Winter Delights and Shabby Apple Dresses

Hallelujah, I have a computer again! I've been going through some serious withdrawals. Even worst than no computer, we had a big snowstorm and had no power for 36 hours. Dang, was it cold. Little E slept between us, with at least 10 blankets stacked on us.

I have been loving the stay-inside, cold-weather fun E and I have been having. Last night she helped carve her first pumpkin!

With fabulous Pinterest as our inspiration, here are some fun things we've been doing:

** This Jello Playdough was easy to make and the smell.... YUM. We made some cherry that smells just like Poptarts! This creamy Tortellini Soup is a perfect cold-weather food.

These ooey-gooey smores bars were delightful too!

On another note, I've been looking at the brightly colored, fabulous dresses on Shabby Apple. Ahhh... isn't this Fushia Aloha dress beautiful? These dresses are top quality, and I love that they're all so different. If you live near Holiday, UT, they're having a trunk sale next week on the 3rd. Too bad I can't teleport. I'll have to save my pennies and buy it for spring. Get ready for a blogging overload next week!

Soup Anyone?

While Princess E’s computer is on the blink, her Grammy B has been given permission to put up a few posts. Here goes…

Fall is just around the corner and that means: Soup Time! I found this soup recipe in the LDS Living magazine today and with my overflowing basket of zucchini decided to give it a try. And…it is a yummy appetizer. I tweaked the recipe a bit:

Easy Cream Cheese Zucchini Soup

4 cups sliced zucchini

4 cups water, 1 cup ice cubes

1 (8-oz) package cream cheese

1 envelope onion soup mix or vegetable soup mix

Cook zucchini and soup mix in 4 cups water until very tender. Take off stove and add 1 cup ice to cool. Pour into blender. Add cream cheese. Blend until smooth. (My blender was too small to do this all at once, so I did it in two bunches.) Return to pot and heat through. Slurp.

Serves 6

Fabulous Oatmeal Nutella Cookie Sandwiches

So I diverted from my norm of eating spoonfuls of wonderful Nutella straight from the jar, and decided to try these little babies out. The recipe is from THIS blog, which is full of mouth-watering, gotta-try foods. Oatmeal cookies + Nutella are the perfect combo. The cookies are crispy, buttery, and a bit nutty, and the Nutella is rich, creamy, and just plain heavenly. (Let's just overlook the fact that 2 tablespoons of the stuff pack 200 calories.) Try em-- You'll love em!

So what's the deal with Quinoa (Keen-wah)?

Quinoa is a small, South-American grain that is really growing on me. It kind of looks like tapioca pearls, and has the same mild, nutty flavor as brown rice. If you've heard anything about the grain, you know it's supposedly very good for you.

So what makes it so darn healthy? Besides being a good source of magnesium, iron, phosphorous and copper, this great grain has lots of protein. It is a complete protein (meaning it contains all amino acids,) which makes it a fabulous choice for vegetarians.

What can you do with it? First, give it a good rinse to wash off remains of the bitter husk, then cook like you would rice. I add 1 part Quinoa to 2 parts water, and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.

Try it in this super tasty, light salad.

Quinoa & Kale Salad

Mix together:

2 C cooked Quinoa

1 tomato, chopped

3/4 C kale, cut into bite size pieces

3/4 C black beans

1/2 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2-1 T lime juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

I like it both hot and cold. You could also add corn, avacado, or chile pepper for some heat. So delicious and very good for you!

Frosted Marshmellow Bars

Today I made these, recipe found HERE..... Then, I went into a diabetic coma, but it was worth it! These frosted marshmellow bars are AMAZING and pretty easy as well.

Meal Monday-- Chicken Pillows

I entered these Chicken Pillows in a recipe contest, then started feeling hungry, then decided to share the goodness with you! This yummy and easy recipe is one of our favorites. I usually make a big batch, and stick some in the freezer for easy lunches or snacks. And, who doesn't love creamy chicken with a flaky crust?
You'll need:
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (I just put it in the crockpot for a few hours)
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
2 T milk
1 t dried onion
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
pepper to taste
2 packages round refrigerated biscuits
3/4 cup crushed cornflakes
Mix chicken, cream cheese, milk, onion, and spices together until creamy. Flatten biscuits with rolling pin and drop rounded tablespoons of chicken mixture onto each biscuit. Bring opposite sides of biscuit up and pinch together. Sprinkle tops with crushed cornflakes. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with salad, asparagas, corn... whatever!

**Sorry there is no picture! You'll just have to make them yourself and taste the amazingness!