PLANNING OUR MENU

WELCOME NEW FOLLOWER, DAVID!!!  Glad you came by - and stayed.

SUNDAY - Omelet bar with almost everyone here.  (Only missing Layne :(  I tried a new breakfast cake that was o.k., but not worth it to save.  More to try and we really like the ones we use.  (Lemon Blueberry Breakfast Cake, Graham Cracker Struesal Breakfast Cake)
We went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for dinner and to celebrate some birthdays.
MONDAY - Spaghetti with marinara sauce.  Easy.  Very easy.
TUESDAY - My kidults got emails from "PLANET PLAY" with a great dinner price and play card.  It was fun.  "PLANET PLAY" is located in Draper, UT., and took over the location from a different company.  The food is MUCH better.  It has a great salad bar, many pizza varieties and several dessert pizzas that were really good.
WEDNESDAY - Roasted chicken from Sam's Club, Parmesan Baked Potatoes , broccoli
THURSDAY -  Chicken Enchiladas with left over chicken from Sam's Club.
FRIDAY -  Leslie and I came up with a fun pizza.  I will make and show it next week.  (Doug wanted left over chicken enchiladas.)
SATURDAY -  Baked macaroni and cheese with asparagus and grapes.  (We prefer the creamy mac n cheese that is returned to the pot for cheeses, and everything else.  But I still periodically try a baked one.)

I like cooking in individual dishes.

FOLLOW FRIDAY and THE CRAFT WE MADE

At (near) the last minute we decided to do a craft while the husbands were at their conference meeting on Saturday.  Hilary already had an idea, and she and Lindsay went out and picked everything up.

It was really a pretty inexpensive project, and not hard.  (We were worried that one of the supplies would be all sold out.  Like the eyeball stickers at Michael's that I am obsessed about finding, someday.) 
We had fun and were all pleased with our finished frames.  (I am making them with my sister next week.)

Hilary found the idea, and I am posting the blog where she found it on my blog roll.  She has craft tutorials, linking parties, Give A Ways, recipes, printables, and more.  I printed her Easter printable for cards.
Thank-you, A little Tipsy, for this fun idea.

Personalized Frames
from alittletipsy.com

(Only 4 things needed, and they can all be bought at Michael's)

unpainted wood frame
acrilic paint
sponge brushes
monogram tape
If you decide to do this, click on the links for her tutorial.

 

I put magnets on mine and stuck it on the fridge.


Do you like this project?  As part of my celebration for my 200th post, I will do a FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY for the wood frame and a roll of tape.  (Letter tape must be an available letter.

I am linked to A Little Tipsy's party to share what WE did with HER idea.  Thank you, A Little Tipsy.

THROW BACK THURDAY RECIPE

I was out of commission most of winter and really missed the soups and stew season.  Luckily in Utah winter and spring dance together, each taking a turn at leading.  Flowers popping up in Feb./March, and snow in May.

I got a form of this stew recipe over 25 years ago from Margie.  I have adapted and adapted it through the years.  This is where I ended up about 10 years ago.  A basic , easy and tasty stew that all of my family loves.  (I cut onions large so they can be "picked out".)

Easy Crock Pot Stew
from Margie N.

stew meat - 1-2 pounds, I like to brown mine in a skillet before putting it in crock pot

Mix all the rest in a sprayed crock pot (I like a bigger amount, but I put the smaller amount in ()
2 cans tomato soup (1 can)
3 packages DRY beef gravy (2 packages)
2 tea. beef base (or 2 beef bouillon cubes)  (1 tea. or cube)
2 1/2 cups water (1 1/2 cups water)
6-8 cups vegetables - I used 4 cups cubed potatoes, 2 cups carrots, 1 onion-cut large (3-4 cups)
browned meat

Cook all day on low (8 hours)  and on high for the last 1/2 hour to hour.

Sometimes I make dumplings.  Sometimes pot bread, biscuits, corn bread...  I saw a recipe for cream biscuits in "Relish" and decided to try them since I had everything.  I did add 1 table. sugar. 
The texture and flavour were amazing (really good).  I was disappointed in the self rising flour.  They were not as high as I hoped and thought they would be.  I also think they needed more moisture. 

CREAM BISCUITS
adapted from RELISH

2 cups self rising flour
1 1/2 cups cream
1 table. sugar

Stir just until blended.  Lightly knead on floured board.  Biscuits will become tougher the more they are worked with.Pat or roll to about 3/4 in. thickness.  Cut into biscuit rounds and place close together in greased baking dish or sheet.
Bake at 450* for about 10 mins.
Makes about 12.


(I turned the bread green for St. Patrick's Day)

I am fast approaching my 200th POST.  What shall we do to celebrate it?  Any ideas?

GIVE A WAY WINNER!

A table top photo album

Lots of My Favourite Things

I am happy to have 62 Followers.  I am especially glad to do a GIVE A WAY of some of MY FAVOURITE THINGS. 

AND THE WINNER IS...

Yep, number 54.

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS!  Email me your address and I will  mail it to you.  Do you still have my email?

WHAT I BUY WEDNESDAY!

I speak from experience.  Not mine.  One daughter (twice).  And my daughter and son (in law - a student) three times.  (The first daughter learned.  The 2nd daughter did not.)
Everyone suffers when this happens.

The problem? 
The charging cord on your computer quits/goes bad or breaks.  Whatever happens, (unless a family member has a matching one-that you can use) you are without that computer.  A new cord is easy to get, but the replacement cords start at about $50.00.

The solution?
When you order by mail (Amazon...) you can get the replacement cord starting at $3.00-with free shipping.
It is a pain to wait a week for delivery, but the savings is important.  After watching computers coming and going (and cords being left in plugs all over) I decided to have my daughter order a new cord for me when she ordered hers.  I paid $10.00 including shipping.  I wrote on the outside of the shipping envelope what computer the cord went to and put it in a zippered plastic bag, and then stored it with other extra chargers, headphones and cords. 

Your cords (and computer) will last longer if you don't let the box thing on your plug dangle.  (It puts weight on where the cord plugs into the computer.)  Allow the box thing and the computer to have ventilation so they do not over heat.  I read an idea in REAL SIMPLE magazine about using door stops under your computer to prop it up and allow ventilation.
Clean your screens (tvs and computers) with them turned off.

(I really hate it when the spring on the clamp of the curling iron goes, too.  So I am getting a curling iron to stick in the storage room.)

I am over at The Thrifty Home with this post.  Thank you for hosting.  I enjoy checking out the other ideas.

Next week I will show what I bought at IKEA, and what I did with it. I will have a Give a Way for most of the supplies so you can make it, too.

My sister is coming this week end for a visit.  She is staying for 2 weeks (fine, just over a week and a half) and we have lots planned.  We will spend some time visiting thrift stores. (read D.I.s :)
On Wednesday, 20 April,  I will tell you what I look for when I go thrift store/yard sale shopping.  Come back and see "What I buy Wednesday.

PLANNING OUR MENU

I REALLY REALLY want to thank Allison from "Next 2 Nothing Crafts" for guest posting with a Give-A-way on my blog last week.  I enjoy seeing the projects she does.  Check her blog to see who will win her cute "SPRING" blocks.  (Will put the links in later.) 
Thank you, Allison.  I enjoyed having you visit and like the projects you share.

PLANNING OUR MENU
SUNDAY - Great dinner.  I made rice bowls ("Amazing Race" is in China.)  There is a lot of prep involved.  On Sat. I pre-seasoned and (partially) cooked the beef and chicken.  I cut the red peppers, onions, green onions, broccoli and yellow squash  On Sunday I added grated carrots, cut pea pods, mushrooms, bean sprouts, canned baby corn cobs, spinach, Jasmine rice, Jasmine brown rice , long noodles (O.K. thin spaghetti ;)  peanut butter, peanuts and sesame seeds.  I also made egg rolls.  (Very big hit.)

Not baked yet.

Everyone put their veggies in a bowl and brought it to me (at the stove).  I had 2 big frying pans going.

Next they chose their oil-sesame, peanut, hot chili sesame or canola.  As it starts to sizzle I toss in the veggies.  As they start to cook, I toss in the meat.  When everything is warm and ready, I add the chosen base (rice or noodles) and stir to heat.  the last choice is the sauce.  I had 8 choices tonight.  I usually buy "WORLD HARBORS" and "PANDA EXPRESS".   I buy them when they are on sale.  (I have a master sheet of everything we need for rice bowls.  I also make notes of the sauces people like. I put the master list under main dishes in one of my cook books.)
MONDAY - Teriyaki glazed salmon (soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger-easy. Cook ugliest side up first, then turn over and add the rest of the glaze and finish baking.), sesame brown jasmine rice (stir fry left over rice in 1table. dark sesame oil, then sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.), tomatoes and cantaloupe.  (The rice side was re-purposed from Sunday.  I had a rice bowl with planned overs

TUESDAY - Sandwiches from VILLAGE BAKER.  (Our certificates that we got for cheaper than 1/2 price expire today.)
WEDNESDAY - I tried a new Taco pie type recipe.  It was barely o.k.  I am through picking recipes with intriguing ingredients.  UGH!  (One way to judge a recipe is if anyone will eat it for left overs.  Nope.)
THURSDAY - "White Chicken".  (My daughter in law named this crock pot dinner.)  This is a huge family favourite.  HUGE!  I will post the recipe in a couple of weeks.
FRIDAY - A frozen pizza for Pizza Friday.  Easy night :)  (Macey's grocery store had a special a few weeks ago.  1 frozen pizza, 2 litre of root beer and 1/2 gallon of ice cream for $5.00.  I used the root beer and ice cream for one of our basketball game days.)  (Now I know why I do not buy frozen pizzas.)
SATURDAY - SUPER NACHO/TACO BAR.  UMMM.  Must be General Conference Saturday night.  Ice cream and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.  (As well as a fun craft (more later) and a late night of Wii "Glee" and "Dance on Broadway".)

TODAY IS THE...

...LAST DAY TO SIGN UP TO WIN "SPRING" GIVE-A-WAY FROM MY GUEST BLOGGER!  
CHECK BACK AT "NEXT 2 NOTHING CRAFTS" TO SEE WHO WINS.

I will be back tomorrow with my regularly scheduled posts.  d[^o^]b

With 60+ FOLLOWERS (THANK YOU:)  I WILL DO A RANDOM.ORG DRAWING TOMORROW.