crispy cheddar chicken

In the words of Chris, "This is restaurant quality." Although, I feel like he has to say that since he's my husband and all. It was pretty tasty. I feel like it wasn't as crispy as it should have been, though.

Ingredients (main):

4 large chicken breasts

1 1/2 sleeve of Ritz crackers

1/2 cup of milk

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/8 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of dried parsley

Ingredient (sauce):

1 can (10.5oz) cream of chicken

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of sour cream

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut each of the chicken breasts into 3 chunks. In a small food processor, grind up the ritz crackers (or put them in a gallon zip lock bag and bang the crap out of them). In 3 medium bowls, put cracker crumbs in one, milk in one, and cheese in one. Add the salt and pepper to the cracker crumbs and mix well. Dip each piece of chicken in the milk and then into the cheese. Press the cheese into the chicken with you fingers. Smother in the cracker crumbs. Some cheese may fall off during this, it's okay. Spray a deep baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and place chicken in the dish. Sprinkle the parsley over the chicken. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and remove foil. Bake an additional 10 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan combine the cream of chicken, sour cream and butter until nice and hot. Pour over chicken and enjoy!

ham and cheese sliders

It's been a while since I've posted a new recipe. I've been on a pretty bland diet. Ever since finding out I was pregnant, I'm not allowed to take Nexium which means the GERD is back with a vengeance. I have a few new ones for you guys within the next 2 weeks. Not new as in I made them up (which I rarely do), but new to me and good enough to pass on! Now, this recipe called for poppy seeds, but I was unable to find them at the store. Instead of trying another store, I just omitted them. I'll still add them to the recipe though. You can either use them or not. The recipe is meant to make 24 sliders.

Ingredients (sandwich):

white dinner rolls

honey ham

sliced swiss cheese

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup miracle whip

Ingredients (Poppy seed sauce):

1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 tablespoon minced onions

1/4 teaspoon worchestershire sauce

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and miracle whip. Cut the rolls in half and spread on both sides of the bread. Place a piece of honey ham and swiss cheese on each roll bottom and then close with the top. I cut the cheese and ham in half and the fold them in half to fit them on the rolls. Place the rolls close together in a deep baking dish. In another bowl (or the same one rinsed out), mix together all ingredients for the poppy seed sauce. The original recipe says to pour the sauce over the rolls, but I used a marinade brush and just spread it evenly over the tops and sides so they wouldn't get super soggy. Let the sliders sit for 10 minutes to allow the butter to set slightly. During this time, preheat the oven to 350F. After the 10 minutes, cover with foil and bake for 12 minutes. Remove foul and bake for an additional 5 minutes, until the tops are slightly brown and crispy. Best served warm!

the joys of a toddler

Conner has definitely been giving us a run for our money. We started potty training back in December. I'm not going to lie, we haven't stuck to it very well. There are days where we just don't even try. Well, none of that anymore. He wore his last diaper yesterday and I am NOT buying anymore until this baby is born. From now on, it's underwear during the day, pull up during nap and bedtime. Here is where we run into our issue. When he is naked, he goes in the bathroom and pees all by himself. Once the underwear go on, he just assumes it's a diaper. The wetness does not even seem to bother him. It's very frustrating, especially seeing my friends kids of the same age or younger already potty trained. I get it, all kids are different, but I just want my kid to 'get it' and understand that underwear does not = diaper! We haven't even attempted working on the poop part yet. I need to get him trained with the pee part first. He does go into the bathroom and yell 'potty' at us when he poops, but he does it AS he is going, not before, so we can never get him on the toilet. Not to mention, he is TERRIFIED of sitting on the potty. The big one or the little one. Sigh. He'll get it eventually. Until then, I can't do anything since I have to stay at home and potty train.

On better notes, this is the second time Conner knew I was pregnant before we did. Before I had my miscarriage, he kept telling me 'baby'. I didn't know I was pregnant then until I had the miscarriage. He also did it this time, pointing to my belly and saying 'baby' before I found out. And now he keeps telling us 'baby sister'. Wouldn't that be awesome if it was a girl? I might have a toddler psychic on my hands, haha. He really loves being around babies so there is no doubt in my mind that he will be an awesome big brother. I can't wait until I get a bump going on and he can feel the baby move. He'll love it! 

big changes in 2012

And I do mean big. First big surprise of 2012 - We got orders to PCS to Fort Stewart, GA in June. Along with that PCS, Chris will also be deploying shortly after we get there. We've already started preparing mentally for what is to come. This is a part of the military life. It's going to happen and we just go with the flow. Easier said than done, I'm sure, but we intend to get through it stronger than ever. After all, they do say distance makes the heart grow fonder. But we also have a BIG surprise. Ready?

You are seeing that correctly, my friends. We are expecting! If you think this comes as a surprise to you, imagine what a surprise it was to us. On January 12 I was supposed to go to a routine appointment to get my birth control refilled. I always take an EPT to save myself and them some time from doing it at their office. Like any other time I've gone in to have the prescription written, I took it that morning. While it was sitting there doing it's thing, I continued to get myself and Conner ready for the day. I went back over to the sink and glanced and then did a double take. Instantly I was pushed into a panic attack. I sat down, shaking, with my head between my legs trying to figure out how it all happened so quickly. At the end of November, when Chris finished his last field time, we decided we would go ahead and try for another baby. However, At the end of December, I told him I'd rather wait since we would most likely be PCSing and along with that was the deployment. Plus, it took us 8ish months to get pregnant with Conner, so there was no way I would have been pregnant after barely a month of trying. I guess God had other plans! I also found it weird that I had zero symptoms. Had I had this appointment a few days later, the absence of my period would have given it away. It was the same with Conner. No symptoms at all with him and so far none with this one.

I calmed down just enough to call Chris, who was standing in first formation (awful timing, I know), but as soon as he answered I started babbling like a fool. He thought I had been in a car accident! Haha. So I finally get out that I don't think I can get back on birth control because the EPT was positive. I told him not to worry, I was headed to the doctor anyway and I'd have an answer when he got home. I get there and told them the happenings of the morning. They had me do a urine pregnancy test for them, but theirs was negative. With conflicting pregnancy tests, I had to do the blood test to see my HCG levels. Dr. Gomez said that if it came back positive, that she would call me by the end of the work day. If it was negative, I wouldn't receive a call. All day long I was pacing the house waiting for a call. Nothing! I just had this feeling that I was, so we went to the store and got another pregnancy test. It was also positive. Why didn't she call!? I planned to call her the next morning.

When I called, she was with a patient so they took a message. About an hour later, a nurse called me back to inform me that I was indeed pregnant and that Dr. Gomez had just gotten busy the afternoon before and had forgotten to call to tell me the results. It certainly was a little light for that mornings events. We had decided that we were not going to tell anyone right away, because that same morning we had gotten the call about Chris's uncle passing away. We wanted to give the family time to properly grieve before we hit them with our news. However, it has been SO hard to keep this a secret! Anyway, I made my appointment for OB orientation and first ultrasound. It's on February 8. With Conner's pregnancy, I didn't take belly pictures except the day we found out he was a boy. This one I will be taking them every 4 weeks. 

4 weeks. Promise it's not a bump. Just my fat!

The only downfall so far with this pregnancy is that I am not allowed to take medication for any chronic illnesses (with includes GERD). That Nexium was the only thing making the GERD bearable. Now I can only take Tums, which barely do anything for it.This just means I have to be much more careful about my intake of meats and red sauces. The dreadful heartburn will just continue to get worse, I'm sure. I might just end up throwing up with this pregnancy, unlike Conner's haha.

But that's our big news. :)

home-style italian meatballs

These can be used for a variety of things. I was originally going to make meatball subs, but realized too late that I had forgotten the french bread, so we ended up just eating tortellini with meatballs. Super easy to make, too!

Ingredients:

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons dried parsley (or 1/4 cup freshly chopped)

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 pound of lean ground beef

1 tablespoon of olive oil

24 oz marinara pasta sauce

1/2 cup of water

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, onion, salt, crushed red pepper and garlic. Add in the ground beef and mix well. Shape the mixture into about 18 meatballs. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add in the meatballs (you may have to do multiple batches) and cook for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown. Drain off the fat and transfer the meatballs into a crock pot. Pour the marinara sauce and water over the top of the meatballs. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 5 hours or high heat setting for 2 1/2 hours. Enjoy!

it doesn't get easier

It's not an easy subject to talk about. Death. More specifically, death of a loved one. I wish I could say that I can count the funerals I've attended on one hand.,but the number off the top of my head is more than I can count on both. Over half of those have been family members. And here is the one conclusion I've come to: it never gets easier. We go through the exact same emotions. 

The initial shock.

The overwhelming sadness.

The 'did I's (i.e. Did I tell ___ that I love them?)

The regret for anything mean or rude you may have ever said to that person.

The reality of the situation.

The hole in the heart that can never be replaced.

Most of the time, to go along with that last one, you at least get closure. To say your final goodbyes. To kiss them one last time. Sometimes, you get stuck in a situation like we're in. 'Not immediate family'. Really? So because this person isn't my spouse, child, parent, sibling or grandparent.. we can never have closure. At least not with the rest of the family, the way it was intended to be. Instead, we will hold our own memorial here. Thank you, Army.

This morning around 6am, Chris's phone kept ringing. Mine was in the other room, so I had no idea mine had been ringing, too. I made Chris get up and answer it, but I knew something was wrong. Nobody ever calls us back to back unless something is. Unfortunately, we've experienced a lot of those back to back calls since we've been away from home. It was his mom. He started crying. I could tell it was what I didn't want to hear - someone else had passed away. He was able to choke out to me who it was, but that was about it. I knew we wouldn't be able to go, but I held on to a tiny hope that someone would feel compassionate enough to let us. No Red Cross messages will be going through today. Because an Uncle is not 'immediate' family. 

Last year, I sat here writing a blog about our emergency leave to spend a few days with Grandpa Don before we said our final goodbyes. It was one of my most viewed blogs. Now I sit here, almost a year later, writing about how we can't say our final goodbyes to his son, Chris's uncle, Conner's great uncle.. someone who has made us angry at times, laugh at others. Someone who supported Chris's decision about the Army, even though it was initially hard for him to accept. Someone that we have to find a way to honor since we are not allowed to go home. He would have been pissed with the Army. I can practically hear him ranting right this minute. Okay, seriously, I just cracked a smile. It's hard to imagine him angry. I've never really seen him angry. 

When I had Conner, he was one of the first ones to start telling me stories about Chris being little and how Conner was doing a lot of the things that he used to do. He'd show me pictures when we'd come visit and play with Conner until we had to go. There are two things I will continue to remember him by: his genuine love for his family and... the leg lamp from 'A Christmas Story'. :) Smiling yet? You should be. This is a celebration of life, not a goodbye in death. Or as we in the military like to call it, 'see you later'.

I currently have 2 tabs open. This one and Facebook. Open to yours. I didn't realize you had so many pictures with Conner. It's weird to watch him grow up in your arms. You were more than just his uncle. You were someone he remembered every time. Some people he'd have to warm up to. Not you. He knew his Uncle Kenny the instant he saw you. I know he won't understand it right now, but the next time we go home, he'll be so heartbroken to not get to see you. But he'll be able to keep your memory alive through all of these pictures from over the years.

the first time you got to meet each other:

Conner's first Christmas:

our last visit to Illinois:

Like I mentioned before, this is a celebration of life. You never ran out of funny stories to tell us in the short amounts of time we were able to visit. You were there for Christopher and for Conner (and me!). For that, I can never be thankful enough. We'll miss you more with every day that passes. Thank you for all the smiles and laughs that will eventually turn into wrinkles on my face. Until then.. we love you, Uncle Kenny!

old fashioned cheesecake

I seriously had a craving for cheesecake today. Out of nowhere, too. So I looked through my cook books and found an 'old fashioned' cheesecake. In other words, just a normal cheesecake. I added my own chocolate drizzle on the top to add some more flavor.

Ingredients:

9" pie crust

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 325F. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, salt and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Place pie crust on a baking sheet. Pour filling into the pie crust and bake for 30 minutes, until inserted knife comes out clean. Add fruit (or in my case the chocolate drizzle) on top and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours.

cheddar stuffed burgers

We needed an easy meal tonight. This is about as easy as it gets. We have a griddle, so cooking it much faster. You can also do these on the grill or on your stove top.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey or ground beef

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

hamburger buns

In a bowl, combine the ground turkey/beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. I've found the best way to get that done is to just use your hands. Divide mixture into 4-5 parts and roll each into a ball. Use your thumb to put a large hole in the centers and fill with about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Mold the ground turkey/beef around the cheese to create the patty. If you are using a griddle or stove top, heat the oil over medium heat (or 275F on griddle). If using a grill, brush the patties with the oil before tossing them on the grill. The oil helps bring out the flavor. Cook until there is no pink left.. unless you like raw, bloody meat. Then by all means, cook to your standards. :) Add whatever condiments you like and have at it! As you can see from my picture, I had not added condiments yet. Also, the cheese had started to ooze out while cooking. Delicious!

bacon and cheese quiche

Now, we had guests over for dinner tonight. Chaney says that men should name food because 'quiche' sounds like a bunch of vegetables and should be spelled 'keesh'. Instead, he refers to it as the 'breakfast pie'. Lol. Overall, it was delicious! I did not use an uncooked, refrigerator pie crust like the recipe called for. I made my own. So, if you want to make it easier on yourself, just buy a premade, uncooked pie crust. If not, make one like I did. And I have to apologize. I forgot to take pictures until after we had served everything!

Ingredients (pie crust):

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup butter (or 1 stick), unsalted, very cold and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of white sugar

4 tablespoons of ice water

Combine flour, salt and sugar in food processor. Pulse to mix. Add the butter. Pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal, with pea size butter flecks. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing in between. Pinch crumbly dough each time. If it sticks together, it's ready. Remove dough and place in a mound on a clean surface. Smash the dough together into a partially flattened disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (can be up to 2 days). After the hour, lightly flour a surface and roll out into a 10" circle. Lay over pie plate and press slightly down to make sure the dough runs along the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Cover and Place back into fridge while bacon is cooking (read below).

Ingredients (quiche):

Pie crust (either refrigerated or made above)

1 tablespoon of butter

12 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled

8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

4 eggs

2 cups heavy cream

3/4 teaspoon of salt

Preheat oven to 425F. Cook bacon and then crumble. Take crust out of the fridge. Melt the butter and brush the crust all over with it. Alternate spreading cheese and bacon in layers. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add the heavy cream and salt and beat together. Pour over the bacon and cheese layers. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325F and bake an additional 40 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

fettuccine alfredo

Since red sauce is a big no, I resort to white sauce because I LOVE PASTA.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

2 tablespoons of cream cheese

1 pint heavy cream 

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 box of fettuccine pasta

In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter. Once butter is melted, add in cream cheese. When the cream cheese is softened, add the heavy cream. Mix well. Add in the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly. Meanwhile, in a large pot bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add in pasta and cook for 13 minutes, until al dente. Remove the sauce from heat and add in the parmesan cheese. Pour over pasta and serve.

chicken fajita chowder

This is my last real meal for the next few days, so I knew I needed to make it count. Tomorrow I go in for my biopsy, and since it's invasive through my esophagus, I'll be living on broth. That's for another blog, though. Back to the chowder!

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

3 cups of water

2 cups frozen corn

1 cup of uncooked brown rice

1 cup of green enchilada sauce

1/4 cup diced green chiles

1/4 teaspoon of salt

4 oz shredded mexican cheese blend

8 oz sour cream

In the crock pot, mix together all ingredients except for sour cream and cheese. Cook on low for 4 hours. Add in sour cream and cheese until melted. It's really good with tortilla chips added in for some crunch or even garlic bread. 

chicken noodle soup

I love soup.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of egg noodles (or small shell pasta)

1 cup water

32 oz chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup cooked chicken, cubed

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except chicken and noodles. Bring to a boil. Add in the chicken and noodles. Set heat to low and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, until noodles are cooked and vegetables are tender.