Happy Birthday to ME!

Did you know my birthday is tomorrow?  I'll be TWO!  Don't ask me why Mama had my party yesterday.  You'll have to talk to her about that...

What a great party!  Sun shining, nice breeze, warm temperatures...perfect day for outdoor FUN!

Here's a recap:

Cupcakes! YUM

Thanks to Lee and Tomi for coming to my party!

LOVE my new hat from PawPaw Tractor and Mama T

A gathering would not be complete without a tractor ride...

My Happy!!  See where she gets her name?

If Max had his hat, we would all match!

Let me show you how to do this...

Just a few more sprinkles and my masterpiece will be complete!

Look at those pretty ladies!

Pretty much sums up the party: cupcake face, hat and bubbles

My buddy Cash and his Mimi!

Ready....BUBBLES!!!!

Daddy and PawPaw playing keep-away with William

I love my new hat and froggie boots!

Yaya and Evie - say CHEESE!

See?  Everyone needs a good hat.  Max needs TWO!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Levi: THE COW NEEDS A CUPCAKE!!!!

Do you know these people?

And that's the end to my birthday bash!  Thanks to everyone that came to party.  I had a GREAT time!  I hope you did too!

What's for Dinner? Oven-Baked Chicken Chimichangas

These were so easy and yummy! They may not be a 5 star dish...but they make a fantastic weeknight dinner.  Who needs 5 stars every night, anyway?

I didn't change this recipe much.  However, I added a ton of spinach (to force some green stuff on my dear husband!).  He really liked them too!  Score for Mama!


Oven-Baked Chicken Chimichangas

March Madness

Hi everybody! Luke, here.  Now that we've entered April (and we're past April Fools Day), it's time for an update!

I love tractor keys.  I love to take them with me wherever I go.  Have you ever hid a set of important keys from your parents?  Try it and watch 'the scramble'.  Take pictures if you can.  You'll want evidence of your first prank.

Hi Dad!  How was your day?  Do you see my gardening glove?  Do you see it?  Do ya?

I'm surprised our house didn't blow away in March.  I thought the Big Bad Wolf was in our pasture every day.  But Mama said he's just in my story books.  So I decided it was safe to fly my kite. 

See that?  I'm bigger than Philip. Write it down, take a picture.  It will only happen once.

I LOVE Pawpaw's straw hat.  I love it so much, I slept with it. 

See?  Told ya.  I love it.  And I love tractors.  What more could a boy need?

I wish I could take credit for this prank.  Mama and Daddy have never laughed so hard!

Did you know the Farm has everything a kid could need?  Even an elevated play ground.  Just mind the edge.  That first step is a doozy.

I took my cousins to this indoor playground called "Jump Mania".  And boy did we.  The slides were our favorite, though.  Clearly. 

"Hey Pawpaw, bait me."

Fishing with my Daddy is so fun! Especially in my pj's and boots!

The fish weren't biting so Pawpaw took me for a ride.  "If you sit on this chair, you can ride like the Pope!"

Did you know I have several ponds at my house?  I can't figure out why the fish aren't biting...

More concrete fishin'.  Still no luck.

Happy Easter! Did you know Jesus died for you and then came back from the dead on Easter?  Fun fact!

That's all for now!  March Madness definitely lived up to the name.  Until next time!
-Luke Duke

What's for Dinner? No-Bake Energy Bites

Ok.  So it's not dinner.  It's not even lunch.  But good grief, I almost ate the whole bowl.  I figured I better tell the world about this amazing find!

What do I love about this recipe? It takes less than 5 minutes, they're crunchy, variations abound and no *added* sugar!  Plus, they're perfect for breakfast on the go.  Luke will tell you himself - they're "mm mm" good.  Mama - 1  Picky Eater - 0

Since I varied the recipe so much, I'll just give you my version. The link to the original recipe is at the bottom of this post.

No-Bake Energy Bites 

Yield: About 3 dozen

• 1/2 cup (dry) oatmeal 
• 1/2 rice krispies cereal
• 2/3 cup coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon 

variations: chocolate chips, nuts, cranberries, mini M&Ms, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate

Original Recipe
http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/

February fun

Luke, here!  I may have teased you a little too soon.  Mommy is not ready to reveal the completed work on the yard.  She says its because it's not totally done, yet.  Apparently we have more pine straw to lay and a new garden to install this weekend.  Woah!  Sounds like work.  Maybe I should call in sick. 

However, I can tell you about the rest of my February fun!

February Fun #1: Mommy joined a MOPS group this month.  Every other Wednesday, I get 3 hours of playtime with my buddies!

February Fun #2: Valentine's Day!  Mommy used my hand to make lots of Valentine's cards for my grandparents.  Then we went to a playdate with my MOPS buddies and made Valentine's cookies.  Yum!

February Fun #3: Daddy and Mommy went skiing in Angelfire, NM.  They left me at home!  Can you believe that?  The nerve.  But don't cry for me, Argentina.  I had super fun Yaya, Happy and Dan to keep me company.  Thank you!

February Fun #4:  Trying on Daddy's ski gear after they came home.  It fits super well.  I think I'll steal it and go with them next year.  

 

Talk to you at the end of March!
Luke Duke

2013 Resolution - SKI

I know, I know...it can't 'technically' be called a resolution.  But hey, I kept mine.  Did you?  That's what you call a win, win...Jack. 

Angelfire, NM was the place to be two weeks ago.  One Weekend AFTER a major holiday + one foot of powder + one ski in-ski out house = ONE FANTASTIC TRIP!

We may have experienced blizzard conditions for two days but Saturday was beautiful and sunny!  Totally worth it. (Let's not talk about the very interesting drive up to the ski house)

This picture was taken Friday, amidst the second set of blizzard conditions. 
From the left: Scott, me, Jakey, Greg, Brett. 

What's for Dinner? Taco Soup with Mexican Cornbread

If you've ever joined us for dinner, chances are, you ate this.  It's become such a staple in our house that it sometimes shows up weekly!  A friend of mine gave me this recipe in high school and (wait for it...) I have since made it my own.  Gasp!

The Mexican Cornbread recipe is another winner from my Aunt (think - meatloaf).

Great Scotts' Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef
2 cans black beans (or your favorite variety)
2 cans corn
1 can rotel
1 can chopped green chiles (7oz)
1 packet taco seasoning (or 3 Tbsp homemade)
1 packet ranch seasoning (or 3 Tbsp homemade)
1 onion, diced (if desired)
1/2 - 1 can beer (I like the flavor Bud Light Lime gives the soup)

Brown beef and drain.  Add all ingredients to large pot and bring to boil.  You can serve this once it's heated or you can turn the heat down and let simmer all day.

Garnish with grated cheese, sour cream, avocado and tortilla chips for dipping 

Mexican Cornbread

1 ¾ c. self rising corn meal

1 c. cream style corn

1 c. shredded cheese

3 eggs

1 c. chopped onion

¾ c. oil

½ c. milk

1 tsp garlic salt

2-5 jalapeno peppers, chopped

Mix all ingredients and bake at 400⁰ for 35-45 minutes.  

 We love to serve the taco soup over a piece of cornbread!

What's for dinner? Mini Meatloaves with smashed sweet potatoes

Don't like meatloaf?  You haven't tried mine.  For those that think meatloaf is beneath you - you're missing out.  It's making a comeback, I tell you.  I've seen a plethora of meatloaf recipes in Martha Stewart Living, Everyday with Rachael Ray, Southern Living, Williams Sonoma, you name it.  Martha can't be wrong...right?

This recipe has been adapted from my aunt's recipe.  It was divine before I tweaked it.  Now it's divine and tiny.

Warning: This has always been an 'eyeball' recipe.  I'll try to get the measurements as close as possible.

I've never taken pictures of the process, but Rachael Ray gave me the "tiny" idea.  So I'll give her props for that.  And I'll use her photo. 

Great Scotts' Mini Meatloaves

Makes 18-24 

2 lbs ground meat - turkey, chicken or beef (I use beef or a mix of beef and shredded chicken)
1 egg
3/4 cup to 1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 large onion - finely diced or minced
1 green bell pepper - finely diced or minced
1 red bell pepper - finely diced or minced
1 onion soup mix packet
2-3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Seasonings to taste (salt, pepper, garlic, cajun, etc)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Pulse onions and bell peppers in food processor to desired consistency.
Place all ingredients in a stand mixer and mix well.
Use measuring cup or large spoon to fill each muffin tin.
Bake for 20-22 minutes.
Serve over smashed sweet potatoes (see below) or garlic mashed potatoes.

Great Scotts' Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Makes 4-5 servings

4 sweet potatoes
1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar (more if you like your dinner to taste like dessert)
2-3 Tbsp butter
couple Tbsp of milk (to desired consistency)

Cook sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for 1.5-2 hours.  Let cool.
Peel skin off potatoes (it should slide right off)
Place potatoes in a bowl with sugar, butter and milk.  Mix well and serve

Monthly Meal Calendar

When we decided I would stay home with Luke, it became necessary to tighten the purse strings a bit.  A few months later, this monthly meal calendar was born.  It has allowed me to make one major shopping trip each month...hallelujah!  Plus, "what's for dinner?", "Oooh, that looks great!  Wait...do I have what I need to make it?", "Do I really want to cook dinner?", "Wouldn't Whataburger just be easier?" never enters my mind. Win.

Over the past year, I've received so many questions and comments about this little 'gem' that I decided to post it! Since I can only figure out how to post this month's calendar, you'll have to message me if you want the excel workbook with all 12 months.

It's made my life a bazillion times easier.  What are you waiting for?!

What's for Dinner? Leftover Turkey and Sausage Gumbo

I made this a few weeks back and forgot to tell you about it!  This made meal #2 from our leftover smoked turkey.

First, you need a little background before I dive into this recipe.  I'm kind of a gumbo snob.  Growing up, my Grandma made the best gumbo ever.  EVER.  Even to this day.  The recipe for The-Best-Gumbo-Ever is in my recipe binder but I only pull it out on special occasions.  Mostly because it takes all day to make.  No lie. 

So, when I say this Sausage and Turkey Gumbo is "great"...you can take it to the bank. =)  However, I may have strayed from the recipe just a tad.  Shocking, I know.  When I make roux, I do it the old fashioned way...1:1 ratio of flour to oil(butter) and stir like mad until it's a nutty, caramel color (thanks, Grandma). This recipe calls for a totally different roux experience.  I'll let you decide which is better!

Leftover Turkey and Sausage Gumbo