Recipe Wednesday-Lemon Chicken Pasta

Lemon Chicken Pasta

I love anything Lemon. When I saw this on the blog I Just Made this I had to try it. It was delicious and makes way more than 4 servings. My girls loved it and asked for more even my pickiest eater Delani. It was even better the 2nd day as the flavors had time to marry.

From the kitchen of: Jessie Riley

Serves: 4

Entrée Prep time: 20-30

Minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

Pasta:

8 oz. uncooked pasta (I use Fettuccine)

3Tablespoon Butter, melted

1 Tablespoon Lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Chicken & sauce:

4 Chicken breasts

1 LARGE can or 2 small cans cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup fat free milk

2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cook or Boil Chicken

Boil pasta

Combine butter, lemon juice, basil, garlic powder & lemon pepper.

Add butter mixture to pasta until melted. Combine soup, lemon juice, & pepper in sauce pan. Pour over chicken & serve on pasta

Toss with Parmesan cheese

Our Nightly Visitor

As I was laying on the couch watching American Idol on Tuesday I kept on hearing a wrestling over in the kitchen. I got up a couple of time to see if I could figure out what it was but just figured it was the ceiling fan making some papers move. I turned the fan off and still heard the noise. The sliding glass door was open so it must be something outside. I flipped on the porch light and there stands the HUGEST raccoon I have ever seen. He was grubbing on a bag of pretzels the girls must have left opened back there. I shut the glass door and he ran off. I would not have shut the door but our screen had a huge hole in it and I did not want him making himself at home. He ran off and I thought that would be the end of it. I went back to my American Idol watching and less them a couple of minutes he was back. I called Randy to come here so that I could take a picture of it but as soon as the door opened he ran off for the night. I assumed that would be the end of out little visitor but apparently he had other plans. Last night when I was up working on KaiLees project I kept on hearing things in the backyard. I just ignored them and kept working so that I could get to bed. Well this morning I go out to back yard and this is what I found. I don't know if you can tell but those are paw prints in some of the sand that we used for KaiLees project.

I HATE School Projects!

Why is it when your child comes home with a project that is due at school that you know it is going to be a long night the night before it is due. I am a HUGH procrastinator so maybe that is why. Whenever the girls bring home an assignment that requires research etc. I know that as parents we are going to do a big portion of the work...it never fails. I think that big projects should be saved for 6th grade and up. KaiLee had a project due about a Landmark in California. We picked Yosemite National Park (which was not our first choice) they had to research it and do a report on it. I had her do all the research on the computer and put it into her own words and then I typed it up on the computer. The 2nd part for the project was to build a model of your Landmark. It was actually quite easy and KaiLee had a great time doing it. At least there are only 9 days of school left YEAH!!!!

101 Things To Do In 1001 Days

***This is still a work in progress. It is harder than I thought it was going to be to come up with 101 things to do that have meaning. My goal is to have a new post about them by Memorial Day*** I saw this on my sisters friends Katie's blog and though it was a great idea. I am going to compile a list and post it next Monday. I cant think of a better way to find ones self. I often forget that I am something other than a MOM and I think this will help me to find myself and who I am. Here are the guidelines for the 1001 project. I would love for other people to join in so we can share out accomplishments with each other. So who's in???

Create your own 1001 Project

The Mission:Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:

1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Recipe Wednesday- Simple French Dip Sandwiches

This is a recipe that I will use over and over. It was simple and delicious. Even Randy liked then and that is not a easy feet. He is picky as sin but loved and devoured these right up.

French Dip Sandwiches

Adapted from Dinner's Ready 1 pot roast, anywhere from 2 to 4 pounds

1 green pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

mozzarella slices

1 McCormick Au Jus sauce packet (found in the gravy mix aisle)

Rolls /buns In crockpot, dissolve Au jus packet in 3 cups of cold water then add the roast (my roast was still partly frozen). Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours (I cooked mine about 8 hours on low before adding the peppers and onion for another hour). One hour before you plan to eat, shred the beef then slice the peppers and onions and add to crockpot. When it is finished, remove meat and veggies with a slotted spoon. Place mozzarella slices on buns and put under low broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Fill the rolls with the meat and veggies, then divide the Au Jus sauce into smaller bowls for dipping.

Scrumptious Saturdays- Easy Sugar Cookies

I LOVE Sugar cookies. The part that I don't love is cutting them out with a cookie cutter. This recipe comes from Melanie at The Sisters Cafe. They were quick, easy and delicious. They only thing that I did change was the size of the cookie that I rolled. I made it a little smaller than a gold ball and when I pressed them down with a glass I pressed them quite hard so that the cookies did not turn out so thick. Now on the the cookies...

Sugar Gems

submitted by Melanie

Cream together:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup sugar

1 cup oil

1 cup real butter

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Add:

5 cups flour

1 tsp cream of tarter

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

Mix all ingredients well. Roll into golf size balls and place on cookie sheets. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. These are very good frosted.Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Cool and frost with sugar gem frosting.

Sugar Gem Frosting

2-2 ½ cups powdered sugar

½ cup oil

2 tsp flavoring (almond, vanilla etc.)-I prefer 1 tsp of almond

3-4 Tbsp milk

Coloring if wanted

Mix well and add a little more milk or powdered sugar to get the right consistency

Recipe Wednesday- The Ultimate Beef Stroganoff

The Ultimate Beef Stroganoff

from My Kitchen Cafe

Put in crock pot:

2-3 pounds stew meat

1 tsp. saltdash of pepper

1 onion, sliced

Mix in a bowl and pour over meat:

¼ tsp. garlic salt

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ cups beef broth or stock (made up from cubes or granules)

1 tablespoon ketchup

Cook in crockpot on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. When cooked make a simple roux by whisking 1/3 cup flour with enough apple juice (about 5-6 tablespoons) to make a thick but still pourable flour mixture. Whisk the roux into the crockpot and add 4 ounces sliced mushrooms. Cook on high for 15-30 minutes. Then stir in ½ cup sour cream. Serve over pasta, rice or baked potatoes (pasta is my favorite option!).

Scrumptious Saturdays- Black Bottom Cupcakes

Black-Bottom Cupcakes

The Great Book of Chocolate, David Lebovitz Yield: 12 full-size or approximately 30 mini cupcakes

For the filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, regular or reduced fat, at room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I just used semisweet chocolate chips and gave them a rough chop)

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 5 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1/3 cup unflavored vegetable oil

1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the filling: Beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the chopped chocolate pieces. Set aside. Make the cupcakes: 1. Adjust the rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 12-cup muffin tin, or line the tin with paper muffin cups. 2. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. 3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients, stirring until just smooth. Stir any longer and you will over mix the batter and end up with less-than-tender cupcakes. 4. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Spoon a few tablespoons* of the filling into the center of each cupcake, dividing the filling evenly. This will fill the cups almost completely,** which is fine. 5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden brown and the cupcakes feel springy when gently pressed. These moist treats will keep well unrefrigerated for 2 to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.

Vegas Baby!

We had a great weekend visiting family in Vegas. It was great to see Kaycie get baptized and confirmed. The kids had a great time all together and it was fun just to sit back and relax. We had a great time playing cards and staying up late talking. The older kids got to go riding in the morning. KaiLee and Randy had a blast and came back filthy. KaiLee cannot wait till she can go again!