Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken

It's been so cold this weekend, I thought I'd post a good slow cooker recipe.  This chicken dish is so tangy/yummy - it really hits the spot on a cold winter day.  You can dish up the cooked chicken as is or shred it for sandwiches or spoon over rice.  Any way you serve it, this chicken is delicious.  It's a family favorite of ours and I've made it many times for family gatherings too - it's that good and so easy to make.
Source: Allrecipes.com

Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken

Ingredients
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (12 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions
Place chicken in a slow cooker. In a bowl, mix the barbecue sauce, Italian salad dressing, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken.  Cover, and cook 3 to 4 hours on High or 6 to 8 hours on Low.

Tips:  For best results, use a good quality barbeque sauce - not a cheap one.  I like to use Sweet Baby Rays or Famous Daves barbeque sauce. If you shred the chicken for sandwiches, either shred it in the slow cooker or put it back in the slow cooker after shredding to mix in the sauce.  You can add more barbeque sauce if needed.  Also, if you use low or no fat dressing, add 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil so the chicken won't dry out.

2012 Family Scripture

"Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.”  (D&C 88:124)

2011 Resolutions Recap

I thought it would be good to review and analyze how I did with last year's resolutions.  Some of my goals were easy to remember and work on, some were not.  Here's a recap of my 2011 resolutions:

1.  Make a positive impact on someone's life each day.
2.  Take a cooking class
3.  Learn to better control my reactions and not allow the actions of others to dictate how I react and how I feel. 
4.  Be a more patient and considerate driver.
5.  Run in a 10K and then a Half Marathon.
6.  Take time each week to write down the highlights.

 For #1 - making a positive impact each day - I had a good start, beginning each day with a prayer and conscious decision to do this but as the days passed, the demands of life gradually took the front seat and pushed this farther back in my thoughts.  I definitely made progress in making a conscious choice to stay positive so I feel this goal was met (I wouldn't say finished because this goal will be a continual work in progress throughout my life.

For #2 - taking a cooking class - I completely missed this one.  I'm going to do it this year though, really!  I failed to make the time to find a local class to register for.  Cooking/Baking is something I really enjoy (not a surprise to anyone who's browsed my blog) so this year I'll find a class and make the time to go.

For #3 - better control of my reactions - again this one will be a continual work in progress but having made the decision to not let the actions of others dictate how I react and feel made a BIG difference.  Deciding ahead of time that I'm in control of how I feel and how I'll react helped me to pause in those difficult moments, think things through and decide how I wanted to respond.  Definitely a success.

For #4 - being a more patient and considerate driver - I've made big gains in this area.  All I have to do is imagine that a driver who makes me frustrated is a friend or family member or that they're in the middle of their own crisis and I instantly feel more patient with them.  This works most of the time and has helped me be a more patient and considerate driver - success for this goal.

For #5 - run in a 10K and then a Half Marathon - well, I kind of skipped the 10K and went straight for the Half Marathon.  Not only did I finish it, but I didn't do half bad and have already registered to run in two Half Marathons this year.  I'm going to have a lot of fun runs this year.

For #6 - writing down the highlights of each week - I started out okay with this and then completely dropped the ball.  This is one I wish I hadn't failed on and I'm recommitting to do better this year.  I don't want to forget all the special moments that happen throughout the year and obviously the best way to remember them is to write them down.  I think I'll post a reminder note on my mirror.

I'll be thinking about this years goals and posting them during the next week.

A New Year Begins

Wow, we're at the end of yet another year - my how they pass so quickly.  Time really does fly by faster each year.  I hear Winston complain about how long it's taking for him to grow up - he can hardly wait until he's old enough to have his own pocket knife and bb gun. I remember feeling this way as a child - that time was crawling by.

As a grownup, I'm so surprised by how quickly the weeks and months fly by.  It seems that Winston was born just last year and not more than 5 years ago already.  I worry about missing his growing up, which despite his complaints is happening at a rapid rate.  There's a lot to be said for seizing the moment and stopping to smell the flowers - don't wait until you're less busy - time doesn't wait for you and you'll miss all those special moments.

I welcome this new year and look forward to all it will bring.  I hope there will be more good kind of experiences than difficult ones, but will take all that is to come.  I'll try my best to learn and grow and cherish each day.  Happy New Year!

The Best Banana Bread

I have a weakness for good Banana Bread which I inherited from my mother.  She has made fabulous Banana Bread for as long as I can remember.  I came across a recipe on Pinterest that uses sour cream that sounded so good, I just had to give it a try.  I'm sure glad I did - it's fabulous!  Of course I had to share it.  :)
Source:  Your Homebased Mom

Sour Cream Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour bottom only of a loaf pan (or use 3 small loaf pans).  In large bowl, beat together sugar and oil.  Add eggs, bananas, sour cream and vanilla; blend well.  Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.  Add flour, baking soda and salt; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.   Pour into prepared pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes (about 40 minutes for smaller loaf pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes clean.  Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan.  Cool completely.  Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator.  Makes 1 loaf.

Christmas Story Advent

This year I decided to do something a little different to count down the days until Christmas.  I got together 24 children Christmas books (some new ones along with favorites we've collected over the years) and wrapped each one separately.  Each night we read a few verses relating to the birth of Christ and then let Winston pick a story to open and read for bed time.  He's loved this and so have I.  I thought I'd share a few of our favorites

The book pictured above "The Sweet Smell of Christmas" was a favorite of mine as a child.  All three of my boys have loved it too.  How can you not love a story that has yummy scratch and sniff pages?

What would Christmas be without a great nativity story with wonderful pictures and verse. 

This is one of the new books I bought this year.  It's about a camel named Humphrey who carried the treasures of the three kings and was able to meet and present the Christ child with his own gift - a wonderful and touching story.

This fun and silly alphabet book is Winston's favorite story this year.  It's full of darling pictures and a fun verse about a family's Christmas Eve with relatives from A to Z.

What would Christmas be without Phineas and Ferb.  This is a fun story about how these boys find the perfect Christmas Tree for their city.

What would Christmas be without this old classic - The Night Before Christmas.  We've owned this book since Zack and Bo were little and have read it every year on Christmas Eve - keeping the magic of Christmas alive.

I've so enjoyed our nightly story time.  This is a tradition we'll continue each year.

Christmas Egg Souffle

If you're looking for a great recipe for Christmas morning, I have one for you - Christmas Egg Souffle.  I love this stuff!  Cheesy eggs with a touch of green chilies - Mmmm!

It's super easy to make and can be baked ahead of time and heated back up (that is if you can wait to dig in).  I even make it for dinner sometimes - like tonight.   :)

Christmas Egg Souffle

Ingredients:

10 Eggs

2 cups cottage cheese (small curd)

1/2 tsp salt

1 4oz. can chopped green chilis

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 lb. Monterrey Jack Cheese, grated

1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan.  Beat eggs well.  Add cottage cheese, salt, chilis, flour and baking powder and mix well.  Stir in grated cheese and melted butter then pour into prepared pan.  Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.  Enjoy!

O Christmas Tree

I love our Christmas tree.  It's a family tradition of ours to get a real tree each year and our tree this year is such a beautiful shape and color.  An added plus - it makes our house smell so nice and piney. 

Another tradition of ours is buying a special ornament each year for our boys.  We started this when Zack and Bo were little and it's been a fun thing each year to add to their collection not to mention I enjoy shopping around for each year's ornament.  I love looking at our decorated tree and reminiscing about all the ornaments we've accumulated over the years - it adds to my holiday magic.

Don't get me wrong, I do love to see others theme decorated trees and admire their beauty, but for me our smorgasbord Christmas is the most beautiful of Christmas trees.