~slow cooker chicken tortilla soup~

I get mailers from my local grocery store(Smith's)

that have recipes along with coupons.

 I've been looking for

a good tortilla soup recipe for awhile now

and I think I finally found THE ONE

when I got one of their mailers a couple weeks ago.    

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 onion, chopped

4 frozen chicken breasts

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes

2 (4 oz) cans chopped mild green chili peppers

1 can (15 oz) mild red enchilada sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth

1 tsp each.....CUMIN, CHILI POWDER, SALT

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 bay leaf

1 pkg (10 oz) frozen corn

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Place the chopped onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Layer the frozen chicken breasts on top. Add the diced tomatoes and their juice, green chiles, enchilada sauce, garlic, chicken broth, spices and bay leaf. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove bay leaf. Remove chicken to a plate and shred with two forks. Return to slow cooker. Stir in corn. Continue to heat until corn is hot. Add a handful of chopped cilantro. Top with anything you like....we did avocado slices, shredded cheese and sour cream.

Serves 6-8.

IT'S JUST ABOUT AS EASY AS IT GETS

AND IT IS DELICIOUS!  

         

~taco dip~

I love ranch dip made with sour cream.

I will dip ANYTHING in it.

I try not to buy it because I know if I do,

I'll eat the whole thing....

by myself....

within a couple days.

No joke.

The other day I was craving some ranch dip with 

my green peppers. I didn't want to go buy any for the 

very reason that I just admitted to....I'd eat the whole thing.

So instead I improvised with what I had on hand.

This is what I came up with:

Cottage cheese mixed with a little taco seasoning.

It was so good.

So much so that I made it again later that day,

and again the next,

and again.

Until it was gone.

I'm thinking maybe I should just 

stay away from dips.

BUT-you should try this.....

it's rockin good.

~fun shaped sandwich~

Remember those heart shaped sandwiches I 

said I was going to make for my little guy?

I couldn't find my heart shaped cookie cutter

today but I found something else.

Cars and trucks.

I don't think he'll ever be satisfied with 

a plain 'ol sandwich again :)

It was a big hit!

An easy and cheap way to make lunchtime fun.

Try it.

Your kid will love it.

Guaranteed!

~elf treats~

Around our house Santa's elf's have been

leaving little surprises all month long.

Next to the cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve,

we will be leaving a treat like this for the elf's:

Elf donuts!

How cute is that?

These were one of the first things I 

 pinned on Pinterest. 

They are actually cheerios.

And how is it that I've never heard of 

this "Elf on the shelf"  stuff before?

I love the idea.

I only wish I would have heard about it

before last week :(

Next year for sure.

For those of you who don't know what it is,

it's a book you get that has a little elf with it.

I guess you let your kid name the elf and the 

elf reports to Santa whether your kids have

been naughty or nice. You move him to

a different spot each night after the kids go

to bed and the kids get to find him each day.

Well-folks....I've got about 3 big projects calling my name.

And I don't have any elf's to assist me.

Gotta dash.....

~summer eats and Christmas projects~

Am I the only one who can't believe summer

is already over? It flew by this year.

I'm not complaining,

I love the fall.

It's my favorite season.

I love the crispness of the air,

the smell of cold weather,

the colors of the season

and the anticipation of

the holiday season and a new year.

Unfortunately, with fall comes a farewell to 

fresh garden tomatoes.

Tomatoes are quite possibly my favorite part of summer :)

One of my favorite ways to devour them:

 Tomato and dilly bean sandwich on toasted sourdough bread

with melted velveeta cheese.

You know, the kind of cheese that isn't real cheese.

You either love that cheese or you hate it.

I've never met an in-betweener on this subject.

I'm a bonified lover of this.

My hubs calls veleveeta "ass cheese".....

(definition: cheese you can throw against 

the wall and it sticks there all by itself)

Anyway, I haven't worked on any projects

for a couple months. My sewing/crafting table is

buried with projects that need to be completed.

I need to get on it....

birthdays and holidays are coming up

and I have soooo much to get done.

I actually have a lot I can post on here

that I've already completed and not posted about:

-kitchen curtains/shelf

-boys bedspread

-bath toy bag

-family map art

-girls wall art

-tween girls circle skirts

See-I wasn't lying....I just need to

take the pics and get around to telling you

about them. 

Projects I have in the works that you'll

hopefully see on here between now and Christmas:

-duvet cover

-child's cupboard re-do

-felt food for kids

-birthday banner

-kids slippers

-boys pirate party

-baby girl romper w/vintage corduroy

-leg warmers

-wall art for family

-hot shirt for momma :)

-hand made rings

-owl bookends

WOW....when I see it written down it looks

like I may have bit off more than I can chew.

Speaking of chewing...

Aren't these cheeks just delicious?

I've been eating them all summer too.

What are your Christmas projects?

~breakfast anyone?~

I got this yummy treat from my sister,
one of my favorite peeps,
for Easter and had to share.
It is to die for......
s'meeps
(s'mores + peeps)

-place chocolate on graham cracker half

-place peep on top of chocolate

-microwave for 10-15 seconds

-be sure to watch!

-top with other graham cracker half

-enjoy the ooey goodness!

I'll give you one chance to guess what
I've been having for breakfast.
(my momma will be so proud of me)

~glorious food~

Ok-so I know this is suppose to be a crafting/sewing blog.
I'm branching out a little.
Heart and Sew'l was what I named this blog
because that's what sewing and creating does for me.....
it feeds my heart and soul.
But it's not the only thing in my life that does that.
I'm going to start posting about other things
that feed my heart and soul.

Let's get real literal about this one.
Not only do I feed my heart and soul with this.....
I FEED MY FACE!

I love this.
comfort food....my style.
Wasa crispbread, spread with Laughing Cow Cheese,
topped with a cucumber slice and smoked salmon..

Delicious.
Healthy.

The smoked salmon is caught and smoked fresh
by my husband. IT IS TO DIE FOR!
He should bottle up this stuff and sell it...