Helping his Big Bros.

Zack and Bo changed the oil in their car this afternoon and Winston "helped".  He loves and idolizes his big brothers so much.  It was cute to watch them.  Zack and Bo were so patient with him and Winston kept counting their tools, "One, two, three, four, five.  Look Mom, I have five tools."  He was so proud to be helping his brothers and I'm so proud of them for letting him.  :)

Winston's 1st Cheeseburger

Winston finally tried a cheeseburger and he LOVED it!  He's such a picky eater - he's never tried a hamburer before - so when he announced to Brad that he wanted to go to Burger King and get a hamburger Brad was pretty skeptical.  Winston insisted that he would eat it so Brad decided to give it a try. 

When he ordered it, Winston said he wanted ketchup, lettuce, cheese and steak on it.  (Ha ha, steak on a hamburger!)  Brad handed him his kid's meal and as promised, he took a bite and then said, "Mmmm, I love hamburgers." 

Brad didn't notice that they'd put mustard on it too (Winston's always said he hates mustard).  After a few bites, Winston said, "Hey, there's mustard on here.  It's really good."  He ate the whole thing and asked for another one - just like a boy!   

Here's picture proof that he ate it - he's really growing up!

Burrito Chicken Enchiladas

I love Mexican food and am always looking for new recipes to try.  I found this recipe here and thought these enchiladas sounded so delicious.  I made them Sunday for dinner and they were a huge hit.  Zack told me they were the best enchiladas he's ever had and is already asking me when I'll make them again.

I did modify the sauce a little bit because we're not big fans of sweet sauces and added green chilies to the rice - I love the flavor of green chilies!  Here's my modified version.  They're a little bit of work but well worth the effort so give 'em a try.  You can thank me later.   :)

Burrito Chicken Enchiladas

Santa Fe Lime Rice

2 TBSP butter
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh crushed garlic
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup rice, either long grain or basmati

2 cups chicken broth
1 small can diced green chilies

Juice of 1/2 lime (approx 1/2 to 3/4 tsp)

Melt butter in a pot and add cumin, salt, garlic and cilantro.  Add rice and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes stirring constantly.  Add broth, green chilies and lime juice; return to simmer.  Turn heat to low, cover and cook about 30 minutes.  Set aside.

Chicken

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded.

You can cook the chicken any way you want. My favorite way is to boil it on the stove: wash and place chicken in pot then fill with enough water to cover.  Add 1 bay leaf, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp garlic pepper.  Bring to boil and cook for 25 to 30 minutes. I have also cooked it in the crockpot for about 3 hours on high, or just cut up one of the already made chickens from Costco.

Sauce

1 8 oz can Salsa Verde

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Mix

1/3 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup mayo

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 Tbls fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp Tabasco Sauce

Put in a blender and blend away.  If it's too thick, add either buttermilk or milk to reach desired consistency.  This is very similar to Cafe Rio's Ranch Dressing so you can also use this as a dressing for salads or make extra and serve with the baked enchiladas.

Burritos

6 burrito size tortillas

shredded cheese

1- 15 oz can black beans, drained

rice, recipe above

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Put rice, beans, chicken and cheese in the tortillas; roll up and place in pan.  Pour sauce on top, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Remove foil, top with more cheese and cook for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve with sour cream, salsa and chips. Enjoy!

Happy First Day of Spring!

I'm so happy Spring is officially here.  It started out cloudy and rainy today but has turned into a sunny albeit cold and blustery afternoon.  I'm really looking forward to the longer, warmer days just ahead and you know what comes after Spring?!  Summer!!  Hooray!!!  Good times are just ahead.  :)

Bangs

Today, I found Winston in the bathroom combing his hair.  He was combing it forward and kept combing and combing.  He's decided he wants bangs.  Despite my assurance that it would take time for his hair to grow longer, he insisted that combing his hair would make it grow faster. I found him in there combing his hair several more times throughout the day. His determination is commendable.  I love the way he thinks.  :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Here's a few Irish sayings in honor of today.  :)

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go. -- Irish Blessing


As you slide down the banister of life,
May the splinters never point in the wrong direction!  -- Irish Saying

Winston's Weekend Getaway

Winston was watching Sponge Bob Squarepants on Saturday morning when he came and asked me if we could go to the ocean and play at the beach.  I tried to explain to him that we live too far away and it's too cold but he kept at it, insisting we go - he has a hard time taking no for an answer.

In one of my more brilliant moments, I said, "why don't we  pretend to go to the beach?"  and told him he to put on his swim suit while I spread out our towels on the living room floor - I mean our beach.  ;)  Winston thought it was a great idea and off he went to get his suit.

I pulled out a couple of our beach towels and some beach toys - and we went to the beach.  :)

First we played in the waves.
 Winston did some cliff jumping into the ocean (our ottoman made a great cliff for him to jump from) and then we lay on our towels to dry off in the sun.  Ahhh!

 Next, we built a sand castle - a Big one. 

 

After that, we went for a walk on the beach to find seashells.

 We found some starfish - just like Patrick Star on Spongebob. 

And finally found a treasure trove of seashells.  All in all, we had a great time at the beach.  I wonder where we'll go next weekend.  Maybe the North Pole to visit the polar bears.  (I sure love his imagination!)

Happy 4 1/2 Years

Last week Winston asked if he was four and a half yet.  We did the math and realized that he would be four and a half today. I wonder how he knew it was close.  What a smart kid he is!  Happy half birthday Winston!  :)

Avalanche Bark

My sweet niece Saren is getting married in a few weeks.  For her bridal shower given by her darling sisters Brittany and Bridget, I brought a delicious goodie called Avalanche Bark.  I got this recipe a few years back from a co-worker who used to work at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.  She said this is the recipe they use to make their delicious treat.  I had a few requests for the recipe and promised Bridget I'd post it.  So Bridget, here's the recipe.  Enjoy!  :)

AVALANCHE BARK

3 bags plus 3/4 c. white chocolate chips
2 cups creamy peanut butter
6 ¼ cups Rice Crispies cereal
5 cups mini marshmallows
1 bag mini semi sweet chocolate chips (reserve ¼ cup for the top)

In a large bowl, melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave starting with 1 minute on high and then at 30 second intervals stirring after each time until melted and smooth. (White chocolate burns very easily so stir well after each time and do not overheat) Stir in peanut butter until well mixed. Pour rice crispies into a larger bowl and stir in the chocolate/peanut butter mixture. Let mixture cool to room temperature and then add the marshmallows and the mini semi sweet chocolate chips and stir until everything is coated. Line a 15 x 10 x 1 inch-baking sheet with wax paper and spread out mixture. Sprinkle the remaining mini chips on top and lightly press into the mixture. Allow to cool for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and the cut into pieces.  (You can also halve this recipe and use a 9x13 pan, just remember to line the pan with wax paper.)

Winston's New Do

While I was doing my hair on Saturday, Winston decided to do his hair too.  He went into his bathroom and got out his grape scented pomade (his very own that Brad purchased for him at Cookie Cutters) and proceeded to generously apply it to his hair. 

He came in to show me and said, "Look Mom, my hair is poky."  I told him what a great Mohawk he'd made to which he replied, "It's not a Mohawk, it's my Poky hair - like a stick."  Ha ha ha, poky like a stick - what a comedian!  I sure love my little guy. :)

National Pancake Week

Hey everyone, it's National Pancake Week.  How fun!  Afterall, who doesn't love a warm fluffy pancake slathered in butter and syrup? Here are some links to a few yummy looking recipes that I'd like to try out - just click on the name to go to the recipe.  Feel free to try them yourself and let me know how they turn out.  If you find a good recipe out there, I'd love a copy too.  Enjoy! 

Maple Pancakes
Pumpkin Pancakes
Fluffy Pancakes
Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
Barbarella's German Pancakes
Mom's Buttermilk Pancakes
Cinnamon Streusel Pancakes
Best Buttermilk Pancakes

Don't these sound divine?  I can almost smell them baking.  Mmm!

Welcome March!

Hooray!  I'm so glad that March is here.  Spring is just around the corner which means warmer weather and outdoor activities.  It also means we're one month closer to summertime - my favorite time of year.  So, Welcome March!  I'm eagerly looking forward to all the springtime beauty you'll bring.