Attempting to be a Super Mom

This is another recipe I got from Sandra at  Full Bellies, Happy Kids .  It's Trisha Yearwood's recipe for Apple Dumplings.  They are so delicious but even better, they are quick and easy. Apple Dumplings 2 apples (I used honey crisp although the recipe calls for granny smith) 1 lemon 1 cup of sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/4 tsp vanilla extract 8 canned buttermilk biscuits 4 tsp ground cinnamon Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core and slice the apples into 8 pieces each.  Squeeze the lemon into a bowl of water and add the apples.  This will keep them from turning brown. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix 1 cup of water with 3/4 cup of sugar, the butter and the vanilla. Bring the mixture to a boil. Separate each biscuit into 2 layers.  Wrap each apple slice in a biscuit layer, stretching the biscuit slightly to seal on the bottom.  Place sealed side down in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour the sugar mixture over the apple slices and mix the...

My sister told me about this recipe.  She found it on Pinterest.  It's so easy and so delicious, I can't believe it never hit me to do this.  When she makes them they at least double the amount because everyone wolfs them down.  I decided ok, I have to give them a try.  She was not lying they are easy, awesome, and my family was fighting over the last one.  I do recommend doubling or tripling the recipe depending on the amount of people eating them. Oven Tacos 1 lb ground beef, browned 1 pkg taco seasoning 1/2 can refried beans 12 taco shells grated cheese Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brown the ground beef and add the seasoning as well as any water that might be necessary with the seasoning packet.  Add the refried beans to the meat and mix well. In a 9x13 baking dish stand up your shells and spoon the meat mixture in to them.  Cover the meat mixture with grated cheese. and put in the oven for 10-12 minutes. When you pull them ...

I've been a little behind on posting recipes we've cooked and loved.  I'll try to get caught up on this today.  This recipe went so fast and the kids actually fought over the left overs.  Shawn even said it's in his top 5 recipes.  This one, like most of our favorites came from Sandra over at  Full Bellies, Happy Kids .  I did tweak it just a little to adjust for our likings.  You can see the original recipe here  or my version of it right here. My biggest regret is that I don't have a picture of this delicious meal. Amish Easy Chicken Casserole 8 oz. noodles, cooked 2 c. cooked chicken, cubed 2 c. chicken broth (can used canned) 1 c. milk 2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 c. margarine 1/3 c. flour grated Colby Jack Melt margarine, then add flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk and broth, then seasonings and a handful or so of cheese. Combine chicken, cooked noodles, and prepared sauce. P...

So last week was insane with deliveries, and unexpected errands and service calls to the house. Thankfully this week seems to be a little bit more normal, however, Shawn is out of town all week, so everything falls on me. Monday, was mostly a normal day, except that Shawn usually leaves for work at 7 or 8 ish and instead had to leave around 5:30 or 6 to catch his flight to San Francisco. I had grocery shopping that needed to be done, but I was quite sore and didn't dare brave the grocery store.  I order Jimmy Johns for the kids for dinner with hopes of an early bed time for us all.  While Shawn is away, I set the kids up with a bed on my floor so we can shut and lock the door and not have the noise from the dog of the kitchen or the cat running all over the house like crazy, keeping me up and paranoid all night long.  I just feel better when I can sit up in the middle of the night and see them sleeping. Usually when Shawn is gone, after dinner we get on pjs and retrea...

As I look outside my window::: It's cold and cloudy today.  This week is supposed to be really cold again.    Right now I am:::  Sitting on the couch with my feet up, yawning away.  The girls are lazily laying on the other couch and chair watching Doc McStuffins.    Thinking and pondering::: I have to plan a birthday party for for Sydney and I have so much to do to get ready for the baby.    On my bedside table::: Bridget Jones The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding   On my tv tonight::: I'm not really sure. Listening to::: The girls iPads playing the same thing but not at the exact same time. On the menu for this week::: Monday  - Buffalo chicken Tuesday  - Pizza Wednesday  - Spaghetti Thursday  -  Friday  -  Saturday  -  Sunday  -  On my to do list::: Dishes Folding laundry Grocery shopping Plans for this week::: Dance for Sydney Shawn's in San Francisco all week What I am ...

Well, she's not so little.  Last week, on Valentine's Day, she turned 2! Shawn was out of town for work on the 13th and the present wrapping was left to me.  I'm not a fan of wrapping.  My husband loves it, but I don't.  Oh well, Ben helped me out while the girls slept. On the morning of a kid birthday, in our house, the kids get to open a couple of presents in the morning.  This is usually an outfit and a toy, something for them to wear on their birthday and something for them to play with. Everything else waits until the evening.  Because Shawn was in a hotel in LA at the time, we called him on FaceTime so he could still watch Rylie open presents.  With today's technology, there is no reason a parent should miss out on anything in a kids life and vice versa. I even blew up a couple of balloons so the kids could play with them. Because it was Valentine's Day and Shawn was across the country until the afternoon he had flowers sent t...