Easy as 1,2,3 Casserole & Wild-Wool Giveaway!

If you grew up in my era, then you probably ate more than enough of this chicken and rice casserole!

Honestly, I think it was a staple in my home. My mom made it a lot – with either chicken or pork chops!

Thursday night I was in a rush. I had just finished work and was off to my daughter’s first basketball game of the season. I knew I had chicken breasts defrosted, but I had to think of something, and quick!

Immediately I thought, what would my mom have made, and this simple recipe came to mind.


Chicken Rice Casserole
Chicken breasts
1 cup brown rice
1 can your choice cream of … soup
1 packet Italian seasoning mix
2 cups boiling water
Salt & pepper, or your favorite seasonings

Always keep extra soup packets on hand


3 easy ingredients


Mix together with 2 cups of boiling water


Pour into a 9x13 pan, adding chicken breasts on top


Just like my mom – sprinkle paprika on top! It's just what she did! It’s ready for baking!


Instructional “love” note
Running out the door, I left my son an instructional note. I’m a working mom, so my kids are getting more efficient with following my dinner directions!

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Put in oven at 350. And my notes are always signed - Love, Mom


Take foil off; bake another 15-20 minutes


It doesn’t have to be gourmet
A meal that I enjoyed 45 years ago is a family pleaser every time! I’m not sure I’d necessarily entertain with this dish, but if I were in a pinch for time, why not? After all, entertaining is not about impressing or gourmet dishes!

Beautiful Giveaway!


Now for the BEAUTIFUL part of this post …Look what you can win!

I think about eco-friendly a fair amount. I think about if it is authentically eco-friendly, how expensive it is, how practical it is, and how good looking it is. I have found the ultimate combination of these factors in Wild-Wool products.

They are cashmere-like scarves, throws, and gloves etc. that are softer, warmer and lighter than plain wool, and are 100% natural fiber. Not only that, but they are 100% sourced and manufactured in New Zealand. (The story behind them is compelling and so, so interesting. If you check out the website, read the entire Ecological Profile.)

Abby and I were tussling over who would get to wear the denim one, when the boys and Paul pointed out that the scarves are uni-sex and would look mighty good on them as well!

And now you can see for yourself how soft and wonderful these scarves are! I’m telling you, we’re all fighting over “who’s going to wear the scarf!” They are so amazingly soft.

Here’s how to win
Leave me a comment on your easiest 1,2,3 dinner(not too much detail), and you’re qualified for the drawing to win one crimson Wild-Wool ribbed scarf, worth $48.

Winner announced
On Tuesday, January 27th, the winner will be announced. Make sure you leave a viable email, if you are not a blogger!

Just in time for Valentine's Day
This very well could be the Valentine Day’s gift you’ve been looking for! Remember it's uni-sex!

Thank you Wild-Wool
A huge thank you to Chrys, at Wild-Wool, for being a contributing advertiser on my site!

1:45 Conversation - and Chicken Kalamata!

At 1:45 on Friday, I had a date with my cell phone and Miss G ...


Last month when I had my 300-post giveaway, I offered to my readers the gift of my time, and that in “Sandy-Party-Style” I’d answer questions and help the winner plan a party, or dinner, or whatever fit her lifestyle. Or, the winner could just pick my brain and we could talk about hospitality.

My winner, Miss G (who is new married and now Mrs. R), and I had THIS conversation (chocolate, pen, paper in hand) ...


Not being a reluctant entertainer, Miss G has a lot figured out when it comes to hospitality. For her young age, I was actually impressed with her entertaining knowledge and prowess. As we started talking about our similar personalities and how it’s easy to plan, and take control and … err … sometimes become bossy, we chuckled over our similarities. We seemed to “get” each other right away. This was really cool.

We talked about …
Miss G started asking me the hard questions. We discussed the dance between husband and wife – when to invite, how often to invite, who to invite (remember she is still a newly wed!). We talked about different conversation starters around the table – what works and what doesn’t - as well as planning out the meal, and delegation. We focused more on delegation.

I once felt I had to do it all!
Miss G has the same mindset that I had over15 years ago. Back then I loved cooking the ENTIRE meal. Part of me loved doing this; I think to prove to myself that I could pull it off – from appetizers to desserts. I actually took pride in this. I think maybe I thought it was cool for my guests to feel like they were coming to the “Coughlin Restaurant” and I didn’t want them to leave disappointed.

It’s your night off, I'd say.
But Miss G brought up a good point. It’s very nice to invite a couple or two over, and to tell them they don’t have to bring anything at all. “It’s your night off from cooking!” I would say back in my early entertaining days. And I meant it. My heart and soul went in to cooking the entire meal – with joy and finesse.

My pocket book said, no!
But then I got honest with Miss G. I told her that if I still had the mindset of preparing the entire meal, we’d be entertaining a lot less! Because my pocketbook would be SCREAMING at me!

Food is so expensive these days, but I still want to feel free to invite people over for dinner! So I’ve let go of the “I have to do it all” attitude, and I delegate and ask my guests to contribute.

(Any chance you have an amaryllis in bloom right now? We are enjoying ours ... Thank you, Dee!)


Practice graciousness.
We ended our talk on Friday talking about grace. A gracious hostess is what I strive to be. I think it’s required of me and it’s something I want more of. As I continue to learn now – in my 40’s – and apply these nuggets of grace that I’ve been given, I will reach out, encourage and help others, by sharing my experiences.

Forty-five minutes later we said our good-byes. I hope I was able to offer something fresh and new for Miss G. She’s already on the road to gracious living, and I was impressed by her kind spirit – and the fact that she did not lack passion, zip or style!

Would you be interested in a 45 minute chat about hospitality? Covering any topic that you’d want to learn more about?

Look for another opportunity to win a “hospitality chat” with me in a few months.

Last week I experimented with my own chicken recipe. My family loved it, so if you are an “olive” family, I think yours will too!


Sandy’s Chicken Kalamata
Chicken breasts
Red onion or garlic (I used onion)
Olive oil
Seasoning
Your favorite cheese (I used Dubliner, from Costco, our family favorite!)
Sour Cream
Kalamata olives

Secret to tender chicken? Always tenderize


Brown breasts in olive oil and red onion (or garlic) on both sides and season!


Lay in pan, placing your favorite sliced cheese on top


Spread about 1 cup (or more) sour cream on top of cheese; chop olives


Place olives on very top, cover with foil, bake at 375 for 30 minutes


Mouth-watering goodness, served on top of brown rice!

I made this recipe up as I went along, using leftover olives from our New Years Eve dinner, but my family decided that it was a home-run Coughlin recipe!

Look what we pulled out of our closet today. They are dusty …

Kid-Pleasing Sloppy Joes (and more Swapping!)

My husband always helps with the barbequing, and sometimes he helps in the kitchen on the weekends, but he’s rarely available to help at any time during soccer season. But last night I asked him to whip up my quick and easy Sloppy Joes, and he did a fine job!

My friend Anne shared this fast, simple recipe with me awhile back, and it’s a kid-pleasing meal for sure!


Fast & Easy Sloppy Joes
Brown your beef or ground sirloin and drain off fat. Season the meat with salt and pepper. (We like to add Costco’s Steak Seasoning.)

Then add 1:1 – ketchup and barbeque sauce. (Meaning if you add 1 cup of ketchup, then you’d add 1 cup of BBQ sauce.)

That’s it! Anne's right, the flavor it delicious and you don't have to go through all the trouble of cooking onions, green peppers, and simmering all day.

Serve on yummy buns – and you’ve got a great meal!

And speaking of yummy, tasty meals, this last week I did some more SWAPPING!


I swapped a meal with my friend **Vicky. I made a “beef” potpie (one for her, and one for me to bake the next night).


And she made our family her specialty “Thai” food – which she has become widely-known for in our Rogue Valley! Were we a lucky family, or what?


I swapped my apple butter with the Lakin family (Lakin twins devouring Coughlin apple butter).


For a jar of their homemade blackberry jam (Lakin jam, no longer in existence in the Coughlin home).


And another surprise last week was a visit from my friend Vinnie, who passed through our town with her husband on their way to California.


Vinnie was one of my mom’s childhood friends. And I can see why. What a lovely person, and so fun to catch up and hear more stories about my mom in her younger days.


Vinnie’s visit, more food swapping, and our amazing fall weather last week were enough to remind me of what’s really important in life:


To be thankful for God’s blessings, which often come through food and friends!

Don't forget about the idea of swapping a meal with another family! Don't overcomplicate it - it could be as easy as cooking this Sloppy Joe meat and taking a package of fresh, healthy, whole-wheat buns! A family with kids will love you!

** Btw, my food swap with Vicky happened very quickly, as we decided late afternoon to make the swap! I love spontaneity!

(You can catch me over at Crosswalk.com and read Living Under Law or Love? here)

Green Enchiladas and a Family Hike!

These are the kids who love my green enchiladas!

This past Labor Day, our family hiked for 4 hours in the hills behind our nearby ski area. We ended right at dusk – a great way to end a three-day weekend.

Family of 5


Starting out


Mom & kids


Incredible weather


The guys


Mommy, daughter


Exuberant doggie


Air-brush in the photographer?


Two lovers


Tired Feet


Heading home

Do you enjoy getting your family together in the outdoors?

OK, back to my green enchiladas ...


I finally found an enchilada sauce that is kid-friendly! My kids and their friends now tell me that my enchiladas are their favorite! That is music to any mother’s ears!

My green enchiladas are mild-spicy, but not too overpowering like a red sauce can be. I think that is the secret!

Just this week I took a pan to a friend who had surgery and is laid up for a few weeks. I promised dinner, and I knew that this meal would be easy and a pleasing dish for her and her husband and their two daughters.


SIMPLE GREEN ENCHILADAS
1 (19 oz.) can LaVictoria Enchilada Sauce (Green Chile/Chile Verde)
1 lb. cooked ground beef, ground turkey, or chicken
Flour tortillas
Sour cream
Grated cheese


Heat oven to 325. Spray bottom of 9x13 pan. Lay flour tortilla on a plate and add meat, small amount of sour cream, and cheese. Roll and lay in the pan. Continue making until the pan is full. Pour one can of “green sauce” over the top. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Delicious left over, too. Many times I double-up the recipe and make two 9x13 pans. One to keep and one to give away!

Secret to Fast and Easy Meat
Buying the “4” pack of ground turkey from Costco, I brown it all at one time in a large fry pan, adding salt, pepper and seasoning. What I don’t use for a meal, I then freeze in a Ziploc bag. Whenever I’m in a pinch for time, I pull out the meat, and in 10 minutes I have a pan of enchiladas ready to go into the oven! The meal comes out hot and fresh and delicious, and ready to serve or take to a friend.

My kids confessed to me the other day that they’ve never really liked enchiladas! That is until now. Either it’s the “green sauce,” or they are just growing up.

Green enchiladas and a family hike--it doesn't get any better than that!

When is the last time you “listened” for a need in another family, one you could take a meal to?

(Enchiladas, spinach salad, brownies, fresh tomatoes from the garden – and of course I had to throw in a jar of homemade jam!)

No Foolin' Dinner Details and Recipes - Part II

We had a grand time at our April Fool’s Dinner this past week, where we had a sit-down dinner outside, and no foolin’ – it started snowing as we were eating! Readers seem to enjoy all the details, and more importantly - what we ate! So here’s the scoop of the evening.

We started inside for appetizers, moved to the patio for our sit-down dinner, then back inside again for dessert. Before I move on, let me tell you a little bit about the menu and what I used for my table setting.

Menu
Appetizers consisted of Dubliner Cheese with Fuji apples, flatbread and salami (kid friendly). Main dish was barbequed chicken thighs, with Potatoes Anna, Caesar Salad (brought by our guest – her specialty!), and Costco Whole Wheat Bread. Dessert was Clafouti, warm from the oven, served with vanilla ice cream.


Table Setting
Using what I had, I color-coordinated the tablecloth with the flowers in bloom in my front yard. Yellow and brown go well together so I used my solid brown tablecloths, accenting with bright yellow daffodils. Of course I used my standard white dishes (almost 20 years old).

Music
Our favorite, new (to us), jazz musician is Ramsey Lewis. Love the energy and overall vibes from this man and his amazing talent on the piano.

Conversation
I have to tell you that I really love the fact that our kids are growing up. When they were little they’d all “split” as soon as the meal was over. Off to bigger and better things – play time! Now they hang out with us adults. The kids are a huge part of the conversation and it’s very - energetic, action-packed, and dramatic at times - conversation!

Now for the awaited essence of YUM! My easy-to-cook recipes!! What I enjoyed about preparing this meal is that my daughter was in the kitchen with me. We whipped up all three of these dishes in about 45 minutes, coordinating the oven times. Four hands were definitely better than two! Besides, I have a blast in the kitchen with my youngest. I find myself being asked fewer questions about measurements, and what certain words mean, as she is learning to be a fantastic cook!


Sandy Style BBQ boneless Chicken Thighs:
Cut off any excess fat, boil thighs for 25 minutes. Drain and place in your baking pan. Salt and pepper the meat, covering with Masterpiece BBQ sauce (I have tried every kind of BBQ sauce, and MP is my all-time favorite!), and cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.


Potatoes Anna:
Melt one cube of butter. Grate 1-cup Parmesan cheese. Have salt and pepper on hand. I used yellow-fleshed Golden Potatoes (but any kind work). Peel and thinly slice potatoes (approx 8-10 small). Spray a rounded pan or baking bowl (I use a small bakingl stone), and layer potatoes, around in a circle, spoon butter over that layer, salt and pepper, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Continue until the bowl is completely full. Pour the rest of the melted butter on top, covering with a lid or foil. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then turn down to 350 for an additional 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove lid or foil; bake another 15 minutes until crisp on top. Let stand 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. (Total time in oven: 1 hr 45 min. Serves 10)


Clafouti:
Arrange 3 cups of blueberries (or any kind of berry - I used Costco's frozen mixed berries) at the bottom of a baking dish or pie pan. Sprinkle with ¼ c. sugar and 2-3 T. candied ginger,* chopped (the secret ingredient – YUM!). In blender add 1-cup milk, 3 eggs, ½ cup flour, 2 tsp. vanilla. Blend and pour over the berries. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. I doubled this recipe. (Often when I cook, I’ll use a secret ingredient, asking my guests to guess what it is! This time it was one of the kids who guessed, “ginger!”) Sorry - I didn't get to take any pictures of this dessert, but it looks similar to a cobbler.

After dinner, we all moved inside as the huge flakes of snow caused the temps to drop drastically and the propane in our new commercial grade heater went out. Brrrr. The kids helped serve dessert and we congregated in the living room. THE FUN BEGAN! More lively conversation continued. We laughed until we cried, sharing funny stories and memories.


I find that a common sentence used with our kids these days is … “Remember when?”

Reminiscing becomes very important, very real, and much needed as our children grow.

A very fun evening chalked up more memories for both of our families. Who knows what kind of twist our next dinner will entail?