Hot & Cheesy Bean Dip

I'm trying several new Weight Watchers recipes this week!  Kevin has been wanting Hacienda cheese dip, so I talked him into saving money and eating this for lunch today!  I didn't really have to talk him into eating it once he started though.  Both boys gave it a thumbs up and said they would want to eat it again - it's a keeper!

I make a taco dip that I love, so I had a hard time not comparing the two.  My older recipe calls for beef and lots of cheese, so it's a heavier dip.  This one is very light and creamy, but equally as tasty!  It's a great/cheap/meatless meal!

Source: Emily Bites
Ingredients:
8 oz of 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
½ cup fat free sour cream
16 oz can of fat free refried beans
1 tablespoon green chilies (I chopped mine up extra - you know I don't like chuncks!)
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup salsa (I had leftover that I pureed a couple days ago)
4 oz of reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
1.    Preheat the oven to 350.
2.    In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese and sour cream and mix until combined. Spread the mixture across the bottom of a 9” glass pie plate.
3.    In another bowl, combine the beans, chilies, cumin, chili powder and salt and stir until well combined. Spread the bean mixture over top of the cream cheese layer in the pie plate. Spread the salsa over top of the bean layer and then sprinkle the cheese across the top.
4.    Bake for 30 minutes and serve immediately.

 Allie helped me make the dip - it's so easy to put together!

We served our dip with tostitos.  24 round chips (4p+) was plenty for a half cup of dip.  1/2 C  = 4p+, 1/3C = 3p+, 1/4C = 2p+.  You could also serve the dip in miniature corn tortillas.  They smelled kind of off to me, so I opted for the chips :)

Hope you all are enjoying these healthier recipes!  I'm trying several more this week and I'll post the keepers!

Sesame Chicken

I'm on a roll with these Weight Watcher recipes!  Kevin says he would never know that this sesame chicken would qualify as a WW recipe because it was SO good.  I completely agree! And so did my kids.  They both gobbled up this chicken!

I adapted the recipe from Slender Kitchen.  If you don't have an electric skillet, you may want to follow the original recipe, which calls for the chicken to be baked. 

This is the picture from Slender Kitchen.  Her recipe calls for black sesame seeds, which I couldn't find at Walmart, so I left them out of my version.  We were so ready to eat when the chicken was done, I forgot to take a picture!

Ingredients:

• 3lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed and cut into pieces
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced (or 1 tsp of the already minced store bought kind)
• 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar (not packed)
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds

1. In a bowl, toss the chicken pieces, salt, pepper, and flour.  Grease an electric skillet and add chicken to skillet.  Leave the lid off so you can watch to make sure it's not cooking too fast.  
2. Once the chicken is cooking, mix together the sesame oil, olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame seeds.  Immediately pour over the chicken.
3. Stir the chicken to make sure it's evenly coated with the sauce.  Cover and cook for 5 mins.  Stir, then cover and cook another 5-7 mins, or until chicken is no longer pink.
4. Serve immediately and enjoy!

I based the recipe on 8 servings, which equals 6 P+.  The chicken was very filling and would be great with steamed veggies and rice!  

Cheesy Taco Pasta

I don't know about you, but we love Mexican food at our house!  Last week I joined Weight Watchers and I've been on the hunt for some new recipes.  Ahhh how I love Pinterest!  My first go at a Pinterest "WW Friendly" recipe was a home run!  The kids loved it, the husband declared "it's in the top three recipes I make", and you, my friends, will not be thinking "diet food" at all!

I slightly adapted the recipe from Emily Bites.
Ingredients:
12oz Heartland Hidden Vegetable Small Penne pasta (found at East-side Walmart)
1 lb  lean ground beef (I used 96/4 from Walmart)
1 packet Ortega low sodium taco seasoning
1 ½ c mild salsa (I put mine though the food processor because I don't like chunks!)
½ c water
¼ c Kraft Simply fat free sour cream
¾ c shredded  Kraft 2 % reduced fat cheddar cheese
¾ c shredded Great Value sharp cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper (I don't think it needs it, but maybe you will)

Directions:
1.    Cook pasta according to package instructions.
2.    While pasta is cooking, place ground beef in a large sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the beef as it cooks. When the beef is cooked, drain any grease from pan. Add the taco seasoning, salsa and water and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes or until pasta is done cooking.
3.    Once pasta is done, drain pasta and add it to the beef mixture. Add the sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cheese will melt when thoroughly mixed. Remove from heat and serve immediately. 

I didn't count the servings exactly (because Kevin was shoveling a 2nd helping into his bowl) but I figured it to be 8 or 9 1Cup servings.  If you are doing WW, 8 servings = 9p+, and 9 servings = 8p+ (assuming you use all the ingredients I listed).  Next time I make it, which will be soon, I'll let you know how many servings I get.  If you aren't being conscience of what you eat, feel free to use which ever seasonings, sour creams, and cheeses you'd like :)  But do yourself, and your family or friends a favor, and MAKE THIS!  We all know I'm the pickiest of picky eaters and I LOVED IT!!!

April's Mid Month Update

Outside my window . . . It's 70s and sunny!  I love spring!!!

I am thinking . . . it's too pretty outside to be sitting inside!

I am thankful for . . . Pinterest - I love getting new project ideas (some are so practical {like how to get rid of ants}).

In the kitchen . . . I've got sourdough starter rising for homemade cinnamon rolls tomorrow :)

I am wearing . . . pjs :-X I haven't done much today other than laundry and cook!

I am creating . . .booties for Allie's shoes.  She only has the one pair of corrective shoes and it makes me uncomfortable knowing the shoes she walks around in all day end up in bed with her.  The booties will slip over her shoes at night.  It will make me feel better.

I am going . . . to write a letter to someone who wronged me.  It's a great way to get stress off your shoulders, and you don't ever have to send the letter - but it feels good to get the emotions on paper.

I am wondering . . . what do people use their cannisters for?  I use mine for flour and sugar and I'm thinking of putting those ingredients in something else.  It always makes such a mess on my counter. 

I am reading . . . Made to Crave by Lysa Terkerst.  It's helping me get motivated to finish losing weight!

I am hoping . . . to join Weight Watchers soon. I love the accountability of having to weigh in once a week.

I am looking forward to . . . getting our yard looking better!  We haven't had the funds to do what we wanted to do in our yard, but this year we are getting the ball rolling!  We started by laying new stone and it's almost time to start planting!  I can't wait to blog about the before and after!

I am hearing . . . the tv.  Hayden loves watching PBS and it gives me a little break while the girls are napping. 

Around the house . . . we are trying to use the space we have the most effictively.  Kevin's been such a great help with carrying out all my ideas!

One of my favorite things . . .is drinking good lemonade out of a fun glass.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . .meeting a friend for breakfast, trying a new recipe, picking out plants for our landscape, and spending some time out-fishing the boys!

Butterfinger Cookies

I love butterfinger cookies!  My mom use to make them for us when we were growing up.  They have a fantastic chewy consistency, and I think they are even better the next day!  I was eying these "butterfinger bites" at Walmart, and decided to make 3/4th of the bag into cookies so I didn't eat all the butterfinger bites in one sitting!  I have made them twice this month because Kevin loves them as much as I do.  The batch makes about 24 cookies.  Maybe you should make these this weekend?!

Butterfinger Cookies
source: my momma

3/4 C sugar
1/2 C butter at room temp
1 egg
1 3/4 C all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz butterfinger - chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375*
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until creamy.
3. Beat in egg until fluffy.
4. Blend in flour, soda, and salt.
5. Stir in chopped butterfinger.
6. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto parchement lined cookie sheet.
7. Bake 11-13 mins until lightly browned.  Let stand on the cookie sheet 3-5 mins.

The dough is very stiff!

Let cool and enjoy!  We fight over the cookies with the big hunks of butterfinger :)

Metatarsus Adductus

Allie was born with metatarsus adductus.  It basically means the top bones in her feet turn in.  When she was 8 months old, we went through a series of casts, then used corrective shoes for a period of time after that.  When she was about a year and a half old, the orthopedic surgeon released her and said come back if I thought things weren't looking right. 

I took this picture a few weeks ago.

Several months ago I realized that her feet were turning back in.  I gave it some time, and Kevin and I decided we needed to at least have her feet rechecked.  In the meantime, I started doing some research on reoccurring metatarsus adductus.  I wasn't thrilled to learn everything I did, but it helped me mentally prepare for today's doctor visit.  (As opposed to her very first ortho visit where I kept telling myself it wasn't that bad and we left in casts and I was in tears!)

Our doctor is wonderful.  He quickly looked at Allie's feet and said he agreed the metatarsus adductus was still present and needed to see if it was a muscle or bone issue.  He ordered x-rays and Allie was such a champ for them.  The doctor explained where he saw the problem and told me it was up to me if I wanted her casted today or if we wanted to try some corrective shoes for a couple months.  The casting doesn't seem like it's a huge deal, but it is much more traumatizing than it sounds.  He has to stretch the feet to their correct position which is very uncomfortable/painful for Allie.  I could definitely do without holding her down and while she screams and cries, BUT I knew I had to put my mommy emotions aside and do what was best for Allie.

I snuck this picture off the computer before the doctor came in.  Underneath those long crooked bones at the top of her feet, there's a bigger grey area.  It's showing the little bones in her feet are very underdeveloped, which results in her feet turning in. 

I asked the doc what he recommended and he said he thought it would be best to try the corrective shoes and see how she does in those for two months (only because her foot was still really flexible - her feet were considered stiff when we had our first visit at 8 months) We will go back in June and see how she has progressed.  He may choose to do a series of casts then (they change the casts every two weeks and do this 2-3 times, so a total of 4-6 weeks) or he may have us use a bar (while she sleeps) that will hold her feet and ankles in an over corrected position.

Her little corrective shoes are actually kind of cute.  She has such skinny little legs and they just look like little regular leather boots (unless you look really close).  It's a cute look with a dress.  Right now she will wear the shoes 24/7, day and night, and can only take them off during bath time.  She has done fantastic with them today.  She asked to take them off a couple times but I told her she has to wear them, and she didn't complain.

We have been trying to stay really upbeat about it.  We went sock shopping for some bright new styles and we keep talking about her "cool new shoes."  I don't want her feeling self conscience about her feet ever.   

Cute new socks

I guess the other news today was that if the corrective shoes don't completely correct the issue, we will have to talk about surgery.  The surgery wouldn't take place for over two years, so we have some time.  Surgery is used as a last resort, but it's completely necessary if the bones in her feet don't grow properly.  Only time will tell!

In the meantime, if you see Allie, feel free to compliment her cool new shoes :)  We feel blessed knowing things could be so much worse than having to wear a pair of shoes (or casts or whatever happens)!

Tissue Paper Pom Poms

I've had lots of questions about these tissue paper pom poms that I made for Whitney's baby shower.  They are super easy to make, and are a fantastic shower/party decoration!  I made these about a week before the shower, and stored them in a large trash bag.  There's so much hustle and bustle days before a shower/party that it's nice to be able to do something ahead of time!

Here are some instructions on how to make these :) (Harry was extra needy so excuse him in the background!)

Supplies: Tissue paper, heavy duty scissors, hole punch, floral wire (not pictured: clear string {I used fishing line} to hang them).

I bought my tissue paper from Hobby Lobby.  They had all the color options I needed and I think it was $1 for the pack of 10 sheets.  One pack (10 sheets) will make 4 pom poms.  Open your 10 sheets of tissue paper.  Fold the paper stack in half and cut along the fold.

Next you will fold this large rectangle in half to make squares.  Cut along the fold again.

You should end up with 40 squares.

Stack 10 sheets of tissue paper.  You can make this next step as complicated as you want, or as simple as you want.  Fold up about 1 inch from the bottom.  I don't measure this, I just eyeball it.  We are going to "fan fold" this square. 

Flip the square over and fold up another inch.

Can you see the "fan"?  Keep folding until you get to the top.

It should look like this when you are done.

Cut a small piece of wire - 6 inches would be plenty long.

Wrap the wire around the center of your tissue paper

I like to fold the excess over.

It's important that your sides are even.  To check, fold in half at the wire.  If one side is a little longer (like mine is in the picture), then just scoot the wire down.

Even sides

I like the look of a rounded edge, but you can also do a pointy edge.  Use your heavy duty scissors and trim the edges on one side.

Trim the other side.

Next, open one side of the fan fold.

{Gently} Pull the first piece of tissue paper up.  If you don't do this step carefully, you can end up tearing the paper.

Pull up the first 5 sheets.

Turn it over and pull up the last 5 sheets. 

It will look similar to this once you've finished the first half.  Go ahead and unfold the other half.

Mine wasn't looking very circular once it was all unfolded and that's ok.  Just play around with it until you get it looking circular.

Looks pretty good to me!

You can see the inside here.

To hang, put together two sheets and punch a hole through them.  Like I said above, I used some fishing line to hang the balls with. 

Here's what it looks like all done! 

If you want one that's bigger, you will need more sheets of tissue paper.  These pom poms are very forgiving, so don't nit pick over every little detail.  When you have a whole cluster of them you can't see any imperfections!  Happy pom pom making!!!

Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews

Kevin made a delicious dinner last week! He's on a roll with these new recipes!   We loved the broccoli dish he made so I wanted to share that recipe with you all!

Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews

source: All Recipes

1 1/2lbs fresh broccoli, cut into bit sized pieces
1/3 C butter
1 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp pepper
1 clove minced garlic (it calls for 2 cloves, but we thought it tasted better with 1!)
1/3 C chopped cashews

1. Place the broccoli into a large pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom.  Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender but still crisp.  (I actually steamed my broccoli, and I like my broccoli really soft, so cook it however you prefer it!)  Arrange broccoli on a serving platter (I used a bowl).
2. White the broccoli is cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat.  Mix in the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic.  Bring to a boil, them remove from the heat.  Mix in the cashews, and pour the sauce over the broccoli.  Serve immediately.

We have had this dish with steaks and with fried rice.  We liked it with both!  It is a little tricky to make when you're cooking several things because it all has to be put together right before you're ready to serve your meal.  It may be a hectic 10 minutes, but it's worth it!  Give it a try! :)

Easter 2013 Part 3: Attemps at a Family Picture

I think I'm coming to grips with the fact I'll probably never get a "perfect" family picture where everyone is looking, all the kids are standing exactly where they are suppose to, no one is moving or dancing, smiling looks natural, no one has bunny ears...

I got a good laugh out of most of the pictures.  After our church service, which was held at the Ford Center, we asked my mom (the best free photographer I know) to take a few pictures with my camera. I made the girls outfits and the boys ties, and wanted to get a good picture of everyone all dressed up!  We went down by the river.  I thought since it was cloudy and overcast, we'd end up with great pictures, but it was still really bright out and Kevin and I have funny eyes (him) and head positions (me) in every picture! Here are some of the best attempts at a perfect family/kid picture...

This one is probably my favorite.

Thanks mom for trying to take a picture for us :)

Easter 2013 Part 2: The Hunt

We did our Easter egg hunt on Saturday afternoon.  I thought I'd have to help Allie to keep things even, but she was holding her own!  Hayden found 23 eggs and Allie found 18.  They didn't know I kept track, but I'm sure I'll have to do that as they get older.   We put dollar coins and chocolate in the eggs.  Here are some pictures from our egg hunt.

 Showing off all their eggs.

Next year she'll be knocking them down!

 Allie found it necessary to eat everything as she was opening it...