Day 13: Why.... Hello pre pregnancy jeans!

Today has been a pretty good one.  Thursday is one of my 3 off days from running so I get to sleep in until a whopping 6:30!  I know you guys are like, "Oh my gosh Carolina You are NUTS that is not sleeping in." Well it is during the week!  On the weekends most times I can manage to sleep in till about 7:30 which is amazing.  Even if I were to just sleep until I wanted to I can't sleep past 8:30.  oh the joys of having my babies. :) 

After the kids went down for a nap this morning I started my usual Thursday morning regimen.  I took my shower, made the bed, and emptied the excess coffee from the coffee maker.  I had to go into my closet to search for something to wear.  These days it isn't the lack of tops that don't fit it's the lack of jeans.  Now now, I know most women that have had 2 children have trouble finding pants that fit so I don't feel as bad as I used to.  I did however save about a third of my pre Alex clothes just in case I ever was able to squeeze my mommy butt back into any of them.  Jon kept telling me to save them, so I did.  Well I pull out a pair of  my old khakis (5/6.. yes I just said that.. but let me repeat it.... 5/6.)  and thought just for kicks lets try these babies on. 

To my shock and dismay they fit!  A little snug but not that.... I can see EVERYTHING snug.  Just a little snugger than what I had been wearing.   So I say to myself, "huh.... what about these size 4 American eagle jeans that I loved?"  And to even MORE shock THEY FIT.  a size 4.  I am very proud of myself.  I didn't want to post sizes on facebook just because I know how I get when one of my stick skinny friends says she's rockin a 2 or a 0.  It makes me hate her. lol.  But now since I'm on my own blog I think I'm allowed to post sizes.  Afterall only a handful of people read this right? 

Onto other news!  Here are the recipes from last night.  I will tell you that the main course and biscuits are the ONLY recipes I'm posting.  The Candy Bar Apple Salad wasn't very good.  I got it from my recipe magazine so I was hoping for the best!  But Jon refused to even touch it and I tried some but was very disappointed.  The only good thing I could glean from the recipe was that the snicker bar peanuts counter acted the apples as if a peanut butter/apple accompaniment might?  But that's it.  zilch in the way of deliciousness. 


Here is the first recipe!  Bacon- Swiss Penne!!  Vote of confidence from Jon?  CHECK!


12 ounces uncooked penne pasta 13 bacon strips 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes 3 tablespoons butter 6 green onions, chopped 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 cups 2% milk 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese 1-1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese 1-1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed 3/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 
TOPPING: 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs 2 tablespoons butter, melted 

1. First I prepared the pasta per box instructions (you guys know how to boil pasta!!  Bring water to a boil and pop those babies in there)2. While you're waiting for this wonderous pasta to boil, take a skillet and heat it to medium and fry your bacon in batches.  The most I could fit in the pan at a time was 4... and I hate bacon.  I'm talkin LOATHE it.  But I was lucky to get the bacon in the casserole any way... jon kept eating it!
YUCK BACON BLECK!

3.  Save 4 tsp of "bacon drippings" to saute the chicken in.  disgusting.  But I did it.  Add the butter and saute until chicken is no longer pink. 

4.  Add onions and cook one minute longer.  Stir in the flour and gradually at the milk.  Here's what THAT looks like.

Still I know it looks a little weird but it's getting there.  I used whole milk instead of 2% since whole milk is only 4% anyway.  did you guys know that?  I did!


5. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the cheeses, peas, pepper, thyme and bacon.  Now... as a side note I would like to say that I totally did not add peas to my version.  Jon hates peas and the last time I used them when the recipe called for it he picked every single one out of my poor tuna noodle casserole.  *sigh*  No more peas.  


6. Next the recipe tells you to add the drained penne to the dish but as you can see my saute pan was too small for all that pasta.... so I went ahead and transfered the penne to a greased 9 by 13 baking dish and poured the mixture you see above (It condenses and becomes thicker) on top.  So much easier.  But... if you have a big enough pan then by all means have at it!


here's what the topping that goes on top looks like.

Very simple but this recipe is definately not for someone watching their calories. Here's what the casserole looked like pre bake.

Sorry that's blurry but at least you have a visual.  
7. Sprinkle topping on top and bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  My oven is pretty strong so I only baked mine for around 20 minutes.  Here's what the end product looks like!!!

Next is the recipe for the cheddar biscuits I made that got a STELLAR approval from Jon.  He had 4 I think.  I must admit they were so freaking good!!  I've made biscuits before but I never had that "secret ingredient" that made them better than anyone elses.  These have mayo in them.  Here's the recipe.  

• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1-1/4 cups 2% milk
• 3 tablespoons of mayo

1. Mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl.  

2. Mix until moistened and put into 12 greased muffin cups.  Picture? Ok.  These are my dry ingredients mixed together.

• Quite simple right???? Here is the end result.  They literally taste like pieces of a cheddar rosemary puffy cloud.  So delish.  

The Spread?

Jon's verdict?

Mmm Mmmm!!!  All right all!  that is all for now!!!  Enjoy!  xoxo

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Day 12: Dinner Overacheiver

Hello All!!!

As is with last blog's tradition there is no recipe/pics in this blog update.  I am however updating you to let you know that I WILL be making my big meal of the week tonight (most weeks it's on a Wednesday I believe :))  and updating my blog with the whole shebang tomorrow.  Pictures and all!

Starting off this week has absolutely flown by!  I guess you just lose track of time when you stay at home with 2 very active young children.  This morning started off as any usual Wednesday morning.  I got up at my prompt 5:30am time and proceeded to my run... clocking a full mile and 1 quarter!  You guys don't know how amazing and accomplished I feel about this.  When I started running 4 weeks ago the 2 minute stint of running that I started out with left me nearly dying.  Now I've completed a full 1/3 of my goal which is the 3.1 mile length of a 5k.  Because of my progress I have decided to bump up my first 5k to late October.  I will be running the Race for the Cure 5k with my youngest sister Holly and possibly my other sister Maggie.  I absolutely cannot wait!  Looking at the way it's going I should be ready to run the full 5k by mid September however I am not going to underestimate myself.  I am going to continually run that 3.1 mile run until my first 5k.  after I have accomplished 3 or 4 5k's I have decided to start training for a half marathon.  But I'm getting way ahead of myself.... Maybe I should get to the 3.1 mile mark huh?  I said it, not you so it's ok.  :-P

In other news, today when I came into Hanni's room to get her up from her nap she was on her hands and knees.  Yes... I said it.... my 6 month old was on her hands and knees pumping her booty in the air.  How funny is that?  She hasn't completely mastered sitting on her own yet she's trying to crawl.  My sweeeet little girl!!!  Alex and her have both begun to "fight" for Momma's attention and it gets a little hectic around here sometimes.  If I hold Alex Hannah is upset... but if I hold Hannah Alex is upset.  I can't win huh?  Holding them both doesn't work because Alex "pushes" Hannah out of my lap and Hannah likes to roll around so she never lasts very long in my lap anyway.  *sigh* oh little ones.

In other news, with mid-afternoon network TV being slim pickins I have begun to watch Jeopardy at 3:30 in the afternoon.  Because of this I have started to notice that I now know more useless and meaningful facts that I have ever cared to.  Sometimes it plays over and over in my head along with the last song I heard on the radio.  Good or Bad? Who knows.  I can add Jeopardy to my list of game shows that are guilty pleasures.  These include Wheel of Fortune, Let's Make a Deal, and the Price is Right.  You all know you've watched these!!!!!!!!!  I'm not the only one. :-P

Onto the "Overachiever" Meal for Tonight, here is what I will be preparing.

Main Course: Bacon and Swiss Penne with Thyme.
Side: Homemade Rosemary rolls and Candy Bar Apple Salad.

I know you all are thinking, "Carolina What IS Candy Bar Apple Salad?"  Good question.  I'll find out tonight.  I got the recipe out of my amazing Taste of Home magazine whose subscription was so graciously given to me by my amazing Aunt Ellen who is simply perfect.  Yes she is.

Blogging tomorrow All!!!!!!!!!  Recipe and pictures to come :)

xoxo!!!

Day 11: just a quick update.. or maybe not so quick

Good Morning world of Friends!!!

Quick question.. how do you know you're addicted to cleaning?
Point 1: every where else I go, I feel like my house is cleaner.  No offense to all you stay at home moms out there that pride yourself on your spic and span home.  But Mine is always cleaner.  Or.... at least I feel that way.

Point 2: I ask my husband why my house always seems dirty?  Is this true or is it just me?  He says it's just me.

Point 3: The handheld vaccum is my best friend.  I think, even on days that I'm "off" from cleaning (I have a cleaning schedule.... I clean all week (different rooms of the house) then take a hiatus on the weekend until Monday when it starts all over again)  I still find myself stressing over dirt or spills.  *sigh*  It seems like it never ends.  Never ever ever.

Moving on... I increased my run time this morning by another minute as usual.  Why is it that my run at the gym is much harder than my run in the neighborhood?  My guess is because of the incline on the treadmill at the gym, however I'm sure that the neighborhood runs must produce some type of incline?

Speaking of my wonderous 5k, on the Memphis Runners track club website this morning I found a schedule for the next YEAR of every 5k in Memphis.  Can you say excited??????!!!!!  I will officially be ready for my 5k in Mid september even though the first official 5k i'm signed up for is in December.  I'm going to try and run one before then, just so I can get a feel for what it's like and get a time estimate for what I can expect in December.  I cannot wait!

This weekend, I spent a lot of quality time with my little boy.  Just me and Alex.  It's so nice to spend time with just him.  I feel like a lot of the time he misses when it was just him and he was our center of attention.  I took him to the mall on Saturday, umbrella stroller in hand, and we just walked through the mall together.  I did some light shopping but not the intense shopping I do when I'm by myself.  It was probably best. I tend to spend more money when I'm by myself.  *sigh*  I also got Alex a cookie which he was super excited about!  :)

Well, I hear hannah screeching in her room so it's off the computer for me.  Recipe of the week tomorrow!!!!
xoxo

Day 10: homemade pasta sauce? Not too hard. :)

So as I told yall yesterday I prepared a homemade meat pasta sauce last night with gnocchi.  Jon absolutely loved it!!  Of course, Alex decided he didn't want my slaved over meal (:-P) so he had a peanut butter and jelly. *sigh*  it seems like that's the ONLY thing he eats these days.  that and quick rice (which sodium content is astronomical!  I tend to limit that to once a week) which I usually can't stand.  Well, I might as well get to posting the recipe and pictures!  I'm going to take Alex and Hannah to play at the wolfchase play area today.  Hopefully there won't be 10 year old kids playing in there this time.  I simply don't get why you would allow your pre-TEEN to play in a toddler play area.  It's beyond me.  But any way... here is everything!

The recipe itself wasn't necessarily hard.  The only thing I found to be time consuming is the amount of time it needs to simmer and combine.  It says almost 2 hours of simmering but after about an hour I noticed that my sauce was combined and looked much thicker and hearty.

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• 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
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• 1. Take a large non stick pan and combine the sausage, olive oil , onion and garlic.  Cook on medium until the sausage is browned and the onions are tender; drain grease.
• 2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, italian seasoning, water, and other seasonings.  Mix all these together and bring to boil.  
• 3. Lower heat and simmer for 2 hours.  (Not really an hour should be sufficent. :-P)  

Now for pictures!!!

Here is the combination of sausage, onion and garlic: 

Sorry for the horrible quality of pictures.  I can't find my camera charger so I had to use my phone camera :-/  although my phone camera is 8 megapixels so they should be the same quality?  oh well.

Here is my sauce after I added everything.  I will warn you it can get messy :)

This is the sauce after an hour of simmering.    This is right before I added it to the gnocchi.  

And.... the END PRODUCT!!!  I added a touch of parmesan on top :)

Glad I got to share my recipe of the week with you guys!!  It's pretty easy to make homemade pasta sauce.  I don't think I realized how easy making homemade stuff is.  :)  

Day 9: I've never had a weekend this busy!

 A LOT has happened since I updated last.  Now I know that it's only been a few days, but this past weekend was so jam packed... I don't know if I'll have enough ROOM to give an update of everything that happened.  Now we all know that if I truly wanted to give you details I could but I won't do that to you.  First, one of my closest friends Ashley came into town this past Wednesday to help her sister who is also a close friend (Amber) while she had her 3rd and final addition to their precious family.  On Thursday I went over to "discuss" baby shower details with Ashley while Amber and her hubby went out to dinner.  It was so amazing to catch up with her.  Every day I feel so blessed to have both of them in my life.  My own two sisters don't have children (yet ;)) so it's nice to have sorta like an extended family in them.  Alex and Hannah have amazing playmates in Amber's now 3 children and Ashley's 4.  Every time we get together I'm amazed at how sweet all the children are towards my precious babies.  It just melts your heart. :)

But moving on, Amber had her baby boy on Friday!!!!!!  His name is Owen Wade and he is just the cutest newborn!  I felt so previledged to be able to see him the day he was born.  Here is a picture!!!

He was wide awake and alert for the majority of the time I was there and then I lulled him to sleep.  I must have baby magic :-P
I also made Amber and Chris cupcakes!!!  They said, "boy or girl ???"  don't laugh at my decorated cupcakes!  I tried my best :-P

You can't tell what they say but oh well.  :-P

Saturday we had the boys birthday party and all of you readers that are my facebook friends (all of you most likely) will see all those pictures.

Sunday was Emily's baby shower!!  I was so blessed to be a part of it.  I had so much fun with Ashley putting together a shower for twin girls!!


Now, shifting gears a bit this evening I will be preparing a from scratch (do you have to ask?  everything I put on here is from scratch hello!!)  meat pasta sauce to put over knocchi.  Now I will say that the knocchi will NOT be made from scratch.  Because A.  I don't know how to do that.  B. it would probably involve utensils I don't own nor have ever even thought of owning and C.  don't you think one made from scratch item is enough for one night?  I do.

Of course, since this sauce is going to be homemade I did not have every single item that I needed at the house to create this mystical sauce.  So, I had to take a trip to the grocery store.  Now, ordinarily this isn't too much of an ordeal for me.  However, Hanni had just laid down for her brand new 12:30 nap which she prefers to take instead of her afternoon nap now.  *rolls eyes*  I hate this nap, just because she only takes about an hour and then for another 2 hours she's a little cranky for some reason.  Who knows why?  not me.  So any way, this afternoon she woke up at 1:30 and I took the two of them to the grocery before Alex's afternoon nap that starts around 2:30.  On my way out the door I looked down at my get up.  One of Jon's old t-shirts and a pair of shorts with bleach stains that I use to clean in.  I'm a little ashamed to say this, but I was in such a hurry that I didn't change.  I should have because goodness knows I looked a wreck but I didn't.  I said to myself, "Ok, just go ahead and go to the neighborhood wal-mart.  No one's there at 1:30 in the afternoon. "   Boy was I wrong!

I pull into the parking lot and it is unusually busy for this time of day.  TYPICAL.  I thought.  It would be packed full of people when I look a hot mess.   So I drag myself out of the car, and then the mad dash begins to get the cart and get back to my car  before the air conditioning starts wearing off in the back seat where the kids are.  You know what I'm talking about moms.  That 5 second time period that you have before it starts getting hot in the car.  Which you really don't even have in this heat anymore.  Get the kids into the cart.... go into the grocery store hoping no one I know is in there (this happens frequently at the neighborhood wal-mart *sigh*  and always when I look bad).  I get almost completely done with my grocery shopping when we are in the pasta isle (I told you I needed knocchi right?) and Alex starts playing with a distinguished looking gentleman down the isle.

Just as a disclaimer I want to let you know that this doesn't happen often with Alex.  Hardly ever.  The only time he will smile and play with a stranger is when it is a gentleman that looks like his "papa" or Jon's step father.  I get a little embarrassed sometimes... because not every man that looks like his grandfather wants to play with him.  But he believes this to be true.  So he's playing with this man and I reach for the pasta I need and completely dump a bag of orzo all over the grocery store floor right at this guys feet.  Lovely.  So if you were at the neighborhood Wal-mart in bartlett at 1:50p... the orzo was me.  Sorry if you tripped over it.

I finally get home, and get the kids down for their naps just for Hannah to fight it.  She always fights her naps. At any rate, tonight, as stated earlier, I am making a homemade meat sauce for dinner.  Recipe and pictures tomorrow!!!  Stay tuned followers and readers!!!!!!!!!! xoxo

Day 8: homemade crust how I loathe thee

How do you know when your daughter hates bows?  she takes her hand and physically pulls them out.  Sorry Hannah but you WILL like your bows :-P  I've had someone ask me how old is HE... only once.  When she had a BOW on.  but she was wearing blue so I guess that made her a he?  whatever.  That's the reason I put bows in her hair.  plus they're adorable!  Just now when I was getting her ready to have lunch with daddy I put her in a particular outfit that was a little "smocked" at the top.  This is hopefully a universal term that most of you ladies are familiar with since it's a tad old fashioned... so old women young women and middle aged women should know the "smock dress."  Well... a lot of women love the smock look but I personally am not a fan.  At all.  And because of that I have made a point to keep that type of dress out of my daughters wardrobe.  Not saying the style is not cute to a degree... well I guess that's exactly what I'm saying.  It's just my personal preference.  So in my copious effort to exclude the smock look from her wardrobe it still snuck in there somehow.  Here's a pic:

I guess some would say, "Carolina that isn't a smocked dress."  But I say it's as close as she's getting to wearing one.  I don't like the cinching.  what can I say?  Don't judge me.

Yesterday, due to overwhelming demand from my husband I made from scratch chicken pot pie.  Now, don't misinterpret this.  I definately tried to make the "lazy version."  You know the one... pillsbury premade crust and veg-all.  Ya know the EASY one that take maybe half an hour to make which includes baking.  Well, Jon was not impressed although in a bit of irony Alex liked the lazy version better than the from scratch version which he did not touch last night.  *sigh*  the pickiness (sp? I don't even think that's a word lol) of a toddler never escapes this household for too long.

In my effort to make the process easier for myself, the first lazy recipe involved a premade pie crust, veg-all, cream of potato soup, and a bit of parsley.  It was really hard for me to get the premade crust completely done so needless to say it was.... to jon and I not worth it.  Here is the recipe of the from scratch pie.  I cheated a little and used frozen veggies instead of cutting ALL THOSE VEGETABLES BY HAND.  I don't mind cutting a little... hey I'm a fruit cutter, a potato cutter and a butter cutter most of the week.... but not 7 different  vegetables.  NOPE.  not happenin..  but jon doesn't seem to mind the frozen veggies with the exception of the peas involved.    So after all that here is the recipe... keep in mind that I used frozen veggies... you don't have to if you decide to use this recipe... I just did because I'm horrible at dicing veggies.   It usually doesn't turn out in my favor.

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2tbsp fresh minced parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 stick , chilled butter, cut into tablespoons
• 3-4 tbsp ice water

Filling:

• 2 cups chicken broth, homemade or store bought
• 1 small white onion, finely diced
• 2 cups peeled diced potato, yam or sweet potato
• 3/4 – 1 tsp fresh crumbled sage
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 cups broccoli florets, in bite size pieces
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 3 cups cooked chicken, in bite-size pieces
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions:

Make the pastry:

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper.
2. With a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. Sprinkle on 3 tablespoons of ice water and work into the dough, adding up to 1 tablespoon more of water to form a dough that can be gathered into a ball.
4. Divide the dough in half, press each portion into a disc shape, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Make the filling:

1. In a large saucepan, bring the chicken broth to boil over medium high heat.
2. Add the onions, potatoes/yam, sage, and pepper, and cook until the potatoes/yam are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the carrots, broccoli, and celery, and cook until the carrots and broccoli are just tender, about 5 minutes longer.
4. In a small bowl, make the rue…with your fingertips, thoroughly blend the flour with the butter.
5. Increase the heat under the saucepan to high, pinch off pieces of the flour/butter mixture (rue), and drop them one at a time into the pan, stirring to incorporate after each addition.
6. Cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chicken.
8. Preheat the oven to 425°
9. Remove dough from the refrigerator and roll one of the discs into a 12 inch circle and fit it into a 9 inch pie pan, letting the extra dough hang over the edges.
10. Spoon the filling into the pastry shell.
11. Roll the other dough disc into a 9 inch circle and place it on top of the filling.
12. Trim the overhang from the bottom dough to about a 1/2 inch all the way around.
13. Fold the overhang in over the top crust, crimping to seal.
14. Cut steam vents in the top crust and brush with the beaten egg.
15. Bake the pie for 15 minute
16. 1. 1. Lower the temperature to 325° and bake for 10-15 minutes longer, or until the crust is golden

So first, this crust is a pain in the BUTT to make.  And when I say pain I mean it.  from the depths of my soul.  Lol  It's not that I don't appreciate the crust, however it's still a pain.  lol.  Here's a picture of the initial mixing mid "cutting in the butter." lol

eugh.  You have to have a LOT of upper arm strength to cut the butter in.. don't use a mixer apparently that's a mistake.  

Here's a picture of the crust in the pie dish.... it actually turns out to be a pretty good looking crust and the finished product... SOOO good.  

This is actually AFTER I put the filling in but here's a pic of the top crust.  I did a lot better this time than last time especially considering that I have no rolling pin.  Yes I said it.  No rolling pin.  

Ok... this cooked for a total of 30 minutes and it was just DEVINE.  Here is a pic after it came out of the oven... excuse the piece taken out, I have a toddler who requires lukewarm food consistently. :-P

It's delicious!!!!  Out of all the recipes I've posted I definately suggest this one to at least try!!  Have a great day followers!!  I have to get my toddler up to go see his daddy for lunch.  :) :)