Cinnamon Cream Cheese Roll-ups

So, I tried a new recipe the other day, Kaitlyn and I made it together and it was.... DELICIOUS!
I got it from here.

Ingredients

1 loaf (16 ounces) thinly sliced white bread, crusts removed (I'm not sure how much I used because I had 2 loaves that were just sitting out waiting to go bad so this was a nice way to use them up)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup confectioners sugar (i used about 1 cup instead because it was really runny)
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, melted (I ended up needing about 1 cups of this as well)

Directions

Flatten bread with a rolling-pin. In a bowl, combine cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar. In another bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Spread about 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture on each slice of bread. Roll up, jelly roll style. Dip in melted butter, then in cinnamon-sugar. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 16 roll-ups.

Really, Really Yummy! They didn't last long at our house! Some bread works better than others. Wonderbread worked great but the other loaf I used was Dempsters I think and it didn't want to flatten or roll up at all.

Joseph Smith and The Book of Mormon

I taught a lesson yesterday in Relief Society (our women's organization). It was about Joseph and Hyrum Smith. I have always been one of those people that thought that we focus a little bit too much on Joseph Smith but my opinion changed as I prepared this lesson. I absolutely loved that they talked about Hyrum in this lesson because he was a really great man and we can learn so much from him. The scriptures about him in the Doctrine and Covenants are so inspiring. My absolute favourite thing was a video I found in Mormon Messages so I decided to share it with you.

Chicken/Potato/Vegetable Bake

Tonight we tried a really yummy chicken dish. I found it on pinterest and the link only went to a picture. Here's the PIN.

Doesn't it look good.

I sprayed the bottom of my pan. It doesn't really need it though. I put 5 chicken breasts down the middle. Added 3 cut up potatoes on one side (I just used russet) and then added 1.5 cans green beans to the other side (you could just do one can). Then I added 1.5 Tbsp of a Tupperware Italian seasoning mix on top and melted 1/2 cups margarine and poured on top of that. Cover with foil and bake at 350*F for 1 hour.

It was delicious. The best green beans I've ever had. The chicken got most of the spices scraped off the top for the kids and I ended up eating Katie and Dayvon's potatoes because they didn't like them. Everyone loved the green beans though (and that is not the favorite vegetable for my kids!)

Hope everyone tries it out. It was amazing!

Macaroni and Beef with Cheese

Tonight we tried a pin that was originally pinned from Michael Ruhlman website.

It seemed pretty simple at first, but then got confusing....

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced (I only used half an onion)
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt to taste
optional seasonings: black pepper, oregano, cumin, coriander, chopped garlic, hot smoked paprika, chilli powder—whatever you’re in the mood for (I used some pepper, oregano, crushed red chili peppers and a little garlic)
one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, pureed with a blender
2 pounds lean ground beef (I used 1 3/4)
1 box macaroni (I used 4 cups - wasn't sure how much a box was)
1 cup each grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses

Directions.

It said to sweat the onion in the oil with a 3 finger pinch of salt. I wasn't too sure what that meant so I sauteed it in the oil and salt a little and at a really high temperature. Add beef and cook. Add more salt and any of the dry spices you want. Add tomatoes and any fresh seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for an hour.

Cook macaroni until half done and drain. Add to the beef mixture. Let the noodles absorb the tomato juices and then pour into 2 baking pans. Cover with foil and bake at 400*F for 45 minutes. Remove foil. Add cheese and Broil for a few minutes. (I let mine broil too long and it got a little burnt. Other than that, it wasn't too bad).

I definitely like the idea to puree the tomatoes because I hate canned tomatoes. It took a long time to make when you add the hour to simmer and then adding the noodles and letting that sit and then baking time and broiling time on top of that! I also liked that it made another meal. I just put foil over the second pan. Wrote on top with a sharpie "Bake 400*F 45 min. Remove Foil, add 2 cups cheese and broil." that'll make my life a little easier one night. One hint - don't leave it too long in the freezer because it has noodles and won't last very long!.

Caramel Apple Trifle

We had a get-together with a bunch of people who used to (or still do) live in Fort McMurray. We were supposed to bring a salad or dessert. So - naturally ;) I chose to do a dessert. This recipe was originally pinned from the Taste of Home website...

Doesn't it look delicious!?!

I changed the way I put the cake in, used less pecans (and didn't toast them), and less caramel sauce (I didn't mean to - I just did it until I thought it looked good). Other than that, I stayed pretty darn close to the recipe. There was one other thing I changed.... I put it into 2 nice pretty bowls, still fairly large ones, instead of a punch bowl.

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix (just the normal sized ones)
6 cups cold milk
3 packages instant vanilla pudding mix (again - normal sized ones. I think they are about 120g each)
1 teaspoon apple pie spice (couldn't find this anywhere so I just used cinnamon powder to taste)
1 bottle caramel ice cream topping (it was 428 mL - i probably only used about half of it)
100g bag chopped pecans
2 cans (21 ounces each) apple pie filling
1L Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:

Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using 9x13 baking pan. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wires rack to cool completely.
In a large bowl, whisk milk, pudding mixes and apple pie spice (or cinnamon) for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. (mine was fully set before I used it.)
Cut cake into four. Crumble 1/4 into bottom of each bowl; gradually squirt the caramel topping over cake. Sprinkle with 1/6 pecans (on each) and spread with quarter of the pudding mixture on each one.
Spoon half a can of pie filling over pudding layers; spread with 1 cup of whipped topping on each.
Top with remaining cake and repeat layers. Drizzle with remaining caramel topping and sprinkle with remaining pecans. Refrigerate until serving.

It went over pretty well at our get-together. One person mentioned that it could use a little more spice and that apple pie spice is the same as pumpkin pie spice (or a mixture of allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves would be good too). Since it made two bowls of it, I now have another dessert for a different get-together tomorrow night too!

Ham and Potato Casserole

Last night's dinner was a recipe that was originally pinned from the six sister's stuff blog.

The amounts were a little weird to figure out and I find that I'm not always someone who measures my ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 (30 oz) package frozen hash brown potatoes, cubed or shredded (I used a 1 kg bag of the cubed stuff)
1 tablespoon dried minced onion (not too sure if it's the same but I just used onion powder)
1 teaspoon salt
1 (8 oz) container sour cream (I almost used 1 cup. I had a small one that I had used a little from. I just dumped what was left in)
1 (10.75 oz) can reduced fat cream of chicken soup (I just used the regular kind)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I had a medium freezer bag of low-fat mozzarella in my freezer. Not sure how much but I dumped it all in)
2 cups cooked chopped ham (ham leftovers are perfect for this recipe!) (I used ham slices that I had in my freezer. I stuck it in my tupperware chopper. Used about 9-12 slices)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (6 oz) package, herb-seasoned stuffing mix (used a box of it. 120g)

Directions:

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Combine hash browns, dried onion, salt, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cheese, and ham and place in slow cooker. Sprinkle stuffing mix over top, then drizzle melted butter over stuffing. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high 2-4 hours. (mine cooked for about 2.5 hours on high)

Not sure I would do this one again. That is a lot of carbohydrates in one meal. It made a lot. We only used half of it and we all ate quite a bit. Fills the entire slow cooker full.

No Bake Peanut Butter Balls

I want to try to do about 1 dessert/snack every week. I was going to do it yesterday to have as snack for FHE but then we went to my in-laws for dinner. So, it's for tonight for FHE snack. I decided to try a No Bake Peanut Butter Balls recipe. I found this on the taste of home website originally.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup chunky peanut butter (I used the No Name superstore brand that has no sugar in it)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey and vanilla. Stir in the milk powder, oats and graham cracker crumbs (You're going to have to use your hands to mix it). Shape into 1-in. balls. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Yield: 15 treats. (mine made 14)

This went over pretty good. My sister-in-law says it takes like a peanut butter cookie but better (pretty good for having no sugar, eh?). My kids all loved it. I thought it was surprisingly good (surprising because I'm not a big peanut butter fan).

The other thing they mentioned on the website was that it would be good with chocolate...

Orange Chicken

So, I've decided to start trying out some recipes from Pinterest. I figured I would share them with you along with any changes made...

The first recipe is Orange Chicken. Original recipe was pinned from six sisters blog. I changed just a little bit. I used 1/3 of the can of orange juice concentrate instead of using 6oz. I froze the other 2/3 in 1/3 amounts so I can use them next time I make this. I also added about 1/2 cup of water to the sauce so I would have extra sauce for my rice. Next time I will probably only use 1/4 - 1/3 cup of water...

You can see my Pinterest Board of Recipes I've tried here and the Board of Recipes I want to try here.

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

Ingredients:

• boneless chicken breasts, chopped into small chunks (I used 4)
• 1/3 cup flour
• olive oil
• 1/2 Tbl. salt
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbl. ketchup
• 1/3 can frozen orange juice concentrate (thaw or throw it in the microwave for 45 seconds)
• 4 Tbl. brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Water

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, ketchup, and water. Pour the flour in a small bowl. Cover the chicken breast chunks in flour and shake off the excess. (mine turned into a paste on the chicken. There was no excess...)

Pour a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and brown the flour-covered chicken.
The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked since it's going in the crock pot.

After the chicken is done cooking, pour the pieces into the crock pot. Then cover the chicken with your sauce mixture and give the pot a stir. (I didn't stir it)

Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3.(I did high for 2 hours. It smells delicious. My mouth was watering so much)

Serve over rice and even add veggies if you want a healthier meal.

Making Syrup

I found a post on yahoo about how to make your own pancake syrup.

Here are some recipes

Almost Maple Syrup

1 c Brown sugar
1/3 c Water
1/8 ts Salt
1/4 ts Vanilla extract

In saucepan dissolve sugar in water. Add salt and boil for 1 minute. Add
vanilla and mix well. Serve warm. Yield: 3/4 cup.

Aunt Jemima Maple Syrup

2 c Water
1 c Sugar
2 c Dark corn syrup
1/4 ts Salt
1 ts Maple flavoring

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir
occasionally, until the mixture comes to a full boil. Let it boil for 7
minutes. Turn the heat off and let the syrup cool for 15 minutes. Add the
maple flavoring and stir. When completely cool, transfer the syrup to a
covered plastic or glass container. Makes: 1 quart

Mock Maple Syrup

1 c Brown sugar
1 ts Butter
1 c Boiling water
1/2 ts Vanilla
1/2 c Sugar

1. Combine brown sugar and water and bring to a boil.
2. Caramelize whte sugar by heating it in a frying pan until sugar melts
and turns brown.
3. Add brown sugar syrup from step 1; simmer until smooth and thick.
4. Pour into a pitcher containing butter and vanilla.

Simple Syrup

3/4 cup water
1 c sugar
1/4 stick butter

Bring to a boil, and then let it simmer until it thickens.

HOMEMADE MAPLE PANCAKE SYRUP
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. water
1 tsp. maple flavoring

Mix sugar and water in saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil; simmer for 15 minutes. (Don't let it boil again, or overcook.) 3. Add maple flavoring; chill.

Homemade Pancake Syrup

3 cup Water
3 cup Granulated sugar
3 cup Brown sugar
1 cup Corn syrup
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
1 tablespoon Vanilla
1 tablespoon Maple flavoring

Combine first 4 ingredients in large saucepan. Stir on medium high until it boils. Add lemon juice, vanilla and maple flavoring. Stir. Fill hot sterilized bottles to within 1/4 inch of top. Seal. Makes 3-1/2 pints. Origin: Jean Pare's Preserves Book

I've tried out the first one - haven't tasted it yet though.

Stepping Blindly with Faith

So, I was watching a Mormon Messages video by nienie and she has inspired me to try to write my blog with more spiritual things by praying and writing what the Lord tells me to. Stephanie Nielson is her name and her story is amazing.

Even as I try to write, Dayvon is sitting on my lap trying to stick his fingers in my mouth. Every time he succeeds, he giggles and hugs me. I love times like these.... So, I have been called to teach the Sunbeams at Church (one of my least favorite callings). I got set apart last night and I always seem to cry when being set apart. I love hearing what my Father in Heaven would like to say to me. I have no clue what to do in this calling. It is completely out of my comfort zone. My first Sunday I sat in and watched the other Sunbeam teacher (she is amazing. So good with the kids and creative and patient). I hope I can be as good a teacher as she is.

I have always said that I would never turn down a calling. So, I accepted this and cried almost as soon as I left. Within a day or two, I was okay. I didn't dread it anymore and I look at it as a challenge and something for me to learn from. I am Stepping Blindly with Faith, not knowing how things will be or if I can even do it, but I know that the Lord will help me and that I can do anything with His help.

Dallin's 5th Birthday Party

I know - Dallin's birthday isn't until the 9th but we wanted Darcy to be there so we did it today instead. We had a buzz lightyear party and it was lots of fun.

When the kids got there, they each got a laser wristband (I made them with matchboxes. I painted them green and put a red bead on the end for the "laser" and stapled elastic bands to the bottom so they could go on the wrist. They also had some toy story stickers decorating the top and some candies inside for them to eat if they needed an "energy boost") We started off with coloring pictures and we laminated them after so they could take them home as a place mat. Then we gathered all the kids together in the living room and told them that they were in training to become space rangers. Their first mission was to rescue the soldiers who were trapped in the laundry. They dove in with gusto! It was hilarious to see the clothes flying all over the place as they searched for every last soldier in there.

Next, we sent them to rescue Buzz from the mob of evil toys (we stuck buzz in a pile of toys in the corner of Katie's room). Adin found him and they came back to the living room for physical training. They did 5 push-ups, 5 sit-ups, 5 jumping jacks and 5 crossing and touching toes (not sure what this is really called).

We then had Darcy set up an obstacle course while I did a test for accuracy (I had the kids throw bean bags through a hula hoop). Then they went through the obstacle course with Darcy. As Darcy cleaned up, we did the claw game (I filled a bowl with some small plastic toys and each of the kids took some kitchen tongs to grab one out). Then we had to refuel so we sat down to eat some pizza.

While they were eating, Tracy and I hid "moon rocks" (candies wrapped in tin foil) in the living room. We then told them that we were going on a rocket to the moon and we had to get in so we gathered together and counted down from 5 to 1 and "blasted off" (lots of shaking and sound effects with this one :D). Then they each found 4 moon rocks and we had to take the rocket back to earth. I think the kids really liked the rocket! After we got back to earth they made Mr. Potato Head Balloons (I just gave them foam shape stickers so they could make faces on their balloons).

It was now time to open presents so they passed around a large moon rock to the music of "you've got a friend in me". When the music stopped, that child's present was opened. I found it less hectic doing it this way. After presents, we ate cake. I put a couple sparklers on it and one of the kids said. "Oh, pretty!" It was cute. They ate cake and then we let them do the claw game one more time and they played until their parents' came to pick them up. All in all, it was a fun time had by all (I think Darcy enjoyed training his space cadets! And they seemed to love him. They listened to him so well and did everything he said)

Here are some pictures:

The kids coloring their pictures
Dallin coloring his picture
Dallin making his Mr. Potato Head Balloon
The kids making their Mr. Potato Head Balloons
The cake I made. I did that transfer all by myself. I'm pretty impressed with it!
RC - the gift from Brett (it's remote controlled too!)
Puzzles from Kinlee
Tonka vehicles, a sticker book and a coloring book from us
Slinky-dog from Adin
And Buzz Lightyear Operation from Austin
He also got an evil Dr. Pork Chop flashlight from Brighton later. He wasn't able to make it to the party sadly.

Huge giveaway from TodaysMama and Gamestop

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

TodaysMama and GameStop are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family?
That Darcy finds a Job. Please, please, please....

2. What is your Christmas morning / Hanukkah Nightly tradition?
Open stockings and just sit around enjoying the kids joy and happiness

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?
A cruise with my hubby!

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?
Giving service, ring and run people, sing carols...

5. What games did you play with your family growing up?
Atari and frogger, and later - super nintendo and Super Mario world

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?
Ring and run people, Gifts to jesus, looking at the lights, reading the nativity.

7. Where would you go for a Christmas/Hanukkah-away-from-home trip?
To Florida - to visit my mom and dad

8. Check out GameStop and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?
The xbox 360 kinect, and new nintendo dsi. (mine is older...) and zumba fitness: join the party for the kinect.

Martha's Giveaway

Hey, my friend (and somewhat relative...) Martha is doing a giveaway on her blog. She made some really cute magnets.

Go HERE to check it out.

Katie's 6th Birthday

Okay, this is a little late. About a month to be exact.

Katie is now 6! Can you believe it?!?

Testimony of the Book of Mormon

This is such a great video. I hope you will watch it and listen to the message within it. I believe with all my heart that this is true.

Dayvon

I realized that I don't have any recent pictures of Dayvon so I got the camera out yesterday. Here is his cuteness. I LOVE these pictures. It's just so him!
Wide Smile. This is the smile he just started doing recently. It is so cute. When I try it, it hurts my jaw so I don't see how he can do it so much....
Shy Smile
So not impressed!
Happy boy
Serious
Normal happy self
Regular face

Dallin's 4th birthday party

Dallin had a superhero birthday Party on Feb 6th. I made capes for all the kids (and 1 extra that I wore) and the kids decorated their capes and ran around playing for a while. Here are a few pictures
Here is the cake. Sarah helped me make it. The transfer turned out pretty good. I did the writing (can't you tell?!) The tip was too big and I'm sticking with that story
Singing to Dallin
Dallin trying to blow the candles out. Apparently he's going to have 4 girlfriends. It ended up being Austin that blew out the candles. He just couldn't help himself. :)
Getting ready to eat the cake. The kids look so ready for it too.

Toothpick Art

My parents sent me an email with this the other day. It is amazing.

Mr. Stan Munro
works with Toothpicks!
See below his amazing works.

A miniature city made out of millions of toothpicks
It took Stan Munro (38) 6 years to build this toothpick city. He used 6 million
toothpicks and 170 liters of glue. He can spend up to 6 months to create a
building and each of his creations is built to 1:164 scale. He works at the Museum
of Science and Technology in Syracuse, New York ( USA ). Look at the
amazing works of one of the most patient men in the world.














And we were just picking our teeth

Amazing eh?