Top 10 Christmas Movies...For Kids!

In my house, the kids and I have been watching Christmas movies since July.  We love Curious George Christmas and nothing cools you down faster, on a hot August day, than Mickey Mouse trying to save the day before Christmas.

I consider myself, almost an expert on all things kid movies and this gave me the idea of compiling our first Top Ten Movie List!   Without further adieu....

Natalie and Eli's: Top Ten Christmas Movies

10. Barbie:A Perfect Christmas...Not my Choice :)
9. Prep and Landing

8. Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas
7. Mickey's Christmas Carol

6. The Polar Express

5. A Garfield Christmas...An Oldie but a Goodie!
4 .Curious George:A Very Monkey Christmas
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Animated)

2. Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns
1. The Santa Clause...We Can't Get Enough of It!

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Did I just say bacon?  Did I just say cheese?  Um...yeah!

 

Trust me when I say, my husband is NOT a soup eater...until...I introduced him to my homemade, bacon cheeseburger soup!  Living in Minnesota and considering that is it -8 right now, and the ground is snow covered, I like to eat hot and hearty meals.  Chili gets a little old, so I needed a recipe to expand on.  I have shared my chili recipe, my enchiladas, and now for the soup!  Comfort food at its finest on this cold Sunday!!!

Introducing....

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

1 Pound Ground Beef-Browned and Drained...Set Aside
4 Strips Bacon-Fried to Crispy and Crumbled...Set Aside

3 Medium Carrots...Peeled and Shredded...Hint...Food Processor!
2 Stalks Celery...Diced
1/2 Medium Onion...Chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley

6 Large Potatoes...Diced
3 Cups Chicken Broth
6 Tablespoons Butter...Divided
3-5 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 Cups Velveeta
1/2 Cup Medium Sharp Cheddar...Shredded
Fresh Ground Pepper
Salt
1/4 Cup Sour Cream

It seems like a lot of ingredients, but trust me...they go together quickly! In a stockpot, brown the burger.  Drain and set aside.  Next fry up the bacon, until crispy.  Crumble and set aside.

In the same stockpot (we want all those great meat flavors!), you are going to melt 3 Tablespoons butter and sauté the carrots, celery, and onion.  Also add the basil and parsley.  Saute the veggies for roughly 10 minutes, until they are tender.

Add chicken broth, potatoes, bacon, and ground beef to the vegetable medley.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  You want the potatoes to be tender and soft!  No one wants to eat a semi-hard potato!

While the potatoes are cooking, in a small saucepan, melt the remaining 3 Tablespoons of butter.  Add equal parts flour.  Using a whisk, stir mixture for 3-5 minutes, until the flour mixture is smooth and bubbly.  Add this to the potato soup.

Stir.  Bring to boil and reduce heat to low.  Mixture will thicken.  Stir in the remaining ingredients (minus the sour cream).  Stir constantly until cheese is melted.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat.  Blend in the sour cream.

Serve with crackers, croutons, or fresh baked bread!
You will want to add this recipe to your winter-dinner rotation!!

Baked Caramel Corn

Looking for a new Christmas treat?  Something different for the next cookie exchange or gift for teacher?  I have been making this recipe since I was seven years old!  It is one of my family's favorites!  I only make it during the Christmas season, so it is an extra special treat!!!  Like most of my recipes, there are few ingredients and it is very simple to make.  I hope you enjoy our favorite Christmas-time goody!!

Baked Caramel Corn

6 Quarts Popped Popcorn-spread out on 2 cookie sheets, remove unpopped seeds

1 Cup Unsalted Butter
2 Cups Light Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Light Corn Syrup
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  While making caramel sauce, keep popped corn warm in preheated oven.

Melt butter.  Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Boil without stirring, on medium heat for five minutes.

Remove from heat.  Remove popcorn from oven.

Stir in baking soda and vanilla to caramel sauce.  Pour over corn and evenly coat.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Remove from pans immediately, once hour is up.  Enjoy!  Sprinkle in peanuts or M&M's to make it extra nummy :)

Struggling Through Depression::Baby Steps

Baby steps.  That is how I plan to get through this.

Baby steps.  One day at a time.

Baby steps.

Since I first posted about my struggles with depression, I have had a lot of time to just "think."  Tuesday was a really tough day for me and my husband came downstairs to a blubbering mess on the couch.  He asked the basic question of what's wrong?  What can I do?  What makes you so sad?  I had no answer.  I didn't know.  That is when I realized I needed some serious time to think and pray to Jesus.  The next question he asked...will you dance with me?  I of course declined.  Nope.  Would.Not.Do.  He swept me in his arms and as we moved back and forth to no music, he whispered in my ear "I will get you through this funk.  I love you too much not to."

I have so much to live for.  I have no reason to be depressed, but yet I am.  That is the crazy thing with depression.

Baby steps.

I called my grandma, who has suffered from depression since my grandpa died.  I needed to talk to someone who truly understood.  She told me some great advice...
-do something for me.  Not something that is best for the kids or my husband.
-what makes Marianne happy.  Even if it is only ten minutes.
-yoga? crosswords?
-pray baby girl

Baby steps.

Yesterday morning I received the most loving email from Ross' grandpa.  He told me this, "Grandma and I sincerely love you and respect the person you are...You are a capable wife and mom.  You are experiencing the process all of us go through for God to mold us into the person He created us to be.  It is not a comfortable process, but a good one...I urge you to yield yourself to him and allow Him to have His way in your life.  His is always the best.  We think we can work things out, but He is better at working things into our lives."  Cue the tears.  What an amazing reminder.

Baby steps.

Here it is, now Friday.  I have had some great conversations and time to contemplate my situation, my life, my family and what I need to get through this struggle.  Depression is tough but it doesn't have to be forever.  This is what I have come up with for my baby steps:

-Pray.  I may not be involved in a church right now, but that does not change my faith in God.  When I pray, I am at peace.
-Cook.  I find joy in cooking.  I find joy in providing.
-Reading.  I love to read and this is something I would like to do more of.
-Treat myself to a hot bath.  Simple, yes!
-Surround myself with positive people who want to better my life and my situation.  Steer clear of the negativity and what makes me angry.
-Light a candle.
-Breathe.

Baby steps.

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

These cold Minnesota days, cause me to crave the food heavy-laden with cheese and gooey-ness!  Introducing....Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas...the epitome of all things cheesy and gooey!

I want to put a disclaimer on my recipes.  I cook for comfort.  I cook for cravings.  My recipes contain meat.  They contain fat.  They contain butter and cheese.  They may even contain some whiskey.  I love to cook and even more, I love to eat what I cook!  This is not a place to find healthy or light recipes...possibly down the road when I am 10 pounds heavier and 10 years older :)

The origination for these enchiladas is actually Colorado.  Ross' uncle Paul made these for us when we visited him, back during our college days.  We loved them so much, they have been on our permanent menu rotation ever since!

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts, Thawed and Boiled in Water

8 oz. Cream Cheese, Softened
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Small Can Diced Green Chiles
1 Small Onion, Chopped and Sauteed in Butter
Cayenne Pepper, Salt, and Tobasco to Taste

5-7 Buritto Size Flour Tortillas
1 Pound Grated Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 Cup Liquid Whipping Cream

Once chicken has been fully cooked in boiling water, shred meat.  
I found a super easy way of doing this with your KitchenAid!  Pop it in the bowl and mix it up! 

In separate bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, green chiles, onion, and spices.  Add chicken.  Mix.

Take filling and spread down middle of tortilla.  Fold tortilla over, lay seam side down in 9x13 pan.  Repeat.  Sprinkle enchiladas with mozzarella and pour whipping cream over top.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until enchiladas are bubbly and browning on top.  

Serve with salsa.

The Perfect Tree

The day had arrived!  It was time for our annual trip to Rudolph's Tree Farm.  Luckily, it wasn't too cold out, so we loaded up the truck and headed out to find the "perfect tree!"  In my husbands mind, he thinks like the Griswolds', in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.  Does the perfect tree exist?  When I think Christmas trees, I think the tree from Charlie Brown Christmas is perfect!  I grew up with a fake tree, so switching over to a real tree when we got married was a bit of a compromise.  I have to admit, now I can't imagine not having the smell of fresh pine spread throughout my house!

The "scope out" begins...

Which tree should we pick?

Eli thinks this one!

Too Small...Let's Keep Looking Kids!

As you can see, the perfect tree was finally acquired and cut!

She really wasn't the "perfect" tree, there are some large gaps between branches and she is missing some branches at the top, but that is why I feel in love with it!  I have a heart for broken things.  Things that need a home.  That is why we got our dog from a shelter.  She needed us...just like this tree!  Check out the final product below...400 lights and lots of ornaments later, our tree is...Perfect!

Struggling through Depression

I'm going to be honest.  The last couple of weeks have been difficult.  Blame the holidays.  Blame the pms.  I know it is so much more than that.  It is a funk that won't go away and a gray cloud that doesn't lift.

Since I had my second child three years ago, I started to receive treatment for depression.  I knew something was wrong, when I had this perfect baby boy, but I had no joy in him.  The tears would flow and the bouts of happiness were few and far between.  The medication has helped but I have hit that low spot again.  The spot with the tears and the sadness and the need for sleep.  I need to share something.  This may sound stupid, but it makes sense to me.  Being depressed, depresses me.  I am typically a very happy and optimistic person, who finds joy in crap like sunbeams and raindrops.  Right now I feel burly and I want to growl at you.  Complete opposite?  I would say so.

I have heard it all.  I know what I should be doing to get better.  Exercise, eating right, trying to find happiness in the simple things, exposing yourself to other people.  First of all...have you ever been depressed?  Then you know how DIFFICULT all of these things are.  Getting out of bed and off the couch is a struggle.  Daily tasks are a struggle.  Being social?  Please...next to impossible.  There is a sense of failure and a lack of motivation.  I feel as if I have failed my husband and my kids, when I have done nothing to generate those feelings from them.  My heart knows that.  My head doesn't.

I have faith and trust in my Lord Jesus Christ.  I do not trust the foundation of the church...sad to say.  A rough split will do that to you.  The friends that I have are fabulous, but I am not openly seeking new friends or a book club.  I would rather be myself.  I work better alone.  This doesn't make me sad.  It is just easier for me.  That is why I work from home.  That is why I blog.  I like the quiet.

Can you understand this?  Do any of you feel like this?  Let me know that I am not alone.  We are in this together.  I understand you.  I understand your tears.  You don't need to explain them to me.  Depression is hard, it is a struggle, I want to win the battle.  I plan on winning the battle.  How?  I am going to be honest with myself.  I'm going to pray.  I am going to have those tough conversations with my husband and keep open communication.  I am going to take my meds and not be ashamed of that.  I am going to love me for me.  That is all I can do.  How do you fight the struggle?

Marianne