15 Minute Herbed Chicken

This one is WAY easy to make, and I usually have all the ingredients on hand, and my kids love it!

15 Minute Herbed Chicken

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. milk
Herbs to taste (I use Parsley, oregano, salt and pepper)

In skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and cook for 8 minutes or until browned. Set chicken aside. Pour off fat. Add soup, milk and herbs and heat to a boil. Return chicken to pan and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until chicken is done.

Blonde Brownies

Blonde Brownies
2/3 C. margarine, melted
2 C. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
2 lg. eggs
1 1/2 tbsp. water
2 3/4 C. flour
2 C. chocolate chips (mix white, semi, and milk chocolate)

Mix first 7 ingredients together, then add flour. Blend together. Add chocolate chips and stir. Spread into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 340 for 22-24 minutes, until brownies begin to slightly brown on the edges.

**Variation-- omit chocolate chips and frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.

This is the Place Park

So, this was a new one for all of us. We really enjoyed it! Right across from the Hogle Zoo is This is the Place park. WOW! So much to do, so much to see.
The entrace fee was $9 for adults and $7 for kids over 4. But it was SO worth it. With your admission you get a wrist band that has 3 boxes. When you do an activity they will cross off a box, so the kids had to choose activities wisely.... Plus, I gave them each one of my boxes... so they each did 4! Some activities don't take a box, so we still had lots to do.
Besides touring the old cabins and houses, Learning about different trades like tinsmithing, leather tanning, and cabinetry, we did many things.
There were crafts in some of the cabins, one cabin we learned about the pioneer children... what their chores were, what games they played, etc.
We also rode the train around, there is a petting zoo, panning for gold, a playground, Native american village, Ice cream and snow cone shop, old fashioned candy and toy store, pony rides, and so much more. We were there till close(5 p.m.) and still didn't have time to do it all. My kids all want to go again soon. Me too!! Next time though, we will take lots of water.... it was HOT!!

Health Contest

For the month of August, I am participating in 2 "Contests". The first is a deal with my Sister in law's that we would go all month without sweets! The second is a contest with my company, It is a month long health challenge. We get points for how much water we drink(up to 12 cups a day), how much exercise we get(up to 2 hours daily), how many fruits and veggies we eat (up to 10 a day), how much sleep we get(up to 8 hours daily). We subtract 5 points for every sweet or soda. The winners in the company will get cash prizes! I got myself a prize already though, Sketchers shapeups shoes, although I can't wear them until I make it through the month!
So, because I'm not eating sweets for one contest, I'm doing pretty good on the other! I'm posting this because, I challenged my girls to do one of the contests. Emmie gave up after the first day, but Kilee and I have now made it halfway through the month! It hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. I have had a few days where I've really had to focus on not eating sweets, but for the most part I am not even tempted. Kilee chose to do the "work" contest, so she has had a few days where she has had sweets, but she made sure she exercised for an hour those days to make up some points. If she has 700 points by the end of the month, I will pay her $20.00. She is really doing well, and we talked today about how after the month is over, we both know that we can do it, and we both have decided to only eat sweets occasionally!

Yummy snack --- anytime!!

I'm making a batch of this granola tomorrow to take on vacation with us! It is good on yogurt too, but we like to eat it by itself!

Granola
5 C. Oats
1 C. craisins
1 C. raisins
1 C. shredded coconut
1 C. slivered almonds
Mix with 1 C. honey
and 1/2 C. oil

Spread thin on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250 for 20 minutes. Then at 350 for 5 minutes. Then broil for 30 seconds. Let cool.

I was reminded of this one at Girls Camp.... MMMMM!

Buttermilk Syrup (or as my kids call it, Caramel Syrup)
From My Neighbor Karen Bell

Make in a big Pot:
Melt 1 cube butter
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 C. buttermilk
dash salt
Boil for 1 minute. Watch closely or it will boil over!!Remove from heat.
Whisk in 1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. maple flavor
1 tsp. baking soda

When you add the soda, the syrup amount will triple.

Cool Down with these!

Orange Julius
6 oz. Frozen orange juice concentrate
1 C. cold milk
1 C. cold water
1/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
12 ice cubes

Blend in blender and enjoy!



Chocolate Malt Peppermint Cooler
3 C. chocolate milk
1 qt. vanilla or chocolate ice cream
1/4 C. malted milk powder
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
crushed peppermint sticks

In a blender, place chocolate milk, 1/2 of the ice cream, malted milk powder, peppermint extract, and cinnamon. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses. Top each drink with a scoop of remaining ice cream and sprinkle with crushed candy.


Ice Cream in a Bag
1/4 C. sugar
1/2 tsp.vanilla
1 C. milk
1 C. half and half
crushed ice
rock salt


Put into a 1-Qt. bag and seal. Fold a piece of tape over the seal. Place the bag in a gallon size bag. Pack 1 C. or more of crushed ice around the bag with the ingredients. Pour 1 C. rock salt evenly over the ice. Seal the bag and shake for about 10 minutes. Wipe off inner bag to be sure salt water doesn't get in the ice cream. Cut a corner off the bag and squeeze into cups.
*This is great for Family Home Evening treats. Pass the bag around during the lesson and let everyone have a turn shaking it!