What's for Dinner Wednesday #2

Hi everyone!  This is starting to be my favorite post of the week.  I love sharing with you guys recipes that I've made and my family enjoyed.

This week's sandwich meal were these yummy Cajun Chicken Caesar Sandwiches.  If you're worried about it being too spicy for the kiddos, you can just lightly season the chicken you use for their sandwiches. 

 You can download this recipe by clicking on the picture below.  The day I made these sandwiches I was out of Romano cheese, so I used Parmesan.  It was still just as good.

I may have mentioned before that there is no Olive Garden in Hawaii.  Serious sad face.  :(  I really miss Olive Garden.  When I stumbled across this recipe from Key Ingredient.  I knew I had to try their Pasta Fagioli {here}.  Now this makes A LOT.  You could put this in your slow cooker or just cook on your stove on low all day.  That's what I did.

My quest for replicating Olive Garden got me super motivated and I tried these delicious breadsticks {here} from Full Bellies, Happy Kids.  Making homemade bread is a little bit of a learning process, but you don't need to be scared of doing it.  It's so worth the trying!

Tuesdays are a crazy night in our house, because we have sports practice.  On those nights, I need super easy meals like these Crockpot Chicken Tacos {here} by Chocolate Therapy.  You could also use the chicken for burritos, nachos, etc.

I guess last week I was on a Cajun kick, because I also made jambalaya.  This Slow Cooker Jambalaya {here} from Mix and Match Mama was super tasty.  Her recipe does recommend adding the rice to the slow cooker and letting it cook in the jambalaya.  I will admit mine got a little mushy, because I overcooked it.  Next time I make this, I'll cook my rice separately just to be on the safe side.

I have a horrible sweet tooth and was craving something delicious this weekend.  I love peach cobbler, and this recipe {here} is easy to make with ingredients I usually have on hand.

There you go!  Did you try any good recipes this week?

October Currently

I'm finally on top of things, so I can participate in Oh' Boy 4th Grade's October Currently.

Listening: I don't actually watch Sons of Anarchy but my husband does.  Even though, I've kinda gotten sucked in this year.  Anyone else watch this show?

Loving:  Fall Break is next week.  I'm super excited to spend our days sitting on the beach and hiking with the kiddos.

Thinking:  I've really got to start exercising.  Ugh.  

Wanting: JR Ward (one of my favorite author's) just released her newest book today, Possession.  Come on Fall Break so I can sit on the beach and read!

Needing:  Oh my word, do I need a haircut!!!  I have an appointment on Friday and can't wait!!  I'm trying a new place, and I'm super nervous.  I sure hope they're good.

Trick or Treat:  I just love all the ghost poop pictures I've been seeing on Pinterest.  I really wanted to make these this year, so I set off to find a freebie tag for the bag.  I was in luck, because Mighty Delighty has a super cute one {here}.  How adorable is this??

Happy October everyone!  I can't believe it's fall and the holidays will be here soon!

Circle Maps, Colors, and a Fall Freebie!

I love using Circle Maps with my students.  It's a great way to document what we know about a certain topic or how to describe a topic.  When I taught colors to my Kindergarten students earlier this year, I focused on a new color each day.  Since my students had all received 1-2 years of special ed preK, they all knew their colors.  What they struggled with was applying this knowledge to something broader.

If you've ever taught students with disabilities, you've probably noticed that language and vocabulary can be difficult topics for them.  I could show my students a picture and they could tell me what color was on the picture.  But they struggled if I asked them to tell me things that are orange, blue, purple, etc.

So everyday, I would start our morning chit chat off with a color book, a blank circle map, and my Color Word Polka Dot Posters.

I try to give my kiddos lots of examples before I ask them to give me examples on their own.

*Please disregard my drawings and lopsided circles!  

I love my Color Word Polka Dot posters {found here and here}, because they provide real-world examples that are familiar to my students.  

Not only have we worked on identifying colors and reading color words, we've also worked on the sight word "is".  I made this little fall book about apples to help us practice, and it's a FREEBIE for you!  Just click on the picture to get your free copy!

Right now, I have Pin It to Win It giveaway going on.  Have you entered?  If not, stop by {here} before time runs out!