Pantry Easy Goulash

Pantry meal on the fly is what I am going with. Here is one of many "wing'd" recipes to come.

I am no chef... But in my home I can whip anything together.

Here is how it came to be...

2lb ground beef browned in 1 - 10.5 oz of beef broth.

Cook a box of elbow macaroni til just about done.

Transfer meat to macaroni pot and add macaroni on top.

Add 2 - 14.5 oz cans Italian Diced tomatoes

1 - 6 oz can tomato paste

Mix till well blended.

Using tomatoes paste can add a can of water.

Mix in a 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese.

DONE...

The Color Run 2014 - Memory Frame

Memory Frame

Our first run together...memory frame is almost complete and ready to be hung in the game room.

Time to get some pictures developed to finish this off and start preparing for the next 5k.

Love my girls.

Sabrina's Birthday

My daughter's birthday has just passed.

I love making my girls at least on item for their birthday that has meaning.

This is for her car mirror to keep all that is real right there for her.

The heart with 2 beads are to resemble her love for family.

The 2 solo beads on each side of the tree are her two children (of the same tree but polar opposites)

The ribbon... her passion that also matches the tattoo on her foot.

Mom love you no matter how old you get.

Enjoy...

Cheese...!!! - January 25, 2015

We are all ready to snuggle in for the snow storm.

LET IT SNOW... LET IT SNOW... (While hunning to "Frozen")

G-ma is loving their silliness and will be preparing to make Cinnamon Cake. (Something like a HUGE Cinna-bon)

CHEEZE...!!! X 2

Counting and Alphabet Activity

Here is DixieRose setting up our first activity today for her and her sister.

We have bigger cups set up with numbers up to ten. Each cup has the numerical, alpha and dots expressing each individual number per cup.

Then we have smaller cups for the alphabets that we will practice next.

Sign Language ABC's

I found this cute little girl on this cute little channel doing all these videos in sign language.

Kendra loves dancing to music and doing things with her hands. This one I'd for you Pumpkin. Love G-ma...

This video is slow and merely teaching the ABC and some popular words that start with each letter.

ASL ABCs for kids - learn this fun song!

DIY Powder Laundry Detergent

Sorry for this quick post.

I have a request for the recipe.

I will be making a new batch for a upcoming swap. Step by step instructions will be worked at that time.

Supplies Needed:

1 - 4lb. 12 oz. Borax
1 - 4lb. Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
1 - 55 oz. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
2 bars Zote (When making for myself I use white; when making for others I use pink so they know it is there and I also know that isn't my stock.)    :)

Oxi-Clean:
For every day clothes; Not needed
For Mildly dirty clothes; 1 small container of Oxi-Clean
For Heavily dirty clothes; 2 small container of Oxi-Clean
(I use one container)

When you know you are getting low...
Shred your bars of Zote in advance of needing it. Takes minutes to do.

I lay shreds out thin. Sprinkle with baking soda.

Toss and lay flat every few days adding more baking soda as needed to help dry shredded Zote out.

When it is time to mix your batch Zote should be dry. Take your hands and crumble up as much as you can with your hands. (My teens and 21 year old enjoy doing this as if its a sandbox.)

Place crumbles Zote in a large metal strainer [Like This].

Open Borax, Baking Soda, Washing Soda boxes add a little of each to the crumbles Zote.

Put large metal strainer in larger container I use a low sided tote.

With electric beater start mixing with beaters against sides of strainer. Add more Borax, Baking Soda, Washing Soda when you see it is just Zote led tin strainer. Beat - Add - Beat - Add - Beat - Add....

At the end you will have some Zote that hasn't gone through strainer.

I used a scoop like this to save my fingers. Scrape with the bottom of scooper in to the soap. It will stick into threads of strainer. Keep scraping in that area till you are metal to metal. Do this over another area with Zote. This shouldn't take long but is the most elbow grease needed in this whole precess.

Sites We Use

Crafting:

Blitsy
Up to 70% off items. Invite and Earn program.

Kix Cookies

If you are like my family, you end up with more Kix cereal then your children could possibly eat.

With that... Here is a cookie recipe to help you open up some cabinet space while giving everyone a sweet treat.

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 cups Kix Cereal
2 cups chocolate chips

In a mixer combine all but the last 2 ingredients.

Beat until fluffy.

Add 2 remaining ingredients, mixing well.

Drop by teaspoon on cookie sheet.

Bake at 325F for 10 minutes.

Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.

ENJOY...!!!

DIY Baby Wipes

Since starting this process in our home. Oh the time and money that has been saved.

Not to mention. NO MORE DIAPER RASH. Unless from regular food allergies of course.

You will need the following supplies:

1 roll select-a-size paper towels (brands vary find your favorite)

2 cups HOT water

2 tablespoons baby oil [affiliate link]

2 tablespoons moisturizing baby wash [affiliate link]

So here we are...

Take your roll of paper towels and cut it in half.

I used a electric meat carving knife this time. But most times just grab the bread knife.

Put 1 half of your paper towel roll in to a sealable bowl [affiliate link]. 

This link takes you to the exact bowl that I use. Works PERFECT every time.

Next you will need the 2 cups of HOT water.

In the beginning I use to boil water to do this.

As fast as we go through these I find my single cup coffee maker [affiliate link] does a great fast job of it.

To your HOT water add your baby oil.

And your moisture baby wash.

Mix this up VERY well.

BE CAREFUL this can still be extremely hot.

Pour this amazingly smelling mixture onto of the actual paper towels.

Bubbles will be on top.

Air will escape.

This is all fine.

You may see a well of the mixture form down the center.

This is all perfectly fine and expected.

Slowly watch as the mixer makes its way through the entire container of paper towels.

This may take some time depending on the quality of the paper towels.

No Fret... You will find what works best for you. I have never had a batch be a failure.

While still hot and most of the mixture is throughout the paper towels, pick at the tube core.

The heat should of loosened up the glue. Making it slowly release itself.

Once you grab a hold of a pointed end of the releasing tube.

Do the little wiggle back and forth while giving just enough pull tension to let it slowly release on it's own.

LIKE MAGIC... 

All tube...!!! YOUR A PRO...!!!

How beautiful is that...

Now find a corner of that paper fowl that would otherwise be glued to the tube.

I put my finger in the hole behind the first part of the paper towel moving it front he suction power of the rest of the roll.

Slowly wiggle and pull but not to the point of ripping the paper towel sheet.

Once you have it in your grasp.

Separate it along the perforated line as you normally would.

You my friend have mastered DIY Baby Wipes.

Enjoy the freedom of the savings and the freedom of time still with family instead of shopping for WIPES.

I hope these work as well for your family as they have for mine.

French Toast Casserole

1 cup maple syrup
5 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
18 slices of bread
Cinnamon

In a 9 x 13 pan pour syrup.

Beat together eggs, vanilla, milk and salt.

Lay down 6 slices of bread evenly and sprinkle with cinnamon. Do this 2 more times.

Once all bread is in pan on top of syrup pour mixture on top. Making sure to get all top pieces wet.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning...
Preheat your oven to 350F

Bake covered for 45 minutes.

2015 Reads

1. It Starts with Food - By: Dallas & Melissa Hartwig.

January 14, 2015; Page 20

2. The Secret Garden - By: Frances Hodgson Burnett

January 14, 2015; Pulled from my to-be-read collection.

The Panel

I've been using this app called The Panel App. It's super easy to earn gift cards & cash by walking around with your phone! Check it out: http://bit.ly/1Af5O7Q

Corn Fritter Cookies

You have those little ones still use to all those Christmas Cookies.

They walk around with those sweet little voices and those eyes that make you melt.

All they keep saying is. "Cookie?".... "Cookie?...?" "Cookie? ... :("

And you want so bad to give them a cookie. But you know there is a better way.

Introducing:
Dom Dom Dom.....!!!

CORN FRITTER COOKIES...

2 boxes Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
2 eggs
4 tablespoons butter (I didn't use but you can)
1 cup milk
2 cups corn (I use frozen, but canned works just fine)
1-2 tablespoons chives
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix it all up good.

Spray cookie tray and spoon 1 tablespoon at a time.

I preheat oven to 350F and bake for 15 minutes.

My grand baby DixieRose loves cheese so I put 2 pieces of shredded cheese "x" across the top sometimes.

Enjoy...

Cast Iron Cooking for the Grandbabies

Oh the joy I see in the faces of my grandkids with every fun filled plate I create.

♡ food art ♡ grandbabies ♡

A simple cookie cutter and a medicine  siringe to do the detailed ketchup.

Horrible Start to the New Year

We are a week in to the new year.

Day number 7.

My 15 year old was sick as can be.
Then my 13 yo.

Somewhere in there the 2 babies started up with fevers.

Then their mother.

Now the past 24 hours I have lost 10.8 lbs. I never new that was possible in all my years.

Well I am back.

After almost a day not being able to eat I managed hot cocoa instead of coffee this morning and a peach instead of cereal for breakfast.

6 homemade chicken nuggets for lunch.

Wish everyone well.

Welcome 2015.