Cheesy Sausage and Tomato Manicotti

Tonight I made the fam a super yummy dinner. This dish doesn't call for fresh basil, but I had some on hand tonight from a tomato bisque that I made this past weekend.

I love fresh basil. I cannot wait to plant my garden this year, I want some basil! Its way to expense to buy as often as I would like, so I plan on planting a lot! Basil, fresh tomatoes, oooh my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Ok, now for the recipe. I made some modifications, but it is good either way. Chad doesn't like italian sausage, so I used ground beef. I am way lazy, so I didn't blend anything in a blender, I also added fresh basil and fresh minced garlic to the tomato mixture.

Igredients:
1 (8 oz) package uncooked manicotti noodles
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with garlic oregano and BASIL!
1 lb Italian pork sausage
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped parsley -optional

Preparation:
Cook pasta according to directions.

Process tomato sauce and diced tomatoes in a blender 20 seconds or until smooth. Set aside.

cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring until the meat crumbles and is no longer pink. drain grease from meat. in the skillet, stir cream cheese, ricotta cheese and 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese into the meat. Spoon into manicotti shells. (I use my fingers to do this, but I got a tip today. you could put the meat mixture into a plastic ziplock bag and then cut the tip off and squeeze meat mixture into the manicotti.)

Arrange stuffed shells into a 9x13 greased baking dish.

Pour the tomato mixture over the shells and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 - 30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle the top with fresh parsley or if you are me, fresh BASIL!!!

I served mine with some yummy foccacia bread and a salad. Bon appetit!

Awesome Jewelry Giveaway!

Please visit Skip To My Lou so that you can get in on one awesome giveaway! They are hosting a giveaway from Pixiesette Jewelry. Look at these fabulous pieces that you could win.

These earring are fabulous!
And this bracelet to match isn't too shabby!

Go sign up! Free stuff is always fun!

A Thousand Words Thursday

On St Patty's Day we took the kids to this great park in our city that has these HUGE stone animals. The boys had a blast climbing and crawling all over the giant whale, kangaroo, octopus, and lizard.

Wowza! Look at those eyes! Isn't he just the sweetest?

Go check out Jen at Cheaper than Therapy to see more ATWT's!

Chicken Taco Soup and Yummy Lemon Bars

Yesterday at my MOPS group I listened to a caterer talk about how she cooks for her family. She offered some great recipes and fabulous cooking tips, but she also spoke about how as mothers and wives, we can minister to our families by the food we serve. I love that perspective! I love to cook for my hubby and kiddos and I love it when they are so happy when they see what I've prepared.

The speaker shared some scripture that she keeps around her kitchen and they all were good, but this one spoke to my heart.

Colossians 3:23-24
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

This is such an encouragement to me. Everything I am doing, is for the Lord!

Please enjoy a few recipes of mine.

Chicken Taco Soup

1 small onion (chopped)
1 16 oz can chili beans
1 15 oz can of black beans
1 15 oz can of whole kernal corn (drained)
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
1 12 oz can or bottle of beer
2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 packet taco seasoning
4 chicken breasts
Optional: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips.

1. Place onion, chili and black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and tomatoes in a crock pot. Add taco seasoning and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered. Cook on low for 5 hours.
2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Shred the chicken. Stir shredded chicken back into the soup and allow to cook for 1 -2 hours longer.

I serve my with a dollop of sour cream and sheddar cheese with tortilla chips on the side.
Enjoy!

The best Lemon Bars Ever!

Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup (2sticks) butter, at room temp

Filling:
4 eggs
2 cups of sugar
6 tablespoons flour
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (you can use the lemon juice from a bottle, but I highly recommend fresh squeezed juice, its a much better flavor!)

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
Make the crust: Combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter to make a crumbly mixture. Press mixture into the pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Mix the eggs, sugar, flour and lemon juice with a wisk. Pour this over the baked crust and bake for 25 minutes longer. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar and enjoy!
*Note - watch closely while bars are baking, if cooked too long, they can develop a crisp top, which you don't want.

There is something wrong with my brain.

I used to be able to have intelligent, articulate, adult conversation. I used to be able to concentrate on a topic for more that 10 seconds. I used to be able to make people laugh, dare I say, I used to be witty? I used to be able to do all these things. Not now.

Now I babble on about nothing, hoping to make a rational point, all while the people I am having a conversation with stare at me with blank looks in their eyes, wondering what the heck I am talking about and when the heck am I going to shut up!

When did I notice that I was losing my mind, you might ask? I started to notice it after the birth of my first born, but it wasn't too bad, I could still sound coherent at work and that was what mattered. Then I decided to quit work, stay at home full time and have a couple more kids. That's when it happened, my brain decided to go on vacation, but forgot to tell me!

Seriously folks, is it just me? Other mommies seem to be able to talk without having big gaps in their sentences! What the heck? Am I ever going to sound like I have a brain again?!

Garage sales, oh how I love thee.

I love a good garage sale, more importantly I love finding wonderful treasures for pennies! On Friday I lugged all 3 of my kids into the van and drove them all over the city visiting garage sales. We went to many, and I was starting to get disappointed because I had not found one thing for myself, and then at my very last one, I hit the jackpot!
I bought these beautiful chairs and this sweet table for only $8!!!!!!! Did you catch that? 8 bucks, that's it! I was so stinkin happy! This beauty is my favorite. Right now she's sitting on my porch, but stay tuned, she'll be getting a very beautiful makeover soon enough!
This baby is not a garage sale find, but it is my current project. When I'm done you won't even recognize it! Stay tuned for lots of beautiful improvements!

A Thousand Words Thursday

Happy ATWT everyone! I've been waiting all week to post this picture today. As some of you may know we have been battling some serious sicknesses in our household lately. Benjamin was a sickly little boy last week and had something oozing or running from almost every orifice! On Sunday, it was a beautiful day so the hubs took the kids outside to play. There were several times when things were not working out the way Benjamin would have liked, so there were many, many tears and lots of snot!

That's like, the biggest snot bubble I've ever seen! What can I say, the kid's got talent!

For more ATWT's, check out Cheaper Than Therapy.

Some boys just smell.

That's my boy. Yesterday we took him and his little brother and baby sister to the zoo and then in the evening my husband and I took all the kids to the park. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny Spring day and we all enjoyed ourselves immensely! On the way home we had this conversation:

Mom: When we get home everyone is taking a bath or shower.
The Boy: Why do I have to take a shower?
Mom: Because you haven't bathed since Sunday!
The Boy : I must smell. Pause in conversation and the sound of sniffing. Yep, I was right, I stink!

Priceless.

Gettin my craft on!

I have needed a project for quite sometime. Ever since I had Ella I've had the crafty itch going on, but never any time to accomplish anything! So last weekend I went into Hobby Lobby and picked up these paper mache letters.
Chad gave me a gift card to our local scrapbooking store for my birthday, so I went out and picked up some fabulous cardstock, and Voila!

Here they are, all covered and modge podged. They are on my mantle now, but I plan on hanging them in our family room, once I am done painting it.
I used card stock on all the letters except one, but I recommend the card stock, not paper, it is more durable and I think it will wear better. I got the idea for these letters at Imperfectly Beautiful.

These beauties were some pictures that I picked up years ago, they were in these hideous forest green frames, I took them apart, and spray painted the frames black. Then I cut some pretty card stock to fit the mat and glued it onto the mat with spray adhesive.They turned out really cute, even though you can't tell by the picture! These will be going in the guest bathroom, after I paint it!


Now that you've checked out my cool craftiness, go over to My First Kitchen and visit Kendra. She has an awesome giveaway going on and her blog is full of great recipes and cooking tips!

A Thousand Words Thursday

October 2008 - When I was pregnant with Ella, Benjamin loved to poke my belly and kiss his sissy. He would touch my belly and say "Baby", it was very precious, Chad took these pictures, and I just stumbled upon them today. It was a warm Sunday afternoon and Benjamin and I were just being lazy, lovin on each other.

For more ATWT's go visit Jen at Cheaper than Therapy, her site is great!

A Thousand Words Thursday

March 4th 2009

Last night my oldest son had an awards program for basketball. He plays in Upwards, which is this great christian sports program for kids. It was in this huge church and we of course had all three kids with us, and the program did not start on time. Once all the kids had received their awards it was time for the speaker. By that time, Benjamin had had enough, so daddy took him out in the hallway of before mentioned huge church and let him, well, let him be Benjamin. For those of you who do not know my Benjamin, you really are missing out! He is one of a kind. He is only 20 months and is one of the funniest kids I know! Below are pictures of him and what daddy found to keep him "entertained".



While my youngest boy was soaking himself in water. My sweet Noah was listening to an awesome testimony and Jesus was moving! Last night, after the speaker was done, Noah raised his hand and asked Jesus into his heart. It was a very sweet and tender moment for this mama. I am so blessed to have this boy in my life! Thank you Lord.