A Belly Full

Bye Bye

2010-10-13T12:15:00.002-05:00

This blog is going away on Oct. 15. I have moved all of the preschool stuff to Preschool is Cool. Visit us there!

The Preschool stuff has moved!

2010-08-25T13:34:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! I have moved the preschool to it's own site. It was getting confusing having so much going on in this one place.

I have created a button for Preschool Is Cool. Feel free to grab it if you want!

Come on over to the new place and start following me there!

Starting over

2010-08-24T16:39:00.000-05:00

I am going to start over on the whole preschool thing. I loved doing the detailed lesson plans, but honestly it was a lot for me to keep up with while I was trying to keep up with my kids too. If you really want me to do more detailed lesson plans please leave me a comment and let me know. I can and will go back to the other lesson plans if you guys like that better. Just let me know!

With that said, I will start posting what we do during the week. I will have pictures and links to the pages and if you want you can do them too.

I'm back!

2010-08-21T08:19:00.002-05:00

Looks like I need to fix some of these links. I will get on that this week and see if I can get a few more posts added for some new letters. We have started preschool back up with our 3 year old and our new s 1/2 year old. Having two at home is a little harder, especially when one is further along than the other. I will try to incorporate some new ideas for that situation. This week we started with the letter A. We made a couple of new crafts I will add to the "A" section.

If you have any craft ideas please pass them on! I'm finding that being a mama to 3 leaves me with a little less time to search for or come up with craft plans. Imagine that. :)

I may also be changing the look of things. Let me see how much time I actually have to get this stuff done. Any suggestions would be great!

The Letter I

2010-01-27T09:19:00.003-06:00

Day 1

Goals: Learn the letter I. Be able to recognize it on the paper. Be able to say at least one thing that starts with the letter I.

Color sheets: Capital Letter "I", Lowercase "i", Ii is for Ice, Ii is for Iguana, Insects (just pick which one you like)

Craft: Igloo
Directions: Ideally you would use sugar cubes, but our store did not have them so we used large marshmallows, some white and some shaped like hearts. After we had finished ours I found the link I attached to this project. Arrange them on a plate and them glue them together Talk about the letter I, what an igloo is and who lives in them:

Song: I says "i" (same tune. See this post and watch video for melody.)

Shapes: Ovals (goes with making an igloo. Talk about how the shape of the igloo is an oval)

Day 2

Goals: Recall the sound "I" makes. Find "I" on papers.

Color Sheets: Sesame Street "I", Ii is for ice cream, Ii is for igloo

Tracing Skills Sheet: Diagonal Lines
These will be repeats for a little bit. Kids need to do the same movemement over and over again to build the skills needed to write.

Computer Skills: Starfall "I", Bembo's Zoo (choose the letter I)

Snack/Lunch: Ice cream in a bag!
Ingredients:

1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk or half & half
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons rock salt
1 pint-size plastic food storage bag (e.g., Ziploc)
1 gallon-size plastic food storage bag
Ice cubes

Directions:

Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into the small bag, and seal it.
Place the small bag inside the large one, and seal it again carefully.
Shake until the mixture is ice cream, which takes about 5 minutes.
Wipe off the top of the small bag, then open it carefully. Enjoy!

Tips: A 1/2 cup milk will make about 1 scoop of ice cream, so double the recipe if you want more. But don't increase the proportions more that that -- a large amount might be too big for kids to pick-up because the ice itself is heavy.

Color Green Sheet - Look for the iguana and write the letter I next to it.

Advanced
Ii advanced

Extras
Hidden "I" color page
Hidden "i" color page

I am still alive!

2010-01-20T08:56:00.004-06:00

I know it has been a while since I posted. I am so sorry! Between work and family and the holidays I was swamped! But I am alive and I am back. I should get the letter I up today!

Okay, so the letter I did not get up today. Sorry about that. We have had some family things going on and I got distracted. Iw ill do my best to get it up in the next day or two. I really do apologize!

A Little Break

2009-11-30T17:04:00.000-06:00

Work is crazy right now. I know that sounds lame in print, but really it is. I need to finish a store order and the personal orders I have before I can start posting preschool lessons again. My time needs to be on this for a while! I promise we will pick up with the Letter I as soon as I get caught up.

In the mean time, check out my work site. Maybe you will find something you like!

Thankful Books

2009-11-25T16:10:00.002-06:00

I did my first Thankful Book with my oldest when she was 2. I am not sure what inspired me, but it has become a Thanksgiving tradition around here.

Here is how you can do one too:

Supplies: card stock in white and in a color, paint/markers/crayons/basically any way to decorate the hand prints, hole punch, fastener (we used string)

Directions:
1. Sit down with your kid(s) and write out what they are thankful for. My girls had 10 things this year each, but last year it was less and they did not have the same number of things.

2. Trace your child's hand and cut it out. You will need 2 solid colors (for the front and back cover) and then how many ever white hands for them to decorate.

3. Let your kids decorate the hands. My girls love to paint so that is what they chose.

(egg cartons make great paint holders!)

4. Set them out to dry.

4. Write the things they are thankful for on their hands. This is the first year my oldest wrote her own. B did a great job!

5. Put the hands together with the covers on the front and back. I write names on the front and put the year/age of the child on the back.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Thankful Books

2009-11-24T17:34:00.003-06:00

There will be no letters this week. Instead we will do a craft that helps our kiddos think about things they are thankful for, things that make their hearts happy. I will post all about it either tonight or early tomorrow. We are making ours tonight, so there will be pics and instructions coming soon!

Happy Thanksgiving Week!!

Participation

2009-11-17T12:23:00.000-06:00

I would love to see some of the things you do with your kids while going through Preschool at Home. If you can find the time, send me some pictures of your crafts, you doing school together, or the square objects you find in this weeks search and find game. I will post the pics, with your permission of course, next week. It will be fun to see how other people do it and I bet we all get a couple of new ideas!

You can email them to me at ashley@baby-bobo.com

I can't wait to see them!

The Letter H

2009-11-17T12:21:00.001-06:00

Day 1

Goals: Learn the letter H. Be able to recognize it on the paper. Be able to say at least one thing that starts with the letter H.

Color sheets: Capital Letter "H", Lowercase "h", Hh is for Heart, Hh is for Horse, Hippos

Craft: Hippo Toilet Paper Roll Craft
Directions: Print out template. Color/paint, cut out, and glue to toilet paper roll.

Song: H says "huh" (same tune. See this post and watch video for melody.)

Shapes: Squares (search and find)

Directions: Help your child trace the square/rectangle (or if they are old enough let them trace it) and color it. Take a walk with your child with you camera and have you child take pictures of things in the shape of a square. If your child is anything like mine they will LOVE being able to take the pictures and who doesn't like a finding game?

Day 2
Goals: Recall the sound "H" makes. Find "H" on papers.

Color Sheets: Sesame Street "H", Hh is for Hippo, Hedgehogs, Horse

Tracing Skills Sheet: Diagonal Lines
These will be repeats for a little bit. Kids need to do the same movemement over and over again to build the skills needed to write.

Computer Skills: Starfall "H", Bembo's Zoo (choose the letter H)

Game: Hopscotch
There are a couple of ways to play this, but basically you draw your board and then toss an object onto one of the squares. The square that it lands on you skip. To play this with younger kids, have them call out the number the thrown object lands on. It will help reinforce numbers recognition as well as play.

Snack/Lunch: Hot dog!

Day 3 (Just doing school 2 days a week? Add this to day 2)
Goal: Learn the color Orange, Reinforce the Letter H

Color Orange Sheet

Scissor Skills: Straight Line Balloons
This also helps with fine motor skills. Plus your child needs to learn how to use scissors the correct way before going to school.

Advanced
Hh advanced

Extras
Hidden "H" color page
Hidden "h" color page

The Letter G

2009-11-03T16:16:00.000-06:00

So it's not Monday, how about a mid-week lesson? I apologize for this being late, but as the saying goes...

Better late than never!!

Day 1
Goals: Learn the letter G. Be able to recognize it on the paper. Be able to say at least one thing that starts with the letter G.

Color sheets: Capital Letter "G", Lowercase "g", Gg is for Goat, Gg is for Grapes,

Craft: Giraffe Puppet
Directions: Scroll to the bottom of the page and print out template. Follow the instructions and play with your fancy giraffe puppet!

Song: G says "guh" and G says "juh" (same tune. See this post and watch video for melody.)
G says "guh"
G says "juh"
Some letters make 2 sounds
G says "guh" and "juh"

Shapes: Triangles
Directions: Help your child trace the triangle (or if they are old enough let them trace it) and color it. Then go on a hunt around the house to find triangles. Take the paper with you so that your child had a picture reference of what a triangle is.

Day 2
Goals: Recall the sound "G" makes. Find "G" on papers.

Color Sheets: Sesame Street "G", Goofy, Gg is for Giraffe, Genie

Tracing Skills Sheet: Horizontal Lines
These will be repeats for a little bit. Kids need to do the same movemement over and over again to build the skills needed to write.

Computer Skills: Starfall "G", Bembo's Zoo (choose the letter G)

Craft: Gingerbread Man
Supplies: Gingerbread Man, Raisins, Crayons, 3 Buttons, Gingerbread Man Story
Directions: Have your child decorate the Gingerbread Man as you read the poem/story together.

Snack: Grapes and Goldfish!

Day 3 (Just doing school 2 days a week? Add this to day 2)
Goal: Learn the color Blue, Reinforce the Letter F

Color Green Sheet - Color the objects green. One way to make this more interesting is to find different shades of green for your child to color with. Shades of a color is a difficult concept for some children.

Scissor Skills: Straight Line Lollipops
This also helps with fine motor skills. Plus your child needs to learn how to use scissors the correct way before going to school.

Advanced
Gg advanced

Extras

Hidden "G" color page
Hidden "g" color page
Garfield coloring pages

Time

2009-10-31T09:01:00.000-05:00

Time is getting away from me this week. Between work, my daughter's birthday, and Halloween, the Letter "G" entry will be late. Sorry for everyone who likes to have things printed by this weekend. I will do my best to get it up tomorrow, but no promises!

The Letter F

2009-10-25T17:48:00.000-05:00

Day 1
Goals: Learn the letter F. Be able to recognize it on the paper. Be able to say at least one thing that starts with the letter F.

Color sheets: Capital Letter "F", Lowercase "f", Ff is for Fish, Ff is for Flower

Craft: Frog
Directions: Print out template. Color/paint the pieces. Cut them out. Have your child glue on the head, mouth, arms, and legs

Song: F says "fff".

Shapes: Circles and Ovals
Directions: Print out sheet and have your child find the circle. Color the circle yellow. Then have your child find the ovals and color them the color of your choice.

Day 2
Goals: Recall the sound "F" makes. Find "F" on papers.

Color Sheets: Sesame Street "F", Ff is for Frog, Fairies, Franklin

Tracing Skills Sheet: Vertical Lines
Tracing practice may seem silly, but it helps develop the fine motor skills needed for writing.

Computer Skills: Starfall "F", Bembo's Zoo (choose the letter F)

Songs: Old Mac Donald had a Farm

Snack: Fruit
Go the the grocery store and have your child pick out the fruit they want to eat. Talk about what color they are and count them as you bag it (i.e. 1 apple, 2 apple, or there are 1,2,3,4,5 bananas). Then have them help you make a fruit salad. The child will not only learn their colors, and counting, but they will love eating something they made!

Day 3 (Just doing school 2 days a week? Add this to day 2)
Goal: Learn the color Blue, Reinforce the Letter F

Song: "Flower Man Song"

Activity Sheet - Color the objects black and then find the one that starts with the letter F.

Scissor Skills: Curvy Flowers
This also helps with fine motor skills. Plus your child needs to learn how to use scissors the correct way before going to school.

Advanced
Ff advanced
Ff tracer page

Extras
Another Ff tracing sheet
Hidden "F" color page
Hidden "f" color page

The Letter E

2009-10-17T08:56:00.009-05:00

Day 1

Goals: Learn the letter E. Be able to recognize it on the paper. Be able to say at least one thing that starts with the letter E.

Color sheets: Capital Letter E, Lower Case e, Ee is for Elephant, Ee is for Eagle, Ee is for Elmo

Craft: Elephant Puppet

Suggestions: Print this on the card stock and let you child paint the pieces. Do not cut out until they have been painted and are dry.
Supplies: brown paper bag, card stock, paints/crayons/markers (it's up to you), glue, scissors

Song: E says "eh".

Game: Egg Hunt

Supplies: Easter Eggs, paper

Instructions: Write "e" and "E" on a small piece of paper. Place 1 piece in each egg (the number of eggs depends on you). Hide the eggs (inside or outside) and have your child go on an egg hunt. Once your child has collected all of the eggs, have them open them and tell you if the letter is a capital "E" or a lower case "e".

Day 2

Goals: Recall the sound "E" makes. Find "E" on papers. Sing song.

Color Sheets: E Sesame Street Letter, Ee is for Egg, Ee is for Eel
Suggestion: Use a different way to color today. If you used crayons last time use markers or chalk this time. Make sure you sing the song again.

Computer Skills: Starfall "E", Bembo's Zoo (choose the letter E)

Songs: "Do Your Ears Hang Low"

Do your ears hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot?
Can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them o'er your shoulder
Like a Continental Soldier?
Do your ears hang low?

Snack: Rotten Eggs (also known as hard boiled eggs)
Instructions: Place 6 eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan (do not stack eggs). Add enough cold water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat (water will have large rapidly breaking bubbles). Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 15 minutes; drain. Run cold water over the eggs or place them in ice water until cool enough to handle; drain. To peel a hard-cooked egg, gently tap it on the counter top. Roll the egg between the palms of your hands. Peel off eggshell, starting at the large end.

Day 3 (Just doing school 2 days a week? Add this to day 2)

Goal: Learn the color Orange, Reinforce the Letter E by talking about the things on the page you eat.

Activity Sheet - Color objects orange and talk about the items you eat.

Pre-printing Tracing Sheet: Trace the Chicken and the EGG
(find what starts with the letter E)

Advanced
Ee advanced
E tracer pages

Extras

Eeyore coloring page
Uppercase E coloring page (find hidden E)
Lowercase E coloring page (find hidden e)

The Letter D

2009-10-10T09:00:00.078-05:00

Day 1

Goals: Learn the letter D. Be able to recognize it on the paper. Be able to say at least one thing that starts with the letter D.

Color sheets: Capital Letter D, Lower Case d, Dd is for Dolphin, Dd is for Dora

Craft: Dinosaur

Suggestions: Print this on the card stock and let you child paint the pieces. Do not cut out until they have been painted and are dry.

Song: D says "duh".

Day 2

Goals: Recall the sound "D" makes. Find "D" on papers. Sing song.

Color Sheets: D Sesame Street Letter, Dd is for Dump Truck, Dd is for Dragontales
Suggestion: Use a different way to color today. If you used crayons last time use markers or chalk this time. Make sure you sing the song again.

Computer Skills: Starfall "D", Bembo's Zoo (choose the letter D)

Songs: "A Big 'Ol Dinosaur" (tune to "If You Are Happy and You Know It")

Oh, I wish I was a big ol' dinosaur.

Oh, I wish I was a big ol' dinosaur.
Oh, I'd roam day and night,
And growl with all my might.
Oh, I wish I was a big ol' dinosaur.

Snack: Donut and Donut Holes

Day 3 (Just doing school 2 days a week? Add this to day 2)

Goal: Learn the color Purple, Reinforce the Letter D

Activity Sheet - Color the objects p and then find the one that starts with the letter D.

Pre-printing Tracing Sheet: Help the Animals find their home
(find the one that starts with the letter D)

Scissor Practice: Straight Line

Advanced
Dd advanced

Extras

Dumbo color page
Dinosaur Color Page

The Letter C

2009-10-03T18:47:00.003-05:00

Day 1

Goals: Learn the letter C. Be able to recognize it on the paper. Be able to say at least one thing that starts with the letter C.

Color sheets: Capital Letter "C", Lowercase "c", Cc is for Car, Cc is for Caterpillar

Craft: Fingerprint Caterpillar

Supplies: Card stock, Crayola Kid Paints, paint brush, markers

Directions: Have your child pick the colors they want for their caterpillar. Let you child tell you the color and then you find it and say, "this one?" It will help your child learn their colors. Paint a little of each color on your child's index finger, wiping off between colors, and place 6 fingerprints to make the body of the catepillar, 1 for the sun, and a few for flowers at the bottom of the page. Then, with the paint brush, let your child (or help your child) paint the sky blue and the grass green. Once everything is dry add the stems for the flowers, the swirl for the sun, and the legs/antenna for the caterpillar.

Song: C says "kuh". This is to the same tune you sang the "A" song.

Day 2

Goals: Recall the sound "C" makes. Find "C" on papers.

Color Sheets: Cookie Monster "C", Cc is for Cherries, Cc is for Crab, Cc is for Clifford

Tracing Skills Sheet: Horizontal Lines
Tracing practice may seem silly, but it helps develop the fine motor skills needed for writing.

Computer Skills: Starfall "C", Bembo's Zoo (choose the letter C)

Songs:"The Cookie Man" (to the tune of "the muffin man")

Do you know the cookie man,

the cookie man,
the cookie man?
Do you know the cookie man
who likes to sing with me?

Oh, he loves the letter C,
the letter C,
the letter C,
Oh, he loves the letter C
and likes to sing with me.

Snack: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Day 3 (Just doing school 2 days a week? Add this to day 2)

Goal: Learn the color black, Reinforce the Letter C

Activity Sheet - Color the objects black and then find the one that starts with the letter C.

Scissor Skills: Flowers
This also helps with fine motor skills. Plus your child needs to learn how to use scissors the correct way before going to school.

Advanced
Cc advanced

Extras

Care Bear Coloring page

Cheetah Coloring page

Camel Coloring Page

Clown Coloring Page

Advanced Preschool/4's/Kindergarten

2009-09-26T18:38:00.003-05:00

I have had a couple of people email me about older kiddos and maybe some pages for them to do at home.

I will begin adding these to the bottom of the letter pages each week, but to get us caught up, here are advanced sheets for the letters A and B. The instructions are printed on each sheet. B (she is 5) loves doing these and has done them since she was 4.

Aa advanced

Bb advanced

If you want more of them and you don't want to check here each week, these pages are coming from Starfall.com. I cannot tell you how much I like this site. It is amazing!! These are called ABC Printouts. Feel free to just go there!

The Letter B

2009-09-26T15:26:00.002-05:00

Day 1

Goals: Learn the letter B. Be able to recognize it on the paper. Be able to say at least one thing that starts with the letter B.

Color sheets: Capital Letter B, Lower Case B, Bb is for Banana, Bb is for Bus

Craft: Bumble Bee Hand Print Craft

Suggestions: Print this on the card stock and let you child paint the pieces. Do not cut out until they have been painted and are dry. Trace your child's hands on card stock as well and you can cut them out while your child is painting.

Song: B says "buh". This is to the same tune you sang the "A" song to last week.

Day 2

Goals: Recall the sound "B" makes. Find "B" on papers. Sing song.

Color Sheets: B Sesame Street Letter, Bb is for Birds, Bb is for Bee
Suggestion: Use a different way to color today. If you used crayons last time use markers or chalk this time. Make sure you sing the song again.

Computer Skills: Starfall "B", Bembo's Zoo (choose the letter B)

Songs: "I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee" and "BINGO!"

Snack: Bananas

Day 3 (Just doing school 2 days a week? Add this to day 2)

Goal: Learn the color Blue, Reinforce the Letter B

Activity Sheet - Color the objects blue and then find the one that starts with the letter B.

Game: Balloon Popping
Supplies: 10 Balloons, Permanent marker, Bb Balloon Sheets
Instructions: Blow up balloons and mark 5 with "B" and 5 with "b". Toss the balloons on the floor. Hold up either the "B" or "b" balloon sheet and have you child tell you if it is a capital B or a lower case B. Once your child gets it right, have them go find a balloon with the matching "B" on it and pop it. They can sit on it, squeeze it, bounce on it, whatever. They just need to pop it.

Advanced
Bb advanced

Extras

Butterflies and bugs

Batman

Letter B tracing pages

Beauty and the Beast

Brother Bear

The Letter A

2009-09-19T09:58:00.006-05:00

Day 1
Goals: Learn the letter A. Be able to recognize it on the paper. Be able to say at least one thing that starts with the letter A.

Color sheets: Capital Letter A, Lower Case Letter A, Aa is for Apple, Aa is for Airplane
Suggestions: Start with your child at the table coloring the capital and lower case A's. Talk about the letter, the sound it makes. Have your child say the letter when you point to it and repeat the sound. Sing the "A" song while they color. Talk about what colors they are using. Ask them to use a certain color and see if they can find it. You might just be surprised by what your child already knows!

Craft: Alligator paper craft
Suggestions: Print this on the card stock and let you child paint the pieces. Do not cut out until they have been painted and are dry. There will be less mess if you let them paint the whole page and not the tiny pieces. Name the alligator with a "A" name. J named her alligator Albert. Works for me! :)

Song: A says "aaa". This will be the standard song that goes with each letter. Obviously you will change the letter name and sound each week. :)

Day 2
Goals: Recall the sound "A" makes. Find "A" on papers. Sing song.

Color Sheets: Aa is for acorn, Aa is for Ant, Aa is for Apple,
Suggestion: Use a different way to color today. If you used crayons last time use markers or chalk this time. Make sure you sing the song again.

Computer Skills: Starfall "A", Bembo's Zoo (choose the letter A)

Snack: Ants on a log
You will need celery or graham cracker sticks, creamy peanut butter, and raisins.
Spread peanut butter on the celery stick or graham stick (this is your log). Then place the raisins, or ants, on the log. Enjoy with Apple juice!

Day 3 (Just doing school 2 days a week? Add this to day 2)
Goal: Learn the color Red, Reinforce the Letter A

Activity Sheet - Color the objects red and then find the one that starts with the letter A.

Game: Aa matching game.
Supplies: Aa Trees, Aa Cards
Instructions: Print off the trees and the cards (cards are formatted for business cards, so if you have them use those!) Lay or set the tree pictures up and then hand you child a card. Ask your child to put the apple on the tree that matches the letter. Have your child tell you if it is a capital/big A or a lower case/little A and what sound it makes.

Advanced
Aa advanced

Extras
A tracing pages
Apple Pie recipe - great for a treat. Helps the kids learn to look for the letter A in things other than letters.
Ariel coloring pages

A few things before we start

2009-09-18T09:47:00.004-05:00

We do school at our home on Tuesday and Thursday. You can do it more or less and on whatever days you want. That is just how it works at our house. I have a 2 year old, so twice a week school is enough for her.

The night before school I print out everything and decide what we are going to do on each day. I usually do this on Monday since we have school on Tuesday. I print everything for the week at one time so I don't have to re-plan on Wednesday night. Again, you can do it anyway you want. This is suppose to be fun, not hard, and a great way to spend time with your kiddo!
The lesson will take around 30 minutes, maybe a little more depending on the speed of your child.
For the sake of routine, school and your child will work better if you do school the same way each week. If you start doing it on Tuesday at 10a then keep doing it on Tuesday at 10a. Your child will thrive on the routine and will be excited when Tuesday comes around.
Remember to have fun. School is not suppose to be boring and your child is not going to do everything perfectly. These are preschoolers we are talking about here! :)
If you enjoy it your child will too. If you see it as a chore and just something else you have to check off that day, then your child will too and will not want to do it any more than you do.

Glad we cleared all that up!

Come back on Sunday for the Letter A!

General Supply List

2009-09-15T11:24:00.009-05:00

These are the general supplies that I use every time I sit down with J to do preschool. You will need these. Now, there will be other supplies that go with certain craft projects or games, but these are your steady items: (I will mention brands I like. You can use whatever brand you like. I only mention these because it is what I know.)

1. Glue sticks.

I like the Avery disappearing color glue sticks because they go on purple and my kids can see what has glue and what doesn't. It's also washable which is always a plus. Glue sticks are easier to use than traditional glue and there is generally little mess.

2. Crayons.

You will need crayons. We use the Crayola Washable crayons in the giant 120+ pack, but we color a lot and not always on paper. *wink*

3. Child Safety Scissors

Please please please do not let your preschooler use a pair of your scissors. Their little hands are not capable of the fine motor skill it takes to operate scissors. Child safety scissors are designed with this in mind. Plus the safety scissors are "safe" because they have a blunt edge as opposed to your scissors which are pointed/sharp. Now I do recommend you have a pair of scissors to use when cutting out things for them so your big 'ole hands don't get squished in their tiny little scissors. Just keep them out of reach. We use the Fiskars Safety Scissor.

4. Markers

I love these Crayola markers. Can anyone guess why? If you said "washable" you are correct and you move to the head of the class. I also like the skinny style as opposed to the regular size markers. Crayola makes both in washable. I think the little hands can hold and move the skinny markers better and part of preschool is learning fine motor skills.5. Paint.

Sticking with the washable theme, I recommend Crayola washable paints. We use these with the brush as well as with our fingers, and we paint one project a week. These are great and they really are washable. Trust me. Loads of laundry speak to the washability of this product.

6. Card stock.

I use card stock to print whatever project we are going to be painting on that day. The card stock can handle the preschooler mentality of "I like to paint in the same spot over and over again" without tearing.

7. Printer paper.

Whatever kind of paper you use at your home is fine. We use the cheapest 100% recycled paper we can find (and it's found at Staples).

8. Printer with black ink.

Yeah, if you need paper to print on you are going to need a printer. :)

9. Tape.

I recommend taping the top and bottom of each page to the table when your child is coloring/markering/painting. It keeps things still and frees your hands to help the child and not hold the paper.

10. Patience

Unfortunately I have not been able to find this at a store. If you know where to buy some please let me know because there are days when my supply dwindles dangerously low.

11. Confidence

You are going to need to be able to have fun like a 2 or 3 year old. That means you can't be embarrassed that your neighbor might hear you singing some silly song about the letter A through your open windows.

Now go and gather your supplies!

It's Been a While

2009-09-15T10:49:00.005-05:00

Sorry for my absence! It's been a while since I posted. Our summer was busy and wonderful and over, so now I can get back to my blogging. Or rather caught up on my blogging. :)

My oldest daughter, B, started kindergarten this year. *sniff* I can't believe she is old enough for all day school. She is loving every single minute of it though, and for that I am grateful.

My youngest daughter, J, though old enough to start preschool, is staying home with me one more year. She is only 2 and I don't see the point in starting formal preschool so early unless it is really needed. Instead we are doing school at home 2 days a week! J was thrilled when I told her we would be doing school at home.

I did preschool at home with B too and I cherish all the time we got to spend together. It was very special and it gave her a step up on her education. With that in mind, I thought I would start a series on doing preschool at home. So throughout the "school year" I will be posting lesson ideas to do at home with your 2-3 year olds. The lessons will be short, quick, and designed to teach colors, letters, and phonics. I will post links to pages and if I have them videos of us doing school and our finished projects.

Doing preschool at home is fun and not as time consuming as you would think. I hope you will try it. I know for certain your kids will love it!

Car+Dryer Sheet = Wow!

2009-07-14T17:17:00.003-05:00

A little tip my hubby found out (in his words):

I discovered the most amazing thing ever posted on the internet last month. I was having trouble getting bugs off of the front of Ashley's car so I did a quick Google search to see what kind of advice people had out there. I found lots of forums full of advice as to which kind of expensive Turtle Wax products I could buy to help me out of my dilemma, but nothing terribly helpful. Then, at the very bottom of a forum for Mazda enthusiasts (apparently there are enough for a whole forum) I found the greatest piece of automotive adivce I've ever been served. He said that when he was in school he worked at a Mazada dealership (apparently it was a lifestyle for him, not just a car) and when they had problems with bugs and tar and such that they used a damp dryer sheet and the bugs and whatnot came right off.

I was suspicious, so naturally I went straight to the laundry room, got a Bounce dryer sheet, got it wet in the sink, got an odd look from my wife, and went into the garage to try it out.

Let me make one thing perfectly clear:

IT WORKED PERFECTLY! ON EVERYTHING!

Sometimes you have to scrub a bit longer for the larger bug remnants, but it all came off with absolutely no damage to the finish. It did leave a residue from the gunk on the dryer sheet, but if you wash the car as you're doing it the sheet leaves your car sparkling clean. I made my poor wife watch me get bugs, tar, oil, and all other forign substances off of her car. It works great. Try it.

xoxo,
Mike

Mexican Appetizer

2009-07-06T12:31:00.005-05:00

This recipe came from my sister. She is one of the best chefs I know, so be warned, this appetizer is super yummy and will disappear quickly.

Ingredients

Won-to Wrappers (I used Mini Fillo Shells, found in the freezer section, instead)
3 cups Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, mixed
½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups sausage, cooked and drained
1 cup Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
1 cup black olives, sliced (I used chopped)

Directions

Mix all above ingredients except won-ton wrappers/fillo shells.
Spray muffin tin with Pam and insert wrappers. Bake at 350˚F for 5 minutes.
If using the Fillo Shells, do not bake prior. They are already baked.
Fill with sausage mixture.
Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

Roasted Garlic-Edamame Spread

2009-07-06T12:17:00.002-05:00

I found this recipe in the May 2009 issue of Southern Living. I made it for book club and served it with Stacy's Simply Naked Pita Chips. It was delicious! I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

1 garlic bulb
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cups fully cooked, shelled edamame (green soy beans)* - I used frozen. See below.
½ cup Ricotta cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
tbsp. lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp. Kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425˚. Cut off pointed end of garlic; place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil, and drizzle with 1 Tbs. olive oil. Fold foil to seal. Bake 30 minutes; let cool 5 minutes. Squeeze pulp from garlic cloves into a bowl.
Process edamame in a food processor 30 seconds or until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Add roasted garlic, ricotta, basil, and lemon juice; pulse 2 to 3 times or until blended.
With processor running, pour ¼ cup olive oil through food chute in a slow, steady stream, processing until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper.

Southern living suggests serving this with fresh vegetables. I used the pit chips. It also works well as a sandwich spread or on toasted crostini and topped with fresh basil. This recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance.

*2 cups uncooked, frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans) may be substituted. Prepare edamame according to package directions. Plunge into ice water to stop cooking process; drain. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Red Velvet Cake Balls

2009-06-29T15:35:00.005-05:00

I got this recipe from Bakerella. It was really easy to do and they taste super yummy. If you have never visited Bakerella I highly suggest it. She is a-m-a-z-i-n-g.

Ingredients
1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

Instructions
1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.) I used the dough hook attachment on my stand mixer and it worked great!

3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. Should make 45-50. I used the Pampered Chef Medium Scoop to make my balls. (*EDIT* the balls were great, but a little big for my liking. I will use the Pampered Chef Small Scoop next time.)

4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

Sesame Beef Stir-Fry

2009-06-07T18:29:00.002-05:00

This is a favorite at our house. My kids ask for it every week! This recipe can be found in the Eating for Life cookbook. Another favorite of mine. The recipe is for 2 servings, so we usually double it. I will leave it at 2 servings in case that is all you need.

Ingredients

½ c. uncooked brown rice
½ lb. ground beef
1 tbs. toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, sliced
1 c. broccoli slaw (found near bagged salads in produce department)
1 c. Napa cabbage, shredded
1 tbs. soy sauce
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Instructions

Prepare brown rice according to its package directions
While the rice is cooking, in a medium skillet or wok. brown the ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Remove beef from the skillet, drain and set aside.
Heat sesame oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and green onions; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the broccoli slaw and cabbage; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add rice and soy sauce; stir0fry for 2minutes.
Return the cooked ground beef to the skillet with the rice and vegetable mixture and season with red pepper flakes (I do not add these. I am the only one who likes them so I just put them on mine once it's dished up.). Sitr until ingredients are well combined and heated through, about 2 minutes.

Enjoy!

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 45 minutes

Blackberry Cobbler

2009-06-07T17:45:00.000-05:00

My best friend and I took our girls to a pick-your-own farm and we came home with nearly 8 cups of blackberries! They were so super yummy that we decided to make a cobbler. I wanted to share the recipe I used because it turned out so yummy. You can find it in the Southern Living 1999 Annual Recipes Cookbook. (as a side note, this is a really good cookbook. I have enjoyed it!) I halved this recipe for our family of 4 and it turned out wonderful.

Ingredients

8 cups fresh blackberries
2 ¼ cups sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Pastry, divided
¼ cup butter or margarine, cut up
Sugar (optional)

Instructions

Stir together first 4 ingredients; let mixture stand 10 minutes or until sugar dissolves.
Roll half pastry to ¼-inch thickness; cut into 1 ½inch wide strips. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake at 425℉ for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire rack to cool. Break strips into pieces.
Spoon half of blackberry mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish; top with backed pastry pieces. Spoon remaining blackberry mixture over pastry; dot with butter.
Roll remaining pastry to ¼ inch thickness; cut into 1-inch strips, and arrange in a lattice design over filling. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Place cobbler on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350℉ for 50 minutes or until golden.

Enjoy!

Pastry

2009-06-07T17:40:00.001-05:00

This is a great pastry for cobbler/pie. You can find this recipe in the Southern Living 1999 Annual Recipes Cookbook.

Ingredients

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¾ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
½ c. shortening
⅔ c. milk

Instructions

Stir together first 3 ingredients in a mediumbowl. Cut shortneing into flour mixture with a pastry blender untilmixture is crumbly.
Add milk, stirring with a fork, until dry ingredients are moistened and mixture forms a soft ball.
Turn dough out onto a floured urface, and knead 6-8 times.

Yield: Pastry for 1 (13x9 inch) cobbler.

Asian Beef Stir-Fry

2009-05-20T19:02:00.000-05:00

The following recipe comes from the Eating for Life cookbook. We cook out of this cookbook at least 3 times a week. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants good, healthy food that tastes awesome. Oh and let me add that my kids also eat what we cook out of this book. In fact they ask for several of the recipes each week. Yes, healthy eating can be good.

Ingredients
8 oz. spaghetti uncooked
1 lb. lean steak (ie. top sirloin, top round, top loin, or flank steak)
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
1 head napa cabbage, shredded
1/2 c. lite soy sauce (we use regular at our house)

Directions

Prepare spaghetti according to its package directions; drain and set aside
White the spaghetti is cooking, slice steak lengthwise into 2-inch strips, then cut cross wise into 1/8 inch-thick slices. In other words, cut the meat into 2-inch strips and make them thin.
Lightly coat a large skillet or wok with cooking spray. Over medium-high stir-fry red pepper flakes and garlic for 1 minute.
Add the steak strips into the skillet, stir-fry until no longer pink, approx. 2 minutes. Remove steak from skillet and set aside.
Lightly re-coat the skillet with cooking spray. Stir-fry onion and celery until tender, approx. 5 minutes. Add cabbage and cook until crisp-tender, approx. 2 more minutes.
Return steak to the skillet. Add cooked spaghetti and lite soy sauce; mix gently and heat thoroughly.
Divide into 4 portions, serve, and enjoy!

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes

10 Bean Soup

2009-05-20T18:57:00.000-05:00

Ingredients
1 pkg. 10-bean mix
6 c. cold water
1 c. chopped onion
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 tsp. garlic powder (or the equivalent with minced garlic)
salt & pepper
ham/chicken if wanted

Directions

Wash beans and remove any foreign material (rocks, bad beans, etc.)
Put beans in crock pot with the water, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and stir well.
Cook on high for 4-6 hours until beans are soft. Check water level after 3-4 hours to make sure the beans have not soaked up all the water. It is supposed to be a soup people. :)
Add meat and tomatoes at 3 hours.
Serve when the beans are done!

Almond Tea

2009-04-17T11:02:00.001-05:00

This is my favorite drink to have at get togethers. It's just sweet enough and people love it!

INGREDIENTS
1 C strong brew tea (can be caffeinated or decaf. I use decaf.)
1 ½ C Sugar
1 ltr. Ginger Ale
½ C Lemon Juice
1 Tbs. Vanilla Extract
2 Tbs. Almond Extract

DIRECTIONS
Mix everything together adding the Ginger Ale last. It will bubble quickly, so go slow and stir!

You can mix this and freeze it prior to adding the ginger ale. Then when you are ready to make the tea you just add the ginger ale and serve!

Holiday Scent

2009-04-06T16:36:00.000-05:00

I meant to post this during the holidays, but I lost my recipe. I foudn it today and I wanted to get it out before it disappeared again!

INGREDIENTS
3 (4 inch) sticks of cinnamon
3 bay leaves
¼ c whole cloves
½ lemon
½ orange
1 quart water

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a teakettle or sauce pan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer as long as you are wanting the scent. Check back often and add additional water if needed.
Mixture may store in the refrigerator for several days and you can reuse it!

Enjoy!

Zucchini Casserole

2009-04-06T16:27:00.000-05:00

INGREDIENTS
4-5 zucchinis sliced or diced (whichever you prefer)
1/2 c. margarine or butter
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1 c. Herb Stuffing Mix (I prefer Pepperidge Farm, but you can you any brand you like)
Paprika
Parmesan Cheese

DIRECTIONS

Boil zucchinis for 5 minutes in salted water. Drain and place in greased baking dish.
Melt margarine or butter in another bowl.
Add cheese and mix until melted.
Pour over zucchini
Sprinkle with paprika and then spread stuffing mix over the zucchini.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Bake at 325° for 25 minutes

Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Pasta

2009-04-06T16:22:00.000-05:00

This is my sister's recipe and I love it! Thanks Scotta!

INGREDIENTS
3 cloves of garlic, minced
8.5 oz of sun0dried tomatoes, drained (sold in the jars)
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. olive oil
6 Tbs. fresh basil leaves
1-2 pounds cooked pasta (I like to use the bow-tie pasta)
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

DIRECTIONS

Process garlic, tomatoes, basil leave, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a food processor until a thick paste. You can add more oil or some of the pasta water if you desire it to be thinner.
Combine pesto with hot cooked pasta, tossing until well covered.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

The Best Ever Cornbread

2009-03-23T19:34:00.001-05:00

INGREDIENTS
1 c. yellow corn meal
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. all purpose flour
4 tbs. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 c. milk
1 egg
1/3 c. vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Combine corn meal, flour, baking powder,sugar, and salt
3. Add milk, egg, and oil. Beat until fairly smooth - about 1 minute (batter will be runny)
4. Bake in greased muffin pan or corn stick pan for 15-18 minutes.

So stinking easy and so super yummy!

You can freeze the corn bread as long as you eat it within the month.

Enjoy!

Beef Stew

2009-03-22T15:09:00.000-05:00

This one came from one of my favorite people. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
1-2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon paprika
3 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 packet McCormick's Beef Stew Seasoning

DIRECTIONS
Put flour, seasoned salt, and pepper into gallon-sized, zippered bag. Put beef in bag and shake to coat with the flour mixture. Sauté coated beef in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil until browned. Add chopped onion and garlic to beef to sauté and soften.
Transfer to slow cooker.
Mix beef broth with 1 tablespoon Worcestershire and ½ cup red wine. Pour into hot skillet to deglaze, then pour over beef and onions in cooker.
Add remaining ingredients.
Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.

Bean Soup

2009-02-19T12:48:00.000-06:00

I received this recipe from my Mom and I cannot wait to try it!

Buy a wide mouth container with a lid. Opening needs to be large enough to put a one cup measuring cup inside so beans can be scooped out.

Buy one small bag of each of these dried beans.

(1) Black Beans

(2) Navy Beans (or Small Whites)

(3) Lima Beans (large or small)

(4) Red Kidney Beans

(5) Pinto Beans

(6) Split Peas (green) ** optional nice color

(7) Black-eyed Peas

Pour all of those beans into the container. Mix together. Every time you take a one-cup scoop of dried beans, you’ll have instant variety. Before putting beans in the container, sort through them thoroughly for tiny pebbles or other debris. I do this by pouring the bag on the countertop or tabletop and look through the beans and pick out anything that doesn’t belong.

*One cup of dried beans equals 3 cups of cooked beans*

Recipe

One cup Dried Beans (put beans in colander and rinse well under running water before cooking)

4 to 6 cups of Chicken Broth - be sure the liquid is two inches above the beans because beans absorb liquid as they cook (Use Vegetable Broth if making it vegetarian)

1 can Rotel Tomatoes or 1 can Stewed Tomatoes

1/4 cup Finely Chopped Onion (or 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes)

1 teaspoon garlic powder (or garlic flakes)

2 chopped celery stalks (optional)

1 cup of already cooked chopped ham or chicken or pork (optional)

1 teaspoon salt & pepper

1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables

You can tweak this recipe to suit your taste. Soaking beans prior to cooking is not needed for crock pot cooking.

Crock Pot

Put all of the above ingredients (except the frozen vegetables) in the crock pot and stir together – mix everything together. Be sure liquid is two inches above the ingredients. You may have to add another can of chicken broth.

Put the lid on the crock pot and cook. 8 hours on low or 5 hours on high.

Add frozen vegetables 1 hour before cooking time is over.

Cleaning Tip #2

2009-02-12T18:16:00.000-06:00

Distilled White Vinegar

I have been using distilled white vinegar as a cleaner for a while now (a while = over a year). I initially started using it because where I live the water is very hard and outside of some very harsh chemicals it is difficult to get the hard water stains off of anything. Since I have kids I did not want to use the harsh chemicals, so I started using a mixture of half water-half white vinegar.

Since then I have done some research and learned HOW to use it and why it's so good.

White distilled vinegar is very effective for killing most mold, bacteria, and germs due to its level of acidity. Cleaning with white distilled vinegar is a smart way to avoid using harsh chemicals, it is environmentally friendly, and (my all time favorite reason) it's cheap (usually around$2-$3 for a gallon)!

You can use the half and half mixture to clean just about anything. I use it mainly in my bathrooms. I have a spray bottle with the mixture all ready to go and I use it on my mirrors, counter tops, baths, and toilet. Think about it. ONE cleaner for the whole bath! I know some people are really bothered by the smell of vinegar. To those people I would suggest adding 1-2 drops of peppermint oil to the mixture. Just remember that if you add the oil you cannot use it on the mirrors.

Here are some other ways to use it:

To shine chrome sink fixtures that have a lime buildup, use a paste made of 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar.

Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent. Add just enough white distilled vinegar to give it a thick but creamy texture.

Clean counter tops and make them smell sweet again with a cloth soaked in undiluted white distilled vinegar.

Clean and deodorize a drain by pouring in 1 cup baking soda, then one cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes or so then run hot water down the drain.

Deodorize the garbage disposal by pouring in 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes then run hot water down the disposal.

Deodorize and clean the garbage disposal with white distilled vinegar ice cubes. Make them by freezing full-strength white distilled vinegar in an ice cube tray. Run several cubes down the disposal while flushing with cold water.

Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.

Clean the shelves and walls of the refrigerator with a half-and-half solution of water and white distilled vinegar.

Cut the grime on the top of the refrigerator with a paper towel or cloth and full-strength white distilled vinegar.

Avoid the bad smell when you heat up a newly cleaned oven by using a sponge soaked in diluted white distilled vinegar for the final rinse.

To clean a grease splattered oven door window, saturate it with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge.

Remove soap buildup and odors from the dishwasher and washing machines by pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the empty machine and running it through a whole cycle. Do monthly.

To prevent good glassware from getting etched by minerals, wash then spray with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Give the glasses a hot water rinse before letting them dry or drying them with a towel.

For cloudy glassware, soak paper towels or a cloth in full-strength white distilled vinegar and wrap around the inside and outside of the glass. Let sit awhile before rinsing clean.

Get rid of lime deposits in a tea kettle by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water and letting it sit overnight. If more drastic action is needed, boil full-strength white distilled vinegar in the kettle a few minutes, let cool and rinse with plain water.

Remove mineral deposits from coffee makers with white distilled vinegar. Fill the water reservoir with 1 cup or more of white distilled vinegar and run it through a whole cycle. Run it once or twice more with plain water to rinse clean. (Check the owners’ manual first.)

Remove stains from coffee and teacups by scrubbing them gently with equal parts of salt (or baking soda) and white distilled vinegar. Rinse clean.

For stained and smelly plastic food containers, wipe them with a cloth dampened with white distilled vinegar.

Remove odors from a lunch box by placing inside a slice of bread that has been soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave overnight.

Remove ugly film in narrow-necked glass jars, flower vases, and bottles by letting undiluted white distilled vinegar sit in them for a few hours. Add a little rice or sand and shake vigorously to loosen stubborn stains. Repeat if necessary.

To clean tarnished brass, copper, and pewter, use a paste with equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and table salt.

Remove dark stains on an aluminum pot by boiling a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 cup hot water.

Discourage ants by spraying undiluted white distilled vinegar outside doorways and windowsills, around appliances and wherever you find the pests coming in.

Get rid of fruit flies by setting out a small dish of undiluted white distilled vinegar.

Clean the wheel of a can opener using white distilled vinegar and an old toothbrush.

Remove the smell of spoiled food from a refrigerator by first rinsing the area with soap and water. Spray surfaces with full-strength white distilled vinegar and wipe them down with a damp cloth or sponge. Fill some containers with baking soda and place inside. Close the door and leave for a few days.

Wipe grease off exhaust fan grids, the inside of your oven, or anywhere grease gathers with a sponge soaked in white distilled vinegar.

To make cleaning the grill easier, spray a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar on the cooking surface.

To remove a label, decal, or price tag, cover with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave the cloth on overnight and the label should slide off.

Renew sponges and dishrags by placing them in just enough water to cover them. Then add 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Let them soak overnight.

Get rid of calcium deposits on faucets by soaking a cloth or paper towel in white distilled vinegar and wrapping the area tightly. Let this sit for a couple of hours or overnight.

Remove soap buildup from faucets by scrubbing them with a solution of 1 part salt to 4 parts white distilled vinegar.

Rid a faucet of lime deposits by tying a plastic bag containing 1/2 to 1/3 cup of white distilled vinegar around it and leaving it there for two or three hours. If mineral deposits don’t wipe off, scrubbing with an old toothbrush should complete the job.

Shine colored porcelain sinks by scouring them with undiluted white distilled vinegar.

Rinse away soapy film on counter tops with a solution of white distilled vinegar and water.

Clean grout by letting full-strength white distilled vinegar sit on it for a few minutes and scrubbing it with an old toothbrush.

Kill germs all around the bathroom with a spray of full-strength white distilled vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.

To remove grime, mildew, and scum from the tub, tile, shower curtain or door, wipe with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse with water.

Spray shower doors with full-strength white distilled vinegar after you’ve squeegeed the glass, or before you step in and turn on the water. It will help release the hard water deposits so they don’t remain on the glass.

Mix up an inexpensive tile cleaner by adding 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup ammonia to a gallon of warm water.

Get rid of stubborn bathtub film by wiping it with white distilled vinegar and then scouring with baking soda.

Soak a sponge or loofah overnight in a strong white distilled vinegar and water solution to remove dirt and slime. Rinse several times with cold water and let air dry (in the sun if possible).

Clean shower door tracks by filling them with white distilled vinegar and letting it sit for a few hours. Pour hot water into the tracks and wash and scrub away the scum with a toothbrush.

To clean a scummy showerhead, pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup white distilled vinegar into a sandwich bag and tie it around the showerhead. Let this set for an hour after the bubbling has stopped. Remove the bag and then turn on the water.

Deodorize the toilet bowl by allowing 3 cups white distilled vinegar to sit in it for about a half hour before flushing.

To make the toilet bowl sparkle, pour in a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar and let it sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with the toilet brush and flush.

Freshen air in the bathroom by spraying into the air a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup water.

Get a shining finish on a no-wax vinyl or linoleum floor by cleaning it with a solution of one cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of water.

Apply full-strength white distilled vinegar directly to tough linoleum stains. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping it up. If that doesn’t work, apply white distilled vinegar again and then sprinkle some baking soda over the white distilled vinegar. Scrub the area with a brush or sponge. Rinse clean with water.

To reduce soap bubbles in a steam cleaner add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Use the same amount in the rinse water to remove detergent residue and make carpets stay fresh longer.

Wash indoor/outdoor carpet with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar in 1 bucket of warm water. Scrub using a brush or a broom and then hose off.

Remove the wax residue left by commercial window cleaners with a solution of 2 cups water, 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent.

To remove paint from windows try using undiluted, hot white distilled vinegar. Give the solution time to soften the paint before removing with a razor edge tool.

To remove paint splatters from windows apply full-strength white distilled vinegar with a clean paintbrush.

Get rid of mildew, dust, and stale odors by wiping down walls with undiluted white distilled vinegar on a cloth or a sponge mop.

Remove wallpaper easily by using a paint roller to wet the surface very thoroughly with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and hot water. Or spray on until saturated.

Get decals off walls or doors by letting undiluted white distilled vinegar soak into them for several minutes before trying to peel them off. Repeat if necessary.

Remove fireplace soot and grime with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Use a brush to scrub and a towel to blot up the wetness and dirt.

Clean fireplace glass doors with a solution of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 2 parts water. Spray or wipe on, then wipe clean with a dry cloth.

To kill germs, spray full-strength white distilled vinegar on doorknobs and then wipe them dry.

Never use white distilled vinegar on marble. The acid can damage the surface.

Before painting old concrete, clean with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Let it air dry.

Clean hardened paint brushes by simmering them in a pot with white distilled vinegar. Soak them first for an hour before bringing the white distilled vinegar to a simmer. Drain and rinse clean.

Clean your grill by spritzing white distilled vinegar over wadded up aluminum foil and scrubbing the grill vigorously with it.

To remove film in glass baby bottles, fill with equal parts hot water and white distilled vinegar. Let sit for at least an hour. Scrub with a bottle brush.

To clean and disinfect baby toys add a good-sized splash of white distilled vinegar to soapy water.

Clean vinyl baby books or board books by wiping with white distilled vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp sponge or cloth.

Clean scissors that have become sticky (after cutting tape, for instance) with a cloth dipped in undiluted white distilled vinegar.

Baked Brown Rice

2009-01-16T16:41:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

1 cup of brown rice
2 cups of water
salt

Directions:

Heat oven to 350
Place washed and drained brown rice in casserole dish or clay baking dish.
Bring salted water to boil.
Pour boiling water over rice and cover tightly with foil.
Bake 1 hour.

Italian Lentils

2009-01-16T16:40:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

2 cups dry lentils - wash and drain
1/2 chopped onion
2 cloves chopped garlic (or to taste)
OR 1/2 cup chopped shallots instead of the onion and garlic
chopped celery, mushrooms, carrots to taste (1/2 c - 1 c. each)
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 T. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups of water or broth
3 cups chopped baby spinach
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Saute vegetables, add lentils and rest of ingredients, bring to boil, cover and turn heat to simmer for approx. 45 minutes. Garnish with chopped spinach and cheese.

Easy Curry Lentils

2009-01-16T16:39:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

2 cups dry lentils - wash and drain
1/2 chopped onion
2 cloves chopped garlic (or to taste)
OR 1 cup chopped shallots instead of the onion and garlic
1 can of diced tomatoes
1-2 T curry powder (I roast my curry powder on low heat for a couple minutes before using)
salt to taste
6 cups of water

Directions

Saute onion and garlic in a little canola or olive oil. Add lentils, then add salt and spice. Add water and tomatoes and bring to boil. Turn down heat, cover and simmer about 45 minutes.

Broccoli and Ramen Noodle Salad

2009-01-16T16:36:00.000-06:00

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) package broccoli coleslaw mix
2 (3 ounce) packages chicken flavored ramen noodles
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large salad bowl, combine the slaw, broken noodles and green onions.
2. Whisk together the sugar, oil, vinegar and ramen seasoning packets
(I usually make the dressing ahead of time and chill first).
3. Pour over salad and toss to evenly coat.
4. Top with peanuts and sunflower seeds before serving.

Vegetarian Recipies

2009-01-16T16:32:00.000-06:00

A while ago I had a post requesting vegetarian recipies. I received a lot and I am excited to share them with everyone. So be looking for some new ones in the next week or so.

I was also pointed to the website Vegetarian Times as a tool to find yummy recipies. Their search engine is neat. All you do is type in a vegetable you like and it brings up a ton of recipies that include that veggie. I am excited about trying a few next week!

So check it out and come back to see what new yummy ideas I found.

Peanut Butter Play Dough

2009-01-04T07:33:00.001-06:00

I don't know about your kids, but mine always want to eat the Play Dough. Gross. I found this recipe and it has been a HUGE hit at my house. I hope it will bring a little sanity to your Play-Dough time as it has mine!

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 cups of peanut butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
3 1/2 cups honey
4 cups dry milk powder

DIRECTIONS

Mix together and play!

Easy No Bake Cookies

2009-01-03T19:34:00.000-06:00

These cookies are super yummy and are made with oatmeal, peanut butter and cocoa.

A few tricks:
1. Start timing when mixture reaches a full rolling boil.
2. If you boil too long the cookies will be dry and crumbly.
3. If you don't boil long enough, the cookies won't form properly.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened.

Pot Pie

2008-12-08T17:43:00.001-06:00

I love pot pies and my mom gave me a wonderful Chicken Pot Pie recipe. (I have also made it with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving!)

Ingredients:

3 tbs. oleo

1/4 c. flour

1 c. milk

2 c. cubed chicken (or turkey)

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning

onion to taste - finely chopped

(I use frozen mixed veggies, but you can always use fresh)

peas

carrots

green beans

corn

2 pie crusts (I use pre-made crusts)

Instructions:

1. Melt oleo

2. Blend in flour. Cook over low heat until bubbly.

3. Gradually add broth and milk - stirring with each addition. Cool till thick (may add more milk if too thick)

4. Stir in chicken (or turkey), veggies, onion, and seasonings. Heat on low.

5. Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray and place one crust in dish. Pour chicken mixture into crust and top with remaining crust. Cut slits on top of crust to allow steam to escape.

6. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown (30-45 minutes)

Cleaning Tip #1

2008-12-06T19:08:00.000-06:00

Quick Floor Clean Up

I said I would try to post a few helpful tips about cleaning the house/keeping the house clean, so here is my first attempt at helping.

My friend ask how I keep my floors clean with two kiddos and two dogs, and though I wish I could claim this tip, I cannot. A dear friend of mine gave me this idea when I asked her about keeping her floors clean.

I have a small spray bottle that is filled with floor cleaner and water. I use this spay with a paper towel for a quick clean up. I love that it's quick and cleans the mess, but I especially love that my kitchen smells like I cleaned all day. :)

I have also recently started using this to clean my whole floor. Now before you gasp and think I clean my kitchen floors with a paper towel keep reading. I have a big issue of mopping my floors with the same water that has the dirt I am trying to get rid of. In the past I would fill a bucket with cleaning solution and water and would dip the mop, ring, clean floor, dip ring, repeat. I am sure most people do this. It always grossed me out to dip that second time. How were my floors getting clean if I am using the same gross water to clean my floors and my mop?!!?

So now I use my nifty little spray bottle. I spray an area of the floor, mop, and then rinse the mop under the tap. Not only am I able to clean my kitchen without the "mop water", but I use less cleaner, waste less water, and my house gets clean.

Spray bottle with floor cleaner and water. It's great!

Vegetarian Recipes

2008-12-02T10:44:00.000-06:00

**UPDATE***
I got a few new ones. Thank you all so much for helping. I will post them in the near future. Can't wait to try some new food!!

I am looking for some yummy vegetarian recipes. Anyone have some they can share?

Potato Soup

2008-11-25T08:58:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

5-6 medium potatoes

1/2 c. onion - finely chopped

1 medium carrot grated OR small bag of shredded carrots

1 bag diced ham

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tbs. season salt

4 chicken bouillon cubes

1 pint Half and Half

5-6 thick slices of Velveeta cheese

1/2 stick of butter or margarine

Instructions:

1. Cut potatoes in small chunks.

2. Place potatoes and bouillon cubes in large pot. Fill with water until potatoes re covered.

3. Cook potatoes until soft

4. Add other ingredients except half & half, butter, and cheese. Stir together well and mash up cubes a little bit, but leaving a few chunks.5. Cook approx. 10 minutes longer.

5. Remove from heat and add half & half, butter, and cheese. Put a lit on pot and stir after approx. 10 minutes.

Eat it up!

Face Paint

2008-11-18T13:01:00.001-06:00

Mix:

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 rsp. water

1/3 tsp. cold cream

few drops of food color

Play Dough

2008-11-18T12:58:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

1 c. water

1 tbs. cooking oil

1 c. salt

3 c. flour

2 tsp. cornstarch

food coloring

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl mix flour & cornstarch

2. Add water, oil, and salt.

3. Knead until smooth.

4. Divide into 4 balls and color with food coloring.

* color may come off as your play, so I recommend paying at the kitchen table until you know for sure*

Slime

2008-11-18T12:53:00.001-06:00

Ingredients:

1/3 c. Elmer's Glue

2/3 c. Warm Water

2 tbs. Borax (laundry aisle)

sealable plastic bag

green food coloring

Instructions:

1. Mix glue & 1/3 c. water

2. Mix Borax in remaining 1/3 c. water.

3. In the plastic bag, mix glue mixture and Borax mixture.

4. Add a couple of drops of food coloring.

5. Seal bag and knead mixture.

Wash hands after paying.

Store slime in sealed bag in fridge.

The World's Best Apple Cider

2008-11-18T12:50:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

3 c. apple cider

1 c. cranberry juice

2 cinnamon sticks - broken

Instructions:

1. Put it all in a pot and bowl until it's heated through and as hot as you would like it.

Serves 4 people

Grandmama's Apple Crisp

2008-11-18T12:45:00.000-06:00

The best! I take this to just about everything that requires a dessert and I never have leftovers. It's super yummy and as a bonus it makes your house smell great too!

Ingredients:
8 red delicious apples
cinnamon
nutmeg
7 tbs. butter - softened (sorry if you tried this with the typo of 1 tbs. It was supposed to say 7 tbs.! Please try it again!)
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. water
2 qt. casserole dish

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 and move top rack to second slot.
2. Peal and slice apples to 1/2 inch thick slices and place in dish
3. Pour water over apples
4. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
5. In another bowl combine flour, sugar, and butter. Beat until "clumps" are about the size of peas.
6. Sprinkle over apples
7. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes, or until crisp is browned.

*You can also use pears with this recipe. I have been known to do a pear crisp and an apple/pear crisp. Just go with what looks good at the store.*

Mama's Cheeseball

2008-11-18T12:41:00.000-06:00

I love this thing. I can and do eat my weight in it every time my mom makes it. It's at every holiday and every family get-together.

Ingredients:

2- 8oz. pkg. Cream Cheese

1/2 c. green Bell Pepper - finely chopped

3 tbs. Onion - finely minced

3 tbs. Lawreys Season Salt

Chili Powder

Wheat Thins

Instructions:

1. soften cheese

2. In a large bowl mix all ingredients (this will splatter, so I put the bowl in the sink to avoid excessive cabinet mess!).

3. Wet your hands

4. Scoop up mixture from bowl and put in a shallow (no deeper than 1 inch) serving dish.

5. Press mixture into the dish.

6. Sprinkle with chili powder and eat with Wheat Thins!

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-11-18T12:38:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

2 cans chicken broth

1 c. Water

1 medium Carrot - sliced

1 stalk Celery - sliced

1 can chicken breast - drained

1/2 c. uncooked Egg Noodles

Instructions:

1. Mix broth, water, pepper, carrots, celery, and chicken in a saucepan. Heat to boil.

2. Stir in noodles. Cover over medium heat, 10 minutes, or until noodles are done.

Sausage Balls

2008-11-18T11:42:00.000-06:00

This is a holiday favorite at our home. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 c. Bisquick

1 lb. Hot or regular Jimmy Dean Sausage

8 oz. Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Instructions:

1. Mix everything in a large bowl with your hands.

2. Pinch a small amount of batter and roll into a ball.

3. Place on a foil covered baking sheet

4. Bake 375 for 10 minutes

Fresh Peach Cake

2008-11-18T11:31:00.000-06:00

We love this at our home. We eat it at breakfast and as a dessert. In fact, it's such a fav that we eat it in the summer and in the winter. Really it's the best thing!

Ingredients:

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 c. mashed peaches (I use canned peaches)

1/3 c. chopped pecans

Instructions:

1. Combine oil and sugar - beating well

2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each

3. Combine flour, soda, salt and cinnamon - mix well.

4. Gradually add creamed mixture, mixing until just blended (it will be very dry until you add the peaches)

5. Stir in peaches and pecans

6. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 13x9x2-inch baking pant. bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes o until a woodden pick inserted i the center comes out clean.

Yummy!

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas

2008-11-09T12:32:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

1 lb. Chicken Breast

4 Green Onions - sliced

2 tbs. fresh Cilantro - chopped

1 Jalapeno - seeded and minced

3 cans (10 oz. each) Green Enchilada Sauce

Corn Tortillas

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Lettuce - Shredded

Salsa (optional)

Sourcream (optional)

Tomato (optional)

Olives - sliced (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Place chicken breasts in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until no longer pink in the center. About 15 minutes. Drain and cool until you can handle the chicken. Shred chicken by pulling apart with 2 forks; set aside.

3. Lightly coat a skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add green onion, cilantro, and jalapeno. Saute for 2 minutes then add chicken and 1 can of enchilada sauce. Cook, siting occasionally until heated through- about 5 minutes.

4. Pour the remaining 2 cans of sauce into a microwavable bowl and heat until warm (about 2 minutes).

5. Dip a tortilla in the sauce, place in baking dish, spoon some chicken mixture on top, add a little cheese, and repeat 4 times. You will make several "stacks" in your baking dish. Cover the tops of the stacks with the remaining sauce and cheese.

6. Bake until heated through and cheese is melted (about 15 minutes)

7. place lettuce on the plate and place a portion of the enchilada on top. Top with salsa, sour cream, olives, and tomatoes or eat it like it is!

Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies

2008-11-09T12:24:00.001-06:00

This is a holiday favorite at our home. Growing up my Grandmama would make these and we would fight for the ones on the bottom. I thought I would share this with the hopes that it brings some joy to your home like it has mine.

What you need:

1/2 lb. margarine or butter

1/2 c. powder sugar

1 3/4 c. flour

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 c. shopped pecans

What you do:

1. Cream butter or margarine and add sugar slowly, then flour, nuts, and vanilla.

2. Make two long rolls, wrap in wax paper.

3. CHill for at least 1 hour.

4. Slice thin and bake 15-20 minutes at 350.

5. Roll in powder sugar while cookies are still hot.

6. Let cool and store in an sealable container. We also place a bunch of powder sugar in the container. That's why we fought over the ones on the bottom. They had the most sugar!

These can be frozen.

Beef Stroganoff

2008-11-09T12:17:00.000-06:00

What You Need:

1/2 lb. Ground Beef

1/4 c. Onion - chopped

3/4 c. Water

1 Beef Bouillon Cube

2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 can (4 oz.) Sliced Mushrooms - drained

8 oz. Sour Cream

1 1/2 tbs. Flour

6 oz. Egg Noodles

Fresh Parsley (optional)

What You Do:

1. Cook Meat and onion - drain

2. Combine water, beef bouillon cube, Worcestershire Sauce - Boil

3. Stir in mushrooms - reduce heat

5. Add meat mixture

6. Cook until sauce thickens - do not boil

7. Cook noodles

8. Toss together

9. Sprinkle with Parsley (optional)

The World' Best Booty Cream

2008-11-05T08:26:00.000-06:00

Both of my daughter's have had horrible diaper rash and this stuff is the best stuff ever. It contains no zinc so there is no burning on those tiny bootys. Plus you make it at home so it's cheaper than the store bought stuff, you get a lot more, it lasts for a VERY long time, and it doesn't have a "smell" to it.

Here's what you need:

Aquaphor lotion

Cornstarch

Here's what you do:

Mix the two in a plastic container with a lid until it turns a white color. Taa-daa!

That's really it. Here's why it works:

Aquaphor lotion - make a barrier against moisture to prevent further damage; soothes the raw skin; moisturizes the sin to keep it soft.

Cornstarch - absorbs moisture before it gets to the skin.

If your little one has really bad diaper rash you can include a tea bag (the caffeinated kind) to their diaper. The tea helps reduce the swelling of the capillaries which reduces the redness. Plus the caffeine reduces the redness and takes the "burn" out of the skin. Just change the tea bag with each diaper change.

So there you have it! I have used this with both of my girls and their diaper rash cleared up in 24 hours. Both times the girls bottoms were "on fire". I promise it works!

Italian Breakfast Casserole

2008-11-04T15:00:00.000-06:00

This is a very yummy, very easy recipe to make. I hope you enjoy it as much as my friends and family do!

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) can refrigerated Crescent Rolls

6 large Eggs

1/4 tsp. dried Oregano

1 lb. Mild Pork Sausage

3/4 c Milk

1 cups (8 oz.) shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425.

2. Press crescent dough in the bottom of a greased 9x13x2 inch baking dish.

3. Brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink; drain.

4. Spoon over dough.

5. Sprinkle cheese over sausage.

6. Whisk together eggs, oregano, and milk; pour over cheese.

7. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until eggs are set and cheese is lightly browned.

Let stand at room temperature 5-10 minutes before serving.

Crispy Parmesan Chicken Strips

2008-11-04T13:48:00.000-06:00

This is a favorite at our house and a favorite for me to take to other homes. No one can resist a homemade chicken strip!

Ingredients:

1 Box of restaurant style croutons - crushed

1/3 c Parmesan Cheese ( I use more, but I like cheese)

1 tsp. dried parsley

1/4 tsp. Garlic salt

2 Egg whites

1 tbs. Water

1 lb. Boneless, skinless Chicken Breast - cut into strips

Ranch Dressing

Instructions:

1. Preheat over to 450.

2. Crush croutons in a resealable plastic bag.

3. Mix Croutons, Cheese, Garlic Salt, and Parsley in a bowl

4. Whisk Egg Whites and Water in a bow.

5. Dip Chicken in egg mixture and then coat in crumbs.

6. Bake 15 minutes or until Chicken is n longer pink in the center.

Serve with Ranch

Witch on a Stick

2008-11-02T18:36:00.000-06:00

I made these neat treats for my daughter's class this past week. It was super easy and very inexpensive.

Ingredients:

Pretzel Rods

1 c. White Chocolate Chips

Green Food Coloring

1 tbs. Shortening

Hershey's Kisses

Shaved Coconut

Black Icing

Wax Paper

Instructions:

1. Melt 1 cup white-chocolate chips, 1 tbs. shortening, and a few drops of green food coloring; stir until smooth.

2. Dip pretzel in the chocolate, covering the top 2 inches. Place on wax paper and sprinkle coconut on the sides for hair. Place a Hershey's Kiss on top at the hat.

3. Refrigerate until the chocolate has harden.

4. Draw on face with black icing and finish by covering the Kiss too!

Happy Halloween!

*I filled cups full on candy corn and placed the treat in the middle for my daughter's class. They kids loved their holiday snacks!*

One of the Many Reasons I Love Mom

2008-11-02T18:35:00.000-06:00

I mentioned to my mom that I was thinking about trying to do a whole month of meals/groceries this time around and see if that helps us stay on track with our spending plan. It was a casual mentioning, on the way back to the car after getting things for Blair's birthday party.

Last night, a mere 5 1/2 hours after, I get this email from my mom:

Check out websites: cooks.com, myrecipes.com, http://www.betterbudgeting.com/frugalrecipelist.htm

http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/menuplanningcalendars.htm

http://www.bhg.com/recipes/quick-easy/dinners-30-minutes-less/20-minute-winter-dinners/

Burritos / Tacos

Chili

Stew

Beef Tips on Rice (stew meat cooked with cream mushroom soup & garlic) served over rice

Stir Fry

Spaghetti

Veggie Lasagna

Italian Lasagna

Ham

Chicken (BBQ in crock pot, cooked on grill, fried,

Pork Tenderloin

Boneless Turkey Breast

Breakfast (biscuits, bacon or sausage, eggs)

Pancakes/Waffles

Sloppy Joes on a Bun

Pot Pie

Pizza

Quesadillas

Eckrich Sausage

Sausage/Red Beans/Rice

Baked Ziti casserole (Boil Ziti pasta, brown hamburger meat, one jar Ragu, one cup grated mozerella cheese - mix well. Put in casserole dish and bake until bubbly. Add one cup mozerella cheese on top and let melt.)

Green Beans

Peas

Tomatoes

Carrots

Guacamole

Asparagus

Broccoli

Corn on the Cob

Tater Tots

Fried Rice

Baked Beans

Ranch Style Beans

Pinto Beans

Mac-n-Cheese

Mashed Potatoes

Baked Potatoes

Brown Rice & Butter or Soy Sauce

Broccoli Casserole

Squash

Sweet Potatoes

Pudding

Jello

Strawberries & Whipped Cream

Fruit Smoothie

Milk Shake

Cake Mix Cookies

Yogurt

Cheese

Raisins

Peanut Butter

Blueberries

Grapes

Apples

Bananas

Fruit / Peach Cups

Isn't she amazing? I pray I can be as supportive and encouraging to my girls as she is to me.

Thanks Mom. I love you!

Penne with Cream Sauce (AKA Sal's Pasta)

2008-10-30T19:20:00.000-05:00

This is not a health conscience meal, but it is a super great meal!

Ingredients:

1/4 lb. butter

1/2 c. vodka (optional)

1 lb. Penne pasta

6 Scallions

1/2 c. Heavy Cream

1/4 lb. Proscuitto

28 oz. can Crushed Tomatoes

Instructions:

Boil pasta.

Chop scallions and prosciutto very fine.

Melt butter in heavy saute pan.

Saute scallions and prosciutto until crisp.

Add vodka and tomatoes.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook for 15 minutes.

Add heavy cream, stir gently.

Coon another 3 minutes.

Pour sauce over pasta and sprinkle with cheese.

I do not usually add vodka, but I am sure it is wonderful with it!

Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Pasta

2008-10-30T19:16:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:

3 Garlic cloves - minced

8.5 oz. jar of Sun-Dried Tomatoes - drained

1/2 tsp. ground Pepper

1/2 c Olive oil

1 tsp. Salt

6 tbs. fresh Basil leaves

1-2 pounds bow-tie pasta

Freshly grated parmesan Cheese

Instructions:

Process garlic, tomatoes, basil leaves, sale, pepper, and olive oil in a food processor until a thick paste, adding more oil or warm water to thin if desired.

Combine tomato mixture and hot cooked pasta, tossing well.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

This is one of my all time favorite recipes. It makes a pesto style sauce. My family loves it. It make a lot, so we usually add grilled chicken or shrimp to it the next day for an added twist.

Hope you enjoy!

Baked Oatmeal

2008-10-30T16:46:00.000-05:00

Yummy yummy! Especially on these cold mornings!

Ingredients:

2 c. Oats

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 Eggs - beaten

1/2 c. Brown Sgar

1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 c. Milk

1/2 c. Applesauce

Instructions:

Mix everything together and put in a greased 9 inch baker.

Bake at 325 for 45 minutes.

Serve with your favorite yogurt on top.

Orange Julius

2008-10-30T16:43:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:

6 oz. frozen concentrate orange juice

1 c. Milk

1 c. Water

1/2 c. Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

8-9 ice cubes

Instructions:

Blend and serve!

Makes 4 servings

Salad Caprese

2008-10-30T16:35:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:

3-4 large ripe Tomatoes

1 lb. *fresh* Mozzarella cheese

20-25 Basil leaves

1/3 c. fruity Olive oil

salt and fresh ground pepper

Crusty bread

Instructions:

Slice tomatoes fairly thick - about 1/2 inch

Slice Mozzarella into 1/4 inch slices

Alternate slices of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil on a platter

Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste

Drizzle olive oil over top

Serve with a good, crusty bread to soak olive oil

Serves 4-6

The Cheaters Guide to Pasta Fagioli Soup

2008-10-30T16:30:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:

1 lb. Hamburger

1 small Onion - chopped

5 - 10 3/4 oz. cans of Campbell's Minestrone Soup

1 can Ranch Style Beans

1 can Diced Tomatoes

1 can Ro-Tel chopped tomatoes

Instructions:

Brown hamburger and onion together.

Add all canned goods and 2-3 cans of water.

Simmer for about 30 minutes.

You will love it! I promise! It is a favorite at my house and both my girls (5 and 18 mos) eat it up. Yummy! Yummy!

Butter Cream Icing

2008-10-30T16:23:00.001-05:00

I could not think of a better way to start this blog off than with some of our favorite family recipies. This is a favorite and it's all my sister. She makes the best Butter Cream Icing!

Ingredients:
1/2 c. Water
1 1/2 c. Crisco shortening
2 lbs. of 10x Confectioner's Sugar
1 tsp. Salt ( we have learned that Kosher Salt makes a better icing, but it is not required)
1/2 tsp. Butter Flavoring
1 1/2 tsp. Clean Vanilla Extract

Instructions:
Place all ingredients in mixer and blend.

If using a hand mixer use just one box of the sugar and after it is blended with the other ingredients gradually add the second box.

Store in airtight container at room temperature.

* For this recipe you can use regular vanilla extract, but your icing will be a slight off-white color.*

Come and Get Your Belly Full!

2008-10-29T14:44:00.000-05:00

Welcome! The purpose of this blog is to fill your belly with good food and good tips. Take a look around and see just how full your belly can get!