Pasta with a side of Wenis.

Star Rating: 4 Stars



We spent the night in the cities last weekend with the kids. When it was time to decide where to go to dinner, we had narrowed it down to Benihanas, Cheesecake Factory and Bucca di Peppo. Buccas won!

We were seated in this cute little both and Ellery turned her head and low and behold there is a fresco painting on the ceiling to our left of two men angels, one with his back to us and his rear showing and one with his front to us and his package showing. Ellery turns to me and say's 'really mom' and Calvin giggled and pointed and I think I heard him say Wenis (which I chose to ignore, my response would only have caused him to say it 100 more times). Okay so once we got through that fiasco, it was time to order. Ugh how to decide. Calvin ended up getting the kids spaghetti and meatballs and we ordered:

Penne Basilica
Tender chicken breast, broccoli and a light pesto cream sauce with imported Italian penne pasta.

This was delicious! It was a super fun time with them..Wenis and all!

Boneless Buffalo Wings

Star Rating: 2 Stars
Schwans Item Number: 507



I bought these because I love anything Buffalo Chicken ...but not these. They were glorified chicken nuggets with buffalo sauce. We snacked on them with the Smith family over the holidays. We ate them all up, as they were defiantly edible, but not something I would purchase again. Stick with the dip recipe I posted below!

Buffalo Chicken Dip from Heaven

Star Rating: A Million Stars

If you invite me over I am mosty likely making this dip. A) because it is easy B) because if I make it at home I will eat the whole thing myself, therefore if I bring it to someones house/party I will have to share it...unwillingly of course.






Ingredients:
1 package cream cheese
1 large can chicken
buffalo sauce (I prefer Franks brand)
ranch dressing
colby jack or cheddar cheese

Soften the cream cheese and spread in the the bottom of a microwave or oven safe dish 9x9 or smaller. Break up chicken and add next, top with buffalo sauce 1/3 - 1/2 cup, then ranch 1/3 - 1/2 cup (this will depend on how spicy you want the dip to be, then top with cheese..a nice generous layer. Microwave or bake in oven until it is good and melty!

Serve with french bread, preferably my moms if she will make you a loaf (it is the best around!)

I am bringing this to the New Years party we are attending! I know big surprise!! If you are attending the same party get there early or I will have eaten it all!

Semi-Homemade Pizza

Star Rating: 5 Stars, only because I made it!


Ingredients:

Tortillas
Mozzarella Cheese
Cheddar Cheese
BBQ Sauce
Alfredo Sauce
Red Onions
Green Peppers
Portabella Mushrooms
Chicken (I buy already cooked)

BBQ Chicken - still need to add cheese

Alfredo Chicken - as well this one needs cheese

Hot out of the oven with melted cheese on top

Bake at 400.

Truth be told I did not come up with the recipe on my own, I copied a friend of mine that made it at a scrapbooking weekend. I do have to say I was a big part of making these during that weekend, as another friend and I had to out to get the cheese for these and in the process I blew a tired in Villard. A town of 10. It was a good 3 hour long ordeal but I am happy to say we had this pizza to come back to!

Beef Stir Fy with Asian Noodles

Star Rating: 4 Stars
Order Number: 711



Yep Schwans again. It was too cold and snowy out tonight to make it to the grocery store and all we had in the fridge was ketchup and cheese. So I pulled out this awesome Beef Stir Fry with Asian Noodles from Scwhans. It is part of their LIVE SMART meals, so a bit healthier than some of the other dinners they have.

I loved it and would get this again. It had a bit of spice too it, but not so much that the kids wouldn't eat it. They even asked for seconds.

The meal says it is enough for four, I guess yes, if you are on a diet, then the portions would be just fine for four people. But alas we are not on diets here, we are storing up for what looks to be a very white winter!

I am planning on making it to the grocery store tomorrow night, so there may be a home cooked meal in our future and by home cooked I mean things from a box.

See cooking makes me nervous. Meat makes me nervous. Spices make me sweaty. I just don't know how to combine everything ..and I have tried. I have tried many recipes, and they NEVER seem to work out for me. But I will keep trying and my family will keep suffering, but I will not give up! When does the Schwans guy come again?

Pomegranate.

Star Rating: 1 star



Has anyone ever eaten one?

Not me. Until last night.

But I sure love pomegranate lemondade, pomegranate ice tea, pomegranate flavored anything.

So shopping the other day, there are they are, with a cute little card sitting next to them on how to eat them. Cute little card full of lies.

What a pain in the #$%^&.

So after we have pomegranate juice everywhere, I was going to give up and throw the whole thing away, but nope Ellery did the honors and got all the seeds out. The juice was everywhere, Calvin said she looked like she had chicken pox on her face and I am soaking the shirt she had on, hoping the stains come out.

Speaking of seeds, I sure love the flavor of the juice, but I am not a fan of the crunchy seed ceneter. Nope I will stick with my flavored pomegranate drinks!

I have two more on my counter waiting to be eaten...call me if you want one, they are yours and you can have the cute little instruction card too! AND don't call me when things don't work out for you, I warned you.

I am good at eating out.

Star Rating: 2 1/2 Stars




Today Shirl, Hannah and I went and finished up our X-mas shopping. BUT before we did that we went to Applebees to grab a bite to eat. Hannah almost started crying as her beloved Southwest Chicken Salad is no longer on the menu, with a few tears shed, she found somthing else to eat..some sort of a wrap. I had the new Florentine Ravioli with Chicken, it was very good, with lots of mushrooms and peppers, but it was very rich and garlicy. I would probably not order again. I should have stuck with my Chicken Oriental Salad. I typically order the same thing over and over at restuants, never trying anything new. If they have a chicken ceasar wrap, I will ALWAYS order that! DARN I wish I had stuck with my salad. Lesson learned!

Homestyle Beef Goulash by Schwans

Star Rating: 4 Stars
Schwans Item Number: 459



Last night I pre-heated the oven and baked up this delish goulash from Scwhans. Along with these yummy nuggets of heaven, they are like the ones they serve at Red Lobster.

Star Rating: 4 Stars, the kids were not fans of them, more for me!
Schwans Item Number: 663