Joey's Crockpot Provencal Chicken

Williams Sonoma makes all kinds of jarred sauces and my favorite is was Provencal chicken. They no longer make it and I was so sad. So I was on my girls weekend and my pal Joey, yes she is a girl named Joey, made this dish and I was so excited because it is JUST LIKE my missing sauce!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. skinless chicken thighs boned or boneless either
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup flour
olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
1/3 cup dry red wine
14 1/2 ounces canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, halved or quartered

Directions:
1. Season the chicken with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Spread the flour on a plate, and lightly dredge the chicken in the flour
2. Coat the bottom of a skillet with olive oil and place on the stove top set to medium heat. Sear the chicken until well browned on both sides. Use additional oil as needed to prevent sticking
3. Place all browned chicken in crockpot and add the garlic, red wine, tomatoes, and olives. Cook on low for 4-5 hours
4. add the rosemary and red pepper flakes and cook an additional hour on low
5. serve with rice or linguini

Nick Jonas' Favorite Egg Casserole

This weekend I am at my friend Jen P's lake house for a girls weekend. I am so lucky to have such great friends to share, relax, and let loose with. There are 3 Jen's here so this may get confusing. Jen S. made this amazing egg casserole this morning that she got from Parade Magazine. It is Nick Jonas' Mom's recipe and I could eat the whole pan! However I am with a bunch of skinny bitches that want to actually do zumba and work out on a girls weekend so I will control myself!

Ingredients:
1 stick (½ cup) butter
10 eggs
2 egg whites
½ cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 (8-oz) cans diced green chiles
1 quart (4 cups) cottage cheese
½ cup mascarpone cheese
1 lb shredded Monterey Jack
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Place butter in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Place pan in oven until butter is melted. Pour half the butter into a small bowl and set aside.
3. Beat eggs and egg whites lightly in a large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder, chiles, all cheeses, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
4. Pour egg mixture into baking pan. Pour reserved butter evenly over the top.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until casserole is set.

Cook’s Tips:
1. You can make this dish in advance and reheat it, covered, in a 325°F oven until hot.
2. Spice things up with a dab of green chile enchilada sauce or your favorite salsa.

KITCHEN COUNTER: Serves: 12. Per Serving: 440 calories, 9g carbs, 27g protein, 34g fat, 240mg cholesterol, 730mg sodium, 0g fiber

25 Things you can Freeze

In my house we have our kitchen fridge, an upright freezer and an extra fridge in the basement. I have learned a lot about things I can freeze that make it easy to pull out and whip something up. It ain't just for peas anymore people. Some you may know but some may surprise you.

1)  Mozzarella Cheese, we make a lot of homemade pizza and like to have fresh mozzarella. Most will slice fresh mozzarella on top but it's hard to get a good consistency. I put my log of mozzarella in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes and then grate it in the food processor.
2)  Sliced American Cheese (yea like Kraft singles)and large slabs of cheese from your local warehouse store, you can slam that baby on the counter break off a piece and thaw to slice or put right in the processor to shred
3)  Sour Milk Sippy Cups, when you find a rouge sippy cup and the milk has turned to curd many times you throw it away because even after washing it you can't get the smell out, just stick it in the freezer over night and the smell will be gone!
4)  Chopped Onions Diced Green Peppers (or any other color you like)flash freeze . Just chop, spread in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and freeze uncovered. When they are frozen, quickly bag them up and flatten the bag out so you can easily break off as much or as little as you wish for recipes. This works for onions and zucchinis as well. I hear that some people even do this with strawberries and peaches
5)  Milk ( you can freeze in ice cube trays and thaw what you need for recipes)
6)  Eggs cracked into an ice cube tray for cakes and cookies
7)  Shredded chicken(cook a big batch and shred or when you get a rotisserie from the grocery shred the leftovers and put it in a bag) this is great for Enchiladas!
8)  lemon/lime juice and zest
9)  leftover stock
10) evaporated milk and half & half
11) Buttermilk (whoever uses a whole carton of that?)
12) Flour and Corn Meal, keeps the moths out!
13) Herbs of any type you can put a little water with them in an ice cube tray to pop out for soups or sauces, Fresh Ginger just pull out when you need it and grate
14) Left over waffles, pancakes and biscuits ( just put in the toast or micro)
15) Chili's of any kind diced
16) Pesto store bought or homemade
17) Garlic Cloves
18) Put your meat in a freezer bag pour in the marinade and freeze, take it out, when it's thawed it's fully marinated and ready to cook
19) Soups and Chili
20) Homemade Casseroles like Lasagna, Mac and Cheese,and enchiladas
21) Pureed Veggies to put in soups or I used to to put them in ice cube trays for baby food, when they were frozen I would pop into Ziploc bags and then just pull out what I needed to feed the baby
22) OK we all know chunks of meat but pre-made meatballs and hamburgers are good to!
23) Chocolate Chip Cookies, make your dough spoon onto cookie sheets, put in freezer when frozen put into a Ziploc bag and just pull out what you want to eat
24) Nuts
25) Veggie waste for stocks


Please share what do you freeze?

How do you Describe ADHD?

As a person with ADHD when I see my son do things I understand it. I know that it is an impulsivity. He has no control over things he does,  but very often feels bad afterwards. A perfect example is last night he and his brother were fighting over stuffed animals. Keep in mind Matthew is only 3 and Garrett is 8. Matthew starts to throw a fit and pushes his brother. Garrett irritated and over the fit impulsively slapped his brother in the face.

Now yes both kids got in trouble and Garrett felt really bad afterwards. He is not a bad child, he actually is most compassionate and won virtue of the month at his school for Kindness. I say this so those of you who say he just needs more discipline will shut up! The problem is that he really didn't have control over it. His body went faster than the common sense to stop, there was no time to "think before you act". Part of this makes my heart ache for him because he is getting punished for something that was beyond his control, while knowing that he has to be disciplined and learn.

I subscribe to a magazine that is the most wonderful resource for kids and adults with ADD/ADHD. It's called ADDitude. Today in one of there emails I received a link to a wonderful article that will explain to you AND your child about ADHD.Here is the part I really liked:

Jeremy and his parents seem tense. Jeremy, his baseball cap on backward, stares at a spot on the floor, as if he wants to be somewhere else. Mom and Dad lean forward, looking at me with anticipation and fear written on their faces.

I get to the point. "I have great news for you. We've learned a lot about you, Jeremy, and guess what? You have an amazing brain. Your brain is incredible."

Jeremy looks up, and Mom and Dad lean back a bit. "Your brain is like a Ferrari. Do you know what a Ferrari is?" Jeremy nods, smiling. "Well, your brain is like a Ferrari race-car engine. It is very powerful. With the right care, you will win many races in your life."

I pause. “But there is one problem.” Parents and son shoot looks at me. “You have bicycle brakes. Your brakes are not strong enough to control the powerful brain you’ve got. So, sometimes, you race past places where you mean to stop, or you ignore instructions you mean to hear. But don’t worry. I am a brake specialist. I will help you strengthen your brakes, so you can become the champion you are.” For the next 15 minutes, we discuss the race-car brain outfitted with bicycle brakes.

Here is a direct link to this article. It is sometimes very hard to explain to a person who does not "get it" how you can't help it. If you or your child have ADD/ADHD how do you explain it?

Homemade Febreze

I love Febreze but hate paying for it. I found this recipe so I make my own now. You won't believe how easy it is.

1 cup fabric softener
1 cup white vinegar
2 cups water

Put it in your own spray bottle or do like I do and reuse a old Febreze bottle.

Valentines Confession

Valentines Day is my least favorite holiday. I hate it....there I said it. My dislike started at a young age. I was not the hot cute girl, I was the hyperactive boy crazy chick. I would always hope for a valentine and would always have my heart broken. Now that I am married it's just as frustrating. I know my hubby loves me, why do I need a day where I have to go buy a card, do something, buy something to prove it? That is what my anniversary is for, so you will not find me doing any valentines crafts unless they are for my boys to take to class. Here are some cute things I am looking at for those

Fry Family

Design Aglow

A Small Snippet

Just A Taste

WD-40 Thousands of Uses!

Ok so before I give you all the cool uses of WD-40 here is a little history lesson.

In 1953, a fledgling company called Rocket Chemical Company and its staff of three set out to create a line of rust-prevention solvents and degreasers for use in the aerospace industry, in a small lab in San Diego, California.

 

It took them 40 attempts to get the water displacing formula worked out. But they must have been really good, because the original secret formula for WD-40_®—which stands for Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try—is still in use today.

 

Convair, an aerospace contractor, first used WD-40 to protect the outer skin of the Atlas Missile from rust and corrosion. The product actually worked so well that several employees snuck some WD-40 cans out of the plant to use at home.

A few years following WD-40's first industrial use, Rocket Chemical Company founder Norm Larsen experimented with putting WD-40 into aerosol cans, reasoning that consumers might find a use for the product at home as some of the employees had. The product made its first appearance on store shelves in San Diego in 1958.

 

In 1960 the company nearly doubled in size, growing to seven people, who sold an average of 45 cases per day from the trunk of their cars to hardware and sporting goods stores in the San Diego area.

 

In 1961 the first full truckload order for WD-40 was filled when employees came in on a Saturday to produce additional concentrate to meet the disaster needs of the victims of Hurricane Carla along the U.S. Gulf coast. WD-40 was used to recondition flood and rain damaged vehicles and equipment.

Ok so here are a bunch of uses you never thought of!

• Removes coffee stains from floor tiles (be sure to wipe floor clean after using WD-40)
• Removes marks from floors left by chair feet (be sure to wipe floor clean after using WD-40)
• Removes adhesive price tags from shoe bottoms
• Cleans black streaks from hardwood floors (be sure to wipe floor clean after using WD-40)
• Removes paint from tile flooring (be sure to wipe floor clean after using WD-40)
• Removes crayon from carpet (be sure to test WD-40 on low visibility area of carpet before using)Removes crayon from inside clothes dryers (make sure to unplug dryer first)
• Removes crayon from walls, wallpaper, compressed wood furniture, plastic, shoes, toys, chalk boards
• Removes mascara from tile floors and mirrors (be sure to wipe floor clean after using WD-40)
• Removes sticker residue from clothes (be sure to test WD-40 on low-visibility area of garment before using)
• Removes permanent ink from most items
• Removes grime from grout on bathroom floors (be sure to wipe floor clean after using WD-40)
• Removes nail polish from hardwood floors (be sure to wipe floor clean after using WD-40)
• Cleans piano keys
• Frees stuck LEGO® blocks
• Removes stubborn temporary tattoos
• Loosens stubborn zippers
• Untangle Jewelry Chains
• Removes stains from stainless steel sinks
• removes tomato stains from clothing
• Gives a kids playground slide a shine for a super fast slide
• Removes splattered grease on a stove
• Lubricates screws in Christmas tree holders
• Removes ink from blue jeans
• Keeps sewing needles from rusting
• Removes glue from carpet
• Removes rubber cement
• Removes glue from paneling
• Removes ink from hands
• Gets glue stains out of jeans
•  Keeps clay from sticking to molds during crafting
• Removes play-dough from hair
• Keeps trigger on glue gun from sticking
• Spray on glass bottles before drilling holes (to make lamps)
• Spray on poster board and let dry to provides interesting texture/base for art
• Lubricates straight pins for easier sewing of heavy fabrics
• Removes gum from floor boards and floor mats in your car
• Removes oil from hands
• Removes tar from hands
• Use the No-Mess Pen to get Christmas tree sap off ornaments
• Helps remove ketchup stains from carpet
• Cleans the grease off your stainless steel stove (I did this and it was amazing)

Ok so here is my favorite though and I am just wondering who the hell thought to try this and find out it works?

• Keeps flies off cows
• Keeps pigeons off the balcony they hate the smell (and who likes it is my question)
• A bus driver in Asia used WD-40 to remove a python, which had coiled itself around the undercarriage of his bus.
• Police officers used WD-40 to remove a naked burglar trapped in an air conditioning vent.
• As The Duct Tape Guys say, “You only need two tools in life, Duct Tape_® and WD-40. If it’s not stuck and it’s supposed to be, Duct Tape it. If it’s stuck and it’s not supposed to be, WD-40 it.”

OK so please share any uses you have for WD-40 not listed here! I would love to hear your comments.

Crockpot Mushroom Onion Porkchops

Made these last night, they are one of my favorite easy recipes!

In the bottom of a crock pot place 1-2 onions ringed or sliced. You can use white, yellow or sweet whatever you have on hand.

Then you lay the pork chops on top. I like bone in because they give the gravy more flavor , these are center cut and big.

Next pour on 1-2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, I used 2 this time, you can dump it in and leave or spread it out like I did, either way works

Serve this fall off the bone pork over rice or mashed potatoes...yummy comfort food

Recipe:

4-8 pork chops (I prefer pork chops)
1-2 Onions sweet, white, yellow
1-2 cans cream of mushroom soup

In the bottom of a crock pot place 1-2 onions ringed or sliced. You can use white, yellow or sweet whatever you have on hand.
Then you lay the pork chops on top. I like bone in, these are center cut and big.
Next pour on 1-2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, I used 2 this time, you can pour on and leave or spread it out like I did, either way works
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3.

Breakfast Boogie

OK so tonight I am sitting on the sofa while the boys watch Phineas and Ferb. I am seeing losts of cresent roll recipes on Pintrest and so I go to Pillsbury.com to see what they have. Not much that looked good but I found this:

Really?

OK I have to say the best ever flashmob scene is from Modern Family

It really is the best! So now I will share my favorite Pillsbury Crescent Roll recipe

Breakfast Pigs

2 cans crescent rolls

1 package of link sausage

Kraft american singles

You roll one COOKED sausage and 1/2 of a Kraft Single folded on the diagonal to fit the crescent shape and put on a baking sheet. Cook till the crescent roll is browned serve with eggs for breakfast much better than using a hotdog!

Here is another one I tried and liked from The Adventures of Kitchen Girl 

Easy Cheese Danish

Here is another that looks really good that I have not tried but intend to from Six Sisters Stuff

Easy Blackberry and Cream Cheese Danish

And YES I have a thing about Cheese Danish. My friend Jackie from South Africa is one of the best bakers I know and used to make the BEST cheese danish. She no longer lives here and I long for hers made with homemade pastry but alas I am stuck with crescent rolls....

Confusion over Communion

So my first child, Garrett, has always been hysterical. Many friends have said I should write this stuff down, well who the hell has the time for that? Not me.
Until now! So I will at times post things from both my boys that make me laugh. The most recent came from my son Matthew. After my husband and I were married I converted to Catholicism. I grew up Southern Baptist and you might think this was a big jump but not really. The only really hook for me was the Communion as reality vs. a representation. Matthew however has become totally fascinated with communion. For those of you that are not familiar, we as catholics believe that when the wine and bread are prayed over by our priest it actually becomes the blood and body of Christ not a representation.
OK now that you've had your catholic tutorial I'll get to the feakin point....whenever we go to mass Matthew is always saying "Daddy, you drink the blood?" (pronounced with a great southern accent of bluuud) "Yes Mattie" , "Mommy you drink the blood?"," Yes Mattie"
So the other day we are driving home and we pass our parish, he sees the church and of course says "Momma you drink the blood?", "Yes Mattie", "Well.. you need to eat a little Jesus"
How right you are little man, how right you are!

How to Coral Gloves and Mittens

I don't know about you but we always have gloves, hats, and scarves hanging out of every backpack, coat pocket, and car floorboard. There never seemed like a good place to put them and we were forever losing one glove.
The other problem I have with 3 boys is that they never would end up where they should go even when there was a place to put them because it wasn't convenient.
I have a solution!

I got an old drink bucket from my basement

I just dumped every hat, glove and scarf I could find into it.
Then I got out my Cricut and went into the Cricut Craft Room this is a free software you can download that will link your Cricut to your computer to make laying your cuts out much easier. I cut out the words with my Jasmine cartridge and then cut out mittens with one of my Christmas cartridges. The mittens I cut out of a cute paper and then put them through the Xyron to make them into stickers.

I put it right next to the coat rack that hangs right inside our garage door, so you hang your coat, throw your gloves, hats and scarves into the bucket and they ready and waiting when you need them again!  I know I'm so damn smart...OK well not really just desperate for one less thing to have to pick up!

6 Months of Laundry Detergent for less than $20

So at 3:00 this morning I awoke with my sick 3 year old kicking me in the back of the head. Once I am awake my ADHD brain is running at top speed and I cannot go back to sleep. So I got out my IPad and got on Pintrest. This is the best thing ever invented! I LOVE YOU PINTREST!!! So I found this pin:

Since I had to go to the store to get a prescription filled I picked it all up at the grocery store came home, put it together and tried it out.

1 4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz) found in the detergent isle

1 4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (1.81 kg) found in the cooking isle

1  box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz) found in the detergent isle

3 bars of Fels-Naptha soap, found in the detergent isle

2 small containers of Oxy Clean or store brand Oxy Clean (try to get about 3.5 lbs total (1.58 kg)) found in the detergent isle.

(this is optional, I added it into mine because I have pretty messy kids and the cleaner the better)

(you can also use pink Zote soap instead of Fels-Naptha. I had really wanted to but could not find it anywhere) **Update: My sister found pink Zote soap at Home Depot**

You should be able to find all of these items at your grocery store.

**Use 1-2 Tablespoons per load. I know that does not seem like enough but this recipe does not have fillers like the store bought detergent so you only need 1-2 Tablespoons.** 

Awsome! I had a large jar similar to hers so all the powder fit in that one jar. I used a big gumbo pot lined with a bag to mix it. Now to the Cricuit to Make a cute label!


1-15-11 Update - Here is my Jar with Label, and can I just say my laundry has never smelled so good!

Chili and My Other Favorite Soups

In the Winter I LOVE soups of all kinds. My hubbies favorite is my Chili. This was the first meal I cooked for my in laws when we were dating. I don't think I have ever been able to get it that hot again but the poor things just sat and skimmed off the top while downing water trying to be nice. Some like it hot and some not. If you don't like it hot leave out the roasted pablano and use the mild Rotel tomatoes. After my recipe enjoy some links to some of my other faves!

Everyone needs a little reminder!

If you read about me or my dudes you know that Garrett and I suffer from ADHD. Yesterday I was watching Ellen and she had Howie Mandel on. She asked him a question about something he wanted to tell her and he said I couldn't tell you, I can't remember I have ADHD. One of the worst habits I have is interupting people because I have to get it out before I forget it. This is so very common with ADHD and it's not that we are being rude we are impulsive and can't help it. Then he went on to say that when he does remember what it was, it will be later and it will have nothing to do with anything they are talking about at the time. I can see inside his head as he is sitting there thinking now what was it, I can't believe I can't remember, ok what was it. Our minds are in constant motion and it is exausting.

But Miss Information has found something to help.In trying to make Garrett more responsible for himself in the mornings (and so I can quit saying 10 times did you brush your teeth? Are you dressed yet?) I found this watch which comes in black or white called the Watchminder 3

Inventor Dr Laurence Beckner is a licensed Child Phsycologist. This watch has vibrating alarms that can remind you of everything from brushing your teeth, handing in your homework, taking meds, or even taking a deep breath. Now we don't have to bog our minds down so much with trying to remember all the little things and can focus on the rest. It has taken the worry and frustration out of our mornings. It is the best money I have ever spent.

Tired of carrying everyones crap up the stairs

Have you ever noticed that men in particular can walk by an item on the stairs 10 times and never see it? Heaven forbid they stoop over and pic something up to take up the stairs. My husband claims that  it is in the male genes to not notice stuff like that. Humph!
So as I was cruising Pintrest ( I love you Pintrest) I found this inspiration from Karen at Sew Many Ways her blog is great and packed with lots of good stuff:

First I went to the Container Store and found these, They are a wire frame and the wicker is made of plastic so they will be great for destructive little boys! Click on the pic for a link to buy these:

So I called my mom and she had THIS in her closet and said I could borrow it. SCORE a laminator brand new in the box.

So I went to my computer and created these on Excel (I would love to say I am that knowledgeable on the computer but I learned how to do this here at IheartOrganizing Jen has great ideas and printables, I will be doing the school binder sometime this year.

And then I got out my new toy and laminated them using business card lamination pouches

Once I cut them out, I punched a hole in the top and put a binder ring through it to attach it to the basket. This is what I got!

I think Mattie already likes his!

New Years Eve Cheezy Heaven

Happy New Year 2012 everyone! May you be blessed this next year!
So yesterday my hubby and I were lucky enough to have my parents call and offer to take the kids for the night! Yippeeeee!
We had already made plans to go have dinner and spend the night at another couples house so now we got to do it without kids! Happy New Year to me!
They asked me to bring an appetizer so I got online and found THIS!!!!!!!!! Well actually I found the book pic and this below is the one I made!

Baked Fontina

Turns out I actually owned the cookbook....imagine that... let me explain,  one of my friends calls me a cookbook whore because I have never met one I didn't want to buy!

• 
  
• Recipe
• 1 1/2 pounds Italian Fontina cheese, rind removed and 1-inch-diced
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 crusty French baguette

Directions

Preheat the broiler and position the oven rack 5 inches from the heat.

Distribute the cubes of Fontina evenly in a 12-inch cast-iron pan. Drizzle on the olive oil. Combine the garlic, thyme, and rosemary and sprinkle it over the cheese and olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and place the pan under the broiler for 6 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and starts to brown.

Serve the baked Fontina family-style-right out of the oven in the cast-iron pan with crusty chunks of bread for everyone to dip.

So it took mere minutes to make and only 6 minutes under the broiler. The smell of cheesy garlic was unbelievable and can I just say I felt a little closer to God eating this, they must serve this in heaven. Actually I compared it out loud with my lack of filtering to be as good as an "O".

Our friends Julie and Spin are wonderful and we are so lucky to have them in our lives. Spin and my husband have definitely developed a bromance. Soon I will be sharing the spaghetti sauce we had for dinner along with the FRESH pasta my hubby made with his new pasta machine!