Oriental Chicken Salad

This recipe is yummy on a summer night and a real crowd-pleaser at a potluck dinner.

5-6 boneless chicken breasts, stewed and shredded

2 pkgs Ramen Noodles (Oriental Flavor), cooked without flavor packets

4 green onions, chopped

2 pkgs sliced toasted almonds

1 bag shredded cabbage

Dressing:

3/4c. oil

6 TBSP cider vinegar

4-6 TBSP sugar

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

one flavor packet from Ramen Noodles

Mix Dressing together. Toss everything together with dressing and refrigerate 3-4 hrs.

Turkey Ravioli Caccitore

I made a Turkey Caccitore with Ravioli in it that turned out yummy but the kids just turned up their noses. I am looking for SOME KIND OF SOUP recipe that the kids would enjoy? I made a black bean soup recipe that was way too watery and ended up just straining it and making some bean dip.....

New Recipes for Kids

I am working on getting some new recipes together for the kids -- it is a never ending quest! I am not a fan of meatloaf but found a recipe for Taco Meatloaf that I'll try -- I'll publish it if it is any good.

I have a week of vacation (staycation) next week so hopefully I can get lots of cooking, tasting, and posting done!

I Saved $100+ on Groceries Last Night!

I spent $131 at the grocery store last night and saved $100+ in store specials and coupons!!!! I usually spend about $140 each trip so I feel great about his.... we'll find out this week if the food will be enough to last!!

www.southernsavers.com is the BEST!!! Check it out and get started saving on groceries!!!

Yummy Fish Dinner - Gt the Kids to Help Cook!

Tonight I made tilapia and a salad -- it couldn't be easier and healthy too! I baked the fish at 350 for 10 minutes with some spray butter, salt and pepper on it.

Also, instead of doing the usual salad I got one that was a kit that had some dried pineapple and an Asian dressing that the kids loved. For some reason they go crazy for croutons (even my 18 months old) so if I sprinkle some of those on they go nuts. I let them sprinkle everything in the salad so they get more interested in eating it.

Easy, Kid-Friendly Tostados

Having a Fiesta!

I thought of another tasty, easy meal that I can whip up in no time, and the kids all love to fix their own... TOSTADOS! These are easier than tacos for the kids (the 4 and 3 year old like to make their own) to spread sour cream and refried beans onto, and then they sprinkle with ground beef or chicken, and shredded cheese. I like to add salsa and shredded lettuce to mine.... It is always a great night. I have also managed to be able to get two dinners out of a box of tostados since the hubby is away at work.

After 1-2 tostados each, I serve some tasty fruit and dinner is a cinch!

What's for Dinner?

The kids are becoming totally unruly at dinner. Tonight I served Parmesan Couscous -- so tasty, easy to make, inexpensive, and FUN TO SAY!!!! Only one of the three of them even tasted it! I should be happy since I got to eat more than I planned!

Tomorrow night we'll be having beef ravioli -- not from a can -- I am way more sophisticated and serve it from the frozen bag! It is quite tasty, and although I don't expect it to be a crowd-pleaser, at least it will be quick and easy! Why slave over a hot stove when they hardly eat it anyway? Here is a list of my easy and quick dinners (I always serve with some kind of veggies from a steamfresh pouch):

• Boca chicken patties sliced up
• Frozen ravioli
• Perogies (from the frozen food section as well)
• Fish sticks
• Broiled tilapia (add a squeeze of lemon, dash of salt and pepper and broild for 10 minutes)
• Pasta noodles with spray butter and Parmesan cheese (they have started refusing tomato sauce)
• Macaroni and cheese - not frequently but it is so darn cheap!!!
  
• Pizza (served with salad)
• Chili - I make a big batch and freeze the leftovers -- I get 3 meals out of this and they love it because I serve it with shredded cheddar and Fritos
• Pancakes with scrambled eggs - I make a big batch of pancaked (whole whate from aunt Jamima mix) and freeze them so they can be zapped and served

Other suggestions?

Easter Sugar high

The family all went to the in-law's today - grandma had three giant buckets of candy laid out and the boys found them quick. On top of the bunny cakes we decorated with jelly beans and sugar cookies we made yesterday (to make the bunny ears for the cakes), they had chocolate bunnies and found plastic eggs full of candy eggs.

We are considering going completely off the sugar now - for the kids and adults as well. Will it work? Will it make the kids totally weird? Will they be able to handle a slice of cake at a birthday party without getting sick if we cut out all the crap? We are talking going to lean meats, fruits, and veggies.....

Learning to Sew

Anyone know how to teach a kid to sew? My 4-year old boy wants to learn to sew after watching me hem a skirt. I think I'll start by showing him to sew on buttons, then maybe we can make a pillow. That is what I did in home economics in the 7th grade. The trick will be to find a needle that he won't kill himself with....

It is a New Year Already

I was called into my bosses offie: door shut. AAACK! I hate closed-door meetings. They are very serious. I can be serious, but not for too long. He wants to know if I want to go work for his boss. Sure! New scenery, is there money involved? He did not get that far.

The next day, I am in the boss' boss' office. "I assume you want to come work for me," he says. Sure, anything to help THE TEAM (they are looking at pay increases right now...)! So I get my first assignment with the BIG MAN. Cool.

Things are busy! We are getting orders! 2010 is looking good! I come into the office early on Monday -- 2 minutes later, BIG MAN calls... another assignment!

It is a New Year. I am a busy bee.... gotta go work!

Get Away to the City

Ah, I am coming off of a wonderful weekend away from the 'burbs, three entire days spent in New York City. It was for a family wedding, but I managed to squeeze in some sights, art, fabulous dining, and breathing in the smoky/dingy smells I find in every big city.

It was nice to have a "girls' weekend", nice to have some time to myself without the kids, but I got the unexpected vigor of seeing so many things to jog my creativity, to remind me that I don't have to just run on the treadmill of life. I can can skip, hum, even walk backwards. The routine is nice to have, but I can shake it up and add some excitement.

I should be exhausted after all of the walking, late nights, wine, back-aching shopping.... but it has given me a second wind. Thanks to the city for prying open my tired eyes and showing me some inspiration!

Easy Home Rotisserie Chicken Recipe

This is super easy and the chicken is great plain or to include in salads, pasta, other recipes that call for cooked chicken.

Whole Chicken
2 TSP salt
1 TSP paprika
1/2 TSP Onion Powder
1/2 TSP Thyme
1/2 TSP Pepper
1/4 TSP garlic powder
1 onion cut in quarters

Mix all spices together. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Rub it, inside and out, with spice mix. Put chicken in ziplock and refrigerate overnight. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees, put the chicken in a roasting pan and bake uncovered, until it reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees (Will be about 3 hours).

Tide Loads of Hope - Cool T-Shirts

Check out this link to Tide's Loads of Hope fundraiser - very cool T-shirts!

What's in the Pink?

Pink is for roses and fresh salmon and is the best color for fingernails. It is for cute baby girl bows and your first compact of blush when your mom
finally lets you wear make-up. It is the color of the metro-sexual executive's striped tie and also Pepto-Bismol and the color of what a baby's
sweet lips and new lungs must be.

Pink is good for painting your nails to make you feel pretty, but it is also the color of the sky when the sun sets on a wonderfully long summer day.

Super Fast and Easy Dinner Recipe - Spaghetti

Easy Spaghetti

As if spaghetti isn't easy enough, I make this the evening before so I can just heat it up and the boys LOVE it!!!

1 lb. ground sausage (I use mild, whatever your flavor)
8 oz. spaghetti (or your favorite pasta)
2 cups tomato juice
1 cup water

Brown the sausage in a large pot (medium/medium-high heat). Add dry pasta to the pot and cover with tomato sauce and water. Simmer on medium-low, covered, for 15 minutes.

Enjoy - YUM!

Great links

http://www.avon.com - Not just for your grandma anymore
www.southernsavers.com The best place to get advice on saving money on groceries in the Southeast
www.overstock.com Great deals with cheap shipping - we get our furniture from here.