Schmidt Family blog » Recipes

Cheesy Enchilada Chili Dip Dinner

Amber — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:02:00 +0000

So I have all of these GREAT bargains from my couponing in the past couple of weeks and thought to myself… I need to find a way to USE all this stuff! Pace website to the rescue!

And yes… admittedly I have fallen behind on the recipes! I am trying to make up for it in the next few weeks!

I used the PACE that came free with coupons, Velveeta, which was on sale for $2.49 this week with coupons and 6 tortillas, that come 20 to a pack for $1.78. Topped it with $0.50 sour cream and that was ONE CHEAP MEAL!

I cannot imagine that this meal cost me more than $3-4….

For other great ideas to use up all that PACE Picante visit their website at:
http://www.pacefoods.com/

Recent Comments:

Michele K. says Impressive you really are accomplished with regards to writing. I love Xmas that’s why I also have a comparable web [more]
Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]
Laura says I Love it!!!! And we use the newspaper bags for diapers and enema extras too….its my way of recycling [more]
Deana Begg says Very good article! This is a highly beneficial website in which you have. [more]

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Happy Valentines Brunch… Heart Shaped Pancakes!

Amber — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Once again… my kids are too young to have any idea WHEN the holidays are. My colon was acting up and I was feeling pretty crappy on Valentines day and actually slept through most of the day.

SOOOOOOOOO… I decided that with my Post Valentine finds I would just celebrate late! After church today I cooked brunch which consisted of Heart Shaped Pancakes, Cheese Eggs, Bacon and Pine-Orange Banana Juice. I cannot remember a holiday breakfast as a kid that did NOT include Pine Orange Banana Juice. Its the best ever!

I used my brand new Wilton Heart Shaped Cookie cutters that I scored the day after Valentines to Cut the pancakes. My kids thought it was GREAT! For some reason my kids call hearts “dreams”. Owen informed me that it was the best day ever that they got to eat “dreamcakes”.

So today… you too are going to learn how to make heart shaped pancakes!

I would post a recipe here but I am just too darn lazy to make my own pancake batter so I use the amazing and wonderful Krusteez! 1 cup of Pancake mix, 3/4 cup of water… why would anyone do anything else??

Cook pancakes (thin ones work best) a little larger than the desired size cookie cutter.

Allow the pancake to cool for a few minutes (lest you burn yourself like I did! I am beginning to think that my posts about cooking are going to become a commentary on how NOT to burn yourself while cooking various recipes!).

But WHAT are the scissors for? Well if you do not own a pair of COOKING scissors… mine are regular fiskars… you don’t know what you have been missing! I keep this pair clean just for food. The outer part of the pancakes can be tough to cut through with plastic cookie cutters BUT no worries… at the very least you make an IMPRINT of the heart shape then use the Kitchen scissors to trim off the excess!

Use the cutter to cut out the largest heart. As with cookie dough there is usually left over.

As a side note: My cookie cutter set ROCKS because it has big all the way down to teeny tiny hearts! So I used the leftover pieces to make smaller ones to stack. PLUS… we have to cut Kyleigh’s food into VERY small pieces because she chokes easily or will just ignore something altogether if not properly cut! So the smallest heart was absolutely perfectly sized for her!

I also thought these might be good with a strawberry glaze instead of syrup. I might try that next year!Recent Comments:

Michele K. says Impressive you really are accomplished with regards to writing. I love Xmas that’s why I also have a comparable web [more]
Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]
Laura says I Love it!!!! And we use the newspaper bags for diapers and enema extras too….its my way of recycling [more]
Deana Begg says Very good article! This is a highly beneficial website in which you have. [more]

February 22, 2009 -- Post Valentines Bargain Finds

Chex Monkey Munch (aka Muddy Buddies) – a morning surprise for the boys…

Amber — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:45:00 +0000

We have figured out that Owen wakes up WAY too early because he has inherited his daddy’s insane metabolism and it STARVING at 4 am. That also causes him to sometimes SLEEPWALK and SLEEP EAT! Nice right? So we have started making sure he gets some extra protein and filler snack before bed time and leaving him a mini meal in the morning. Most mornings its a peanut butter sandwich and a snack food along with a cup of juice with his name on it in the fridge.
Tonight I decided to make some Muddy Buddies (also known as Monkey Munch, Puppy Chow and many other things!) Basically its Chex cereal coated in peanut butter and chocolate and doused in powdered sugar. My boys (Troy included) could eat this stuff by the GALLON… and do!

So here’s a recipe for all the MONKEY fans out there! ( and just for Kevin and Jessica… this recipe has no CHICKEN in it! )

Here is how I have started leaving them snacks and drinks for the AM so that they do not destroy my kitchen trying to make themselves food.

This way they just get up and have their snack and move on about the day. They seem to be determined to get up at the crack of dawn – 6 am- Ky and I do not get up until 7:30 or 8 am so the boys do fine watching cartoons and snacking on their “lunches”. Sigh…… I am already packing lunch and they are not in school yet. At least I will be in the routine by fall. Kind of makes me sad to know that I will have two in school in the next two years. Where does the time go?Recent Comments:

Michele K. says Impressive you really are accomplished with regards to writing. I love Xmas that’s why I also have a comparable web [more]
Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]
Laura says I Love it!!!! And we use the newspaper bags for diapers and enema extras too….its my way of recycling [more]
Deana Begg says Very good article! This is a highly beneficial website in which you have. [more]

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Easy 30 minute Chicken Parmesan

Amber — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:50:00 +0000

Yes Yes… so I promised a new recipe and here it is! God knows I LOVE to cook with shorcuts! This is SO easy… you can do it in 30 minutes WITH three kids hanging on your legs!!! I would know!

I LOVE Chicken Parmesan. I always think of it on Valentines day because I remember one Valentines day, WAYYYY back when Troy and I lived in the “little” house (read Mt Foraker). Troy was so sweet… he made me Chicken parmensan and then led me down this pathway full of rose petals with little clues that led me to a bubble blower machine which was newly installed in our tub!

We have never been huge “celebrators”… birthdays go by with a simple card, anniversaries have been altogether missed, valentines day was just another day. Then came 2008 and with its events, heartaches, joys and sorrows we have both come to realize that these things are not corny. They are NECESSARY… imperative even to maintaining a joyful relationship!

Now that we find ourselves in a new relationship, we understand just how important these little celebrations really are. I happened to be looking online for something and ran across Troy’s valentine’s gift. Not anything big .. just something I knew he would really like. So I bought it…. in December! This is the person who rarely even THINKS about valentines day!

So… I hope that this Valentines day.. you will have a little celebration with your spouse. I hope that you will make chicken parmesan and order flowers, bring home a movie and a bottle of wine!

Here’s to all of our Marriages and the Love that still burns bright!!!!

PS… if any of you need a little helper… go to www.teleflora.com and use the PROMO CODE: DESIRE to get $5 off your order!!! They have a fabulous Love bouquet this year!Recent Comments:

Michele K. says Impressive you really are accomplished with regards to writing. I love Xmas that’s why I also have a comparable web [more]
Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]
Laura says I Love it!!!! And we use the newspaper bags for diapers and enema extras too….its my way of recycling [more]
Deana Begg says Very good article! This is a highly beneficial website in which you have. [more]

Random Posts

October 31, 2009 -- Carving and Couponing…
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November 6, 2008 --

Super Simple Loaded Potato Soup

Amber — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 22:14:00 +0000

I have made so many batches of this recipe in the past three weeks that I cannot even count!! This is NOT mom’s potato soup as you remember it and I promise that is it BETTER than Logan or O’Charley’s!!!!!!!!! As I look outside enjoying the snow with a nice hot pot of it boiling right now I think … THIS is how every Sunday should be! Add this to your “Recipes for a Sunday afternoon”…….

Enjoy!Recent Comments:

Michele K. says Impressive you really are accomplished with regards to writing. I love Xmas that’s why I also have a comparable web [more]
Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]
Laura says I Love it!!!! And we use the newspaper bags for diapers and enema extras too….its my way of recycling [more]
Deana Begg says Very good article! This is a highly beneficial website in which you have. [more]

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Super Simple Loaded Potato Soup

Amber — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 22:14:00 +0000

Enjoy!Recent Comments:

Michele K. says Impressive you really are accomplished with regards to writing. I love Xmas that’s why I also have a comparable web [more]
Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]
Laura says I Love it!!!! And we use the newspaper bags for diapers and enema extras too….its my way of recycling [more]
Deana Begg says Very good article! This is a highly beneficial website in which you have. [more]

Random Posts

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So how did the Spongebob Fondant Cake turn out???

Amber — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:26:00 +0000

I think it looked pretty darn amazing!!!

I used two funfetti cake mixes baked in 9×13 pans. Evened them up using a bread knife. I put a layer of buttercream frosting (Buttercream Icing Recipe) in between and covered the whole cake also in the buttercream. After eating the cake I wish there had been MORE buttercream between it and the fondant!!!

YES I tackled the task of making my OWN fondant! Brenda would be so proud! It was just marshmallow and sugar. The recipe and great tips can be found here:
Homemade Fondant 101

Working with the fondant is such a large quantity was hard. Kudos to the cake people who create such amazing wedding cakes!!!

We used Wilton Icing colors- which I purchased with my amazing 40% off Michael’s coupon- to color the fondant – the tip to getting the coloring EVENLY worked into the fondant is a few drops of WATER! Worked like a charm. I did have to grease our gloves twice during each color mixing. The stuff gets sticky FAST!

We used the entire surface of our flat top range as a cutting board but the tool we were using was plastic so no worries. A huge slab of crisco made the whole thing workable and at nearly 2 am we finished!

THEN we HID the cake in a drawer under our BED to keep the kids out of it all day. Nice right?

Recent Comments:

Michele K. says Impressive you really are accomplished with regards to writing. I love Xmas that’s why I also have a comparable web [more]
Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]
Laura says I Love it!!!! And we use the newspaper bags for diapers and enema extras too….its my way of recycling [more]
Deana Begg says Very good article! This is a highly beneficial website in which you have. [more]

Random Posts

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So how did the Spongebob Fondant Cake turn out???

Amber — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:26:00 +0000

I think it looked pretty darn amazing!!!

YES I tackled the task of making my OWN fondant! Brenda would be so proud! It was just marshmallow and sugar. The recipe and great tips can be found here:
Homemade Fondant 101

Working with the fondant is such a large quantity was hard. Kudos to the cake people who create such amazing wedding cakes!!!

THEN we HID the cake in a drawer under our BED to keep the kids out of it all day. Nice right?

Recent Comments:

Michele K. says Impressive you really are accomplished with regards to writing. I love Xmas that’s why I also have a comparable web [more]
Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]
Laura says I Love it!!!! And we use the newspaper bags for diapers and enema extras too….its my way of recycling [more]
Deana Begg says Very good article! This is a highly beneficial website in which you have. [more]

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Saturday Morning and a Breakfast Casserole

Amber — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 02:09:00 +0000

Friday night I prepared a breakfast casserole for baking on Saturday morning. I love this stupid thing!! Our youth leaders used to make this whenever we would go to youth retreat at this amazing cabin in the mountains and I try to make it every now and then. It is great because it feeds our family two mornings in a row which means that tomorrow morning no COOKING before church!!! SCORE 1 for me!

I also have to point out… Ross… is my sensitive son. While Owen is totally in his own world engrossed in playing tetris on the computer Ross is was too busy trying to help me cook the casserole. He absolutely LOVES for me to turn the light on the in the oven so he can watch things cook. I just have to smile at him in his spongebob PJ’s which I am nearly certain are girls as they are trimmed in pink but he could care less, watching and giggling with excitement over a breakfast casserole. ahhh… to be 4 again!

Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!Recent Comments:

Michele K. says Impressive you really are accomplished with regards to writing. I love Xmas that’s why I also have a comparable web [more]
Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]
Laura says I Love it!!!! And we use the newspaper bags for diapers and enema extras too….its my way of recycling [more]
Deana Begg says Very good article! This is a highly beneficial website in which you have. [more]

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Saturday Morning and a Breakfast Casserole

Amber — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 02:09:00 +0000

Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!Recent Comments:

Michele K. says Impressive you really are accomplished with regards to writing. I love Xmas that’s why I also have a comparable web [more]
Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]
Laura says I Love it!!!! And we use the newspaper bags for diapers and enema extras too….its my way of recycling [more]
Deana Begg says Very good article! This is a highly beneficial website in which you have. [more]

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