Friday, November 27, 2015

North Pole Breakfast 2015

Well, our christmas season has officially started.  Technically when we saw Santa on the Thanksgiving Day parade it started, but the kids make it official when our elf Harry makes his annual debut.

This year was our 3rd annual North Pole breakfast, and the kids absolutely loved it again this year.


This year it was kept pretty simple.  Not only for the fact that I was extremely exhausted from Thanksgiving, but the older the kids get, the harder it's getting to keep things a secret.  





Harry brought some white powdered donuts, blueberry muffins, and green yogurt topped with sprinkles.






 Our generous little guy even brought a little something all the way back from the North Pole for the kids to open.

A new christmas cup and some cute christmas socks.

It was a hit once again this year, and we're ready to see what Harry is going to get himself into THIS year!

Hoping everyone had a safe and fun Thanksgiving!

Let the christmas season begin! :)




Tuesday, November 24, 2015

BBQ Chicken Redneck Egg Rolls

If anyone knows me at all, they'll know that anytime my husband drags me to Sonny's for dinner, I'll most likely get an appetizer for my meal.  The appetizer?  Redneck egg rolls.

If you've never been to Sonny's BBQ restaurant or have never had the extreme pleasure of trying these egg rolls, I'll give you a quick description.

It's basically BBQ pulled pork, coleslaw, and shredded jack cheese all rolled up in an egg roll wrap and fried to perfection.

I know.  Drooling yet?  Here, take a napkin.

I wanted to try and recreate my own 'concoction' at home and I think I came up with a pretty great recipe that will completely satisfy my craving without having my poor husband running to Sonny's every few weeks.

I'm not really a big pork eater so I wanted to try it with chicken and the results were heavenly.




For the Chicken:

  • 1 package boneless chicken breasts
  • 2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch


Ingredients:

  • Coleslaw (you can find my recipe HERE)
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • egg roll wraps ( found in most supermarkets in the produce section by the tofu)
  • a small bowl of water (for sealing the egg rolls)
  • oil for frying



Directions:

For shredded chicken:

Trim excess fat from chicken breasts.

Place chicken breasts and onions in a medium sauce pan.  Pour bbq sauce and water over the chicken and season with salt and pepper.

Cook on high until boiling.  Reduce to medium heat.  Cook about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken and shred chicken with a fork or place in your stand mixer for easier shredding.

Add cornstarch to the sauce left in the pan and stir until thickened.  (add extra bbq sauce if needed).  Add shredded chicken back into the sauce.

Set aside.

To Assemble Egg Rolls:

Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep frying pan.  ( I find deep frying is the best method for crispiness and for keeping the wraps together).

Place your wrap on a flat surface at an angle.

Add some shredded chicken down the center, leaving it away from the sides.



Top the chicken with coleslaw.


Top with coleslaw with cheddar cheese.



Using your finger, place water around all of the edges of the egg roll wrap.


Fold in both sides of the egg roll wrap first, then roll the wrap upwards, using extra water to seal together at the end.

Drop the egg rolls into the deep fryer and fry until brown and crispy. (about 5-7 minutes).

Place on a paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess oil.

Serve hot and enjoy!







Thursday, November 5, 2015

2015 Elf on the Shelf Planning Calendar - Free Printable



Well folks, the time is coming again where our little elves will be making their grand appearances.  I can't speak for anyone else, but I know that I'm very excited to be welcoming our elf Harry back in the next few weeks.

I decided to make a planning calendar again this year because frankly, if I don't write things down nowadays I'll most likely forget what I'm supposed to be doing.  It happens to us all at one point or another.  Right? Hello?? Please tell me it happens to us all.

Download your FREE calendar HERE

Okay okay, so you might be saying "Hey, lady.  Let us get through Thanksgiving first."

Please let it be known I am NOT one to rush through any holiday.  I by no means like looking for halloween costumes and seeing twinkling christmas trees in my peripheral vision.  Or shopping for Thanksgiving decor while hearing Christmas music blaring through speakers in the store.  (Seriously Wal-Mart, get it together!)  But I AM one to be organized and on top of things when it comes to each and every holiday.

Learning from past experiences, this elf takes some serious time and effort to get all his mischievous and festive tactics in order.  That's why I seriously heart this planning calendar.

If you don't know how it works, it's simple.  Think of some creative ideas your kids would love or search around Pinterest for some motivation or ideas that other people have come up with.    Fill in each date with a different activity your elf will be doing, and cross them off as you go.  That's it!

If you're looking for some new ideas, you can check out some of the shenanigans our elf has been up to over the years.




Want to make your Elf on the Shelf planning even easier?

Check out my 6 Tips for Stress Free Elf on the Shelf planning.