Corn Chowder

Prepare yourself for a creamy spoonful of heaven!  You've been warned!

With the snow, I decided it's "Take Lunch To Your Husband's Office Day"! Nobody likes to venture out in the nastiness to sit in a drive-thru with other hungry, freezing people!  Such a lonely, cold line of cars!

A gal I used to work with brought this recipe to my office one wintery day (maybe this is why I associate offices with Corn Chowder). It sat, all day, in it's warm little crock pot just longing to be ladled. It somehow made the day more bearable (not to mention, productive) and I suddenly had a stronger affection for my co-worker!

Here is the recipe...

Corn Chowder

1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup
1/2 block (4 oz) cream cheese
2 1/2 cups half & half cream
3 tablespoons of butter
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced (fancy word for finely chopped)
1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15 oz) can cream style corn
2 large zucchini, sliced and diced into quarter pieces (chop smaller if desired)
1 cup green chiles (canned or fresh)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

In a pot, combine the cheese soup, half & half cream, and cream cheese. Over low heat, stir until combined.

In a skillet, sauté butter and garlic. Add zucchini and cook until it starts to soften. Add whole kernel corn and stir. Add to liquid mixture in pot.

After you've added the vegetables to the pot, add cream style corn and green chiles. Stir.

Let simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. Salt & pepper to taste.

Top with cheese (I used a mixture of Monterey Jack & Cheddar) and serve with your favorite cornbread recipe (today, mine is Jiffy...life is harried).

Your family (and co-workers) will love you!

Ode to the Kringle!

Ode to the Kringle, my new Favorite Thing!

(The Cherry Kringle, my first, my beloved!)

When a friend brings me food, it undoubtedly elevates them to "Super Friend" status! I suddenly adore that person a little bit more than the day before (my pants, on the other hand, hate them).

(It's like that little white box that screams "I'm full of donuts"! The moment I see one, there's a party in my head.  I need help...a pastry intervention!)

My Wisconsin friend, Sheila, loves me! I know this to be true because she gave me the gift of food (my pants hate her)! I have now experienced the divinity of a Danish Kringle and can die a happy girl (with angry pants)!

The O & H Danish Bakery in Racine, Wisconsin must be a magical place! I envision little pastry elves working tirelessly, through the night, to crank out the most delectable creations. There must be elves, no human could possibly make something so extraordinary!

Have I mentioned how much I love Danish Kringles?

I see a support group in my future (wearing bigger pants).

Here is a peek.....prepare yourself!

(Pecan......Honey, hush!)

(Cream Cheese, this is Sheila's favorite. I wholeheartedly trust her judgement! She is, after all, the Kringle Fairy!)

(Blueberry, I'm pretty sure Little Man would trade me in for one of these! In his world, the streets in heaven will be paved with blueberries!)

(Turtle, I...have...no...words! Where are my yoga pants?)

Order one for you, one for a friend, two for you, one for a family member, three for you.....just order an even dozen...or two! They freeze well and will forever keep you at "Super Friend" status!

Please tell your pants, I'm sorry! 

PS. This will make my Christmas shopping so much easier this year! If you're on my list, act surprised!

(Photos from O & H Danish Bakery)

Frozen Yogurt Bites

Little Man + Probiotics = Happy Mommy! 

Enough said......

Fortunately for me, he's a mondo fan of yogurt!

Before the spoon could actually reach his mouth, he wore more yogurt than he consumed.  Seriously, I should've just poured the yogurt on the floor...the end result would've been the same.

One day, as I was mopping the floor AGAIN and adding 4 more containers of yogurt to my grocery list, I had an epiphany!

What good is an epiphany if you don't share, right?

Frozen Yogurt Bites

Fill small Ziploc bag half full of your favorite yogurt. Press out air and seal.

(I had an almost empty tub of Strawberry so it worked out perfectly. Love it when that happens!)

Squeeze yogurt to one corner of bag, snip off corner with scissors. I usually cut a little larger opening if there's fruit in the yogurt.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop small amounts on paper (whatever size you want) and place baking sheet in freezer for about an hour.

(Mommy needs a manicure...and lotion. Guess I need to put those ripe bananas out of their misery! This is a disturbing look into my chaotic thoughts.)

(Are you tear-challenged like me? Super Hunk won't even allow me to open cereal bags anymore!)

Remove from freezer, peel from paper and place in freezer safe container.

Tip: They melt pretty quickly so don't let them sit out too long before eating.

A healthy snack, you and your munchkins will love!

"Honey, you're gonna make it!"

Today, I lost my chiropractic virginity!


That sounds naughty so let me rephrase...


Today, I had my first official Chiropractor appointment.


Snap...crack...pop (I'm suddenly hungry for cereal).


After a few moments of medical history and examination, I was diagnosed with "Mommy-itis"! Apparently, hauling and hoisting a 35 pound toddler is tough on an old lady's back! Who knew?


While discussing this brut of a toddler, my Chiropractor shared about her two boys. She was sympathetic to my "Mommy-itis"! In fact, she told me the following story.


"One morning, in an attempt to fly out of the house and get to church on time, my youngest son vomited on me. Not just on me, all down the front of me...and him. After a whirlwind change of clothes, I arrived at the Church Nursery. The sweet little old Southern lady, standing behind the counter said "Darlin', are you alright?"  I explained the prior vomit situation and she must've sensed my frazzled state. She responded with this piece of wisdom, "Honey, you're gonna make it! You may not look like much when you get there...but you're gonna make it!"


I will forever cherish this piece of wisdom on those screwball days when I feel schizo.


I will hold it close...as a ray of hope...a beacon of light...that I'm gonna make it!


But more importantly, you're going to make it too...looking just as disheveled as me!


"Honey, you're gonna make it!"


(Now I need to invent something fashionable for an ice pack on the move. Who has time to sit and ice for 20 minutes?)

Jesus wants you to chill out!

Dear Moms, Jesus Wants You To Chill Out!

FACT: If your children can’t read by age four, there is a 95% chance they will end up homeless and on drugs.

FACT: If your children eat any processed food, there is an 85% chance they will contract a rare, most likely incurable disease, by age 12.

FACT: If you’re not up at dawn reading the Bible to your children, you are most likely a pagan caught in the clutches of witchcraft.

FACT: If your children watch more than 10 minutes of television a day, there is 75% chance they will end up in a violent street gang by age 17.

Obviously, the “facts” listed above are not true (at least, I don’t think they are). But, I’ve noticed that the Internet has made it much easier for people, Moms in particular, to compare themselves to each other. 

Moms, Jesus wants you to chill out!  You don’t have to make homemade bread to be a faithful Mom. You don’t have to sew your children’s clothing to be a faithful Mom. You don’t have to coupon, buy all organic produce, keep a journal, scrapbook, plant a garden, or make your own baby food to be a faithful Mom. There’s nothing wrong with these things, but they’re also not in your biblical job description.

Your job description is as follows:

• Love God. This simply means finding some time during the day to meet with the Lord. It doesn’t have to be before all the kids are awake. It doesn’t have to be in the pre-dawn stillness. Your job is to love God. How you make that happen can look a million different ways.

• Love your husband (unless you’re a single mom, of course). Your second job is to love and serve your husband. Husbands are to do the same for their wives, but that’s for a different post. If your husband really likes homemade bread, make it for him. But don’t make it because you see other Moms posting pictures of their homemade bread on Facebook.

• Love your kids. Your calling as Mom is to love your kids and teach them to follow the Lord. They don’t need to know Latin by age six. If they do, more power to you. But that’s a bonus, not part of the job description. Your job is simply to love your kids with all your exhausted heart, and to teach them to love Jesus. That’s a high calling. Don’t go throwing in other, extraneous things to make your life more difficult. If you want to teach your kids to sew, great. But don’t be crushed by guilt if your kids aren’t making stylish blazers by the age of 10.

Moms, Jesus want you to rest in Him. He wants you to chill out. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Don’t compare yourself to other Moms. Don’t try to be something God hasn’t called you to be. Be faithful to what He has truly called you to do and know that He is pleased with you!

Love God, love your husband, love your kids. Keep it simple and chill out! Xoxoxo

(Original article found at The Blazing Center)

Snow pretty!

Our weather has been one extreme to the other but I don't hear anybody complaining.


In fact, I think the cold weather lovers and the warm weather lovers are hugging it out! They've found common ground...such a peaceful union!


While I refuse to pack away my scarves (I'm on the cold team), I respect the warm team's desire to wear shorts...even though I know, deep down, the cold team will rise again! :-)


Today, the warm (and windy) team scores! It's sunny...balmy...down right, springy outside.  This can't be, I haven't slathered myself in sunless tanning lotion or painted my toes yet! What's a cold weather girl to do?


So I'll reminisce about the cold days past, longing for them to appear once more.


Here are a few of my favorite moments from our last snow...what a glorious snow it was!

This is our old Border Collie (who we refer to as "Old Man"), he's a crazed maniac when it comes to balls...Frisbees...pretty much anything you can heave, hurl, flip, fling or launch. He's a good boy!

I'm not sure where these birds were going but they had a brief meeting and parted ways. Is that considered a meeting of the tiny minds? Hmmmmmmm.....

"Where the sidewalk ends and the road begins...". Do you now have George Strait stuck in your head...that was not Dusty's finest hour, in my cinematic opinion!

"So happy to be outside, so happy to be outside, I'm hungry, so happy to be outside!"

"Can I have a snack? Do I have to go inside to eat it?"

Little Man is on the cold team too!

What team are you on?

The CORE of your kitchen **WINNER**

(Photos from corekitchenshop.com)

***************WINNER*********************************************
Little Man did the drawing!

~ Carla Hughes ~ (her comment is worth sharing) -
I have several favorites but, my favorite kitchen gadget isn't new. My favorite holds a sentimental value.....it's my hand crank flour sifter and standing cheese grater. Both were my grandmother's. I have no memory of meeting her since she passed shortly after my birth but when I use them it makes me feel like I have. I can't help but think every time I pick one up to use she and I are baking or cooking together.

Congrats! Send your mailing address to wifemcfrugal@gmail.com to receive your prize!

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Because it's Friday...because I love you...and because I'm infatuated with Core Kitchen...I'm giving away my favorite Core Kitchen utensil! 


Yippee...woo hoo...hip-hip-hooray...three cheers for FREE!


Kitchen utensils are a funny thing. An average spoon just stirs, an average spatula merely flips...but the perfect utensil makes every kitchen task a bit more merry! Let's face it, there are days when we need a little more merriment!

I stumbled upon Core Kitchen with an impulse spatula buy. I was initially drawn to it because of its color...."pretty!"  The bamboo handle and silicone were a bonus....remember, it's "pretty"!

Core Kitchen's products are first class, and aesthetically pleasing ("PRETTY!"). They are also affordable and make great gifts (If your birthday is coming up, sorry...this may or may not be your present).


If this is your first Core introduction, I encourage you to get to know them...you WON'T be disappointed!

This week, I'm giving away my Core Kitchen Favorite Thing, the Silicone & Bamboo Pointed Spatula in Lime Green (it was a hard choice, the turquoise is equally as lovely)! 

Trust me, this little gem will become your best friend...your trusty kitchen companion!

To enter, comment below with your favorite kitchen gadget. The winner will be selected randomly and announced on Saturday! (If you have problems, see my Comments on Commenting post for step-by-step instructions.)

Happy Friday and good luck!

Here are a few other adorable Core Kitchen products: (http://corekitchenshop.com/)