In My Trifle Bowl...and Teacher Gift

I found a note from the teachers in the bottom of my trifle bowl.  They kept the dessert for themselves to eat after cleaning up from the reading awards ceremony. 

I gave this to Cameron to give to his mom. He was so excited about it. 

Dinner Tonight, Dinner Tomorrow

Tonight's dinner is:

Impossibly Easy Mini Chicken n' Broccoli Pies
(I love food in muffin tins.)

served with creamed spinach.

Dinner tomorrow, maybe lunch on Monday.

Tropical Chicken Salad

· 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits

· 4 cups cubed cooked chicken

· 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped

· 1 cup thinly sliced celery

· 1 cup slivered almonds

· 1/2 cup mayonnaise

· 1/2 cup sour cream

· 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

· salt and pepper to taste

Drain pineapple, reserving 1 TBSP juice.
In a large bowl, bombine the pineapple, chicken, eggs, celery, and almonds.
In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients; stir in the pineapple juice.
Pour over the chicken mixture; mix well.
Refrigerate until serving. (8 servings)

Baptism Sunday

Tomorrow will be our first "Baptism Sunday" since HH has been pastor on the reservation.  We are so excited to have two young boys be baptised.  We are moving our potluck up a week in celebration.  This is particularly helpful to me, as we will not be getting back until around midnight on Saturday night from Las Vegas.

Aunt Kate's Strawberry Cake

Sunflower Cheese Ball

• 1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped ripe olives (I omitted this)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup salted sunflower kernels

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and mustard until smooth.  Add garlic powder.  Stir in the cheese and parsley.  Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Shape into a ball; roll in sunflower kernels. Store in refrigerator.  Serve with crackers.

*  Props to HH who went to the Family Dollar and both gas stations to find me sunflower kernels.  They didn't have them at the local grocery store.

Creamy Crab Salad

• 1 package (16 ounces) medium shell pasta
• 1 package (16 ounces) imitation crabmeat, flaked
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 TBSP seasoned salt
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.
Place in a large bowl; add crab, onions, and carrots.
Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar, seasoned salt, vinegar and pepper.
Pour over salad and toss to caot.
Cover and chill for at least two hours.

I just turned in my last assignment for the two courses I need to renew my South Dakota teaching certificate!  OH YEAH!

I think I'll celebrate by going to Vegas!  :)
I finally found another "show" I want us to see in Vegas (other than HH's!)...Dancing with the Stars Live.  I'm going to see if they have tickets available.  I also want to do "The Mob Experience," at the Tropicana.  Time is our only enemy!!!

Treat Friday

I have a half-day with my students tomorrow, then to kick off the weekend I've got training on how the state computer testing will be revamped!  (Be jealous!)

A dear teacher friend has a birthday on Sunday, so I made Peanut Butterliscious Bars for her and her class.  I also got her a personalized recipe box. 

For the staff I made Royal Berry Coffee Cake

Need help on your classroom management?  How about displaying a huge bowl of Monster Cookies?  Yep, I'll be doing that tomorrow!  I'm pretty good with discipline, and one of my friends has called me "The Kid Whisperer," but with so few days of school left, I will resort to these measures!

So what is HH doing while I am baking?  He is in the kitchen reading to me my lesson from The History of Christian Thought.  Oh yes ladies, he is a sweetheart!

We leave for VEGAS on Wednesday!

This morning, my rings fell off the necklace I wear them on.  (I can wear them on my fingers, but have kind of got in the habit of wearing them on the necklace.  Not to mention with the swelling from upcoming plastics, I'll have to wear them on my necklace again anyhow.)  I couldn't find my engagement ring.  I wake HH up to look for it with me.  I had to get ready for work, so I left him to look.  When I come back in, he is laying in bed with his eyes closed.  I am thinking, how could this not be bothering him?  How can he compartmentalize so easily?  I looked closer, and he had the ring on his pinky finger!  He said, "Hey, lets get married in Vegas...."  I said sure thing, how about next Wednesday?  :)

Wednesday Night Church

We have a schedule for cooking a cooking schedule for church.  I've voluntarily "stepped it up" the past little bit because I'm going to be gone almost the entire summer. 

Parmesan Noodles

I did take the advice in the comment to add sliced almonds to the noodles. 

Dr. Pepper Chicken

I forgot to take a picture!  The chicken was very moist and tasty.  When I started to make it at the house, I went to open the Dr. Pepper....Old Faithful was happening in my kitchen!  It went everywhere.  Apparently Dr. Pepper has a lot of gas in it.  I will open it outside next time!

Charity Event

We had an event in town tonight to help the homeless.  There was pottery sold there, and an art show.  I know the lady who runs the event.  I made soup and a dessert.

Awesome Crab Soup (HH calls it "Crab Chowder")

HH had some of this soup last night, and he loved it.  He said it was restaurant quality soup.  He also added that he really wanted me to make this again.  (He normally is pretty go with the flow on trying new things.)

Sopapilla Cheesecake

Happy Administrative Professional's Day

For Administrative Professional's Day tomorrow, I made Cinnamon Roll Chex Mix (by Creations by Kara) for my five favorite secretaries. 

The quote I found on Facebook, and decided to print it!

For church tomorrow night, I made Brown Eyed Baker's "My Dad's Favorite Chocolate Birthday Cake."

On the way home from school, I tell HH that I have to go by the grocery store, because I'm almost out of cinnamon.  To which he replies (in his Jeff Foxworthy voice), "If your wife says she has to stop by the store before going home to get cinnamon, you might be married to a foodie."

Here is HH pimping out my Kitchen Aide Mixer!!! I am in love with Word Nerd's Etsy shop! How can superhero words not help my cooking?

 The finished product:

I got a surprise from the little nuggets at the Daycare for the treats I make them!

It's Been a Long Day's Night....

I made a Chocolate Trifle for a Reading Award's Ceremony Tuesday night.

I tried to make these peanut butter cookies, but it was a fail.  I didn't have a muffin top pan, but I thought I could still make them work.  FAIL.  I have been wanting a muffin top pan, but now I am moving it up to a "need." 

Since I failed at that, I decided that I wanted to make Blueberry Boy Bait.

HH says I look like an art teacher in my new shirt. 

I didn't take many pictures at the women's retreat this weekend, but here is a group shot:

I bought this pillow at Target before heading home...a great edition to our cozy little place I think!

Key Lime Cake

(With limes lovingly zested by HH)

HH's Consolation Prize...

There were two pieces leftover after church tonight.  When we got in, I put them in the trash, so I could clean the plate.  HH wanted a piece later, and he was majorly bummed that it was in the trash.  He said it was one of my best.  I instinctly say, "Does that mean my other desserts haven't been good?"  He says no, but that should tell you where it ranks among them.  So I gave HH the remaining trifle from Sunday.  He didn't eat the whole thing, but I didn't want to dirty up anymore dishes.

Cinnamon Cinnabon Cake

Before it went into the oven.  I felt like I was in a coffee shop back home where they make a swirl design in your coffee. 

I normally don't insist on trying something I make the night I make it.  This was an exception.  The recipe made two, so I'll be taking the remaining 1 3/4 cakes to school tomorrow to pass out.

I'm really getting my game face on for this master's class I will be co-teaching this summer on literacy in July.  Stuff is starting to really flow together, and I am beyond geeked out about it.  :) 

I went to the local doctor here, and I was really pleased.  I presented her with four pages of documentation explaining my surgery, and she read it all.  I showed her the meds I take, and gave her my long laundry list of labs.  She was very willing to draw the labs, and she said she would refer me for a Dexascan (bone density scan).  She was worried about as to how many of the labs she would perform in one given day.  I told her I could handle quite a few, but I am gathering that I will do it in two visits. 

If I counted right, I have made 48 different recipes in the last two months!  I love learning new stuff!

I just finished reading The Emancipation of Robert Saddler: The True Story of a Twentieth Century Slave.  This book was hard to read at times.  What an amazing man....

I'm about half the way through with I Do, Now What?  Secrets, Stories, and Advice from a Badly In-Love Couple.  I think they have an interesting relationship, and have some perspectives to look at.  I also want to eat at their restaurant the next time I am in Chicago.  (Sadly, I don't know when that will be Chitown Girl!)

Bacon Breakfast Pizza

Bacon Breakfast Pizza
(for dinner)

1 tube (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 eggs
2 tablespoons water
1 package (3 ounces) crumbled bacon
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Unroll crust into a greased 9 by 13 pan; flatten dough and build up edges slightly.  Brush with 1 TBSP oil.  Prick dough thoroughly with a fork.  Bake at 400 dor 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned.

2.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk eggs and water.  In a small skillet, heat remaining oil until hot.  Add eggs; cook and stir over medium heat until completely set.

3.  Spoon the ggs over crust.  Sprinkle with bacon and cheeses.  Bake 5-7 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

I didn't have any Jack cheese.  This dish was good.  I think I might make it for the kids for breakfast sometime.  I am not responsible for breakfast, but I try to help the lady out who is in charge.  She does a hot breakfast every third Sunday.  This would be a good choice.

Engraved Euniques

I saw a post at Kelly's Korner featuring a piece of art from Engraved Euniques.  My package arrived today.   My ... my husband and I were overwhelmed. 

Although the picture doesn't look like it, this is a focal point of our dining room:

Thank you Kaye for such a beautiful edition to our home, and your sacrifice. 

Flower Treats for My Little Friends

Flower Treats

Orange Chicken for Dummies

This was so savory and amazing!

I have officially arrived...I need a cooking "schedule"....I've committed myself to several cooking things lately.  I am volunteering for these things, and I really want to cook!

I got asked to cook for a awards reception next week.  The teacher who came to ask me to help cook said I could bring either a salad or a dessert.  I said I would like to bring a dessert.  She said that she was really hoping I would bring a dessert because she had heard I made great ones.  :)

Key Lime Bars

I told my students I should incorporate more green into my life.  I was starting this week by making Key Lime Bars and Key Lime cake.  Tonight, I made the Key Lime Bars...

1 1/4 cups flour
30 vanilla wafers, broken into pieces
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup butter

Cream Cheese Layer:
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
2 TBSP milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Key Lime Layer
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1/2 cup key lime juice

Additional powdered sugar

1.  In a food processor, combine the flour, wafers, powdered sugar, and pecans; cover and process until nuts are fine.  Add butter; cover and pulse until crumbled. 

2.  Press into an ungreased 13 x 9 inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool on a wire rack.

3.  In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, milk and vanilla until blended; spread over crust to edges of pan.  In another small bowl, combine sugar and flour; whisk in eggs and lime juice.  Gently pour over cream cheese layer.

4.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until filling is set.  Cool on a wire rack.  Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.  Cut into bars.  Before serving, sprinkle with additional powdered sugar.

(My bars and cooling, and I'll be slicing and adding powdered sugar soon.)

Trifles and Such

Tomorrow I am hosting Ladies Fellowship at the house.  I went to the Taste of Home website, to find they had an abundance of trifle recipes displayed.  I picked a trifle bowl from HH's grandmother (when we went through her house), and was excited to use it.  I wanted to do one with fresh fruit, but our selection isn't that great this time of year, and I wasn't going to be in a bigger town to get it. 
Peanut Butter Apple Dessert

What a show piece! 

In the mini crockpot we will have...

Pizza Dip

For the main dish we have....

Creamy Italian Chicken

A Few of the Ladies...

Pimping Out My Friend's Door (of the Preschool she owns)

Thanks Be Different, Act Normal

Now I am looking at Google Images to find at least one more idea for another teacher friend.  I may do it for a few more teachers.  My former student teachers would be laughing, because they know how ANTI decorating my door I am!

We had slow-cooker Honey Sesame Chicken the other night.