Where Dreams Come True

I don't think I ever wrote about William and Daniel's big Christmas surprise. We were trying to minimize the amount of 'stuff' they got for Christmas. Because they have too much and don't play with half of it. Because space is limited these days. And because we're working towards a more simplified lifestyle. There are other reasons as well, but those were the main ones.

Daniel & William wearing their Harry Potter scarves
Aren't they great? My cousin & aunt have an Etsy shop
and this is just one of many cool items they sell.


We've also been wanting to take them to Disney World. We wanted them to be old enough to remember the trip, but young enough to still really appreciate and enjoy it. So we decided that would be their big Christmas gift. Way bigger than we'd normally give because let's face it: the Mouse is all about the green. But it doubles as a vacation so it worked out well!

We leave for Disney soon. I cannot wait! We'll spend one day at each of the four parks. And we'll have some much-needed time away, just the four of us. No work. No school. No extra responsibilities. Just making memories.

In preparation, the boys have been watching some Disney movies. Since they have only been in America a short time, they aren't thatfamiliar with all the Disney characters. They know the guys from Cars and Toy Story, and they love Lilo & Stitch (side note: I think Daniel and Stitch have a lot in common). So we borrowed lots of Disney classics from some sweet friends, and we've been giving them a crash course on characters and plots.

Watch for more in the next couple of weeks, as I share about our Disney adventures!

In the Kitchen: Part 2

UPDATED 2/10: I updated the ranch chicken pasta based on my experience with it last night, including a shot of it (just before it was finished off - everyone seemed to like it!)

I got some encouraging feedback on the last recipe post, so I've decided I might start posting recipes a little more often. Particularly those that are easy and kid-approved! As I start doing this, I'll try to remember to take pictures of our actual dinners, so I'm not having to share other people's photos with you!

This week, I took the crockpot once again. I had two recipes involving cubed or shredded chicken, so I decided to handle the chicken for both at one time. (Next time, I might try to come up with more than two recipes needing shredded chicken because it was really nice to have the chicken ready to go for more than one meal!)

I started with 6 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, and a little water. Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours, or until the chicken will shred easily. Shred the chicken, add a bag of frozen 3 pepper & onion blend and some garlic (plus any other seasonings you like), and cook on high for about an hour.

I dumped half of the chicken into a collander to drain. I drained all but an inch or two of the liquid from the chicken remaining in the crockpot. Added a packed of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (I used store brand), stirred, and left on low for a while longer. Turned off, and placed the ranch chicken in a sealed container in the fridge for another night.

The mexican chicken is always a hit. I'm actually making the ranch chicken tonight, so the verdict is still out on it.

Recipe 1: Mexican Chicken
I wish I could remember where I got this recipe. It's really good, and really easy. Mix together two cans of cream of chicken soup, 1 can of chili (I had homemade chili left from Super Bowl Sunday, so I used it), 1 cup of salsa, and 1/2 cup of diced onion. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Line bottom with tortilla chips. Top with half of soup/chili mix, then half of the chicken, then 1 cup of grated monterrey jack cheese (or any other cheese you prefer). Repeat layers: chips, remaining soup mix, remaining chicken, and finish with another cup of cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly. I served it with some mexican style rice. It's also nice to put out sour cream, salsa, and jalapenos as toppings.

Recipe 2: Cheesy Ranch Chicken Pasta

This is based on Cheesy Chicken Ranch Lasagna by Rachelle from "Mommy? I'm Hungry" http://mommyimhungry.blogspot.com
So Rachelle's recipe is for lasagna, but I'm changing it up. Why? Well, regular pasta doesn't require cutting, so it's easier for kiddos. And I always have half-used boxes of pasta sitting around that need to be finished off!



I am NOT good at remembering to take pictures.
This was just before the last of it was scooped up!

 Take the ranch chicken from the fridge. Set aside.
In a saucepan, combine 2 cans evaporated milk and 1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (Rachelle says do not use the dip mix!). Oops, I was out of HVR dressing mix! Yes, it was already in the chicken, but I really wanted another packet in the sauce. And turns out, I needed that packet in the sauce. My sauce did not thicken like it should. I tried adding parmesan cheese and some other spices, but it just didn't work.
Bring milk & dressing mix almost to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer about 25 minutes, until thickened, stirring often.
Cook pasta till ALMOST done (it will cook more in the oven). Drain. I used penne pasta.
Combine pasta, chicken, and sauce, and stir in 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup mozarella cheese. Place in a greased rectangular baking dish. Top with 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup mozarella cheese. I ended up mixing then chicken & cheese together. Then I dumped the noodles in the pan, topped them with the chicken & cheese, poured the milk/sauce over that, and topped with the extra cheese. I like the layers.
Baked at 350 for 20 - 30 minutes. As you would with lasagna, let rest (10 - 15 min) before serving.
So since the sauce didn't thicken enough, my dish was a little soupy. We just poured off the excess milk/sauce, and it was still really good.

Marriage Predictors

My awesome friend Deanna is writing a series on Marriage Predictors on her blog right now. Deanna is a talented writer, and a gifted communicator. If you have a few minutes, hop on over and read. If you don't think you have a few minutes, find a few minutes, and hop on over and read. It's good. It's practical. It's real.

She's posted four parts so far.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

In the Kitchen: Part 1

I really enjoy cooking. Don't get confused: NOT baking. Cooking. Honestly, it sometimes serves as my therapy. I get to be creative while doing something useful. I enjoy making things for my family. Sometimes I get the added bonus of having a helper. The two little guys tend to slow the process, but most of the time that's okay, and it's good practice for reading, math, and following directions. (when they first came home, it was also a great way to work on language/vocabulary) The hubby tends to add an extra 'kick' to whatever it is we're cooking, which is always fine by me! I like attempting to recreate dishes we enjoyed at restaurants. I'm always looking for new recipes and ideas.

I don't know if I have ever shared recipes on our blog before, but I thought I might start sharing some of our favorites from time to time.

I recently jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon. I've tried two recipes so far that I found on Pinterest, and both were great. This past Friday was white chicken enchiladas. Yum. As I've never been one to follow directions or recipes to the 'T', I plan to do some modifications and come up with my own take on this. Once I do, I'll try to share it here.

The other recipe was really good as well. It comes from The Larson Lingo blog (check it out here). I like easy. I like slow cooker. So this was one I just had to try. But of course, I made some modifications!

I placed a 3-pound bag of frozen chicken tenderloins in the slow cooker (thaw the chicken first to avoid any yuckies!!). Topped that with a can of black beans & a can of corn (both drained) and a can of ro-tel tomatoes (undrained, and mild because of those that don't like spicy stuff, aka whimps). On top of that I placed a package of low-fat cream cheese. Covered and cooked on low for about 6 hours.


Photo by Mel at The Larson Lingo

 

After 6 hours, I removed the lid and pulled the chicken apart, then mixed everything together. Then Zack an I decided to add a package of taco seasoning and a bag of frozen onions/3-pepper blend (I love buying these because they're already sliced up, and great to add towards the end of a recipe for color & flavor). I turned the slow cooker to high and cooked another couple of hours.

We served it with nachos, flour tortillas, and crunchy taco shells, as well as cheese, salsa, lettuce, and sour cream. Everyone loved it, and it made A LOT. There were eight of us eating it, and still lots of leftovers

My plan next time is to leave the taco seasoning out the first night and serve it over rice. Then add the taco seasoning and serve it wit the shells, chips, etc. the second night.


I've recently been reading some tips for using a crock pot/slow cooker. Here are a few that might be useful. First, don't remove the lid during cooking! Every time you take the lid off, you need to add about 20 minutes of cooking time. Don't add too much liquid. Slow cookers are designed so that there won't be the level of evaporation you have with other cooking methods, so you could end up with soggy food. Also, add things like tomatoes towards the end to retain texture and flavor (I don't always follow this one, like in this particular recipe).