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Baked Chicken Taquitos

October 6, 2015 By Brandy Leave a Comment

Flour tortillas, filled with delicious shredded chicken, green chiles, and cheese, are rolled up, brushed with olive oil and lime juice, then baked to perfection! Thank you Foster Farms Simply Raised – locally grown in California – for sponsoring my cooking!

Mmm....baked taquitos. My kids love these and they are so easy to make. I make mine larger that your basic corn tortilla taquito so that they are a bit more filling. Top with your favorite condiments and toppings and they are a great week night dinner. They heat up great the next day too!

Baked Chicken Taquitos

1.5 lbs. Foster Farms Simply Raised Chicken Breast Fillets, sliced into thirds

1 small can green chiles, diced (mild)

1 T. adobo or taco seasoning

2 c. chicken broth

10 flour tortillas (medium sized)

1 c. shredded Mexican cheese

¼ c. olive oil

2 T. lime juice

Sea salt

Pico de Gallo, avocados, sour cream, etc.

I like making shredded chicken in my pressure cooker because it cooks quickly and the flavors really soak in. I combine the chicken, seasoning, green chilies and chicken broth and heat until it reaches full pressure. Then I cook for 20 minutes, remove from heat and wait until the pressure releases.

If you don't have a pressure cooker, place your chicken, seasoning, chilies, chicken stock and 1 cup of water into a pot and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

When chicken is cooked through, take out of pot and set aside. Reserve ½ c. of the broth.

Shred chicken and stir in ½ c. of the reserved broth.

Warm tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Fill each tortilla with chicken and cheese. Roll up tightly and place on a baking sheet, seam side down.

Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with lime juice and sea salt.

Bake @425 degrees for 15 minutes or until crispy and brown.

Makes 10.

A delicious and light dinner, my favorite kind! Foster Farms has been producing locally grown poultry for 76 years. Simply Raised means no antibiotics have ever been given to the free-range chickens, that it is USDA Certified Organic, 100% vegetarian feed, and produced with no added sodium. I found mine in the refrigerated meat section as they are locally grown here in California, and are delivered fresh within 48 hours. I love that! Also, all Foster Farms fresh chicken products are American Humane Certified.

A lot of the produce that we eat is grown locally and we love supporting these farmers. We are big fans of the local U-pick farm and it is definitely a perk of living in California.

Thank you, Foster Farms, for sponsoring my cooking!

Halloween Movie Night! With Home Run Inn Pizza

October 2, 2015 By Brandy Leave a Comment

All natural pizza, with no preservatives, a big chopped salad, and Casper's Parmesan Popcorn. It's the perfect family Halloween Movie Night! Thank you Home Run Inn Pizza for sponsoring our delicious weekend dinner.

My kids love pizza and could eat it every single day without complaint. I love chopped salads and could eat them every single day without complaint. Our family Halloween movie night blended the best of both worlds and made everyone happy! Pizza+ veggies = the perfect dinner, right? We've been on a homemade pizza kick lately. I set out all of the ingredients and little pans with homemade pizza dough and set the kids loose.

They have so much fun and end up with some pretty interesting pizzas. Like ones with mountains of mozzarella cheese! I didn't feel like pulling out all of the stops on last weekend so instead I pulled out a couple of frozen Home Run Inn pizzas and made a big chopped salad. The perfect accompaniment to the Halloween movie the kids had picked.

These pizzas would be great to serve on Halloween night before going trick or treating because they bake up quickly, are all natural, and are---well, PIZZA!

I like raiding my refrigerator for items to add to my chopped salad; black beans, corn, crisp romaine, cherry tomatoes from a friend's garden, and avocado. Drizzled in avocado ranch dressing (ranch, avocado, cilantro and lime juice mixed in a food processor and thinned down with a little milk---SO yummy!)

Home Run Inn is Chicago's Authentic Thin Crust, with 8 pizzerias and frozen pizza in 35 states. I found these while shopping at Sprouts, here in California. HRI Pizza is all natural and contains no preservatives, nitrates or nitrites and is Chicago's #1 selling Frozen Pizza. We decided to give them a shot and received thumbs up all around from the kids.

One thing that I like to do to get a nice crisp crust is cook our pizzas on parchment paper, directly on the baking racks. We never use pizza pans except to pull the hot pizzas onto from the oven for cutting. The parchment paper keeps the baking racks clean and doesn't burn. This is a trick we learned from some friends years ago and we've been doing it ever since! We also cook our pizzas as high as our oven will go and watch them carefully. This is as close as we can get to a brick oven style pizza. Try it sometime, I think you'll be impressed too!

No movie night is complete without POPCORN and we love our popcorn over here. Parmesan popcorn has been one of my favorite ways to have popcorn for years and it is so easy to make. We called our Halloween version "Casper's Parmesan Popcorn". It's white, it's a Halloween movie, just go with it 🙂

Casper's Parmesan Popcorn

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½ c. popcorn kernels, popped (fills up a large bowl)

¼. melted butter

¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

Drizzle melted butter over popped popcorn and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4.

It went perfectly with our movie choice of the night, "Casper!"

So now that I've shared our simple Halloween movie night, what are your favorite family-friendly Halloween movies? We're always looking for fun seasonal shows to watch with the kids! What fun family traditions do you have this time of year? Thank you, Home Run Inn Pizza, for sponsoring our fun family evening.

Switched Up Waffle Bar & Brunch Ideas with Viva® Vantage®

September 30, 2015 By Brandy 2 Comments

What do you use paper towels for? The uses are endless! Thank you Viva® Vantage® for sponsoring my prep work in hosting a fun brunch last week!

Waffle Bar and Italian Soda Bar Brunch Idea

Last week I had the opportunity to host an amazing event for some fellow blogging friends! It was a delicious waffle bar with some fun and delicious twists! It's easy to fall into a routine when it comes to cleaning and entertaining so this event was all about switching things up. Viva® Vantage® understands this and is challenging us to take the 7-Day Switch Up! What does that mean? Go ahead and shelf your current paper towels and try Viva® Vantage® for 7-days. Then decide which ones your prefer. That's it!

In preparing for the brunch I did my own 7-Day Switch Up, and let me tell you. It was EASY to do. Our current paper towels were actually designed for a public restroom. True story. My husband brought home a paper towel dispenser (like the kind in bathrooms) and installed it behind the door in our pantry. At first we both thought it was a genius idea! The kids could grab one whenever they needed and they were fairly inexpensive. So we bought a box of like 1,000 of them. BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER! The towels weren't designed for cleaning or absorbing anything. Just wicking water off of hands, so when I received the Viva® Towels that were stretchy and had great scrubbing power it was a great improvement. I put them to the test by making basic switch ups in my kitchen (and beauty routine!).

Did You Know?

You can use paper towels to catch oil drips from puddling up on your pantry shelves? Simply wrap a Viva® Vantage®paper towel around your bottle and secure with a rubber band. The drips don't make it past the towel!
Viva® Vantage® paper towels have a V-Flex™ Weave that traps dirt and dust. You can even use them to dry mop your floors.
You can use paper towels for a variety of crafting projects. We used them with the ceramics activity at my 7 year old's birthday party last week!
You can dry your hair with a paper towel? It's true! I only own a blow dryer to dry paint for craft projects. Give your hair a basic towel dry when you get out of the shower. Then hang up that towel and grab a paper towel. Wrap the paper towel around the ends of your hair and give it a squeeze. The Viva® Vantage® paper towels will absorb the excess water, preventing breakage, controlling frizz, and eliminating any wet spots on the back of your shirt.
Paper towels work great for washing the dirt off of potatoes and mushrooms.
You can soak up extra moisture from lettuce by wrapping it in a paper towel before putting in the refrigerator.
Viva® Vantage® paper towels work great to clean glass! Hand wash and dry stemware using the cloth-like texture for a sparkling finish ---free from dust.
You can slip a damp paper towel under your cutting board to prevent it from shifting while slicing and dicing.

These are just some of the ways that I use paper towels. The results of my 7-Day Switch Up were kind of a no brainer. It was time to ditch the bathroom paper towels and stick with Viva® Vantage® I took a few notes and brought them to the brunch with me to share with the other guests!

Upon entering the event the guests were able to make a delicious Italian Soda. A fun switch up on a traditional mimosa that is often served at a brunch. We told the guests to hold on to those glasses for a fun demonstration later on at the event.

My favorite flavor is lime. My kids love making Italian sodas at home too. Their favorite flavor is rootbeer. Some sparkling water, a few shots of syrup, and some heave whipping cream. This is such a fun way to add a twist to a party and the guests have fun customizing them!

We set out pumpkin waffles instead of buttermilk waffles. A variety of delicious berry syrups instead of maple. Topping like candied pecans, coconut, and brown sugar to bring in the flavors of fall, and a variety of fresh fruit.

The Waffle Bar was so simple and delicious:

Step 1: Grab a Waffle

Step 2: Choose a Spread

Step 3: Add Some Fruit

Step 4: Drizzle in Your Favorite Syrup

Step 5: Eat & Enjoy!

Have you tried bacon on a stick? It was a fun and easy switch up, along with a dash of cayenne pepper for a kick. We used paper towels to drain the bacon as well as to wash and strain the fresh fruit.

Outside a table was set up with glass markers and chalk board paint. Every party is better with a take home craft, right? Remember those Italian Soda glasses? They became the take home gift at this table!

The finishing touches were set and it was now time to welcome the guests!

Each guest received a cute apron to wear during the party to keep them clean during the fun demos.

I shared the results from my 7-Day Switch with everyone---and even brought a dirty towel with me. Hey, I'm a visual person and figured others might be too! Everyone shared tips and switch ups they have done with paper towels and we all came out of the event with a lot of great ideas!

We ate, chatted, cleaned glasses, strained fruit, and really put those towels to the test.

Then we sent everyone home with their own paper towels and challenged them to do the 7-Day Switch Up too! I was ridiculously nervous to host this event and speak in front of everyone, but it ended up being a great experience.

You can do your own 7-Day Switch Up! Grab a coupon to purchase and try Viva® Vantage® Towels for yourself! Be sure return to the website and dish on your switch for a chance to instantly win a $100 gift card!

Event photos Green Vintage Photography.

A big thanks to Viva® Vantage® for sponsoring our switched up Waffle Bar and event!

Easy Triangle Quilt {Fantastic Mr. Fox}

September 14, 2015 By Brandy Leave a Comment

Aaron's favorite color is orange. When he was a year old I found him sorting a box of crayons and picking out all of the orange ones. He's been ALL orange ever since so the color scheme for his birthday quilt was a no-brainer. He kept hinting around that he would like me to make him one for his bed so I worked on this in the evenings when he was in bed. It was so fun to surprise him. He loved it!

I made a simple triangle quilt pattern by cutting out 8" tall triangles and forming rows in a random pattern. The fabrics are a mix of Robert Kaufman's Fox and the Houndstooth prints and calico prints from Joann's. I just love that fox print. He reminds me of the Fantastic Mr. Fox, a book that Aaron read not too long ago.

I made it throw size, but it is big enough for his bed too (untucked). I love coming downstairs in the morning and seeing him wrapped up in it on the couch. It makes every late night totally worth it!

When I made the Sweetheart pillows for the girls he asked me to make him a pillow too. A simple sprocket pillow from Cluck Cluck Sew was the perfect (free) pattern. I think I need to make a few more of these!

Cactus Fairy Garden For Dry Climates

September 4, 2015 By Brandy 4 Comments

A cactus fairy garden is perfect for summer! It requires very little water, is easy to take care of, and brightens your porch all summer long! Thank you, Scotts®, for sponsoring our creativity.

I honestly can't remember the last time we had a good rainstorm here in Northern California. Maybe sometime during the spring?? Occasionally we'll have 90 seconds of sprinkling as a few clouds make their way through the valley, but it has been a very dry few years here. Our lakes are at surprising low levels and water restrictions have been placed on many residents.

The girls and I made a darling fairy garden in the spring and it lasted a couple of months, but with the super high temps and lack of rain, it wasn't easy to keep it watered! Cue the cactus fairy garden---perfect for summer.

We decided to replant our little garden and picked out some bright and colorful succulents and cactus plants. The girls have been wanting those little red and orange cactus pots FOREVER. They always ask for them when we walk through the garden section at the home improvement stores so they were thrilled that I finally said, "Yes!"

Cactus Fairy Garden

We broke up the very dry potting soil that was left over from our previous garden and filled the pot with our new plants.

We added a layer of small pebbles and gave it a good watering. It's on the porch so that it isn't in full sun. I guess we'll see how it goes, but I like the fact that these hardy little plants don't need to be watered every few days.

Here are more gardening projects for spring and summer!

Popsicle Garden Markers

Eggshell Seed Starters

Fairytale Fairy Garden

Mini Flower Gardens

California is suffering from one of the worse droughts in history and the governor has mandated a 25% water reduction. After spending so much money on a beautiful sod lawn a few years ago we really want to keep it alive during this drought and conserve water. That's the balancing act and it's all about moderation.

With the ground being so dry and hard, it seems like the water just kind of runs off instead of thoroughly being absorbed. I honestly think it is all about making each drop of water count. I knew it would only be a matter of time before one of the gardening companies came up with something to help with this. We recently got a package of Scotts® EveryDrop™ .

When added to lawns or gardens, EveryDrop™ can help water spread out and sink into the soil, allowing more water to reach the roots – where it is needed most – and hydrate the plants--saving up to 25% in water.

Ideally, we would use this at the beginning of spring and continue to apply to our growing areas throughout the summer and early. Since it just became available at Lowe's, Home Depot, and Orchard Hardware September 1st, we will apply it this month and continue in the spring. I hope we see results soon!

How To Reupholster a Storage Ottoman: Step by Step

August 24, 2015 By Brandy 23 Comments

These step by step photos will show you how to reupholster a storage ottoman the quick and easy way! Breathe new life into an old ottoman with new fabric! This two hour project is great for beginners. This post contains affiliate links.

This is the story of a beautiful ottoman who began its life like this...

We've had this ottoman for six years and it's held up amazingly well until the hinges started acting up. The lid would randomly spring open or fall to the side with the slightest touch. That's when I started to think that a brand new ottoman sounded really nice. And curbing this one sounded even nicer. After reupholstering my grandma's chair I vowed I would never tackle anything like that again, but once I started examining how this ottoman was put together I realized that this was going to be a piece of cake compared to that confounded swivel chair!

And it might even save me some money vs. purchasing a new one. So I'll go ahead and share yet another "How to Reupholster" project with any of you who might be feeling as ambitious as I was!

How To Reupholster a Storage Ottoman

The first thing to do is examine how it was put together and find a good starting place to strip it down. I began by removing all of the hardware and screws. The lining was in great shape so I saved it. It had all of the holes from the screws which would make it easy to line everything up later! I removed the fabric from the bottom of section of the ottoman by pulling the staples out and also saved the foam since it was in great shape. I decided to not deal with sewing a new cushion for the seat and just reupholstered over the existing fabric.

The seat was super easy. I laid it on top of my fabric and cut around it leaving about 6" on each side to fold over and around to the other side. Then I tucked the corners in to create a finished look. You could definitely sew a nice cover, but this took about 10 minutes to finish. Sewing would have taken much longer.

The bottom only had fabric around the sides. The underside of the ottoman was actually just plywood and lining. So I cut a long strip of fabric (using the old fabric as a pattern piece and adding a few inches on both sides for wiggle room) and wrapped it around the sides of my box (inside out) and pinned it where it met up. (pic 1)

That was the only thing I sewed for this whole project. Just a quick seam. Then I turned it right side out and slipped it back onto the ottoman. It fit nice and snug, perfect! I lined up my sewing seam with one of the corners so that you couldn't really see it. (pic 2)

Then I stapled the fabric to the under side of the ottoman (pic 3) and then flipped it over and finished around the top. (pic 4)

Before adding the hardware I took it out to the garage and scotch guarded the heck out of both pieces. With 4 kiddos and a dog, that was a must.

All that was left to do now was put it back together! I started by stapling the lining back into place. It gave it a nice finished look. Then I attached the hardware and touched up some scratches with a furniture marker.

A 22-hourproject that set me back 1 can of Scotch Guard and $25 in fabric. I added a new screw to the hinge and it works perfectly once again. I am so glad that I decided to breathe some new life into this instead of just buying a new one. Sometimes it doesn't seem like it is worth the time and energy, but this DIY project definitely was.

It adds so much color into our living room. Here is a quick comparison shot...

Ahh, so much better! As you can see, it doesn't take much to learn how to reupholster a basic furniture piece like an ottoman or chair (with the exception of a cushioned swivel chair or recliner, ha!). Just think of all of the possibilities!

California Turkey Melt

August 19, 2015 By Brandy Leave a Comment

A delicious California Turkey Melt inspired by my favorite sandwich from the restaurant I worked at in college. Thank you, Foster Farms for sponsoring this trip down memory lane!

I worked as a server in a local family restaurant for 3 years during college. They served a variety of comfort meals, salads, and desserts, but I especially enjoyed the sandwiches. My FAVORITE being the turkey melt. The bonus to being a server was having access to the computer and being able to modify the sandwich to my heart's desire! I'd substitute chicken breast for certain meals, omit items I didn't like for others, change out the bread, or add a side of guacamole--just because.

I had the cooks add avocado to my turkey melt and swap out cheddar cheese for American cheese and created something amazing! The California Turkey Melt! I've been making this for years now and it is absolutely delicious. I make it with parmesan butter, which makes the grilled sourdough even better.

California Turkey Melt

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2 slices sourdough bread

2 T. butter

1 ½ tsp. parmesan cheese

Turkey {Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey}

1 slice American cheese

¼ avocado, sliced

The butter is simple. Add the parmesan cheese to softened butter, stir, then spread on sourdough bread. This makes enough butter for 2 sandwiches.

Preheat pan on medium heat. Stack bread, cheese, turkey, avocado, and the last slice of bread and grill until brown on both sides.

I don't know what kind of turkey the restaurant used, but it was delicious and wasn't your typical deli meat. I really like Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey because it looks like it has been carved straight from the turkey! Thinly sliced, 98% fat free, low sodium, all natural and raised without hormones, steroids, nitrates or nitrites.

Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey is anything but basic just like my sandwich is anything but basic. If you have a favorite sandwich recipe, using Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey, you can enter it into the "Don't Call Me Basic" sandwich contest on Instagram!

Entering is Easy:

They are also accepting entries by email if sent to [email protected]. Contest rules and regulations.

You can also save a dollar now by downloading this coupon and use it on your next trip to Raley's, Vons or Safeway!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey.

Back to Preschool Dress

August 17, 2015 By Brandy 32 Comments

Comfy, easy pull on style, twirly, and perfect for the first day of preschool! Come see how I made this darling "Back to Preschool" dress, and enter to win a pair of moccasins from Freshly Picked while you're at it!

Ruby was the only one thrilled with the idea of going back to school shopping this year, but was also the only one who didn't need to go shopping! Thankfully she doesn't start school for another 2 years. We all know that I'll look for any excuse to pull out my sewing machine so this is how her little "Back to Preschool" dress came about. Preschool starts tomorrow and she couldn't be more excited to see her teacher and friends. She gets a bit of independence, and is only away from home 9 hours a week.

I used the bodice from this dress, the sash from this dress, and made my own gathered skirt to create this easy pull-on style dress.

And just look at that fabric! Ruby adores chickens and would absolutely love to have one of her own. It was love at first sight! (Farm Friends Fabric by Sarah Federking)

Cute, comfy, and twirly. The perfect dress to wear on her first day of preschool! And let's not forget the shoes!

Ruby's moccasins from last year were too small so we ordered a new pair. She chose a pair of heirloom in cream and gold moccasins from Freshly Picked. They are darling and made from the softest leather. She loves them and I love that they are neutral enough for all of her outfits.

Do you have a little one heading off to preschool? How about a pair of adorable moccasins to run and play in? I love that Freshly Picked makes their moccasins all the way up to size 10 (toddler) in select sizes.

~~Visit Freshly Picked and let me know what pair you'd like to win for your little one and you will automatically be entered to win a pair!~~

~~Leave your comment below!~~

~~I will announce the winner on Monday, August 24th!~~

Congratulations to the winner, #13---Cassie!

Easy Sewing Projects That YOU Can Make!

August 14, 2015 By Brandy 3 Comments

A collection of 20 easy sewing projects for beginners. Pillowcase, handbag, hand warmers, tissue pouch, and more! Most come together in an hour or less!

My grandmother taught me the basics of sewing when I was 10 years old. I would spend several days at her home making pillows, scrunchies (the big poofy fabric ones, remember those?!) and basic shorts. When I went back to my house I would try my hand at coming up with my own projects and following easy sewing patterns. Most of my solo projects ended up in the trash, but I learned something from each one of those failed projects!

These easy sewing projects are the building blocks for sewing and are perfect for beginners. I've taught several friends to sew and these are some of the things we made!

20 Easy Sewing Projects That You Can Make In About An Hour!

Pajama Pants Without a Pattern

That's right! NO pattern! Use a pair of your favorite cozy pajama pants as a guide. The rest is just as easy!

A collection of easy sewing projects for beginners. Pillowcase, handbag, hand warmers, tissue pouch, and more! Most come together in an hour or less!

3 Step Fleece Pillowcases

I made these for my nieces and nephews for Christmas last year and they were a hit! Straight line sewing is all that is required. Fleece goes on sale for just a few bucks a yard in the fall. It's a great time to stock up for projects like this!

Travel Change & Plat Mat

It's a changing pad, a play mat, it stores a change of clothes and diapers, AND it folds up to fit into your diaper bag. It's the perfect baby shower gift too!

5 Minute Fleece Hand Warmers

An easy 5 minute project to make one, less than 10 minutes to make a set. Fill them with rice and heat in the microwave to warm little hands and pockets. You can even added a couple of drops of peppermint oils, and they smell wonderful!

Decorative Wash Cloths

Add a decorative touch to store bought wash cloths with some cozy flannel. Add your favorite scent of baby shampoo and it makes a quick and easy baby gift.

Wash Cloth Baby Bib

Make a baby bib out of a piece of flannel and a wash cloth! Super cute and absorbent.

Minion Hand Bag Tutorial

Make a simple tote bag for summer and then take it up a notch by adding minion faces! So hilarious!

Double Sided Tissue Pouch

This tissue pouch holds a travel sized package of tissue, lip gloss, and hand sanitizer!

Stuffed Animal Sleeping Bag

This sleeping bag is just the right size to fit a 15" stuffed animal (think Build a Bear!)

30 Minute Cowl Neck Fleece Poncho

Basic sewing skills are all that is required to make a cozy poncho for fall! Double sided and with a cowl neck for extra comfort!

Felt Bunny

Quite possible the simplest sewing project on Gluesticks! Kids can make these, too! Fill with treats or pillow stuffing for a soft and cozy little friend.

Hand Puppets

Use this hand puppet pattern to create an endless assortment of puppets! This pattern teaches you how to make an adorable Kermit the Frog puppet.

15 Minute Pillow Envelope/Cover

Breathe new life into an old pillow by making a quick and easy pillow cover!

Tooth Fairy Pillow

All of my kids have a little homemade tooth fairy pillow. They are so easy to make and work great!

Doorway Puppet Theater

I love that this puppet theater is easy to set up with a tension rod! It will fit in any doorway and provide hours of entertainment!

15 Minute Table Runner

You can make this even faster by not making the decorative edge, but I love the added detail it brings. Make a spring table runner in 15 minutes!

10 Minute Knit Baby Hat

A great little baby shower gift or easy project to make for your baby!

T-Shirt Book Bag

My kids actually made these! They only require straight seams and are so quick and easy!

Easy Sunglasses Case

A great scrap fabric project! Make a sunglasses case to keep your glasses scratch free this summer.

Chicken Bean Bag

These chicken bean bags are SO cute and easy to make. Make a bunch as bean bags, rice bags, or pin cushions!

If you liked these easy sewing projects, here are even more that you might like to try!