Happy Halloween!

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Halloween!!  I hope you all have tons of fun trick-or-treating.  This will be our first year taking our little Savannah out - we can't wait.  We will just hit a few houses, but I think she will really enjoy it.  The weather here is supposed to be clear, chilly, but clear which is always nice (it usually rains or snows here on Halloween).

Here's my little Savannah in her Halloween dress that I made for her.  I didn't use a pattern for this dress and will post a tutorial on how to make this simple look in the coming weeks.  But for now.......(sing with me to the tune of "the ants go marching")......

The goblins come out on Halloween.....watch out.....watch out

They look so scary and so mean....watch out.....watch out

But they're only boys and girls like you, who trick or treat and then say......

Boo

Oh I can't wait for Halloween to come again!!

Happy Halloween!

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Repurposed Children's Fashions

Lately I have been really into making clothes for my two girls.  It is so fun creating things for them that are one-of-a-kind and I feel so proud when they are wearing what I made for them.


With all the consumer waste that is going on in our world, I think it is so wonderful when you can repurpose an item that has already been created and turn it into something even more fabulous than it's original intention.  Don't get me wrong, with my sewing and fabric obsession, I am definitely out there buying new things, but I feel especially proud of my repurposed children's clothing.  

Both of these dresses were made from vintage pillowcases that I found on ebay or at the flea market.  I paid about $6 for each pillowcase - not bad, right?  The one above already came embroidered and crocheted at the bottom.  The dress to the right was done entirely from a pillowcase (except the green ribbon at the bottom), I just cut it differently than the one above.

Last night I made this really simple pair of Bitty Booties (see picture to left) for my 3.5 month old daughter, Matilda.  One of my favorite fabric designers, Heather Bailey, has a free pattern for these booties on her blog (http://heatherbailey.typepad.com).  It is SUPER simple with only a few pattern pieces and then I hand embroidered the opening with a blanket stitch using cranberry embroidery floss.  For the fabric, I "felted" a mens sweater that I got at Good Will for $3.  


Felting is caused by heat agitation. It is a process in which you wash 100% wool knitted material (sweaters, scarves, knitting, ect.) in very hot water (2 times) to produce an incredibly dense, yet very soft and thick fabric for you to use for purses, scarves, slippers, baby booties, ect.  More on felting at another time.


If you are interested in finding out more about any of these projects, please leave me a comment or send me an email and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have or post a tutorial.  And if the above projects excite you, I highly recommend you check out the Betz White's book, Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed and Organic Materials which has some other great ideas! Pin It

Cinnamon Apples & Halloween Playgroup

Blog Contributor:  Jane (Cottage Mama's Mama)


My Mom and I have VERY similar taste - in just about everything - food, clothes, music, jewelry, ect.  A lot of my interests and hobbies were set into motion by her while I was growing up.  I may not have showed a ton of interest in sewing, crafting, and cooking as a high schooler (I was too busy singing and dancing), but I know she definitely has had a huge influence on the woman I am today.


My Mom used to make us the most amazing costumes for Halloween.  Some of my favorites were Daisy Duck, a Fat Clown, a Bird, a Bunny, Comedy & Tragedy, and many more.  She would spend so much time on our costumes and I always felt SO special at school wearing something that my Mama had made for me.  I think that is why I feel it is so important for me to personally make my children's costumes.  Even as young as Savannah is, I want her to look back and know that I wanted to take the time to make her a very special costume for my very special girl.


On Tuesday we attended our Halloween playgroup get together and my friend Danica (www.floradanicaphotography.com ) took these pictures.  Though, I'm sure she will die that I posted the one of Savannah since it's blurry (she's such a perfectionist), but she's an amazing photographer, so pay no attention to the blurriness.  Here's a little glimpse of my sweet Savannah in her Halloween costume that I made for her (she's eating in this picture, of course :-):

And here's my little penguin Matilda - I did not make her costume this year - she's only 3.5 months and not really ready for a  "real" costume yet (but cute nevertheless):

And here's the group shot:

So back to my Mom.......when she sent me this recipe today (that my Grandpa Bill sent her) and she said it was awesome, I just knew I had to share it with you all.  So, I haven't personally tried it, but at have the utmost confidence in my Mom's taste, so here goes:

Grandpa Bill's Cinnamon Apples

¼ cup butter

4 large or 5 medium tart apples, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick

¾ cup water

1 T cornstarch

½ cup brown sugar

1 T cinnamon

• Melt butter over medium heat in large skillet. 
• Sauté apples 6-8 minutes until tender. 
• Dissolve cornstarch in water and add to apples. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon and cook until thickened.  Simmer 2-3 minutes.
• Serve over ice cream for dessert and/or waffles in the morning!

Yummy!!

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Creamy Chicken Chowder

Well the verdict is in and I have to say that "Creamy Chicken Chowder" is a proven winner!!

I have written several blog posts involving slow-cooker meals and I'm sure you are starting to learn that I think the slow-cooker is a busy Mom's best friend!  My fellow Mommy friend, Danica (http://floradanicaphotography.com/ ), read one of my blog posts and was inspired to get out her slow-cooker cook book and see what tasty recipes she could find.  She decided to give the "Creamy Chicken Chowder" a try and said it was awesome!  So, I thought I would give it a whirl and I think you should too!!

Creamy Chicken Chowder

Ingredients:

4 frozen chicken breasts

1 11oz. can whole kernel corn with sweet peppers, drained

1 10oz. can condensed cream of potato soup

1 4oz can diced green chile peppers

2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

1 package taco seasoning

3 cups chicken broth (or water)

4 oz pepper jack cheese, cubed

Garnish: Sour Cream, Cilantro, Crumbled Bacon, and Tortilla Chips

Directions:

-In a 4 quart slow cooker combine frozen chicken, corn, soup, undrained chile peppers, cilantro, and taco seasoning mix.  Stir in chicken broth (or water).  Cover, cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.

-30 mins. before serving, remove chicken breasts, shred and return to slow cooker.  Stir in pepper jack cheese and allow to melt.

-Serve with a dollop of sour cream, fresh snipped cilantro, crumbled bacon and tortilla chips.

Enjoy!!

Cottage Mama's Note:

-I very rarely follow a recipe exactly.  I guess it's my creative nature, but I always like to give a dish my own flare.  I have given you the recipe exactly as I cooked it, which deviates from the original recipe.

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Motivated Moms

Do have trouble accomplishing everything that needs to get done around your house?  I know, I do.  With trying to balance raising two young children (4 months & 20 months), cooking, cleaning, sewing, organizing.......it's hard to make sure it all gets done.

I found this wonderful website called Motivated Moms (www.motivatedmoms.com ).  On this site you can find a daily checklist of chores to make sure that you get all of your homekeeping accomplished and still have time for you.  It is very important to me to keep up with my hobbies, but yet not neglect what needs to get done with our home.  Now I cannot say that I accomplish everything on the daily checklist, but it's a great outline for the things that I want to get done each day.

I love being able to check things off of a list, don't you?  There's something so satisfying about seeing what you've accomplished for the day in writing.  So if you find yourself puzzled with how or what to get done on a daily basis in regards to homekeeping, head over to Motivated Moms and get yourself the daily chore list.

Click on this link to see a sample of a weekly checklist (http://www.motivatedmoms.com/samples/2010FullSize-sample.pdf )
Cottage Mama's Note:
*Right now the 2010 planners are up, but you can still get the last couple months of 2009 as well. Pin It

Superhero Powers

So today my family and I attend my friend Marlene's son, Ben's 2nd birthday party.  Wow, I can't believe he is 2 already!  Lately Ben is all Savannah can talk about - I think she might have a little crush on him, which is understandable because he is insanely cute!

When I was thinking about what we were going to give Ben for his birthday, I knew it had to be something special.  Marlene is one of my closest friends and I have a soft spot in my heart for her little guy.

So in thinking about his gift, I remembered back to this conversation my Mom and I had a few weeks ago when she was in town for Matilda's baptism - she had mentioned how she saw a little boy in the airport with a cute cape that his Mom had made for him and how proud he was of his cape.  And I thought, "ah ha" - that's what I'll make Ben for his birthday - a super-hero cape, or better yet, a super Ben cape!!

Every toddler needs a super-hero cape, right?  A cape that makes them feel that they can conquer the world, that they have the power to make all of their dreams come true, and that no matter what direction life takes, they can face it head on.

Sometimes I feel like we as adults need super-hero capes too.  I bet I'd look pretty silly running around town in my "Super Lindsay" cape, but I know it would make me feel invincible.   So the next time you are going through a difficult time or feel like you just can't face the world, picture yourself with your own super-hero cape on, think like a toddler and know that you have the super-powers to make it through anything life might throw your way!! Pin It

Fall Entertaining Recipe

Sorry I did not get a post up yesterday.  I have been spending all of my spare time at my sewing machine working on my daughters' Halloween costume and various other sewing projects I have going.  I will post about those at a later date......

I wanted to share this delicious Fall recipe with you all.  Bob's Lamb Shanks (or Pork Chops) is an AMAZING dish that will surely impress your guests the next time you host a dinner party.  This recipe comes to me through my Mom's good friend and you will not be disappointed if you give this a try (I promise!).  This dish is "oh so easy," yet seems like you worked on it all day long.  Also it does not require you to be in the kitchen much to prepare it, so you can make sure you spend quality time with your guests.

Serve Bob's Lamb Shanks (or Pork Chops) with good red wine, sauteed garlic green beans and rice or potatoes and you've got yourself Fall at its best!!

Bob's Lamb Shanks (or Pork Chops)

Ingredients:

Meat:

6 bone in lamb shanks or bone in thick pork chops 

Flour (for dredging pork chops)

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Sauce:

1.5 cups red wine

1 12 oz. package mixed dried fruit - chopped slightly (NOT the tropical fruit mix)

1/2 cup raisins

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Dredge meat in flour and season with salt and pepper.  Place meat in metal pan, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.  Drain and discard grease.

For the sauce:  Mix all ingredients in a medium saucepan and boil on high for 5-10 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the meat and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.  Bake uncovered for another 20-30 minutes until sauce is cooked down and a little sticky.  Serve and enjoy!!

Cottage Mama's Note:

*Look for the dried fruit mix with prunes (I know what you're thinking.....ew....prunes......trust me it's good!!)

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Goat Cheese & Shrimp Pasta Recipe

If you've been following my blog lately, you know how I feel about using up the food we have on hand.  Since we didn't do a grocery store trip this past weekend, things are getting a little sparse here in the cottage home.  Last night I knew I needed to use up the package of crumbled goat cheese that had been sitting in our fridge so alas a new excuse to develop another recipe!  The recipe turned out mighty tasty, if you like goat cheese, that is.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Goat Cheese & Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients:

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 box frozen leaf spinach, thawed and drained

4 oz. crumbled goat cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1/2 pound medium shrimp

1 lb. linguine pasta

1 teaspoon salt

black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, saute onions in olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter on medium-low heat until softened.  Add garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes until softened, but not browned.  Add shrimp and saute until cooked.  Add drained spinach, salt and pepper - saute for 5 minutes.  Add 1 cup of pasta cooking water to shrimp, spinach and onion mixture, then stir in goat cheese, parmesan and remaining tablespoon of butter.  Cook until slightly thickened.  Add pasta to saute pan with shrimp, onion and spinach mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Plate pasta, sprinkle top with parmesan and serve.  Enjoy!

Cottage Mama's Note:

*I typically season things with salt and pepper as I go (and I LOVE fresh black pepper), so my measurements on salt and pepper may not be exact.  Taste as you go to make sure the seasoning is to your liking.

**When draining pasta, do not rinse.  You want to the pasta to absorb some of the flavors from the sauce and rinsing will not allow it to do so.

***If you have a fresh lemon on hand, a nice squeeze of lemon juice onto the finished pasta would add a really nice flare to this dish (though I did not have one last night).

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Southern Favorite: Biscuits & Gravy

Having spent 7 years of my life in Texas, I have a real soft spot in my heart for southern food - I love chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, red beans and rice, macaroni and cheese, corn bread, pecan pie (I know, not for the calorie-counters, but oh so good).  I just think this style of cooking is so warm and comforting.  


With us being in the middle of Fall and Winter fast approaching, I thought it only fitting that I give you my recipe for Sausage, Biscuits and Gravy.  Typically Biscuits and Gravy are served for breakfast, but really you could eat this for any meal.  If for some reason you did not grow up with Biscuits and Gravy, and are a little leary of this southern deliciousness, you must give it a try!!

Sausage, Biscuits & Gravy

Ingredients:

1/2 pound pork sausage
2 tablespoons all purpose-flour
1 cup milk
Salt (to taste)
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1 bag Pillsbury Frozen Southern-Style or Buttermilk Biscuits

Directions:
Cook Biscuits according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, cook the pork sausage and crumble into small pieces. Add the flour and cook for 5 minutes. Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, black pepper, and stir until blended and thickened.

Serve gravy on top of warm biscuits and enjoy!!

Cottage Mama's Note:  If gravy becomes too thick, simply add more milk.  If gravy is too thin, just continue cooking until thickened - do NOT add more flour or you will have flour-tasting gravy!

Variation:  For a cajun twist on traditional biscuits and gravy, replace the pork sausage with sliced chicken, andouille sausage (I like to use "Amy's").  This gives the dish a really nice spiciness. 

I think these Pillsbury biscuits are just wonderful.  If you have a southern style biscuit recipe that you love, then go ahead and use it.  For me, I am so busy with my little ones, I am always looking for ways to speed up the process of my homemade favorites and these biscuits definitely do the trick!!

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Sew Many Books, Sew Little Time

There are SO many wonderful books on the market right now for sewing enthusiasts.  Even if you have yet to discover the magic of the sewing machine, check out some of these books the next time you are browsing at the book store and I bet you'll be inspired!  Here are some of my favorites:

1.  Amy Butler's Little Stitches - Designer Amy Butler presents 20 charming contemporary projects for the nursery and beyond. There's a snuggly wrap blanket, imaginative plush toys, bright diaper bags, handy travel bibs and much more. Amy also shares tips on choosing baby-friendly fabrics and includes a comprehensive techniques section glossary and resource guide. With her eye for detail and her signature fine craftsmanship Amy has created a delightful offering of handcrafted keepsakes sure to be cherished by generations to come.
   
2. Amy Butler's In Stitches - Designer Amy Butler brings her fresh, modern style to the timeless craft of sewing. She presents more than 25 charming projects ranging from cushy floor cushions to smart aprons to stylish handbags. Amy offers thoughtful tips on finding and treating new or vintage fabrics, an easy-to-navigate techniques section, and a glossary and resource guide at back. Whether it's chic placemats and napkins for the kitchen, a luxurious kimono-style robe for the bath, or handy organizer baskets for the home office Amy Butler's In Stitches makes it easy to create beautiful accessories for every room and every mood.
3. Weekend Sewing: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Stitching - More than just a pair of days, a weekend is also a state of mind—a feeling of relaxation and freedom to immerse ourselves fully in a favorite activity. In Weekend Sewing, designer Heather Ross presents creative projects for clothing, accessories, and home items that can be made in a weekend or less. Some, like the Quick Garden Gloves and Ruby’s Bloomers, take a few hours; others, like the Weekend-Away Travel Bag and Trapeze Sundress, require a day or two—but all of them capture that weekend feeling.  And because weekends are often the most fun when they’re social, Ross features ideas that encourage us to share our stitching and our time, such as a recipe for soup to simmer while sewing, then serve to guests later in the day, and tips for transporting a sewing machine to a friend’s house for an afternoon of social stitching.
4. Seams to Me: 24 New Reasons to Love Sewing - Anna Maria Horner's signature style combines the techniques of a seasoned sewer with the vision of an artist. In Seams to Me: 24 New Reasons to Love Sewing, she walks you through the fundamentals, offering practical advice on everything from fabric selection to color choices to choosing and buying a sewing machine. Simple step-by-step instructions show you how to turn her designs into fanciful creations: Sideways Squares Skirt, Prairie Blouse, Full Contact Cooking Apron, Playing Along Quilt, Doggie Dreams Bed, And so much more!
5. Bend the Rules Sewing: The Essential Guide to a Whole New Way to Sew -Author Amy Karol, whose Angry Chicken is one of the best-loved craft blogs on the Web, brings stitchers everywhere a down-to-earth introduction to sewing, including thirty projects so adorable and cool they’ll inspire anyone to pick up a needle and thread. You’ll find information on basic equipment and supplies, advice on choosing and using fabrics, and a fantastic section on techniques. In addition, Amy walks readers through easy, inspiring patterns designed for the fashion-savvy crafter. Playful, modern projects, which include pillows, aprons, and purses, help novices master sewing skills while providing immediate sewing gratification—and confidence. Best of all, Amy explains what’s easy, what’s hard, and when not to sweat the small stuff.  
6. Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed & Organic Materials - By its nature, do-it-yourself sewing is environmentally friendly. In Sewing Green, Betz White takes stitching to an even higher level of sustainability, presenting 25 projects made from "repurposed" thrift-store and back-of-the-closet finds and organic fabrics.  White’s whimsical yet practical designs include an apron constructed from men’s dress shirts (and a wallet from the shirts’ cuffs!), a soft blanket pieced from secondhand cashmere sweaters, and even a tote bag refashioned from used Tyvek envelopes. Along the way, White dispenses tips on everything from how to deconstruct old garments for reuse in new creations to how to wrap gifts with resusable fabric scraps instead of paper.  Inspiring profiles about well-known leaders in the eco-stitching movement are sprinkled throughout, and a complete resources section helps crafters make eco-smart choices. 
7. Stitched in Time - In Stitched in Time Alicia Paulson shares 30 beautiful, inventive, and thoughtful projects that encourage you to take your memories down from the bookshelf, out of the closet, or off the hard drive and bring them into your daily life. Paulson organizes these adorable handmade mementos—each one incorporating unique elements such as photos, drawings, and other ephemera—into three sections: For the Little Ones, For Every Day, and For Special Occasions. Many projects are easy enough for the beginning sewer to complete, and Paulson explains all the necessary techniques, from hand- and machine-sewing to embroidery, appliqué, stenciling, and transferring photos to fabric.  In as little as a weekend anyone can create a keepsake for the ages that will be enjoyed every day —whether it’s a quilt made from outgrown baby clothes, an apron featuring a favorite family recipe, a tote bag documenting a treasured vacation, or a stuffed animal fashioned from a child’s drawing. With love incorporated into every stitch, these sweet projects each evoke the feeling of a special time and place, and are so much more than just a commemoration of events. Whether you want to remember your family summers at the beach or a daughter’s first apartment, a perfect gift for a loved one or a memento to keep all to yourself is just stitches away.

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I Love, Love, Love Fall

Today was one of the most beautiful Fall days we have had all season.  The skies were clear, the leaves were all shades of red, orange and yellow and there was just an overall feeling of Fall in the air.  Ahhhh, my favorite time of year!

Now with two kiddies it is very important to me to start coming up with some family traditions of our own.  I can remember back to my childhood and I cherish the traditions that my family had.  Last year we started the tradition of apple picking with my in-laws and I think today a new tradition has begun.

Today we went on the "Autumn Drive" - 12 farms open up a long one stretch of road and sell antiques, crafts, pumpkins, squash, mums, food-goods, pottery.  It was a gorgeous drive along country roads and it was so nice to spend a leisurely afternoon just gazing at all the Fall goodies they had to offer.

So, I ask you, what are your Fall family traditions?  Apple picking, pumpkin patches, autumn drives, corn mazes?  If you have not incorporated any Fall traditions into your family yet, don't worry, we still have a month and a half to go, so get out there and takes a fresh breath of Fall - you'll be very glad you did!! Pin It

Creamy Chicken, Black Bean, Corn and Pepper Soft Tacos

If you have been following my blog lately, you will start to notice a recurring theme - I LOVE southwestern food and cook it quite often.  I've been getting a lot of feedback on my crock-pot recipes, so I thought I would throw another one your way.  This is a recipe inspired by my friend Maggie (www.smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com) and I think it turned out pretty tasty.

Creamy Chicken, Black Bean, Corn and Bell Pepper Soft Tacos

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts (frozen or thawed)
1 jar salsa
1/2 bag of frozen corn
2 small cans green chiles
2 bell peppers (any color), sliced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 green onions, sliced
1 brick cream cheese
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
8 flour tortillas
Lettuce

Place chicken breasts, salsa, corn, green chiles, bell peppers, black beans, green onions, cumin, chili powder, and salt in a crock-pot and cook on low for 8 hours.  Prior to eating remove chicken and shred, return to crock-pot.  Add 1-brick cream cheese and allow it to melt into crock-pot mixture.  Once all ingredients are combined, place a a half cup of the mixture in flour tortilla, add fresh lettuce and fold in half.  Serve with Uncle Ben's Ready Rice - Santa Fe Style for a complete quick and easy meal!!

Cottage Mama's Note:
*If you have a Trader Joe's nearby, I love to use their frozen, sliced tri-color bell peppers.  They are super cheap for a full bag and you can add them to anything (I used half a bag in this recipe).  If you don't have this option, then just follow recipe accordingly.
*Feel free to use 1/3 less fat cream cheese for a slightly more calorie friendly meal.
*Roll mixture up in tortillas, lay in casserole dish, top with cheese and canned green enchilada sauce.  Bake at 375 for 3 mins. for easy creamy chicken enchiladas.
*Also can be served as a wonderful warm dip at parties - just scoop up with tortilla chips!! Pin It

Fun With Leftovers!

Ok, so it was Monday night and my family had just left after coming into town for my daughter, Matilda's baptism, and I was thinking.........what are we going to have for dinner?  We had many leftovers in our fridge after having company stay with us and having just had a big baptism party.

Like I said in one of my previous posts, I am really trying to be better about not wasting food so I had to figure out how to use up all of these little bits of leftovers.  We had 1.5 bowls of Taos Taco Soup left, about 1/6 of a roast chicken (Crock-Pot Chicken ) and a big tupperware full of mashed potatoes.  So here's what I came up with - Southwestern Shepherds Pie!

Ingredients:
Leftover Taos Taco Soup
1/6 Roasted Chicken (shredded)
3 cups homemade mashed potatoes
2 chopped green onions
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Garnish - Chile powder, Sour Cream, Cilantro, and Tortilla Chips

Mix shredded chicken with remaining Taos Taco Soup and spread into the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.  Mix mashed potatoes and green onions together and spread on top of Taos Taco Soup.  Sprinkle cheese on top of potatoes and sprinkle chile powder (for a bit of extra flavor and to make it look pretty).  Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top, a sprinkle of cilantro and a few tortilla chips.

Yipee for not wasting any food and for coming up with a new recipe!!!  Enjoy! Pin It

Crock Pot Recipe: Taos Taco Soup

My Grandparents (Marge and Bill) have lived in Taos, New Mexico for as long as I can remember.  My Mom was influenced the the hatch green chiles that come from New Mexico and we ate many southwestern meals in my house growing up.  Unfortunately I can't find fresh "hatch" green chiles where I live, but the canned variety does the trick just fine.  I think I could eat green chiles every day - they are just SO tasty!!

Anyway, this is a recipe from my late Grandma Marge that was given to my Mom and was since given to me.  This is one of mine and my husbands absolute favorite Fall/Winter soups and is super easy.  If you're reading this up in heaven, Grandma Marge, just know I think of you every time I eat a green chile!!

Taos Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef

½ large onion, chopped

1 can (16oz) whole tomatoes

1 can (16oz) pinto beans

1 bag (16oz) frozen corn

1 can (8oz) tomato sauce

1 can (8oz) green chile

1 package taco seasoning mix

Optional garnish: Sour cream, cheddar cheese, black olives (sliced), green onions, and crushed tortilla chips

Cook meat and onions in soup pan or skillet.  Drain any grease.  Add to crock pot with rest of ingredients.  Do not drain juice from cans.  Add more water, as necessary for correct level in crock pot.  This mixture can be heated together on low for 8 hours.

Makes 8-10 servings (great as leftovers or you can freeze half for another meal)

Enjoy!!

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The Five Love Languages

The Five Love Languages

How to Express Heartfeld Commitment to Your Mate

by Gary Chapman

"At the heart of mankind's existence is the desire to be intimate and to be loved by another.  Marriage is designed to meet that need for intimacy and love."

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman is a book I think everyone should read - whether you are currently in a relationship or not.  People express and receive love in different ways.  The emotional love language that you speak might be entirely different from the one your spouse speaks.  If you cannot learn to speak each others language then you cannot communicate your love for one another effectively.  By speaking the wrong language to your spouse, your spouse will not realized that you have expressed love at all.

The way people like to express and/or receive love can be broken down into five love languages:

1. Words of Affirmation
2. Quality Time
3. Receiving Gifts
4. Acts of Service
5. Physical Touch

Perhaps your husband needs to hear encouraging words, but you feel cooking a nice dinner will cheer him up.  When he still feels down, you're puzzled.  Or, maybe your wife craves time with you - time away from the children and television.  The flowers you gave her just don't communicate that you care.

Now speaking your partners language may not be entirely comfortable for you; however, if it is what makes your partner feel he/or she is loved and cared for, then it is important for us to make the effort to speak their language as much as possible.  When an action doesn't come naturally to you, it is a greater expression of love.

Not only can the love languages be specific to showing love to our significant other or spouse, but it can also be very effective in showing our children that they are loved.  Observe your children, do they thrive on words of affirmation?  Or do you see them sparkle when they get to spend quality one-on-one time with you?  Perhaps they are a child that craves physical touch - such as lots of cuddles, hugs and kisses.  Whatever their language may be, it is our job as parents to learn their language and shout it from the roof top!!  Wouldn't you hate to find out that your child grew up, not feeling that love and adoration simply because you did not take the time to learn he/or she's language?  I know I would, I am a committed to making sure that doesn't happen.

I found this book to be incredibly insightful into how we send and receive love to and from our partner.  And as I pulled this book out to refresh my memory about the five languages, I too have realize that I need to make a continuous, conscious effort to speak my husbands love language and fill up his "love tank" as much as possible.  When you read the book, The Five Love Languages, you'll learn to speak and understand the unique languages of love and effectively express your love as well as feel truly loved in return.

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Entertaining a Crowd

I love entertaining.  It is so wonderful to be able to welcome people into your home and serve them delicious food and drink.  Our house right now is not ideal for entertaining large crowds, but we can manage to host a pretty good medium-sized party.  My husband (who is an avid winemaker and homebrewer) always has the drink part covered and I am left to make sure we have an awesome meal!

This past weekend was my baby girl, Matilda Jane's baptism into the Catholic faith.  We had about sixteen close family and friends attend the ceremony and luncheon at our home following her baptism.  For our Matida's baptism, I decided it would be best to make food that could all be prepared ahead of time since we would be heading straight from the church to the party.  I don't like being in the kitchen preparing food when my guests are over because it doesn't allow me enough time to mingle and truly host.  If I am going to throw a party, I would like to make sure I get to attend it as well.

When planning your menu for your guests it is important to think about the type of event you are hosting, the number of people attending, and the types of food your guests would enjoy.  If it is a smaller group, then perhaps you will choose to do a plated meal, if a larger crowed, then generally buffet style is the way to go.  Menu planning is one of my favorite parts of hosting an event!

Here is the menu I decided on for my Matilda's baptsim -  Chicken Salad on Croissants, Ruthie's Spinach Salad, Caprese Pasta Salad, Apple Spice Bread, and Cake (which was provided by my in-laws).  My husband complimented these food choices with his own home-brewed beer, as well as a special beer called "Matilda" (fitting, right?), wine and champagne.

Entertaining Tip:  When having a party of six or more, always answer the door with a drink in your hand.  This will let you guests know that it is going to be a festive, relaxed time from the start!

Here are some of my recipes for entertaining a crowd:

Ruthie's Spinach Salad

Dressing

3/4 C. salad oil

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. red wine vinegar

3-4 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Salad

8 cups washed and dried baby spinach

1 C dried cranberries or cherries

4 ounces feta cheese crumbled

I/2 to 1 medium red onion thinly sliced

4-6 slices bacon -cooked and crumbled

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

For dressing--combine all ingredients in a container with a tight fitting lid.  Cover and shake well to blend.

For the salad--combine all ingredients--toss with dressing just before serving.

Six servings

Note:  This salad is WONDERFUL!  It is a perfect balance of sweet and savory.  Also, in this case, the salad is best slightly overdressed.

Caprese Pasta Salad

Easy summer salad. Great side dish to take to picnics or bbq's.

Cook time: 20 Minutes
Prep time: 15 Minutes
Ingredients
* 1/3 cup of olive oil
* 1/2 cup of drained, oil packed sun dried tomatoes
* 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
* 1 tablespoon of capers
* 2 cloves of garlic chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppers
* 1 lb of fussili pasta
* 1 1/2- 2 cups chopped, seeded tomatoes
* 8 ounces of braided, marinated mozzarella chopped into 1/2 inch pieces. I use one from Trader Joes that has a good kick to it.
* 1 cup of packed fresh basil leaves
* 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
* 1/2 cup of minced, pitted black olives

Directions
* Blend first 6 ingredients in a processor until tomatoes are coarsely chopped.
* Cook pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until tender but firm to bite.
* Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl.  Add dressing to hot pasta and toss to coat.
* Add chopped fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, Parmesan and olives.
* Toss well, cover and chill for an hour.  Bring to room temp before serving.  Can be made 6 hours ahead.

Chicken Salad

Ingredients

1 whole rotisserie chicken

1 cup mayo

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Debone entire chicken and shred.  Combine chicken, mayo, salt, pepper, and rosemary.  Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serve on fresh croissants.  Makes 18 croissant sandwiches.  

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Wishpot

With the holidays fast approaching, I have already started thinking about what gifts we are going to be giving our loved ones.  I am a planner and it is very important for me not to procrastinate on these types of things.  

Much of our family lives far away, so I am asked what relatives should get the girls for holidays.  Our relatives simply don't know what the girls do or don't have already because they don't get to see them on a regular basis.  And those of you with children know, they change in the blink of an eye. Also, I often I come across a gift that I think will be perfect for one of my family members, to only totally forget about it when their birthday or Christmas rolls around and then there I am, totally stumped on what to get them.  

I have recently discovered a website that solves this problem of mine.  It is called Wishpot.  Wishpot is an online service that lets you add anything you want to your Wishpot wish list or registry. It’s perfect for your, gift list, birthday wish list, wedding registry, honeymoon registry, baby registry, Christmas list, and much more.  


Download the wishpot button (it goes in your bookmarks bar) and add the things you love from any store - to your lists. Use Wishpot to keep track of gift ideas and to organize your shopping.  

You can make your families wish-lists public so that relatives and friends can access them.  Then keep your gift ideas for others private for your eyes only.  My father-in-law is particularly hard to shop for - what do you get for a man that has everything?  Well, if I find something for him, I will simply add it to my gift list for him and when I need an idea, I will know exactly where to find it - I'll head straight to my Wishpot!

www.wishpot.com 

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