Chicken Florentine...

2 -10oz pkgs. frozen spinach, thawed and drained

6 chicken breast halves or bone in (about 4 lbs. roasted)

2 -10 3/4oz cans cream soup (low fat/sodium)

1/2 C. Mayo

1 C. Reduced Fat Sour Cream

1 C. Sharp Cheddar cheese

2 Tb. lemon Juice

1 ts. Curry powder(I substitute 1/2 ts. Chili powder)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 C. Chicken bouillon/broth (or milk)

1/2 C. Parmesan cheese

1/2 C. bread crumbs

2 Tb. butter

Roast your chicken on a cookie sheet with Salt and Pepper for 1 hr. at 350*. I use bone in chicken breasts with the skin on and they are so juicy, let sit for 20 mins. to cool and then shred into a big bowl, and you can put it in the fridge the day before all shredded and ready. (You could boil your chicken breasts on low for an hr. if you wanted to or use a pre-cooked chicken). Add in soup, mayo, sour cream, broth or milk, salt and pepper, lemon juice, Curry powder and stir with chicken. Add cheese and then spinach. Pour into 9 x 13 baking dish that you've sprayed. Mix bread crumbs and Parm. cheese and sprinkle over the top...dot with butter and bake at 350* for 30 mins. until bubbly!

This was a Paula Dean recipe that I tweaked to be healthier, but if you want the full fat stuff go for it...and I halved the Cheddar cheese(if you use Sharp Cheddar it adds the flavor in without double cheese) and Mayo as well! It was DELICIOUS....I served it over mashed Yukon Gold potatoes and all 5 of us loved it....Grace does NOT like spinach but she ate it surprisingly...I did notice she pulled some of the spinach to the side but kept saying "I love this gravy!" haha It would be fabulous on noodles or rice too! You could certainly substitute brocolli for the spinach! that would be yummy too!

My Day....

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...beautiful gorgeous sunshine and blue skies!! I pulled every blind wide opened to let in the sunshine! When I sit at the computer the sun beats through the window and feels so nice on my face!
I am thinking...about the movie Mike and I watched over the weekend. One Night With the King, the story of Esther from the bible. I was so struck with how brave she was to face a King and plead for her people's lives because she was obedient to God! There's a great line in the movie where she says basically it's because she has a strong faith in God that she is able to do something so difficult! I don't think I'll ever be in a place where I might lose my life by obeying God but it inspired me to know "for such a time as this I was placed in the life I'm in!"
I am thankful for...spring that is soon coming...I'm ready! I am loving the sunshine lately and it's been lighter in the morning and evenings!
From the learning rooms...Lots of piano practice, this is the time of year the kids pick their piano recital song and I"m so glad to say I LIKE ALL 3 SONGS they've chosen...which is good since I have to listen to them for the next 3 months!
From the kitchen...over the weekend homemade bread and Cinnamon rolls! yum
I am wearing...Black track pants, gray striped turtleneck and a white fleece sweatshirt!
I am creating...some organizing in the junk drawers, Tupperware cabinets, spice cupboards and STILL putting away holiday stuff! ha
I am going...to take Grace to the Orthodontist, then pick up Macy, then pick up Grace from chess club then Jordan from track practice THEN we're going out to McDonald's with Mike's Grandpa for supper...so no cooking yay!
I am reading...hmm forgot the title, ha A Cedar Cove series and Visionary Marriage by Rob Reinow
I am hoping...to go and lay down for a small snippet of a nap today!
I am hearing...the dog chasing after a stuffed piggy dog toy! and .....THE DRYER!
Around the house...cleaning up, always on Mondays especially...laundry piles up over the weekend, the fridge needs cleaned out and always clutter laying around!
One of my favorite things...Sunshine streaming through the window to brighten the day!!
A few plans for the rest of the week: Bible Study, prayer group, cleaning out Grace's closet, church and hopefully a DATE night out on the weekend! I have a Barnes and Noble gift card I would really like to use!
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...Soon we'll be looking up into trees full of leaves, hearing kids swimming in the pool, lawns being mowed, and feeling that sunshine on our faces OUTSIDE! go here to work out your own daybook!!

Cinnamon rolls...

Cinnamon rolls:

1 recipe for Whole wheat bread dough (or 1 frozen whole wheat loaf)

1 stick of butter, softened

3/4 C. Brown sugar

2. ts. Cinnamon

1 C. chopped Walnuts (or Pecans)

3/4 C. Raisins

Roll dough into a rectangle and spread entire rectangle with softened butter, leaving 1/2 inch along one long edge. Sprinkle with brown sugar, Cinnamon, Nuts and Raisins. Roll long end into a jelly roll. Measure rolled up dough into 24" and cut into 12- 2 inch rolls. Place into 9 x 13 baking dish and let raise until double.

Bake at 400* for 15-17 mins. (Cover lightly with foil)

Icing:

1 Stick butter softened

1 8 oz. bar cream cheese

1 C. Powdered sugar

1 ts. Vanilla

Beat butter and cream together until creamy, add sugar and beat well and add vanilla. Spread over warm rolls and serve!

This is a copycat recipe from Cinnabun, minus the Whole Wheat dough! ENJOY! (At Christmas I often use Pecans and dried Cherries and sprinkle the top of icing with chopped Pecans too!)

Candy..."bars"....

A few weekends ago we had a parenting seminar at our church called Visionary Parenting check it out if you have time! they have great marriage and family stuff on their sight as well! I was asked to do the decorating and snack time so it was alot of fun to prep and do the decorating!

I tried to think like a parent, leaving their kids with sitters or grandparents and heading out alone...that can be very exciting especially for parents of young kids who don't get to do that very often! So I thought, parents thinking about their kids....CANDY! I've seen alot of candy "bars" lately at weddings and such and there's a gal named Amy Atlas that does FANTASTIC candy bars for the stars, check out her site for fun!!

I found these darling candy dot strips that are giant dots...at Cracker Barrel of course! Cracker Barrel has THEEE best selection of old fashioned candies and unique candies. I also did little twig trees on each table with black and white cut out photos of......KIDS! it was fun.....I found little glass beads that look like candy to sprinkle on the tables. We can't burn candles at our church so I found little tealites that are battery operated. They were cute for evening! I found an aray of cute stuff at Hobby Lobby...I love Hobby Lobby! I got all the jars and labels and little doo dads there!!

Licorice whips just tasted better out of a gorgeous glass jar! haha and I loaded a big trifle bowl with triple coated malted milk balls, Good and Plenties are in the cute little colorful Chinese take out containers...gumdrops with old fashioned twist lollypops on them.....flavored candy sticks were fun too......At the last session of the seminar for that last snack time we put out little white mini lunch bags for parents to make goodie bags with all the leftover candy to take home as a favor treat for their kiddos! They had fun doing that!! I had fun with the whole thing, it was a great day and a fun time!

This is because Mike made me model so it wasn't just "table" in the photo he said! ha it was fun....the decorations were colorful and bright and fun!! I hope parents checked into their inner child that day!!

Chicken Stir fry, healthy and fast and yummy! a 5 out of 5 at our house!!










2 Tb. Olive Oil
4-5 carrots peeled, and sliced thin
1 head Broc. cut into florets (or Cauliflower)
1 Red pepper, cleaned and sliced in strips
1 Orange pepper, cleaned and sliced into strips
1 ts. Garlic minced
1 onion, cut down the center and then into long strips
1 8 oz. container of sliced baby Portabella mushrooms
1 lb. Chicken tenders (or breasts) cut into large chunks
1 ts. salt
pepper to taste
1/4 ts. Chinese 5 spice (in the Oriental aisle at the grocery store)
2 Tb. Soy sauce
1/2 ts. dry ginger
1 can Pineapple tidbits with juice
1 Tb. cornstarch
1/4 C. duck sauce (we buy ours at our local Chinese restaurant, it's worth it or you can buy it in the stir or make your own)
1 Can sliced water chestnuts.

4-6 servings brown rice

Put rice on to cook. Heat Olive oil in skillet hot and add chicken. Turn chicken after browned on one side. Add garlic and onion and saute until slightly soft, add carrots, broc, and peppers and soy sauce. Saute 3-4 mins. until Broc. is soft, add mushrooms and water chestnuts, salt and all spices. Stir for 2-3 mins. Drain juice from Pineapple into measuring cup and add Corn Starch and stir until smooth. Reduce heat on stir fry and add Pineapple sauce, stir and turn off heat and pour 1/4 Cup duck sauce over and stir and stir in the Pineapple.

Service over rice with sliced green onions and honey roasted peanuts sprinkled on top!

Salmon, sweet potatas, and sprouts....

Salmon is so good for a special treat at our house....Everyone likes it here...Grace makes me laugh ("tastes like chicken!) ha and I wouldn't like it often but on occasion it is quite good! Especially with our favorite sweet potato chips...and brussel sprouts happen to be a 4 out of 5 here...meaning Grace doesn't like them! haha Here's a great recipe for the Salmon and marinade and Sweet potato chips....Sweet potatoes are packed with Vit. C and I know Salmon on occasion is very healthy...especially for your eyesight!
5 Salmon fillets (Be SURE SURE SURE you only buy Wild Caught, if you are buying any fish that is farm raised it doesn't have the natural nutrients in it and we want to support our US fishermen!) I buy them in frozen packages when it's on sale but you could use fresh and cut it into fillets yourself...
Marinade recipe:
1 Tb. Soy sauce
1 Tb. minced fresh ginger (I used 1 ts. dried)
2-3 Scallions(green onions) minced
1 Tb. honey
2 ts. Rice vinegar (I used Balsamic because I didn't have Rice, or you could use Cider Vin.)
1/4 C. orange juice

Mix in a 9 x 13 shallow dish, place Salmon fillets in marinade and then turn with tongs so marinade covers both sides. Let sit 30 mins.

Heat 1 Tb. oil in large enough skillet for Salmon (I used a large Electric skillet) place Salmon flesh side down first if you're using skin on. Saute 5 mins. per side. Flip after 5 mins. and saute 5 more mins. Remove Salmon to a plate skin side up. Lower heat on pan and let sit while you peel skin off the cooked Salmon. Pour 2-3 Tbs. water into skillet and add remaining marinade, bring to a slow simmer. Add Salmon back to pan the side down that you removed the skin. Turn off heat and let sit at least 5 mins.










Sweet potato chips:
Place your baking rack on lowest rack in your oven. Preheat oven to 425*.
Slice 3 long Sweet potatoes into thin slices. Place in large bowl and pour 3 Tb. Veg. oil over the potato slices and toss with Rubber Spatula. Sprinkle lightly with Salt and Pepper. Place chips on two baking sheets as flat as you can get them without too much overlapping. Place baking sheets of potatoes on bottom rack and set timer for 15 mins. (this will create a lot of steam from you vented burner, don't worry it's just the water in the potato evaporating) Flip potatoes after 15 mins. and bake another 10 mins. Some of the thinnest chips will get quite dark, these are my FAVS!! Remove chips and serve!
Dipping sauce for sweet potato chips. One part Mayo to One part Ketchup. We use 2 Tb. to 2 Tb. and stir together while they bake! Delish..this sauce is delicious on Turkey burgers too!
Add some Brussel sprouts or your favorite veggies and voila...30 min. meal!! (sorta) Enjoy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRACE!!

THIS GIRL TURNED 10 YEARS OLD OVER THE WEEKEND!! She had a great weekend and we all did too!
When the girls in the house turn 10 they get to get their ears pierced so she was anxiously awaiting her day! she was pretty nervous too I'd say but was pleasantly surprised that it was a pretty easy ordeal and well worth it! After taking her own time to decide she chose small diamond studs (not real of course) to start out with! they look so cute! and go with everything (her words) ha it was fun...My mom always comes and treats to the earrings and then lunch! what a fun way to start out a Birthday weekend!!!










Ladybug Birthday cake....had to be a white cake inside (Cherry Chip) and Chocolate icing! she's not too fond of Vanilla icing for some odd reason! She was so giddy and so excited all afternoon! We gave her this outfit on her actual Birthday since it was her actual Birthday the day before her family party! She admired it in the store about a month ago so I went back and snapped it up! She likes anything with a Peace sign on it lately! and the bright yellow was something else on her...









It's always fun when the kids are young enough to thoroughly enjoy opening a present and you can see the excitement in their face when they open something! She LOVES horses and auntie Roz got her the movie Secretariat...she was GEEKED...and if you look closely you could see that I must have been pretty excited as well haha It was great movie by the way and I have to be honest I didn't know the story of the Secretariat!










Water bottle with her name on it! LOVED it...ha they are allowed water bottles on their desks at school and this was just the perfect size! plus no mistakes of another child mixing theirs up with hers with her name on it! Get a load of the GIANT headband flower...LOVE IT...I bought it after she admired it in Target and it makes that bright yellow outfit pop even more!! (Plus it helps that her big sis has a few headbands with flowers on them...not that large though)










We got her a new pink and white CD/boom box for her room...I almost got her an MP3 player but part of Grace's passion for life is MUSIC...she sings and sings and it amazes us in the van when we're driving down the road and she is singing along word FOR WORD...or she'll correct someone and say no no the word is this.......she is very musical and I just couldn't stand it if she was singing away with headphones on yet! haha Plus the updated Christian music for kids is so much fun to listen to!!

I LOVE this girl...she is truly the Sunshine of our lives..anyone in this house would say that about her! She exudes energy and delight for life from 6 a.m. until she falls into bed at 8:30! She sees the good in everything practically, she has a quit Wit about her and can make anyone crack up (even if they don't want to!) and she LOVES to Praise the Lord with her singing and music...she is a DIE HARD animal fan...and if it's quiet I can probably find her watching Pet Keeping with Marc Marone on tv! or she's got all my laundry baskets upsidedown throughout the living room with an animal or two inside for viewing! Everytime Macy's looking for one of her belts or scarves you can probably find it tied around the neck of one her stuffed animals for a leash! We love her fun spirit and it's been a delight from day ONE until now 10 yrs. old to spend life with her!