My Aunt Linda made this pineapple casserole for Thanksgiving, and CJ loved it. I've made it several times over, and it disappears fast. I'm not sure who I should credit with this recipe, but I have seen a Paula Deen version out there. Anyway, CJ highly recommends this recipe.
Pineapple Casserole
2 20 oz. cans pineapple chunks, drained
1 C. sugar
6 Tbsp. flour
1 C. shredded cheddar
1/2 C. melted butter
1 C. Ritz cracker crumbs
Mix first four ingredients into a baking dish (I've found a 2 1/2 qt. round dish works best, but a 9x13" dish will work too). Combine melted butter and crackers and sprinkle over top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.
Enjoy!
4.28.2010
4.26.2010
more modge podge stuff
Boredom tends to take over sometimes when CJ isn't around...
I've been seeing giant paper clips around to be used to hold pictures or as magnets. I decided for a giant $2 clip from Hobby Lobby, I could make my own, using leftover modge podge and scrapbook paper. It looks much better holding papers on our fridge instead of the ugly free ones we've been given from various companies.
I didn't use the best magnets when I made my square magnets a few weeks ago. While we were in Hobby Lobby, I found some cubes for $1.47, but CJ said he could make me some out of his scraps for free. I was thinking he'd make like eight of them, but instead, I got many, many more:
The cubes were a little more difficult to work with, but I used better magnets and wood glue, and I'm much happier with the final results:
I think that wraps up my cute little boredom projects for awhile. Not sure what else I really need to do. If all else fails, I suppose I should just clean our house. : )
I've been seeing giant paper clips around to be used to hold pictures or as magnets. I decided for a giant $2 clip from Hobby Lobby, I could make my own, using leftover modge podge and scrapbook paper. It looks much better holding papers on our fridge instead of the ugly free ones we've been given from various companies.
I didn't use the best magnets when I made my square magnets a few weeks ago. While we were in Hobby Lobby, I found some cubes for $1.47, but CJ said he could make me some out of his scraps for free. I was thinking he'd make like eight of them, but instead, I got many, many more:
The cubes were a little more difficult to work with, but I used better magnets and wood glue, and I'm much happier with the final results:
I think that wraps up my cute little boredom projects for awhile. Not sure what else I really need to do. If all else fails, I suppose I should just clean our house. : )
4.22.2010
the first noel
We're either really far behind or thinking way ahead, but here's one of our latest projects: a nativity set.
The nativity pattern was from Under My Umbrella. I traced the figures on some scrap wood we had and CJ cut them out for me. I spray painted them (dark brown) and then used sand paper to scuff up the edges. And that's it!
Merry Christmas ... just a few months early!
The nativity pattern was from Under My Umbrella. I traced the figures on some scrap wood we had and CJ cut them out for me. I spray painted them (dark brown) and then used sand paper to scuff up the edges. And that's it!
Merry Christmas ... just a few months early!
4.20.2010
meet hank
I hate those inflatables people put in their yards around Christmas -- and any more, for every other holiday as well. So our friends Eric and Leah surprised us with this lovely inflatable last Halloween:
As soon as it happened, we already knew how we were going to get back at them, but needed to do it when they least expected it.
So, meet Hank, a cowboy taking a bath. This was placed in their front yard last week. Classy, huh?
I think we've all learned a valuable lesson here: Don't mess with us. We'll always one-up you with a cutout of something ugly.
As soon as it happened, we already knew how we were going to get back at them, but needed to do it when they least expected it.
So, meet Hank, a cowboy taking a bath. This was placed in their front yard last week. Classy, huh?
I think we've all learned a valuable lesson here: Don't mess with us. We'll always one-up you with a cutout of something ugly.
4.19.2010
napping buddies
I'm pretty sure this is one of the reasons why CJ wanted to get a dog -- to have a napping partner.
4.18.2010
fence is done
Our fence is done!
This could otherwise be titled "Henry's worst and best weekend ever." He was not happy he had to stay inside while everyone else got to be outside, but he was super happy to get outside and run around without being on a lead. Hopefully this will help us have a much happier, more tired dog! (Remember: A tired Henry = a happy Molly)
This could otherwise be titled "Henry's worst and best weekend ever." He was not happy he had to stay inside while everyone else got to be outside, but he was super happy to get outside and run around without being on a lead. Hopefully this will help us have a much happier, more tired dog! (Remember: A tired Henry = a happy Molly)
Eric, Ron, and CJ work the post hole digger.
The finished product.
Henry was unhappy most of the weekend, as he had to stay inside while everyone else got to be outside. When he finally got to go outside, he had to sniff around the entire fence.
This fence doesn't give us complete privacy from our neighbors due to the slope in the yard, but I'm still in love with it! We're not done out there, so stay tuned to our progress... Still have to stain it, repaint our adirondack chairs and fire pit, buy a new grill (most people upgrade from charcoal to gas, but we're going backwards), build a deck, hang the cute lights I bought at Target this weekend, find a lantern or two, and plant our garden. Looks like we've got our work ahead of us!
4.14.2010
parmesan garlic chicken
This is a simple recipe, but the best part is, you can make lots of it well ahead of time and then pop it out of the freezer for a very easy meal later.
Parmesan Garlic Chicken
Don't Panic: More Dinner's in the Freezer
6 servings (or you can make more)
6 boneless chicken breasts
1 C. Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. olive oil
On cooking day:
Mix together cheese, garlic, and dressing mix. Dip chicken breasts in olive oil, then coat with cheese mixture. Wrap each coated chicken breast individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze.
On serving day:
Thaw completely. Unwrap desired number of chicken breasts and place in a greased baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes until chicken is tender and no longer pink.
I added a little more Parmesan on top on cooking day to boost the flavor a little more.
Parmesan Garlic Chicken
Don't Panic: More Dinner's in the Freezer
6 servings (or you can make more)
6 boneless chicken breasts
1 C. Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. olive oil
On cooking day:
Mix together cheese, garlic, and dressing mix. Dip chicken breasts in olive oil, then coat with cheese mixture. Wrap each coated chicken breast individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze.
On serving day:
Thaw completely. Unwrap desired number of chicken breasts and place in a greased baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes until chicken is tender and no longer pink.
I added a little more Parmesan on top on cooking day to boost the flavor a little more.
4.12.2010
bribery
Bribery works most of the time, right?
I'll start my story by explaining that my in-laws are big dog people. I know many people are the type to call themselves their pets' "parents." I'm sorry if you do this, but I hate it. I am Henry's owner, not Henry's mother. I cringe every time I hear someone say that, whether it's about me or anyone else. My in-laws like to joke (especially my father-in-law) and CJ let it slip how much I hate this, so they'll make comments here and there to get a rise. Plus, they say that Henry is their "only grandchild."
Anyway.
We're going on vacation soon, and CJ had asked his parents if we could take him down there to stay. He can run around and play with Patches for a week. My mother-in-law didn't immediately say yes, so the last time we went to visit, we came up with this idea:
1. Make the in-laws' favorite snacks -- no bakes for my father-in-law, and rice krispies for my mother-in-law.
2. Attach a note -- from Henry.
3. The kicker: The note was on the back of a photo of Henry, which we then attached to the gift bag.
We didn't receive a yes at the time, but I'm pretty sure we'll get it ... especially if we keep doing things like this.
I'll start my story by explaining that my in-laws are big dog people. I know many people are the type to call themselves their pets' "parents." I'm sorry if you do this, but I hate it. I am Henry's owner, not Henry's mother. I cringe every time I hear someone say that, whether it's about me or anyone else. My in-laws like to joke (especially my father-in-law) and CJ let it slip how much I hate this, so they'll make comments here and there to get a rise. Plus, they say that Henry is their "only grandchild."
Anyway.
We're going on vacation soon, and CJ had asked his parents if we could take him down there to stay. He can run around and play with Patches for a week. My mother-in-law didn't immediately say yes, so the last time we went to visit, we came up with this idea:
1. Make the in-laws' favorite snacks -- no bakes for my father-in-law, and rice krispies for my mother-in-law.
2. Attach a note -- from Henry.
3. The kicker: The note was on the back of a photo of Henry, which we then attached to the gift bag.
We didn't receive a yes at the time, but I'm pretty sure we'll get it ... especially if we keep doing things like this.
4.11.2010
what's up
You'd think that all we do around here is work on projects... So what have we been doing when we're not building, painting, or decoupaging something?
CJ
He applied for the Ivy Tech's nursing program at the beginning of the month, and should expect to hear back by the end of May whether he got in or not. This particular program is specifically designed for paramedics, so it's a shorter program than if he were to start from scratch. The best part is, they offer classes twice a week and at different times, which means he won't have to take vacation days or make time trades to go to class. He's still working part-time at the volunteer fire department, although he's a paid paramedic there. That's usually one day a week and provides us with some extra play money to build, paint, and decoupage things.
Me
I just finished up another class -- Marketing. I really liked it, and it was a much-needed break after the vigors of Accounting. We didn't get a week off, so this Thursday, I'm in Economics. Looking at the syllabus, it looks like it'll require more work, so I hope I haven't gotten too used to not doing anything during the week again.
Us
Last weekend, we spent Friday working on our closet unit. CJ worked last Saturday, so I spent some time with my friend, Amanda, at You are the Potter, where we painted our own mugs. My parents came down for Easter service and to eat out after church. And then I got a text message from my sister-in-law saying they took my father-in-law to the hospital with chest pains, so we spent part of the late afternoon/early evening in Terre Haute at the hospital. His tests came back negative, so we're thankful everything turned out well.
As for this weekend, CJ worked on the closet unit some more. (Henry and I are staying away, if that gives any indication of how it's going.) I planted nine new flowers yesterday, and CJ dug up a dead rose bush and planted a new one today, so I hope those take off soon. Weather permitting, we plan to put up a fence next weekend (and by "we," I really mean CJ and his dad). And we're planning out our much scaled-down garden for this year too. And our last project that will hopefully get off the ground soon is a new bed frame to go with our new mattress that came in this week!
That's really it for us. We're just very thankful that spring is here and we can get lots of projects crossed off our list. Hope all is well for everyone else!
CJ
He applied for the Ivy Tech's nursing program at the beginning of the month, and should expect to hear back by the end of May whether he got in or not. This particular program is specifically designed for paramedics, so it's a shorter program than if he were to start from scratch. The best part is, they offer classes twice a week and at different times, which means he won't have to take vacation days or make time trades to go to class. He's still working part-time at the volunteer fire department, although he's a paid paramedic there. That's usually one day a week and provides us with some extra play money to build, paint, and decoupage things.
Me
I just finished up another class -- Marketing. I really liked it, and it was a much-needed break after the vigors of Accounting. We didn't get a week off, so this Thursday, I'm in Economics. Looking at the syllabus, it looks like it'll require more work, so I hope I haven't gotten too used to not doing anything during the week again.
Us
Last weekend, we spent Friday working on our closet unit. CJ worked last Saturday, so I spent some time with my friend, Amanda, at You are the Potter, where we painted our own mugs. My parents came down for Easter service and to eat out after church. And then I got a text message from my sister-in-law saying they took my father-in-law to the hospital with chest pains, so we spent part of the late afternoon/early evening in Terre Haute at the hospital. His tests came back negative, so we're thankful everything turned out well.
As for this weekend, CJ worked on the closet unit some more. (Henry and I are staying away, if that gives any indication of how it's going.) I planted nine new flowers yesterday, and CJ dug up a dead rose bush and planted a new one today, so I hope those take off soon. Weather permitting, we plan to put up a fence next weekend (and by "we," I really mean CJ and his dad). And we're planning out our much scaled-down garden for this year too. And our last project that will hopefully get off the ground soon is a new bed frame to go with our new mattress that came in this week!
That's really it for us. We're just very thankful that spring is here and we can get lots of projects crossed off our list. Hope all is well for everyone else!
4.09.2010
follow friday
I know several people who read my blog bookmark Cake Wrecks, but if you haven't been, it's a must visit. These are all disastrous cakes that people have either made themselves or have found in the stores. It often involves misspellings, misunderstandings, and lots of creepy babies. Enjoy!
4.07.2010
modge podge magnets
I've found that with school, work, and everything in between, sometimes I just need a mindless activity. I saw a tutorial on one of the blogs I follow (can't remember which now) about making modge podge magnets, and I figured I could do it. Plus, it helped me get rid of the ugly standard black magnets I was using to hold up stuff on our fridge.
Here's what I ended up with:
If you want to do it yourself, here's what I purchased:
Although the start-up costs were a little high, I plan to make more. And who knows? I've seen people sell sets of magnets very similar to this on etsy for $6+, so maybe that'll be my new venture.
Here's what I ended up with:
- Small wooden squares ($1.47)
- Piece of scrapbook paper ($.34, plus I barely used any)
- Modge podge ($5, but the whole container is still nearly full)
- Clear acrylic ($5, but again, I barely used any)
- Brown craft paint (already on hand)
- Sticky magnet strips (already on hand)
- Small brushes (already on hand)
Although the start-up costs were a little high, I plan to make more. And who knows? I've seen people sell sets of magnets very similar to this on etsy for $6+, so maybe that'll be my new venture.
4.05.2010
not a morning dog
It finally hit me one morning a few weeks ago that Henry and I are kind of alike, but only in one aspect: neither one of us enjoy the morning. I've realized he's much easier to handle in the mornings. It's probably because he looks like this for the first few hours of the day:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)