New Recipe: Number 10 ~ Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

I just have to start this post by saying...I LOVE PINTEREST! If you haven't check this site you, you absolutely need to do so. You'll need to be invited, so if you need an invite, email me.

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it was fabulous. We had it for dinner, yes, I said dinner. Cinnamon Rolls make great dinner!

Link to inspiration blog post: Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring
*Her pictures are so much more fabulous

Ingredients:
2 Pillsbury Grands buttermild biscuits
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 c pancake syrup (I used Aunt Jemima Lite Butter)
1/2 c packed brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Spray a fluted pan with non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 375˚. Combine the melted butter and syrup in a small bowl and set aside (it almost looks like caramel). In another bowl, combine brown sugar & cinnamon. Pour about half of the syrup mixture in the bottom of the pan and then sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture on top of that. Lay the biscuits on the bottom of the pan, overlapping edges to form a ring. (Inspiration recipe only used 1 1/2 cans of biscuits but I used 2 so they were very closely overlapped). Top with the remaining syrup and brown sugar mixtures. Bake for approximately 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Ready to stick in the oven.

Cream Cheese Frosting makes is so wonderful.

Crock Pot: Day 14 ~ Chicken & Green Chiles over rice

So I was perusing Facebook the other day and a friend posted that she was going to throw something in the crock pot. Someone responding asking her what she was making on that snowy day. She replied with a recipe and then I snagged it, modified it to the way I cook and voila...new recipe.

Chicken & Green Chiles over Rice

Ingredients:
2 cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup
3 c of Chicken broth
10 Garlic cloves pressed
1 Onion chopped
1 can of Green Chiles
2 boneless, skinless Chicken breast
Salt & Pepper to taste
Flour & Milk (to thicken)

Cast of Characters

Put all the ingredients in the crock pot (except for flour & milk) on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours.

30 minutes prior to serving, remove chicken breast and put it on a cutting board. Whisk equal parts milk & flour (I did 4 tbsp of each) until smooth. Pour slowly and stir into crock pot. Shred chicken and return it to the crock pot to cook for the final 30 minutes.

After the chicken is shredded 

Serve over rice.

Dinner

Knitting: Project 1 ~ Rascal Market Bag

I tried out this pattern: Elisa Nest Tote

I'm calling it the Rascal Market Bag, because it was bit of a rascal as I tried to finish it! It's my very first bag and I think I see another market bag in my future...my own design & a trial is on my needles now.

I did not like how mine turned out...but I learned a few things along the way. First off, the kitchner stitch and I are not friends. Second, I like the applied I-Cord edge but disliked the I-Cord handle.

Okay, with that said, I made the bag and was 97% finished before I realized I didn't like it. The thing is I've made a pack with myself to finish all projects I start this year...ALL of them, not just the ones I like. It is something God has laid on my heart and as I have struggle this past year with being "out of focus" this year I am embracing the 30 different things I do without "focus" and the thing I do I will FINISH STRONG!

So the bag doesn't quite look like the one from the pattern I followed. I looked at a thousand on Ralvery.com. Some actually looked like mine, so I relaxed and finished.

The applied iCord causes the opening to be narrow. The kitchner stitch did not make a nice finish on the handle.

I used Peaches and Cream, Dark Taupe (from Walmart).

Not a great pic...was learning how to take pics of my yarn.

Finished Bag

Opening is small...not much bigger than this box would fit.

Bag hanging empty

5 lbs. of potatoes to see that the bag stretches quite a bit. 

This is really my first time blogging about a knitting project. I only started really knitting in September of 2011, though my mom had taught me a thousand times before then. You can find me on Ravelry.

Donations: Day 5 ~ Decor from my linen closet

I cleaned my linen closet. I decided as I was cleaning, I was going to clean as though I was moving across the country.

I decided to ask myself these questions:

• Would I pay to move this?
• Have I used this in the past year?
• Will I use it in the next year?
• How many do I have/need? 
• Will I miss this?
• Will I pay to replace this in the next year if I get rid of it today.

As I peeled through my closet, I found another pile of things to donate. I'm on a roll.

Items include:

• Tea lights (unscented & vanilla scented)
• Plug in air fresheners (Glade & Bath & Body Works)
• Plastic Bandaid holders (holds about 5, great for the purse)
• Shower curtain rings
• 3 different Bamboo Vases
• Reusable Shelf liner
• Little Vases
• 6 matching candle stick holders
• Apple Cinnamon scented oil
• 1 Glass votive holder
• 1 Glass candle stick holder
• Glass bowl (heavy, I think it is Mikasa but it's not marked)
• 2 Large glass pillar candle holders
• Heart shaped glass bowl (flat bottom)
• Lamp
• 3 tubes of incense & a wooden holder

See anything you want, need, like or would love to give a new home, let me know. I would rather pass on the love than just donate. I didn't wash anything but it's all in great shape & easy to clean.

** Oh, and I don't care why you want it. If you are an avid, detected and organized garage sale extraordinaire and want to just sell these things, or list them on ebay or craigslist that's fine by me...I just want to give them to those who want/need them or need the money they may bring you.

Organizing: Day 5 ~ Cleaning my linen closet

One thing about living in a house built in the 80s is there is a severe lack of closet space. There are no walk-in closets. Almost all the closets are shallow and the built in shelves are almost useless; however, I am blessed to have a big home and I want to live within my space...so the de-cluttering continues.

My linen closet had some sheets, beach towels, first aid, sun screen and miscellaneous decor. When the door is closed, it all fits...

See...it's not bursting open.

...but open the door and all hell broke loose. Another fallen Jenga pile that needed sorting and cleaning and purging, oh my.

I get the feeling some kiddos have been in here.

I embraced this venture and found myself in a mess. The thing about organizing is it almost always gets worse before it gets better.

Getting a little claustrophobic...need to take a break.

When I finished, I introduced the family to the new linen closet and gave them each a tour. Hopefully they will know where things are when they need them and know where to put things away when they are finished...hopefully was the key word there.

Ahh..my OCD friends are lovin' this.

In the end, things are cleaner, organized and there is a nice pile for donation.

Detailed list of donations post coming tomorrow ;)

Okay, I'm going to be honest here: I really decided to take pictures of things after I cleaned so I could remember. I am the "odd" one in my bunch of friends. I'm the one that isn't OCD & doesn't have perfect closets, drawers, cabinets or shelves. In fact, the only reason the mess bothers me is because we have too much stuff! 

Crock Pot: Day 13 ~ Beef Stroganoff

I got inspiration for this recipe, Beef Stroganoff, from the Tastefully Simple website. I've never made beef stroganoff. Though I love cooking, this is just one thing I've never made our family. This is a new recipe as well as a crock pot delight.


Ingredients:
-6 Garlic Cloves minced
-1 Tbsp. Tastefully Simple Spinach & Herb Dip Mix
-2 lbs. cubed beef stew meat
-1 Chopped medium onion
-1 Package sliced mushrooms
-2 c beef broth
-2 Tbsp. Flour
-2 Tbsp. cold water
-8 oz. chive and onion cream cheese spread
-Prepared hot egg noodles

Cast of Characters

Combine garlic, Spinach & Herb Dip Mix, beef stew meat, onion, mushrooms and beef broth in the crock pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. 


Combine flour and cold water; stir until smooth. Whisk mixture into crock pot until thickened about 30 mins to an hour before serving. 


Add cream cheese 30 minutes before serving and stir until blended. 


Serve over hot noodles.

Yum

Okay, so the kids and I loved this...hubby not so much (which explains why I've never made it). So though it's a great recipe, I'll probably won't put it into our regular rotation...

Exercise: February

My kiddo #3 broke her leg at the beginning of this month and has been in a full leg cast. She has also been home all month and will be home all next month as well. This has definitely affected my work out routine...but none the less, I'm not giving up and I have still managed to loose some weight.

This is February's Stats:

2.8

Total mi

258

Total Calories

I did some strength training and on those days I didn't run or walk at all. I hit the gym 6 days this month. With all that's been going on in our lives, I'm really glad I made it there at all. March will be a better month...plus I really hope to take the year and average it for this goal! I am not discouraged at all. I am still embracing health this year.