Boot Supporters

Remember these?  

Well, ever since I made them for my mom, she's been making a bunch for the rest of her boots while she watches TV.   Instead of fur, she uses fabric.  While I was shopping at Marshall's I found a whole wall of these.

I guess the word is out.  :)

Cheers!

Taco Chicken

I have to share this with you.  It was a pin that lasted three days.  It was also the easiest pin I think that we've tried.  I'm calling it Taco Chicken, or Chicken Tacos.  Enjoy!

Taco Chicken

2-6 chicken breasts (we used 4)
16 oz. jar of salsa
package of taco seasoning

Pour the whole jar of salsa into a slow cooker.  Mix in the package of taco seasoning.  Add the chicken breasts on top of the salsa.  You can spoon some of the salsa on top of the chicken to cover them.  Cook on low for 6-8 hrs.  That's is.  After it's done cooking, the chicken will shred apart.  It should look like this:

Then, you just make tacos like you normally would.  We made soft tacos with wheat tortillas, added some cheese and lettuce and went to town.  They were really good.

Because we made the chicken with four pieces, we had a LOT left over.  Kevin ended up using some of the chicken the next day to make a quick quesadilla for lunch.  Way easy.  For dinner, we altered the "8 Can Taco Soup" recipe.  It's also really easy and filling and makes great leftovers.

8 Can Taco Soup

1  15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1  15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1  14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1  15.25 oz can sweet corn, drained
1  12.5 oz can white chicken breast, drained (we used our leftover taco chicken)
1  10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup
1  10 oz can green enchilada sauce
1  14 oz can chicken broth (we make this from powdered bouillon.  WAY cheaper...)
1 packet taco seasoning

There you have it!  The second meal with the Taco Chicken.  The soup was just as good as the first time we made it.  Sprinkle some cheese on the top and break up a taco shell to add some crunchies and you're good to go!

The last meal we made with the taco chicken was oven baked tacos.  Got the idea from this pin.  We didn't follow it exactly, basically just used the oven idea.  We got some hard shells, lined them up in a baking dish, put the taco chicken on the bottom and added cheese.  Baked them in the oven and topped them with lettuce and sour cream when they came out.  Very easy and so nice eating a taco that doesn't fall apart with the first bite.  We will definitely try her whole recipe some time in the future.

So, if you're keeping track, we made 3 dinners and 7 lunches from 4 chicken breasts.  All for less than $15.  Not bad.  Not bad at all.  :)

Cheers!

Stats:
Time: prep- 5 mins, slow cooker- 6-8 hrs
Servings: 13
Leftovers:  Definitely
Cost: less than $15 

Mild Pinterest Addiction

I love Pinterest! And I'm proud of it. There, it's out in the open. Ever since I spent the summer in unemployment limbo I've been hooked. What started as a way to pass the time (just browsing and actually finding projects to work on) has turned into a mild obsession. I just can't tear myself away from all of the great recipes, style suggestions, gift ideas, and decorating/DIY projects. Not to mention all of the random funny stuff. If only there were more hours in a day to actually do everything I have pinned. And if only I could eat all of the great food without turning into a whale. Here's to a year of pinning!

Pinterest Christmas 2012

So, I may have mentioned earlier that my goal for this past Christmas was to make it a Pinterest Christmas.  I was hoping to make everyone's presents.  I wanted to save some money and I personally think that handmade presents are better.  Well, I didn't take into account how long it takes to make things.  I was able to get a few things done, but not everything I had on my list.  Good thing there are always birthdays and pinterest parties!

Here's the run down of Pinterest Christmas 2012...

My most important pin, and most tedious, was for my mom.  Boot shapers.  I really liked these and I knew she would too.  I had really good instructions, I just needed to find all the stuff and make them.  I think they turned out really good for the first try!

Who doesn't love Christmas cookies?  Not the Haus of Kendi, that's for sure!  Kevin is really good in the kitchen and he wanted to bake all his family's traditions this year, included Peanut Blossoms, Sugar Cookies and Nuts & Bolts (Chex Mix).  I can't think of a better treat to hand out at Christmas, can you?  :)  I tried some new recipes I found on Pinterest.  Some worked, some didn't.  More on the pintatrophies later...

All dressed up and baking Peanut Blossoms

Crushing candy canes for cookies

Frosting sugar cookies

The baking pin successes were Puppy Chow (recipe here) and Peppermint Brownie Cookies (recipe here).  Both were really easy and straight forward.  My only change, I added a lot more powdered sugar to the Puppy Chow than what was in the recipe.  Two more winners!

Puppy Chow

Finished cookies

We also make some mixes for our family and friends too: Kevin's Pancake Mix and Instant Hot Cocoa Mix.

 

Instant hot chocolate packaged and ready to give!

And last but not least, I followed these instructions and the instructions on the package to make an etched monogram beer mug for Kevin's brother.  Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of the finished product, but it turned out better than I thought it would!

Dad helping me cut out the "R" stencil

My mom also got in on the Pinterest Christmas, but she didn't realize that she had.  She made me a make-up brush travel roll!  She got the instructions from the PBS show "Deals", but I found some on pinterest here.  She made it out of a hand towel so it could be washed and picked brown so you wouldn't see make-up stains.  I totally love it!!

Final pin tally: 5

I hope this inspires you all to try some of the things you find on Pinterest.  This Christmas alone, I've added two new recipes and two new skills to my repertoire!  

Cheers!

Menu Sample - One Week

The most common New Year's Resolution is to lose weight.  That was one of my 2012 resolutions.  It was the only one that I completed.  If you have been reading trough the blog, you know by now that Kevin and I are fans of the 17 Day Diet.  We have lost a combined total of around 65 lbs.  A lot of my friends are hitting the healthy eating bandwagon early this year and many have asked for tips/ recipes/ advice.  I believe the biggest obstacle for any diet is putting meals together, especially if cooking isn't your thing and you have little time.  So, to help my girlfriends out a bit (we're all in this together), I have put together the menu that Kevin and I are currently doing for this week, for we too, are also on a diet to get rid of holiday weight and get ready for our vacation.

Hope this helps!


Week 1 - Cleanse Menu

Sunday

Dinner:  Chicken Kabobs w/ Green Peppers and Onions
                    (grill outside or use a George Foreman.  Season chicken with spices.)


Monday

Breakfast:  2 eggs, scrambled w/ chopped green pepper and onions, sprinkle Low Fat cheese on top

Snack:  Low Fat yogurt (probiotic)
            Mixed Berries

Lunch:  Leftover Chicken Kabobs w/ Veggies

Snack:  Red Grapes (2pm or earlier)

Dinner:  Taco Salad
                (lettuce, homemade salsa, light amount of LF cheese, ground turkey w/ taco low  
                      sodium taco  seasoning packet)

Dessert:  Vanilla Greek yogurt (probiotic)


Tuesday

B:  Greek yogurt
     Mixed Berries

S:  Pear

L:  Leftover Taco Salad

S:  Carrots w/ Lite Ranch

D:  Chicken Stir Fry (NO rice)
           (cook chicken in low sodium soy sauce.  Add brocoli, carrots, peppers and onions)

Dessert:  Vanilla Greek yogurt


Wednesday

B:  2 eggs

S:  Low Fat yogurt
     Red grapes

L:  Leftover Chicken Stir Fry

S:  Broccoli w/ Lite Ranch

D:  Chili  (recipe here but NO BREAD!)

Dessert:  Vanilla Greek yogurt

Cycle 1 Chili

Thursday

B:  Low Fat yogurt
     Apple

S:  Carrots

L:  Leftover Chili

S:  Pear (2pm or earlier)

D:  Lemon Garlic Chicken w/ Green Beans (find recipe here, NO POTATOES)

Dessert:  Vanilla Greek yogurt

Lemon Garlic Chicken

Friday

B:  2 eggs, scrambled w/ chopped green peppers and onions, sprinkle w/ LF cheese

S:  Yogurt
     Mixed Berries

L:  Leftover Lemon Garlic Chicken and Green Beans

S:  Carrots w Lite Ranch

D:  Baked Tilapia w/ Peppers
      Steamed broccoli

Dessert:  Vanilla Greek yogurt


We start every morning, very first thing, with hot lemon water.  We also take a Green Tea suppliment with every meal.  You need two servings of probiotics a day, that's why yogurt is there twice everyday.  There are other foods that are probiotic, I just don't like them.  :)

On the weekends, except Sunday dinner (because of Monday leftovers), we usually graze on veggies, fruit and protein like canned tuna or chicken on salads.  We run around a lot so meals have to be quick.  You can mix up the tuna with mustard instead of mayo and it's very good.  Kevin also makes a really tasty Dijon salad dressing which I'll share later.  And steaming some veggies in the microwave only takes a couple minutes.  We eat a lot of fish on the weekend because it doesn't make good leftovers. 

This is all for Cycle 1 of the 17 Day Diet.  It is the hardest cycle but is also the most effective.  Other cycle menus have a lot more variety.

Check back here again.  I'll post another round of Cycle 1 next week to keep you guys going.

Good luck!

Cheers!

Thrifty Tips #8 and #9

These Thrifty Tips come directly from my mom, the master of money saving.

Cheers!

#8.  Christmas Gift Tags - Keep all the Christmas cards you get.  If there is no writing on the cover, cut it off, punch a hole and tie it to a gift.  Write the recipients name on the blank side.  Makes presents look super cute!

 

 #9.  Beauty Spoons - tired of leaving some of your favorite (or expensive) lotion, shampoo, make-up in the container because you can't get it out?  Me too. I can't think a more annoying waster of money.  Well, my mom likes to practically lick her containers clean to get every last drop.  To help her with this, she bought Beauty Spoons!  They are spatulas designed to go into your bottles and scoop out your product when you can't get to it.  Um, love!

Sunshine

This is my boy, Freeman.  Like his mom, he likes to lay in the sun.  

Cheers!

Meet the Fam

Introductions have never been my thing, which is why I'm just getting around to the other members of the Haus of Kendi.  They've already been featured in posts on this blog, but there should probably be a formal introduction so we all officially know each other...

This is Stanton.  Also known as Kat.  Kevin adopted her from a rescue.  All her kittens had found homes already and she was waiting for one too.  She doesn't like me much.  People say it's because I'm competition.  Who knows.  She's a very friendly cat and loves to snuggle and get pets.  She's the princess of the haus.

Stanton

This is Winchester, better known as Chester.  Kevin was told by a friend about a puppy wandering around a park.  The dog went to the vet to be held for the possible owner.  When no one showed up to claim him, Kevin, in the mood for a dog, went and got him.  Chester also loves lots of attention and can be a little too...free...with his love for pets.  He also is a little high strung when it comes to guarding the house (as in leaves and squirrels are the devil), but I have never felt safer than when I'm home alone with Chester.  Nothing gets by him.  :)

Chester

Last but not least is Freeman, the baby of the haus.  I thought that another dog might calm Chester down a bit and keep him company.  People with multiple dogs said that you really don't notice a difference between having one dog or two.  When we were out shopping one day, the Pet Smart was having adoptions.  I wanted to check it out.  They had a few dogs and I liked a little beagle, until I heard it bark.  No thanks.  Freeman was the only dog not making a sound.  He was just sitting in his cage looking around.  I knew he was the one when a little girl, about 3 years old, stuck her fingers into his cage.  He licked her and kept looking around at all the people.  He went home with us 15 minutes later.

Freeman

And that's everyone in the Kendi Haus!  (But I'm still trying to work on Kevin to get some fish...)

Cheers!

Women of Influence

This picture is very special to me.  It was sent to me from MI as a "we miss you" message.  I love this picture because it includes all the women that helped me become who I am today.  Each one of them has taught me something important and I can't imagine not having them around.  They are fabulous, strong, intelligent women and I am privileged to know them. 

Cheers to you ladies!

Kimmy (BFF), my Aunt Karen, Ma Large (Kimmy's mom) and my mom.  Maddy's in the middle.

Crock-Pot Italian Chicken

If you invite my mom to your wedding, and you register for a Crock-Pot, she will buy it for you.  The Crock-Pot is my mom's go-to gift.  She swears by them.  Because of this, the Haus of Kendi has three.  Mom says you need more than one. :)

There has been a Crock-Pot resurgence in the Kendi Haus as of late.  Pinterest has given me a bunch of new recipes to try and something about colder weather just screams "Crock-Pot"!  Here is our latest culinary venture...

Cheers!

Crock-Pot Italian Chicken

 

You can find the complete recipe here.  I found that using the suggested amount of salad dressing was just too overpowering of a taste.  I would suggest going half dressing, half water.  This would probably make it healthier too.  

Stats

Time: prep = 20 min.  cook = 6 hrs

Servings: 4

Cost: about $5

Leftovers:  yes

Peace

This has never happened before.  I'm so glad I was able to capture the moment...

Cheers!

Brown Bag Tally 2012

In the year 2012, I brought my lunch to work 175 times.  Not bad for starting in April.  This year, I hope to hit 200.  I feel so much better with how we are eating and looking these days that it should be an easy number to reach.  I'm working up to bringing my everyday for a year!

Cheers!

Kendi Christmas

Christmas in the Haus of Kendi was a mix of hectic and festive.  We had a lot to do before we hit I-75N, home to MI.  We did decorate the house and put up a tree and Kevin took his mini tree to work for his desk.  I was very pleased with how everything came out and I have a bunch of ideas for next Christmas. 

The house all decorated.  It looked so pretty at night.

I'm very proud of the wreath that I made.  It was before Pinterest.  ;-)

Decorating the tree in my giant sweater and boots.  I'm wearing mistletoe on my head.  :)

Kevin made his grandpa's Nuts and Bolts.  They have it every year at Christmas time.  I'm so lucky I married a man that knows this recipe.

I even got us tickets to see a performance of The Nutcracker.  I love the music, but I always see Fantasia in my head even when I watch the ballet.

Waiting for the show to start.  We got good seats.

Kevin took his mini tree to work to sit on his desk for the holidays.  I wonder if it was a distraction...

And what would holidays be without hearing Linus tell us about the true meaning of Christmas...

Tradition

As it got closer to Christmas, it got more and more crowded under the tree.  Hope everyone liked their presents.  We worked really hard on making and picking good ones!

Spoiled

Needless to say, the boys were less than thrilled with all the holiday antics...

Cheers!  And here's to next Christmas!

December Pinterest Party

So, I think it's been well established that there are only, like, four people not on Pinterest these days.  I myself am completely obsessed.  Because of this obsession, I tried to start a weekly Pinterest party with a few of my equally obsessed girlfriends.  Well, my first attempt failed (I completely forgot that I was going to have the party that day).  Thankfully, my girl Tanisha picked up the slack and planned one in December at her house.  It was just the thing I needed to kick off my Pinterest Christmas.

We decided to make it a monthly event and we even established a format for the parties:

1:  The hostess will do a food pin, so we have food to eat and can try a new recipe

2:  Each month we'll pick a different category to pick pins from, since we all inadvertently chose beauty product pins...

3:  We bring enough supplies for the other ladies to try the pin we picked.  That way we are all try a bunch of pins each party.

Here we are hard at work on the first project

We did my pin first.  I chose "Gardener's Hand Scrub".  It was very easy, only 2 ingredients.  All you need is Dawn dish soap with Olay and sugar.  That's it!  Find the complete instructions here.

Mine pin is done!

We moved on to Shannon's pin.  She picked a body scrub, also super easy and smelled really good.  She got the scented sea salts from Whole Foods and we mixed in different oils like coconut oil, grape seed oil and olive oil.

Shannon's body scrub

My finished scrub (please ignore my hair.  It was raining that day)

Shannon also brought a lip scrub for us to make.  This was also really easy and only a couple ingredients.  You can find the recipe here.  I haven't tried the lip scrub yet but I love the one you can get from Lush, and I'm sure this is pretty similar.

Finished lip scrub

Danielle baked banana bread for us and packaged it up so pretty.

We were really excited with how everything turned out.  I got a few Christmas presents taken care of too!

This month is jewelry and accessories hosted by Shannon.  Can't wait!

Cheers!