Have you ever noticed that it says "A Happy Habit" on the door at See's candy? I think that is so funny! However, I'm not very happy about it today. I've always wanted to find a recipe so I can make Bordeaux at home instead of eating away my kids' college fund. Pros: save money, eat lots of yummy chocolate. Cons: make huge mess in kitchen, get even fatter. I never really found a good recipe, so that helped with the decision. But I caved in yesterday and tried to make them...twice! The first try was way off. The second try was closer, but still not even close. They sure look good and the kids like them, but they are NOT See's! I'll have to wait a long time to try for the third and fourth time!So when it came around to making dinner I needed a tried and true recipe. Something I couldn't screw up. That would be salsa and messy chicken tacos. I got this salsa recipe years ago from my friend Karen. It is very easy and super yummy. Jamie threw the salsa together while I did the tacos. Perfect every time! Fabulous with a bag of chips, sitting in front of the tv! Salsa 1/2 medium red onion-cut into 4 chunks lime juice-about 1/2 a lime 1 T diced green chilis (from a can) 1/2 t. salt 1/2 t. garlic powder handful cilantro 2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes Put all ingredients in blender. Pulse about 10 times till evenly chopped and mixed.Tweek to taste!
The girls in Jamie's church group are making a bunch of blankets to donate to Project Linus. Fleece is 50% off at JoAnn's right now, which is great (about $4 a yard). But we found an even better deal. We had to run into SaveMart (Albertson's) last night for milk and we found these cute fleece blankets on clearance for $2.50 each! There are a lot of really cute prints. I know WEAVE, the Wind House, and Project Linus always need blankets. So if you want an easy and cheap way to help out in the community, this is the ticket!
The whole fam was eating dinner the other night (which tends to be a little loud and somewhat chaotic) and Nelson kept saying, "Snape, Snape, Severous Snape, Dumbledore," while we were all talking. It took a while for us to actually hear him, but we all eventually shut up and just stared at him while he was singing this weird, annoying Harry Potter song. He was appalled that none of us knew it. So he dragged us to the computer and fired up this little ditty.
I know it's totally stupid, but we all think it is hilarious! And contagious! You are sure to hear a random "Ron Weeeasly" or "Harry Potter, Harry Potter" somewhere in my house during the day. Which character will you end up singing?
You know how things always happen in threes? Well I wish I could have planned for that instead of going back and forth to the doctor/vet (yep, vet) so many times this month. Jamie was earache #1. She looked like she got hit by a bus when I picked her up from girl's camp on the 4th of July. That's one trip to the E.R. (because everything else was closed for the holiday, of course). Poor Jamie...look how sad:( A week of antibiotics and back we went to the doc for different meds because the ear still hurt! She's all better now, though:) Dean was earache #2. Too much swimming and he ends up with swimmer's ear. Actually, his BFF Kacee also got it, but I didn't have to pay for her, so I'm not gonna count that one. Ear drop antibiotics and no swimming for 5 days. Try living with a 6-year-old that can't swim in the middle of summer! Contrary to his expert opinion he did not actually die because he could not swim.And earache #3? Well that award goes to Sparky the guinea pig. Sparky hasn't been looking so good lately. So being the huge animal lover that I am, we took her to the vet today. $108 later (but who's counting?), she now has her own little bottle of antibiotics in the fridge and I am the most loved mom of the day. Too bad she doesn't count towards my deductible.
Anyone else find this song stuck in their head? Doesn't bug me when Nelson sings it. Doesn't bug me so much when I hear Burke or even Dean singing it. But Jamie? That bugs me! What to do? I try not to sing it out loud, but still, I can't wait for this one to go away. Are they gonna include this one on the newest edition of Kidz Bop?
People will do anything to get rid of the abundant zucchini from their gardens. I left my car windows down at church once and came out to find a few zucchini in the driver's seat. I don't know why anyone would plant the stuff to begin with. When I was a kid, my dinner plate was like a hidden pictures game, but the only thing you searched for was the zucchini. Would it be sliced like cucumbers in a salad? Or grated on top of a baked potato like cheese? Once it was hidden under the cheese on my pizza like little fake green pepperonis. That pushed me over the edge. So when Dean walked in with zucchini the other day I admit I might have over-reacted. Where did you get that? What do you think you're doing bringing that into my house? Poor kid. Apparently one of our generous (evil) neighbors thought they would share the bounty of their garden. Thanks. So there was only one thing to do. Zucchini bread. The only redeeming zucchini by-product. 1 cup of oil and 2 cups of sugar would redeem just about anything! So if you are unexpectedly caught in possession of the nasty green squash here's what I consider the only option. Yummy Zucchini Bread 3 eggs 1 cup oil 2 cups sugar 2 cups grated zucchini 3 teaspoons vanilla 3 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 teaspoons cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 325. Beat eggs till light and foamy. Add oil, sugar, zucchini, vanilla and mix lightly, but well. Add dry ingredients and mix until blended. Pour into two greased loaf pans. Bake for 60 minutes (or till toothpick comes out clean).
Twelve things we love about Jamie: 1. She has a wicked British accent 2. She is the cookie baking queen 3. She fixed the 120-year all boy curse in Jim's family 4. She falls down the stairs at least once a day 5. She sleeps in flannel pajamas with a down comforter in the summer 6. She refuses to cut her hair 7. She builds great forts 8. She is the best babysitter 9. She loves to hide out in her room with a good book 10. She dominates on the Wii 11. She can eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner 12. She is the "chew with your mouth closed" police
Have you ever noticed that it says "A Happy Habit" on the door at See's candy? I think that is so funny! However, I'm not very happy about it today. I've always wanted to find a recipe so I can make Bordeaux at home instead of eating away my kids' college fund. Pros: save money, eat lots of yummy chocolate. Cons: make huge mess in kitchen, get even fatter. I never really found a good recipe, so that helped with the decision. But I caved in yesterday and tried to make them...twice! The first try was way off. The second try was closer, but still not even close. They sure look good and the kids like them, but they are NOT See's! I'll have to wait a long time to try for the third and fourth time!
So when it came around to making dinner I needed a tried and true recipe. Something I couldn't screw up. That would be salsa and messy chicken tacos. I got this salsa recipe years ago from my friend Karen. It is very easy and super yummy. Jamie threw the salsa together while I did the tacos. Perfect every time! Fabulous with a bag of chips, sitting in front of the tv!
Salsa
