbon. I'm sure you could also do this with a big cardboard box too. Figure out how much fabric you'll need, I think I used 1-1.5 yards for the main board, 1/2 yard for the curtains and one spool of ribbon.  Just pull everything tight and glue. The inside of the "stage" doesn't look so pretty but if you want to finish the inside too, feel free. I used a big placemat and traced around it for the opening. I love this thing and so does my little one. At least a couple times a week I hear, "Mama, puppet show!" It folds up nicely and can fit almost anywhere.

So today I decided to do some paper bag puppets. Since Spring is right around the corner I decided to do a bunny and a butterfly. I went to this website ABC Teach and just printed out the templates. We colored and glued them and they turned out pretty cute. I couldn't find my glue sticks so I had to use regular glue. Later today when the glue dries completely we'll add these puppets into the puppet show! It should be fun. Try both projects and put on a puppet show with your little ones this weekend!

Apple

One of those days...

Have you ever had one of those days?  When everything is messed up no matter how hard you try?  Today was one for the books!  Nothing majorly went wrong; just a day that I'd forget my head if it weren't attached to my body.

• After changing diapers and getting the kids dressed this morning, I threw the clothes in the trash and the diapers in the basement...
•  I started my coffee but forgot to put water in the pot, only to notice this after I was already running late and trying to get the kids to school...
• I switched over the laundry only to forget to start the dryer--2 x in the same day...
• At bedtime I put lotion on my hands only to discover that I picked up my hair gel--that would explain why my hands were really itchy...
• I tried to take out my contacts and was struggling to do so until I realized I wasn't wearing them today...
• The best was we had ice cream this evening and after I put the kids to bed I started to pack tomorrows lunch only to discover that I put the cones in the freezer and the ice cream in the cupboard...

I take this as a sign that maybe I should call it a day!

Leaf

Random Thoughts

Today has been one of those days. I have a dog who likes to hear the sound of his own bark and that has been really annoying today. But something kind of funny did happen today. We also have two cats who have their claws and we have a cat door cut into the basement door so the cats can get to their litter box. Anyway, I'm constantly telling my dog to stay out of the kitchen because he moves at super sonic speed if even a crumb is dropped and we've had to pay a hefty vet bill for him in the past for pancreatitis, so needless to say he doesn't need to be in there. Anyway he was in the kitchen again just hanging out and was sniffing the floor by the basement door. Apparently my cat has a sense of humor and wanted to scare my dog so you see this cat arm come out of the cat door and then there is a "YELP!" and then HISSS, BARK, HISSS, BARK. It was insane. But it was kind of funny because it reminded me of times in the past when I've hidden around a corner and scared some random family member, then laugh hysterically :)

Anyway, I was thinking about my early years of marriage today and some of the meals we used to have. So I decided to have something that I used to make on a fairly regular basis which is very unhealthy, but I still wanted to try it. I have not done this in years and now I remember why. I bought some instant garlic and herb potatoes, pre-packaged shells and cheese, and fried chicken from a restaurant. Oh my goodness was that disgusting! The potatoes were gloopy and starchy, the shells and cheese had a questionable looking noodle, and the chicken was greasy. I really don't understand how these restaurants manage to get their chicken so greasy. My grandma once told me that if your grease isn't hot enough then you'll get greasier chicken, so maybe that's their problem. I measured how much oil I used one time for homemade fried chicken. All of the oil was there minus one tablespoon and I made a lot of chicken which goes to show that fried chicken doesn't have to be nasty.

I was talking to Leaf today and remembered some taco stuffed shells that she made one time that were DELICIOUS! So I think I'm gonna try that recipe within the next few days. Between the two 1of us, the recipe will be posted eventually. I also got a cheeseburger soup recipe from my neighbor. She made some and gave me a bowl of it, mmmm yummy! I've never made it before, but I plan on trying it and if it turns out right I'll post the recipe.

A couple of days ago my hubby and I were talking about how to turn some of our favorite sandwiches into casseroles because I was looking through a cookbook and found a reuban casserole recipe. We decided that a Philly Cheesesteak casserole would probably be good. So I decided to whip it up. It was OK, but something wasn't quite right so when I figure out what was missing I'll post that one too. I was just thinking about the recipes that I've posted and the food I've been talking about tonight and none of it sounds too healthy. I like to post meals that taste good, kids like, are healthier (especially if you "hide" veggies in the food) and cheaper than what you'll find in a lot of restaurants. I do eat healthy meals...honestly! I'm sure I'll post some of my healthier meals in the future, but for now it's cold outside and comfort food is definately called for :)

Wow, I didn't think I'd have much to say, but I guess I was wrong. I have get going!

Apple

Beat This!

For those who know me (or Apple) personally, you know that we love a bargain.  Apple posted her bargains last week and that brought out my competitive nature!  Here are a few of my favorite purchases from this past week.

We go through diapers like crazy in my house so a bargain on diapers is a must!  I saved 48% on the Pampers and 51% on the Huggies.  I ALWAYS buy my diapers from Target.  I combine manufacturer coupons with Target coupons.  In addition I use my Target Red Card for additional savings of 10% (a special promotional card) and their everyday 5% savings.  The Pampers were a lucky buy.  They were clearanced 30% off!  I also had manufacturer coupons for $2 off/box and Target coupons for $1/box.  The retail price was $35.99 and in the end I paid $18.96/box.  That is a savings of $17.33/box!  The Huggies were my best deal.  They retail for $19.99 and were buy 2 get a $5.00 Gift Card, which in my view is the same as a $5.00 off coupon.  I had manufacturer coupons for $3.50 off and Target coupons for $2.50 off for a savings of $6.00.  Add in the G.C. and my 10% and 5% and I paid $9.82/box for a savings of $10.17/box!!!!

We also go through a ton of cereal in my house.  Target was the winner this week for cereal!

This cereal would have cost me $21.94 but with coupons and my other savings I paid $10.80 for a savings of 51%.  I never pay full price for a box of cereal.  My family knows that if it is not on sale and we don't have a coupon then we will not buy it.  Having followed this philosophy, we typically save between 40-60%/box of cereal.

Can anyone beat this?

Leaf

Lakeside View?

I don't know about anyone else but I cannot wait for Spring!  I don't know how much more my yard can take of this crazy weather!  Here is a picture of our backyard a few days ago.

Welcome to Lake R U Kidding Me
Swim at your own risk!

 It has been like this for more than a week.  We thought it would be nice if it would freeze so the kids could go ice skating.  This is what we got instead.


Yea!  Another snow storm...this is just what we needed!
Did our lake freeze?  Of course not!

Hopefully this is the end of the crazy weather.  I am trying to wish Spring in today.  I have opened up the windows and have been "spring cleaning" all day.  Since waking this morning I have cleaned the whole downstairs as well as my bedroom and have done a lot of laundry.  I don't want to admit how many loads because it is embarrassing!  Needless to say my kids will be happy when they go to bed tonight and they have pj's in their drawers!  I thought ahead today and threw a roast in the oven so I didn't have to think about dinner.  Once dinner is over the kids and I are going to pull out the games and enjoy the rest of the evening! 

Leaf

Chicken Alfredo

Here is the Chicken Alfredo recipe as promised. This is super easy. Don't pass this one up just because of the jar Alfredo sauce. If you're like me you might be thinking "I've tried that stuff before and it is disgusting", well trust me on this, once you add everything it will be flavorful and creamy. I have also cooked this up and put it in the freezer, stuck it in the oven at 350 for a while and voila! Yummy fast dinner. If you do that, you should probably make it a little saucier so it doesn't dry out in the oven.  I haven't measured everything because it's always to taste. So if you like a lot of chicken, mushrooms, spinach, onion, or garlic, feel free to add as much as you want. Also, I didn't have time to cook up chicken so I bought an already cooked rotisserie chicken from my local grocery store and used the breast meat. You might need to change the amount of milk you add to the sauce if you make it chunkier. Anyway, here's what you need:

1 jar of Alfredo sauce (nothing jumbo, just the regular size)

4 oz jar of pimentos

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, diced

milk

1/2 C parmesan cheese (divided)

black pepper

mushrooms

2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced into small pieces

a handful of frozen chopped spinach

1 lb cooked fettucine (you probably won't need this much, but cook it up anyway just in case you have a lot of sauce)

No salt is needed because of the saltiness of the parmesan cheese.

Step 1:

Saute mushrooms, onion, and garlic.

Step 2:

Add pimentos (with their juices), and chicken. Saute until some of the juice is absorbed.

Step 3:

Add spinach (doesn't have to be unthawed).

Step 4:

Add sauce and fill jar halfway with milk. Shake it up to get the rest of the sauce out and pour into skillet. Add 1/4 C of parmesan cheese, and a dash of black pepper.

Step 5:

Add noodles to sauce a little at a time until desired consistency, then add the other 1/4 C of parmesan cheese to thicken.

Step 6:

Dish up and enjoy!

-Apple

It's been a couple of days since I've posted anything new. I've been busy doing all things domestic :) Today has been a cloudy, gloomy day which means only one thing...LAUNDRY DAY! I am looking forward to spring. I like winter, but it seems like this has been a long one. As I sit here typing I have QVC on (I'm not a QVC shopper, but it's one of those channels I put on when there's nothing else to watch), anyway they have garden stuff on and it's making me happy thinking about Spring. I always start the season off online making sure any plants I want to buy aren't toxic to kids or pets and then off to the garden stores with grand ideas and then nothing turns out like I think it will and I get discouraged, but I keep trying! For example I love the look of  Delphiniums and Foxgloves, but they are insanely toxic. I've tried Hollyhocks without a lot of luck. I know they are biennials and people have told me that they reseed, but they never have for me. Actually I take that back...one came back and it looked silly with just one lone Hollyhock. But I left it there because I was happy that it came back...how sad is that? :)

Well, I have another recipe to post, but it will have to wait until tomorrow. It's a good one. Chicken Alfredo! Yum! Not the healthiest thing in the world, but it's not disgustingly greasy like you find in restaurants. I don't know if anyone has ever tried to reheat chicken alfredo from restaurants, but it's pretty gross when you have a pool of grease beneath the noodles!

Happy almost Friday!
-Apple

Red Rice

For today's recipe I am posting a rice dish. This is another easy one and is also kid friendly. This one always gets gobbled up. You can easily cut the recipe in half.  Here's what you need:

1-1/2 Cups of Tomato Sauce
1-2 Cloves Garlic (according to taste)
1 Medium Onion (chopped)
1 lb. Smoked Sausage or Kielbasa
2 15oz Cans Crushed Tomatoes
3 Cups of Chicken Broth
2 Cups Rice
2 tsp-1Tbsp Hot Sauce (you can make this spicier if you want, but little ones might not like it)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Step 1:

Saute sausage, onions, and garlic

Step 2:

Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, hot sauce, and tomatoes (I didn't have crushed tomatoes on hand so I just used diced).

Step 3:

Add rice and salt and pepper to taste

Step 4:

Bake at 350 degrees farenheit for 30 minutes

I hope this is another one to add to your menu. Enjoy!

-Apple



Easy Storage Bags

I have some wooden puzzles that I keep in my church bag to keep my little one busy during services. Throughout the service I find myself searching through the bag to find the pieces which causes some noise because they are wooden and clang together. I decided I needed something to hold them and had some fabric that I've been holding onto for a while so why not make a "baggie"?  This is a simple project to sew and is great for beginners.

Step 1:

Cut out fabric to desired size. For this project my pieces were 8"x20"

Step 2:

I used pre-quilted fabric and needed to cover the edges, so I used double fold bias tape. If using regular fabric, sew a hem to the top and bottom ends of the material.

Step 3:

Lay the fabric right side facing up. Fold one short end down approximately 1"-2" (this depends on how wide of a flap you want)

Step 4:

Fold the opposite end up.

Step 5:

Pin and sew using 1/2" seam allowance.

Step 6:

Flip everything right side out and this is what you'll get:

(In this picture you see front, back, and folded closed)

This is my church bag that I made and obviously the "baggies" are from a different material, but it works well together. An added bonus is that my little one enjoyed taking the pieces out one at a time which made puzzle time last a little longer. I hope you enjoy making this quick and easy project. Happy Sewing!

Apple



Fajita Quesadillas

This really is an easy, fast meal. There are some inbetween steps not pictured such as shredding or slicing the chicken and crumbling the bacon. You can also add any fillers you'd like. I have sauteed mushrooms with the peppers and onions, used multi-colored peppers, added black beans, corn, tomatoes, fresh green onions w/ tops...the options are only limited to your palate. Add a side dish of rice, refried beans, sour cream, and salsa and I promise you won't be sad you stayed in to eat! 

- Apple

Step 1: Cook Chicken

Step 2: Cook Bacon



Step 3: Saute peppers and onions until blackened (not burnt)

Step 4: Layer cheese and other filling (chicken, bacon, etc.). Fold in half and grill.

Step 5: Dish up and enjoy!

Rocking Chair

This is the child sized rocker from Cracker Barrel. It's a nice sturdy piece of furniture, but not "cushy". My little one has head-butted the back from over enthusiastic rocking. So I have decided to add a back with attached pillow. Obviously the seat cushion is done and now I'm working on the back. I have the fabric cut out and have finished the straps. I just wanted to share my progress. When I finish the back I will update this post so keep your eyes open!

-Apple