Summer Roadtrip Essentials

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SummerCarCare #CollectiveBias

With the start of summer, comes the start of roadtrips. We've already got a few planned and for me (and my sanity), it's essential to be prepared. So I've gotten a jump on it and started with the most important thing for any trip...the car! 

I stopped by Walmart to grab a few things for the inside of our car, including a new FRAM Extra Guard Air Filter. (find the right one for your car here)

Living in Arizona, we're no strangers to dust and a clean filter prevents dirt and dust from entering and damaging the engine. Damaged engine = no fun summer road trips.
Air filters are the engine's first line of defense, so it's super important to keep your filter clean to increase acceleration, horsepower, and improve overall engine performance.

Replacing it is super simple, and doesn't take more than a few minutes.  You see the difference in those filters?! Yikes....sorry car.  Pop in the new FRAM Extra Guard filter and pop the cover back on.

 Once we were done with that I stuffed a little bag full of essentials to keep in the car.  Wet wipes, tissues, a little first-aid kit (including some tylenol & tums), hand sanitizer, a flashlight, and a few grocery bags to throw any trash in.

Keeping this handy bag in the car will keep our trips running smoothly, while our clean engine runs smoothly to get us to our fun summer adventures!

Mother's Day Keychain

I'm so ready to bask in the love and relaxation of Mother's Day.  But if you still have to cross off gifts for the most wonderful day ever, I've got 2 easy ideas using the same concept- wooden beads painted by a cute little grandchild! (I also learned the importance of lighting control when using an apparently temper-mental background color??)

I happened to have these items on hand, but they can all be bought at your local craft store.

 Start by knotting one end of your leather cord tightly, this will be the bottom of the keychain.

 Slide on those wood beads, that your cute kid(s) painted with specifically selected colors.

 Loosely knot the top, and before tying tightly, slide on your keyring & tassel.

 Now pull taught and trim the excess cord. BOOM. 

So simple, easy, not tacky and way cuter than those awful puzzle piece pins we always came home from school with for my mom.  

....thanks for taking one for our self-esteem and wearing those to church, Mom. 

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Are you ready for an enchilada recipe that is going to blow your mind?!  Let me tell you why it's so mind-blowing...because it's so simple but SO delicious.  I get compliments on this every time I make it and sometimes I may or may not let people believe I slaved over them. This is the perfect thing to cook for your Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Make sure your chicken is nice and shredded, I like mine to still be slightly warm when I'm filling them.  My favorite enchilada sauce is the green sauce from Las Palmas, just choose the right spiciness temperature for your palette. 

For bonus points, serve with legit mexican rice and top with chopped cilantro. Enjoy your fiesta!

print recipe

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

by Katie Carranza April-27-2016

You won't be able to tell just how easy these enchiladas are because they are full of delicious cheesy goodness.

Ingredients

• 20 small (fajita) flour tortillas
• 3 breasts shredded chicken breast
• 2-2 1/2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 small can diced green chilies
• 28 oz. can green enchilada sauce

Instructions

Mix shredded chicken, green chilies and 3/4 cup of cheese.Pour just enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of 9x13 pan. Working with one tortilla at a time, dip both sides of tortilla in the sauce, spread 1/4 cup of chicken on tortilla, then roll up. Continue until you've filled your tortillas, repelenishing your sauce to dip your tortillas in as necessary. Spread the rest of the sauce on top of enchiladas then top with as much cheese as desired. Cover pan with foil & cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then uncovered until cheese begins to brown & bubble.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 35 mins Yield: 20 enchiladas

Mother's Day Wishlist

So Mother's Day is coming soon and like any good mother, I made a realistic wish list for one of the most important holidays of the year.  From comfy, to sparkly, to dressy, to everyday care, I've covered it all so I'm sure to get something I love! Too much? Here are the links to these gorgeous items, in case you need one of each of these for yourself!

1. Lemon Pleated Midi Skirt 2. Two-Tone Buckle Shoes 3. Druzy Gold Earrings 

4. Self-Tanning Mousse5. Personalized Name Ring 6. Being A Mom is my Jam Shirt

Pinata Wreath

Cinco de Mayo has become one of my favorite holidays to decorate for.  All the bright colors and fun ways to decorate...we WILL be festive in this half mexican household!! This wreath is the perfect craft to whip up this week in time to enjoy at your fiesta!

Take your felt in bright, Cinco de Mayo colors and cut into 2" inch strips. 

If your wreath form isn't white already, like mine, spray with a quick coat of white spray paint while you fringe your strips of felt.

I had a smaller wreath and I found I could cut my strips in half to wrap and then glue around the wreath with just a titch of wreath showing on the back. Works for me!

Go go go until you're turned your wreath into a little felt pinata! It is so bright & although it's not traditional crepe paper, this way it's more sturdy and can handle being packed away in storage.

Stacking Up a Snacking Win

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

#StackItUp #CollectiveBias

I am always on the look out for a fun, new snack idea that requires a little more than opening fruit snacks but a little less than turning on the oven.  I think I found the perfect medium that gives me an opportunity to sit and talk to my son after school while we make a yummy snack! 

 If you don't already have then on hand, stop by your local Walmart & grab RITZ Fresh Stacks & Peter Pan Simply Ground Peanut Butter.  I used the RITZ Original Fresh Stacks because it's the perfect size for each person, and now  RITZ Fresh Stacks Ultimate Butter are available for a limited time!

 RITZ Original Fresh Stacks combined with Peter Pan Simply Ground Peanut Butter are a perfect combination on their own, but grabbing a few items I always have on-hand definitely stepped this snack up.  I just put a few "add-ins" into a muffin tin for quick clean up and it was easy for us to create exactly what we wanted. 

  This time around I put out coconut, mini chocolate chips, mini candies, cut up candy bar (Easter leftovers!), granola, and sprinkles.  The beauty of this recipe is that you can have as many options as you have in your pantry.  It takes an already good snack and makes it even greater!

 Just take a cracker, spread that delicious peanut butter generously. Slightly squish another on top and roll the sides in an add-in...or two

!  I loved it and so did my 4 year old, I'd call that a stacking, I mean snacking, win!