Grilled Chicken Quesadilla

Makes 4 Quesadillas

Ingredients:

1 chicken breasts (6 oz. each)

• 1 tsp. vegeta
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. hot chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder

1 large onion, sliced

• 1 tsp. vegeta
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 c. monterey jack cheese, shredded
4 tortillas (8")


Directions:

1. Season the chicken breast on both sides. Grill on high heat for 7 minutes on each side. Cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Cut the chicken into small bite sized pieces.
2. In a large skillet on medium-high heat, saute onions for 6 minutes. Add vegeta, garlic, and jalepeno pepper. Stir often and don't let burn! Saute for an additional 15-20 minutes.
3. Add chicken to onions and saute for 2 minutes. Turn off heat.
4. In each tortilla add 1/4 c. cheese and a 1/4 c. chicken mixture. Fold over. Grill on high heat for 4 minutes on each side.

101 Reasons Why I Love You

This last Christmas I wanted to give Jared another present but I was already over my budget... You know how that goes I'm sure!

Chloe was napping and I was doodling with some pretty pens I had.

I have seen other posts on lists of proclaimed love for another but I wanted to do something just a little different....and something more personal.

So I took a regular piece of paper and folded it in half (like a hot dog), and then I folded it three more times in a way that it looked like an accordion.

On the outside page I wrote "101 Reasons Why I Love You." I took six different colored pens I had and started numbering the page 1 to 101.

Then came the easy part.

Under each number I wrote a reason for my love for him. The hardest part was keeping all of the reasons in my head. They seemed to be pouring in all at once!

It took longer because I wanted to keep the pretty colors in a certain order.

When I was done I wrapped it up in some scraps of Christmas paper and put it in his stocking.

I think it was one of his favorite presents... He still reads it at least every other day. It sits in his office on his desk :)

I think you could also make this list for a child, parent, sibling, etc... Anyone you love!
If you wanted to make it more fancy you could print it or write it on pretty paper and frame it for them!

Here is what was on my list:

1. You are my soulmate.
2. You put me first. Always.
3. You think my imperfections are beautiful.
4. You can always make me laugh.
5. Your touch is magical.
6. You are even more cheesy than I am.
7. You gave us a beautiful daughter.
8. You help me pick out an outfit every day.
9. You work hard for us.
10. You love time with me.
11. Your kisses are amazing.
12. I can talk to you about anything.
13. You know all of my secrets.
14. You are always there.
15. You have a sweet smile.
16. All I think about is you when you aren't with me.
17. You love PDA.
18. Waking up to you.
19. You never give up on me.
20. Love you look in a suit.
21. How ticklish you are.
22. You are honest with me.
23. Growing old doesn't sound so bad with you.
24. How your phone sounds on the phone.
25. How open we are.
26. The way you look at me.
27. We are running away together.
28. You always have good intentions.
29. You are strong in every way.
30. You aren't always gentle.
31. How you refuse to ever completely grow up.
32. Your elf voice.
33. You aren't afraid to cry.
34. You are smart.
35. You're an amazing dad.
36. The way you walk.
37. We are often thinking the same things.
38. You aren't a bully.
39. You make me feel beautiful.
40. You are willing to forgive.
41. You are a dreamer like me.
42. The first and last person I've ever really loved.
43. You always get the door.
44. You know when I'm not OK.
45. You are charming.
46. You give the best hugs.
47. The most amazing moments have been with you.
48. We just fit together.
49. Our life.
50. The sound of your laugh.
51. The way you dress.
52. You don't ignore me during UFC or football games.
53. How jelaous you can get.
54. That we shower together.
55. How others are jealous of us.
56. How much we cuddle.
57. You would do anything for me.
58. I'm always included in your plans.
59. How you love to annoy me.
60. That we talk all day.
61. We never have enough time together.
62. You love Christmas as much as I do.
63. Having drinks together.
64. I can be silly around you.
65. Wrestling with you.
66. Getting hot chocolate.
67. You're always there when I wake up.
68. You like trying new things.
69. You love chick flicks.
70. You're never bored with me.
71. You gave me a beautiful ring.
72. Love that we have a home together.
73. You always want to know what I think.
74. You respect me.
75. You never say bad things about me to others.
76. You are nothing like the typical guy.
77. Your massages.
78. Your tattoos.
79. How we always want each other.
80. You can make me smile without even being here.
81. You are giving me your last name.
82. The highlight of my day is you coming home.
83. I look forward to retiring with you.
84. All I think about is you.
85. All I talk about is you.
86. Private.
87. That I tell you I love you when you're asleep.
88. You hold my hair when I'm sick.
89. I'd rather you take care of me than the #1 doctor.
90. How you treated me when I was pregnant.
91. If I'm not sitting by you it's a catastrophe.
92. How you make fun of me when I use big words.
93. How easy it was to write this list.
94. Your soft lips.
95. Holding hands with you.
96. You never make me feel stupid.
97. You love my cooking.
98. You are my rock. Always.
99. You never want to hurt me.
100. You are OK with making fun of me.
101. I love you for you.

Free Printable

This is a worksheet I made up that uses dice to help practice multiplication.

I made it kind of quickly so I'm sure it's not perfect!

The worksheet will help with counting as well as multiplication. I think it's more fun to do math when it seems like it is a game.

Please feel free to print this off for personal use. Please do not sell it in any way. Also feel free to post it on your blog or share it, just link it back to me :)

Let me know how you like it :)

Elvira

Roll and Multiply

My First Giveaway!

I woke up this morning in a great mood! :) That's not like me. I am NOT a morning person.

The baby is still sleeping so I'm just sitting here on my laptop pretty much doing nothing. Soooo, I was thinking... I want to do a giveaway!! How fun!

The giveaway is for $50 dollars off of a custom order in my Etsy Shop.

All you have to do to be considered to win is COMMENT on this post. In the comment tell me how what kind of quilt you would put this towards. What's the occasion? Why do YOU want it?

This giveaway will be closed FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH AT 9PM CENTRAL TIME.


Again, this only applies to a custom order for a quilt. This would be an example listing.

Contact me for specific questions :)


The Rules

1. Please only comment once.
2. Make sure to include your email so that I can let you know you have won.
3. I will put all of the names in a "random generator" so it's a fair pick.
4. You must use your $50 dollars off before May 6th, 2012.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

You read about my shop on my blog as well as my Etsy page.

Have a great day :)

Elvira

Fried Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 c. white rice
2 c. water
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/ onion, diced
3 green onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. vegeta
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. sriracha
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 c. frozen peas
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Directions:

• Boil pasta in a medium saucepan. Add rice, reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
• In a large saucepan heat butter and oil on medium heat.
• Add onion, green onions, and carrots. Saute for 6 minutes. Add garlic and seasonings. Saute for 2 minutes.
• Move the veggies onto one side of the pan. Add eggs and let fry before you break them up into bite sized pieces.
• Adjust heat to high.
• Add rice, sriracha, soy sauce, peas, and sesame seeds.
• Stir well and saute for 2 minutes.

Orange Chicken

Serves 4

For the chicken:

1 lb. chicken breast, 1" cubes
4 eggs
1 c. cornstarch
4 tsps. vegeta, divided
1 tsp. black pepper, divided
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 c. panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. vegetable oil

• Season chicken with 1 tsp. vegeta, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
• Set up three stations for the chicken.
• 1st bowl- 4 eggs, 1 tsp. vegeta, 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 2nd bowl- 1 c. cornstarch, 1 tsp. vegeta, 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 3rd bowl- 1 c. breadcrumbs, 1 tsp. vegeta, 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• Dredge chicken in the egg mixture, then the cornstarch, then back in the eggs, then finally the breadcrumbs. Set aside and let rest for 10 minutes.
• In a large skillet heat up sesame oil and vegetable oil on medium heat. Fry in two batches until golden brown on each side. About 10 minutes total.

For the sauce:

3/4 c. water
1/4 c. orange juice
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. fresh ginger
1 tsp. sriracha
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. water

• In a small saucepan heat water, orange juice, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce on medium heat. Blend well.
• Add brown sugar, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and sriracha. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Combine cornstarch and 1 Tbsp. water and pour into the sauce mixture. Stir until thickened.
• Pour over chicken and saute for 2 minutes.

Healthier Creamy Shrimp & Pasta

 Chloe turned 6 months old today :) It's unbelievable that she's getting that big! We bought her a sippy cup today and she loved banging it against the kitchen counter when I was making this.

Dinner was pretty delicious tonight. We try to cook healthy as much as we can. This seriously tricks your mind into thinking you're eating something naughty...

The majority of the sauce is fat free.... and each person is only getting 1/2 Tbsp. of cheese.

You can even leave out the butter and switch to whole wheat pasta if you wish. And since I cook with vegeta I don't add additional salt.

The lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley lighten this dish up even more. You could substitute chicken for shrimp if you want. If you are a vegetarian just leave the meat out.


Adapted from Never Enough Thyme.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. linguine pasta, cooked in salted water
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 off an onion, diced
3 green onions, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 roma tomato, diced
2 tsp. vegeta
1/4 tsp. black pepper
zest of 1/2 lemon
3/4 c. fat free half-n-half
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
1/4 c. fresh parsley, minced

• Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain.
• In a large skillet heat butter and oil on medium heat.
• Saute onions, and green onions for 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic. Saute 8 minutes.
• Season with vegeta and black pepper.
• Add lemon zest and parsley.
• Stir in half-n-half and parmesan. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add sauce to pasta and stir well. Add in cooked shrimp or serve on top.

For the Shrimp

1/2 lb. cooked shrimp
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/ tsp. vegeta
1/4 tsp. black pepper

• Heat oil in a large skillet on high heat.
• Toss shrimp in lemon juic. Season with vegeta and pepper.
• Add shrimp to pan and saute 3 minutes on each side. Since the shrimp are already cooked they just need a little bit of color.

ENJOY!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

This was way better than I thought it would be!

I do love buffalo wings. I actually love anything "buffalo" flavored. This pizza was a prefect addition to our friends night. Today our friend Alyssa came over with her two munchkins. We haven't seen them in forever! It was so nice to catch up. All of us enjoyed this yummy pizza. Even little Abie wanted some! (he's lactose intolerant so he could only have the crust). Poor little guy.

Well if you like buffalo flavors I would strongly suggest making this! It was amazing!

Oh yeah... the recipe for the pizza dough is the BEST you will find ANYWHERE! I promise you :)

I baked my pizza on a pizza stone. You can find these for about 20 dollars or more.

I slightly adapted the pizza recipe from Rachael Ray.

The pizza dough recipe comes from Bobby Flay and is amazing and does not need any alterations!

This makes about 2 small pizzas.


Dough Ingredients

3 1/2 to 4 c. bread flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 envelope instant dry yeast
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. hot water (110 degrees F)
2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus 2 tsps.

Dough Directions

• Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• Add the water and the 2 Tbsp. of oil. Combine until it forms a ball. Knead for just a few minutes.
• Oil mixing bowl with the 2 tsps. of oil and cover with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
• When ready split dough into 4 pieces. Let rest 10 minutes
• Roll each piece out into the desired thickness.
• This yields about 4 small-medium pizza doughs. (I like to wrap mine in plastic wrap and freeze for later use)

Pizza Ingredients


1 chicken breast, grilled, diced
2 tsp. grill seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash's chicken grill seasoning)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. worcestershire
2 to 3 Tbsp. hot sauce (I used Frank's)
1/2 c. tomato sauce
1 c. monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 c. blue cheese crumbles
3 green onions, thinly diced
Corn meal for pizza dough


Pizza Directions

• Season chicken breast with grill seasoning. Grill on medium-high heat. About 7 minutes total. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes then dice into small bite size pieces.
• In a small skillet over medium heat melt butter. Add in worcestershire, hot sauce, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add half of the sauce mixture to the chicken.
• Lay a thin layer of corn meal on a plate. (or a pizza paddle). Spread out pizza dough to size.
• Layer the remaining half of the sauce mixture on the pizza dough. Add the monterey jack, blue cheese, and green onions. Bake at 450 degrees for about 8-9 minutes.
• The cooking time will vary depending on if you used a pizza stone or not. If you use a regular baking sheet just cook it until the cheese is bubbly. About 15-20 minutes.

Chicken Dumpling Soup

I don't think there is anything more comforting than chicken soup! This version is sooooo good. Today was kind of a dreary rainy day so it was pretty perfect.

I'm not going to lie to you... I love this recipe because of the dumplings. There are a ton of them!

I eat my bowl... and then I finish of Jared's dumplings he didn't eat. It's disgusting how much I love dumplings.

I know it seems like a lot but it's actually very simple to make. Just follow the steps.

Oh and scroll down to see my little helper. :)

I adapted this recipe from Pioneer Woman.

Serves 6 people
For the Chicken


1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. chicken drumsticks (about 5)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsps. vegeta
1/4 c. all purpose flour

• In a large saute pan heat up oil and butter on medium-high heat.
• Season chicken and dredge in flour. Shake off the excess.
• Saute the chicken on all sides until browned and fully cooked inside.
• Remove from pan and let cool. Don't drain the oil from the pan.

For the Soup

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 Tbsp. vegeta

1/4 tsp. sage

1/4 tsp. turmeric

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1/4 c. fresh parsley

5 c. chicken stock

• Chop all of the veggies and add them to the same pan you cooked the chicken in.
• Saute for 4 minutes on medium. Add the seasonings and the apple cider vinegar. Saute for an additional 5 minutes.
• Add in stock and parsley. Bring to a boil.

Dumplings

1 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. yellow corn meal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. vegeta
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. fat free half-n-half
1/4 c. fresh parsley
1 large egg

• Combine all of the ingredients for the dumplings and mix just until combined. Don't overmix.
• Drop into the simmering soup by a Tablespoon to make all of the dumplings uniform in size.
• Cover and don't peek for 5 minutes. With a spoon turn dumplings over. Cover again and let cook for 5 more minutes.



ENJOY!

Baked Fries

This is a pretty simple baked fries recipe. It's so much healthier than the fried stuff you will find.

They are perfectly seasoned and crispy! Yum!



Serves 2-3


1½  lbs. Idaho Potatoes
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. vegeta
salt to taste

Directions:

1. Peel and wash the potatoes. Pat dry.


2. Cut fries 1/4" thick. Try to have them all the same size for even cooking.


3. In a medium bowl combine fries, oil, and all of the seasonings except salt.


4. Lay in a single layer on a greased sheet pan lined with foil.


5. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn fries over. Bake for 15 more minutes.


6. Salt to taste as soon as they get out of the oven.

ENJOY!

Burgers!

A delicious burger can't be beat. It's such a comfort food. I think it's the hot mess it can be when you eat it... If it's made just right it's a pretty amazing experience :)

This burger recipe isn't too spicy but it has a little kick. There is just a little hint of the blue cheese since it basically melts when its cooked. The spices blend together and bring on an entirely new flavor.

We had this for lunch with baked fries. It was delicous!!



Burgers


Serves 4

1 lb. 85/15 ground beef
1/2 onion, diced fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. soy sauce, low sodium
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. blue cheese
1 tsp. vegeta
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. sriracha

Directions:


Combine all ingredients well. Form into patties. I like to make a small indent in the middle so the burgers end up flat after being cooked. (Saw that on Rachel Ray)

Grill the brugers on a high heat. The lenght of  time just depends on how you like your burgers done.

Toast your buns!! I promise it will make the burgers better!

I had mine with tomatoes, onions, and mayo. I think it would be good with mozzarella cheese too.

Healthier Chicken Enchiladas

We LOVE enchiladas. It's one of Jared's favorites so we make it often. I think I've finally perfected this recipe and it's a hit every time. I promise you won't regret making it! And it's a HEALTHIER version of the enchiladas you might see elsewhere. I know it looks like a lot of stuff but I promise it's EASY.

Warning... you're going to need a box of tissues for your runny nose... This is a spicy recipe!

Obviously cut back on the spicy parts for a mellower version.

I adapted this recipe from here: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/02/chicken-enchiladas.html

Healthier Chicken Enchiladas

Makes 2 large servings


Chicken

1 medium chicken breast
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. vegeta

Enchilada Sauce

1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 c. tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. vegeta
1/4 c. cilantro

Filling

1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 c. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/2 c. enchilada sauce
1/2 c. chicken stock
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. vegeta
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 c. cilantro
2 Tbsp. cheddar jack cheese, shredded

4 white flour tortillas (8")
1/4 c. cheddar jack cheese, shredded

Directions:

For the sauce:

Saute onion and the oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat for 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes. Add chipotle chiles. Saute 2 minutes. Stir in the rest of the seasonings and simmer for 20 minutes.

For the chicken:

Season the chicken breast with all of the seasonings listed. I prefer to grill my chicken, but you can poach it, saute it, or bake it. As long as it's cooked. However, I think that grilling brings out the best flavor. Make sure you let your chicken rest for 15 minutes before cutting into it. Dice up the chicken into small pieces.


For the filling:

Saute onion in the oil in a large saute pan on medium heat for 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes. Add chipotle chiles and saute 2 minutes. Stir in enchilada sauce, chicken stock, and seasonings. Add the chopped up chicken and cilantro. Saute 10 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. cheese, stir.

Assemble Enchiladas:

Line 9x9" pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Place a heaping 1/4 cup of filling onto each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in the pan. Spread the remainder of the enchilada sauce on top. Sprinkle with 1/4 c. cheese. Cover tightly with foil and bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove the foil and broil for 2 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. DON'T take your eyes off of it!

ENJOY,

I really hope you love this recipe as much as we do. Please don't be afraid to try it and don't hesitate to comment with questions! I promise I'll get back to you asap!

Elvira

Welcome to my blog!

Hello!

I'm so excited that I started one...I've been reading soooo many other wonderful people's blogs and I'm always thinking "hey.... I could do that!" YAY! Can you tell I'm excited? :)

So... what am I going to write about? As you can see from my previous (and first) post... I'm a mommy. I am a SAHM to a sweet baby girl, Chloe. She was born in September of 2011. We spend all day cuddling and having a blast. People are always asking me "what I do all day" and I just smile. I get to watch my munchkin grow and learn new things every day. I even love her when she's incredibly crabby. :)

Of course, none of that would be possible with the love of my life, Jared. He's a ginger. Thankfully... Chloe is not. Jared is the sweetest man you could ever meet. I always describe him as that super amazing guy in a romantic-comedy movie that is made up. Well Jared is just like that. I could never have survived my pregnancy without him!

We are getting married in Estes Park on April 23rd. We are leaving Chloe with his mom and dad for a week! Oh my goodness. I'm going to miss her so much but it would seem so weird to bring a baby to a honeymoon! :) Yeah we did things a little backwards, and I love it.

As you can see I'm pretty obsessed with these two people in my life. They will always come first.

My other loves are quilting and cooking. I have a shop on Etsy with baby quilts. I started  it when I was very sick and pregnant with Chloe. It was something I could do and not leave the house between throwing up 15 times a day or so. I LOVE it! http://www.etsy.com/shop/AllPatchedUpQuilts

Oh how I love to cook and bake! I always say I'm going to own a restaurant some day. That would be amazing. In the mean time I'm know for making delicious dinners for my family and friends. Their favorites are my homemade pizza, enchiladas, chicken parm, and Croatian food.

Oh yeah... I'm Croatian. I moved here in 1999 with my family. I have so much family back in Croatia that I miss every day. My parents are divorced and they sound like Russians! I dropped that crazy thick accent years ago!

I would love to write some more, but Chloe is in need of some kisses.

Thank you so much for reading my blog. Please leave me a comment so I can get to know you as well!

Elvira

If you need a giggle....

Here is my little sweetheart. Just being a hot mess. It always makes me smile on a bad day!