February 2023 - YARNutopia & More YARNutopia & More

Mandarin Duck Sighting on Milwaukee Lakeshore, WI

I was hearing about sightings of a rare Mandarin Duck that was making his appearance on Milwaukee’s lakeshore. Chatter of various sightings were coming from many of my birding and wildlife groups. Could it be true? Soon, photos started to pop up in those same groups and I knew we needed to head down to Milwaukee and see for ourselves.

We took the three hour trip hoping to catch a glimpse and this guy did NOT disappoint! Our son, daughter-in-law, and grandkids joined us. It was an exciting event for all of us. Mainly because many photographers had made numerous attempts to see this little guy, and we lucked out on our first visit! We did make a couple stops along Lake Michigan before spotting him on the South Shore.

When we arrived there were a couple of photographers already camped out but soon after more started showing up. Word travels fast! Here is a short video of this fascinating duck. How did it get here? How did it end up in Wisconsin hanging out with a flock of Mallards? Was it an escapee from a zoo? Was it someones exotic pet that was released into the wild? Or was it a confused migration flight that brought this guy all the way here from the far east of China or Japan? Your guess is as good as mine! I have always loved a good mystery. I am just not sure this is one that we will ever know the answer to how he landed here. Enjoy my video and share your thoughts.

Happy Hooking…and Birding!!

Fuad & Shannon
(and Nadia!)

I prepared a family favorite that is not only easy to make, but is a meal that can stretch the dollar! I love making meals on a shoestring and this one cost just around $10USD and can feed the ENTIRE family! With a family our size, recipes like these come in handy!

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Tips; You can substitue low fat, low sodium ingredients (soup, sour cream, cheese) without compromising flavor. You can also substitute a variety of cheeses and still get rich creamy/cheesy results. Use what you like. You can also substitute 2-3 chicken breasts with 4-6 boneless skinless thighs. The beauty of a recipe like this is, it is very versatile and still produces GREAT results.

Crockpot Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe:
Serves 8

2 10.75 oz. cans of cream of chicken soup
1 10 oz. can of diced tomato w/ green chili (Rotel)-you do not need to drain
2-3 chicken breasts
1/4 c. sour cream
1 c. of shredded cheese (I used mild white cheddar but you can your preference)
1 lb. of spaghetti noodles (cooked)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika(optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Start by placing your chicken breasts in the crockpot. No prep necessary. Add both cans of cream of chicken soup and can of tomatoes with chilis. “Frost” the tops of your chicken breast and cover crockpot. Set on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.

Once your chicken has been cooked, remove from crockpot and cut into bite size pieces. Add your seasonings-salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika to your crockpot. Add your cheese and sour cream. Mix well. Add your chicken bites back into sauce. Mix well and put back on high for 3o minutes.

While your chicken finishes the last stage in the crockpot, prepare your spaghetti noodles as per direction on package. Cook al dente.

Once your noodles are cooked, add them to your crockpot chicken and mix in well. The noodles will blend with your rich creamy sauce making a mouth-watering dinner guaranteed to please some of the most picky eaters! Let sit until sauce thickens.

Serve alone, with a side dish, or garlic toast and Enjoy!

Ready to eat!

Happy hooking…and cooking!

Fuad, Shannon, and Nadia

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Monthly Archives: February 2023

Mandarin Duck Sighting on Milwaukee Lakeshore, WI

How to: Cook Crockpot Creamy Chicken Spaghetti