White Christmas 2014

Cute Couple

The votes are in. We are all fans of Jenny's new boyfriend, Joshua. It was fun having him spend Christmas with our family!

Scary Santa

Brielle had similar feelings. 

Santa: Take Two

Here We Go Again

We've got to stop making a habit of this! Keep your prayers coming!

I'll keep you posted.

Ok Mom and Dad... was Jill actually a twin?

Give me some suga'

Hey Fam, 

   So I made these super awesome snowflake sugar cookies tonight to welcome in December and because we put up all our Christmas decorations, and because it is Sunday and that's what we do at our house on Sunday is make cookies. Anywho,  Chris was eating his second... or fourth... one and he said  "You make an awesome sugar cookie. They are really good even without frosting." And I thought, "yeah, I do make a pretty tasty sugar cookie."

And since it is totally sugar cookie season I thought I would share that tasty recipe with you all. Just incase you were searching for an "awesome sugar cookie" recipe.

Jill's Awesome Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

scant 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

scant 1 teaspoon almond extract

5 cups all-purpose flour (sometimes I need just a bit more)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy ( I beat mine for about 5 minutes on a high speed) Beat in eggs and vanilla for another 1-2 minutes. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight). I usually break mine up into two balls and wrap it in plastic wrap and put them in the fridge. Then I just pull out one ball at a time to work with.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven.

Cool completely.

Yum Yum Yummy!!

Here is also my favorite homemade frosting for sugar cookies...

½ C Butter, Softened

4 C Powdered Sugar

¼ C Half & Half

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 tsp. Almond

Pinch of Salt

Food coloring of choice (unless you like white ;))

Or if I don’t have time for that I prefer Cream Cheese frosting from the store.

ALSO… have you tried Red Hots on sugar cookies? .. You know the little red cinnamon candies? Well if you haven’t you should. Seriously. It is AAAHHH-MAZING (Sang in an opera voice) I think my next batch of cookies I will use my candy cane cutter and frost them white with red hot stripes. They would make a cute and yummy treat to share with neighbors!

OK that is all from my kitchen tonight. 

Things are festive and cozy here! Wish you were all here with me.

xoxo- Jill

Buggin' You

I don't know why but this song just popped into my head and I remembered this silly video...

Enjoy :)

   

Leaves are falling all around

New recipes

So I've been searching out new recipes to add to my favorites book the last month.  These were a few of our family favorites. They are all fairly simply and quite tasty!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

PREP TIME:  30 MINS

COOK TIME:  10 MINS

TOTAL TIME:  40 MINS

SERVES: 6

 

A delicious pasta dish that is a meal in one and tastes like an enchilada!

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 4 oz can diced green chiles
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 10 oz. cans green chili enchilada sauce
• ⅔ cups red enchilada sauce
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 pound Penne pasta
• Toppings:
• Avocado
• Green Onions
• Black Olives
• Tomatoes
• Sour Cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and cook the onion until tender. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook a few minutes more.
2. Add the shredded chicken, green chilis, cumin, chili powder, salt and enchilada sauce until heated through. Add the pasta to the sauce. Stir in cheese until melted and sour cream right before serving. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

LOADED CHICKEN AND POTATO CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch pieces
2. 5 medium Russet or Idaho potatoes, cut in 1 inch pieces
3. 3 Tablespoons olive oil
4. 1/2 Tablespoon paprika
5. 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
6. 1 teaspoon salt
7. 1 teaspoon black pepper
8. 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
9. 1/2 cup cooked, chopped bacon
10. 2 green onions, sliced thin

Slow Cooker Melt In Your Mouth Meatloaf

Ingredients:

2 eggs

3/4 c. milk

 2/3 c. seasoned bread crumbs

2 tsp dried, minced onion

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp rubbed sage

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (we used ground turkey, Healthier and it was still really good!)

 1/4 c. ketchup

2 T brown sugar

1 tsp ground mustard

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

 Directions 1. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well (mixture will be moist.) Shape into a round loaf; place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F. 2. In a small bowl, whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.  Spoon over the meat loaf. Cook 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

NOTE:  I fold two pieces of aluminum foil in half and criss-cross them in the slow cooker (hanging over the sides) so that the meatloaf doesn’t stick to the sides of the slow cooker and it’s easy to get out because you just pull up on the pieces of foil and lift it out

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Spread the diced chicken and potatoes evenly into the baking dish.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour mixture evenly over the chicken and potatoes. Stir to coat the chicken and potatoes.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 50 to 55 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, and sprinkle evenly with the cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, and onion. Bake another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Lick Lick

You can't buy happiness...but you can buy suckers...and that is pretty much the same thing!

Artist Ayla

Well, looks like Ayla's gonna be an artist like her mama! ;)

Haha... but really. This is the first time she's shown much interest in coloring. In nursery (I was a substitute today), all the other kids got down after a few seconds to go play with toys but Ayla stayed sitting for a good ten minutes, scribbling away! I was pretty surprised. I'm counting this as her first art. So I thought I'd better scan it for safe keeping.

More Fun Japan Pics

       Wearing our yukatas in the hotel room 

           Kimono Day at the Thatched Roof Villiage

                 Garden in Tokyo

        Red Wine Hot Tub

         Dr. Fish -- eating away on our feet and legs

Adding seven years to our lives - Japanese tradition

          You can't see it, but Mt Fuji is in the background.