Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

The Hansen's

May your holiday be filled with happiness, love and friendship.

Corn Chex Bread Crumbs

I'm never going back to regular breadcrumbs. This Chicken Parmesan with Corn Chex Breadcrumbs is the BEST I've ever had! I've made it 4 times in the last week because I love it THAT much!

I've been attempting more and more recipes that are deemed "gluten free."

I have a dear friend who is gluten free, and who has been visiting for the past couple months. I've wanted to attempt this for a while now and finally did! I didn't know what I was missing! I can't wait to make this for her!

Corn Chex Breadcrumbs

1 c. ground Corn Chex (Corn Chex cereal crushed in a blender or food processor)

2 T. Parmesan Cheese

2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Italian seasonings 

(if you don't have Italian Seasonings on hand just grab a pinch of dried oregano, basil & thyme)

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and use right away or refrigerate for later. 

(It needs to be refrigerated due to the Parmesan cheese)

How to make this lovely Chicken Parmesan

Take a large chicken breast and fillet it through the middle. Cut the 2 fillets in half. Now you have 4 thin quarters of chicken. Thin chicken is key to perfect chicken parmesan.

Grab 2 shallow bowls

In one bowl place 2 beaten eggs

In the second bowl place your new Corn Chex Breadcrumbs

Grab your fry pan and turn it on to MEDIUM heat with 3 T. Olive Oil.

Dip one quarter of your chicken into the egg bowl then transfer to the breadcrumbs.

Coat with the breadcrumbs then lay into the pan &oil. 

Repeat with the other 3 pieces of chicken, dip, coat, place in the pan.

When all 4 pieces of coated chicken are in the fry pan, cook it over Medium heat until golden brown. Flip with a spatula onto the other side to finish cooking. (add 1-2 T. more olive oil if needed)

**Its VERY important that you don't rush on high heat, too high of heat will burn the crust and leave the chicken uncooked.

When chicken is cooked through (cut into a piece and make sure it's not pink), Place the Chex crusted chicken over your favorite noodles and top with marinara sauce! DELISH!

This is an AWESOME 30 minute meal! 

Try my Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan when you need something done on busy days!

 It's delicious!

Click HERE for the recipe

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Super Spinach Salad

This is one of our all time favorite salads. Everyone asks for it on special occasions or big family get together's. My sister found this recipe and has been making it for years. She gave it to me when I was  off and on my own in a little cookbook for Christmas. That has been one of my most treasured cook books, it has her fool proof recipes that taste FABULOUS! Well this amazing salad that looks tricky is super easy! This is the ultimate "Super Spinach Salad!" Try it out! It's perfect for the holidays!

Super Spinach Salad

2 pkgs fresh Spinach

2 c. shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 c. Cottage Cheese

8 strips cooked and crumbled Bacon

*optional 1/2 c. chopped red onion

*optional sliced fresh mushrooms

Dressing - this works best in a mason jar with a lid

1/2 c. Sugar

1 T. Dry Mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

(SHAKE JAR)

Now add into the jar:

1 c. Oil

1/3 c. Apple cider Vinegar

1 1/2 T. Poppy Seeds

(SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE)

***WAIT to pour the dressing over the spinach JUST before serving or it wilts into a puny pile of sad spinach. 

* This makes a BIG salad! Feel free to half it for smaller groups.

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Samuel the Lamanite FHE

Need an easy Family Home Evening lesson for tonight?! Try this! I have it all here for you. Scriptures to tell the story, the coloring page and the song. This is one of our favorites! Toothpicks to act as arrows and a clear bowl as Heavenly Father's protection. Try it out!

Read Scriptures 

Helaman 13:1-6; 14:2-6; 16:1-8

Color and cut out a Samuel.

(To find Samuel the Lamanite printable click HERE)

Take a clear glass or plastic bowl and place it over the coloring of Samuel.

Get tooth picks to act as arrows. Let the children take turns throwing "arrows" at Samuel on the wall. Heavenly Father protects us when we do His will. 

Sing Book of Mormon Stories verse 7 about Samuel

______________________

Fast, easy and to the point.

Happy Family Home Evening Lesson!

Need more books, movies or decor for your home to keep the spirit near?
Check out my favorite place - the LDS Bookstore! They have fabulous products and even better prices! Take a look HERE!

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Cream Cheese Tomato Bruchetta

Need a self serve appetizer for the holidays? How about some cream cheese and tomato bruchetta? Toast some baguette slices and a swipe of cream cheese. Add fresh cherry tomatoes, avocado and some grilled chicken cubes. Then presto! You have a fun, colorful and DELICIOUS appetizer that anyone can make/ put together themselves. Easy and delicious on your part!

In stead of purchasing a baguette, I made some mini loaves of my easy Parmesan Herb Bread. DELISH!

Find the recipe HERE

On your appetizer table place...

Toasted or Raw Baguette slices

Cream cheese and a cheese knife

Sliced Cherry Tomatoes

Cubed Avocado

(optional) Garlic seasoned chicken cubes

People serve themselves and make it the way they want!

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Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Do you have family coming over for the holidays? Make these show stopping muffins! These go by way too fast! I've made this recipe 4 times to get it just right. I can't wait to make these for breakfast/brunch. Muffins, milk and fresh fruit... perfect!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2 c. Flour

1 1/4 c. Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 T. Poppy Seeds

1 beaten Egg

1 c. Milk

*1/4 c. Oil (I used Olive Oil, but any cooking oil works)

1 1/2 tsp. Lemon Extract

In one bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds. In a separate bowl combine egg, milk, oil and lemon extract. Pour the liquid into the "dry ingredient" bowl and mix together. Place batter into a paper lined, muffin tin. This recipe makes 18 muffins.

Bake at 400 for 16-18 minutes, or until tops and edges turn golden brown

*I tried this recipe with 1/4 c. Applesauce instead of Oil and it was AWFUL! YOU HAVE TO USE OIL! TRUST ME!

* You can add 5 "drops" of yellow food coloring to make them look more "lemony" if you want.



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Fence Post Wall Map

This is my newest, most favorite thing I have in our new home! 

I made this a few weeks ago with my cousin Dallin while my husband was away for a few days. I wanted it to be a surprise when he got home, and man was it ever! Thank heavens Dallin was here to help me or it never would have been done in time! 

I had a BIG wall in our basement and had NO idea what to do with it. I have always wanted a giant world map. My sister has one in her basement but it was a giant canvas and I didn't have the money to spend on one. I looked around our new home and found materials left from grandparents (we purchased my husband's grandparents home) and we did it! We had everything on hand! 

I found some old wood fence posts on the side of the house, and a full quart of white ceiling paint in a storage room. We grabbed them and went to town! This whole thing was free to me! I didn't have to go out and buy a thing! I am SO BLESSED! 

It could be free for you too! Here's what we did!

Steps 1.- 4. as seen above in the picture

1.

Fence Posts, we did NOTHING to these fence posts. One side was lighter and "sun scorched" while the other had a little stain still on it. Pick the side you want and lay out the boards you want. We used 12 boards total. 10 for the "surface boards" and 2 for the "braces." I lined up the surface boards the way I wanted them. I didn't want it perfect, I wanted it a little mismatched and "rustic."

Grab 2 more boards and cut them (that's where Dallin came in, we didn't have a table saw) to fit vertically, as shown in the picture.

Nail or screw the 2 "brace boards" to ALL of the boards you laid out. it took quite a few screws. But at least I know it's secure.

Then we washed it. we sprayed it down and made sure there were no "friends" living inside. These boards had spiders and cob webs at every bead, they were dusty and dirty so it definitely needed a shower. Let it dry in the sun, then bring it into your home for painting. 

(Don't forget to put a sheet or drop cloth down, then put the wood piece on it)

2.

Find a family member or a friend you can borrow a projector from. I was lucky enough to have an uncle who uses projectors for work and he had 2 extra! I hooked it up to my computer, found the map I wanted, and started painting once my kids were in bed.

3. 

I grabbed our THICK ceiling paint we had on hand and started to outline each continent. The ceiling paint was a fluke, but worked amazing! It was PERFECT for what I needed it to do. It was so thick that it got right into the wood and didn't "soak" in. I only had to paint 1 coat!

4.

Lastly, fill in the outlined continents with your paint, to make them solid.

Let dry, then hang up!

My father in law was kind enough to come out and use his tools to screw this bad boy right into the wall. I have such an AWESOME family!

I hope you find inspiration in this and can make one of your own!
I didn't think I could ever make this, but it's possible! Trust me, if I can do it, you can too!

Here's a special thanks to everyone who helped me!

Dallin

Papa Hansen

Uncle Rob & Aunt Laura

This is up today for you Em! xo

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