Tuesday, January 24, 2012

52 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU!!

Bring on Valentine's Day! This is what my husband might get, I love this idea. Chocolate is so last year and who needs those extra pounds, not me!

*it's just a deck of regular playing cards with holes punched in 'em, held together with 1 inch binder rings (I got mine at Office Depot).



The possibilities for this project are endless, but I wouldn't do anything fancy. I would just write down the first 52 things that popped into my head, and print them out.





Happy Valentine's Day!!

Best Chicken Enchilada Recipe Ever

CHICKEN ENCHILADA



I have to say that Dean usually cooks dinner but this week with Restaurant Week, it is up to me! So I decided to try this Chicken Enchilada recipe from the Pink Parsley blog! It was amazing. And yes it does take time, well the first go around, but I was so impressed with my cooking ability, or maybe the ability to follow a recipe to the tee! You have to try this. And you have to visit the Pink Parsley Blog if you want amazing recipes.


Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce adapted from Tide and Thyme, originally from America's Test Kitchen


1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons sugar
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 large beefsteak tomato, seeded and chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
1 cup extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
cooking spray
salt and ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 425.


Combine the onion, jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and oil in a large saucepan. cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.


Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through (thickest part reaches 160 degrees), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.


Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and set aside. Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.


Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onion mixture, and add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, and the cilantro. Toss to combine.


Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; Microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds.


Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.


Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for about 7 minutes, or until the tortillas start to brown slightly (skip this step if you don't like the crunch).


Reduce heat to 400. Remove enchiladas and pour sauce evenly on top. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until heated through.


Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.


Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, etc.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

A Trip to Marbles

Sophia and her friend Abby went to Marbles an amazing kids museum in Raleigh. They had so much fun.

First they went into this great little area that was designed for smaller kids. They had fun playing and climbing all over the things.



Then they went into the larger section of the museum and discovered so much more. There were areas with new things to look at, play with, and new faces around every corner. Wow, they had a blast!


(They loved the Grocery Store Section!)


(Them playing in the Barn Yard.)



(A Game of Chest Anyone?)


(Building something interesting in the Construction Room.)


(Sophia just hanging out in the Grocery Store.)


It was a great trip for Sophia and she loved playing with everything. She can't wait to go back and do it again!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

A Great Find from ETSY!

It is no suprise that I love Etsy. I did a lot of Sophia's nursery through Etsy. Now that Sophia is into crayons, what better to get, than her own Crayon Wallet. Crayon wallets are such a great way to keep little ones occupied. These mini ones slip easily into Moms purse or can be carried "very proudly" by your child, when going out to restaurants, to doctors appointments, in the car or wherever you like! This one is $13.00. YOu can't beat that.





Monday, January 9, 2012

My Favorite "Pins" From Last Week

So I think I want to start highlighting my favorite finds on Pinterest. I know a lot of you have accounts and get hooked just like I do, but for those out there that don't, here goes.

Wow, What a great idea for a kids birthday party, or just to take to school. Ok, that is my one Kids Favorite!



This is my favorite for Design. I just love the use of that wallpaper. See wallpaper is still in!



So I just organized some closets and rooms in my house so I love these great organizing design ideas.



How many times do we throw away these off the bread bags, I have to do this next weekend.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Sophia's New Table and Chairs!!!

Sophia got a new set of table and chairs for her birthday from Nana D and Papa. We put it together before Christmas when we found some extra space in our 1100 sq.ft. house. She loves it so much. She looks so cute reading her books and playing with her toys. I would give her crayons and paper, but those tend to get eaten!







Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Monday, January 2, 2012

Happy New Year's!

A great saying for the start of the year.

May 2012 be filled with amazing experiences and lessons.