Taco Soup

I found this recipe from Melanie on Sugardoodle and we tried it the other night.  It was a success.  The kids really liked it.  I did a few things differently...I used ground turkey meat and I added black beans.  I also made it in a pot on the stove, only because I started too late for a crockpot.  It was quick, easy, and yummy!

1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans

1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans

1 (11 ounce) can corn 

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies

1 envelope taco seasoning mix

1 envelope hidden valley ranch dressing mix

1 lb ground beef 

Cook meat and drain.  Add all ingredients to the crock pot.  DO NOT DRAIN CANS.  Stir it all together and cook on high for a couple hours.  Keep on low until serving to keep hot.  You can garnish it with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped green onions and/or tortilla chips.  It’s a little spicy, but very tasty.

All Aboard!

A few weeks ago, we went to Griffith Park with our family.  We had a wonderful time.  We went to travel town and saw all of the trains and rode on the train ride.  The kids loved it....especially Aaron!

LOVING the ride!

"Driving" the train.  They really wanted to blow the whistle like in 

Polar Express!

Walking through the trains

Hanna even loved the train ride!

He was soooo excited!

It is always such a blessing to spend time as a family.  We grow closer together and really get to enjoy each other.  Our Griffith Park outing was a wonderful time and we look forward to many more wonderful outings together!

A FREE Family Home Evening Offer

Here is an awesome FREE offer that would be great to use for Family Home Evenings or Sunday activities.  Love that it is FREE!!!

https://www.livingscriptures.com/gbh/offer.asp

Creamy Ranch Chicken with Pasta

I got this recipe from Supercool Mom's Recipe Blog

Creamy Ranch Chicken With Pasta

Mix Together:

2-3 Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can of milk (the empty soup can)

Cook in Crock Pot on Low 8 hours, High for 4 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove from liquid, shred with forks and return to crock pot. 

Cook one 12 oz box of pasta (angel hair spaghetti is awesome)but fettuccini or any other pasta would be great too. Either mix pasta into sauce and chicken and serve from pot or use sause over pasta. Enjoy!

This recipe was yummy.  I used the leftovers the next night to make chicken enchiladas.  I layered the 9 x 13 with corn tortillas, chicken mixture, frozen corn, green chilies, and cheese.  I had about 3 layers.  Then I cooked it in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes and it was also very yummy!

Oh so yummy cookies!

These were some yummy cookies that we tried a few weeks ago for Family Home Evening.  I got the recipe from my friend, Tammie, who got it from a Costco recipe book.  I used chocolate/peanut butter chips and also added some walnuts to the recipe.  They were really yummy!  Hope you enjoy!

2 Cups Quick-cooking Oats

2 Cups All-purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Butter, or margarine or shortening

1 Cup Peanut Butter, creamy or crunchy

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed

2 Each Eggs

3 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

2 Cups Peanut Butter Chips, or chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in sugars, then eggs and vanilla until blended. Beat in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in peanut butter chips.

4. On ungreased baking sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart.

5. Bake for 13 minutes, or until golden. Remove the cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.

6. Makes 6 dozen.

Pretty in Pink

I just love my girls in pink!  

They look darling in anything they wear....

but somehow, pink is just my favorite!

The Tuesday night addiction....

Every Tuesday night my dear brother Jared, aka "The Ice Cream Man", comes to our home bearing gifts....namely Handel's Ice Cream.  The quarts are only $5.00 on Tuesday, instead of the regular $7.00.  It started several months ago, very innocently, with Jared bringing me one quart of my FAVORITE flavor, Cake Batter, just to try.  Boy, that was it!  I was hooked!  Then almost every Tuesday, he has come with new flavors to try.  My kids now talk the night before about the flavor that the "Ice Cream Uncle" is going to bring.  Their favorite is Cotton Candy.  Donnie and I speculate Tuesday evening to each other....if we are going to see Jared.  Usually he comes and is soooo sweet to shower us with his yummy gifts!  We do love the ice cream......BUT we have come to love Tuesday nights for another reason.  We love to visit with Uncle Jared and share this special time just with him.  I keep telling him that HE can just come himself....and NOT BRING ANYTHING.....EXCEPT HIMSELF.....but he hasn't done that yet.  Jared is a wonderful brother and uncle and friend.  He has such a generous heart and we are so blessed to call him family.  We are grateful for his friendship and generosity....and we truly do Love Tuesday "Uncle Jared" nights!