Monday, March 23, 2009

Garlic Chicken and Mom's Spaghetti Casserole Recipe

Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
2 tsps crushed garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cups dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
4 skinless breast halves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425
In one dish add garlic to the olive oil, in separate dish mix breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.
Dip the chicken breast in olive oil mixture then in breadcrumb mixture.
Place in well greased baking dish and bake 30 minutes.

Mom's Spaghetti Casserole

Ingredients:
1 lb thin spaghetti 
2 cans Tomato soup
1 can water
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (sharp)
1 onion grated
paprika

Directions:
Heat oven to 350
Grease a 13 x 9 pan
Cook spaghetti, while spaghetti is cooking in a sauce pan add 2 cans tomato soup and 1 can water and melt cheddar cheese in sauce. Meanwhile grate 1 small onion into sauce.
After spaghetti is cooked put into greased pan, pour sauce on top. Sprinkle paprika on top and bake 1 hour.
This is so yummy! Thanks Mom!





Twilight Party

Yes, we had a Twilight party...
These candles were so easy, I found the tutorial on MarthaStewart.com
Vampire Cupcakes
A huge hit... I found this recipe on Baking Bites....


The movie was great and the dinner was good too..
I made Garlic Chicken and Spaghetti Casserole
Recipe to follow....

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

St. Patrick's Day Luck Of the Irish Party

O What a Lucky Day!
We started the day making Green Pancakes....

Next comes the Lucky Party preparations...
This is Irish Stew (made with Guinness Beer)
Recipe to follow....



We made Irish Brown Bread (recipe to follow)...

Everyone Loves this Irish Girl!
Can you smell this....yummy!
Congratulations and Happy St. Patty Day Mike
We celebrated Mike's first day on the job as a Helicopter flight Instructor!
 His FAA certified cards arrived today (by coincidence)
We are so proud of him after 2 1/2 years, lots of studying, he has become a Commercial Helicopter Pilot and now teaching 
Happy St. Patty's Day...
The Luck of the Irish is with us....
I am so lucky to have such a great family!

Irish Brown Bread Recipe

Irish Brown Bread

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp honey

1. Heat oven to 425
coat large baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl mix flours, oats, wheat germ, salt and baking soda.
2 Whisk together buttermilk and honey. Add to flour mixture, stir until a soft ball forms
3. Turn dough onto a flour surface. divide in half. shape each half into a round loaf.
Place loafs 3 inches apart on baking sheets.  Sprinkle with oats lightly for decorations. bake 10 minutes.
4. Reduce temperature to 400 bake additional 10 minutes or until bread sounds hallow when tapped.
Let cool 15 minutes.

enjoy all year round for a hearty dinner loaf.

(Next time, I am going to add raisins....)

This is EASY and so good!


In

Irish Stew Recipe

Irish Beef Stew

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 lbs beef chuck (stew meat)
1 pound carrots
6 large potatoes cut into chunks
1 large onion cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups beef broth
1 6 0z can tom paste
1 bottle of Guinness!!!!! (yup, beer!!!!!)
1 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp corn starch

this is cooked in a crock pot....

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over med heat. Toss cubes of beef in flour to coat, then fry in hot oil until browned. Place the carrots, potatoes, onion and garlic in bottom of large crock pot. Place the browned meat on top of the vegetables. Mix the together the beef broth and tom paste and pour over top in crock pot. Now pour the bottle of Guinness over top.
2. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours. During the last hour before serving, dissolve the cornstarch in water and then stir into broth. simmer on high setting for a few minutes to thicken.

Enjoy!

Friday, March 6, 2009

Barbie's 50th Birthday Party

This is our latest "Family Party"
....I can't think of better party or reason to celebrate.
Happy Birthday Barbie!
I have always loved Barbie and still have some of my dolls from when I was my daughter's age.

We made a Barbie Cake. It was a fun project. It needed a lot of icing and I wrapped Barbie's body in plastic wrap before standing her in the middle.

The decorations were easy, I have been collecting Barbie's for my daughter since she was born.  The "special" ones, we keep in their original packaging.  We displayed them around the dinning room for our party.

This is "Nanny", she is the Original Barbie!
I saw this t-shirt idea from the Barbie Fashion Show.  The original t-shirt is by Kenneth Cole.  I searched all over for it, I ended up making one myself.
"Everyone Does Need a Ken!"
Here is my Ken.
His t-shirt said "I heart my Barbie Girl", Mike added "Hello My Name is Ken".



Happy Birthday Barbie and thank you for so many hours of fun!