Meet Kelly L's table!

Here's Kelly then and now!

Kelly is in 1/3 MOPS and has been a DGL for one year.  She has two kids.

Can you tell us about your best or worst Valentine's Day?

My favorite Valentine's Day was my first one with my husband Bob. At the time we had been dating for 8 months.  Bob managed to combine his love of boxing with my love of teddy bears (my favorite childhood toy) for my gift. He went to build a bear and made me a teddy bear with red boxing gloves and white satin shorts with red hearts. I still have that bear today over 10 years later. 

Meet her table!

not pictured: Margie and Shantel 

Each person was asked this question:

If you could have a super power, what would it be and why?

DLG-KELLY: Mary Poppin's magic power- poof & everything is cleaned up and the kids are well behaved!

MENTOR MOM-MARGIE: to be with my kids (adult) whenever I want

ANGIE: Speed of light. Get everything done super quick-cleaning, shopping, etc...relax when I want

AMANDA: The ability to fly, so I could visit anywhere I wanted quickly

SHELLY: I would be able to teleport so I could visit my family and different countries whenever I felt like it.

SHAUNA: Invinsibility-So nothing could take me down and I could be an unstoppable force for a good cause.  

SHANTEL: X-ray vision so I could know who actually started a fight, hit first, or colored on the furniture.

Thanks for sharing your table with us, Kelly!

Peanut Butter Chip Banana Cookie Bread

by Kelly

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup peanut butter chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease your loaf pan (like an 8 x 4" pan) with shortening.
In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside.
In a large bowl stir together bananas, peanut butter, oil, egg and sugars.
Pour dry ingredients into bowl with wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Batter will be lumpy (do not over-stir).
Fold in peanut butter chips and spread batter into prepared pan.
Bake for about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges of the pan with a knife and remove from loaf pan, transferring bread to a cooling rack.

Meet Alicia's Table

Here's Alicia then and now!

Alicia is in 1/3 MOPS and this is her third year as a DGL.  She has three kids.

What do you like to do with your kids in the winter to beat the winter blues?

Get out of the house and go play somewhere like Bounce U, Omaha Children's Museum, and the malls. We also get out the summer sand toys and play in the snow. 

Meet her table!

Each person was asked this question:

What is one of your fondest memories you have as a mom and raising your children?

DGL-ALICIA: When all 3 kids laid together and were loving on each other. 

MENTOR MOM-RENITA: Sitting on the bedroom floor at bedtime reading books

SHANNON: One of my favorite times of the day is getting ready for nap time and having that quiet time with them when they sit in my lap, and we read a book together, then cuddle while they fall asleep. I love rocking them, holding them, and just enjoying that time together as they fall asleep.

JERILYN: Probably the first time Fiona said "momma" or the first time she said "I love you."

TIFFANIE: Taking the kids camping and watching them play.

DANICA: Playing with my kids, reading books, and singing songs to them at bedtime.

LIZ: One fun memory is going on a hike with my son Sam, daughter Noelle, and my husband.  It was so cute to see my kids "running" ahead on the trail, squatting down to explore bugs and leaves, and then carrying them the majority of the hike.  Precious!

SARAH: One of my fondest memories is when my daughter was old enough to talk, she said that she wanted to be a mommy when she grew up. What a happy mommy moment!

KIM: When my children randomly hug me and say with the sweetest voice, "Mom, I love you."

Thanks for sharing your table with us, Alicia!

Quick Chicken Chili by Alicia

3 chicken breast halves, diced
1 can (14.5 oz) Diced Tomatoes with garlic/onion
1 pkg chili seasoning mix
1 can (15.25oz) corn
1 can (15oz) kidney beans, drained
Combine chicken, undrained tomatoes and seasoning mix in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until chicken is done.
Add undrained corn and beans, simmer 5 minutes or until heated through.

Meet Mary's Table!

Here's Mary then and now!

Mary is in 2/4 MOPS and this is her third year as a DGL.  She has a little boy.

What do you like to do with your son to beat the winter blues?

We play a lot of hide and seek, chasing each other around and wrestling. We also get outside every day, even if it's for only 5 or 10 minutes. Finally, the library is one of our favorite places to go to spend time reading and then check books out and bring them back home.

Meet her table!

Not pictured: Kerri

Each person was asked this question:

Which housekeeping chore do you wish you never had to do again?

DGL-MARY: Washing dishes by hand

MENTOR MOM-MELANIE: clean toilets

KERRI: hanging up laundry

JILL: cleaning up the kitchen after each meal

RACHEL: Emptying the dishwasher.  Particularly anything with silverware. 

ANDREA: Clean the bathroom

EMILY: Clean the bathroom

KIMBERLY: Laundry-Folding it and putting it away!

HILARY 

DEBORAH: Ironing... I will avoid it at all cost unless it's a special occasion ;)

Thanks for sharing your table with us, Mary!

"Mom's Chicken Enchildadas" by Mary

One of my favorite recipes is: "Mom's Chicken Enchiladas" from the Eating For Life cookbook. We tailor it a little to our liking. For example, we don't use cooking spray, but instead we butter the baking dish. We also use both corn and flour tortillas and make a double batch. The corn tortillas may seem to fall apart when they're being rolled and placed in the baking dish; it's okay, they will cook just the same and be so delicious. Here's the recipe:

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
4 portions chicken breast (about 1 lb)
4 green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
3 cans (10 oz each) green enchilada sauce
8 corn tortillas
1 cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups lettuce, shredded
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 tomato, diced
1 can (2 oz) ripe olives, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray. 

2. Place chicken breasts in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Shred cooked chicken by pulling apart with 2 forks; set aside.

3. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add green onion, cilantro and jalapeño; sauté for 2 minutes. Add shredded chicken and 1 can of enchilada sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes.

4. Pour the 2 remaining cans of enchilada sauce in a medium bowl and microwave until warm, about 2 minutes. Dip each tortilla in the heated sauce and fill with about 1/8 of the chicken mixture. Roll up and place, seamside down, in the prepared baking dish.

5. Pour remaining heated sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.

6. Divide lettuce onto four plates and place a portion of enchiladas on top. Top with a spoonful of salsa, a dollop of sour cream, tomatoes and olives. Serve and enjoy! 

Meet Yolanda's Table

Here's Yolanda then and now!

Yolanda is in 1/3 MOPS and this is her second year as a DGL.  She has two kids.

Meet her table!

just a few of the ladies! 

Each person was asked this question:

What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

YOLANDA: On Christmas Eve, we wear our new Christmas jammies and open a second gift (it's always a game to play as a family).  When we wake up, we're ready for gift giving/receiving.  We also drive around with hot cocoa to look at Christmas lights.  

MENTOR MOM-KRISTI: We do lots of baking, candy making, and special recipes.  We all do our New Year's resolutions and put them in our Christmas stockings.  The next year we pull out our stockings and read our last year's resolutions.

AMANDA: Making Christmas cookies with my mom, sisters, and girls!

TIFFANI: On Christmas morning, the kids are allowed to go downstairs, before "waking up" mom and dad, and get their stockings.  It's so precious to hear them sharing this time with each other when they think we aren't listening.  

ANDREA: We read books under our Christmas tree with my daughters every night.  

We bake a cake on Christmas day to celebrate Jesus' birthday.  We sing Happy Birthday and have cake for dessert after Christmas dinner.  

MICHELLE: We sprinkle oatmeal and glitter mixed together outside for Santa's reindeer, and we throw baby carrots outside for them, too.  

Thanks for sharing your table with us, Yolanda!

Blended Caramel Frappuccino by Yolanda 

1 cup cold coffee
1 Tbs heaping sweetened condensed milk
Cream (heavy or half & half, as desired)
Ice

Blend!
Top with whipped cream and drizzle with caramel

Meet Jennifer's Table!

Here's Jennifer then and now!

Jennifer is in 2/4 MOPS and this is her second year as a DGL.  She has two kids.

Do you have any Christmas traditions?

We pick out our Christmas tree at a tree farm every year.

Meet her table!

Not pictured: Jenni

Each person was asked this question:
Do you have a memory from family vacation as a child?

JENNIFER: One year we stayed at a beach house in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  A group of us locked part of the family out and blasted them with water balloons. 

MENTOR MOM-JULIE: Most of our family vacations as a little girl consisted of lots of driving, and I always got carsick. :(

JESS: Our family went to a lake in Minnesota and stayed in a couple cabins.  I remember fishing and swimming in the lake.  The best thing about the trip was that there was a girl around my age I became friends with.  It was such a fun trip with our whole family-8 of us! :)  We played games and had a great time! 

\

KELLEY: One time we drove across country from Ohio to Kansas.  Half way through the trip our old station wagon broke down.  My dad was able to get it to an old truck stop and the restaurant there took us in and fed my 4 siblings and I all day as we got it fixed. 

CARLY: I remember staying at Embassy Suites when I was about 12 or 13. My two younger sisters and I thought it was so great. Our favorite part was the elevators you could see out of. We would spend so much time just riding up and down in them.

JENNI

ELIZABETH

KELLY

Thanks for sharing your table with us, Jennifer!

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole

12 oz spaghetti
1 (28 ounce) jars prepared spaghetti sauce
1 lb lean ground beef
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350º F.

In a skillet, brown the ground beef until cooked through; drain fat and stir in spaghetti sauce.  Set aside.

Cook spaghetti according to directions on packet.  Drain and place cooked spaghetti in bowl.  Add cream cheese, Italian Seasoning and minced garlic.  Stir until cream cheese is melted and the spaghetti is thoroughly coated. 

Lightly grease a 9x13" pan.  Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the bottom of the dish.  Put spaghetti on top of sauce and top with remaining meat sauce.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly.