Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Pensacola Trip

I realized I never posted about Jasmine and my trip to Pensacola. We were supposed to go to Shands to meet with her cranio facial team, and we were planning a trip to Universal with it. But then our insurance wouldn't approve the appointment. They want to know why it has to be at Shands. Well, because they've handled her case all her life so why switch now? No one here is as capable of cleft repairs as her team at Shands. 

Well, that trip was canceled, but I didn't want to let her totally down, so we decided just to go to Pensacola and hang out. And use my hotel points.

We got Jasmine's new school shoes. Can't believe we go back three weeks from today.

Chick Fil A is one of our favorites.

We went to Gulf Breeze Zoo, and I held the mini opossum.





I fed the giraffe. Jasmine wasn't feeling quite that brave.


I felt like a bird woman or something.




She didn't really want to feed the birds, but she did accept the seed stick when I handed her one with only one bird on it.


All the rooms at the hotel were 12,000 points so I got the biggest and the best. It was a two room suite. Jessica joined us for the night and slept on this couch.


This was the other room.

Jasmine and I went to Maleficent.

We spent some time hanging out at the pool the next morning.



We went to Destin Commons.




We ate at Red Brick Oven.

So that was our two days out.

Monday, July 28, 2014

What's Cooking?

These go back to before Ty became a blonde. This summer we've been working on making breakfast. I taught the kids to make an over easy egg (but they still have trouble flipping it), and Rick worked with them on making omelets.





Well, it taste good no matter what it looks like. 






















Jasmine and Kayla have asked to cook a lot this summer, but the timing doesn't always work out. But Kayla did make these pita sandwiches one day.





Cheesy Pita Pockets
1 tbs veg oil
1 large onion sliced
1-2 pkg frozen beef sandwich steaks
1 can cheddar cheese soup
8 pita pockets

Heat oil in skillet. Heat onions until tender. Drain and set aside. Break steaks into small pieces and cook until browned. Pour off fat. Add cheese and onions and heat through. Spoon into pita pockets.


And Jessica made crescent roll taco bake. You can see how excited she was to cook!




Crescent Roll Taco Bake

2 crescent roll tubes
1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce
1 or 2 diced tomatoes depending on size
1/2 small can sliced olives if desired
Sour cream optional


Lay out the two tubes of crescent pastry, thick sides in. Use some of the left over crescent rolls to make the center a bit thicker. 
Brown beef and add taco seasoning. 
Lay beef in a circle inside of the laid out crescent rolls
Add some of the cheese to the top
Pull over crescent rolls and tuck in under meat and cheese. 
Follow cook time on the pack of crescent rolls.

Add cheese, lettuce, tomato, black olives, sour cream or whatever you desire for your tacos, in the middle. 



Kayla also made easy enchiladas.




Enchiladas
1 lb boneless chicken breasts cubed
10 ¾ oz can cream of chicken soup
1 c thick and chunky salsa
8 flour tortillas (6")
10 ¾ oz can condensed cheddar cheese soup

Cook chicken in skillet until browned. Add chicken soup (no water added) and 1/2c salsa. Heat through. Spoon about 1/3c chicken mixture down one side of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam-side down in 2 qt microwave-safe baking dish. Mix cheese soup (no water added) and remaining salsa. Pour over tortillas. Microwave on high 5 minutes or until hot. Serves 4.




Jasmine made crispy cheddar chicken.




Crispy Cheddar Chicken

2 lbs chicken tenders or 4 large chicken breasts 
2 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper 
1/2 cup whole milk 
3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
 
Sauce:
1 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup
2 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoon butter

Crush crackers. If using chicken breasts and not tenders, cut each chicken breast into 3 large pieces. Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate bowls. Toss the salt and pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk and then the cheese. Press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers. Then press the cheesy coated chicken into the cracker crumbs. 

Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and place the chicken in the pan. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy. 

In a medium sized saucepan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until hot. Serve over the chicken. 

Jessica made chicken Caesar wraps. There was no real recipe. Just get Tyson or another brand precooked chicken strips and heat them up.

Put on a soft flour tortilla and add lettuce, cheese and Caesar dressing. You could add other vegetables too.

At Jasmine's request, Jessica make homemade strawberry shakes again.

Strawberry Shake

½ lb strawberries sliced

2 Tbs sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 pint vanilla ice cream

½ c milk

1 Tbs strawberry syrup

Combine sliced strawberries, sugar and 

vanilla in bowl. Let set for 20 minutes. 

Pour all ingredients into blender and blend.

I don't have pictures of the other times Jasmine helped cook (or can't locate them at least), so this is it for now.