Tuesday Tips! Cooking/Food.

Here we go again.

Tips for cooking/other uses for food & such.

Cooking!

1. Making food and it's a little too salty? Add about 1 tsp of sugar! It won't be so salty anymore!
2. I'm not a big egg fan, but I do know that when boiling eggs adding a little bit of white vinegar will keep them from cracking.
3. My daddy is a BIG salsa maker. I used to love making it with him when I lived at home. If your salsa is a little too hot, add a drop or two of vanilla!
4. Making a homemade sauce or stew? Lots of fat on top? Float a large lettuce leaf on top to gather the fat. Remove leaf and repeat is necessary.
5. With Thanksgiving coming up I thought I would share this little tip. If you are worried about your stuffing falling out while your turkey is baking, put a raw potato in the end! It will keep everything from spilling out!

Other ways to use food!

1. Use popcorn (not buttered) for packing things that you are mailing. Not only will it keep them safe (for the most part) but it's earth friendly!
2. Garbage disposal getting a little stinky? Don't want to use bleach? Use lemon! Squeeze some juice in there with a little bit of the peel and turn it on. Fresh in no time!
3. Baking soda=great carpet deodorizer!
4. Justin taught me this! Use Cumin on cuts inside your mouth. It dries it up and helps it heal faster!
5. If you(or your child) gets into stinging nettles or I've heard people using this for bee stings. Make a paste out of baking soda and water. It helps the sting go away.

Other uses for non-edible things!

1. Use a pizza cutter for pancakes and waffles. It makes slicing them up so much easier.
2. Need granulated sugar but you only have sugar cubes? Send the cubes into the garlic press!
3. Store open packages of spaghetti noodles in pringle cans!
4. Making stuffed green peepers and they keep falling over? Stick them in a muffin pan!
5. Rubber gloves are great for helping you open tough jars! And old soda bottles tops make great make-do funnels!

Ok I think that's all I have for today! Let me know if you have anymore to add!

S'more Tarts

On nights that Justin has duty I try to do fun things with Landon to keep him busy. Last night we made a "camp" out of blankets and chairs in the living room complete with a lantern, we watched A bugs life and made an indoor version of s'mores. We had a really fun time. These are really rich so I don't see us making them again anytime soon.

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12 Servings
Prep: 10 min. Bake: 25 min.
Ingredients
1 package fudge brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size) We used a smaller box since I was only making 6 not 12
12 individual graham cracker shells
1-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup milk chocolate chips
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Directions
Prepare brownie batter according to package directions. Place graham cracker shells on a baking sheet and fill with brownie batter.

Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

Immediately sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chips.

Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed and golden brown.

Yield: 1 dozen.

Recipe from Taste of home.

You love me!!

My name is Kim and you are stalking me.

Yes you, over there from California. Everyday you come to my blog. You never come the same way. You always google search me. Sometimes you google the EXACT name of my blog, then other times you google names of posts I have put up. It's almost like a game. How will MV California get to my blog today!?! Really, I think that everyday when I log on. You see my dear friend. I have a tracker. It tells me your IP address, where you live and how you got to my blog.

Why don't you say hello? Do I not like you? Was I mean to you many years ago? Did I steal your boyfriend or make out with your older brother (I did this a few times so it wouldn't be a huge shock if that was it)?

I have a few more people who check my blog everyday that never say anything. Do I not say anything that interests you? If so, why come back? Do you not know what to say? Just say "Hello! My name is ___ I like reading your blog. You are so funny and amazing! I would love if you would write more about ___" but no. You lurk.

Take a chance. Tell me who you are. Say hi.

Or go away.
...
Whoever left me that comment. How am I a blog stalker by wanting to know who comes to my blog? I love seeing how people find it and where they are from.

OK......

Today was a long day of running around.

Before Justin left on deployment he got me a new car (see here) due to my panic attack while trying to drive his car (due to it being a stick shift *insert dirty joke here*). While he was gone his car sat in our garage. Our neighbor would drive it around every once in a while for me but that was it.

With Landon being in school I didn't like Justin always taking my car. So this morning our quest to get his up and running started. He had to get it registered in CT since it was previously in NY, we are about 1/2 done with this step since he still needs to find the time to get the emissions test done. Then while trying to get all of this done we found out that his battery was DEAD...not just hey "I don't really want to start right now", more of a "hey if you turn me off I won't start again".

So off to Sears we went. Now we have a new battery and Justin's car is running again! It felt so weird getting into his car. I felt so low!!! I'm also going to hate his leather seats this winter. Lol.

Veterans Day

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When I married my husband I never thought this is the life we would lead. Besides a cousin in the Army I had no understanding of the Military life. One day while driving in the car, my new husband told me he wanted to go into the Navy. He wanted to do his part not only for our family but for our country. "OK" were the only words I could get out of my mouth. I never fought him, I could see the passion in his eyes.

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He left for bootcamp with a new wife and an 8 month old baby at home. Seeing him again 2 months later, I felt like I wasn't looking at the same man. He had grown and changed, our lives would never be the same.

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Four years, four moves & four states later, we are living 3,000 miles away from home. I am a survivor of a submarine deployment (on the wife side, that is) and countless underways. My husband is gone more then he is home. But I would never trade our life. The work my husband does amazes and humbles me everyday. He risks his life to make sure his family sleeps safe at night.

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So, I say this with the most respect and love I can. Thank you. Thank you to all who have served and who are serving. Your dedication and determination have made our country a better place.

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Thank you for fighting for me.

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Top Ten Tuesday!

I have more tips to share, but I was thinking.....if I share them EVERY Tuesday then I will run out way too quick. So I'm going to switch off with Tuesday Tips and Top Ten Tuesday! I hope that people will play along.

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In light of my husband being home for 2 weeks now this week is......

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Top 10 reasons why I love my husband!

1. I love the way he looks at me when I walk into the room. I always feel like I'm the only person he sees. I thought that after being together for a while, that it would fade. But it hasn't. He still really sees me.
2. I love that he sets his alarm clock to go off early just so he can snuggle with me before he leaves for work. He started doing this right after deployment and it hasn't stopped yet. It starts my day off so well. And I love that he says it's the best part of his day.
3. I love that he can make me laugh and that I can make him laugh. We joke and play a lot. My friends say that hanging out with us is like watching a sitcom.
4. I love that when I don't feel good he knows exactly what to do and say. If I can't keep anything down I will get out of the bathroom to a fresh glass of water and a note to come down and snuggle and get my back rubbed. I'm sick a lot, so it's nuts that he still does this.
5. I love love-notes. He will leave them on my nightstand, on the computer, bathroom mirror or hidden in places that I will see when I'm cooking dinner. When he's gone he will randomly send me the most amazing gifts with the most heart-touching notes. He warms my heart. I feel that hand written notes are a forgotten science in the age of the Internet.
6. I love that he knows everything about me down to my top 5 flower picks.
7. I love that he will watch my stupid shows me with no matter how much he hates them, and pretend like he's interested. Americas Next Top Model is most hated in this house by him.
8. I love how much I love him.
9. I love that he chose me. 14 years old sitting on a band bus and he looked right at me. 2 weeks later we were dating, 4 years later we were married, now we are living 3,500 miles away with our little family and happier then ever.
10. I love that he is the best father I ever could have imagined. Since day one he's been amazing. He would get up in the middle of the night and do everything he could to let me sleep. Now I get to sleep in every weekend while he keeps Landon downstairs.

November School Projects

Landon had two projects to do this month. The first was a feather to go on the class turkey. The second was a pennant of his family and him. We couldn't really do much with the feather but it was fun.

If you know me in real life(lol) then you know I have a TON of craft supplies in my laundry/craft room. Whenever Landon has a project to do I let him pick out what he wants to use and we go from there.

For the feather we used a different kind of tissue paper and colored feathers. I think it turned out cute.

For the Pennant I let Landon pick the pictures he wanted off the computer and I glues them down to the paper. It was cute hearing why he wanted to use certain pictures. It was supposed to be about him and his family and what they/he likes to do.

If you click on the pictures they should get bigger so you can see whats on them.

They say......

When people copy you it's the most sincere form of flattery.

I don't.

I understand sometimes I have good ideas. I don't mind if people use them, HELLO I post them on my blog. But, honestly, stop there. You do the same crafts as I do with my kid, you cook the same food, read the same books & listen to the same music(when you didn't before) HECK you even started wearing clothes like me (I don't dress to impress my friends).

I get it. I rock.

But be you! This world only needs one of me.

Pumpkin Seeds

I forgot to put up my recipes for Pumpkin Seeds last week. Sorry!

Taco Pumpkin Seeds! (these were the best!)

Ingredients
1 cup seeds from freshly cut pumpkin, washed and dried
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions
In a skillet, saute pumpkin seeds in oil for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer seeds to an ungreased baking sheet (if you have extra oil try to get as little of it as you can). Sprinkle with taco seasoning and garlic salt; stir/toss to coat. Spread into a single layer. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until crisp. Remove to paper towels to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients
2 cups fresh pumpkin seeds
5 teaspoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or chili pepper)

Directions
In a bowl, toss pumpkin seeds with butter and Worcestershire sauce. Combine the sugar, salt, garlic powder and cayenne; sprinkle over seeds and toss to coat.

Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with foil; coat foil with cooking spray. Spread seeds in pan. Bake at 250° for 45-60 minutes or until seeds are dry and lightly browned, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Thusrday Review. Where the Wild things are!

I love this book. I think this is the most read book in our house. Landon runs around the house quite often and yells "Let the wild rumpus start!" and every time he sees something from the movie he begs for it (we are now the proud owners of a few wild thing stuffed animals and a massive wild thing balloon...Max to be exact). When we heard it was coming out as a movie we were all excited. So this past weekend we made a date of it and the three of us went to see it.

From the book
From the Movie.

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Wow. Were we disappointed. We didn't like the movie at all. It was the most un-kid kid movie I have ever been to. Besides the point that it had monsters and no swearing I would think it wasn't a kids movie at all. The plot was off and made no sense. I was thinking it was going to be amazing...but it wasn't. It might just be us, but I won't ever watch it again.

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Max was a brat and the monsters weren't very nice. Ehh.

Gotta love him....

Justin just called to let me know that he's bringing people home for dinner. I've been so busy with helping at Landon's school and us both being sick that the house is TRASHED. So now while Landon is at school I'm off to clean and figure out what I want to make for the single boys. The joys of being a house wife.

Tuesday Tips. Feeling better!

I was talking with a friend the other day about old wives tales and tip & tricks that are passed down from generation to generation, and I thought that maybe I would share the ones I know with all of you. I'm going to try to keep them in categories....as much as I can anyway. If you know any other ones please feel free to add them!


So here it goes.


This week it's Home remedies for when you are sick.

1. Chicken soup really does help! The steam helps clear sinuses and the broth does wonders on your insides. Add some minced garlic to it (garlic is said to boost your immune system!) and you will be feeling better in no time!


2. Drink some tea! Echinacea tea that is. If anyone knows me you know we always have boxes of this in our house. My husbands family swears by it...and I do to! It's a natural, herbal tea that boosts your immune system. Try to stay away from adding creamer or sugar but feel free to add a lot of honey (it helps coat a sore throat).


3. Add some Vaseline or chapstick to a runny nose to keep it from getting chapped!


4. The best ice pack ever is frozen veggies! My mom always used peas but was known to use corn in a pinch. It works so well since it can mold to where ever you need it to be! Just make sure you re-freeze and know which one is not for cooking.


5. Bad headache? Soak your feet in hot water with mustard powder in it! For some odd reason it helps drawn the blood down, reliving your headache! After 30 min of soaking, dry your feet and be pain free!


6. Feel like you might up-chuck? Try some camomile tea or suck on some peppermint candy or sip(the tea kind)!

Like I said if you have anything else to add please do!

Popcorn!

Here are a few recipes for the popcorn seasoning we use on movie nights.

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Chocolate & Cinnamon!

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You need

1 package chocolate pudding

4 tsp cinnamon

Dump in bowl and mix! Lol.

Sprinkle on popcorn then give a little shake to get some down in the stuff that is hidden.

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Spicy Cheese

(what Landon calls it)

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You need

1 tsp Chili powder

1/8 tsp Garlic powder

2 Tbs Parm cheese

Dump and mix, then give a little shake. The cheese doesn't stick really well so we use air-pop popcorn and add butter and that works great!

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Parmesan Ranch!

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You need

1/4 C Parm cheese

1 envelope ranch mix

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Dump in a bowl and mix! Again with the cheese not sticking really well, for some reason it separates a little bit (you can still taste it, most of it just goes to the bottom).

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Pizza

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You need

1/2 C Parm cheese

2 Tbs Italian seasoning (crushed)

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Dump andmix. I don't need to tell you about the cheese again....do I? Butter.

Halloween Part 2

After we carved pumpkins we got ready and headed to the Mystic Village for trick-or-treating. We met Briana and her family there and we had so much fun! It was packed! It was a nice day to be outside (not too cold for November in New England!) We walked around for an hour or so then Justin, Landon and I all went out to eat.

Here are the pictures from the village.

Getting ready to go trick-or-treat.
Walking around the village.

My boys!

Belly and her Daddy.

My Belly!

Landon. He cracked me up.

The little ones.

Shane, Landon and Belly.

Who knows what he was doing.

I LOVE this picture. They are so amazing. I'm glad Justin gets to be here this year for all the Holidays. It will be nice after him missing all of them last year.

Halloween Part 1

Justin had duty Friday so when he got home Saturday morning...and I got some good sleep after being sick all night, we carved pumpkins then got ready to head to Mystic Village.

Landon cleaned all the dirt off the pumpkins. Then helped me get all the seeds out.

Justin did all the carving.

Our ugly pumpkins.

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They did look really cool that night when we put the candles in!