One of my dear (unfortunately, former) neighbors, Kim Vollendorf, was known for her frugal, quick dinners. She had one particular recipe that all of us neighbor girls really liked, so she shared, of course. She called the recipe “chicka-babies” and they now serve as the centerpiece to my daughter’s favorite meal.

Here’s the very simple recipe.

CHICKA-BABIES

Package cream cheese

4 cups cubed chicken

3 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 cans crescent rolls

Cook chicken and cube. Blend cream cheese in butter until smooth. Add salt, pepper, milk and onion powder; mix well. Separate crescent rolls into four triangles and press together to make a rectangle. Spoon mixture into center of crescent roll and pull sides up to the middle. Pinch together. (It ends up looking like a little bundle.) Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 25 minutes at 350.

We also love these No-Bake Cookies at our house. They’re yummy and so easy to make. I remember sending these to my brother when he was in the Navy.

NO-BAKE COOKIES

2 cups sugar

4 tablespoons cocoa

1/2 cup milk

1 stick butter

1/2 cup nuts (we leave these out)

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 to 2 1/2 cups minute oats

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix together sugar, cocoa, milk and butter. Boil for two minutes, remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter, then oats, vanilla and nuts. Drop onto wax paper, 1 teaspoon at a time. Don’t burn your tongue. When they cool, enjoy!

Mamas, we know you appreciate Chick-fil-A as much as we do on those days we just DON’T want to cook! And if you’re watching your weight, we love that they have a nutrition guide that includes a meal calculator, diabetic exchange and more useful information. CLICK HERE to go that section of the national website. We’ll see you near the play area!

 

Mamas, it’s giveaway time and you’re gonna love this one! You can win a basket filled with top-selling Procter & Gamble beauty and health brands — think Cover Girl, Olay, Pantene, Crest, Gillette, Secret … !! It’s a $200 value, girls! 

And this giveaway is especially awesome because it’s tied to a wonderful event that helps women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment. Please note that you don’t have to donate hair to put your name in the drawing for the gift basket, but we wanted you to help us spread the word about Procter & Gamble’s Pantene Beautiful Lengths event on Wednesday, Sept. 8. The event will be held during the P&G Beauty Northwest Arkansas LPGA Championship.

If you – or your daughter – have long hair, you can help by donating your locks! If you’ve been considering a cut, this is the perfect opportunity. As a thank-you for donating your hair, you’ll receive a free hair style by some of NWA’s most talented stylists. And LPGA players will be there to support the cause! Sign up to donate your hair at the Sept. 8 event by emailing nwaBeautifulLengths@yahoo.com.

The donated hair will be used to craft beautiful wigs with P&G’s partner, HairUWear. It takes at least SIX ponytails to make one Beautiful Lengths wig, and the wigs are given free of charge to women who have lost their hair during cancer treatment.

A few key facts about donating your hair:

• Donated hair must be a minimum of eight inches long (measure your hair just above the elastic band of the ponytail to the ends).
• Hair may be colored with vegetable dyes, rinses and semi-permanent dyes. It can’t be bleached, permanently colored or chemically treated.
• Wavy/curly hair is fine!
• Learn more at www.beautifullengths.com or by calling P&G at  479-571-5400. If you know you want to donate your hair, sign up by e-mailing nwaBeautifulLengths@yahoo.com. They’ll let you know when to be there!

Now, on to the giveaway details!

HOW TO ENTER: Throw your name in the hat to win the $200 health and beauty basket from Procter & Gamble! It’s simple to enter — just click on the orange comment button and tell us about your own personal battle with cancer or about someone you know whose life has been touched by this disease.

You may also enter via e-mail at giveaways@nwaMotherlode.com.

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR ODDS: As always, we reward those mamas who help spread the word about our giveaways. And since this one is linked to SUCH an important cause we’d love for you to tell your mom friends and their daughters about the Beautiful Lengths event.

Send your friends an e-mail about the $200 basket giveaway (and the Sept. 8 Great Lengths event) and we’ll give you an extra chance to win for every friend you tell. Just be sure to put giveaways@nwaMotherlode.com on the CC line of your note so we can give you proper credit.

Thanks in advance for helping us spread the word about this important event, mamas! Good luck winning the great basket of health and beauty products from Procter & Gamble!

By Shannon Magsam

My husband and I have some of the best conversations while we’re driving. There’s just something about being trapped in a car together to get you to Talksville.

On one long trip to Texas while we were dating, I made up scenarios about our future life together (God forbid on pretty much all of them) and asked him to share his reaction. For example:

“We have just caught our daughter climbing out her bedroom window at age 13. What do you say to her?�

“Our 16-year-old daughter is caught shoplifting. What’s her punishment at home?�

“Our 10-year-old son gets into a fist-fight at school. How would you handle that as the dad?�

The truth is, I love asking “deep� questions and finding out what people really think about things. I once thought I’d like to be a counselor, but never followed that path. Instead, I just torture friends and family with my endless questions.

The other day my husband and I were driving home from dinner and I started asking him to name songs for certain categories that I was making up as we drove along. I named mine as well. Here were my answers. I’d love to hear yours! (This isn’t TOO deep, now).

Song you play when you’re sad and want to wallow: Two out of three ain’t bad, Meatloaf

Song that always take you straight back to your youth within the first three notes: The time of my life, Dirty Dancing

Song that always makes you want to dance: What I like about you, The Romantics

Saddest.Song.Ever: Wildfire (from my tween horse phase). When I was pretty young my older cousin played Ode to Billie Joe over and over and I thought that was terribly sad, too.

Song that never fails to lift you out of a funk: Walking on Sunshine, Katrina & the Waves

Song that makes you LOL: The most beautiful girl [in the room ], Flight of the Chonchords

Song that fills you with romance: Faithfully, Journey (Also Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton)

Song that represents convertibles and freedom: Sister Christian, Night Ranger

Best break-up song: Could Have Been So Beautiful, Tiffany

Song you hate to admit you like: Wild Thing, The Troggs

Song that makes you think of being a mom: In My Daughter’s Eyes, Martina McBride

Shannon Magsam is mom to 8-year-old Ladybug, married to Ladybug’s dad, John, and co-creator of nwaMotherlode.com. To read previously published installments of Life With Ladybug, click here. Leave a comment if you’re so inclined. I’d love to hear your deep thoughts!