Easy Chicken Caesar Macaroni and Cheese

Hey there,

So last night I found myself trying to figure out what to make for supper...yet again. I wanted something different than our normal every day meals but it was so warm in our house I didn't want anything to complex or time consuming. I am told this happens to everyone but I find it is happening so much more while I am pregnant. I kind of wanted Fettuccine Alfredo but I didn't have all of the ingredients so I figured you know what I will wing it tonight and hope it turns out well. Fortunately it did. My husband was in love with this meal he took a heaping helping in his lunch today. Our son just could not get enough of it, but for a 3 year old even that isn't a whole lot. I really hope you enjoy this recipe I know we did.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups uncooked pasta
• 4 raw chicken breasts
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 3 tbsp Caesar salad dressing
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 c + 1/4 c butter or margarine plus (keep separate)
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 onion chopped

Instructions:

1. Melt 1/4 c butter in a large frying pan. 
2. While the butter is melting chop your chicken into small chunks.
3. Cook your noodles until they are "al dente" or just soft.
4. When your chicken is cooked place it into a large bowl and set aside.
5. When your noodles are done strain them and put them in the bowl with your chicken.
6. In a pot (you can use the same pot you cooked your noodles in) melt your butter with your milk.
7. Add in the salt, pepper, onion and spinach and stir. Let this cook until it starts to boil hard (it will start to foam). 
8. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in your cheese, cream cheese and salad dressing. Stir until it is all combined.
9. Pour the sauce over your chicken and noodles and enjoy.

Fast and Simple Nap Time Blanket

Hi there, I don't know about you but my son loves having a special item from home for nap-time at his daycare. Occasionally however things get forgotten or ... messy. So I decided that we would make him a special nap-time blanket that could be left at his daycare unless it needed to be washed so that it would not be forgotten anymore. He was in love with this project and it didn't take long enough that he got bored before it was completed. This is just a simple tie blanket that takes about an hour to make from start to finish. I have also made scaled up versions as well as versions that are a little more work because they are made up of squares but this one is just perfect for a little one.

Materials:

• Scissors
• 2 pieces of fleece 1 meter in length (make sure they are the same width for a twin bed get 1 1/2 meters).

Instructions:

1. Lay out your fabric and meet up the corners, try to lay it flat so that your edges stay together nicely. 
2. Cut a 4 inch square out of each of the corners. 
3. Cut 4 inch lines all around the outside of the blanket approximately 1 inch apart (to make strips along the outside). 
4. Tie the strips together all around the outside using your knot of choice. 
5. Stretch the material to get your nice rectangular shape. 
6. Enjoy your new blanket.

Please use caution when using sharp objects.

Canned Plum Sauce

Like many others the boys in my house love plum sauce with their chicken. I thought I would try my hand at it this year and it turned out to be really easy, just a little time consuming. With plum season starting I will definitely be making a second batch.

Ingredients: about 10 jam jars

• 2 cups brown sugar (lightly packed)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp mustard seed
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger root finely chopped
• 1 cup of cider vinegar
• 10 cups chopped and pitted plums

Instructions:

1. Combine all of your dry ingredients in your pot. 
2. Mix in your onion, garlic and ginger root.
3. Pour in your cider vinegar and heat on medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. 
4. Add your plums and return the mixture to a boil. 
5. When the mixture starts to boil turn down the heat and let it cook down until the sauce thickens this can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 1/2 hours. 
6. Put the sauce into hot jars and process in a hot water bath. For me this took about 25 minutes but check based on your altitude. 
7. Leave the jars to cool undisturbed for 12 - 24 hours.

Enjoy your plum sauce but please use caution when handling hot tools and ingredients. Please follow USDA guidelines for canning.