Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Where have I been? I am not certain. I've not been able to catch up with myself! I have been a little creative but nothing I can share just yet. I am going to leave you with a recipe. Then I am going to go make my son's birthday card. So, I will have something to show you. Since he doesn't read my blog I can post it and it won't ruin the surprise.


I made this recipe up in college. I have had lots of compliments on it. I love that it is so fast too!

Sheri's Easy Fajitas

2 pounds chicken breasts cut into strips (even quicker to use precooked chicken strips)

1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 green or red pepper, cut into strips
1 onion, cut into 1/2" wedges
1 1/2 cups picante sauce
dash celery salt
1/4 cumin
1/8 chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder


Brown chicken and cook until done; set aside. Melt butter and olive oil in pan and saute onions and peppers. Stir in picante sauce (or salsa) and remaining spices. Add chicken and heat through. Serve with tortillas, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes and any other toppings you like!

Have a great day!
Sheri

Sorry To Leave You Hangin'

It's OK to give a recipe without a picture, but not a picture without a recipe. I had several requests for the recipe for the Apple Streusal with Cranberry Muffins. So here it is:

BATTER:
5 1/4 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
6 teaspoons cinnamon
3 dashes salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 (8 oz.) jar applesauce
3 apples, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup oil
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

STREUSAL:
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup brown sugar, packed
6 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray or line with liners. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl mix egg, sugar, applesauce, apples and oil. Add the dry ingredients mixture and stir just until moistened. Mix in cranberries. Fill tins 2/3 full of batter. For the streusal topping mix all the ingredients and sprinkle over the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

Cook's note: if you fill the tins too full with batter the streusal topping will run all over the tin and burn and make more clean up. Someone told me about that once ;)






I am starting to feel a little anxiety because I haven't been crafting and I am running out of past cards to share. Maybe I should feel motivated instead and get craftin'! These are two more cards I made this summer. I actually made three using this stamp and paper but I gave the third one away before I photographed it. I know it's crazy, I actually gave one away. Of course, I didn't have to address an envelope and take it to the mailbox. I just had to hand it over.

The stamp is from the dollar section at Michael's. The paper is from my stash and it comes from one of those big stacks from JoAnn's. I just used markers and an aqua painter to color the image. They are stamped on watercolor paper with Stazon black ink. I used a little grey shadow to ground the image.

Ah, group hug! Here they are posing together.

Have an awesome Monday! I am off to clean house since it is sooooo much more fun than crafting (hey, I am just trying to convince myself).

Sheri

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Squeeze the snot out of them and make Lemon Pound Cake Muffins! I have a muffin ministry in which I make muffins for the teachers of my boys' school every two weeks. I get up early and make them in the morning because it's just not quite the same if I make them the night before. We walk around and pass out a napkin and a muffin to all the teachers we see. The teachers really appreciate it, and I think it's kind of fun for them to try to figure out when I am coming. It is amazing to me how many teachers don't eat breakfast. Anyway, this morning I made 4 dozen Lemon Pound Cake Muffins. I was just getting ready to load everyone in the van, and the older boys went out to our separate single car garage to get a ball to take to school. They locked my van and house keys in the garage. This wouldn't really be a problem if some unnamed individual hadn't lost the extra sets about a month ago. There is no opener or any other way to get in short of breaking a window or waiting until my Prince Charming gets home from work. I rushed the boys out the door to catch the bus since I wouldn't be able to drive them. I stewed for a few minutes and decided to take the 4 year old for a 2 mile (round trip) wagon ride to the school to deliver muffins. I had LOTS of time to think about the situation.

On The Bright Side:
-I got some new blog material

-I only have 2 dozen muffins left (since I was late I didn't get to as many teachers. I usually don't have any left)

-I got enough exercise to last me a good month

-breakfast is made for the next month
-I will save money since I won't be running any errands today
-My kids are at school so I won't be able to stare at their necks long enough that they will start looking like lemons kind of like a mirage in the desert

-my Prince Charming will be making about four extra sets of keys today (he just doesn't know it yet)

-my house might get cleaned today

-I have an excuse to post another recipe

-I am too tired to complain too much (see 3rd bright side point)

On The Down Side:

-the therapeutic squeezing happened before the turmoil

-the paint I need to finish my boat is locked away for the day

Lemon Pound Cake Muffins
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon extract
1 ¾ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup sour cream
Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and extracts; beat well. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.
Fill greased or paper-lined muffins cups ¾ full. Bake at 400 degrees 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Combine the glaze ingredients; drizzle over muffins. Serve warm.

NOTE: If you have a gas oven decrease temperature to 375 and rotate pans halfway through cooking.

Enjoy your day and check back tomorrow for progress pictures!
Sheri

Fruit Salad, Yummy, Yummy!

Have you ever watched the Wiggles? OK I have no clue if they are still around because we don't watch TV at our house, just movies. Anyway, the title comes from the lyrics of one of the Wiggles songs. I'll bet you could go to youtube and watch a video if you really want to hear it. I would post a link, but time is very precious these days so it will have to wait for a quieter time. Oh, and if you do know the song, I apologize for torturing you with getting the song stuck in your head for the day.

So are you wondering what this post is really about? Here's a recipe for you try and let me know how it is. Just kidding, it's a tried and true divine morsel!


Apple Snickers Salad
4-6 apples, unpeeled and sliced
1 box instant vanilla pudding
2/3 cup milk
1 (8 oz) carton Cool Whip
4-6 snickers bars, cut into small pieces (it’s easier to cut if you freeze them a few minutes first)

Mix pudding and milk; fold in cool whip. Add apples and candy bars. Enjoy!

Have a yummy day!
Sheri

Beanie Wienies!

The scrapbook is almost complete. I will be finishing it today. So instead of any pictures I will leave you with the recipe I will be taking to the celebration picnic. I so love easy recipes and I hope you like this one too.

Beanie Wienies
3 cans (two 28 oz., one 16 oz.) pork and beans
1 package (1 lb) hot dogs, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons prepared mustard
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients; mix well. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Enjoy!

Sheri

Eye Candy 0 Real Candy 1

I have no projects to share with you today so I thought I would share a recipe with you instead. Some people only make candy around Christmas time. They are missing out I tell ya! This stuff is so yummy and easy. Without further ado:


Almond Rocha
Saltine crackers
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 package (10-12 oz.) milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped almonds

Line a cookie sheet (with sides) with foil. cover with a single layer of crackers. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar and butter. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly, boil for 2 minutes. Pour evenly over crackers and bake at 350 F for 5 minutes. Sprinkle bag of milk chocolate chips over candy and bake for 1 more minute. Spread chocolate evenly and sprinkle with nuts. Chill. Break into pieces.
Enjoy!

Have a delicious day! Check back tomorrow and I will even the score.
Sheri