Update

Update in case someone actually reads this blog.

Christmas card for 2020

Until next time... JenT

Recipe Series Chicken: Southwestern Chicken Salad in Avocado Bowls

Another good summer-time lunch recipe that is best if the chicken is cooked ahead in the crock-pot.

Southwestern Chicken Salad in Avocado Bowls

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2/3 cup sour cream
3 tbsp chunky salsa
1 tbsp fresh copped cilantro
1 tsp lime juice
2 avocados

1. Mix together shredded chicken, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, and lime juice in a large bowl.

2. Cover and refrigerate chicken salad for 30 minutes for the ingredients to mingle, or  skip to the next step to serve immediately.

3. When you are ready to serve, slice the avocados in half lengthwise and remove pit.  Use each half as a serving bowl for 1 person, stuffing chicken salad into the empty pit cavity and then mounding heaping spoonfuls over top of the entire surface of the avocado half.  Serve garnished with fresh cilantro.


Until next time...

 JenT

Recipe Series Chicken: Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap

This one makes a good lunch for those warm summer days.  I suggest cooking the chicken in the crock-pot ahead of time.


Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh carrots, peeled, shredded (I would buy the ones already shredded)
1/4 cup canned crushed pineapple, in juice, drained
1 cup fresh baby spinach, chopped
3 cups cooked diced chicken
Wrap of your preference

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine mayo, vinegar, sugar, poppy seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder.  Mix well.

2. Combine broccoli, carrots, pineapple, and spinach in a large bowl.  Stir in dressing and chicken.  Mix well.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.

3.  For each wrap place 2/3 cup filling on bottom half and roll like a burrito.  Place seam side down and cut diagonally.  Serve immediately.

Suggestion: Filling may be made up to one day in advance. Assemble wraps when ready to serve.


Until next time...


JenT

Recipe Series Chicken: Crock-pot Orange Chicken

Crock-pot Orange Chicken

Ingredients:
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced about 1/2 inch thick
2 large red or green bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
8 oz orange juice concentrate
2 cups mandarin orange segments
2 green onions, chopped
hot cooked rice

Put everything except the orange segments and green onions into crock-pot.  Cook on low for about 4-6 hours.  Serve over hot rice.  Top with orange segments and green onions.

Until next time... JenT

Recipe Series Chicken: Southwest Chicken Casserole

Another recipe that starts with cooking your chicken in the crock-pot.

Cook about 3 chicken breasts, 4 if they are on the small side
You can actually cook the first four ingredients with the chicken in the crock-pot to save time later.
1 small can cream of mushroom
1 small can cream of chicken
1 can Rotel
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 bag of Doritos (nacho cheese flavor), crushed
Shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

When the chicken is done, shred it up and mix the first four ingredients in...or if you cooked them all together then just shred the chicken up.
Mix in some of the crushed Doritos (save some for top). Place mixture in a casserole dish and place in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Take out and sprinkle cheese on top, put back into oven for another 10 minutes. 


Until next time...


JenT

Recipe Series Chicken: Lemon Poppy Seed Chicken

Another good recipe for the crock-pot and also served over rice.  This is my second daughter's favorite...everyone else loves it too.

Lemon Poppy Seed Chicken

5 chicken breasts, cooked in crock-pot until tender and shreds apart easily

1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 stick butter, melted
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crumbled
Poppy seeds

Mix together in a large bowl: chicken, sour cream, lemon juice, and soup.  Put into a casserole dish and liberally sprinkle crackers and poppy seeds over top.  Drizzle with melted butter then bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Serve over rice.

Until next time...


 JenT

Recipe Series Chicken: Island Chicken

Summer is the time for Crock-pot recipes.  Here is one of our favorites.

Island Chicken

3 lbs chicken (we prefer boneless, skinless chicken breast)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 cup soy sauce (we use Bragg's Liquid Aminos for a healthier option)
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1 green pepper, sliced
1 large can pineapple chunks, drained (our kids like to drink the juice)
1 onion, sliced thinly

Basically throw it all in your crock-pot until done.  You can put it in in the morning on low and it will done by supper, or put it in in the afternoon on high for supper. 
Serve over rice.

 
Until next time...

 JenT

Recipe Series Chicken: Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

I am going to do a series of recipes that our family loves.  You are free to use these, adjust to your taste or needs, share them, ignore them...whatever.

First will be some chicken recipes and to start that off will be Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas.

I realize that the weather is warming up, so some of these will be crock-pot recipes.  Also, for those recipes where the chicken is shredded up, I cook it in the crock-pot starting in the morning to be ready for supper.  It keeps the chicken moist and tender.  I don't have the newest rage, the insta-pot, so if you have one of those, I'm sure it will work just as well if not better and faster.

Without farther ado -

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

2 cups or more cooked chicken, seasoned with taco seasoning (I usually use more)
1 lb Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded*
flour tortillas; as many as needed
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped**
1 cup sour cream

Roll chicken and most of cheese together in tortillas to fill 9x13 pan.

Sauce: cook butter, flour, broth, peppers until thick.  Add sour cream and cook until hot, but DO NOT boil.  Pour over tortillas.  Top with remainder of cheese.  Bake at 350 until cheese is melted.

* divide cheese; part for inside tortillas, part for on top
** if someone does not care for hot and spicy, these can be left out...also if someone likes it really spicy, more can be added.

Just a note: for our large family we do two pans...one with jalapenos, one without. 

Until next time...

JenT

because chickens are homeshool curriculum

My latest acquisition...French Black Copper Maran chicks.  We think at least one is a rooster.  These lay super dark chocolate colored eggs.  I can't wait!!

As for the title...well, yes, we count anything and everything for homeschool curriculum...after all there are lessons in every aspect of life.  And that is what we are doing - teaching life.

 

Until next time... JenT

well it's almost that time...

 You know that time of year that, well, the year is almost over. 

Christmas is only a week away and we celebrate and revel in the greatest holiday of the year.  Then the year winds down and suddenly it's Jan First!!  A new year!! 

I would like to consider myself a fairly optimistic person.  So I generally look ahead to the new year and all the possibilities that lie before me.  What will 2017 bring?

A lot of people like to make New Year's resolutions and then fail to fulfill the promises to themselves.  I say make goals all year long and meet them.  Make them small enough to meet and then gradually make bigger ones. 

Resolutions
Instead of saying "I'm going to lose 50 lbs this year!", say "I'm going to go to the gym this morning."  Just go there.  No exercise routine, no fancy unrealistic diet...just going to the gym.  Then once you are there, do one push-up.  That's it - just one push-up.  "What?!", you ask.  All that work going to the gym for just one push-up?  Yep.  Of course if you're already there...

Well anyway, that's my tip for the day. :)


Until next time...


JenT

when it rains it pours!! blessings that is

It pays to exercise!!  No kidding...Saturday on my way into the gym I found a quarter and a penny on the ground. lol

I went over to the library after my workout and they were cleaning out their lost and found...I walked out with a ladies wallet and a zipper pouch of school supplies.

I dropped my hubby off at work and went to Kroger to pick up a few things.  I don't like to shop on an empty stomach and I had not eaten breakfast so I stopped by Taco Bell to buy something.  I had such a loooooonnnngg wait for ONE item that they GAVE me a drink and two of those cinnabon cheesecake balls (wow - worth the wait!).

When I got home I discovered that our neighbors had give us a bouncy toy for the baby.  Since I already had a girl one and this one was neutral I passed that blessing on to a friend who has a boy.

I wasn't home very long and another friend stopped by with a gallon of homemade root beer.  He was making sure of his recipe because his mom had asked him to make if for their church festival on Sunday and that was left over.  The kids loved it.  I'm not a root beer fan, but they all love it so that was nice.

Yesterday on the way home from church I stopped by yet another friend's house and she gave us lots of bread...nice expensive healthy bread.  Someone gave them about 20 trays - like the ones you see the bread trucks stacking bread on - full of bread.

So I guess you could say I had a pretty good weekend. :)


Until next time...

JenT

Boss Hogg's BBQ Shack Pigeon Forge, TN

Woooo-eeee!!  Can you hear it now?  That sound of great satisfaction and excitement?  Yeah, well, if you go Boss Hogg's BBQ Shack in Pigeon Forge, TN,  you'll be squealing like that too.

They claim to be the best BBQ place in town and I have to say - I agree with them! 

They make their very own unique BBQ sauce that really puts that finishing touch on some excellently cooked meat.  (They also have it available for sale in bottles).

They offer chicken, brisket, and, of course, pork - that is grilled to perfection.  The meat is moist and not dried out like you get in some places.  (Yes, that is half of a chicken in that picture above - breast, wing, thigh, leg).

 (The brisket is what I had...soooooo good!)

The sides measure up to the rest of the meal, too.  Baked beans and loaded potato salad were our choices and, oh-my-goodness!! - they have the best baked beans ever!!!  There is a touch of something in them that just sets them apart from every other baked bean out there!  I'm telling you, I would go order just baked beans if I couldn't have anything else. 

I also really like the decor.  The tables and chairs are very sturdy and rustic; I love that style!!  It's not very roomy on the inside, but there are tables available on the deck outside and the weather is perfect for picnic style eating.

So next time you are in Pigeon Forge, or if you already live here, go check out Boss Hogg's.  It's located on Wear's Valley Rd (stoplight 3), about 2 miles down on the right.  (This is facing towards the parkway so it looks like it's on the left).

That's some good eatin' folks!  ;)


Until next time...


JenT

giveaway input

 If I can get enough traffic on this blog, I can host some giveaways.

I love giveaways!  I love to win and I love to give stuff away!

Now for your input - what kind of stuff do you like to win?

Until next time...

 JenT

Chicken Run

I've actually never seen the movie Chicken Run, but I thought it was a catchy title.

We have chickens.  A lot more than what I have here, but they were scattered hither and yon, and I didn't feel like chasing them down just for a mug shot.  We also have ducks.

These are the latest acquisitions.  We have had them for about an hour or two.  We bought them from a local place that sells a large variety of birds.  We bought eight chickens and three guineas.  The silver/gray birds are the guineas.

We had a small flock born about a month ago to one of our other chickens but through one mishap or another managed to lose them all.  *insert sad face*  This little bantam hen hatched two little chicks and this one survived.  Hopefully, it will continue to thrive. 

We have also just started getting eggs from our layers.  We have a few Golden Laced Wyandottes, several Americanas/Araucanas, and a couple of Rhode Island Reds.  Today we bought three white Rocks, one Rhode Island Red, a Barred Rock, a Black Rock, and two Silver Laced Wyandottes.  Hopefully they will produce well also.

And then of course the chicken helpers. :)


Until next time...

JenT

McKenzie Music

Ok, time to brag. :)

Our oldest has just recorded her first CD.

(At the recording studio with her younger sister)

You can order them on her website here.

At the bottom of her website is a link to her Facebook page also.  You can follow her there to keep up with the latest happenings.

 For a few years she has attended a local flute circle and entered the talent show at the local fairs.  In fact, she will be playing tonight.  She has also played at the local Native American Festivals and will be joining the Fall Festival in a small town nearby this year.

She has other pursuits, but that is all for now. :)

Until next time...

JenT

learning geography

Over the years my homeschooling method has went through a few changes.  I started with workbooks, stopped using certain ones, added textbooks, stopped using workbooks completely, went to unit studies, and that's about where we are.

My method leans more toward an unschooling atmosphere than a traditional style.  This year I decided we would learn geography as a unit study.  Since they are all at different levels in math and reading they need their own individual books for that.  But for geography we use this:

Along with this:

I really like how the geography book has different levels of activities for the kids.  I can teach them all at once, but they don't all have to do the same work.

The atlas is awesome!  It's colorful and each state has a two page layout with a map, historical figures highlighted, the state symbols, flag, coin, and a fun fact.  For example, did you know that one time a group of people decided an island was a hazard in a river in Maine and hitched a team of 200 oxen to it, to move it!!  Unsuccessfully of course.  lol   Also, over 70 million pounds of lobster are harvested each year in Maine.  Wow!!

So if you are thinking about teaching geography I highly recommend this book and atlas!  You can get the best price on Amazon, especially if you have prime (free shipping!).






Until next time...

JenT

roll call

 If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you will notice that I have not written much in the last couple of years or more.  I am going to correct that...meaning I plan to start posting more often. 

So what I would like to know is - is anyone still reading my blog?  lol

If you are would you please comment below?  Just a simple 'yes' will do.  Thanks!!

Until next time... JenT

Ben-Hur remade

 Most movies made years ago, those we consider classics (or very close to a classic), really shouldn't be remade.  I have absolutely refused to watch some of the remakes; Annie, The Sound of Music.  I really didn't want to watch Ben-Hur, but my hubby convinced me to go with him...or maybe he bribed me with a Sonic slush and .50 corn dogs.  Well, however he got me to the theater let me just say, I actually like this remake.  They did leave out a huge section, but they probably had to shorten it to accommodate movie rules or something like that.  I won't spoil it for anyone who has not seen it, but I will say it was worth the ticket price.  And I usually don't say that about just any movie.

Now of course if you have never seen the original Ben-Hur, it would behoove you to do so immediately.  You can find it on Amazon and if you follow the link below they will like me for it.  And I will like you for it. ;)
The top one is for watching directly from Amazon...the lower one is for ordering the DVD. 
So pop some popcorn, ice your favorite drink, and settle in for an epic movie!
You're welcome.





Until next time...


JenT

Without Warning by Lynette Eason

My book review of Lynette Eason's latest book, Without Warning of the Elite Guardians series.

I should know by now that I will NOT be disappointed with a book by Ms. Eason. I enjoy every book she writes! I am really looking forward to the third book in this series. I like her strong heroines and even stronger heroes. I like that these ladies are in an unusual career for women, even in this modern age. Although they are bodyguards they still maintain their feminine side. It is so refreshing to find an author who can convey that type of character. Their men are also strong masculine types without being neanderthals. :) So if you have never read a book by Lynette Eason pick up the first book in this series of Elite Guardians and get yourself hooked! I give this book a 5 star rating!!



Until next time... JenT

graduate number two

13 years ago we started down a path called "Homeschooling".  We were totally new at this.  We knew a few people that were starting at the same time, or had only been doing it for a few years.  We were completely in the dark.  Greenhorns.  Newbies.

Last year we graduated our oldest child.  She had no desire to get a college degree so we did not pursue that.  (I mentally sighed in relief - I did not want to tackle ACT scores, scholarship applications, etc.)

This year, we graduated our second child.  SHE wants to be a Radiologist.  Hmm...college forms here we come!  Thankfully, she is very motivated and initiative oriented.  She is filling out all the paperwork and I just have to provide some information sometimes.

And yes, they both graduated early.  That's one of the benefits of homeschooling.  They work at their own pace and that usually means faster than public school students.  Child number one graduated at 17, child number two graduated at 16. 

And I still have 11 more to go!!

Until next time...

JenT