Easy Chicken and Dumplings.

What you will need:
Crock pot (mine was a 5 quart)
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts,
2 tablespoons butter,
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
1 Can buttermilk (I use the cream of soup can and it is optional, but it gives it that real dumpling taste)
1 onion diced (I use half of one) 
1 tablespoon dried parsley 
Salt and pepper to taste
Grands flaky refrigerator biscuits (I used the whole thing)






What you will do:

Put the chicken, butter, cream of chicken, chicken broth, butter milk, parsley and onions in the crock pot and cook on high for four to six hours. 

When the chicken starts to get tender brake it up with a fork.

Take biscuits and chop in up into 4-6 pieces per biscuit. Or grab them and tear them like I did.  And add them to chicken mixture.

Let cook for another hour.

Serve and enjoy!

Angel Food UPdate!

It's been 5 months since I decided to start buying Angel Food Ministries groceries for my family.

5 months of not worrying whether we were going to run out of food a week before the next paycheck and 5 months of not worrying if I could afford to eat or pay the gas for my car.

Simply said, I freakin LOVE AFM. I plan to volunteer on Saturdays when they are distributing as well. What led me to all of this? The threat of a government shut down where Military might night be paid. Someone mentioned on a site the name Angel Food Ministries. And I looked into it. $35.00 for the Bountiful Blessings box. Which is enough to help feed a family of 4 for a week or 2 people for a month. Or longer depending on how you use it.

I can't stress this enough that ANYONE can use Angel Food Ministries.

You can show up in a beat up old Gremlin (anyone member those?) or a new BMW they don't care.You can pay online or through calling them, or show up at your host site.  Anyone using the SNAPS program can use them as well. You don't have to be of the same religion you could be purple and these people would not judge you. They want to help and Buying helps them help others. You can select to Sponsor a child through the no child goes without program or sponsor a Soldiers family.

A couple of months ago. We had a cable bill mix up. We were over charged $460.00 to our account. (there went my grocery money.) But thanks to angel food and stocking up on them when I could afford it my family made it 3 1/2 weeks till next pay check without even touching all of the food I stashed. So far I've managed to save $500 a month lowering my grocery bill to $250.00 a month.

Here's a few pictures of this months haul that we picked up today.

I had 9 boxes in total today. To re stock. I had as follows.

1. B-3 The Bountiful Blessings Box
2. B-4 The Golden Cuisine (for hubby's lunch everyday)
3. B-6 Just for Me (kids after school box)
4. B-7 No Child Goes Without Box
5. B-9 Shelf Stable Pantry Box
6. 2 special boxes (they change month to month)
7. S-3 Special # 3 Premium Fresh Fruit and Veggie Box.

I do not do this every time! Usually just the BB Box and Just for me boxes.

Here's some pork chops that came in the August order a long with chicken below it. it all come individually sealed.

The No child goes without box.

Fruit and Veggies box.

All leads too a FULL FREEZER. If you have anything in your freezer before angel food clear it out. Because most of the stuff comes frozen.

To Order angel food please visit the following.

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/
Or visit them at facebook by search Angel Food Ministries.

To order online go to this months menu. Select the meals you would like, select a host site, order and pick up at the date posted. For the first month affording WAS hard I'm not going to lie because you can't pick your food up till the end of the month. But AFTER the first month your set. If you have any questions or concerns you can contact me here by leaving me a message or my facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/goddessxxsweet

Plates on the Wall?

There's an old (she's not old! Just in the term I known her awhile) acquaintance of mine, that I've looked up to since I met her 6 years ago. And I will be posting her links on here further down

So before I go further note that this was not my idea but I wanted to pass on the knowledge!

Ok sooo. Decorating with serving plates sounds a little weird right?

I SURE THOUGHT SO!



But the more pictures I looked at the more I fell in love. So I looked through all my plates and found a few candidates but nothing I fell in love with. So I went to Home Goods in Savannah.



And if you've ever been there you know they sale really NICE things and half the price. Even though it was a good price I visited the Clearance section. There were a lot of things I loved on that isle but a collection of plates stood out. For $2.00 a piece I got four of them. (Later on while helping me with a Garage sale hubby broke one and my Scentsy plug in. Boo to that!

So here is what I did and what you'll need to do the same.

1. Wall tacks
2. Paper clips
3. Hot glue gun and 3 sticks
4. plates!
5. And a wall you know the kids or pets aren't going to be able to get to them.

Here's the finished project.

First get your tacks, paper clips and glue gone together.  I take the paper clips and bend them a litte bit so it attaches better. Lay the plate down, place the bent paper clip on the back of the plate (If the plate is decorated make sure it's where you like it.) then add hot glue all around the clip minus the part you want to be able to hang on the wall.

It should look like this.

(note the tag I told ya clearance rocks!)

Next let it dry for a few minutes enough to let all the glue harden completely. Then place tack/nail on the wall where you like it. My hubby loves to use a level (Loves I'm mean he's OCD about it. But I wing it and seem to do just fine) To each his own I guess. Then make sure the glue is dry and add plate like this..

Duh!!! Right? It's easy peasy and it WORKS! I have to use tacks because I live in military housing. Big holes = big money. In the end you'll have this!!!

Odd angle but that's the best I could get with my camera. That desk is an Upcycle Project that is a work in progress. But you get the idea.

Anyways I hope you enjoyed this post and please tell me what you think.

Both the table, the ribbon and the lamp are a work in progress so stay tuned!

This is that friend I was telling you about!

Please visit Beths blog at http://www.freestylinbeth.com/

Garage Sales, Facebook sales sites , Craigslist and more!

I hear that rap song playing in my head when ever I think about them.
                                                                       "How low can you go, how low can you go"

The truth is it goes with that quote "everyone wants something for nothing." Or you can think of it from the sellers point of view where they paid a lot for it so they are going to post a high price for it.

I have a few tricks to deal with both as a buyer and a seller...

I'll deal with SELLING frist.

Conditions.

• Excellent - Outstanding quality practically NEW condition.
• Fair - neither excellent nor poor; moderately or tolerably good. Might have a few scratches or a peice missing.
• Poor - deficient or lacking in something specified. Most  people will not give poor quality a second glance.

Furniture:
Is it damanged?
Is  it an older peice you don't see much anymore?
Is it something your grandma would sell you? (sorry grandma lol in truth our tastes are a lot alike)
Is it in perfect conditon and something someone will want ASAP?


* Kids are fighting I'll continue this at a later time.

Make-ahead meal plan.

Busy, busy, busy!
Everyone is busy these days between kids (Happy back to school parents!) work and Life in general making dinner every...single...night...of...the..week... Can get old QUICK! Not that thats what I'd like it to be. I <3 the 50's lol Brakfast on the table every morning get to say goodbye to the hubby as he's off to work, the kids are up and say good morning, then later in the day a full course dinner is on the table where everyone sits down to eat the meal together.
                                      Que the stopped record sound please!

Unless you were on a TV show I really don't think it was even like that then lol But I have found a way to make things a little easier.

4 HAVE To Do Things of Planning Ahead.

1. Take 15 minutes on the weekend to plan the week's meals.
2. Create two or three weekly dinner menus (or plan for the month) and then rotate so no one gets bored.
3. Organize grocery shopping so everything you need is in the house.
4. Prepare as many elements as possible in advance over the weekend. (Make rice, chop veggies, make sauces or cook and store meats, keeping in mind unless frozen even cooked meats shouldn't sit for over 3 days in the fridge)

Sunday = prep day
Make rice or boil potatoes cover and store in the fridge for Monday or Freeze (the rice)  in a freezer bag till wednesdays dinner.

Bake, fry or grill meats for thursdays dinner. add to an air tight container and put in the fridge.

Mix any glazes (gravy's sometimes will hold up till the next day as well) for monday nights dinner.

Chop up any extra onoins, garlic or any other veggies from Wenesdays dinner dish store in zip lock bags and put in the produce drawer in the fridge.

Prepare hamburger patties, chicken breats or pork chops for fridays meal and place in the freezer in an air tight container.  Make a note to remove it to the fridge to defrost on thursday.

Rayna's Baked Potato SOOOUUUPPPP

Rayna's baked potato soup.

You will need...

• 1 can chicken broth or stock (I make my own but this is easier)
• 3 cans condensed milk
• 4 pieces of chopped bacon
• 1 cup water
• 1cup flour
• 1 tsp salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder
• 4 large baking potatoes
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese.
• 1/4 stick butter

In a stock pot add the chicken stock and the condensed milk, butter flour and spices.(stir well) Put stove on medium heat.
 (I put the potatoes in the microwave in a plastic bag after rinsing them and poking holes all over them with a fork.)
Chop potatoes once cooled and add to the soup.
In a separate sauce pan I add the chopped bacon and cook until done then add both bacon (and drippings) to the soup. Cook on low for about an hour.

Extras!
After everything is done I add more cheese to the top, sour cream and chopped green onions.
Cook times may very in all cases.
Spices are according to tastes add or subtract as much as you'd like.
This meal is completely unhealthy but oh so good if you've been sick or just had your wisdom teeth out :)

Boot Camp Birthday party idea.

Idea:
 Army Boot Camp.
 INVITATIONS:
 Army green cardstock purchased from Staples (cheapest) The front of the card needs an official U.S. Army seal sticker purchased at our local surplus store.
 The inside of the card read:
Private _______, Your Boot camp orders. Elrick's 3rd Birthday Prty.
Mission Location:  (Last name) Military Base.
Date of Mission: July 17th. Time: 1400hrs-1600hrs (2-4 civilian time).
Classified RSVP #________
Private, report for Basic training in camo fatigues. Rations will be served.

ACTIVITIES:
A registration table set up in our entry way with dog tags with the kids name on them. Canteens and army helmets. In the background on the wall have an Army poster with the soldiers creed in it. They
have to recite the creed. If they chose to, they get thier face painted with camo paint. In the back yard have a camo fort made of camo hunting netting on the hill and on the lower grass area. Have about
400 grenade water balloons for a war. (the adults participate in this event as well). 8~12 inch poles with camo twine zig`zagged for the kids to crawl under, a 12 foot balance beam for them to cross and a
kiddie pool they have to rope swing over. A tug of war game. At the end have a ceremony and hand out Rank Promotion Certificates in front of the parents. Purchase blank award certs fron Staples with
some gold stickers seals for envelopes.
Certs say

:THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CERTIFICATE OF PROMOTION. THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE GENERAL OF THE BRUHN MILITARY BASE HAS BY
CONGRESSIONAL ORDER ON THIS DAY, APPOINTED THE FOLLOWING COMMISSIONED ARMY OFFICER TO THE PERMANENT RANK OF, SERGEANT 1ST CLASS SERGEANT 1ST CLASS: 
________GIVEN UNDER MY HAND ON THIS 17TH DAY OF JULY 2011 General, ______
RATIONS:
Burgers and hot dogs, chips and soda.

FAVORS:
Goodie bags go to local Army recruiting center. get if possible FREE OFFICIAL ARMY items. Plastic Army bags with handles, Army stickers, Army water bottles, Army posters, Army shirts, Army Pens,
Army pencils, Army notepads, really cool Army book covers made of material. PlUS candy, paratroopers, and Army guys.

Cake:
Army Truck hauling CAKE!

Happy Birthday Chant:
Army cadience??
IN CADIENCE!
 (chant) I don't know if youv'e been told,(repeat)Elrick ___ is 3 years old.(repeat) Were all here to celebrate,(repeat) Elrick ___ is really great.(repeat) Before we go we want to say (repeat)... Happy
(repeat) Birthday (repeat)  happy birthday TO YOU!


Please tell me what you think! lol it's for 3yrs and up!