blackbird

Monday, August 29, 2011

Hot Dogs, Prizes and Games, OH MY! -Back to School Fun Day 2011


Last Saturday the Hutchinson Volunteer Patrol held it's now annual (this is the second year, woot!) Back to School Fun Day. Like last year it had all the makings of a good time. Food (300 hot dogs!), Games, and tons o' prizes.

Since my husband is on the volunteer patrol, I am guilty by association and strongly urged (nah, I happily volunteered) to help. It started out as expected getting things set up by noonish for the 1PM start time.




Well if you've been in Kansas recently you know that mid-day the ground becomes lava. We had a bit of cloud cover and a few sprinkles but the relief was short lived and the steam bath followed. Fortunately we had lots of McDonald's Orange Drink and donated bottled water and the  kids being the resilient little rascals they are, did not miss a beat.

More hot dogs were eaten, more kids went on a cotton candy/snow cone sugar high and more prizes were claimed.

Of course there were a couple of scraps- it's not a party until someone gets a booboo, but our friendly Hutchinson Fire Department was there to administer first aid (and show off the fire truck).


The amount of merchant donations was so great we had to really hustle to give them all away in the allotted 3 hour period. This year we gave away adult prizes too - not "adult" prizes but prizes like $25.00 food coupons to several different family food restaurants and a BlueRay DVD player. But the big prizes that earned the most drool points were the two bikes. Both a girl's and boy's bike were given. They were super snazzy Huffy's too!

But unfortunately we only had two (listen up sponsor-type people) maybe next year we can make this even bigger and better and give away more bikes, I would be so excited to see this event blow the doors off and make lots of little kids have super big smiles. Our boy winner this year, has several sisters and he is the only boy in the family so I'm thinking a shy young dude with lots of sisters, DESERVES a manly black/orange boys bike. HOOORAH for you little man!

The girls winner was so cute she was all dressed in pink and purple and she actually looked like she matched that ultra-girly pastel bicycle.

I think this event was a success and hope we can grow it year to year and get more of the community involved. I do believe a fun time was had by all. Thank you to the sponsors and the Hutchinson Volunteer Patrol.










Friend them to see more pics from this event on Facebook at Hutchinson Volunteer Patrol

Sunday, August 14, 2011

CheeChicky Bacon Enchiladas

OK, so I used to just assume everyone cooked the way I do but evidently they do not. I fancy myself somewhat creative and I guess that seeps over into my cooking as well. While I generally try to follow a recipe, most times the recipe just ends up as a rough outline and the finished product? Wellllll, let's just say sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but only a few times has it been totally inedible.

Many times I find myself looking through the cabinets trying to come up with something, mainly because I'm too lazy to go to the grocery store. I wish I could say I live in the middle of nowhere 50 miles to the nearest town, but no, it's like 5 minutes away, yes, I'm THAT lazy.

Today is no exception, I'm filled with laziness and I have to take a covered dish to a get together tonight. I scour the cabinets- peanut butter cookies? no eggs....... Zucchini-Banana cake? took that last week.......I opened the freezer, then I spied them......fresh off the Garcia enchilada delivery van.......homemade, hand-rolled cheese enchiladas....and Heavenly rays shown down around them. (I could almost swear I heard angels sing as well.) Shivawn and her family make the BEST enchiladas. Whenever she is taking orders I always order some for home as well as for my poor, poor college students. *WHAT?! no pre-made enchilada's? see note below for alternative.

So, I could just throw them in a big pyrex baking dish add a little more cheese and already the attendees at tonights soireƩ would think I'm some sort of culinary genius, but....... what if I doctored them up a bit? I could have taken some of Aaron's beefy ones that I haven't delivered yet but instead.....I took a package of cheese and onion and made an enchilada-ish casserole. First I layered the enchiladas in the bottom of a medium sized-13 x 9ish pyrex baking dish.







I had 3 chicken breasts we had cooked out on the grill and were left over so I cut them into small bits, added an chopped onion, a small jalepeno and a package of pre-cooked bacon. (Pre-cooked bacon --------ever so handy to keep at the ready!) and sauteƩd all that in what else? BUTTER!! added some pepper seasoning and Mrs. Dash Chipotle seasoning.


Cooked all of this until the onions were soft and fairly transparent. Then I mixed that concoction with a can of cream of chicken soup, a small can of green chiles, a generous 3/4 cup of picante sauce and about 8 ounces of sour cream.



Spread that over the top of the enchiladas and covered with - you guessed it - MORE CHEESE! My friend Bob likes to say you can never have enough cheese, and he's right. Mucho queso, por favor!** I popped that whole thing in the oven  for about 35 minutes at around 350.





Remove from oven and let sit, until set, (about 15 minutes) and by that time it is begging for you to taste it! Doesn't it look Yummilicious!  No shortage of cheese here. A dollop of sour cream or salsa and Muy Sabroso!**



*alternative to pre-made enchiladas - take some flour tortilla shells and a can of enchilada sauce, tear tortillas into1/4's dip in enchilada sauce and then soften in nonstick skillet, in greased baking dish alternately layer tortillas and shredded cheese about 3 layers. Then follow recipe above.

If you live in the Hutchinson, Kansas area and want to order some of the yummo enchiladas contact me and I'll hook you up with Shivawn.

**Mucho queso, por favor = Don't skimp on the cheese, pretty please
**Muy Sabroso = Very Tasty