Tag: family

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Thanksgiving Prep – Cinnamon Bread Recipe

Who else loves gathering around a table with family and friends to enjoy wonderful food? I know I’m not alone in basking in the warmth a meal with loved ones can bring. I’m convinced a beautiful table, rich conversation and mouth watering food can brighten anyone’s day! As I start to *think* about what I’d like to prepare, this simple quick bread comes to mind. I use to make it weekly. It’s easy and so good! Add some real butter and you’ve got yourself a real winner.

It’s always fun to listen to others’ Thanksgiving plans. So many unique traditions are held, there’s no ‘right way’ to usher in the Thanksgiving feast. Whether you enjoy a Taco bar, and forget the Turkey, or play a solid game of tackle football before your meal. Every family celebrates in their own unique way.

In Omaha, the weather is getting cooler. We’ve pulled up the garden and prepped it for winter. In years past, it’s always been difficult to say goodbye to warm months and come to grips with winter making her grand entrance. It’s different for me this year. I’m embracing the seasonal change without a grumpy attitude and looking forward to hunkering down with my family these next few months. My son says I’m getting older, I think getting older might also mean you learn to make the best of everything. Like arming yourself for winter with new soup recipes, board games, puzzles and indoor projects to last the next four months. Whatever the case, I’m ready to share this warm quick bread that you can easily bake and serve to eat during a card game. My kids love to play Sleeping Queens. It’s a great card game and Amazon carrys it. You definitely need to add it to your game closet. 🙂

The Amazing Cinnamon Bread (that’s what I call it anyway!)

CINNAMON BREAD (makes 2 loaves)
Batter:
1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda
Cinnamon/sugar mixture:
2/3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon  (I do add more cinnamon and sugar as I feel is needed. It’s called cooking with love. )

Cream together butter, 2 cups of sugar, and eggs.  Add milk, flour, and baking soda.  Put 1/2 of batter (or a little less) into greased loaf pans (1/4 in each pan).  Mix in separate bowl the 2/3 c sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle 3/4 of cinnamon mixture on top of the 1/2 batter in each pan.  Add remaining batter to pans; sprinkle with last of cinnamon topping.  Swirl with a knife.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min.  or until toothpick tester come clean.   Cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

I have also made this bread in muffin tins which made it a little easier to freeze and take out as needed.
ENJOY!!!

~Michelle Phillips

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13 things to do this Fall to prepare for Winter!

Fall starts today! September 23, which is also my birthday! As I was doing some chores around the house, I started thinking about how many weekends there were in a fall season, and correlating that to, “how many weekend projects can I accomplish to get ready for winter?” So I marched to the calendar to count up 13 weekends, and started thinking about my project list. Here is what I came up with. Keep in mind, these projects are meant to be completed within a few hours because Saturday mornings are packed with soccer and flag football games around here. Plus, who really wants to spend their weekend working? Not me! However, I’ve also learned working hard now ensures an easier transition into the next season and can benefit me a year from now! So, who else will join me in taking on a small project each weekend? Here they are. In no particular order either.

  1. Clean out all the gutters. This chore should be done after all the leaves, or most of the leaves have fallen.
  2. Put up Christmas lights while it’s nice out, so you won’t freeze! You don’t need to turn them on yet. 🙂
  3. Tend to flower beds and gardens. Pulling up dead or dying plants. Cutting back bushes. This is a great time to fertilize if you have a garden.
  4. Pick up outside furniture and toys. Store them as needed to preserve them from harsh winter conditions.
  5. Prepare your front door and entryway for cooler temps. I have flowers in the barrels and learned early on, that if I don’t clean those out and change the front door wreath. My front door can look really tired (and dead) come winter.
  6. Make sure your kids have properly fitting winter apparel (coats, hats, gloves, snow pants, boots). Don’t have kids? Make sure you’ve got a winter coat and snow boots. Last winter was harsh! I wore my winter boots so often and was glad I had them.
  7. Cut down on some heating costs by caulking around doors and windows.
  8. Hire a chimney sweep and order fire wood.
  9. Disconnect hoses from outside faucets and if your air conditioner has a water shut-off valve, turn it off.
  10. Buy a snow shovel. We like to have one in the trunk of our car too-just in case! Speaking of the car. We also put in a large blanket and first aid kit. I’d rather be over prepared than underprepared! Something else to consider is buying sidewalk salt before you actually need it. In the case of a winter storm, hardware stores sell out quickly!
  11. Buy a new board game and stock up on lotion. I’m smiling as I type that, but the Midwesterner in me knows, cabin fever and dry skin are a real thing!
  12. Tune up the snow blower.
  13. Invest in a humidifier. Your sinuses, skin and home will thank you!

Honestly, last winter was so long and harsh. I remember there being a handful of chores I’d wished we’d accomplished while it was still nice outside, instead of doing them while freezing our booties off outside. Alas, you live and learn! Here’s to hoping it’s a mild winter and we are prepared for anything! Like true Midwesterners! 🙂

~Michelle Phillips

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Happy Birthday, America!

We hope you are enjoying your 4th of July by celebrating with family and friends. Stay safe out there! We are so thankful for our freedom and for those who sacrificed for our freedoms.

I love this land, God bless the USA!

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We’ve got a lot to celebrate around here plus an Easy No Bake Pie Recipe!

June is packed full of good dates to remember. At our place, June is a monumental month for Trevor. First, we have Father’s Day, then it’s Phillips Tile & Stone’s birthday then we celebrate Trevor’s birthday! This month was spent celebrating the man who steers this ship. Thank you to all our past and present clients, and a shout out to all the future clients we’ve yet to work with. Happy birthday Phillips Tile & Stone and Happy birthday to our favorite, Trevor Phillips!!

9 years as a company and 35 years young.

Life by Chocolate!

To celebrate, I made this easy no bake pie. In which I’m calling Life by Chocolate

It’s the easiest pie you’ll ever make and everyone loves it!

Ingredients

  • 1 ready-to-use Oreo pie crust
  • 1 large box chocolate instant pudding
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 package Oreo cookies
  • 1 tub of Cool Whip
  • Hot Fudge
  • additional Oreo cookies for garnish

Instructions

  • Combine the large box of pudding mix and 3 cups whole milk. Stir together with a whisk until it is combined and thick. This will take about 5 minutes to thicken up.
  • Add the chopped Oreo cookies and stir together to combine.
  • Pour 1 1/2 cups of the pudding mixture into the bottom of the pie crust.
  • Drizzle with hot fudge.
  • Beat together the cool whip with the remaining pudding mixture and add this as a third layer to the pie.
  • Spread the remaining whipped cream on top.
  • Cover with the enclosed lid and let refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Refrigerating overnight is best.
  • When ready to serve, garnish the top with additional Oreo cookies and hot fudge.
  • Enjoy!

You are in for a real treat!

The Phillips Fam
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DIY Green All-Purpose Cleaning Spray !

We all love a clean home! The same day I posted this, I had a friend request a blog post on the best way to clean countertops! I think it’s safe to say, we all want what is best for our families and pets. The green cleaning movement is well underway, and I have been on board for a good long while. Actually, it’s not a new movement if you think about it. Your grandparents cleaned green!

It’s incredibly easy to make your own cleaner! Like, so easy. One thing you do need to be mindful of while making your own cleaning agents is that most surfaces cannot stand up to harsh abrasives or acidic cleaners. So use lemon juice and vinegar with discretion! The recipe I’m sharing for this blog post doesn’t use those ingredients, so don’t worry. It is interesting to note that you could get rid of all your chemical filled cleaners and stock up on vinegar, baking soda, lemons and soap and call it a day. But I want you to have this recipe, so keep reading.

For most days, warm water and a microfiber cloth should be fine to clean those countertops. However, if you cut chicken on the countertops the evening before for dinner, just consider alllll the germs that need disinfected. Eww. Here is your all natural recipe to conquer dirt and grime. Germs be gone!

All- Surface Spray Recipe

2 teaspoons washing soda

hot water

1/4 teaspoons liquid castile soap

Once you’ve got your mixture together, put it in a spray bottle and fill the bottle with hot water. Shake the spray bottle until your washing soda is dissolved, and then add the soap. Go ahead and spray your countertops. Let it sit for a minute or two and then wipe off. There you go. No more expensive cleaners that are full of toxins. Nope. You’re now a green cleaning machine! Not to mention it only took pennies to make. Your next step is to take a picture of your clean area, because it might last longer. 😉

My kitchen isn’t always this clean, but man…I love when it is!
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Easy Tamale Pie Recipe

If you’ve ever needed a hearty, family approved recipe. This is it. All my picky eaters liked this and it was even delicious as leftovers. Just make sure you cover the casserole well as it sits in the frig until it’s all eaten. I love recipes that don’t call for many ingredients. This is big flavor with not a lot of work!

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef

2 (8.5 oz) boxes dry corn muffin mix

1 can sliced olives (may be omitted)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 jar (16 oz) enchilada sauce

2 large eggs

2/3 cup milk

1/2 shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 onion diced (may be omitted)

Preparation:

  1. preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a large frying pan, cook and stir ground beef. Add in onions, olives, salt, chili powder, and oregano. After the meat is cooked and onions are browned add enchilada sauce.
  3. In a large bowl mix both packages of cornbread mix with the eggs and milk. Makes sure it’s free from lumps.
  4. Finally, pour all your corn muffin mix batter over your seasoned beef. Spread the corn muffin mix into an even layer and top with cheeses. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Insert a toothpick to the corn bread layer and if it comes out clean, it’s done!
  5. Optional. top with sour cream and enjoy!

I’d love to hear if you made this recipe!

Easy Tamale Pie Recipe.
I took this picture as I ate it for lunch the next day! It’s equally awesome as leftovers.
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Happy Easter!

He Is Risen, just as He said! We have so much to be thankful for, the beautiful sunshine from today and these blooming flowers are just a few. We hope you enjoyed your Easter!

Aren’t these gorgeous!?

Love, The Phillips Fam

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Tile Care Tips

Remodeling your business or home is an investment! To keep that area clean is a simple way to preserve the materials installed. I mean, have you ever seen corroded tiles? Gross! There are so many cleaning products out on the market today and some might become overwhelmed with how to clean your new space. I’d like to break down the simplicity of what you really need. 🙂

Simple Tile Cleaning Tips.

  • Clean it often. That simply means, wipe your backsplash or floor tiles weekly with a water and neutral pH cleaner (think mild dish soap or Simple Green) other options will break down the sealer and cause damage. Then repeat with just water and finally wipe with a dry towel.
  • To clean the grout. Take an old toothbrush, (it’s recommended to replace a toothbrush every 3-4 months) and mix some water with baking soda, then scrub. It’ll take some elbow grease and it’s a smart idea to test a small area first, but your grout will be squeaky clean and look brand new!

There you have it. No fancy or expensive cleaning agents. Your tile will last longer and stay looking amazing. Easy peasy.


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Nebraska Strong

Today is the first day of Spring! The sun is shining and it’s a pleasant 48 degrees. We are extremely thankful for the sunshine after a difficult winter, we also grieve with so many that are affected by the flood waters.

It’s interesting, as people, once we experience a hardship our natural desire is to help others through their own hardships. Please pray for our state and give if you can. It will take sometime until families and businesses are restored. One thing is for certain, if you understand Nebraska, you’ll know we are tough and kind and we help our own.

#PrayforNebraska #NebraskaStrong