Sausage & Cheese Muffins- Pinspiration Project Week 8

Welcome to the Eighth Edition of the Pinspiration Project Link Up from Beth at Masterpiece.

But before we get to my project for the week, allow me to introduce the Pinspiration Project.

There is a page (linked at the top of Beth's website) where you can find the button code for this link up as well as the images for the 0 – 5 Pins rating system. Feel free to find a Pinterest Project (recipe, craft, or etc.), create it, write about it on your blog, and link it up below. Looking forward to reading about the Pinspiration that you choose to share.

 I am preparing for my annual blog linkup and am pinning and starting to take advantage of the new "secret" boards- have you tried them yet? This years theme is, "A Very Pinteresting Christmas". It runs December 3-21 . It will be 15 days of fun Pinteresting Christmas ideas, with a IRL kickoff party in my home on November 30th with a few of my closest friends. I am really getting excited. I hope that you will join in on the fun with me and also join in with Beth at Masterpiece each week with her Pinspiration Project! Be sure to grab my button on the left side of my blog!

This weeks Pinspiration Project is from Plain Chicken- don't you love that blog name?

Source: plainchicken.com via ShaRhonda on Pinterest

Sausage & Cheese Muffins (recipe taken directly from Plain Chicken's site, my changes are marked in parentheses, with hers crossed out)
1 lb. hot (mild) ground pork sausage
1 tsp onion powder
3 cups all-purpose baking mix
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk (water or milk will work too) (I used skim milk and 1 C)

Cook sausage and onion in a large skillet over medium to med-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and no longer pink. Drain and cool.

Preheat oven to 375. Combine sausage, baking mix, and shredded cheese in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Stir together the soup and buttermilk; add to sausage mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon into lightly greased mini muffin tins, filling to tops of cups. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. (Yields 24)

Now, I will tell you a little secret about this mixture. It is THICK!!! I had to use my Extra Hands that I received a few years ago at my church's Christmas Gathering. Which BTW was the last two nights and was a blessing!!! This years gifts were a vintage ornament, an insulated lunch tote, a chevron bag and the BIG gift, a decorative tabletop lantern. My family loved these muffins, I think they are a little heavy- weight wise. My kids still wanted scrambled eggs with them though. What can I say, we love breakfast for dinner and if there is some left for breakfast in the morning- BONUS!!

I give this project...

What was your Pinspiration Project for the week? 

Please visit Beth at Masterpiece and link up.
Beth is actually postponing this project this week until after Thanksgiving, but be thinking about linking up and be sure to visit all of the past projects.

Crockpot Italian Chicken- Pinspiration Project Week 7

Welcome to the Seventh Edition of the Pinspiration Project Link Up from Beth at Masterpiece.

But before we get to my project for the week, allow me to introduce the Pinspiration Project.

There is a page (linked at the top of Beth's website) where you can find the button code for this link up as well as the images for the 0 – 5 Pins rating system. Feel free to find a Pinterest Project (recipe, craft, or etc.), create it, write about it on your blog, and link it up below. Looking forward to reading about the Pinspiration that you choose to share.

I have actually completed four Pinterest Projects this week. I am preparing for my annual linkup. This years theme is,  "A Very Pinteresting Christmas". It runs December 3-21 . It will be 15 days of fun Pinteresting Christmas ideas, with a IRL kickoff party in my home on November 30th with a few of my closest friends. I am really getting excited. I hope that you will join in on the fun with me and also join in with Beth at Masterpiece each week with her Pinspiration Project! Be sure to grab my button on the left side of my blog!

This week's project is Crockpot Italian Chicken from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via ShaRhonda on Pinterest

Ingredients ( taken exactly from her site) 4 chicken breasts
1 packet dry Zesty Italian dressing (Regular is fine but I like zesty better. Sometimes I use a packet and a half.)
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1-2 cans cream of chicken soup (depending how cream cheesy you want it)

Instructions:
Place the chicken in a crockpot and sprinkle Italian dressing over it. Combine cream cheese and cream of chicken soup in a small pot over low heat and pour over chicken. Cook on low in the crockpot for at least 4 hours. You can leave it in there all day. Once chicken is done you can leave the chicken breasts whole, cube it, or even shred it. I always cut the breasts into tenderloin size strips.

Once you have cut up the chicken, throw it back in the crockpot and stir into the sauce. If you feel the sauce is too thick you can thin it to your preferred consistency with a little milk. Serve over pasta or rice.

The before picture. I always forget the after. Besides that's what is above.

Here are my findings. The sauce stuck to my crockpot terribly. I didn't spray my crock. Yuck. This resulted in a loss of about half my sauce, and an awful mess to clean up. Uh, oh! My family loved the recipe though. I served it over a pasta called- flowers?!? It was pretty!

I give this pin a rating of...

What was your Pinspiration Project for the week? 

Please visit Beth at Masterpiece and link up.

Stove Clean Scene- Pinspiration Project Week 6

   

Welcome to the Sixth Edition of the Pinspiration Project Link Up from Beth at Masterpiece.

But before we get to  my project for the week, allow me to introduce the Pinspiration Project.

There is a page (linked at the top of Beth's website) where you can find the button code for this link up as well as the images for the 0 – 5 Pins rating system. Feel free to find a Pinterest Project (recipe, craft, or etc.), create it, write about it on your blog, and link it up below. Looking forward to reading about the Pinspiration that you choose to share.

 

 I have a gas stove. 

Anyone who cooks with gas knows that the grease, grime, burned on food on the grates and drip pans is nearly impossible to get off. I have tried Comet, Soft Scrub, my dishwasher, everything imaginable. 

During Fall Break, I even priced at Lowe's replacement parts. Yeah, that is not happening in the near future. The double drip pans alone are $12.99 and only come in black.

On Tuesday night, I found the following pin on Pinterest.

I guess she just had nasty grates to contend with.

 

Source: pinchingyourpennies.com via ShaRhonda on Pinterest

    Warning: What you are about to see is disgusting.  I am ashamed, that I let the mashed potatoes last week boil over and hadn't cleaned it before now.

  Supplies needed:  1 gallon Ammonia- $2 rubber gloves scouring pads  large sealable container, I used an ice chest well ventilated space

Now, I must warn you when you start a Pinterest project such as this you will probably end up opening an entire stove clean scene. I mean really how can you have a clean cook top and the inside not be cleaned as well.

You are going to put the grates and pans into the large container and pour the ammonia over them. Let them sit overnight. My burner covers and the left drip pan were clean within about six hours. During that time is when you will do the other clean scene.

 

Now, I am not going to lie to you, you still have to use a little elbow grease. At least I did. Some of my baked on black,  I am sure had been on there for a good nine years. It is back wrenching elbow grease and grime. 

Be prepared for some work, but be even more prepared for the shock that I am about to reveal.

"Whoa Mommy, did you get a new stove?", straight out of the mouth of my five year old daughter.

I'm giving this Pinterest Project...

...because, cleaning is just not worth 5 pins, it did take more muscle than the original pin said, and unfortunately that stove is not going to stay clean forever.

What was your Pinspiration Project for the week? 

Please visit Beth at Masterpiece and link up.

 

Meatball Bubble Biscuits- Pinspiration Project Week 5

Welcome to the Fifth Edition of the Pinspiration Project Link Up from Beth at Masterpiece.

But before we get to  my project for the week, allow me to introduce the Pinspiration Project.

There is a page (linked at the top of Beth's website) where you can find the button code for this link up as well as the images for the 0 – 5 Pins rating system. Feel free to find a Pinterest Project (recipe, craft, or etc.), create it, write about it on your blog, and link it up below. Looking forward to reading about the Pinspiration that you choose to share.

I'm thinking every one of you will be extremely proud of me this week. I did not choose a Crockpot recipe.

Finally cooler temps = OVEN!!!

Source: richestoragsbydori.blogspot.com via ShaRhonda on Pinterest

This recipe came from a pin on *Riches to Rags" by Dori. As always I include her recipe, but I will tell you my changes/shortcuts in parentheses.

Meatball Bubble Biscuits

1 can Pillsbury golden layers biscuits - each pulled into 2 layers (I used Great Value Homestyle and didn't separate)
10 frozen fully cooked Italian style meatballs - thawed and cut in half  (I used the Great Value Homestyle meatballs. We don't care for the aftertaste of the Italian style)

2 sticks string cheese - cut each into 10 pieces (I used shredded mozzarella cheese, the kids ate all the string cheese-imagine that!)
1 T Parmesan cheese (I used the powdered stuff)
1/2 t Italian seasoning
1/4 t garlic powder

1 C marinara sauce

Heat oven to 375. Separate biscuits into 2 layers (I didn't do this). Place 1 meatball half and one piece of cheese into each biscuit, wrap dough around it and seal edges (I sandwiched a pinch of mozzarella cheese between two halves, so that I had one meatball per biscuit, then made sure my biscuit wrapped around the meatball, pinching the seam). Place seam side down into 9 inch round cake pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic powder. and Italian seasoning. Bake 18-20 min or until golden brown. Serve warm with warm sauce. (I didn't use, this time)

Here's a picture of my end result.
 I am truly not a food photog or I would have snapped before I served.

I served these with Kraft Madagascar shaped Macaroni & Cheese. They were a quick hit. But, ten wasn't near enough...

My family gives this pin a rating of:

What was your Pinterest Project for the week? Make sure you visit Beth at Masterpiece and link up!

CrockPot Italian Chicken 3 in 1- Pinspiration Project

Welcome to the Third Edition of the Pinspiration Project Link Up. 

I am actually hosting this week’s link-up because Beth at Masterpiece has had one of those weeks. 

Be sure to lift her and her family in your prayers and stop by her blog and leave some comment love. 

But before we get to that … allow me to introduce the Pinspiration Project.

There is a page (linked at the top of Beth's website) where you can find the button code for this link up as well as the images for the 0 – 5 Pins rating system. Feel free to find a Pinterest Project (recipe, craft, or etc.), create it, write about it on your blog, and link it up below. Looking forward to reading about the Pinspiration that you choose to share.

My Pinspiration Project for this week is actually one of my own pins. But since I had never really linked it to my blog and put it on here, I figured it was okay to use for this project.

Shhh...I didn't see any rules against that. Just because I put it on Pinterest, doesn't mean I came up with the recipe.  I actually got the recipe from my friend and co-football mom Sheila and then I gave it a name.

Crockpot Italian Chicken 3 in 1 

4 frozen chicken breast

6 small potatoes

2 cans green beans, drained 

1/2 bottle Italian dressing or more to liking. You are welcome to make your own dressing if you would like.

Spray your crock with cooking spray, add the chicken, cube your potatoes- I leave the skin on mine, then top with green beans.

Cook on high 4-6 hrs until chicken and potatoes are done! You may want to wait and add green beans until about half way through cooking time, depending on how well cooked you like your beans. My family doesn't seem to mind overcooked green beans in this recipe.

My family gives this pin a rating of:

What was you Pinterest Project for the week? Link up below and show us!

Reading with a Five Year Old- The Pinspiration Project

Today's Pinspiration Project is a little different. 

It doesn't involve food or a craft. 

Shocker. 

Then how can it possibly be Pinteresting, you ask?

Pinterest isn't just about food or crafts, it is about the the things and interests that drive you. 

This Pinspiration Project involves my kids, my kindergarten daughter in particular, it involves books and reading. I love reading.

I repinned this pin about a month ago.

Source: wegivebooks.org via ShaRhonda @ The 4-Crow's on Pinterest

"Jumpstart’s premiere national campaign Read for the Record, presented in partnership with the Pearson Foundation, is one day of the year when millions of individuals come together to celebrate literacy and support Jumpstart in its efforts to promote early childhood education. On October 4th- yesterday, people across the country were encouraged to read the children’s book Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad, by David Soman and Jacky Davis." The book is still available to be read along with countless other well known titles. I cannot emphasize how much I love the site We Give Books, which was created by the Penguin Group and the Pearson Foundation and houses books for ages 4-10. My only complaint- its not Kindle Fire or iPhone friendly. It is perfect for the PC and I can only imagine how beautiful it is on those fancy classroom smartboards.

Kaybrie is slowly learning to read, she already knows some site words and she is participating in the Pizza Hut Book It! Program at her school. She must read/have read to her a minimum of 20 book each month and then will be rewarded with her very own pizza coupon. October is her first month participating in this program. This program has been active for 27 years and the site offers some amazing tips and resources.

I track the books I read and review them through an app called GoodReads. I have set Kaybrie up her very own shelf on my account. This acts as an accountability to myself and allows her a long term look to see what she has actually read. The app posts all books I read to Facebook, Twitter and here at The 4-Crow's. I hope that it also encourages other parents to read to their children and maybe gives them a recommendation of some fun and useful reads.

Next year, I hope that I am able to participate in the Read for the Record campaign in a larger capacity than just Kaybrie and myself. To be able to make a difference in early education and close the gaps of those children who are behind would be a huge service and blessing to my community.

On a scale of 0-5 pins, this pin find is a...

What is your Pinspiration Project of the week? Go link up with Beth at Masterpiece.

Cream Cheese Sausage Pinwheels- The Pinspiration Project #1

My friend Beth at Masterpiece kicked off the Premier Edition of her "The Pinspiration Project" Blog Hop this week! I am really excited about this, because not only do I get to support Beth, but it makes me link up and share here on my blog all of the wonderful recipes/crafts that I too find on Pinterest.

There is a page (linked at the top of Beth's website) where you can find the button code for this link up as well as the images for the 0 – 5 Pins rating system. Feel free to find a Pinterest Project (recipe, craft, or etc.), create it, write about it on your blog, and link it up. Looking forward to reading about the Pinspiration that you choose to share, be sure to leave me a comment if you do link up, so I can make sure I am following you on Pinterest.

In all this week, my family has been a victim of 3 Pinterest recipes.  Hawaiian Meatballs on Monday, CrockPot Lasagna on Wednesday and for today's Pinspiration Project- Cream Cheese Sausage Pinwheels!!! Yay, breakfast food for dinner on Friday night!

I originally found this recipe from my friend Leslie when she made it for us for Teacher Appreciation week at my former job. I begged for the recipe and of course she said, go to my Yum! board on Pinterest. She pinned it from a blog called Take a Bite of my Life. The following of course is her recipe, with a few of my own tweaks.

Here are a few on a dish, after the rest were mostly devoured.

Sorry for no prep pics, Friday's are a little hectic around here with all the hype from the week, and it takes all I can do to get their bellies full and get them in slowdown mode.

Cream Cheese Sausage Pinwheels

1 Roll Breakfast Sausage
1 Tube Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (I use two tubes of reduced fat)
1 Pkg Softened Cream Cheese (I use 1/3 Fat Free)

*Shredded cheddar cheese if desired, this time I sprinkled some over my cheese mixture after I had spread it over the dough.

Brown sausage and drain. In a large bowl, combine cooked sausage with softened cream cheese. Remove crescent roll dough from packaging do not separate sections, and roll out into a rectangle, sealing the perforated areas with your fingers- so the cream cheese doesn't ooze out of the cracks! Spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough in a thin even layer.* Roll the dough lengthwise (if you roll from the short side- the pinwheels will be fatter- but you wont get as many!)

THIS NEXT PART IS IMPORTANT FOR PRETTY PINWHEELS if you are serving them to someone besides your family... (obviously I didn't heed these instructions this time)

Once rolled up- refrigerate for at least 20 mins. Cut in about 1/4" sections and lay on baking sheet. Bake for about 15 mins at 350 or until crescent roll is cooked. I use two baking sheets.

The rest is easy, just cool and eat!! Warning: They disappear fast! I cracked some eggs, scrambled 'em up and served them along with these last night and of course my family always tells me MAKE AGAIN!!! I think I am going to try diced ham instead of sausage next time....

Obviously this Pinspiration Project on a scale of 0 – 5 Pins is getting: