Praying and Sharing

Tornadoes tore though the state on Alabama yesterday. 

Please pray for our state and the people and communities affected. 

My sweet friend Amy shared this blog with me and I thought I would pass it on! It is called Plain Chicken - it has so many recipes on it! I made my first one last night - the rotel chicken spaghetti! So easy and so yummy! If you go to her site and look on the right hand side you can see recipe categories and search through them. I hope you like it! I am pretty excited about trying new recipes!! 

Preparing for Parker's 1st Birthday Party!

Jamie arrived Thursday night at 11:15PM and we began making our "to-do-list" for the weekend! Friday, Aunt Molly and Khaki came and played with Parker while Jamie and I ran errands. Friday night the Bailey family came over for dinner and then Jenna, Jamie, Colt and I stayed up all night doing a little bit of everything! Saturday Aunt Casey arrived in town and came to the house with Pawpaw, Khaki, and Aunt Molly. They brought Parker and I gifts and took Parker to lunch while Jamie and I worked inside and Colt and a few guys worked outside. Then Pops, Mimi, Aunt Al, and Aunt Shelly arrived and then a few hours later Stephen (Jamie's husband) arrived! It was fun to have to have everyone here and yes I put them all right to work too;) We had a really good time working and spending time together! At Khaki and Pawpaw's house they were working just as hard making "Halloween Bark" and 70 "Mummy Hotdogs"! I think it is a tradition I would like to do every Halloween with or without a birthday party!!

I cannot thank everyone enough for helping make Parker's birthday SO special!!! Everyone worked really hard and I think we all slept really good Sunday night! I will be posting birthday party pictures soon!

Here is an overload of pictures!

Aunt Molly, Aunt Casey, Pawpaw, Khaki, Parker and Colt

Parker opening his gift from Aunt Casey

F.A.O Schwartz!

Charlie Brown Halloween DVD!

Parker, Aunt Shelly and Aunt Al

Aunt Casey and Parker

Parker and Mimi

Sweet Jamie! (can you see the ghost "strawberries"?)

Pops preparing drinks!

Making Monster Marshmallows!

Jamie and Stephen

Directions on making Monster marshmallows

(or you can make them into whatever fits your theme)

Icing:

1 (1pound) box confectioners' sugar

5 table spoons meringue powder

1/2 cup water

food coloring

-Recipe is from Phyllis Hoffman Magazine

Mix all ingredients (minus food coloring) - Mix with electric mixer for 10 minutes

Put lollipop sticks in Marshmallows

In separate bowls - mix icing and food coloring

Dip Marshmallow and let sit for 5 minutes before you decorate

LOVE!!

Drying

It was a long fun night!

Recipe

Here is my new favorite recipe! It is SOOO yummy!

Slow-Cooked Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 lb Lean Ground Beef

1 Jar tomato Pasta Sauce (I used a a a four cheese tomato pasta sauce)

1 8oz Can no-salt-added tomato sauce

1/2 (9 oz) Package no-boil lasagna noodles

1 Jar alfredo sauce (maybe a little more)

3 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese (12 oz) (maybe a little more)

3 Cups grated parmesan cheese (I grated fresh parmesan cheese)

(If there are other things that you like in lasagna I am sure you can add them)

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef until cooked and drain.

2. Spray crockpot with nonstick spray (or use the crockpot bags-sandwich bag isle)

3. Put 3/4 cups of tomato in bottom of crockpot. Stir remaining tomato pasta sauce and tomato sauce into ground beef.

4. Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in crockpot, break noodles if necessary. Top with 1/3 alfredo, spreading evenly. sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/3 cup of the ground beef mixture, and 1 cup parmesan, spreading evenly.

5. Repeat layering twice, then place 2 lasagna noodles on top of last layer and top with parmesan cheese.

6. Cover, cook on low setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Pillsbury Cookbook Picture

My picture!

If you try it, let me know what you think!

A Few Firsts

This week, we have had several "firsts" at our house! Parker is getting up on all fours and he is so close to crawling! Tonight, he took his first big boy bath! We also made homemade organic baby food... I am still in shock myself! Thanks to my friend Leslie for motivating me to try it and for the directions! I made carrots and it was so easy - Parker loved them! I have put the instructions at the bottom of the blog. Please let me know if you try it and how it turns out!

This might motivate you to give it a shot: I bought organic carrots (just a few) for 1.29$, and it made 14 small meals! The small organic baby jars at Publix are 1.29 a piece!!

Big Boy Bath!

Eating Carrots!

Messy Face!

Almost Crawling!

How To Make Homemade Baby Food:

1. Wash and peel carrots/or other vegetables

2. Boil carrots till they are soft (Keep water, you may need to add some to help consistency)

3. Put carrots in the food processor till completely pureed

4. Put into ice cube trays (same amount as a small baby food jars)

5. Cover and freeze

6. Pop out and heat (under hot water in bag or covered bowl)

Easy Chicken Recipe

This recipe is SO easy and SO good! It is from Kraft Foods.

Please try it and let me know what you think!

what you need!

6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)

12 fresh asparagus spears, trimmed

1/2 cup KRAFT Finely Shredded Italian* Five Cheese Blend

1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

(I use the shaved parmesan cheese)

Make it!

HEAT oven to 400ºF.

MAKE cut in one long side of each chicken breast, being careful to not cut through to opposite side. Fill pockets with asparagus and shredded cheese.

PLACE on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray; top with Parmesan.

BAKE 20 min. or until chicken is done (165°F).