Grandma's Banana Nut Bread

Hey All-

Alex and I have a problem. I go to the grocery store and buy bananas well I buy the smallest bundle of them because I have learned from the past as to we don't eat them. Well this time I only bought 4 bananas well here I was thinking we were doing good, NOPE! We both each had one banana. OMG!!! Meanwhile there is like 6 bananas in the freezer waiting to be used because we didn't eat those either! So I obviously see that the bananas are BROWN! So what do I do...pull out my grandma's recipe.

Grandma's Banana Nut Bread

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar 

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup mashed bananas

2 eggs
1/2 cup of nuts

 Mix dry ingredients and then the rest.

Bake at 350 for about 50-60 minutes.

Quick and easy!

Courtney

We got it!

Hey All!!!!

I hope everyone's January is going as good as mine! You know how I talked about getting a new car well I finally got it! I have had it for about 2 weeks now and it is my baby. I always want to wash it, Alex makes me nervous driving it, is that normal? 

Whenever we go anywhere he wants to drive MY car. What is wrong with his truck? lol I think he likes having a new car too! Everyone thought that I wouldn't get him on the same page as to buying a car! But I did! 

Now what is the next thing that I am going to try? Well I have a couple things in mind. Pretty much every Christmas or birthday I ask for a puppy! We do want the same dog though so there is a plus. But another thing is redoing the laundry room, well we have a counter that we just put in and I want to make an underneath curtain to hide all of the junk underneath. But we can't come to a conclusion as to what fabric to use.

Take a pick which one is Alex's and which one I picked out? It is a process going shopping with him! So since we haven't come to a conclusion on fabric yet. I started decorating the laundry room. 

Found these at Target for cheap $7 and $5 dollars! Bought the clothespins for a dollar at the Dollar Tree for decoration. Then filled the other jar with dryer sheets. I don't know if I am going to keep it this way but for now it works! Stay tuned for more on the laundry room.

Courtney

The Artic Cold

Hey All-

 So the "polar vortex" has finally passed! Its like a heat wave right now, even though it is only 9 degrees! The past couple days I have been sick with a cold so I haven't been doing much!

Although I did find time to go look at a new car! That's right this girl is getting a new car! This our first big purchase as a married couple. Thank God we are on the same page as to buying this car! Last night I got to keep it overnight trying to help me make a decision and I we are going tonight to buy it!!! (Pictures to come soon) 

 Our first dance together! 

Another big thing happened this week. 7 years ago this 15 year old boy asked this 14 year old girl to be his girlfriend. Now look at us married!

Wow how time flies!

Courtney

Buffalo Chicken Ranch Casserole

Hey All! 

I have a new recipe for you to try! So while I was off these past two months I kind of came up with a recipe for BUFFALO CHICKEN RANCH CASSEROLE! Its so good you have to try it! 

Sorry the chicken wasn't in the picture, it was cookin!!!

What you need: 

1 lb of chicken 

2 cups of elbow macaroni 

1 can of cream of chicken

1 cup of ranch 

1 cup of red hot buffalo sauce 

celery (to sprinkle on top)

butter for greasing the pan 

Frozen hash-browns (I did a bought a 1/4 of the bag)

Shredded cheese

Set oven to 350 grease an 8 x 11 dish

Grease dish

Cook chicken and noodles

Shred chicken (I used my salad choppers from the pampered chef and they worked amazing to shred the chicken). Then pour the buffalo sauce over shredded chicken. In  a separate bowl combine the ranch, hash-browns, cream of chicken and macaroni. Place the hash-brown mixture on the bottom of the pan. Then place the chicken on top of hash-browns. Sprinkle with cheese! 

Pop in the oven for 20-25 minutes

Top with celery and serve!

You have yourself a great dinner! It was also great for leftovers! 

Sorry I didn't take a lot of pictures while I was cooking! Let me know how you like your casserole! 

Courtney

It's been awhile...

Hey All!!! 

Well I am back at it! I have been lacking with the blog posts the last couple months due to the holidays and a new job change. A lot has gone on the past couple months! So I am excited to be back! 

I will start off by showing off my husbands pride and joy! 

This was our first Thanksgiving and Christmas together as a married couple. It was hard for me to be away from my family on Thanksgiving since we are alternating holidays this year! But I love my new family that I married into! 

We made apple dumplings with the in-laws! I told my mother in law we should sell these!!! 

Christmas is my favorite holiday! I even put some of the Christmas decor up Thanksgiving week, oops! For Christmas I made a lot of crafts to decorate our home! But looking back at the pictures I never got a full room picture of all of the Christmas decor up. Which makes me very sad! But here are a couple things I made, not all! 

I am going to be making a tutorial soon on the reindeer!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE RICHARDS!!! 

Thanksgiving Burlap Banner

 Hey All- 

I have made another Thanksgiving decoration! Again, I am really excited for Christmas but I have held back on  putting Christmas decorations up. So i decided to make burlap banner in honor of Thanksgiving. I have seen these on Pinterest, and I have finally made them! So easy and cute! 

What you need:

1/2 Yard if that of Burlap

Sharpie

Stencil

Twine

Hot glue gun

Start by making your triangle, I didn't use a pattern or any special dimensions. I used a Shutterfly gift card  to create my triangle. 

Put the stencil over the burlap, make sure that you have something underneath so the sharpie doesn't bleed through. 

I wanted to leave them just outlined but some letters didn't look so great not colored in. 

Easy Thanksgiving decor! Let me know what you do with yours! 

Courtney

Homemade Chili

Hey All-

Today was our first snow fall of the season! Which I am not to happy about and it feels freezing out! So, this morning I decided what better weather than  to have chili! 

Homemade Chili Recipe

What you need: 

Tomato Juice (46 oz can)

1 lb. of Ground Beef

2 Cans of Chili Beans

2 Cans of Kidney Beans

2 Cans of Black Beans

1 Can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes 

1/2 Onion

Hot & Medium Chili Powder 

Ground Cumin

Parsley Flakes 

Also, just eye the seasoning of however much you want in your chili, I put a lot of HOT chili powder in mine!

Let simmer on the stove for more than 4 hours let the seasoning really get in the chili! 

First cook your ground beef in a skillet and I added mild chili powder in the ground beef to add a little more spice! 

You can do everything in one pot less dirty dishes! 

SIMMERING! 

And its finished! Top with cheese and oyster crackers! Also, pair with a peanut butter sandwhich yummm!

Courtney