Hoodie Bath Towels

When people are pregnant or new parents, I gift them hoodie bath towels. Everyone is impressed by them and they are SO EASY to make.

First, start with thin towels. The Room Essentials brand from Target works well. Purchase two Everyday Bath Towels and one hand towel.

Second, fold the hand towel in half and cut it. Fold one half of the hand towel in half and sew the raw edges together. TaDa! You have a hood.

 Third, take the bath towel and fold it in half, as if you were to wrap it around yourself. Find center and attach hood center at that point. Sew the hood on. 

TaDa!

Fried Rice

Fried Rice
Recipe from Gimmie Some Oven

4 c. COLD white rice
4T butter
2 whisked eggs
onion
veggies- fresh or frozen
garlic
salt & pepper
optional: green onions

4T soy sauce
2t oyster sauce
1/2t sesame oil (top with when removed from the heat)

OUR TRICK: Add the cooked items to a big mixing bowl as you go instead of just moving things to the side of the pan.  This helps make a big batch!

Pizza Pasta Salad

Quick and Easy Pasta Salad
inspired by This Gathered Nest's recipe

Cooked pasta
Italian dressing (& lots of pepper) or pesto
Meat- pepperoni and/or salami
Veggies- tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion
Mozzarella- pearls or shredded

Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup shortening
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup vodka
3 T. cold water (Ice water works best)

Add dry ingredients, butter, and shortening to food process until crumbles form. Then add liquid until dough forms. 

Divide into two rounds
Wrap in plastic
Refrigerate or freeze

Garlic Pesto Chicken

1/2 bottle Italian dressing

4 Tbsp pesto, divided

2 chicken breast halves or 4 bone-in pork chops

8 oz penne pasta

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic minced

1/2 cup chicken broth

8 oz tomato sauce

1 cup half-and-half

1-2 Tbsp flour as needed

How to Make It:

Step 1

Cut chicken into one-inch strips. Add to a gallon-size zip-top plastic bag. Whisk together 2 tablespoons pesto and dressing (or marinade) in bowl. Pour marinade mixture over chicken and make sure chicken is fully coated. Marinate overnight in refrigerator or freeze for several months.

Step 2

Boil water and start on noodles. Add chicken to skillet, heated over medium, and cook fully, 3-5 minutes on each side. The marinade will cook down.

Step 3

In a separate skillet, heat olive oil. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Mix in remaining 2 tablespoons pesto and and chicken broth. Simmer until mixture has reduced by half. Add tomato sauce and half-and-half. Simmer for 5 minutes. Toss with pasta and add 1-2 tablespoons flour if mixture needs to be thickened.

Step 4

Place chicken over pasta and serve.

I received this meal as a frozen meal from Jennifer Wright.

5 Minute Mediterranean Bowls

Ingredients 

Salad
• 1 small cucumber, cubed
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• small bunch of parsley, chopped
• 1-2 spring onions, thinly chopped
• olive oil

For the bowl
• 7-8 olives 
• 1/3 cup chickpeas, canned, rinsed & drained
• 2 tbsp hummus
• 1 tbsp tzatziki
• 2-3 tbsp quinoa, cooked
• black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

1. Salad: Wash the vegetables, chop them, place in a mixing bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, and salt to taste. 
2. Assemble your bowl: Salad, rinsed and drained chickpeas, the olives, quinoa. In the middle/on top: 2 tbsp hummus and 1 tbsp tzatziki + freshly ground black pepper. Ready.

This recipe is from https://www.beautybites.org/5-minute-mediterranean-bowl-healthy-lunch-meal-prep-recipe/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes&utm_term=368242976_11860772_81863

Dorito Meatloaf

We were at Papa Murphy’s waiting on our pizza order when my son struck up a conversation with another man. The other man noticed my son wasn’t in Troop 376 (BSA) attire. He said when he was my son’s age he created this recipe. So, we are trying it. It smells really good...

Doritos Meatloaf
CindyJ (mommy_of_love1)

2 lbs. ground beef
1 egg
2 Tbsp. onion, chopped
1 1/2 C Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed
1 C ketchup (enough to moisten mixture)
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 C barbeque sauce


With clean hands, mix all ingredients together, except barbeque sauce, in a large bowl. Transfer mixture to a 5x9 loaf pan, or free form on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until done. After about 35 minutes of baking, top loaf with barbeque sauce and return to oven to finish baking.

*recipe was found on-line. It sounds like what the man at Papa Murphy’s was telling my son.