Saturday, February 28, 2009

Sausage - Pepperoni Pizza Lunch Muffins


Ingredients:

1 lb. bulk sweet Italian Sausage

20-30 pre-sliced pieces of pepperoni (I used Hormel)

14 ounces tomato sauce

2 teaspoons ketchup

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 cans refrigerated biscuits (the original recipe I had mentioned the small 10 count can, not the Grands


Preheat oven to 350. Cook sausage over medium heat. In the mean time, cut the pepperoni into tiny pieces. A few minutes before the sausage is done, put the pepperoni in. Once the sausage is nice in browned drain excess grease and stir in sauce, ketchup and garlic. Set aside.

Press a biscuit into each muffin tin hole (making sure they are well greased first) and top each with a tablespoon or so of the sausage mixture. Top each with the cheese. Bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes of until golden brown.


Tips/Variations: If you have pepperoni lovers like I do, you can also top each with a whole pepperoni slice before or after adding the cheese. Sprinkle with some parmesan cheese. Use a cookie scoop to make filling the muffin cups easier.


Everyone here loves them including my husband who grabbed a few cold on his way out the door for breakfast.





Movie Gift Basket - Kid Party Ideas







Okay, so this is not my idea for throwing a kid's party but it an idea for a unique, personalized, fairly inexpensive gift!

It is stuffed with a movie, little pink throw blanket and pillow, 2 packages of Jiffy Pop (the fun kind), box of animal crackers, box of Teddy Grahams) and two movie theatre style boxes of candy.

All I did was put on the bowl "Movie Night at _______'s House), drew pretzels, M&M's, popcorn and a little fun decorations, sealed it, stuffed it, shrunk wrapped it and ta-da!!!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Today's Thought

Don't get me wrong if I have some place to go I can be a real hot mama. As the old saying goes, I can clean up well. But I have to say, on an every day basis fashion to me is a clean jogging suit from Walmart and one from Target, is haute couture!!!!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Bust The Crust - Boogie Wipes Review


I have to admit the first time that I saw a package of Boogie Wipes in the store I laughed and then thought to myself I am good with a baby wipe and a washcloth and then cold season hit. Being on my 5th package with number 6 already waiting in the closet, they have quickly become one of my new favorite baby/kid products. Being a mom of a baby unfortunate to be born with bad sinuses and a perpetual runny nose and a mother to a preschooler with sensory issues who hates to have his face washed, I soon realized these are a necessity in every diaper bag. They really do work better than a washcloth or a regular wet wipe and they smell great!!!!

The packaging states that Boogie Wipes are gentle saline wipes for little noses. Use for quick, effective clean up and relief of stuck on boogies caused by the common cold and allergies. Unique formula to dissolve mucous, moisturizes with vitamin E, chamomile and aloe, alcohol free, hypoallergenic and gentle enough for all ages.

I am very excited - I am in contact with the maker's of Boogie Wipes and they agreed to support my blog by providing one of my reader's a free sample of their product. So come back soon and let your friends know that a give-away contest will be coming real soon!

Lunch Muffins-Ideas Wanted

Anyone who knows me knows that I stay up late searching online for fun and creative ideas/things to share with my children. They will also know that once I get an idea in my head I become obsessed.

It all began one evening when everyone was sleeping I started searching preschool lunches. After an hour searching americanized bento lunches (and starting to feel like a lesser parent than some of these mothers, seriously check them out) I stumbled on the blog, Sycamore Stirrings, and found what she declared "Muffin Tin Mondays". What a great concept - large variety in small quantities, filling each of the 12 muffin cups with a different item. Although I thought this was a great idea it posed a great problem for me, for one, my tins look like I may have excavated them up from a dig and two,I am not sure if I have 12 items in my pantry available at anytime for lunch. But needless to say, it got me thinking.

I already serve lunch in cafeteria style divided plates since it does help me serve 5 different items (hopefully touching on some of the food groups besides graham crackers). Wouldn't it be great to make actual lunch muffins that would fit perfectly on my plate in perfect portions!!!! and if I ever venture to the store to purchase new muffin pans I would be able to simply reheat, pop them in a hole and serve.

Now for the obsession - finding recipes. After hours of "research" and some personal thoughts I have only come up with the following:
Sausage Pepperoni Pizza Muffins
Corn Dog Muffins (the pics I found online did not look so good but I am not under the age of 4)
Mini Meatloaf
Mini Shepherd's Pie
Barbeque Beef Cups

We have tried the Sausage Pepperoni Pizza's and the kids loved them. They were perfect. Made a bunch and froze them in individual freezer bags and just popped them in the oven for 15 minutes to reheat. Economical, quick, healthyish lunch!!!!

But since my search is not going so well I am extending my plea to any bloggers that stumble upon my little part of the universe...does anyone have any recipes they would like to share or any ideas? In the mean time, I am going to start making the ones I have and share my reviews with you.

I think it could be a great way to use up leftovers, take advantage of sales and use up all those biscuit coupons.

I Spy With My Little Eye...


Here is a picture of my most recent project. My 80 square, I Spy Rag Quilt for my two little boys. We have been having so much fun this last week playing with our new blanket. There are so many ways to play with this not to mention how cuddly it is. It is also a great way to get my hyper-active one to settle down. I give myself "two-thumbs up" for this one!

I Hate Acronyms

Since I am new to the blogging world, do not text message and have a child in a special needs preschool, I have recently come across many acronyms that I have never seen before. I have to say I hate them. I hate that I have to attend CPSE (committee on preschool education) meetings to discuss my son's IEP (individual education plan), would not want to be labeled as a SAHM (stay at home mom) or a MOPS (mother of preschoolers). Has everyone become so lazy today that they can not complete a full sentence and have to abbreviate everything? Don't get me wrong, without being introduced to Roy G. Biv in grade school I would still not know the colors of the rainbow but come on!!!!

To go along with the other Mommy Acronyms, I have come up with a few of my own:
ASS (always someone's servant)
WITCH (woman is tired(of) children and husband)
MEAN (mom exhausted and nasty)
....only kidding, I wouldn't change my life for anything, but let's face it life is not always so easy.

I have recently found two more that I like, I will keep them with Mr. Biv:
NASCAR (numerous assholes simultaneously circling rednecks)
or
NASCAR (non-athletic sport centered around rednecks)

"TTFN"

Monday, February 23, 2009

When Should You Realize That You May Need A Mommy Makeover?

My husband and I were having a couple of friends over that we haven't seen in some time. When it was time to get ready I took a shower,threw on a new jogging suit and some mascara, as I came down the stairs my three year old said "Wow!!! Mommy, you look so fancy!!!!!" Jesus, I need to wear make-up more often.