Happy Spring

Well, I have been away from the blogging world for awhile, but IM BACK! So nice to feel refreshed and ready to share some new ideas and views of today and the future!
Hope you will join me and share your comments, I welcome you all back again.

Danielle :)

Le Creuset and Chicken Divan

With these cold weather days and even colder nights, I am always in the mood for comfort food. I don't know about you but there is just something so comforting in having a nice casserole for dinner too!
I was thinking about when I was young and how my mom would have that casserole in the oven when I got home from school and the house always smelled so good and so inviting. Most times when I brought friends home, they would end up staying for dinner! (I guess they couldn't resist the yummy smells either! LOL)
So, I thought I would start making the one casserole that I absolutely love and hey, I'm not to proud to say that it is SO easy as well! The quicker and easier the better for us busy mom's right?
What makes this even better is that I was able to make this delicious Chicken Divan casserole in my new Le Creuset Bake Ware. I was so excited!
If you remember my post last week, I was saying that I had been contacted by Ashley at CSN Stores to do a review of any product I wanted. How great is that? And when I saw this Bake Ware, I new I just had to have it!

I just love this lime green color too! (I've been wanting to get a few pieces that brighten up my kitchen and I think this one is perfect!)
This Le Creuset 9" square baking dish is perfect for casseroles or really anything you want to make and serve right from the oven. A few ideas are chicken Parmesan, baked spaghetti, Lasagna, or Chicken Divan. (Recipe to follow!)
This poterie stoneware can be used in the oven, microwave or broiler and will not pick up any odors or flavors. It has a beautiful appearance, as you can see from my pic above, and it is so durable it resists chipping and stains.
And the greatest part is that when I was finished with dinner, clean up was a snap. I just rinsed off the dish and put it in the dishwasher. Yes ladies, dishwasher safe! Woo-Hoo!!
As an added bonus I got the 5" baking dish too. It is small but I can make Mexican dip, spinach artichoke dip, or even a yummy individual dessert and serve it in this beautiful bake ware.

So to show you how impressed I was with it, here is a picture of my delicious Chicken Divan casserole.

I can honestly say my family was so impressed with not only the casserole but the presentation as well. It looked really lovely!
So please check out CSN Stores online. They not only offer bakeware or kitchen items but all kinds of other great products as well like shoes, mailboxes, childrens toys and baby items too!

This bakeware is a product I will definitely recommend and I am thinking of buying a stock pot in the same pretty lime green color for winter soups and stews. Just thinking about it makes me hungry! LOL

Now for the Chicken Divan recipe. Its fast, its easy, its delicious. Here it is.....
1 pkg frozen broccoli (16 oz)
4 small chicken breasts or small rotisserie chicken
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 TSP curry powder
1 can cream of chicken soup, fat free
1 cup light mayonnaise
2 cups shredded cheddar
bread crumbs for topping


I thaw out broccoli in microwave and add it to casserole dish. Then take your cooked chopped chicken and add that over broccoli. Mix together in bowl, can of soup, mayonnaise, 1 cup of cheese, curry, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Pour that mix on top and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes and it will come out bubbling and delicious. You can serve with rice or pasta or a vegetable, whatever you like! ENJOY!

You Don't Wanna Miss This....

If there is one thing I know all of you love as much as me, it is shopping. And even better, who wouldn't love being able to find all the items you need online?

Well, I was recently contacted by Ashley from CNS Stores to do a review of one of their products, and since I love to cook, I chose the Le Creuset 9" and 5" baking dishes in Kiwi.

Aren't they fabulous?

Please watch for my review, along with great recipe's that you can use with this fantastic bake ware!
It will be arriving soon in my Mailbox... I can't wait! :)

Cheers, Danielle

Brrrr...Baby It's Cold Outside!

I hope you all have gotten into the swing of these cold and snowy winter days and nights. Try as I may, it's just not happening for me.
I just used to love the snow and would stay out for hours playing, skiing, building snow forts, or having snowball fights with my friends, but as I get older, I'm more of a nice and warm kind of gal!
I don't mind looking out at the beautiful snowflakes and admiring all Winter has to offer, but I prefer to do it from my living room window with a cup of coffee or tea in hand. And I love to see my son making a snowman and playing in all that white stuff as long as I'm standing in the doorway with my camera and slippers, LOL.
This is the way it is and I'm not too proud to say it. "I do not like the cold weather at all!" There, I said it, it's done, and I'm sticking to it. (Although don't tell my son this news cause it would break his heart I'm sure.)

So, here's to all of you. Have a wonderful winter, keep safe and warm, crank up that heat, pour a cup of tea and enjoy!!!

Now I'm off to grab my blankie and read a good book! :)
Danielle

Merriest Christmas

Okay, once again it is that time of year where we are all scrambling to buy those last minute gifts, bake our goodies, wrap our presents, and even a few (who will remain nameless, LOL) that still are decorating the house and yard. It can be a very stressful time. Agree?
I am trying so hard to be organized, in fact, I had a list in early November of things to accomplish on a weekly basis...Then, as the season grew nearer, my list turned into daily tasks, all of which I vowed to complete. Did I do it? Who thinks they know the answer to this question? (Did you accomplish all of your Holiday items in advance this year?)
Or are you like me.....YES, I didn't stick to that list. I really fell off my schedule and now I am like flying around trying to get everything done. AND I still have a few small gifts to buy as well.... WHY, WHY, WHY?

Well, whether you are that organized gal, or the absolutely frazzled, crazy running around gal... I want to wish you all the best this Holiday season and may you and your loved ones share a memorable time together. Remember that those days go by so fast, so sit back and try to relax and enjoy!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year blogging friends.....




All photos courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

The tradition of putting a Christmas tree up has been around for years. And as a young child, I always looked forward to the time when my mom and dad and I would decorate. And for several years we even had a tree decorating party with all of our family, friends and neighbors. Oh such fun!

To join around the tree with lights, ornaments, tinsel, candy.... Whatever it is that you choose to decorate that all special symbol of Christmas and tradition. It's a time to be merry and festive that's for sure!

How many of you have a family tradition that focuses on your Christmas tree? Do you go out and buy a real tree every year that smells like pine but sheds all those little needles throughout your house, LOL? Or do you use the same artificial tree (some now have lights already on it, Oh how I love thee!!!)?

The most important part of the tree, at leased for me, is the decoration. The possibilities are endless, but it does say a lot about who you are and what type of home you have right? Some people use friendly colored lights with ornaments their children have made and drape it with tinsel and popcorn strung on string. Others prefer to have a very classic tree with white lights, glass ornaments and silver beading. Both beautiful but VERY different!

(Courtesy of Elfhelp.com)

Whatever style you choose, make yours a special tradition. Go all out and make a day of it. Take the kids tree shopping and let them help bring it home. Make hot chocolate and turn on that Christmas music. Sing carols while you decorate and buy a new ornament or use one your child has made and talk about memories of Christmas past as you put em back on the tree every year!

This is the time of year for celebrating, for making new memories but remembering the old as well!

I know we all get wrapped up in the gift shopping, the Holiday parties, the wrapping, the cooking and that is fine, but take that extra day to really do something special and relax with the family.

I have to say that my mom ALWAYS made decorating the tree special and now I do it for my son as well. He cannot wait to take out all the ornaments and help put them up!

(Funny true story inserted here)

Last year I would come into the living room (where our tree is up now) and I couldn't help notice that ALL the decorations on the tree had been moved around. This happened several times and after I checked my eyes or possibly thought I was going crazy, LOL, I realized that my son was doing it the whole time. He just loves the ornaments and I guess feels so excited about decorating that he re-decorates every day!

Oh, the joys of motherhood! :)

"Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree
Thy candles shine so brightly
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree
Thy candles shine so brightly."

"Each bough does hold it's tiny light
It makes each toy to sparkle bright
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree
Thy candles shine so brightly!"

All I Want For Christmas

I hope all of you had a fantastic Thanksgiving and were able to be with friends, family, and loved ones. My Thanksgiving was quiet, but that is what I really needed this year. Just a few family members and my son to fill my day with peace, love and GOOD food!

I have decided to make a list of what I would love for Christmas, just in case Santa is reading my blog!!! LOL

Okay, here it is...
I would love to have two working bathrooms.
I would love to have new insulation so this house wasn't always so cold.
I would love to have a car that actually works when you need it.
I would love to have storage from IKEA so I can put all those boxes away.
I would love to have new steps up to the house that are not falling apart.
I would love to have a brand new bedding set for my bed...now that it's just me in it!!! :)
Oh and I want to win the Lotto...one of those HUGE jackpots! (But I guess you have to play to win right? LOL JK)

But what I really want the most is for my son to grow up happy, cared for, healthy, and strong and know that his mommy loves him more than anything in this world. I want my mom to be happy and comfortable and get paid back for all the wonderful things she does for everyone BUT herself! She deserves the world and more!

I would like my son to appreciate that we WILL have food on the table and that their are many many others who have nothing.
I want all the soldiers serving this country to know that we appreciate them and all of their families who miss them so much during the Holidays!
And I want all of you to have the "Best" Holiday ever!!! Spend it with family, with friends, with neighbors and co-workers, just enjoy every minute. And don't forget the reason we celebrate Christmas....


Life is so short, it changes so quickly. And after going thru what I have the last month or so I have come to realize that more so than before. I guess you have to live it to understand it!

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, Today is a Gift...That's why it's called the Present!"


Oh and remember if you need anything at all for the Holidays and have a tight budget...AVON is for you. I'm a Rep and would be glad to have you head on over to my website and check out all the really great Holiday bargains!!!
www(dot)youravon(dot)com/ddavid-patrick

or click HERE to go there now!

Have a great day blogging buddies....and enjoy decorating for Christmas!!!
Danielle