{group effort...}

Ok ok ok the first cake disappeared pretty fast around here SOOOOOOOO here is cake #2 and it was a total group effort to ice it! I did the middle layer and Caleb and Josh did the top. I totally suck at icing cakes--FOR REAL!2 chocolate cakes in less than a week---good grief!!!!

{Our supper & dessert tonight was rockin'!!!!}

Ok, first off I'm a blog surfer (cheeks blushing)......BUT I'm soooo glad I am because I found a great husband/wife blog that has awesome awesome recipes!!! Tonight was my first time trying any of them and to think I tried 2 right off scared me a touch but WOW did they knock my socks off!!!! I modified the enchiladas by using different cheese and more chicken and extra spices.... They have step by step instructions with PICTURES (2 thumbs up)!!!! I put the recipes below but if you go to my links ----------->(right hand side) "Kevin & Amanda's recipes" you can check it out. I can't wait to try other things on there!!!!!





Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies, drained
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, cut up and softened
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast
8 (8″) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 pint whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9×13 baking dish with Pam. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add rotel and saute 1 min. Stir in cream cheese and chicken and cook, stirring constantly until cream cheese melts. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas and place seam side down in a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese, and drizzle with whipping cream. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 min. Take off foil and cook for another 15 mins, or until top is golden brown.



THE BEST Chocolate Cake EVER

1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 package Jello instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a VERY large bowl (4 qt), mix together everything except chocolate chips. Batter will be thick. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into cake pan of choice (I normally use two 9-inch pie pans). For cooking time, I use the cooking times on the back of the devil’s food cake box as a guide and usually add 10 mins to whatever it says. Then I do the toothpick check, and if it’s not done, I check on it every 5 mins after that. :) It usually takes around 45 mins for two, 9-inch pie pans.

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup shortening (crisco)
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening until fluffy. Add sugar and continue creaming until well blended. Add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.

{A fantastic mail day for me!!}

So today was a pretty great mail day for me yay!!!! I got my new Silhouette, ribbon from an auction I won on Ebay and my new Bellas!!!! *big sigh* scrappy goodness

Today Josh was off from work so we lounged around the house until it was time to pick Caleb up from school and then headed to town for dinner out at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Fairbanks--yum! I ALWAYS get the same thing--fajita quesadillas without peppers. After Wal-Mart came home and finished up Caleb's science fair project and now we are settleing down to watch my DVR'd Grey's....just a great day all around. Tomorrow is the grand opening of the BX on base...I thought it was today but no such luck--tomorrow though. I've got my fingers crossed I'll be able to figure out the Silhouette...I'm soooooo not good at electronic stuffs so we'll see :)

{My beautiful Bellas...}

My pretty Bellas need a better, prettier home! I'm ashamed to admit this is where they reside not feeling loved as much as they should. *big sigh* TODAY will be the day I find a bigger place for them because as you can see they are crammed in that naked tin! I am going to alter them a new place a prettier place....last week Emily had a free shipping sale and I went hog wild and bought about 20 more! It's shameful to admit I hoard these things...so glad Tina talked me into them I LOVE them! How do you store your Bellas?

{Valentines Day}

So Josh got me a new laptop on Thursday because I'm lazy...I hate going downstairs 'cause I feel "out of the action" being down there by myself. I've been sharing his laptop but lets face it sharing sucks! It seems he's always on the damn thing when I want to be grrrr---anyway here's the new solution. Got my fingers crossed this one lasts because ummm I've been through 2 and I'm thinking laptops hate me so we'll see. :) Well, after my laptop and I got Josh a new bow I really thought we were done with V Day but again Josh surprised me. I had not 1 not 2 but 3 V Day cards semi-hidden all over the house yesterday. Sweet ones too. Nice huh? Sweet huh? He's a keeper. :)

{Field Trip Handmades}

Aren't they cute? Today was Caleb's field trip to an Alaskan thing at school and these are the things he made---he did an awesome job!!!! A coaster, quilt block and a carved walrus out of soap. The soap was my favorite--it smells soooooooo good and he did all these carving things in it and it's just adorable!

{Sweetie Brownies....}

So they aren't as fancy as I usually do but at least they are done WITH handmade cards! Hopefully they like them! :)

{Just Jack.....}

Jack Skellington rules. At least in this house he does. Caleb is obsessed and has been for a few months now. Last night after Chinese food we went to Hot Topic and they had 50% all Jack stuff. We just redid his room a few weeks ago and so we picked up a comforter, trash can, pillows, light plate and a few other things. The child was thrilled to say the least. Notice the sweatshirt? I don't think Josh was that happy with the purple but Caleb thought it was wicked cool :). He now has a rockin' room! :)

{Consider yourself tagged.....}

Copy and paste...erase my answers and add your own.......


Where is your mobile phone? in my purse
Where is your significant other? at work
Your hair color? red-brown w/ blonde highlights
Your mother? love her soooooo much
Your father? in the barn I'm sure
Your favorite thing? books
Your dream last night? I was shopping
Your dream goal? finding a job I love
The room you’re in? living room
Your hobby? scrappin' & altering
Your fear? dying
Where do you want to be in 6 years? closer to my Mom
Where were you last night? at home
What you’re not? assertive
One of your wish-list items? my own 4 wheeler
Where you grew up? Missouri
The last thing you did? drank coffee
What are you wearing? jeans & a t-shirt
Your TV? almost always on
Your pets? love my Gizmo
Your computer? my addiction
Your mood? peaceful
Missing someone? always
Your car? GMC Envoy
Something you’re not wearing? socks
Favorite shop? Fred Meyers
Your summer? so very very very short
Love someone? of course deeply
Your favorite color? pink & brown
When is the last time you laughed? today
When is the last time you cried? last night

Parker House Rolls

Ingredients
1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees F)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 package active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher
Directions
Combine the warm water, sugar and yeast together in a glass measuring cup and let yeast ferment until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk flour and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, add 1 of the eggs and 1 yolk into the well and slightly beat Add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour as needed, until dough is smooth and elastic.

Place in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let dough rest for 10 or 20 minutes. Remove dough from the bowl, divide the dough in half and roll each piece into a long 1 1/2-inch wide snake shape. Cut into 20 pieces and shape each into a ball.

Coat a 9-inch glass pie dish the melted butter, then toss the dough balls in the butter until coated. Cover with a kitchen towel and sit in a warm place, until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining egg and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool about 30 minutes but serve warm.

What I'm making tonight...2 be ready tomorrow :)

Chocolate Eclair Cake

Ingredients:
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla
pudding mix
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped
topping, thawed
1 (16 ounce) package graham crackers
1 (16 ounce) container chocolate frosting

Directions:
1.In a large bowl, combine pudding mix and confectioners' sugar. Whisk in milk until mixture is smooth, then gradually fold in whipped topping.
2.Place a layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Spread 1/3 of pudding mixture over crackers. Cover pudding with another layer of graham crackers. Continue layering until pudding mixture is gone. Cover last pudding layer with another layer of graham crackers.
3.Remove lid and seal from frosting and microwave at 20 second intervals, stirring between intervals, until frosting is pourable (about 1 minute). Spread frosting evenly over top layer of graham crackers. MUST Refrigerate 24 hours before serving.

I need this!

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See my blog??!!!!!

I LOVE it!!!!!!!!!! I went to House of 3 and for $3 got a banner and a background that is scrappy AND has owls!!! I did REALLY like my butterfly banner that I made on Scrapblog though but I NEEEEEDED owls *wink*. In March they are going to do kits and I'm super excited to see what they come up with--who knows I may join a club again.


*big sigh*.....now I need to clean and start some laundry and look like I've done something today heehee!!!! :)