Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Jesus!!
Thank you!

Easy Fudge Recipe:)

Fudge Recipe:

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 can (14 oz.)Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
LINE 8- or 9-inch square baking pan with foil.
COMBINE morsels and sweetened condensed milk in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Warm over lowest possible heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.
SPREAD evenly into prepared baking pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into pieces.

It can't get any easier then that...LOL...ENJOY!!!

Happy, Happy Friday!!

Last year I met a very neat lady, finding this recipe on her Recipe Blog~~Her name is Mari and she makes such wonderful things. This was one of the Sweet Treats I made last year, and I made a new batch yesterday. You will find her recipe here
I also made my easy fudge

Rice Krsipy Treats.
At Christmas time I will make a birthday cake for Jesus



My little helper




Decorations


Poinsettia

...and all our stockings are hung:)

After today, Alexis will be off of school for two whole weeks, I am just thrilled about that!
Kevin and I will be doing some Christmas shopping this weekend, that should be a lot of fun. I think my husband likes to shop more then me...LOL.
Tonight's dinner is going to be take out, because I have to wait for the gardener today and I can't get to the store, so my husband said don't worry about dinner, we will get take out. He wanted to go out to dinner, but Friday nights are just to busy to go out and eat, I don't like big crowds.
So all this week before Christmas, I will be working on making my house neat and tidy for Jesus's birthday celebration. I am so excited:)

Happy Friday and stay warm!

Pictures:)

Friday!

I would love to move my computer down stairs, so I could post more. The problem is there is really no where to put it down there.

We are getting our Christmas tree this weekend, I am so excited. We are getting a real tree this year, YAY! I also need to get more lights. Every strand I had would not work, I could not believe it.

Life is good here, our life is peaceful and that is the way I like it.

It is raining today, and it is cold. Dinner will be either spaghetti and meatballs or hamburgers and french fries. I have to start my baking, I want to make some Christmas cookies.

Have a wonderful day and stay warm:)

*Whew*

After Thanksgiving, this house got out of control. I have laundry to do, bathrooms to clean. I have been working all morning. I have a trash bag and I am running around the house picking up this and that and throwing it all away. Kind of like Fly Lady's 27 things. Oh, I also hung up a bunch of clothes that were on my bedroom chair. Why, oh do I let things get out of hand...LOL.

I have to go to the market today and get the food for the week, I will do that before I pick Alexis up from school.

It is quite chilly today. I need to put a sweater on. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, we sure did. I used every bit of that Turkey up. The last thing I made with it was turkey and dumplings, using the carcass for the stock, it turned out good. Today, I am not sure what I will make for dinner, it will depend on what I find at the store:) Happy Tuesday!

Happy ThanksGiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving:) Have a wonderful day everyone!!

Thanksgiving Dinner

This is what is on the Menu for Thanksgiving:

Turkey
Homemade gravy
White bread stuffing
Green bean Casserole<--(My favorite)
Mashed potatoes

Sweet potatoes

Cranberries
Turnip Greens

Macaroni and cheese
Salad
My homemade dinner Rolls

Relish tray
Cheese tray
Veggie tray
Stuffed mushrooms

Friday!!!

I am so thrilled it is Friday. This means the start of Thanksgiving break for the kids. No school for an entire week--YaY!!! I bought my turkey last week, now I just need to plan the rest of my menu. My turkey is 16 pounds and I paid 9.00 for it at Albertson's. Also, my laundry is almost done too. I have been trying to keep on top of it, so it doesn't become overwhelming. The weather has been nice, cold in the morning and warming up during the day. Our consolidated debt is now over, Kevin and I are thrilled. It has been a long five years paying that off. Now it is over! Kevin is now talking about having another baby. I told him I would like to try after the Holidays, so we shall see. I am still a little fear full, even though it has been awhile since I miscarried, I still think about it.

Dinner is going to be simple and kid friendly because Kevin will miss dinner tonight. Not sure yet, but I am thinking soup and grilled sandwiches.

Well, I have to take make Alexis's lunch and then take Tony to the eye doctor. Have a great Friday!

Happy Wednesday

There is no school today--YAY!!! My girlfriend who has a daughter the same age as mine, is taking the girls to see a A Christmas Carol and then to the salon to get pedicures. This should be a great day for Alexis.

As for me, since I don't have to go anyway today, I am going to do some laundry, clean the home and I have a few bananas that are turning brown, so I am going to make banana bread.

I am so excited for ThanksGiving, I just adore that Holiday, all the holiday cooking and baking and spending time with the people you love, friends and family. I can't wait!!!

Today is Veteran's day, I always say a prayer for everyone that is/was protecting our country. May God Bless everyone!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!

Not sure what is on the menu for tonight's dinner, but I do know it will be something with ground beef.

Happy November!

I can not believe October is over and November is here, that month just flew by! My neighbors little girl was sick this week, so she stayed here with me, while her mother went to work. It has been a busy, yet fun week.

It has started to get very chilly in the mornings and warming up a bit in the afternoon. With the time change, it gets dark so early--I LOVE IT!

Tonight on the menu is roasted chicken. I made a pork roast last night, which turned out really good. I sometimes cook it too long and it comes out dry, but this time, it came out juicy.

What are your thoughts on the H1N1 vaccination? Let me know.

I am going to bake a cake today, just because:) Have a super Thursday!!

Thursday!

Today and tomorrow, I have a lot of work to do, to get ready for my get together on Saturday. Everyone is going to bring something so it should be a lot of fun.

I need to get the guest bathroom all clean. Mop the kitchen and hardwood. Spot clean my carpet AGAIN! So much to do, so little time...LOL.

There is no school the rest of the week, so that is nice.

Well, I have to get started. Time for another cup of coffee, and then on to cleaning:)

Happy Thursday!

Never Ending Laundry!

This is the picture I said I would post~~~~Mounds and mounds of laundry, and when I took this picture, I still had another load in the wash and one in the dryer. I did it though, I finished every stitch of laundry:)

....I did all this while chasing a very active and cute little 2 year old...LOL. Do you notice this picture is blurry, he was on the move:)

Yesterday, I took my chicken carcass and made a stock for a later time. My home smelled so good. I also made these cute little sugar cookies. It was a package I got at the store, the cookies were shaped like little pumpkins. I would have taken a picture, but I went outside with them and there were about 10 neighbor kids that ate them up...LOL.


Tony is on an adventure with a friend. He is going to a concert and taking the train up, this should be very exciting for him. His friend's sister is then going to drive them home after the show. Alexis is going to a birthday party today. Kevin is working, so that just leaves me and little Kevin, we will play and I will putter and clean, and then play, and so on.

October sure went fast. I am having a get together on the night of Halloween. A few couples will be coming over. It isn't a costume party, just a dinner party with good food:) Hope everyone has a wonderful Saturday!

Hi:)

I am not leaving blogland, I promise, I am just having a hard time adjusting computer time with a very curious two year old:) I do have a picture of what I have been up to today and yesterday. I will post a picture shortly and you will laugh...LOL.

Tonight's dinner will be roasted Chicken, with all the fixings.

Last night I made fried pork, napa cabbage with mushrooms, white beans, salad, and homemade dinner rolls.

I am on laundry detail today.

Little Kevin just absolutely LOVES to be read too. It is precious.

Happy Thursday, and I will be back with a picture.

Happy Saturday:)

Hope everyone has a wonderful Saturday.
I just spot cleaned my carpet...AGAIN!
Hamburger Gravy is what is on the menu tonight.

I got my very own Costco card yesterday. I had one before, but let it expire for some reason. I am so happy, I love that store!!!!

XO

It is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOT today. A/C is on.

Computer Time!

Well, I am going to have to change my computer time. Little Kevin is actually napping at this moment so I can hop on here real quick. His naps are few and far between lately and being two he is into EVERYTHING, so I have to have a very watchful eye on him right now. My home is baby proofed pretty well, but he can actually find danger in the most innocent of things. So, I am going to have to do my postings at night when my husband is home to watch him for me, until he grows out of this very curious stage, and starts napping better.

It has been raining here for the last couple of days, and I am LOVING it!!

...and yes, I will post about my Chicken and Dumplings, I promise.

I just wanted to get on here real quick and let all my friends know what is up:)

Have an awesome Wednesday, and I will be back either later tonight, or tomorrow night!!!

Miss you!!!

Thursday!

Happy Thursday.
Yesterday, I tried a new bread recipe, it looked really good in the picture, and the recipe looked very simple.

Click to see the recipe

Well, this is how my bread turned out, doesn't look anything like the picture on the recipe card....LOL. It tastes good though, but it did not rise as much as the bread in the picture.

Here are a couple tomatoes I got off my Topsy Turvy! They are sooo big. I have nothing bad to say about the Topsy Turvy. In fact I will do it again next year along with cucumbers. What caused my Topsy Turvy to not do so well, were those dreaded Horn worms, they totally ruined my plant, and before my husband and I could figure out what to do, they had done quite a bit of damage, and my beautiful plant, never was able to recuperate:( She did produce tomatoes, just not as many as it was supposed too. I will know what to do next time, and be prepared.


....and this is my son with his new haircut:) My husband buzzed his hair. He looks so cute with those big eyes.



Cinnamon sugar all over his mouth...LOL
Tonight's dinner, will be Chicken and Dumplings!!!
Laundry is getting done too, Yay!

Happy Thursday:)

Welcome October!

It's Here, It's Here!!! Welcome October and my absolute favorite time of year:) I just adore Fall and everything it entails!

It is actually starting to be chilly in the mornings and evenings. It is still warm during the day, but hopefully it will start cooling off then too. I am so excited to start all the fall cooking and baking. With all your help, I have great ideas, on what to make:) I am going to try a new bread recipe, I will let you know if it is a hit or miss. It looks really good on paper, but we shall see. Happy Friday everyone!!

Thursday!

Last night, for an entree, I made a Potato Leek soup that I got off the Internet. It was such a great hit, that by the time I thought about taking a picture it was all gone. So if you are wanting to make a very easy soup, that is soooo good and comforting, try this recipe:)
(Photo and recipe is courtesy of SimplyRecipes )


Potato Leek Soup Recipe
Ingredients
3 large leeks, cut lengthwise, separate, clean. Use only the white and pale green parts, chop.
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)*
2 lbs potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
Marjoram - dash
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Tabasco sauce or other red chili sauce
Salt & Pepper
*If cooking gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free broth.

Method
1 Cook leeks in butter with salt and pepper in a medium sized sauce pan. Cover pan, cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Check often. Do not brown leeks! Browning will give leeks a burnt taste.

2 Add water, broth, and potatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Scoop about half of the soup mixture into a blender, puree and return to pan. Add marjoram, parsley, and thyme. Add a few dashes of chili sauce to taste. Add some freshly ground pepper, 1-2 teaspoons salt or more to taste.

Serves 4-6.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's a busy day here, in my household, all the kidlets are still sick~~~This cold just hangs on.
Tonight's dinner is going to be chicken. Last night, I made pork chops and peas and carrots. Stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer, salad served first, Potato Leek soup served second and then the meat and veggies. It was a good dinner. Now tonight, I am going to try a new dish, I bought some penne pasta, and I am going to add a can of spicy tomatoes that I got at the store, served next to the chicken:)

Well, I am just trying to keep my household picked up, and taking care of the littles. Happy Thursday!

Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday!! I absolutely have to go to the market today!! I was not able to go yesterday because my daughter was not feeling well. It started Monday with a sore throat and then Tuesday it was a cold, and now today she has a cough. I have a feeling she will be a lot better tomorrow. My neighbor has a little girl too, that I pick up after school everyday because my neighbor works until 4:00. Well she called me this morning and asked if here daughter can lay on my couch because she was sick too. I told her of course, but I told her I really needed to go to the grocery store for a few things. I really have to go, I am out of so many things now.

I will use that big cart thingy that looks like a car so all the kids can sit down in it while I shop. I am so hoping Little Kevin does not get it. It isn't a bad cold, but I am sure the runny nose and cough are annoying.


Also, if either Alexis or Kevin are sick tomorrow, I will have to cancel taking my Grandmother shopping. She is 90 years old, and can't get sick, it takes her a long time to get well. So we shall see how that works out tomorrow .

I made bread on Monday, with the last of my yeast, so I really need some yeast, because all the bread I made went fast, I have neighbors that I bake bread for too, and I really enjoy it too. We had a lot of chicken this week, so I am hoping the market has a better variety of sales on there meet this week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OHHHHH, and one last thing. Someone left a crayon in there pocket, ( I won't name names...LOL)and I didn't catch it, so now my dryer and a load of clothes are all a nice shade of purple. At first I wanted to scream, and then I calmed down and thought to myself, if this is the worst that happens, I am going to be okay:) Have any of you ever washed and dried a crayon?

~~~~~~~

Classic Baked Acorn Squash (Picture courtesy of Google)
Ingredients
1 Acorn squash
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
Dash of Salt
Method
1 Preheat oven to 400°F.

2 Using a strong chef's knife, and perhaps a rubber mallet to help, cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out.

3 Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. Add a dash of salt if you are using unsalted butter. Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. Dribble on a teaspoon of maple syrup to each half.

4 Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. Do not under cook. When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce that has not already been absorbed by the squash over the exposed areas.

Serves 2 to 4, depending on how much squash you like to eat.

Tuesday's Chit Chat!

A new scent for the home--Autumn Scented , pumpkin spice. I also have an apple and cinnamon spray, and a warm apple pie candle!

Fall leaves trim my home.

Where do I find a GREEN pumpkin??? I want one:) I just think this is the cutest pumpkin.


My fall Taste of Home magazines and Better Homes and Garden. I can't stop reading those, they just put you in the decorating and cooking mood!



My Fallish kitchen towel



I have two of these little fall wreaths on either side of the stairs

~~~~~~~

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins!
(I made these last fall, and they were sooooo yummy. I am going to be making these again in the days to come. I just wanted to re-share the recipe! )
(Picture courtesy of AllRecipes)
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

~~~~~~~

Today is the first day it is supposed to cool off, it is supposed to be in the low 70's. My poor girl is home with a cold and cough. She is laying on the couch right now.

I worked really hard on the laundry yesterday, and must continue today. Tuesday is usually my shopping day, but with my daughter sick, I will have to postpone it. Not sure what dinner will be. I ran out of yeast yesterday, so I won't be baking any bread until tomorrow. There is plenty to do today though:)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday!

Pumpkin Tureen

1 Short, wide pumpkin (about 10 pounds)
Vegetable oil

Move oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 375'. Trim stem, if necessary, so pumpkin will fit in the oven on bottom rack. Cut a lid from top of pumpkin, slanting blade of knife slightly towards center when cutting the so lid will not slip into shell. remove seeds and fibers. Replace lid. rub exterior of pumpkin with oil. Place pumpkin on jelly roll pan. Bake about 1 14 hours of until flesh is tender but exterior skin is still firm. remove any liquid from inside pumpkin, using a baster. Carefully scrape some pieces of cooked pumpkin loose from shell, leaving in bottom of shell to be spooned up with soup.
(This is not my pumpkin, but this is the only Pumpkin Tureen picture I could find when I googled.)

I usually make Parmesan Pumpkin soup--You can google that, there are tons of awesome soups for the pumpkin tureen. The recipe I use consists of chicken broth, cream, Parm cheese, onions, garlic, pumpkin. Here is a recipe I found close to what I do, except I use more cheese in the recipe and I add cream:)

Thank you!

Thank you all so much for all the fantastic fall menus:) I loved all of them. I am making my lists, and when I make something Fallish, I will post it:)

It has been about 90 to 100 degrees all week, not very fallish...LOL. My A/C is still on. I can't do anything when it is so sweltering hot. I can't remember it being so hot for soooooo long.

Things have been going well here. I took my Grandmother marketing yesterday, I just love the Farmer's Market near her.

I am on laundry duty today. Why oh why do I let it pile up???

On the menu for tonight will be some kind of Chicken dish, not quite sure what yet.

Happy, Happy Friday!

Saturday!

Fall is almost here---YaY!!

What is one of your favorite fall or comfort food recipes?? Share with me, so I can start my fall menu:) You don't have to type out the whole recipe, just the name would be fine, I can google the recipe--HELP!!

I need some new ideas, Thank you.

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!

My first little pumpkins of the season:)

Okay, last night I tried a new recipe. Here is the recipe card. Click to enlarge.

Click to enlarge the recipe and directions

I wanted to make something different, and boy was it different. No one liked it---EXCEPT me, I loved it...LOL. I thought it tasted wonderful. So needless to say I won't be making this again, because I would be the only one eating it. The sauce tasted like Thousand island dressing, and with all that cheese on it, how could it not be good. I really enjoyed it, and my best friend is going to take some home today, because I can not eat it all myself. Well sometimes I make a hit and sometimes I make a miss. I am posting the recipe, because I liked it, and maybe some of you will like it too.

I know I must sound repetitive, but I so enjoy being a wife and mother. I love to stay home, and keep house and take care of my family. I love being a girl and everything that it entails. I have laundry to do, toilets to clean, food to prep, floors to mop, rugs to be vacuumed, and especially spending time with my husband and children and so on, and I would not have it any other way:)

Happy Friday!

Thursday!

Hi!!! More intriguing posts coming, just been a bit busy~~~~Happy Busy!!!

XO



Lot's to talk about!!

Cucumber Salad

Cucumber Salad

2 cucumbers
1 large onion
1 green pepper
2 large ripe tomatoes
1 cup vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Slice two cucumbers thinly. Do not peel. (I peeled...LOL) Let this stand in salted water for 1/2 hour. Drain and rinse in cold water.
Dice onion, green pepper and tomatoes. Add one cup vinegar and 1/3 cup olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Before serving, let stand for 15-30 minutes so that vinegar and cooking oil can settle in ingredients.

(I got this recipe from Cooks.Com)

Happy Saturday Chit Chat!

Happy Saturday:)
I am going to light my candle and get to work. I try and do things every day around the house to keep up, but I also like to stop and enjoy my family and play with them. So today while my husband is at work I will do some work too.

Things that went on this week--I scrubbed and shined my stove top and microwave. That sure was a job. It was well worth it though, it looks great. You can see the temperature on the stove, it says 375~~~bread is baking away in there as I took this picture.

I played with my children. Tony wrote three new songs on his guitar, and I was very proud to listen to them. I also babysat the little twins that live on our block one afternoon, little Kevin just loves them. <~~~That was a busy day!

My husband usually washes my car and his truck once a week, but he has been so very busy that he only had enough energy to wash his, he had to wash his because he was having very important people coming to his office and he wanted to drive them in a clean car. So I got out there and washed my own, inside and out. Look how pretty.

Here are my dinner rolls baking away.

We took the two little ones to the dentist this week. This dentist is a pediatric dentist, so Tony being 17 will go to a regular dentist now to get his teeth cleaned. Little Kevin had NO CAVITIES--YAY!!!!! I was worried about that so much, I could not sleep the night before. Alexis did not get off so lucky she has a small cavity that we will get filled. My husband wants the clear filling, so we will get that done very soon.

School is going well. The weather lately has been very humid and sticky. I have been walking my mile everyday now. It was hard to do it during the summer, because Alexis didn't like walking that much, and I couldn't leave her home alone. Sometimes Kevin or Tony would be home and I could do it, but it was not consistent. Now it is.

As you all know, I put Fred out September 1st, now I think I am going to put a few more Fall decorations out so I can enjoy them as long as possible.

As for my Saturday plans, I have lots I want to do. Scrubbing, cleaning and laundry. I want to get a lot done so I can enjoy the week with my family. The more I get done today, the more I can play. I did do the bedding yesterday, so that is done. My kitchen floor is white, so it show every spot on it. I guess that is good, keeps my cleaning it...LOL. Sometimes though, I will mop it in the morning and by the evening it looks dirty again. I need to swish my toilets and such. I will update my Topsy Turvy tomorrow. If you all know about Tomato Hornworms, then you will know what I will be talking about, those worms are icky.

For my dinners so far, we had baked chicken, then with those leftovers we had chicken and gravy over rice. On labor day, Kevin made a Prime Rib Roast and then we had leftovers of that the next day with baked potatoes. We have had pasta too. Today we are going to have Casserole with ground beef and lots of cheese, and tomorrow we are going to have BBQ ribs.

For today's breakfast, it is Scrambled eggs, turkey bacon and fresh fruit.

I am on my second cup of Hazelnut coffee, and I can't wait until all the holiday creamers come out, yummy. I am going to hop off here put on my apron and get to work. I will have to take a picture of my new apron, it is just darling. Anyway, in between all my duties as a homemaker, I will pop on here and visit all of you. Have a great Saturday.

I posted this picture, just because I liked it...LOL.