Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Another hit in the Warren house! The kids may have spoiled their dinner on some Sams Club Pizza since we had to make a store run right at dinner time...Jasper and I LOVED it though....

Siper, super easy recipe and fe ingredients. I tweaked this recipe as the one I found had no meat and called for corn tortillas, so keep in mind, do what works for you and your family!

• 9 6-inch corn tortillas (again I used 6 small flour tortillas )
• 15 oz. canned enchilada sauce
• 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese
• however much cooked shreaded chicken breasts or rotissere chicken you perfer.

1. Place an oven rack about 5 inches from broiler, and preheat broiler to high. Toast tortillas under broiler, turning once, until lightly spotted, 2 to 3 minutes total. Reserve 2 TBSP. enchilada suace.

2.Combine beans and remaining sauce in a bowl.

3.Mist slow cooker insert with cooking spray. Place 2 tortillas in the bottom breaking one into pieces if necesary to cover bottom.

Spread half of the bean/meat mixture over tortillas. Sprinkle with 1 cup of corn and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat with 2 more tortillas, remaining bean mixture, remaining corn, and 1 cup of cheese. Top with 2 reamining tortillas, reserved sauce and remaining 1 cup cheese. 

4.)Cover and cook on low until cheese has melted and is beginning to crisp on edges, 2 to 3 hours. (I actually let ours cook for 4 hours and it was perfection!! 

Hand stuffed Chicken and Cheese Ravioli and Marinara...

Last night's dinner was AMAZING! My husband actually said it was one of his favorites ever...YAY! That's a success with how picky he is! Here is how I made my ravioli and marinara...

I used my Pampered Chef "Magic Pot" to cook a rotisserie chicken in the microwave.  However, just cook the chicken however you would like. I seasoned mine with salt, pepper, a touch of basil and a dash of oregano.

Shred the chicken up, add as much cheese as you like. I chose ricotta and fresh grated Parmesan, mix well.

NOW....Although I am really expanding my cooking abilities, I have NOT made ravioli dough from scratch. One of my sweet friends gave me the idea to use Won Ton wraps!

Fill the Won Ton Wraps with the mixture, coat the edges with a dab of water and then place a second wrapper on top and seal the edges. You can keep them as large squares, or cut them down. I kept some large for Jasper and I cut the others into smaller circles!

NOW....The Marinara Recipe

• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes (I used ones with basil, oregano and garlic mixed in)
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 3 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 6 TBSP olive oil(don't think you are Rachel Ray and not measure or you could use too much..lesson learned):)
• 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 1/2 cup white wine (I used cooking wine so I wouldn't be tempted to drink it instead of cook with it)bahahahaha. Totally kidding, but I really did use cooking wine! Any dry white will work though.

1. In a food processor blend tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt and pepper until smooth.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat saute the onion in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the blended sauce and white wine.
3. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and it's that simple!

While your sauce simmers for 30 minutes, Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place ravioli's on a lightly greased cookie sheet, brush with egg-whites and bake for 8-12 minutes!

This yumminess is what you will create!! I also made my first bread from SCRATCH and it is
A-MAZ-ING!

YUM-YUM and YUM!! This recipe is a must try! Seriously, so yummy and worth all of the work! I love nothing more than cooking for my family and knowing that the food they are eating was made with love!:))

One Year ago today...

One year ago today, I became a Licensed Child Care Provider!! Today is my anniversary!! It seems like no big deal, but it is to me! In one year, I have grown, I have learned, I have taught, I have loved, I have discovered how much you can love these children and that it can hurt when the time comes for them to go, I have learned to bend, to be understanding, and to function while very very exhausted sometimes! I am very excited that I survived the first year, and I am so excited that the time has now come for me to expand my daycare! When I say MY, I keep in mind that when I started this, it was always my goal and my dream for the children to see "Miss Lindsay" each day, so although I can't wait to have an assistant to help as my daycare grows larger, I am even more excited to stay at the center of it and further improve, grow and learn right along with these sweet children!! So, HAPPY ONE YEAR TO ME!! I can't wait for many more years and memories just like these below!! We have made so many memories and had the time of our lives so far...

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish....

Here is another craft that I call an "easy enough for a one year old Craft":) We have done this with a sun, an Easter egg and a few other concepts. It makes quite the mosaic!
Yesterday we read the famous One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish By Dr. Seuss so I wanted a quick and easy craft since most of my kids were 2 and under yesterday.

Here is what you need...(Sorry for the crummy pictures, I am still learning my new camera)

Simple right?

• Wax Paper
• glue of pretty much any kind (my kids LOVE the magic finger glue-you can find it at Lakeshore Learning or Discount School Supplies)
• Safety scissors (if you are working with a lot of under 3's like me I suggest pre-cutting)
• Lots of torn or cut tissue-the kids love to tear the tissue up!
• any kind of fish stencil you prefer.
• string/tarn to hang it by!

1. Cut out two pieces of wax paper into the shape you are wanting. In this case a fish.
2. Spread glue on one of the pieces.
3. Apply the torn up tissue.
4. pour some glue over the tissue and place the second fish cutout on top.
5. Allow to dry and then poke a small hole through it and thread the string through.
6. Hang it up on display and watch how proud your kids are of their very simple, colorful, fishy!

Oh how I love all of the little artists I have around here! Really, these kids are amazing and going to do BIG things someday! I should frame these, they will be worth millions someday!!;))

Perspective...

Earlier as I uploaded pictures, I uploaded a few recent pictures of my child care room....(I will be expanding to large care in September and needed recent pictures for advertising purposes) It really made me think. I may not get up each day and leave my house for work, I may not have a job where I am shown very much respect or appreciation all of the time, people may look at me as a "babysitter" and I may be down right exhausted and over worked and under paid some days!;)....BUT as I looked at these pictures, I look at them with PRIDE!!

I spend my mornings, afternoons and even evenings in this small room that has such a BIG impact on so many little lives. I can't really call it a job, it's more like a calling...Some days are hard, but this is my world, my life, my joy and my heart! For every child that walks through my door, leaves knowing that someone cared enough to teach them, to help them, to nurture them, and to love them! This room was built by my father and Jasper's own hands and holds so much meaning to me. It truly represents me building my business "from the ground up". Some may look at a daycare and think, "that is not a REAL business" Let me tell you, you could not be more wrong! It's a job, it's a commitment, it's a life style and it is work! Really though, can I call it "work"? I play all day!;)

So many memories, art, crafts, pictures, friends and life has been made in this room! From songs, to dance, to puppet shows, dress-up, movie days and more...This room is so much more than a room...It's where my children learn and play and grow, it's where they will look back and remember how much mommy loved them and the children that came through those doors!

OH....and of course there is their outside play area....Where we spend the other half of our day!;)

I found a few quotes in a new book of mine that I loved...

Feeling of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible- the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family.
Virginia Sati

If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.
Rachel Carson

Those quotes pretty much sum it up...I have lots of little people counting on me, I don't want to let them down!:)

Love these sweet little faces smiling back at me!

Sorry for a what most of you will find to be a boring blog post, but, this is my world as boring as it may seem!;)

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients...

I know...It doesn't look too impressive, but let me tell you, this pile of ingredients turned into one yummy dinner!!

• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. molasses
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. Tabasco
• 1/2 tsp. salt (I like to use coarse kosher salt)
• whole wheat hamburger buns

1. Scatter onions on bottom of slow cooker. Arrange chicken on top of onions.
2. In a bowl, combine ketchup, vinegar, mustard, molasses, onion powder, cumin, garlic powder, Tabasco and salt. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low until chicken is fork-tender and sauce has thickened, about 5 hours.
3. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred meat. Stir back in to sauce.(I shred mine with my Pampered Chef choppers as it is still cooking instead of removing it.)
4. Serve hot on whole wheat bun! (We add cheddar or pepper-jack cheese...YUM!)

The best part is it is much healthier than you would think...232 calories per serving!

Paired it with sweet potato wedges and grilled, seasoned corn on the cob!!

OH YEAH.....Another step- Do not tell your husband it has mustard if he is anything like my husband. Jasper hates mustard so bad that he literally will not eat a sandwich if they accidently get any mustard on it. SO, although he said he loved it, he also swears he could taste the mustard, of course I think he's crazy!;))

Meal Plan Monday

I have had a lot of requests sent to me about posting more meal ideas and recipes, so here you go! Although I like to make our menu once a month, I am going to post a weekly menu and try to post a few of the recipes each week! If something jumps out at you, and you want the recipe, just let me know and I will do a special recipe post! My family (all but me) is a plain Jane eating family...I have vowed to say tough luck and spice up our menu a little, so here goes nothing! My family may starve but I love cooking and I am ready for new meals!!


                                            MEAL PLAN MONDAY

                                                                                     MONDAY
                  Pulled Chicken sandwiches, sweet potato wedges, fresh seasoned corn on the cob

                                                                                     TUESDAY
                 Hand stuffed chicken and ricotta raviolis, fresh baked sourdough bread, spinach salad

                                                                                  WEDNESDAY
                                      Slow cooker Enchilada Casserole, Spanish rice, beans

                                                                                  THURSDAY
                                 Tarragon Mustard Chicken, Brown Rice, Marinated asparagus

                                                                                     FRIDAY
    Tri-Tip marinaded in my secret marinade all day!;) Loaded baked potato, Grilled corn on the cob. (We  LOVE corn on the cob around here!)

                                                                                  SATURDAY
                                  Chicken and fresh vegetable stir fry served over white rice

                                                                                    SUNDAY
Honey Chipotle Salmon (Ashamed to admit this is an AMAZING salmon found in the freezer section of  Sams Club, not fresh but it's our FAV!!) Rice pilaf, Caesar salad.

There you have it, my first Meal Plan Monday with many more to come! I hope everyone is having a great Monday! What is everyone else cooking for dinner tonight?

Sweet little man is FIVE months old!

I do not know who this big guy is and where my tiny little baby went.....

Seriously.....Just yesterday I left the hospital with you in tow, and here you are a smiley, teething, talkative, rolling, scooting little guy! Please slow down sweet boy, my heart may break if you don't!

At FIVE months you...

-ARE A BIG BOY! 16+ pounds! You are 90% on height and weight!

-You love your mommy and daddy...come to think of it, you love EVERYONE! You get so happy when your sisters or Hannah hold you, and you love the daycare children! Each morning, they run up to you and say hi and you grin form ear to ear!

-You already have a love for books like your sisters and want to be included in every story time!

-You roll around like a crazy kid and wake up several times a night because you roll on to your tummy and get mad about it. (luckily you have the best daddy and I have the best husband, that gets up with you at night...I NEED my sleep;))

-You scoot across the floor and get up on your knees already.

-You LOVE to talk and often wake up other children while doing so!;)

-You are a great napper for mommy!! Every day 9-11am and 1-3pm! It rocks!:)

-You tried cereal but didn't really like it, so we are waiting till mommy can start making you home made food! Carrots are first! YUM!;)

-You have the most adorable smile and seriously, you are never mad, you smile from the second you get up till the time you go to bed at night!

I still remember that day last year when the five of us piled into mommy's car and drove down to Roseville for an ultrasound that would tell us that you were a BOY...Not a girl like we figured! Each day I still look at you in shock, that I have a SON! Just a few nights ago, as daddy laid you in your crib, I snuck back in and stared at you for a good 5 minutes, just in awe at the beautiful, beautiful child God has blessed me with. You are so happy, easy going and in love with mommy as much as I am in love with you which makes me very happy! I pray everyday, that when you are grown, and get married, that although I will not be "the woman" in your life any longer, I will still be a mother that made you proud to call me mom! I love you son, and each and everyday I see your smile, I see God's grace and feel as though he thinks I am pretty darn special since He in trusted me to take care of you and your beautiful sisters, and walk you through this life!

I pray you a life of love, happiness and God's grace!

I love you so much my "BOY BEST FRIEND!"

FIVE YEARS OLD!

GEEZ.....Where did FIVE years go? I am so in a state of shock that I have a FIVE year old daughter. It seems like just yesterday, I was in the backseat of my car as daddy drove us home from the hospital, watching you sleep and hold my finger and sobbing listening to the song  "I loved her first"....
From the day you were born sweet Peyton, real life began for me. I learned what it meant to love unconditionally, to put myself last when need be, to function without sleep, to give you more when I felt like giving up and to smile and put on a brave face even when I was scared and wanted to cry. In the FIVE years of your life, daddy and I have been through so much. We have built a family 1,000,000 times better than we even imagined! Each and every day you make us so very proud to be called your mom and dad, and at each step of the way we are blown away by you! You have taught me so much more than I will ever, ever dream of teaching you. You are a true gift from God and each day that I am blessed with you in my life, is a pretty gosh darn good day! A little bit about you at FIVE years old....

-You are tall and skinny (not sure where that came from)
-You can count way past 30
-You can write many short words by sounding them out- Just yesterday you and I worked with the chalk outside and you wrote (all by yourself) mom, dad, cat, dog, ball, bat, hat and a few others.
-You are nervous about starting kindergarten, but so excited.
-You have a heart of gold and love EVERYONE! You get so sad if you meet another child and they do not want to immediately play with you. You are SO outgoing.
-You are very sad that you have not lost a tooth yet and you tell me "I am still a baby because I haven't lost a tooth like my friends":(
-You dream of the day daddy will take you to work with him. Mommy was the same way with papa Johns-I always wanted to do what he was doing!
-You LOVE God with a very fierce love- I'm talking fierce. Just today when you had told mommy a little "fib" because you were afraid to get in trouble, when I spoke to you in terms of Jesus watching and being disappointed that you would lie, you quickly apologized and said you never wanted to make Jesus sad.
-You are an AMAZING ballet dancer, and start jazz this weekend also!
-You LOVE LOVE LOVE sports...ANY SPORTS!! You clearly get it from your daddy!
-You tell me you can't wait to be a mommy someday and I just know that when you do become a mommy, you will be 10x the mommy I dream of being!

You light up our world and challenge us each day! I am so proud to say I am your mommy and I could never even put into words how very much I love you!!! You will always be..."MY BIGGEST BEST FRIEND!"

Do I have a great job or what....

Tell me you are not jealous of my job.....As tough and draining as it is sometimes, my job ROCKS! I get to look at these sweet faces each day....

Easy Peasy Texture Art!

I love coming up with daycare art that is easy enough for my under 2's to do and still manages to teach them texture, shapes and colors! This was super fun and as you can see by the pictures below, little artists can really turn it into their own!:)
-For this art, all you need is paper, whatever paint color the child prefers, and a frozen waffle. Make sure to keep it frozen until right before you use it so it doesn't get mushy or their grid will not look defined!