Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Chili bean burgers with cheese


He hadn't had this in a long time. The great thing about this sandwich, is that it is usually kind of messy & some of the mixture falls out of your bun while you are eating. What's good about this is, you serve it with french fries, so you also have chili chese fries! WOOT!
Chili Bean Burgers with Cheese
1.Brown between 1 and 2 pounds of hamburger with 1 chopped onion. Drain. Return meat to skillet. (I like to wipe all the grease out of the skillet.)
2. Add 1 cup of water to the skillet & 1 package of Brooks Chili mix. (in the envelope)
3. Add 1 large can Brooks Chili Hot (or Mild) Beans.
4. Stir to combine & simmer a few minutes.
5. Serve on buns with shredded cheese.....and don't forget the fries! lol

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Monday, January 21, 2008

KFC Cole Slaw


I found this recipe over at Top Secret Recipes.
I just had to try it as my family LOVES KFC cole slaw.
And it was a HIT!
We all really liked it, & everyone thought it tasted just like KFC's cole slaw.
And it went PERFECT with Ashley's Chicken!
The recipe can be found here.

Ashley's Chicken


I got this recipe from Ashley over at wah about a year ago. She said this is the way her grandmother used to make it & is her favorite way to have chicken. I have to say it is probably my favorite too.
The directions are easy.
Let chicken soak in buttermilk for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Drain the milk & dip each piece of chicken into an egg. Then coat in crushed cornflakes.
Place on a cookie sheet & drizzle with melted butter & bake until done.
In the above picture, I used 2 packages of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I cut them into pieces that are bigger than nuggets, maybe more like 'chicken strips'.
We really like this! And last evening I served it with homemade KFC cole slaw.
SO GOOD!
THANK YOU ASHLEY!!!!!

Friday, January 18, 2008

MP3 Player

Oh my goodness, look what 5 Minutes for Mom is giving away now!
I hope I win, I don't have an mp3 player!

The Insignia® - Pilot 4GB Video MP3 Player with Bluetooth Technology is on sale at Best Buy for $109.99 and includes these features and more:
Plays music, videos and photos
Built-in Bluetooth wireless audio
Built-in FM RDS tuner (shows Song and Artist)
2.4″ wide viewing angle display
Easy set-up, CD ripping and audio/video synch with included software
and more…

Thanks to Best Buy & 5 Minutes for Mom for this contest!
I hope I win, I hope I win, I hope I win, I HOPE I WIN!



Baby Steps Challenge

I'm a few weeks late getting this post up. This challenge ended at the end of December.
This was my first reading challenge & I really enjoyed it.
My books were
1. Ben Hur by Lew Wallace (
wrote about it here)
2. Christy by Catherine Marshall
3. A Man Called Peter by Catherine Marshall

I really enjoyed all three books. Ben Hur was hard to get started & keep on it in the beginning, but turned into a beloved book. I will read it again.
Christy & A Man Called Peter I had read before & both of them are beloved books to me.
It was funny, that in the middle of this challenge I also read The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers. I read it between Christy & A Man Called Peter, & all three books had the common thread of Scotland. In The Last Sin Eater, the ancestors were from Whales & Scotland. It took place in the same (or near) mountains as Christy, only about 30 years earlier. In Christy, their ancestors were from Scotland & there was some Scotish history in it along with a character that was very Scotish. And Peter Marshall was an immigrant from Scotland who became a very beloved preacher here in America. I have wondered if Catherine Marshall patterened Dr.Neil McNeil in Christy after her own husband Peter.
I enjoyed this challenge & hope to enter more.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Pedal Car

5 Minutes for Mom is having another great give-a-way!
Look at this!



The ladies that run that site have two on-line stores:
Pedal Cars & Retro Collectables and

A Rocking Horse to Love

We actually got our 5 year old son a Big Wheel for his birthday from Pedal Cars & Retro Collectables. It is great! I really hope we could win this! I can just see him zoomin' around in it!

You can enter this contest at 5 minutes for mom.









Beg, Borrow, or Steal


I have joined the newest reading challenge over at The Nattie Challenge.
I picked the book Prince Caspian by C.S.Lewis. We love the Chronicles of Narnia.
I started reading them to dd when she was 6 or 7 & she read them again on her own a few years later.
We enjoyed the movie that was made of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe so much, & we are really looking forward to the movie release of Prince Caspian this year!
I know this book is an easy & quick read, but it fits this challange since dd loaned me her copy of Prince Caspian so I could re-read it before the movie comes out. And since it is a quick read, I have already finished.
I enjoyed reading it again so much. I smiled & grinned through so much of this book. And I giggled out loud quite a few times. I had to explain to ds why I was laughing, so I read out loud to him the part where Bulgy Bear is telling Peter that he wants to be one of the marshals during the duel between High King Peter & Miraz. The dwarf Trumpkin is having a fit not wanting the bear to be one of the guards. He tells Peter, "He's a good creature, but he'll shame us all. He'll go to sleep & he will suck his paws. In front of the enemy too." LOL
But this being a 'marshal for the list' was always the right of bears in old Narnia, so he was allowed to do so. And he sucked his paws. LOL I laughed. I think I may have even held the book close to me as I giggled, & gave it a little hug. This is just the book I needed to read after the ruckus that went on in our lives last week.
Our son just turned 5, & is just not quite ready to sit & listen to a chapter book being read to him. But he will be soon, & I cannot wait to start reading The Chronicles of Narnia to him!

Saturday, January 12, 2008

McDonald's Big Mac Sauce

I don't have a picture of this, but it is very good & it DOES taste like that special sauce on a Big Mac, so I wanted to share. I got the recipe more than 5 years ago from Top Secret Recipes.
It's a good thing I printed a copy, because I have searched on that site in order to link to it, & I can't find it.
It is said in the into to the recipe that the special sauce is basically a typical thousand island dressing. But, this clone comes closer to the origional special sauce because it has a bit more sweet pickle relish in it than the typical thousand island dressing...and, it uses a bit of French dressing. Just adding ketchup won't do the trick in this sauce.
You can use this to make a Big Mac clone, or just use it on your next hamburgers.
It's good.

Top Secret Recipes version of McDonald's Big Mac Sauce
("Special Sauce")
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 T. French dressing
4 t. sweet pickle relish
1 T. finely minced white onion
1 t. vinegar
1 t. sugar
1/8 t. salt

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well.
2. Place sauce in a covered container and refrigerate for several hours, or overnight, so that the flavors blend. Stir the sauce a couple of times as it chills.
Makes about 3/4 cup.

I reccomend making this at least the night before. Having it chill just a few hours isn't enough time. I did this once. I thought it smelled too 'vinegary' & when I taste tested it I felt it was good, but too 'vinegary'. Having said that....it was still really good on our hamburgers & everyone raved about it.
So if you like the special sauce on Big Macs, give this a try. You'll like it!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Sunday, January 6, 2008

CROCKPOT LASAGNA



Crockpot Lasagna
8 Lasagna noodles
1- 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 large jar of ragu, prego, or your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 C. cottage cheese
2 C. mozzarella cheese, grated
You can also add any, all, or none of the following according to your taste:
1 t. parsley flakes
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. dried basil
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Break lasagna noodles into bite size pieces & cook in boiling water until tender but firm. Drain.
Fry ground beef with the diced onions in skillet until browned, drain.
Into the crockpot add the cooked noodles, cooked beef, spaghetti sauce, cheeses, and the rest of the ingredients.
The recipe I have says to cook on low in crockpot for 7-9 hours....but that is WAY too long. All of the ingredients are already cooked. You only need to cook this a few hours. I usually put in on high for about an hour, then turn to low for 2 hours or so.

This is so good served with garlic bread & cottage cheese. And it's one of those dishes that has left overs that are even better the next day.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Minty


This is why I still feel minty:

And, I'll be making the Creme de Menthe cake tomorrow too.
I feel minty.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY


Books I've read in 2007

Ben Hur by Lew Wallace
Bible
Blink By Ted Dekker
Can't Wait to get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg
Christy by Catherine Marshall
Coming Attractions by Fannie Flagg
Culture Warrior by Bill O'Reilly
Discovering God's Stars by Lester E. Showalter
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg
Godless by Ann Coulter
Here, There be Dragons by James A. Owen
House by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker
Left Behind by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Monster by Frank Peretti
My Antonia by Willa Cather
Next Door Savior by Max Lucado
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
One of Ours by Willa Cather
Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti
Standing in the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg
The Apostle: A Life of Paul by John Pollock
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
The Kingdom of God: A guide for Old Testament study by Francis Breisch, Jr.
The Rapture by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins
The Regime by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins
The Rising by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins
The Visitation by Frank Peretti
This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti
Three by Ted Dekker
Tilly By Frank Peretti
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Traveling Light by Max Lucado
Tribluation Force by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins
Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! By Fannie Flagg

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

5 Minutes for Mom

Hey,
There's going to be give-a-ways every day through Jan. 9 over at 5 Minutes for Mom.
You might win something! Maybe I'll finally win something.....lol