CSN Stores giveaway over at Stomach Rumblings

As my daughter's birthday quickly approaches, I have party planning on the brain. Especially baking and I realized that I need new cupcakes pans plus cake pans, especially a bundt cake pan. I was excited to come across a giveaway for a $35 CSN GC over at Stomach Rumblings!! This would really help buy the new cake pans that I need, keeping my fingers crossed :)

CSN Stores

As my little sweet pea's first birthday approaches, I have alot of planning to do. Two of the main things I'm concentrating on are cupcakes and a gift. Since I'm going to be doing the baking, I figure I would focus on finding something for baby girl. Since our daughter loves to be outside and with Spring on its way, I decided to check out CSN stores for ideas. CSN Stores has 200+ online stores and I knew it was the best place to start looking for swingsets, wagons and playhouses. Last fall when we took our evening walks, Abby loved swinging so I know a fun swingset would be perfect! Now for the hard part, deciding which one. I want something that is just right for her age and size, plus one that we would be able to add an infant swing to while she's still so little. I came across this one, hubby loves that it offers so much to keep her busy!

This one is definitely being added to my favorites! The best part of all, not only have I found a swing set we really like but CSN Stores also has infant swings! I can get both in one simple shopping trip without having to leave home (which it pretty much impossible here lately due to all the winter weather). I think while I'm having so much fun shopping I'll check out the bakeware CSN Stores offers. If I'm going to be baking, I'm going to need the right dishes! For now I should probably get back to party planning!


(I will receive a gift certificate in exchange for my review to either put towards an item to review or to offer to my readers. This is my honest opinions of CSN Stores; my opinion might differ from your's.)

New Week....Same Recipes lol

so....last week's menu was okay. The two new recipes I tried out of the Kraft Magazine weren't my favorite. The Chicken/Rice/Broccoli was okay but I think I will make a few changes next time around. This week is going to be pretty simple. A doubled batch of the LiL' Smokies with the Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole for tonight with leftovers tomorrow. More BBQ Chicken in the crockpot on Weds (can you tell hubby really likes this lol) with leftovers on Thurs. And a new recipe for Friday, Cheesy Chicken. With us moving in two weeks I have alot of packing to do and not much time for anything else. I'll get a new recipe posted on here soon :)

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

1 large pkg frozen SHREDDED hash brown, thawed
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken)
1 16 oz pkg grated cheddar cheese
1 small size container of french onion dip or use ranch dip to leave out onions
salt and pepper to taste

Put hash browns in 9 x 13 pan or oven proof dish (I like glass). Mix all other ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir well. Pour over hash browns, spread until evenly distributed. Bake 350 degrees for appx 1 hr.

My stepmom first made this one night when hubby and I went in for his drill. My hubby loved it which is pretty unusual because he normally doesn't like things like this. I got the recipe and made it for us...and it was so easy!! I have changed it up a little bit each time. I noticed it was insanely think the first time so the second time I made it I used the soup can and added a little water. Much better! When I made it this week I actually tried it with the Ranch Dip for the first time...and we love it that way! I think I'll use the Ranch Dip from now on!

Not only am I sharing my recipe here but I'm also having a ball reading about other awesome recipes listed at Ramblings of a Marine Wife! She's having awesome giveaways for cookbooks and everyone is listing their favorite recipes!! I can't wait to try some of them!

This Week's Menu..

is kicking my butt LOL I was so determined to conquer this learning to cook decision that on Friday I sat down and planned a menu for the entire week then made my grocery list. I hunted through my Karft Magazines, stalked allrecipes.com, even asked my ladies on the military spouse forum I love... I have my mind made up and I will do this :)

My Menu....lol no I didn't set a certain day to a certain meal...we never know what we might be in the mood for.

Cocktail Sausages in BBQ sauce
Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

Sirloin Tip Roast in the Crock-pot with carrots and potatoes
Garlic Bread or Rolls

BBQ Chicken in the Crock-pot
Fries

Velveeta Cheeseburger Mac
Corn (me) Beans (hubby)
Garlic Bread

Velveeta Chicken/Rice/Broccoli
Corn
Garlic Bread

yep....give or take a few changes to the side items. The Cheeseburger Mac was a flop...it really didn't have any taste to it and neither of us really liked it so its not a keeper. I have the Roast cooking today...leftovers for tomorrow since we'll be really busy.

I have discovered that I do not have everything I need...I need more pots and pans, measuring cups and spoons, containers.... lol I told hubby that if he wants me to cook I want a better equipped kitchen :)

A Funny Little Story

First off...let me admit something really quick.......
I CAN NOT COOK lol

or better put...I can't really cook because in the last year I have learned....three recipes lol

I never bothered to learn to cook while growing up...for many reasons but really it wasn't my thing. I would much rather be outside helping my dad and granddad than stuck in the kitchen. As I got into my teens I did start making simple desserts...lol my dad and brother were thrilled. I made my dad's birthday cake each year, learned to make a few different pies, brownies of course...nothing major. I just never bothered to learn to make anything that could be called dinner...except Hamburger Helper. Oh yes...good ole Hamburger Helper, my speciality...LOL

When I met my husband I flat out told him from the start that I couldn't cook. It didn't bother him, he was a cook and would take care of it. Now, almost married for four years he admits that he seriously thought I was joking. Ummm...nope, sorry :) It hasn't been too much of a problem, when we lived in Louisiana he would either bring stuff home from the restaurant, he cooked or I made my wonderful Hamburger Helper. Then hubby headed off for Basic Training and I ordered pizza, ate sandwiches, or ...yep, you guess it...HH :) Then hubby deployed and my sister and her wonderful hubby the chef invited me over for dinner. Do you see a pattern yet? I avoided having to cook, saw no reason.

I did get a little more brave in the kitchen once hubby came home from deployment. I made a wonderful roast in the crock-pot (my best friend!), learned how to make real mashed potatoes, and of course always bake him a cake/cupcakes for his birthday. For the 4th of July last year I decided to make two cakes...American Flag and Orangecicle...Then when I got pregnant I got a tiny bit braver. I started asking my stepmom for recipes...she made this Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole one night when we went to visit and hubby loved it; I decided to try and make it for him. Then Christmas was upon us and I was not capable to travel very far. My family always celebrates at my sister's house and her husband cooks so that was taken care of. However now that we lived in a house and had more room we really wanted hubby's family to come up and celebrate with us. I decided (and I still blame this on the pregnancy lol) to tackle my daddy's dressing. Yes, that's right...homemade dressing from scratch. Although I burned the bottom of my cornbread (which doesn't matter since you just crumble it up for the dressing) the dressing itself was a huge hit! I did it!! I couldn't believe how well it turned out.

Now that the baby is here and I'm a SAHM...well...it just makes sense for me to cook dinner. Hubby leaves for work really early and comes home really late. He barely gets to spend time with our daughter and relax...why should he waste that time cooking. I have really been thinking hard about this. 4th of July weekend I decided to cook for hubby so he could enjoy the day with our daughter. And I decided to go all out...BBQ Chicken! I looked up some recipes online, found an easy one that sounded simple...got out my handy dandy crock-pot and made a grocery list. I was a nervous wreck to say the least. I had no idea how to even know if the chicken was properly cooked...the only meats I had ever worked with were hamburger meat and a roast. Well, it came time to eat...and I once again I was floored...I didn't mess it up! Hubby loved it!!

Ya know what...I might actually be able to do this! So...my journey begins. I'm determined to learn to cook all kinds of tasty meals for my family. I sat down with my Kraft Food Magazines and seared the web and came up with some ideas for dinner every night for next week. Of course hubby had a request for the Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole and even wanted the BBQ Chicken again :)

Then the blog idea came to me...I can share my fun experiences with everyone, share some of my favorite recipes, and even let my followers share some recipes with me so I can learn even more! The "one burnt dish at a time" is a poke of fun at myself lol...the night I made my BBQ Chicken I also made two pans of brownies and for the first time ever, I burned one pan so bad that it was ruined LOL I told hubby that I might have accomplished cooking the chicken but now I can't even cook brownies right ;)

I hope you enjoy my blog, share some laughs with me, and maybe even share some ideas with me :)

Let the fun begin!

Blog is under construction....please forgive the mess :)