Cook | Crockpot Mexican Chicken

I've used several variations of this recipe in the past few years. 

I like this one when I want a very basic recipe for flavorful chicken that I can use with tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and other dishes.

It's super simple and speedy.

Crockpot Mexican Chicken

3-4 Frozen, Individual Chicken Breasts

          (I used 4 large breasts in my recipe - I was making for enchiladas, and had some left-over that I plan to use for another meal later in the week)

1/4 C Salsa

1 can Cheddar Cheese Soup

          (I used the Fiesta Nacho Cheese this time because I wanted a little kick.  You could also add 1-2 Tbsp of taco seasoning to achieve extra spice/flavor.)


Directions:
1) Mix 1/4 cup salsa with the can of cheese soup.

2) Put chicken breasts in the crockpot and pour the salsa-cheese mixture over it.

3) Easiest part! Put the lid on and cook on low all-day (I like to use the frozen breasts when it's all-day, usually 8-9 hours).  If you use fresh chicken, you could could easily cook 6-7 hours.  If you cook on high, it cuts the time in half to 3-4 hours. 

4) Shred and you can add in and use as much or as little of the cheesy-salsa broth as you need or desire!

Like I mentioned above, I like to use this for tacos OR Chicken Enchiladas!

Let me know if this becomes one of your "regulars" too OR what changes you make!!

Craft | Just in Time for 4th of July

As usual, I originally saw this idea on Pinterest.

I'm not ashamed to admit it.  Great stuff comes from Pinterest!

I thought, simple enough and it'll be cheap too!

I went on Amazon and ordered the cheapest wire wreath  (it was an add-on item, 12-inches around, and green....in retrospect, I probably should have gotten a bigger one of either 16" or 18" and paid a little more), three bags of wooden clothespins (for my 12", I only needed 1 & 1/2 bags), and a bag of different-sized wooden stars.  

I already had some red, white, and blue acrylic paints from previous projects.

Prior to painting, I had to figure out how many I wanted of each color!

I decided I wanted to have 7 red and 6 white sections or "stripes" - to be accurate!

So, I put some of the clothespins on two or three sections of my wire wreath and did some math calculations (including division and multiplication!) to figure it all out.

At first I started painting the clothespins while still together.

But then I discovered that it was too difficult to paint the inside, without taking them apart.

So for the red and white, I started by taking them apart and painting was quicker!

I also had to paint my wire wreath ... two coats!

I really had to cram the clothespins together!

(I still had one that wouldn't fit.)

Then I began gluing these stars on.

Ta-Da! 

I had one extra clothespin and one extra star.

So now I have a fancy chip bag clip too! :)

**In retrospect, I should have spray-painted the clothespins - it would have been much faster . . . but it also would have cost more $, since I didn't have spray-paint on hand!**

Cook + Craft | Summer Schedule

As a teacher, every year I am amazed when school starts back up at how quickly the summer went by. 

 The last two years I've made lists of "To-Do's" for my summer with my kids.  I usually put "big ideas/places to go" and things that we don't typically do within a given month.  **I've never used one of those detailed checklists (catch frogs, build a sandcastle, play hopscotch, eat Jell-O, stargaze...), but maybe I'll try that another summer!**

Some things on the list are free (visiting the metro-parks, summer reading program at the library, various community playgrounds, etc.) and some require a little bit of money (ice cream places, zoo, museums, etc.).  This has helped me try to fit in a variety of fun activities with my two little boys. 

It is inevitable though that August rolls around and I am rushing to fit in more than we even attempted to complete in July!

This year, I'm trying something new I saw on Pinterest (of course!), along with my usual "Idea List".  A blogger/mom from Somewhat Simple posted this Summer Schedule for Kids...which she apparently has used for the last 3 years! So it must work! :-)

It is a "weekly plan" layout, M-F, and you can fill in the blanks for an activity each day of the week. She shared her files of it on the website too, although I modified it for my use!

Her image and link:

I used her image and added a weekly calendar, of sorts, for me to fill in...

My goal is not necessarily to "stick" to this Summer Schedule, but rather to not let my summer go by and I will be able to look back on it and say...."wow-we did a lot this year!"  :)

Already this past week, while I rearranged things, we did something each day!
If I can keep it up....goal accomplished! ;-)