What's For Dinner? {Crock Pot Potato Soup}

Are you looking for an easy, yummy potato soup recipe???  This one is awesome!  I made it for a Sunday lunch, and it turned out fabulous!  The best part?  It is made in the crock pot!  Try it out, I promise you will love it!

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds russet potatoes, washed but NOT peeled. Diced into 1/2 inch(ish) cubes
• 1 medium/large yellow onion, diced
• 10 cloves of garlic, minced
• 64 ounces (8 cups) chicken stock or broth
• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
• optional garnishes: crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, green onions

Directions:

1. Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning, and chicken stock to slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
3. Add the softened cream cheese and puree soup with an immersion blender until the cheese is incorporated and about half the soup is blended. (Alternately you could remove half the soup and the cream cheese to an upright blender, then re-incorporate).
4. Stir well, top with your choice of garnishes & enjoy!

This recipe came from http://mamalovesfood.com/.  Feel free to check out some of her other recipes!

Happy Eating!

What to do this week????

Here is a list of child friendly activities going on in the Cookeville area this week!

Monday January 30, 2012:  Wiggle Time / Jumpville open from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
                                                 Messy Monday - Cookeville Children's Museum 10:00 a.m.
Tuesday January 31, 2012:  Story Time - Putnam County Library (Cookeville Branch)  10:00 a.m.

Wednesday February 1, 2012:  Story Time - Putnam County Library (Cookeville Branch)  10:00 a.m.
                                             Picnic and Play - First United Methodist Church - 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Thursday February 2, 2012:  Wiggle Time / Jumpville open from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
                                          Story Time - Putnam County Library (Cookeville Branch)  10:00 a.m.

Friday February 3, 2012:  Wiggle Time / Jumpville open from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

We are working on compiling a more complete list of activities.  If anyone knows something else going on, please e-mail us at cookevillemops@yahoo.com and we will add it to the list!

Getting Crafty {Valentine Crayons}

Here is a fun and easy craft you can do with your little ones for Valentine's Day.  These also make great "treats" to add to homemade Valentine's for you child's friends.  Just about any age can help with this craft.  Younger ones can break the crayons into small pieces and older ones can help peel the paper or whatever level you think is appropriate.

This is a very simple craft.  Basically all you do is bake broken crayon pieces in a silicone mold at 230 degrees for 15 minutes.  Then you let them cool, pop them out of the mold, and presto!  You have fun crayons for your kids.  In theory, you would use broken crayons from around your house, but if you plan to give these as Valentine's, you may need to buy a box of cheap crayons to make sure you have enough.

The silicne mold came from Walmart and was $3.50.

This part is fun for your little one!  Let them break the crayons after you peel the paper off!

Ready to bake!

The finished product!  The back side looks bumpy, but you can attach them to card stock so the back part will not be seen.

12 Indoor Activities For Kids

The following article came from imom.  To read more articles like this and other great encouraging things, head over to imom.com!

1. Puppet Show - We're doing it old school style here. Go through the sock drawer and remove any matchless white socks. Have your kids create faces on the socks using markers, glue, scraps of fabric, pipe cleaners, and any other craft materials you have lying around. Push the couch off the wall, and voilà! You have the perfect stage for a puppet show. For the storyline, have your kids put on their puppet personas and act out a favorite memory or an embarrassing moment. It's certain to garner some laughs again, especially if their siblings are involved.
2. How Cold Is It?- This is a fun way for your kids to envision life in other places.  First, ask them to think of the coldest place in the world.  Then, go to weather.com and type in their answers, one by one in the search bar to find out the current temperature.  See who can come up with the coldest location.  Then, warm things up by having them think of the hottest place in the world.
3. Get Dressed Fast!-This is a fun game you can play relay style with teams, or you can play it with just one child.  The goal is to put on an assortment of items as quickly as you can.  So, for one child, set the items in front of them… gloves, a hat, a belt, you get the idea.  Then, say, go!  See how long it takes them to get dressed.  Let them try it again to better their time.  For teams, have each player put on the clothes, take off the clothes and pass them to the next team member.  The first team to finish, wins!
4. Fort Film Fest - Build a fort surrounding your family's TV using tablecloths, blankets or your camping tent. Make sure all of the blinds are closed and the lights are off. Find two or three movies that are sequential like Toy Story and Toy Story 2. Spread out blankets and sleeping bags for a comfy pallet, pop loads of popcorn and enjoy a dark, quiet house in the middle of the day!
5. Roller Derby - This was my absolute favorite rainy day activity growing up. Remove anything from the kitchen that's not nailed to the floor. Let the kids don their rollerblades or skates and explore the kitchen on wheels. Don't worry! your kitchen does not have to be big for them to think this is the best idea you've ever had!
6. Tie-Dye party - You'll need a couple of boxes of different colored Dye kits (try RIT), some kitchen gloves, and some old white t-shirts. Follow the directions for making the dye. Meanwhile, have the kids grab some old white t-shirts (tip: it's ok if the tee has a graphic on it, as long as the base of the shirt is white) and bind them in different spots with rubber bands. Have them dip sections of the t-shirts into the dye. Ring them out, wash them (make sure you don't have anything else in your washer), unbind them and hang them out to dry.
7. Talent Show - Make it quirky, like having your children balance spoons on their noses, or make it real, like showing off what they've learned at piano lessons. For the full effect, create a stage by pulling their box spring out from under their mattress.
8. Wii™ Tournament - Pick your family's favorite Wii™ game. Bowl, box, swing, or rock your way through the rainy day until the last man is standing. Bragging rights is the only prize they'll want.
9. Try not to laugh - Create a circle by having each family member lay their head on another member's belly, and so on until everyone is lying on someone else's belly. One at a time let out a "Ha" --from the depths of your belly. Go around the circle once saying "Ha." The second go-around let out two "Ha's," the third round let out three. You're out if your one or two "ha's" turn into uncontrollable "ha's" (laughing). The last one left on the floor is the winner.
10. Scavenger Hunt - Send each child with a list of items to scavenge from around the house. They can either make a picture of the items or actually collecting them. Use riddles whenever possible, especially for the older ones. Example: It gives and takes away light. Their answer could be blinds, a light switch, or a lamp. There's no wrong answer for these riddles, as long as it keeps them guessing, and busy!
11. One word at a time - Create a story with your kids by each of you contributing just one word at a time. You'll never create the same story twice.
12. Treasure Hunt - Start saving up for a rainy day, toys that is. Scour your favorite superstore or dollar store for low (like under $3) priced items. Keep them from the clingy hands of your kiddos and stash them in a makeshift treasure box. When the rainy day arrives hide the box, create clues and maps that will take them on a fun (and hopefully long) adventure.

© 2011 iMOM. All Rights Reserved. Family First, All Pro Dad, iMOM, and Family Minute with Mark Merrill are registered trademarks.

What's For Dinner??? {Homemade Pizza}

I know there are several of you interested in living healthier lifestyles (especially after our meeting with Renee Aly).  I thought I would share my go to homemade pizza recipe.  It does take a little time for the dough to rise for the crust, but you can make them ahead and freeze them and always have pizza in the freezer!

For the Crust:

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups Organic Whole Wheat Flour

2 tsp Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Salt

1 package Active Dry Yeast

1 1/2 cups Warm Water

3 tbsp Whole Ground - Flaxseed Meal

Add warm water to medium bowl. Dissolve sugar in the water, then sprinkle the yeast over the water mixture. Let set for 10 minutes. Mixture will be frothy. Next stir in salt and oil. Stir in flour and flaxseed and mix until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Drop onto floured surface and kneed for a few minutes.

Place in oiled bowl and cover and let rise 1 hour. After 1 hour half dough and place into 2 separate bowls. Let rise another hour.

Roll out dough into desired thickness and shape. Poke holes in crust and bake 5 minutes at 400 degrees. Add toppings and bake 10-12 minutes.

For the Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 1 can Organic Tomatoe Sauce
• 1 can Tomato Paste
• 1 1/2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 1/2 tsp Garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Brown Sugar

{I did not have organic sauce or paste on hand, so I used up what I had.  I was also out of brown sugar, so I used honey, and I added some crushed red pepper for a little spice}



Add all ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth!  {easy enough!}

Here is our pizza.  Our favorite is bbq chicken.  I add a little bbq sauce on top of the pizza sauce, then cheese and chicken!

Out of the oven and ready to eat!

If you want to freeze these pizzas, bake the crust for the 5 minutes, then add the toppings, then stick it in the freezer (with no wrapping on it).  Once it is frozen, pull it out and wrap in aluminum foil and plastic wrap.  When you are ready to eat it, stick it in a 400 degree oven and cook for 18-20 minutes (or until the cheese is melted and crust is crisp)

What to do this week???

Here is a list of child friendly activities going on in the Cookeville area this week!

Monday January 23, 2012:  Wiggle Time / Jumpville open from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
                                                 Messy Monday - Cookeville Children's Museum 10:00 a.m.
Tuesday January 24, 2012:  Story Time - Putnam County Library (Cookeville Branch)  10:00 a.m.

Wednesday January 25, 2012:  Story Time - Putnam County Library (Cookeville Branch)  10:00 a.m.
                                             Picnic and Play - First United Methodist Church - 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Thursday January 26, 2012:  Wiggle Time / Jumpville open from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
                                          Story Time - Putnam County Library (Cookeville Branch)  10:00 a.m.

Friday January 27, 2012:  Wiggle Time / Jumpville open from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

We are working on compiling a more complete list of activities.  If anyone knows something else going on, please e-mail us at cookevillemops@yahoo.com and we will add it to the list!

Coke Cake {Yummy Recipe}

This is seriously the best cake you will ever make!!!!  The recipe came from http://mayflaum.com/.  You can head over there to see what other great things are on this site.  After you have browsed the site, go make this cake!  I made it this weekend, and it was gone in 2 days!!

preheat oven to 350, and grease up  a 9×13 (or so) pan.

Mix:

2cups flour
2cups sugar
1/2tsp salt
1tsp baking powder
1/2tsp cinnamon

in a saucepan over medium high heat stir this up good until it boils:

1 cup butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup coca-cola (from bottle is my preference!)
1/2 cup buttermilk

now take off heat and add that to the flour mix & whisk until combined.

Then add:
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract

when cake is nearly done make the glaze by mixing in saucepan:

1/2cup butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup coca cola

once that boils, remove and slowly stir in 4cups of confectioners’ sugar until nice and smooth.

once cake is done and out of oven (toothpick should come out clean), pour this warm glaze right over the top of the hot cake!

wait.

let it set… let it cool for a few minutes at least…

enjoy warm or cold. (next day/etc. feel free to microwave for a few seconds to warm it up… so good)