Chicken Tandoori Recipe

I tried another pinterest recipe and LOVED it!

It was quick, easy, healthy, and exotic.

Chicken Tandoori

You'll need:

Chicken Breasts 

*(I used 4 but there was enough sauce for a few more)

Juice from one lemon

kosher salt

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. plain yogurt

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/2 a small red onion

3 cloves of garlic

a 2 inch piece of ginger

4 tsp. tomato paste

2 tsp. ground coriander

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 3/4 tsp. hot paprika 

*(I couldn't find hot, so I used smoked because it was all I had...)

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

Cooked rice

Start by preheating the broiler.

First make shallow slices in the chicken.  

Then, pour the lemon juice and 1 1/2 tsp. salt over the chicken breasts in a bowl and let it sit.

Next, pulse 2 Tbsp. yogurt, vegetable oil, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, coriander, cumin, 1 1/2 tsp. paprika, and 1/2 tsp. salt in the food processor.

Mix it until it makes a paste.

Scoop the paste onto the chicken (in the bowl) and mix it around until it is all coated.

Let marinate for 15 minutes.

Place the chicken on a foil liner broiler pan.

Broil the chicken for 6 minutes on each side.

Only turn it once.

Make sure the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees.

While the chicken is cooking, combine the rest of the yogurt, the cilantro, the 1/4 tsp. paprika, and a pinch of salt in the food processor to make the sauce.

When the chicken is done, serve over steamed rice and drizzle with yogurt sauce.

(recipe adapted from Food Network)

And that's it!  So easy and fun.  I really love making my kids new dishes with exotic flavors!  Saxon and Dalton loved it!  Bridger thought that the yogurt sauce looked like queso and was so disappointed that it didn't taste like Mexican food that he pouted through the rest of dinner.  Oh well, 2 for 3 at least :)

The Birthday Box

I saw an idea on Pinterest a while back to fill a box with balloons and send it to someone on their birthday.  

Since today is my little sister BROOKIE's Birthday, we decided to send her one.

It should be arriving today :)

We went to Target and bought a bunch of stuff that could possibly fit into a balloon.  We didn't know what would work, but figured that if something didn't fit, we could always take it back.

We bought candy, a bikini, nail polish, eye shadow, chapstick, advil, markers, and socks.

We let the boys pick most of the gifts for her (like Skittles-flavored-chapstick).

Below:

A pair of Easter socks squeezed into a balloon.

We figured out that the best way to do this was to scrunch down the neck of the balloon, a then stretch it open.  Once the gift was inside the balloon, just blow it up and tie it off like a regular balloon.

Putting a bikini into a balloon was a joke at first.  Then we bought it just to try.  To our surprise, it worked!  So, I guess Brookie gets a neon yellow bikini for her birthday (receipt included LOL...it's hard to pick a bathing suit for someone else...).  Nate had to hold open the balloon while I tried to jam the bikini in...

We thought of filling a few with confetti, but ended up getting nerds instead.  Hopefully it will have the same effect :)

And here it is!

We didn't blow the balloons up very big because we wanted them to have room to expand or contract with the changing pressure and temperatures on the way to Hawaii.

Since they aren't blown up very big, they also aren't see-through.

So each time she pops a balloon to get her gift, it will be a surprise.

Every single balloon (almost 30) has something inside.

Saxon wrote his own little note on the box:

Ready to ship:

We sent it parcel post and it was only $13 which is really good because the box was HUGE.  It was about 20X20X20.

Happy 19th Birthday Brookie!!!!

We LOVE you sooooo much!!!

Cinnamon Sugar Cake

My family LOVES Amish Friendship bread.

However, it takes 10 days to get ready to make, and then keeps multiplying!  And, I use a TON of ingredients making it every 10 days.  So, I don't make it very often.

But, we do love cinnamon and sugar, I thought we'd try Cinnamon Sugar Cake to see if it would be an easy substitute.

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup sour cream

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbsp. melted butter

Cinnamon/Sugar Mix

Just mix the cake mix, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla together.

Sprinkle the top of the cake with half of the cinnamon/sugar mix.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

My oven bakes hot, so mine was done in about 15.  It may need more or less time depending on how your oven cooks.

Since I used a decorative pan, I flipped the cake over once it had cooled slightly.

That way the top that I had sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar is now the bottom.

Once it's turned over, drizzle the top with melted butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar.

It was so yummy!  Saxon thought it tasted like churros.  Bridger thought it tasted like cinnamon tortillas from Costa Vida (restaurant).  I though it tasted just enough like Amish Friendship bread (because of the sour cream and the cinnamon/sugar) to buy me some time before everyone is begging me to make the real thing again :)

Valentine's Day Candy Cane Hearts

My sister-in-law made these for my kids last year, so I thought I'd give them a try.

Valentine's Day Candy Cane Hearts

You start with mini-candy canes (left over from Christmas):

Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, facing each other, so it looks like a heart.

Then bake them at 300 degrees for about 5 minutes.

Mine looked like this:

(I had to use a spoon and push the edges back together because some of them melted apart)

You can also try filling them with white or dark chocolate chips:

When you pull them out of the oven, use a spoon to spread the melted chocolate around.

Make sure it fills the entire center of the heart.

Then sprinkle the melted chocolate with Valentine's Day sprinkles.

They turn out so cute and make the perfect little Valentine's Day treat.

You can also put a lollipop stick in them when you first pull them out of the oven and make them into heart shaped lollipops.  I think the chocolate filled ones taste like peppermint bark.

It's a fun craft to make with kids because it is so easy and so quick!

Have fun!

Valentine's Day Picture Frame - Tutorial

I'm so excited to have my cousin Brittany from Love Stitched guest posting today.

Brittany made this gorgeous lace picture frame for Valentine's day (would also be perfect for Mother's Day), and today, she's going to teach us how!  Its the perfect DIY gift to make for someone you love...

Lovely Lace Picture Frame {{tutorial}}

Lovely Lace Picture Frame

This tutorial is so quick and easy! 

You can make this to add some decor flare to your own home 

or

it would make a darling mothers day present!

What you need:

Frame {any size}

Lace {stretchy or not doesn’t matter}

Spray Glue adhesive

photo

The how to : 

Remove the mat from the frame

Measure you lace to see how it fits width wise 

My Lace was too wide so I was able to cut it in half

Once you have all your sides measured out lay them out on your frame

Using the spray adhesive lightly spray the edges of your mat

Press the lace on the mat lightly

trim off any excess lace

Allow to dry for 15 minutes before placing back in the frame

and that’s it! 

You have a darling boutique chic lace frame that only cost you a couple dollars!

Thank you so much Brittany!!!

"My Gift" Ornament - Tutorial

I first saw this idea on A Lemon Squeezy Home and LOVED it!  I thought it was so creative, and such a fun way to teach kids to give back.  They are Christmas ornaments with a picture of Baby Jesus on one side and chalkboard on the other.  The kids can write what their gift to Baby Jesus will be on the back of the ornament.

Here's how to get started:

First, I had my husband cut and sand six, 4 X 4 inch, pieces of plywood.

Then I painted all of them, on both sides, with chalkboard paint.

You could also used chalkboard spray paint.

Next, I used Mod-Podge to glue and seal a picture of Baby Jesus on to the ornament.

I used several coats because I want this to last year after year...

(I bought the pictures at Seagull Book Store.  They were only 47 cents each.  They were a little hard to find this late in the season, so plan B was to just cut some pictures out of a magazine or ad).

Once it was dry, I flipped it over and stenciled each of the kids' names on an ornament.

I also had my husband drill holes in the sides (for attaching the string).

Last, I tied some twine on the top to hang it by.

I really love how they turned out!

Every year when we get out our Christmas ornaments, I'm going to have my kids write what their "gift" to Baby Jesus will be and we will hang it up on the tree as a daily reminder.

I hope everyone has a Very Merry Christmas this weekend!

See you next week :)

Reindeer Poop Craft - Tutorial

For Saxon's preschool class party yesterday, we had to bring a "treat or trinket" for all of the kids in the class.  Last year we brought hot chocolate packets with candy canes.

This year...

Reindeer Poop

 

Reindeer Poop Poem

I woke up with such a scare when I heard Santa call...
"Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!"
I ran to the lawn, and in the snowy white drifts,
those nasty reindeer had left "little gifts".

I got an old shovel and started to scoop
Neat little piles of "reindeer poop."
but to throw them away seemed such a waste,
So I saved them, thinking you might like a taste!

As I finished my task, which took quite a while,
Old Santa passed by and he sheepishly smiled.
And I heard him exclaim as he rose to the sky~~~
"Well, they're not potty trained, but at least they can fly!"

We found the free printable HERE.

And HERE is a link if you would prefer SNOWMAN POOP instead.

Saxon was SO EXCITED to give his friends "Reindeer Poop."

He giggled the whole way to school.

I also found this online:

 (Living on a Dime)

I thought it was a cute and inexpensive way to give someone a fun, holiday gift.

Reindeer Poop: Malt Balls

Snowman Poop: Marshmallows

Elf Poop: no idea?

Pumpkin Waffles and Buttermilk Syrup

This is what we made for breakfast on Sunday morning...

The Best Ever Pumpkin Waffles and to-die-for Buttermilk Syrup

I got this recipe from a girl I used to work with.

She is an amazing cook and this is one of my favorites that she used to make:

PUMPKIN WAFFLES:

In a large bowl combine:

2 C flour

2 Tbsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

In another bowl combine:

4 beaten egg yolks (save the whites for later in the recipe)

1 1/2 C milk

1 C pumpkin

3/4 C melted butter

1 Tbsp. vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Then, beat the 4 egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Fold the egg whites into the batter.

Pour into the waffle iron.

*Usually I substitute the white flour for whole wheat flour and use low-fat margarine.

I also double the recipe and make a TON and freeze them.  Then I can pop them in the toaster like Egg-o Waffles and give them to my kids for breakfast.  I feel good about them getting the pumpkin and the whole-wheat flour, and I cut out some of the fat by using the low-fat margarine instead.

Buttermilk Syrup:

In a large saucepan, combine:

1/2 C butter (it has to be the real thing...no margarine)

1/2 C buttermilk

1 C sugar

1 tsp. Karo Syrup

Bring it to a boil, remove from heat, and then add:

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

The baking soda will make the syrup double in size so make sure you plan ahead and use a big enough pot.

If you need ideas for what to make for breakfast on Christmas morning, this recipe is AMAZING!  Or, if you're like me, and seem to have a lot of canned pumpkin leftover after the holidays LOL :)

Cake Mix Cookies

Happy Monday Everyone!

Was your weekend crazy and busy?

It seems to be that way this time of year...

I spent Saturday battling the mall with my kids.

I love Christmas shopping, but I felt like I was going crazy by the end.  I could hardly push the stroller through the crowds, and every store had a mile long line!  Then my baby peed through his diaper, and I forgot the diaper bag in the car, that was parked about a mile away.  Some lady commented on my screaming baby by saying:

"That child has been screaming for like 20 minutes!  You would think someone would have tended to him by now."

Seriously.

I am giving up on the mall until next year.

Hopefully I can find a few last minute gifts elsewhere:)

Speaking of gifts, every year, I have a huge baking day and make treats for neighbors, co-workers, friends, etc.  It's cheaper than trying to buy gifts, and homemade gifts are always my favorite anyway.  So, I thought I'd share one of my favorite recipes with you:

Cake Mix Cookies (They're soooooo easy!)

 

 1 box of cake mix

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

(Didn't I say it was easy!)

Then you just play around with the flavors.

This one, for example, is Chocolate Fudge cake mix, with Christmas Mint M&M's.

 Here's some other combos that I love:

Vanilla Cake Mix + oil + eggs + Mini Reese's Pieces

Yellow Cake Mix + oil + eggs + butterscotch chips + heath bits

Spice Cake Mix + 1 can pumpkin + chocolate chips

Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix + oil + eggs = Oreos...then fill with cream cheese frosting. YUM!

Chocolate Cake Mix + oil + eggs + marshmallows + walnuts = Rocky Road Cookies

Chocolate Cake Mix + oil + eggs + peanut butter chips

Vanilla Cake Mix + oil + eggs + chocolate chips = chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate Cake Mix + oil + eggs + candy cane bits/Red & White Andes Mint Pieces

There are a million possibilities, and they are all SO EASY!

I usually wait until Betty Crocker Cake Mix is on sale for under $1 at the store, and then I buy a ton!  If I have cake mix on hand, I can always come up with a quick and easy treat.

Try these out if you need a quick treat one night!

Or, if you already make these, let me know what your favorite combo is :)

Christmas Card Hanger - Tutorial

I LOVE getting Christmas cards!

I love seeing how everyone's families are growing and how everyone is doing.

But every year, I run into the problem of "where to put them..."

They take over my counter, my fridge, and my whole kitchen.

This year I decided to make a Christmas Card Hanger:

1.   We started with a piece of leftover wood that we had that was 3 1/4 X 22 inches.

2.   I painted it brown first, then green.

3.   Then we distressed it.

4.  Then I used my silhouette to cut out the letters for "We BELIEVE".  I also found this cute Christmas tree on the silhouette images and decided to use it.

5.  Next I stenciled on the letters and the tree.  If you don't have a silhouette, or a cricut, you can just use stencil letters from the craft store.  Easier yet, try vinyl lettering :)  I was making this project at 1 a.m. and was wishing for vinyl lettering because it's so fast and easy. LOL.

6.  My husband drilled 3 tiny holes in the bottom corner of the board, and 3 more on the side corner.  He did this on each side.  

7.  Next we wrapped the wire through the bottom holes, and out the side holes.  Then we just folded it back behind the sign so the ends didn't stick out.  This way we don't have to worry about our wire falling out.  Then we attached a sawtooth hanger to the back.

8.  We draped the wire in 3 different levels so that we could hang as many Christmas cards as we want.

9.  I used little tiny clothes pins from Wal-mart to hang my Christmas cards up.

10.  Last, I just sit back and enjoy looking at all of my Christmas cards without having them take over my house.

What do you do with all of your Christmas cards?

I have a friend who hangs them on her Christmas tree...I thought that was pretty creative too :)

Pumpkin Pie Creme Brulee

I have a fun new recipe for you :)

This is one that I tried out over the weekend:

Pumpkin Pie Creme Brulee.

It's a fun twist on traditional pumpkin pie. 

For the crust:

• 32 butter crackers (such as Ritz)
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more if needed
• 2 to 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

For the custard:

• 3 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 vanilla bean
• 8 large egg yolks
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 cups canned pure pumpkin
• Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. 

To make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the crackers and pecans until finely ground. Add the melted butter and brown sugar and pulse to combine. Press the mixture into the bottoms and 1/2 inch up the sides of ten 6-ounce ramekins. Put the ramekins in a large baking dish or roasting pan and bake in the oven, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

To make the custard: Combine 2 cups cream, the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise; scrape out the seeds with a knife, then add the seeds and pod to the saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.

Whisk the egg yolks with the granulated sugar in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups cream and the milk to the saucepan. Slowly whisk in the yolk mixture, then strain the custard through a sieve back into the bowl. Whisk in the pumpkin.

Divide the pumpkin mixture among the ramekins. Pour hot water into the baking dish, about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custard is starting to set but is still a little wiggly in the middle, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven; remove the ramekins from the water bath and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Lightly sprinkle the custard with turbinado sugar. Heat the sugar with a butane torch until caramelized. To get a thicker caramelized sugar crust, repeat, using just a light sprinkling of sugar each time. Let cool.

In the end, they taste like miniature, creamy, pumpkin pies.

My kids loved that they each got their own, and of course, we had to add extra sugar on top :)  My cousin (who hates pumpkin pie) liked it.  My husband loves pumpkin pie, so he was skeptical, but he liked it too.  My honest opinion?  It tasted a lot like pumpkin pie.  I like creme brulee better than I like pumpkin pie, so I think I like the traditional creme brulee better.  But, for a holiday twist on pumpkin pie, this recipe is a must :)

(You can find the recipe HERE)