Buffalo Chicken Dip

 

Around this time of year I start craving spicy, crunchy, sour, flavors. 

 I think this is due to the blandness of winter foods, or it could be just because I'm a little weird

 I stumbled on this recipe on the back of a bottle of Frank's Hot Sauce, and I tweaked it a little to suit our tastes.

2 1/2 bricks of cream cheese

1/4 cup Hot Sauce ( use your favorite brand )

2 cups cooked and diced chicken

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

Soften the cream cheese a little in a glass baking dish, and then stir in the rest of the ingredients.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, and serve with crackers, corn chips, or veggies.  This is exceptionally yummy with celery.

We had this last night for Sunday night supper.

What's New

I really didn't fall through the cracks--I just got a little carried away with my Christmas vacation from blogging.

We are back to homeschooling, and our normal routine.

This winter has been a sad disappointment to "snow-loving" me.

Sugar Pea's case is dragging along with an almost depressing lack of action in any direction.

We have been battling colds, and flu-like symptoms off and on since Christmas--currently I am the lucky owner of a sore throat.

Sugar Pea had a well-baby check-up, and her dr. told me that the local version of the flu is lasting a minimum of two weeks.

He also told me--after looking in her ears--that she has a double ear infection.  I was shocked!  She is teething, and fussy, but no fever.

My older boys received snow boards for Christmas, and lucky for them you only need a little skiff of snow to use them.  They have spent a lot of time flying down the hill in our back yard.

That's a little random news from our home...........what's new with all of you?

Guess What Came In The Mail

 

Mice

We live in the country, and our house is apparently not entirely mouse-proof.  Every winter with the cold weather comes the start of a battle between the mice and I.  I use traps and usually can keep them at bay with only a few fatalities.

Anyway, a couple nights ago I woke up with a bad backache during the night.  I staggered into the master bathroom and reached for the Advil bottle in my medicine cabinet.  Alas my coordination is at its worst in the  middle of the night and I felt a pill slip from my hand to the floor.  In my sleepy fog I decided to leave it there and take care of it in the morning.

Several hours later I awoke to a scuffling noise in our bathroom.  Mice!  I lay there wishing they would die of old age or some other natural cause.  Pretty soon I heard another noise.  A nasty grating chewing noise.  What on earth were they doing?  It sounded like they were eating my drywall.  (Noises in the middle of the night are SO LOUD.)

I must have drifted back to sleep, and in the morning I immediately thought about the Advil on my floor.  I searched everywhere for it and couldn't find it.  I even swept the floor, but no Advil.

Did the mice eat my Advil?

I wonder if a mouse can survive 200 milligrams of ibuprofen.

I hope not. :)

This Morning

So far I've.........

changed 2 diapers

washed a load of "wet" bedding

served breakfast

given two baths

started homeschoooling

settled two arguments 

negotiated with a toddler

kissed hubby on his way out the door

and it's not even 9:00am!

Funny

Disclaimer--this is a nitty gritty mommy post--if you have a weak stomach you might want to skip it.




One of the things that I love about homeschooling is the tolerance and patience it builds in both my life and the life of my children.

For example:

Today I was burping Sugar Pea while my 8 year old son recited subtraction facts to me.

Sugar Pea is not a silent diaper filler.

As she grunted away merrily her brother never missed a beat in his recitation.

He simply pinched his nose between his thumb and forefinger in anticipation of the smell that would soon follow.

For some reason listening to subtraction facts in a nasal tone amused me.

I didn't want to break his concentration however--so I tried to suppress my humor.

It didn't work--I started to shake with choked back laughter.

After a few seconds of this the scholar turned to me with a pained expression and said "Moooom."

:)

Taco Rice Casserole

More comfort food!

I will admit that this casserole takes a little while to put together--but it is so worth the effort!

I have one child who is not overly fond of cornbread in any shape or form, and yet likes this casserole moderately well.

First Layer:

1 pound hamburger fried

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 medium onion diced

16 ounces tomato juice

1 cup cooked rice

Fry the hamburger with the diced onion and then add the taco seasoning.  Stir in the rice and tomato juice, and spread the mixture in the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan.

Second Layer:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Stir these three together and spread over the hamburger mixture in the 13 x 9 pan.

Third Layer:

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1 Tablespoon oil

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

Mix the first four ingredients together in a bowl.  Beat the egg, oil and milk lightly in another bowl and then stir the two mixtures together.  Spoon the cornbread mixture on the top of your 13 x 9 pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.