All Blog Posts (119)

I AM a person outside of my kids.  I promise you I am.  I insist.  I am a woman who enjoys the sunset on the beach with a good book and a good drink.  I love to take quiet moments to reflect on the meaning of life, to meditate, and to listen to a CD of the ocean crashing against the rocks....or maybe the sounds of the rainforest....or wait, an enchanting thunderstorm as I sip wine and get softly lulled into a peaceful and dreamless sleep.  Ahhhhh....

I am also the person who awakens…

For Christmas my Aunt gives each of my children $50.00 and then she gives them a mission for the year. Two years ago they had to use the money for unusual things to do while on vacation. We spent two nights on an Air Craft Carrier. Last year the mission was to spend the money on activities to get active. So we went to a couple of water parks and then to the local aquatic center. This year the mission is to spend the money to stimulate the local economy. They have already chosen to go…

Hey all, I saw this good deal on Creative loafings deal site. Thought I would pass along as I have done the expensive bounce house thing but seems like a pretty good price for 2.5 hours ($40). It looks like a new video game place. Check it out here. http://loafdeals.com/. looks like in may be in Doraville or Atlanta.

Red Beans and Rice

1 tbsp Canola Oil

1 Cup Chopped Onion

½ Cup Chopped Bell Peppers

½ Cup Chopped Celery

1 tsp Salt

½ tsp Cayenne Pepper

¼ tsp Pepper

5 Bay Leaves

1 Pound Ham, cut

1 pound Smoked Sausage

1 lb Dried Red Beans

1 tbsp Chopped Garlic

8 cups Water

Cooked Rice

Heat oil in large pan. Sauté onions, bell peppers, celery, salt,…

This is one of our favorite recipes!  I usually have to make 2 batches, one with smoked sausage and one with andouille sausage.  Not everyone in our house likes spicy food. And the andouille sausage gives it a bit of a kick.

Jambalaya

¼ cup vegetable oil

3 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped bell peppers

2 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoons…

We were camping this weekend with some of the parents of our Cub Scout Pack and this is what we had Saturday Morning for breakfast.  We just did biscuits out of a can in an oven.  Yes, we have a camping oven that is handmade.  And everything turned out great!

Sausage Gravy

6 Cups Milk

12 tbsp flour

Salt and Pepper to…

I hit up Goodwill today looking around. I had run into Big Lots to see if any good deals were to be found. I was looking for some blank cardstock to paint Christmas cards in my spare time (I think I can get it all done with hope and sometimes it works!).

But the line starting taking to long and I remembered last year the same thing happening. Big Lots could take some hints on efficiency from Aldi. I walked out.

Believe it or not I walked into Goodwill and immediately I found 4…

Cheese Cake Bites

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp butter, melted

5 packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line mini muffin trays with paper liners.  Mix graham crackers, 3 tbsp sugar and butter together.  Place a small amount in bottom of paper liners.  In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla…

All you have to do is CLICK LIKE under the HILARIOUS video "ChickFil A Rocks" on the EastLake ChickFila Facebook page. Only a few hours of voting time left.

Support your Atlanta Mom! 

Easy peasy.

http://www.facebook.com/ChickfilAEastLake

Pasta E Fagioli

2 ½ pounds ground sirloin

2 ½ cups carrots, chopped

2 large onions, diced

2 ½ cups celery, chopped

4 tbsp minced garlic

3 tbsp white vinegar

3 tsp oregano

3 tsp pepper

3 tsp salt

3 tsp basil

1 ½ tsp thyme

3-15oz cans red kidney beans

2-15 oz cans tomato sauce

5-15oz cans diced Italian tomatoes

3-15oz cans great northern…

Salsa and Cream Cheese Dip

2 packages cream cheese,softened

2 cups monterey jack cheese

1-16oz jar salsa

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

Scallions, diced

1 small tomato, diced

Once cream cheese is softened, mix with salsa. Put in the bottom of a glass pie dish. On top of salsa/cream cheese mixture sprinkle Monterey jack cheese. Then place the peppers, scallions and tomatoes on…

Hey can you like my video on FB at the ChickFilA Eastlake page?

My sister and I put together a funny video called "ChickFilA Rocks".

1)All you have to do is go to the FB page.

http://www.facebook.com/ChickfilAEastLake

2)Click LIKE below the ChickFilaRocks video.…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ0rY1zKGrI

We are having this tonight for dinner.  We usually make curry chicken and slice the chicken and put it in the salad.  It is so yummy and full of flavor!

Oriental Mandarin Salad

1 - 3oz package oriental ramen noodles

½ cup sliced almonds

5 tbsp sugar

½ cup…

I also use this recipe to make homemade spaghetti sauce.  I just add, sautéed mushrooms, onions, red peppers and let simmer on the stove top for about an hour or so before I want to use it.  If I make too much of it I always freeze it to use at a later date.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

2- 28oz cans crushed tomatoes

6oz of tomato paste

2 tsp oregano

4 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp black…

You can save money. You can do it! Remember the Boxcar children? Benny was happy as a lark with his broken pink cup. 

1) Shop at Aldi-Really this place is great, I get the best prices. I have found that I get the same price at Aldi that I would get at Kroger with a coupon AND a sale. Aldi is clean and easy to navigate if you have small children. 

2)Scale Down-Can you lose the premium…

Dried Beef and Sour Cream Dip with Rye Bread

16 oz sour cream

1 1/3 mayonnaise

2 tbsp dried dill

2 tbsp parsley flakes

2 tbsp minced onion

2.25oz jar sliced dried beef

Rye bread

Cut dried beef into small pieces.  Combine all ingredients until mixed well.  Serve in a rye bread bowl with some rye bread for dipping into the dip.

Some friends of mine were talking about how cool this exhibit was. I was intrigued and now I am hosting a giveaway for the Garden Lights at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

The intown exhibit has more than a million lights, but don't let that fool you, this a green exhibit.

What do you think? Is this something that could become a holiday tradition for…