Play Dough

I've been making this playdough for years...my kids STILL love it and will play with it for hours! 

Kids Play Dough

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 small package Kool-Aid, unsweetened

1 Tbsp cooking oil

1 cup water

Combine water and drink mix in skillet over medium heat. Mix well. Add all other ingredients and stir constantly until mixture forms a ball. Remove from skillet and knean until no longer sticky. Store in airtight container or Ziploc bag.

* This takes about 5 minutes to make. When my kids were toddlers, it was an easy, soothing distraction. 

*Variations: Use food coloring instead of Kool-Aid or baby oil instead of cooking oil.

*The Kool-Aid makes it scented...so pick a flavor you can tolerate. Grape grosses me out.

*This stuff lasts forEVER if you keep it airtight. I find that if I use Kool-Aid, I have to throw it out sooner because eventually it starts to smell ick.

*I give my kids a cookie sheet with a lip or my giant cutting board to play on. It helps keep the play dough off the table or floor. 

*Cream of tartar can be expensive, but I buy it in bulk on the spice aisle of my health food store...you can get a ton for CHEAP. 

*I've even made big batches of this as party favors...put it in a bag with some cookie cutters tied to the top and voila...cheap-o gift!

*Alright...I'll stop!

Menu Plan 3.20.09

1. Leslie's Poppy Seed Chicken
2. Spaghetti soup
3. Tacos
4. Burgers on the grill (nice weather--yay!)
5. Brats and hot dogs on the grill
6. Hot ham and cheese sandwiches
7. Imperial chicken
8. Skillet penne with sausage and spinach
9. Fajitas
10. Steak with blue cheese
11. Chili (for the snowy day we're supposed to have during SPRING break!)
12. Chipotle chicken and pasta
13. Chicken/Mac&Cheese (total kid meal)
14. Leftovers

Sides: salad, couscous, corn-on-the-cob, green beans, broccoli, french bread, chips/salsa

Leslie's Poppyseed Chicken

This is not my favorite meal, but Sarah and John love it and request it every once in awhile...

It's from my dear friend, Leslie.

PoppySeed Chicken

2 cans cream of chicken soup
16 oz sour cream
4 boneless skinless breasts, cooked and cubed (save some broth)
1 tube Ritz crackers, crushed (easiest if you crush before opening tube!)
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 cup chicken broth 
1/2 cup melted butter (I use 1/4 instead)

Mix soups, sour cream, chicken, 1/2 tube of crackers, 1 Tbsp poppy seeds and chicken broth in a medium bowl. Spread in 9x13 dish. Sprinkle remaining crackers and seeds on top. Pour butter over top. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350. 

*I like to serve over noodles or rice...otherwise, it's mostly "cream" and chicken.

*I also use fat-free sour cream, and much less butter than called for.

*Sometimes I mix my cracker crumbs for the top with the melted butter and poppy seeds and pour it all over the top at once.

Menu Plan 3.6.09

1. Homemade pizza

2. Allison's Chili

3. Spaghetti Soup (my MOST favorite!)

4. Parma-Rosa Chicken

5. Skillet penne with sausage and spinach

6. Tacos

7. Chicken Spaghetti

8. Spinach-stuffed flounder

9. Penne Arrabiata

10. Chipotle chicken pasta in fire-roasted cream sauce

11. Lentil-sausage soup

12. Teriyaki-glazed chicken

13. Leftover night

14. Soup supper at church

Spinach-Stuffed Flounder

Another favorite from Allrecipes.com. Very easy and ultra low-fat!

Penne Arrabiata

I've made this many times and we LOVE it. I got the recipe from Allrecipes.com and it is FANTASTIC!!! It is a little involved so I try to make it on the weekends when John can help me out in the kitchen! Here's the recipe link.

Parma-Rosa Chicken

I got this recipe from Betsy and my family loves it. She uses a rotisserie chicken, but I usually just saute some chicken breasts instead.

Parma-Rosa Chicken

1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1-2 packages of Knorr Parma Rosa sauce (on the aisle with seasoning packets)

(you'll need milk and butter to add to the sauce mix)

frozen broccoli florets, steamed

10 oz dried pasta--bow tie, rotini, penne, whatever--

Cook pasta. Meanwhile, saute chicken pieces in olive oil until nicely browned. Make parma-rosa sauce according to package directions. Mix everything together and serve with salad and bread. SO easy and good!

*Only one of my grocery stores carries the Knorr parma-rosa sauce, so I stock up on it when I'm there. Most of the time one mix is enough, but if you add too much pasta you might need another sauce mix or it will be dry!

Teriyaki-Glazed Chicken

Got this recipe from Jenna a couple of summer ago! Very tasty.

Teriyaki Glazed Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
4 medium carrots, julienned
1 medium sweet onion, julienned
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
Hot cooked rice
sesame seeds, toasted, optional
sliced green onions, optional


In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in 2 tablespoons oil for 6-8 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove chicken and set aside. In the same skillet, stir-fry carrots in remaining oil for 2 minutes. Add onion; stir-fry about 2-4 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.

Combine soy sauce and brown sugar; add to skillet. Bring to a boil. Return chicken to skillet. Boil for 5 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions if desired.