Crispy Mustard Onion Chicken

I made this tonight and it was so good. I found the recipe on Pinterest,and the best part is there are only 3 Ingredients,an idea I love.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup French fried onions crushed

2 Tablespoons honey mustard

If you want to make 4 just double everything

Preheat the oven to 375, coat the chicken with the mustard and roll them in the onions. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cinnamon French Toast

I love French Toast. I used to have it quite a lot as a kid growing up. I used to make a simple version,using milk,eggs,and bread,but I found this really great recipe some time ago and it is delicious.

The secret I think is the bread you use. You need a thick sliced white,challah or brioche bread.

I also use 1/2 and 1/2 instead of milk. I use about 3 to 6 eggs wisk them together,add a splash or two of the 1/2 and 1/2 and some cinnamon. I add oil and some butter to my fry pan and heat it. Once the  butter is melted I soak the bread in the egg mixture and place in the pan. I check it after about a minute and if it's nice and brown I flip it and cook the other side. Once it's finished I place it on a plate and either sprinkle it with powdered sugar or maple syrup. It is so good.

Tin Foil and Camping

One of the essential things you need when camping is tin foil. There are so many uses for it. My favorite is making Hobo Dinners. They are so easy and since you make them individually they can be made to suit each person. For instance if someone doesn't like onions leave them out.

What you need

A roll of tin foil

Ground beef

Potatoes

Onions or like I use onion soup mix

Carrots

Zucchini 

Actually you can use any vegetables your family likes.

Ice cubes

Add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix.

Tear off individual pieces of the foil place a good amount of the mixture in the center of the foil

Place an ice cube in the center and fold up all the edges securing the foil around the meat mixture.

Place on grill or in an open fire and cook,it's as simple as that. 

You can also have the beef,potatoes,carrots and onions in separate bowls and let each person make them to their own liking

Decorate those eggs

With Easter coming next month I started thinking about decorating eggs. I don't like using the dye you buy in those kits,you know the ones you mix with vinegar and need a whole lot of newspapers to cover the working surface. I saw this really cute,non messy idea and might give it a try. I think the grand-children would like it since it would show their creativity.

All you need is a dozen white shell hard boiled eggs and some sharpies.

The results are well see below :)

Around the Campfire

When camping it's always fun to have activities for the kids. When we had our Motor Home,I had puzzles and coloring books and crayons,just in case there was a rainy day. When we sold the Motor Home those things went with it for someone else's children to enjoy. 

Now that we have a 5 th wheel and will start Camping again I have been searching Pinterest for ideas for when the grand-children will be around. I will of course have a puzzle since I enjoy doing them too. We will certainly have some crafty things,but I want something different. One thing I found that I think will be fun is a Campfire Tale fill-in. I plan on printing some out and keeping them in the 5th wheel and then before the inevitable campfire we will tell some tales.

Baked Banana Chips

These are a great snack for everyone.

Ingredients

Bananas

Cinnamon

Kosher salt

Lemon Juice

Slice the bananas very thin about 1/8 inch

Brush with lemon juice mixed with a little water

Sprinkle with cinnamon and the kosher salt

Bake at 250 degrees for about 2 hours turning after 90 minutes

Cool ( the longer they cool the crispier they get)

For children and toddlers spread some peanut butter on them they will love it.

Bee Gone

Here is something I found that will probably come in handy while camping. 

What You Need

Lemons

Whole Cloves

Cut a small piece off each end of the lemon,then cut the lemon in half. Invert the whole cloves in each half and set out. Bees do not like the scent.

Culinary Cuts

I love watching cooking shows and so many times they will say 2 cups of diced onions or chop 2 stalks of celery or the one that really gets me is when they say chiffonade 15 basil leaves. Dice,chop,chiffonade,very confusing.

I found this chart on the Food Network and thought it was worth posting. 

Don't throw away those empty holders

I love using things around the house for crafts. I always have empty paper towell rolls,toilet paper rolls and paper plates on hand. There are so many things kids can do with them.

On a rainy day put a bunch of things out like construction paper,pipe cleaners,stickers,buttons whatever you have on hand and let them get creative. It will keep them occupied for hours.

Here are a few ideas I found. 

Stir Fry

Do you need a Wok to make Stir Fry? I don't own a Wok,so I just use my cast iron skillet,and it turns out just fine.

Shrimp Stir Fry

Ingredients

1Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 lbs shrimp

4 cloves garlic

2 zucchini,diced

2 large ears of corn,kernels removed

3/4 cup red grape tomatoes sliced in half lengthwise

3/4 cup yellow grape tomatoes sliced in half lengthwise

Salt and freshly ground pepper

12 to 18 fresh basil leaves cut chiffon ade

Parmesan shavings

Juice of one lemon

Rice or pasta for serving

Melt the butter with the olive oilin a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and garlic,sauté until shrimp is opaque,about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a plate.increase the heat to high and throw in the zucchini. Stir for about 45 seconds,then scoot the zucchini to the edge of the pan. Throw in the corn and cook for 1 minute,then push to the edge of pan. Throw tomatoes in stir them around for about a minute,sprinkle on some salt and pepper to taste. Put the shrimp back in and stir everything around for about 45 seconds or until everything is heated through. Pour everything onto a platter,sprinkle on fresh basil and some Parmesan shavings,and squeeze the lemon all over the top.

You can serve this with rice as I do or pasta,but it actually perfect on its own.

Clothes Pin Bunny's

We made some of these last Friday and they are very cute and easy

What you need 

Clothes Pins (not the ones with the Spring action)

Acrylic paints in soft pastel colors

Fine point sharpie

Google eyes

Sequins 

Small white cotton balls found at a craft store

Paint the clothes pins and let them dry

Once dry the kids can use the sharpie to put eyes,nose and a mouth,or they can use google eyes and sequins

Glue a white cotton ball on back for a tail and glue a sequin or two for a decoration on the bunny's ear.

The kids can even use their own ideas using construction paper to make a carrot and glue it on.

March 17,2014

Herbs

I love to use fresh herbs whenever I can. Last Summer I had a huge planter on  the deck with many different herbs growing in it. Anytime I needed Basil or parsley I could just walk outside and cut some. It was so convenient. That got me to thinking what am I going to this year. We will be gone quite a bit camping and with no one here to water,they would eventually die. Now I have grown herbs inside on the windowsill so I thought why can't I grow some in the 5th wheel,since there are plenty of windows. I bought some seeds,only the ones I'll use most,basil,chives,parsley and dill. I started them today,and once they grow I'll transplant them into pots that will eventually go into the 5th wheel. I'm excited at the prospect of being able to still cook with fresh herbs while on the road.

Egg Carton Chicks

What to do with those egg cartons after all the eggs are gone. I've often wished there was some other use for them other than just tossing them out. Well thanks to some very creative people on Pinterest there is. So on Friday we made chicks.

What you need

Styrofoam egg cartons,they come in several colors,white,pink,and blue

Feathers,found at your craft store

Pattern papers,and solid colors

Glue

Get Cracking

Here's an appealing idea from Thr Rachael Ray Magazine: edible colored Easter Eggs without the shell

After hard-boiled eggs have cooled,tap them with the edge of a knife or roll them on the counter to crack the shell but don't remove it. Place the eggs in a saucepan with enough water to cover with 2 tea bags. Bring to a boil,cover,reduce heat to low a dimmer for 20 minutes.once cool transfer pan to frige and steep eggs for at least 3 hours or overnight. Drain and peel the eggs to reveal the pattern. You can also use herbal teas for color like hibiscus for pink or juice like blueberry concentrate for blueprint gel food color in water.

Pom Pom's

There are several ways to make Pom Pom's. They have Pom Pom makers,my Mom used a piece of card board but this idea I think is the best,a kitchen fork. Yes I said a fork.

Wrap yarn around the tines,tie a piece of yarn around the center,cut alon each side,and voila you have a very cute Pom Pom.

Lemon Cake

I can't believe this takes only 2 ingredients,3 if you count the powder sugar

1 box of Angle Food cake mix, 1 can of Lemon Pie filling. Mix together pour into a 9X13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. As it is cooling sprinkle with powder sugar. Simple and oh so deliscious.

If it's Friday it's Art

I thought since we are going to raise Chickens this Spring,an appropriate craft would be making some Chickens.

Benedict made a chicken using construction paper shapes. Emerson and Blaise made cone chickens and Julia did a pastel drawing of a Chicken of her choice. I think they all did a great job

Sweet Pickles

I love Sweet Pickles,and I love to can. I tried making them from scratch using Pickering Cucumbers and I wasn't pleased with the results. Then my Mom told me about her friend Roberta's Sweet Pickles made from store bought Dill Pickles. Now I know it sounds crazy but it works and they're good.

What you need

1/2 gallon jar of Dill Pickle Spears,if you can't find them use whole and slice them

Sugar

Apple Cider Vinegar

Celery seed

Mustard seed

Canning jars 

Strain off the juice from the pickles and place them back in the 1/2 gallon jar

In a sauce pan combine 3 cups sugar 3 cups apple cider vinegar 3 teaspoons celery seed and 3 teaspoons mustard seed.

Boil until sugar melts and pour over pickles in the 1/2 gallon jar,and put lid on.

Next day drain juice into a pan add 2 1/2 cups sugar boil and pour over pickles that have been placed in individual clean sterilized quart jars. Place lids and screw on tops. Place jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars place on a towell to cool and finish processing. 

I started mine yesterday afternoon finished them this morning and well here are the results. 

note: I doubled the recipe and got 6 jars

For the Tea Lover

Here is something for those of us who love Tea.

I am a true believer in the benefits you can get from different types of Tea. Here are just a few.

Bubble Painting

Mix food coloring with some bubbles,blow on paper and let them pop. The effect is really cool. I think this would be a great Summer outdoor project.