Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Hope ya'll had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! Ours was frequented by bouts of rain, but we still had a good time overall. Honestly, I didn't cook that much. We dined out most of the weekend at our favorite local restaurants. It's been hot here and that always kills my motivation to fire up the oven. One of the dishes I do enjoy when summer sets in is this Black Bean & Corn Salsa. It is yummy cold with tortilla chips. It also pairs well warm with your favorite lean white meat.

Ingredients: (Can easily be doubled.)

1 15oz. can black beans (drained & rinsed)
1 15oz. can whole kernel corn (drained)
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies (a.k.a. Rotel tomatoes, I use mild.)
chopped fresh oregano (to taste, optional)
chopped fresh cilantro (to taste, optional)
salt & pepper (to taste)

For salsa:

Mix everything together in a large bowl, seasoning to taste with herbs. If desired, juice of a fresh lime can be added for an extra flavor boost. Serve with tortilla chips.

For side dish:

Add black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, salt, and pepper to a large pot and cook on stovetop at medium-high heat until warmed through. Remove from heat and add freshly chopped herbs. Stir to combine. Great served alongside lean pork or chicken.

Easy Can Up-cycle!

             

 

This is easy can up-cycle that even the youngest toddler can achieve. And the best part is that you probably have all the items you need laying around the house. My son had a ball doing this and he was very proud of his finished product. He even insisted that I put his prized toy front loader in the picture with it.

 

For this craft you will need:

 

an empty, clean metal can

an old sock (white or lighter color)

liquid food coloring

tape

 

Place can into sock until the top of the can is even with the top of the sock. Cut off sock below the bottom of the can. Have your child take the food coloring and drip dots and make designs all around the outside of the sock while it's still on the can. Once your child has finished with their design, remove sock and rinse under cold water. Note that the colors and design will bleed, becoming abstract. Wring out excess water and hang to dry. When dry, place sock back on can and fold under the loose sock end and tape in place on the inside.

 

I am using our can to hold pens on my desk. These would look great in multiples for a craft room or office. This would also be a great and inexpensive gift for Dad this upcoming Father's Day.

Slow-Cooker Pork Roast With Vegetables

Need a hearty family meal idea that's under $15? Then try our slow-cooker pork roast with vegetables!

Ingredients:

1 2lb. pork shoulder roast

1 small bag of carrots

3 sliced white potatoes

1 cup apple juice

1 large onion, chopped

seasonings(1 tsp. meat tenderizer, 1tsp. cracked black pepper, 1/2 tsp. thyme, 1 tsp. salt)



Place pork roast on top of vegetables in slow cooker. Add apple juice and seasonings. Cook on high for 7-8 hours until meat falls off the bone and the vegetables are tender. Great alone or with a salad!



Easy Chicken Casserole





Try this easy chicken casserole tonight! It truly is a one pot dish!

Ingredients:
1 cup of uncooked white rice
2 cups of water
6 chicken legs (can be frozen or fresh)
1 12oz. bag of mixed frozen vegetables
2 10 3/4oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
Salt and pepper

In a 13x9 casserole dish assemble the ingredients in the order that they are listed above. Cover everything thoroughly with the soup. Do not stir! Then cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven at 400 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. When done the rice will have absorbed all the water and the chicken will be cooked through. Great by itself or with a salad!

Slow-cooker Spanish Chicken



Are you in need of a quick and easy meal? Then try my Slow-cooker Spanish Chicken recipe. It's perfect for busy moms because you just dump all of the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it cook all day.

Here's a list of what you will need:
2 lbs. Chicken pieces (I prefer to use bone-in thighs)
1 large onion-chopped
1 16 oz. jar of salsa ( I use mild, but you can use medium or hot if you prefer more heat.)
4 oz. green olives
1 packet of taco seasoning
1/2 tsp. of red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of water

Just put everything in the crockpot, set it on high, and cook for about six hours. Meat can then easily be pulled off the bone and shredded into the sauce. You can serve it over rice, noodles, or with cornbread.

*This recipe can also be doubled so that you can use the leftovers to make Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas. All you need to do is mix in some shredded cheese and spoon mixture into tortillas and wrap them like a burrito and place in a baking pan. Be sure you place them seam down. Then cover them with your favorite store bought enchilada sauce and top with shredded cheese. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 45 min until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Top with a dollop of sour cream.

Easy Pipe-cleaner Daisies

 

Try making these easy pipe-cleaner daisies with your toddler! My little one had a blast! Of course I handled the glue gun, but if you don't have one on hand or are uncomfortable using hot glue around your little one, you could easily substitute another type of glue.

 

 

Here's what you will need:

colored pipe-cleaners

a bottle cap (I used a milk jug cap)

glue gun

glue sticks

 

 

Fold pipe-cleaners in half loops as shown and bend the ends to fit down into your bottle cap. These will be your daisy petals. You can add as many as you would like.

 

 

Place your pipe-cleaner petals down into the top with the loops facing outward. The flat part of the top should face down so that it's the center of the finished daisy.

 

 

Glue all of the petals in place. Let dry and then fluff out petals. We hung our finished daisy in the window.

 

 

Have fun!