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Welcome to Riches to Rags by Dori. This is a place where I share a little bit of everything. My experiences, the good the bad and the ugly. Life isn't easy but worth living and my hope is that we can get through it together.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Chicken and Homemade Noodles

 
 

Chicken and Homemade Noodle Soup
 
This is one delicious looking soup and it is one that is begging for a snow day to be made. Our weather has been warm and sunny everyday! Well, in the 40's is warm for us. I am ready for some snow. I want to make this soup! I might be singing a different tune while driving to work on an icy freeway early in the morning so remind me of this when I do.
 
Nice Snowy Storm
 

Reality Snowy Storm
 
 
Maybe I should rethink rushing this....When I am ready this amazing soup will be here to comfort me.
 
This recipe has Homemade Noodles which I think is wonderful if you have the time and patience to do it. I don't have the time, I might have the patience (if I had the time) but there is alternative. If you have never tried them, they are sooo good and taste just like homemade noodles. You can buy these in the frozen section of your grocery store. Your chicken noodle soup will never be the same and it makes it that much easier and quicker. They are thick noodles just like in the picture.
 
 
 
I found this recipe on Get off your Butt and Bake. She has some really delicious recipes.
 
Click HERE for the Recipe
I know that this sunshine and warm weather wont last for long, we live in WY and you never know what you are going get. One day sun, next day blizzard white out. For now I will enjoy it but I will have the ingredients on hand for the first big storm to make this soup and eat it next to the fire. Ahhhhh
 
 
 
 
Would love to hear if you make it and if you try the Grandma Noodles.
 
Enjoy!
 
Thanks for stopping by. 


Dori

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Bowtie Chicken Ceasar Salad

 
 
Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad
 
 
Do you remember when McDonalds used to have the McShaker Salads? They had the tall cups where you would add the dressing and then shake it all together? They had a Chicken Caesar Salad one  that I loved but it didn't quite fill me up so I would always eat it with fries.
 
Sometimes I just want a salad and that's it with some good ranch dressing. The problem is I need that extra something to make it more filling. I love this recipe because of the added Bowtie Pasta which gives it more of a filling in the salad instead of rabbit food. I love the added almonds and croutons are a must. I would be perfectly content with the salad for lunch or dinner with some bread with butter and a cup of soup on the side.
 
What soup would I serve it with? Check back tomorrow for a soup posting.
 
I found this recipe on The Girl Who Ate Everything. I have featured her before because I love her stuff! So here she is again. Enjoy the recipe.
 

Click HERE for the Recipe
 

  
Thanks for stopping by!


 Dori

 

Monday, November 26, 2012

Creamy Dreamy Lemon Pie

 

 
Creamy Dreamy Lemon Pie
 
If you have a chance on Tuesday Pillsbury is featuring my Muffin Pan Pizza on their Facebook Page. Very exciting for me! Take a look HERE to see them! 
 
It was time for a really yummy dessert, especially one with a graham cracker crust and lemon. I am kind of done with the whole Pumpkin Pie thing. Lemon just sounded so refreshing after all the heavy foods we ate this past week.
 
It was really hard to go to work this morning after the Thanksgiving break. Look what I walked into this morning on my desk. Happy Monday!
 
 
 
After this week I will be back into the swing of things and ready to take on some great new recipes. We might even get some snow next week which really gets me in the mood to bake.  
 
  Sometimes you just need to come home and make some really good comfort food like this one.
 
I found this recipe on Just Another Hang Up. Suzanne has some great recipes that you will enjoy looking at. Take the time to look around and you will see what I mean.
 
 


Click HERE for the Recipe



Meet Suzanne from
 
 


 
Don't forget to go to my Facebook page and enter to win a $50 gift certificate to Walmart or Best Buy. Your choice! Ends Tuesday night November 27th at 11:59pm.
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
 
Dori

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Idaho Sunrise

 Pictures by The Village Cook


  Idaho Sunrise
 
I love a good Breakfast. I am usually rushing out the door to work in the morning and sadly I usually run out without eating breakfast. That is the worst thing you can do! I am lucky if I get some cold toast on the way. Yuck. Bacon, eggs and hash browns are my absolute favorite and here they are all together in a nice little package.
 
I LOVE THIS RECIPE. I love everything in it. I can make the bacon the night before and have the frozen hash browns thawed out in the fridge. The rest I can do in the morning in no time and have breakfast for the whole family before they even wake up. They might go into shock if they woke up to a fresh warm breakfast. Poor guys. I am so not a morning person.

I found these on The Village Cook.
 
Click HERE for the Recipe





 I really am craving one of these right now. I can't wait to make a huge batch of them. Enjoy.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dori

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole




 Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

$50 Walmart or Best Buy Giftcard GIVEAWAY
(You choose)!


How to enter:

Go to my Facebook and share recipe with your Facebook friends
Share on Twitter
Share on Pinterest

Ends Tuesday, November 27th 11:59pm (MST)
Winner will be announced on Wednesday, November 28th

GOOD LUCK!

Well I did it. I managed to make it through Thanksgiving AND Black Friday. I wasn't originally going to go, but because we live by Murhpy's Law in this house the basement bathroom flooded right after dinner and made a huge mess. I had to go get some Drano at Walmart (the only place open) after trying everything to get it unclogged. I thought the parking lot seemed pretty full but was to tired to care. I had no idea Black Friday started at 8:00pm. Since when do they do that?! I went to get my Drano and thought the people there waiting were awfully dedicated to be there so early. Oh well, I didn't care, again, I was to tired. Waayyyy to tired.

While in the hardware section at the other side of the store I am looking at which Drano to buy and then they announce over the speaker that they are starting. What?!!!! I panicked.  They rip off the shrink wrap and the aisles filled with people like I had never seen. It was like a flash flood and all the sudden I was stuck with my Drano in the middle of this mess with no where to go. I must have had that Deer in the Headlight look on my face when someone laughed at me. I yelled "All I needed was Draino"! I should have started mooing because I felt like one of many cows stuffed in the coral.  and at that moment I caved and decided to go with it and that is how I ended up doing Black Friday. 

 I have to say the people of Wyoming are amazing when it comes to Black Friday. I didn't see any arguments, pushing or disrespect. Don't get me wrong, their were tons of people but they acted like humans. Imagine that! 


I found this recipe on Favorite Family Recipes. This is a cute blog with great recipes made up from four sisters. This recipe looks like something that will become a regular in my house. Anything cheesy and with rice is always a hit. I read the comments and those who made it loved it!

Click HERE for the Recipe.



MEET the four sisters - Echo, Emily, Erica and Elise. Love those names!


I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Enjoy this recipe and please leave a comment and let me know if you make the recipe and your thoughts.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dori

Thursday, November 22, 2012

The Riches to Rags by Dori Story and Thanksgiving Potatoes


Happy Thanksgiving!



Thanksgiving Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes



I decided to try something new this year. I have always boiled my potatoes but this year I ran across this recipe at Pin Cookies. I like the idea of just throwing them in the crock pot so I don't have to use the stove and I can start them in the morning. Very easy recipe.

Ingredients
5 lb bag of Gold Potatoes
1 Cup of Water 
1 teaspoon of salt
3/4 teaspoon of pepper
2 sticks of butter (1 cup) cut up
1 1/3 cup of milk   

Directions

Peel the potatoes and cut up into chunks. Pour in water and top with cut up butter, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Don't remove the excess water. Pour in the warm milk and mix with a masher or electric beater. Leave them in the crock pot on warm until ready to serve. 



I had a follower ask me about my story and how the name Riches to Rags by Dori came about. Since it is Thanksgiving and I have so much to be grateful for I thought of no better time to tell my story.....

The *Riches to Rags by Dori* Story


I am almost tearful as I write this because this blog has meant so much to me and those of you who follow it and my Facebook page. The relationships and ongoing comments are priceless to me. I thank you so much for that.

Many years ago my husband and I and our three kids had it all. Really, everything was perfect. I had tried for 8 years to get pregnant and then adopted a beautiful baby girl named Kallie, I was told I would never have children. I got pregnant 10 months later and then gave birth to another beautiful baby girl named Brianna six weeks early. Seven months after that I gave birth to a handsome boy named Jed. My hands were full. We had a beautiful house, cars, etc.....living the good life and then the ugly Recession hit and everything changed.

When the recession hit we had to close our successful concrete flatwork company that we had for 8 years. My husband had to go find a job making 1/3 of what we were making before and the bills were piling up quickly. Right before Christmas the company laid my husband off like so many others and then the hard times really started. To make a very long story short, we lost our house, cars, everything (material) and this is how the name Riches to Rags was born along with lots of gray hair.

For 5 years we have struggled to pull ourselves back up. It took a year and a half for my husband to find a job. There were hundreds of people applying for one job. Finally, he got a job in Wyoming so we had to move. During this process I became very depressed and when I got my kids off to school I would sleep for hours. My smile, my laughter was gone. It is a dark place to be and unless you have experienced it you can't explain it.

My sister Jillee told me that I need to find something that I am passionate about to help me feel better. We were driving back from a Christmas party, I won't forget that day, it was December 11, 2011 that I decided to use my experience of what I have gone through and start a blog. I started to get excited about things again.

 
I can't believe it is almost one year ago that I started this.  I tried several things but it ended being a food blog because I LOVE FOOD! I am also passionate about Thrift Store shopping. I was able to put lots of time into it because the kids were in school until life hit again and my husband was injured at work. I have gone back to work full time to help out and I am happy to do it. My husband is a wonderful man as has always worked so hard for us so it is my turn to return the favor. We are still dealing with lifes challenges but having this blog makes it all just a little bit easier.

This blog has saved me. It pulled me out of a depression that I had never experienced. I was laughing and smiling again and have a wonderful new cyber family and have met so many wonderful people. I have so much to be grateful for right now. I always try to remember that it could be so much worse. What is important is this little family of ours and all the other things are exactly that, just things. I love my kids and grand kids with all my heart and I can't express to you enough of my gratitude. 



Finding a passion is the key! Find something you love to do and do it. Don't wait, don't think about it just start something and go from there. I chose today to do this post because it is so important to be grateful for what we have through the good times and the bad. It is hard sometimes, believe me I know. I found this wonderful quote from a blog post titled 75 Reminders for Tough Times and this is #75 and it says it all.

"Everyone wants a perfect ending.  But over the years I’ve learned that some of the best poems don’t rhyme, and many great stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, or end.  Life is about not knowing, embracing change, and taking a moment and making the best of it without knowing what’s going to happen next."

THANK YOU
so much for the support you have given me. I value the new friendships and look forward to what lies ahead for Riches to Rags by Dori. I enjoy reading every single comment so please keep them coming. I love the conversations we have on facebook so please come and join us if you haven't already. What is your passion?


Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

Thanks for stopping by!
 
Dori

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Southern Pecan Praline Cake with Butter Sauce

Picture by The Country Cook
 

 Thanksgiving Giveaway!
 
 
Happy Saturday! Today is the day for the next GIVEAWAY! First, I wanted to share a recipe that is amazing! This Southern Pecan Praline Cake from The Country Cook is to die for. I love her recipes and I love her blog. She has step by step pictures with the recipe to show you how easy it is to make. I also wanted to share a recipe that you could use the GIVEAWAY item with.
 
Click HERE for the Recipe
 
 
 
 
The Thanksgiving Giveaway
 
I tried to find something different to give away this time than last time but I couldn't! There was such a great response and so many people really wanted one that I decided to do the Kitchen Aid Hand Mixer with Accessories again!!!
 
You get to choose the color!
 
KitchenAid Professional 9 Speed Digital Hand Mixer w/ Bag&Attachments
Includes hand mixer, two turbo beaters, whisk, blender rod, two dough hooks, storage bag, manual, and recipes
  • 9 digitally controlled speeds with clean-touch control
  • Digital display
  • Powerful DC motor
  • Quiet operation
  • Electronic mixing sensor
  • Oversized ejector button
  • Comfort handle
  • 4'L locking swivel cord
  • Air vents located away from beaters to avoid clogging
  • Open design on beaters to prevent clogging
  • Measures approximately 7-1/2"L x 3-1/4"W x 5-1/2"H
  •  
     
    How to enter the GIVEAWAY
     
     Go to my Facebook page and LIKE it, then share it on your Facebook page. You get one  
     entry for the LIKE and one entry for the SHARE.
     
     One entry for sharing this post on Twitter.
     
     One entry for pinning this post on your Pinterest Board.
     
     Get an extra entry by leaving a comment and tell me which one is your favorite color and. Make sure you leave a comment and let me know what you have done for entries. GOOD LUCK!
    The GIVEAWAY will close on ,Wed November 21st at 11:59pm. Winner will be announced on Thanksgiving Day! Winner has 24 hours to respond.
     
    Thanks for stopping by!
     
    Dori
    



    Friday, November 16, 2012

    Smothered Chicken Casserole

    Pictures by Heather Likes Food
     
     


    Smothered Chicken Casserole
     
    I am in denial that Thanksgiving is next week and Christmas is so close behind it. I haven't started shopping yet and I don't think I can stand to do the Black Friday sale any more. I have done it for years. It turns me into a different person and I feel greedy to try and get what I want.  I really think I am doing Black Friday online shopping this time around. I can sit in my pajamas and fuzzy slippers with a hot cup of Jo by the fireplace and shop. Yes, that sounds wonderful. 

    This is a recipe right up my alley. This is something that I would have ordered at a restaurant if it was on the menu. I LOVE the ingredients and you know I love Bacon. I looked over the recipe to see what I would change if I was making it and there is nothing I wanted to omit, all the ingredients are a perfect combination. She did a great job.
     
    I found this recipe on Heather Likes Food
     
     She also has step by step instructions with pictures for this recipe.
    I just think this recipe is perfect!
     
    Click HERE for the Recipe
      
     
      
     
    Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for the GIVEAWAY! See you soon!
     
    Thanks for stopping by!
    Dori