Sweet Simplicity!

In my desire to simplify, I have been trying to reuse things for a different purpose.  In this case, it's orange juice containers.  I don't drink juice because it has too much sugar in it, but I know other people do.  In this case, it is my mother.  I asked her to save her orange juice carton for me.  She saved two of them because they were different sizes.  I cut the the top section off and now I use them to hold bags for me to pour things into.  As you can see, the top was not cut off perfectly in a Martha Stewart fashion.  I'm trying to get away from the perfection thing too.  It causes too much stress and I don't need any more than what I already have.  As a matter of fact, I'd like to get rid of it too, but that's another story for another time.  Back to the OJ cartons.  It's hard to put left over soup in a bag to freeze without another person standing there holding the bag open.  The big one is good for gallon sized ziploc bags and the smaller one is good for the quart sized bag.  Just put the bag in the container and fold the sides of the bag over the edges of the juice container.  TA-DAA!  Today I put a gallon bag in the bigger one and poured in chocolate chip banana muffin mixture.  That recipe is already on the blog.  I zipped the bag closed, squeezed out the air, snipped the corner off the bag, and squeezed the mixture into the cups of the muffin pan. I will NEVER spoon cupcake or muffin batter into the cups again!!!!!  It was not messy in any way and then I just threw the bag away.  I know.  I am a simple person.  It's the small things that make me happy!  Ahhh!  Sweet Simplicity!

A Bunch of Randomness

Wow!  It's been a while since I've posted anything!  Life has been CRAAAAZY.  School has ended and I'm on summer break now ... a MUCH needed summer break.  Next year I will be teaching 3rd grade.  This was not my decision.  I loved teaching 2nd grade and I loved the people I worked with.  However, the forces that be felt I should be in 3rd grade. In the mean time, I get to sleep in, eat when I want, go to the bank during the day, run errands when I want, and best of all, go to the bathroom whenever I choose!  Yes, summer is good!

On a happier note, my beautiful, amazing, smart, sweet granddaughter turned 4 years old last week.  I love her so much!!!!  It's hard to believe she's already 4! She loves her family and friends, singing, drawing, church, and so much more.

I have also found the most miraculous thing around!  Essential Oils!  Have you heard about them?  They are natural and have been around for thousands of years.  They are used to add in healing so many ailments from bug bites to pneumonia!  They kept my husband out of the hospital a couple of months ago, helped clear up a sinus infection I had, helped co-workers with plantar fasciitis and headaches, drove mosquitoes away, and many other things.  You ca eve cook with some of them!!  Let me know if you are interested in learning more.  I'd love to share what I know with you!

I went to the grocery store this morning and the people passing out samples were there.  One of the samples was salmon with a mango salsa.  I thought the lady would have a recipe to pass out, but she didn't.  The lady told me how she fixed it and I ran around the store picking up what she said she used.  I made it for dinner tonight and I must say it was pretty good!

Salmon with Mango Salsa

1 diced mango

Pepper to taste

½ fresh lime squeezed
2 drops doTERRA Lime essential oil

Olive oil

Salmon

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate.  Put the salmon on a baking sheet and cook at 425 degrees for 25 min.  Top with salsa and cook for 10 – 15 more minutes.

The sample lady said you could add jalapenos if you'd like, but I don't care for jalapenos so I didn't include them.

This post was a little bit of everything.  I'll try to stay focused more on one topic next time. 

TGIF

I never thought Friday would get here this week.  It has been a LOOOOONG week!  Hubby was out of town and I was busy with different things.  He got back home this afternoon, so everything can fall back into place now.  I brought chicken home for dinner, but didn't know how I wanted to prepare it.  I went through some recipes and found one I don't think I ever tried.  It was easy, quick, and very tasty!  Perfect for a Friday night!

Chicken Nacho Bake

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz. each)

1/2 cup  chunky salsa
2 drops of doTERRA Cumin essential oil

1/4 cup fat free sour cream

1/2 cup  crushed corn tortilla chips

1/2 cup 2% Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese 

Preheat oven to 400ºF.  Place chicken in a baking dish. Slice three cuts on top of each chicken breast with sharp knife.  In a bowl, mix salsa and sour cream.  Sprinkle the top of the chicken with the crushed tortilla chips.  Evenly spread salsa mixture on top of the chips.  Bake the chicken for 20 min. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Bake for  an additional 10 min.

Lazy Day Recipe

Today was a lazy, lay around kind of day.  I enjoyed every minute of it too.  Too bad I have to go back to work tomorrow.  I could do this all the time.  This is the perfect recipe for a lazy day.  You put everything in one pot to cook so you only have one pot to clean up.

I tried to take a picture, but my camera battery was dead.  Dang!

Chicken Zucchini Mushroom Pasta

4 ½ cups of water

1 lb mushrooms

2 Tb. minced garlic

1 cup of peas, frozen

Italian Seasoning to taste

2 zucchini, sliced

1 lb. spaghetti or fettuccini (I used whole grain)

salt and pepper to taste

½  cup milk

2 Tb. butter

2 tsp. flour

1/3 cup Parmesan, grated

1 diced chicken breast, if desired

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, combine spaghetti, mushrooms, zucchini, peas, garlic, Italian seasoning, and 4 1/2 cups water; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is cooked thoroughly and liquid has cooked out, about 10 - 14 minutes. Mix milk, butter, and flour.  Stir in Parmesan and milk mixture.

Add chicken, if desired.  Mix well.

 

What is Heavy Cream?

Have you ever gone to the store and looked for Heavy Cream?  I have.  I couldn't find it.  It must go by another name.  I did discover that whipping cream is NOT the same as heavy cream.  I went online and found this recipe.  It sounds easier to make your own than go to the grocery store and buy it.

Heavy Cream Substitute

3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter

Melt the butter.  Pour it into the milk, and stir until blended.

Tip: If you use low-fat milk, add a tablespoon of gluten free flour to the mixture to thicken.
          Makes 1 cup of heavy cream.

Oh, Bananas!

I found this recipe on another person's blog and made a couple of changes.  She was using some types of flour I had never heard of.  I'm sure that using those types of flour are just as good and probably healthier, but I wasn't going out tonight to try and locate them.  We have had some snowy, sleety, rainy weather today and getting out tonight did not rank high in the things I needed to do.  These muffins are SO GOOD!!!  A couple of months ago, I had some bananas I didn't use.  I sliced them up, put them in ziploc bags, and put them in the freezer.  They worked GREAT!  I squished them up in the bags before putting them in the mixture.  So ... if you have some bananas that are going bad, don't throw them away!  Slice them up and put them in the freezer so you can use them later!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 cups of self - rising flour
3 over ripe bananas
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1/4 cup of almond milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup of milk chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix first 5 ingredients together.  Mix well.  Add in chocolate chips.  Spoon into muffin tins.  Bake for  15-18 minutes until golden brown.  Cool completely and store in the refrigerator.

This one is so Versatile!

I wanted something new for dinner the other night and a friend (Thanks Suzanne!) told me about a recipe she found on Pinterest. It's good, easy, and delicious.  We ate it over rice the first night, made burritos with it another night, and then I ate it over a salad for lunch.  Just thinking about it makes me want it again!

Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chile

2 frozen chicken breasts
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can corn kernels, do not drain
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix
1 Tb. cumin or 3 drops doTERRA cumin essential oil
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese

Cook in a crock pot for 6- 8 hours.  Stir a couple of times during the day. 

Before serving, use 2 forks to shred the chicken up. Stir again.

Serve over rice.