The Toy Society -- REALLY NEAT!!

I heard about The Toy Society a few minutes ago through the Hawaii WAHM Blog. I think this is an amazing idea! I just had to share with everyone here!

This is what The Toy Society is all about:
The Toy Society spreads the love throughout the streets of the world. Nothing to it really just a bunch of handmade toys looking for a nice home. What started as a small street art project in Australia is slowly spreading around the world. Should you come across a member of The Toy Society on your travels collect them up and take them home with you! But don't forget to let them know about it at their blog or this email address: thetoysociety@gmail.com They are also on Facebook with the name - The Toy Society!

Imagine someone working so hard to make handmade toys then giving them out for free to anyone who may stumble across them. The toys could go to a little child or to a collector or anyone else who needs love from a stranger and the company of a sweet toy -- how inspirational and fun! Take a look a The Toy Society's blog and see what items have been dropped off. There was a drop off in Hawai'i a couple days ago. To see about it see info on this drop off see Darth Mama's blog at Softie Happiness.

Since Spring Break is next week, I think the kids and I are going to have fun with this one! We are also going to Maui on vacation during spring break so maybe we can make a couple drops there! I will keep everyone posted as to what we do!

MY CHALLENGE TO ALL OF YOU!!! I challenge each of you to make one Toy Society Drop!! When you make the drop put the information about The Toy Society in the bag so whomever the person is who gets it can post they received it!

With much Aloha,
Kimberly
http://bubbleheadfamily.blogspot.com/

March Madness Sale (until March 20th)

Homemade Gourmet Home Office is having a March Madness Sale that will be good until March 20th! I thought I would go ahead and share it.

This week (March 16-March 22, 2009): Get Maria's Salsa Pantry Staple for half price this week! That's the equivalent of 12 individual mixes for only $8 retail! The Maria's Salsa Pantry Staple Combo with container and recipe card set is $16.00.*

Of course, Maria's Salsa is an affordable alternative to jarred salsa for your corn chips at your basketball playoff parties this month, but you can use this versatile mix for everything from meatloaf and pot roast to cranberry salsa, too (check out the Key to the Kitchen recipe database). Or how about this creamy chicken entrée in honor of one of the 2009 NCAA Tournament venues:

Phoenix Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Homemade Gourmet® Maria's Salsa Mix, prepared
1 can black beans, drained
1 can Mexi-corn, drained
1 10.5-ounce can tomatoes with green chilies
8 ounces cream cheese, cut in cubes

1. Combine all ingredients, except cream cheese (can be frozen in a gallon-sized ziptop freezer bag at this point).
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
3. Stir in cubed cream cheese and cook for additional 15 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
4. May also be prepared in a slow cooker (4-6 hours), adding the cream cheese when only 1 hour cooking remains.

*This sale does not include direct ship orders, so you would need to order through me.

By Kimberly Wilson - jwilson001@hawaii.rr.com
www.homemadegourmet.com/kimberlywilson

Aloha Friday Recipe!!

Here is another 4 meals in 4 minutes™ meal! I have three children (age 5 and under) and being able to get my meal prepared and cooking quickly is the best thing in the world to me. I really value being able to provide my family with a home-cooked meal and everyone sitting around the table to enjoy it. Homemade Gourmet has allowed me to do this with the 4 meals in 4 minutes™ meals. I also get my children to help. My 5 y.o. son can measure the ingredients. Then both my 5 y.o. son and my 4 y.o. daughter can mix the ingredients together for me using the method below! Plus there is NO MESS to clean up that usually happens when little ones get in the kitchen.

Mahalo & enjoy!!

Hawaiian Pork Chops

Ingredients
3 pounds pork chops*
4 tablespoons Homemade Gourmet® BLT seasoning (or one package)
1 15-ounce can pineapple tidbits
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 gallon zippered bag

Directions
This is another great 4 meals in 4 minutes™ meal!

Place all ingredients into the freezer bag. Seal and SMOOSH!

Before freezing, label as Hawaiian Pork Chops and list cooking options:

BAKE: Thaw and bake (covered) at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

GRILL: Thaw, discard marinade, and grill over medium high heat until chicken juices run clear.

SLOW COOK: Defrost enough to empty contents into slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

*You may substitute the chicken with 6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts for a variation on this recipe . . . make both and fill your freezer twice as fast! This has about 150 calories per serving if using skinless chicken breast!

Brought to you with much aloha by Kimberly Wilson
www.homemadegourmet.com/kimberlywilson

Our little artists!!

Well, we told the kids that if they were good today for Auntie Latanya and took pictures without goofing off that they could paint. Yes, Auntie Candice, this is because they are so excited to paint that they can't wait until you get home! Jordyn thinks that we are hiding you from them! So the paints that I bought for Auntie Candice to paint with them/for them, plus some extras got put to great use today!! Here are their wonderful creations!!
By Morgan, here is Diamond Head in brown, surrounded by a gray outline. Then he painted decorative corners and pink border. Then came the tahitian blue ocean with waves. The pink zig zag with dots and the lighter pink at both sides of the painting even with Diamond Head is a pretty pink sunset, he described! Then because it has been raining so much (and because mom didn't have any yellows for the sunshine) he made gray clouds and light blue rain drops. There is green sailboat on the last wave and two little dark brown birds flying beside Diamond Head. I think he did a wonderful job!!

Here is Jordyn's masterpiece. She said she couldn't leave any white on the canvas. Yes, they are canvas boards that I bought for them! She started with a quilting hibiscus stencil. She has two pretty blue flowers on the left and a hot pink one on the right, under that is a dark green flower. Then the gecko green (the light, bright green) is her leaves and the rest of the colors around it is here pretty decorations to cover all the white. Auntie Candice has no white on her canvas so Jordyn had to color all her's too!

Aren't they the most amazing paintings that you have ever seen?

They are to me!! Wonder who will be the lucky person who gets to hang these on their wall? They were still deciding that as we were off to Ben Franklin's to get more supplies for next time!!

Aloha Friday Recipe!!

Aloha Friday!
I love great food and amazing food, even though I don’t feel I am a great cook. I also love spending time with my family and not slaving away in the kitchen over the heat to cook great food! So this week the recipe I will share with you will be a 4 meals in 4 minutes recipe! Plus, I will give you 3 options in how to cook the meal!!

Garlic Lemon Chicken
6 Boneless skinless chicken breast (3 pounds)**
2 Tablespoon Homemade Gourmet Garlic Lemon Marniade
1 14- ounce can chicken broth (or 2 cups liquid HG Margarita Mix)
1 Gallon sized zip top freezer bag Place all ingredients into the freezer bag.

Seal and SMOOSH!! You can freezer at this point if you would like. If you are freezing please label as Garlic Lemon Chicken and list cooking options. Be sure to defrost completely before cooking.

Cooking Options:
Option 1) Bake – 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Option 2) GrillOption
3) Slow Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

**You may substitute the chicken with 3 pounds of pork chops for a variation on this recipe.

Suggested sides: Cole Slaw, Baked Potato, Cobbler for dessert.

EXTRA! Make extra and make this “extra” meal fast and easy! Slice chicken or pork chops and place on mixed salad greens and top with ½ cup of your choice of dressing, for a light and tasty meal.

Brought to you by Kimberly Wilson
www.homemadegourmet.com/kimberlywilson

Logan videos

Here is Logan falling asleep as he is eating!!

Logan somehow got James' itunes playing! Don't ask me how because I don't know how to do it!! LOL!

Different song!

Jordyn's Haircut

Jordyn cut her own hair so we got it all cut off. She picked out the hairstyle. This was done in December. (I may catch up!! LOL!)