Polka Dots & Picket Fences

Father's Day Deal

2010-05-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

Awesome Father's Day Deal ...I made three Father's Day cards for $1.01 !

http://www.forthemommas.com/?s=shutterfly

Freebies !

2009-11-25T20:54:00.000-08:00

You can order 50 free 4x8 photo cards using the coupon code freebies4mom-1109 (type in that code) at SeeHere by Fujifilm. Due to high demand for this offer, they are now charging shipping & handling. You can get your 50 photo cards for $3.19 shipped. Or you can order 10 additional cards to qualify for free shipping to get 60 photo cards for $4.90 shipped. I'm able to bring it exclusively to my Freebies 4 Mom readers thanks to SeeHere. This coupon code expires on November 30.

I did this !!

Homemade

2009-11-18T15:42:00.000-08:00

Super Cute Homemade gift ideas !

http://www.livinglocurto.com/2009/11/easy-diy-christmas-gifts-with-free-printables/

http://www.nofussfabulous.com/

Pumpkin Carving Alternatives

2009-10-24T15:49:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin push-ins !

You can get a pack that makes four pumpkins at Wal-Mart for $3.50.

Apple Harvest

2009-10-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

It's apple season, and our new trees gave us a modest, but delicious crop of apples this fall. There's nothing like a homegrown apple...they put those store-bought ones to shame!

Digital Scrapbooking

2009-10-15T20:07:00.001-07:00

I made this on Smile Box, you can put them on your Face Book account, your Blog and you can have them printed into scrapbook pages. It is very simple ! www.Smilebox.com

Classic Shepherd's Pie

2009-09-28T16:40:00.000-07:00

2 large potatoes, peeled & cut into 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup fat free sour cream

1 tbsp butter or margarine

2 tsp olive oil

1 bag mixed veggies

1 lb ground turkey (or beef)

3 Tbsp all-purpose flower

1 Tbsp rosemary, fresh or 1 tsp dried

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cups canned chicken broth, or beef broth

Preheat oven to 400

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover potatoes. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes, add sound cream, butter / margarine, mash until smooth, season to taste and salt, set aside.

Meanwhile, cook ground meat until browned, add bag of frozen veggies; cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add flour, rosemary, thyme, salt & pepper, stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a simmer; simmer until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.

Transfer turkey mixture to a 9-inch, deep dish pie plate. Spread mashed potatoes over top using the back of a spoon, make decorative swirls over the top. Bake until potatoes are golden, about 30 minutes.

Italian Sausage

2009-09-21T18:53:00.001-07:00

Italian Sausage
Brown for two minutes on each side, in a little olive oil.
Add 1/2 cup of pasta sauce, and 1/4 cup of water. Turn heat on high, bring to a boil and then reduce heat, to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Serve with pasta and remaining pasta sauce, or on rolls.

Italian Sausage
jar of Pasta Sauce
Olive Oil
Water

Brown sausage for two minutes on each side, in a little olive oil. Add 1/2 cup of pasta sauce, and 1/4 cup of water. Turn heat on high, bring to a boil and then reduce heat, to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Ground beef and twice-baked potato pie

2009-09-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup plain bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 package (1 lb 8 oz) referigerated garlic mashed potatoes

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup fresh chopped tomato

2 slices of precooked chopped bacon

2 medium green onions chopped

Heat oven to 350. In large bowl, mix beef, onion, bread crumbs, sage, salt and egg until well blended. Press in the bottom of ungreased 8-inch (2 quart) glass baking dish. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over top. Sprinkle evenly with cheese.

Bake uncovered about 50 minutes or until meat is cooked. You can also brown the meat ahead of time so you do not have to keep in the oven as long.

Sprinkle with tomato, bacon and green onions.

Nutrition information available upon request.

Tortilla Pizza

2009-09-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

This is the meal I make when I am in a hurry, don't know what else to make or don't feel like fighting my kids to eat their dinner...so we eat it A LOT!!!

It is so easy to make.

Take a tortilla
Spread on some pizza sauce
sprinkle on lots of cheese
and then top with your favorites
we like chicken sausage from Trader Joes, olives and bell pepper.

If I am feeling especially adventurous I let the kids put on the sauce and toppings!

Throw it in the oven on a baking dish and broil for about 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted and tortilla is browned and enjoy!

Corn, Corn, Corn!

2009-09-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

Fall is my favorite time of the year, and corn plays a big part in my kitchen cooking and seasonal decorating. Here are some of the ways I love (or would love) to use it:

I love how cornstalks look on front porches this time of year...so festive and autumnal! Now if only I can find some for my front door...they don't really sell them around here.

I love the variety of indian corn that you can find. I even made Martha Stewart's indian corn garland one time, and it only took me a full day! It was one of her less tedious crafts.

One day I will make these for a late summer BBQ or picnic...one day when I'm not doing tons of laundry, dishes, cooking, and cleaning!

Mmm, cornbread! Sometimes I make it from scratch, but then I found THIS:

Trader Joe's cornbread mix is easy to mix up and is the the best tasting cornbread I've ever had! I LOVE IT! I should buy stock in it.

Meatballs

2009-09-08T13:46:00.000-07:00

These are yummy and super easy:

Frozen meatballs
( as little or as much as you need, it makes a lot sauce )
1 can of whole Cranberries
1 can of Tomato soup
2 Tablespoons of grape jelly
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Throw it all in the slow cooker for 6-7 hours on low, or 4 hours on high. Great with rice or all on their own.

Spaghetti Pie

2009-09-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

Not only is this recipe fast and easy to make, but it tastes good too!

***Spaghetti Pie***

1 lb sweet Italian sausage (optional)
1/2 lb spaghetti
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (Classico Italian Sausage With Peppers and Onions,) divided
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, fresh grated (not the ground kind)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Italian cheese blend, mozzarella

*********

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. If using Italian sausage, remove casings and crumble and brown in a frying pan until cooked through. Drain all oil from the sausage.
3. Mix the jar sauce with the sour cream. Ladle 1/4 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a pie dish. Top with 2 tsp of the fresh grated parmesan.
4. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain and toss with sausage, red pepper flakes, the remaining spaghetti sauce, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of the Italian cheese blend.
5. Place the spaghetti mixture on top of the sauce in the baking dish. Place the cheese mixture on top of the spaghetti.
6. Finish off with remaining cheese mixture on top.
7. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

NOTE: You could also make this recipe with leftover spaghetti from a previous meal, although I have not actually tried it yet.

Swallow it down!!

2009-08-31T15:05:00.000-07:00

So, here I am... Sitting at the dentist office... Dr. Dean in Valencia to be exact. EzraKs having a cleaning. I'm sitting here waiting in the lobby with all the other parents and kids yet to have their turn, and I overhear this, (nurse asks)"Can Conner have Motrin to go home?"... (Conners mom yells across the lobby) "Oh no, this kid still can't swallow pills" next I hear (Conner under his breath) "Mom, Thanks for yelling for the whole world to hear"... (Conners mom replies) "Oh Conner, lots of people have trouble swallowing pills". End of conversation and Horrified Conner sinks further in his chair to sulk. The dental assistant comes in to take Conner away from the horror of his mother and I hear this great tip!! Another mom sitting nearby breaks the ice letting her know we all embarras our kids from time to time... I pipe up at that point to assure her that its our role in life and our job!! The other mother gave us a great tip. She suggested giving the kids a spicy soda thru a straw to help swallow pills... She said the bubbles help the pill go down easier without the feeling of a big pill!! Just thought I'd pass it on... Sounded interesting!! Plus the story about horrified Conner was funny!!

Morning Routine

2009-08-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

Saw this darling free printable for making the morning routine easier (Off Topic, I know....but I just had too) !

http://www.livinglocurto.com/index.php/2009/08/school-morning-routine-free-printable-cards/

Pretzels and Cream Cheese

2009-08-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

Although my kids are not old enough to go to school (they are 2 and 2 months), I am still like every other mother always looking for a creative snack to give my kids. When I think of a snack I am always wanting to dip whether it is chips and salsa or veggies and ranch.
In our house, one of our favorite snacks is pretzels and cream cheese. My son enjoys the different size pretzels and the different flavors of cream cheese.

Give it a try.... you might like it as much as we do !

My take on Julie & Julia... It all went to hell in a handbasket!!

2009-08-27T13:13:00.001-07:00

I figured out how to do it!! I'm gonna blog!! Ok~ here goes... After watching Julie & Julie last night (highly reccomend!! You will LOVE love!!) I returned home totally inspired to be wonderful just like Julia... I went to bed, woke up this morning... fed my boys dry toast (yes dry, they didn't even want butter~ gross!!), then a bananna for myself!! So much for inspiration... But I'm a truth teller!! So, in that same spirit... how was the rest of the day you wonder?? Stopped by Jimmy Deans on the way home this afternoon & got chicken strips for the kids and a Chili Cheese Burger for myself!! WHAT WAS I THINKING!?! (It was good & I'd do it again!!) The devil made me say that!! Well, there's still dinner... an chance to redeem myself... any suggestions? Dirk will be sleeping and it's just me & the boys, so not too labor intensive please!! The picture you ask... well it's back to school night... & I'm thinking come 9 o'clock this might be where I end up!!

Choices Choices Choices...

2009-08-25T09:13:00.000-07:00

I am fairly new to school lunches because Bella is starting Kindergarten next week but have been packing park lunches for a while. I love giving my kids lots of choices in their lunches. I used to pack a variety of foods in zip locks or small containers and then while we were in New Zealand I stumbled across the BEST THING EVER and my lunch packing days have never been the same!!!
I am able to pack a variety of things in ONE container...and nothing touches!!!
I feel bad telling you I found the best thing and all you have to do is go to New Zealand to get it!!!
I did a little research and the closest thing I found to it are the laptop lunch boxes. You can find them at

www.laptoplunches.com

The store I found them in was similar to the container store here and I didn't find them in the food storage section but in the tackle box/storage section...so maybe they ARE in the U.S.

An Apple A Day

2009-08-24T15:48:00.001-07:00

A little caramel makes apple slices disappear .

Go Bananas!

2009-08-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

Stop packing plain-old boring bananas in your kids' lunches! Use a non-toxic washable marker to draw silly faces on them first...your kids will think you've gone BANANAS!!!

I'm just sayin'...