Festive Fridays (Standing in for Heart Warming Wednesdays)

I know I've missed a few weeks of doing Heart Warming Wednesdays, we've been quite busy with school work and I've been doing some crafting, so I haven't had a lot of time to post on here. But I decided that today I needed to update the blog on what I've been doing.

I've been making pillar candle holders and ornaments for Christmas. I opened an Etsy store which I'm sure you would love browsing through! To visit my Etsy store go here. (Etsy is a website similar to Ebay but all the items are either handmade or vintage or supplies for making crafts.)

These I'm selling for $8.00 a set of 3.

These are all handpainted.
Then I decided I wanted to make some ornaments for our trees this year and got a bit carried away and now I'm getting orders to make these! The ornaments are all $2.50 each or $7.00 for a set of 6.

 These are salt dough ornaments with a bit of cinnamon added which makes the house smell wonderful while they're baking. The smell isn't very strong so it doesn't overpower things.

This last one I made especially for my husband (but it's also listed on my Etsy store) because he's an Ohio State fan.
So that's my Festive Fridays. I'm going to try and add a Festive Friday each week through Christmas! Enjoy!

Heart Warming Wednesday

Hello again. It's Wednesday and that means that it's time again for the 2nd Heart Warming Wednesday Post! Today I'm doing a tablescape for you. I love setting a beautiful table! If you have a fall tablescape or a fall posting you would like to link up be sure to join in on Heart Warming Wednesday and make sure you link back to my blog.

This is my fall table! And some of my dining room decorated for fall. I did pull some decor from elsewhere to really vamp up my look! I love decorating and have had so much fun doing that this fall! You may pin these photos to Pinterest but please make sure it links back to my blog. Thanks! 

 Some upclose shots of the place setting.

Another of the place settings. The dishes were given to me in 2005 in N.C. from a church friend, when I had moved into my first place of my own. I didn't have any of my own dishes and things since everything I owned for a home was in Ohio. She graciously gave me this set of dishes and few pans which really helped me! 

 Some more shots of the table. This is the first time I've lit the taper candles.

Here's one of the center piece! I bought the wire pumpkin from Partylite in 2009. I love it! 

The glasses with the leaves on them I purchased at our local Dollar Tree. I couldn't pass them up! 

That's my Heart Warming Wednesday Photo shoot for you. I hope you enjoyed it, and please leave me a comment I love getting them.
I'm linking up to Strut Your Stuff Saturdays at Six Sisters Stuff (http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/), How Sweet the Sound Pink Saturdays: (http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/10/autumn-flowers-foliage-pink-saturday-october-20-2012.html) And The Rosegarden in Malevik (http://maleviksrosentradgard.blogspot.ca/2012/10/saturday-show-off_19.html?showComment=1350744877085#c8767881482373838757)

Heart Warming Wednesdays

I'm starting something new here on the blog and that's Heart Warming Wednesdays. Every Wednesday I plan to have something that's cozy on the blog whether that be a heartwarming meal or tablescape. Please plan to join me! I'm going to try and add the linky capability to the blog soon so if you have something heart warming on a Wednesday you would like to share you can! Please spread the word!

There's nothing like a heartwarming soup on a chilly fall night! I had been thinking about broccoli cheese soup all day, thinking it sounded wonderful! However, I know that my husband has to have some meat with his meals and can't just eat plain soup with just cheese and broccoli. So I created this soup as I went along.

Ab's Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken Soup

2 Cans Cheddar Cheese Soup
2 Cans Milk + some (to your liking)
2-3 Chicken Breasts (I used several Chicken tenders probably 8 or 9)
1 bag Frozen Broccoli
Shredded Cheese (I used Colby Jack)
Poultry Seasoning
Seasoning Salt
Pepper
Instant Mashed Potato Flakes
1.) Fry chicken in skillet till browned, then cut into cubes and set aside.
2.) Mix together cheese soup and 2 cans of milk with a whisk. Pour into large dutch oven pot and add more milk to get the correct consistency and amount that you want, then add the bag of frozen broccoli.
3.) Heat till warm and add chicken and shredded cheese and seasonings and then heat till through adding Potato flakes during this last step.
4.) Serve hot with crackers, and Garlic Cheese Biscuits! YUMMY!

Just something quick and Easy.

Ab's Quick Stromboli!

With School now in full swing and college as well, I love simple easy recipes to make for dinner that can also double for lunch the next day! So here is my Recipe for Easy Stromboli:

Ab's Quick Stromboli

1-2 rolls of Pillsbury (C) Crusty French Loaf dough (depending on how many Stromboli you want to make.Add 1 roll per Stromboli.) 











 1 can of spaghetti sauce of your choice of flavor ( I like four cheese) 

3/4 to 1 lb. of each of the following: Virginia Ham, Hard Salami, Pepperoni, Baby Swiss cheese, Provolone (you can choose the meats that you wish if there are some of these you don't like.) 

Unroll the french bread till it's flat on the cookie sheet and spread some of the Spaghetti Sauce onto it. (you will not use the whole can of sauce)

Then start layering the meat  and cheese in whatever order you choose, I started with the ham: 

Then I topped the ham with Baby swiss:

Then I added Pepperoni 

Then Salami

Then Provolone Cheese

Then you roll it up sort of Jelly roll fashion but just enough so that the edges can seal, sealing all that yummyness inside! :)

Bake them at 350*F until the bread is golden brown 25-30 mins(might actually be a little longer, I didn't time them) .  Remove from oven and let cool. Serve warm with ranch dressing and leftover sauce. You can also add a salad and dessert if you wish! 

Pinterest Cooking

Hello all! I have decided that with pinning all these recipes to pinterest that I need to blog how they turn out so I'm starting that adventure tonight. Hopefully all of you will join my page and enjoy the recipes with me.

I'm starting with a fall favorite of many: PUMPKIN MUFFINS

I pinned this awhile back and decided that now was the time to try it. I've changed it up a little bit so here's the recipe: (I got the orginal recipe from http://sweet-verbena.blogspot.com/2011/08/pumpkin-muffins.html and just tweaked the recipe by using a spice cake mix instead of a yellow Duncan Hines mix)













1 Betty Crocker Spice cake mix
1 15 oz. can great value pumpkin puree 
Mix together with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Batter will be quite thick. Then spoon into your muffin tins of choice, mine in this case were fall shaped, with leaves and pumpkins. Bake at 350*F for 20-25 minutes. Glaze or frost with your preference of frosting or glaze. 

I think they turned out wonderful and moist! 

Simple Chicken Casserole

Simple Chicken Casserole (my own recipe)
   5-8 Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenders
    Chicken Boulion Cubes or powder 3-4 cubes or 1 TBsp. Powder
    Salt 1 tsp.
    Pepper to taste
    1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp.    Italian Seasoning
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Box Chicken flavored Stuffing (prepared according to box instructions)
Mixed frozen vegetables can use California Blend as well.
    Boil chicken in water flavored with seasonings till no longer pink. Preheat oven to 350*F. When chicken is done transfer to greased casserole dish and top with Cream of Chicken Soup mixed with enough water to make it a pourable consistency. Then top with Vegetables and top those with Cream of Mushroom Soup. Top the Casserole with Chicken Stuffing and sprinkle with Cheese. Bake in Oven for 15-20 mins or until heated through and cheese is melted.  Makes for a delicious casserole!

I call this a hamburger Cassarole:
1 LB. hamburg
1 package elbow macaroni
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
Shredded Cheese
Italian Seasoning, and Crushed Red Pepper

Brown the hamburg in a skillet, in a separate pot bring water to a rolling boil and add macaroni cook until just tender, drain. Pour Macaroni into a casserole dish and mix in spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and hamburg, top the dish with more cheese and seasonings. Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and dish is heated through. Serve with garlic bread, and a salad.

I made this cheesecake for Christmas with the in-laws and it was very delicious!

It's called Chocolate-dipped Strawberry cheesecake:

1-3/4 C. Chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 9 whole crackers) (I had to use teddy grahams)

1/4 C. Butter, melted

1 pound fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed

2 Envelopes unflavored gelatin

1/2 C. Cold water

2 Packages (8oz. each) fat-free cream cheese, cubed

1 C. ( 8oz) fat-free cottage cheese

Sugar substitute equivalent to 3/4 C. sugar (I just used the sugar)

1 carton ( 8oz.) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed, divided

12 Med. Fresh strawberries

4 OZ. semisweet chocolate, chopped

• In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a 9-in. springform pan coated with cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350* for 10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.
• Hull strawberries if necessary; puree in a food processor. Remove and set aside. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Transfer to the food processor; add the cream cheese, cottage cheese and sugar substitute. Cover and process until smooth.
• Add strawberry puree; cover and process until blended. Transfer to a large bowl; fold in 2 C. whipped topping. Pour into crust. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until set.
• For garnish, wash strawberries and gently pat with paper towels until completely dry. Cut tops off berries. In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Dip each berry tip until half of the berry is coated, allowing excess to drip off. Place with tips pointing up on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 
• Carefully run a knife around edge of springform pan to loosen; remove sides of pan. Garnish with chocolate-dipped strawberries and remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate leftovers. (There were no leftovers :) ) 

Yields: 12 servings

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Herbed Noodles
3-4 Chicken Breasts (or 6 Chicken Tenders boneless, skinless)
Add 6-7 Cups of Water (enough to cover the chicken and enough that when it boils down you'll have enough for broth)
Add 3-4 Bulion Cubes
Seasonings (to taste):
Chicken Seasoning Salt (or just plain Seasoning Salt)
Poultry Seasoning
Cayenne Pepper
Minced Onion or Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Add these to the broth while the chicken is cooking, cook chicken until no longer pink and is easily shredded then either shred it or cube the chicken and put it back into the pot and add:
Veggies:
1 package of frozen mixed veggies
Directions: Add to broth and let them cook till crisp tender
Noodles/Dumplings
1 1/3 C. Flour
3 Eggs
1 TBsp. Milk
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Dill weed
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 to 1 tsp. Pepper
Directions:
Mix together and then pull off small pieces and drop into the soup mixture and boil until the noodles are done clear through. Top each bowl with shredded cheddar cheese if desired. YUMMY!