Planting and Cooking Like Crazy!

Sorry to be MIA for a while!  Work's incredibly busy right now and I have ten different things pulling me at once.  I did make time this weekend for a little baking.  Used the recipe on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa can (while making more homemade chocolate syrup) to make their "Perfectly Chocolate Cake" and homemade chocolate frosting!  As you can see from the picture, it turned out divine!  My cake was still a little warm and you can see the frosting oozing out a little in the middle.  It only made it more delicious!!

I took a break between the storms this weekend and did some flower planting.  A friend was generous to come over to the house and bring me several flower starts she did earlier in the month.  I planted some Sedum by my little bunny figurine.  This plant will spread since it is a type of ground cover.  And, yes, it does flower!  She also brought me some more day lillies so I could finish filling out my bulb bed! 

The little droopy plant is bee balm.  This was planted under my birdfeeder with hopes to attract hummingbirds this summer.  We have a lot of hummingbirds - even with just a feeder.  But the plant will make them come in droves!

This will be a Rose of Sharon and will eventually hide the ugly sewer pipe in this flower bed!  It will share the space with a Seven Sister's Rosebush (you can just see the edge of a leaf from that).  On the other end is a peach colored Hollyhock.  (can't see that - sorry!)

She also brought me some mint.  I will have to eventually move it to a bigger space.  But, for now, it occupies a small corner by the steps to our back door!

She also brought me zinnia's, 4 o'clocks, and some veggie plants.  I also got an oregano plant!  That will be great to use in recipes!

Speaking of recipes...I made two crockpot creations.  I made something called Tuscan Chicken which had  italian seasonings and tomato paste and stewed tomatoes in it.  It was yummy!!  And I also made chicken enchilladas last night.  The ingredients were simple too!

1 lb of chicken breasts cut into strips

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp oregano
1/2 chopped onion
1 small can chopped jalepenos (drained) - this can be omitted if you don't like spicy foods

In a ziplock bag mix flour and salt and add cut up chicken.  Seal and shake until completely covered.  Pour into skillet and brown lightly.  Add to crockpot.  Pour chicken broth into skillet and loosen any pieces in the pan and then pour over chicken.  Sprinkle with oregano and toss in onion and jalepenos.  Cover and cook 7-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.

Mix together:

1/2 cup milk
2 TBSP flour

Pour into crockpot with cooked chicken.  Cook 30 more minutes.

Put on large tortillas and add sour cream and mexican cheese mix and wrap.  Delicious!

I also thought instead of using the flour and milk mixture, you could substitute with some of that delicious white cheese sauce like they serve at the mexican restaurants.  Con Queso?  And then eliminate cheese on it when you make the wrap.  That would also be delicious over hot rice!  Just a recipe variation suggestion!