Fire Safety & Chicken Verde with Chile Cream Sauce

Have you guys talked to your kiddos about Fire Safety?

It’s one of those subjects that is no fun to talk about, but very very important!  It’s kinda like making a Will, it’s stuff you don’t want to have to think about, but when its all said and done, you feel a LOT safer knowing it’s in place.

The first thing we did when talking about Fire Safety, was pick a spot to meet in case of a house fire.

For us, it’s a big tree out front, by the driveway gate.  The second thing we did was go into each child’s room and talk about what it would be like if there was a fire in our home: the smoke filled room, the blaring fire alarm.  Our kids each share a room with their younger sibling, so the older child was instructed to get the younger child and help them get below the smoke line.  There is a space just above the floor where no smoke hangs.

We talked about crawling to the door and feeling the knob, if it’s not hot….

Get LOW and GO!  Head out to the tree!

If the door knob feels hot, do NOT open the door, that means fire is nearby.  Open the window and breathe fresh air while you wait for someone to come get you, or we talked about breaking the screen and carefully helping little brother or sister out before crawling out and running up front to the meeting tree.

We talked about this and practiced several times.  It may not be perfect, but it’s what we’ve got.

Have you had this convo with your children?  Not just talking, but doing an actual run through?

I was contacted by Home Security System and asked if I would share their Fire Safety Packet for Kids with you.  It’s cute, fun and colorful, but covers important fire safety info.

Fire Safety Word Search

Head on over to their site to download your free activity packet now, and while you fill it out, talk about your plan for safety!

On to the food:

Looking for a simple Mexican Supper?  Then you’ve come to the right place!  Savory chicken, creamy chile sauce with just a hint of lime, all served over your favorite Mexican Rice.

Chicken Verde with Chile Cream Sauce

{click title for easy printable}

Chicken Verde

Ingredients

  • 4 whole {up To 6} Chicken Breasts
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin
  • Salt, Pepper, Garlic To Taste
  • 1 can (10 Oz) Cream Of Chicken Soup
  • ½ cups Water
  • 1 can 4 Oz Chopped Green Chiles
  • 1 teaspoon {up To 2} Lime Juice
  • ¼ cups Sour Cream
  • 2 boxes {8 Oz Each} Mexican Rice, Cooked According To Package Directions

Preparation Instructions

Season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder and cumin. Heat skillet, cook chicken until browned. Add soup, water, chilies and lime juice. Heat to a boil. Cook over low heat 15 minutes or until done.
Stir in sour cream and heat through. Serve over Mexican Rice with Chile Cream sauce over all.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Enjoy!

~T

Mexican Smothered Chicken Thighs with Spanish Rice

Dillon’s had a nice sale on Chicken Thighs recently.  Usually we grill any “on the bone” chicken I buy, but let’s be realistic, it’s NOT really grill season! BRRR! (By the way, that is a “He-We”. I do not grill, that is a Dale-only job.)  What?  You’ve never heard of a He-we before?  Hmm, well, an example of a “She-We” would be: We need to bake those pies today. Get it?  That’s a job I would typically do alone, even though I said “we”. 

Except when Dale and I talk to each we tease: “Is that a YOU-we or a ME-we?” 

  Anywho, I came across this chicken recipe in one of the many recipe magazines that reside in my home and I had to give her a go.  This photo is SUPER ugly, but trust me, the meal was SUPER delish!  For those who are anti-meat with bone, don’t worry, the chicken falls right off the bone, it is so tender. Plus, think how much money you will save your family by being brave and getting this “budget” kind of chicken!  Bone-in is typically cheaper, sale or no.

Mexican Smothered Chicken Thighs with Spanish Rice

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  • 2 cups Flour
  • 2 Tablespoons Season Salt
  • 2 teaspoons Salt
  • 2 teaspoons Pepper
  • 1-½ cup Milk
  • 10 whole Bone In Chicken Thighs, Skin Removed
  • Olive Oil For Pan Searing
  • 1 whole Onion, Chopped
  • 2 whole Jalapeno Peppers (seeded And Chopped)
  • 16 ounces, fluid Tomato Sauce
  • 1 cup Water
  • ½ teaspoons Chili Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Cumin

Remove skin from chicken. In a bowl, combine flour and seasonings. Pour milk in a separate, shallow bowl. Press chicken into first flour mixture, then milk, then flour mixture again. Set aside. Heat up several tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet and pan sear each chicken thigh until flour is starting to turn golden brown. Transfer to a sprayed 9 x 13 casserole dish.
In the same skillet, sautee onion and jalapenos until tender. Add tomato sauce, water and spices. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes or until thickened. Pour over chicken.
COVER and bake at 350* for 35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
Serve chicken and sauce over Mexican rice.

Ole’!

~T

Be sure to head over to Post 2 for today to see our photos from Christmas! 🙂

Bajio Chile Chicken Wraps

My easiest “Go To” supper is the Taco chicken you do in the crock pot:

6 frozen chicken breasts
3/4 cup water
1 packet of taco seasoning 

Cook on low 5 hours, shred chicken and cook on high lid off until liquid is absorbed. Serve on nachos, quesadillas, burritos, tacos, in a mexican casserole…you name it! 

  I thought these Bajio Chile Chicken Wraps sounded  like a fun change from that one, plus I was intrigued at the use of soda in it!  Check it out!!  009

  BTW, we added roasted corn and sautéed red peppers to this dish and really vamped up the flavor!  I highly recommend it!

BAJIO CHILE CHICKEN WRAPS

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  • 4 whole Large Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
  • ½ cups Salsa
  • ½ cups Brown Sugar (we’ll Do Less Next Time, Plenty Sweet)
  • 4 ounces, weight Can Green Chiles
  • ½ can Of Sprite Or 7Up
  • Fixin’s Of Your Choice: Roasted Corn, Peppers, Tomatoes, Black Beans, Mexican Rice, Guacamole, Pico, Salsa

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Shred chicken with 2 forks, allow to cook 1 more hour. Juices should cook into the meat, but if they don’t, thicken with a little cornstarch mixed in water.

Here is how we did the roasted corn and red peppers, so simple but changes the flavor SO much:

Drain a can of corn, thinly slice some red pepper and saute them in olive oil until golden brown…Season with kosher salt.  

We served this on whole wheat tortillas with lettuce, cheese, the above mentioned roasted corn & red peppers, cilantro, guacamole, and southwest sour cream.  You really can add whatever you want!
If you want it spicier rather than sweeter add a hotter salsa and more green chilies.
 Easy peasy!  On to Brownies.  Well, Brownie POINTS that is…..

Look what the dashing Mr. Ferguson just brought in from out back. 

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What a sweetie pie!

Mmm, did someone say pie?!

~T

This post linked to:
Full Plate Thursday

Gooseberry Patch

This Chick Cooks

Wonka Wednesday

Made It On Monday