In the Storm

Chicken Parmesan

I found this recipe in some magazine in a doctors office some years ago. I used to bake my chicken parmesan and it was good. The first time I made it using this recipe the flavor was over the top. While this is not a heart friendly recipe - note the butter content...and then there's the cheese...it is, however, extremely delicious and it makes my boys do the happy dance whenever I let them know what we are having for dinner. Followed by many moans of splendidness while eating.

 

Chicken Parmesan

3/4 stick of real butter

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 C. milk

1 C. flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 ½ C. Italian breadcrumbs

½ C. shredded parmesan cheese

2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

In four plates/bowls pour the milk in one, combine the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in another, beat the eggs in another and add the flour in the last. Dip the chicken breasts first in the milk, coating evenly; then coat with the flour, followed by the egg, and last cover the chicken breasts with a coating of the breadcrumb/parmesan cheese mixture.

Melt the butter in a large skillet on medium and cook the breasts in the butter until browned crisp on each side. Turn down the heat a couple notches and cover each breast with ½ C. mozzarella cheese. Cover the pan with a lid and finish cooking the breasts through and allow the cheese to melt completely, about 15 minutes. Serve with spaghetti and your favorite spaghetti sauce.

Stories of Summer

Two more pages for inclusion into my Stories of Summer album. When I get back from the library with the boys I'm going to get pictures of what the album [in real life] looks like so far.

Homemade Pop Tarts

I found this recipe at For the Love of Cooking and so wanted to make these for the boys. She made two different kinds but I really wanted to try the Lemon-Blueberry Pop Tarts. I had no idea what lemon curd was when I saw it in the recipe but I was able to find it in the commissary. I made these Sunday morning for everyone and they turned out awesome!

Homemade Lemon-Blueberry Pop Tarts

2 pre-made pie crusts

1/2 jar lemon curd

1 pint blueberries

1 egg

1/4 C raw sugar

Use a cookie cutter and cut out 16 rounds of crust. Lay 8 of the rounds on 2 cookie sheets/bar stoneware pans (mine were 4 inch round pop tarts so I needed to bar pans); spoon a tablespoon or so of lemon curd into the center of each round and top that with a handful of blueberries. Lay the remaining 8 on top of the others once they are all filled. Press the edges to seal them. Beat the egg and brush the tops of each pop tart. Sprinkle with the raw sugar. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 4 servings of two each.  

Stories of Summer

I made the pages that will go in my Stories of Summer album of our summer plans...

(Typepad has once again been a pain; so, I'm just now posting this).

Saving my marriage

It's a joke! What started as a joke between Hoosier Man and I has spread to my son's and my son-in-law too! Hoosier Man told me he'd keep me for another couple of years because I was finally gettin' the hang of cookin' (not in those words but I got the drift); the joke is because I'm really an awesome cook and there are just no words to describe that fact. So the joke was born. My son's use it too now when I've made a new recipe or I serve up some good eats. I spoke with my daughter the other day and it seems my son-in-law is now using it on her. I guess she learned how to cook from here momma - it's a good thing too - cause we need to save our marriages.

Speaking of good eats. My boys are coming home today and I've got some good eats planned for this week:

Sausage Pepper Rustica w/ Penne (I haven't made this in forever)

Smokey, Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Chicken, sauteed Zucchini/Squash and Rice

Chicken Parmesan w/ Garlic Toast

Homemade Pizza

Carribean Jerk Grilled Chicken w/ Corn-on-the-Cob and Ceasar Salad

Cooney Smoked Sausage dogs w/ chili and Pickled Beets/Eggs

and of course, Tacos

and of course, Jalepeno's on Thursday.

BSA 1-Mile Swim

My Hoosier Man and Georgia Boys all earned the Boy Scouts of America 1- Mile Swim badge when they swam the mile at summer camp Camp Rainey Mountain, So proud of them and all their hard work.

There comin' home today - can't wait!!!! 

Funny

Found these on some blog recently...they made me laugh...

I wish it were appropriate to say to a complete stranger, "Excuse me, would you like me to show you how to discipline your child?"

I never understood why the Lions and Cowboys always get to play on Thanksgiving. Shouldn't the Patriots play the Redskins, and then steal their stadium afterwards?

Double-Stuffed Oreos should just be called Oreos, and regular Oreos should be called Diet Oreos.

 

My keyboard needs a removable crumb tray like my toaster.

What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?

 

My GPS says "Estimated Arrival Time." I see "Time to Beat."

Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

 

Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

 

I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars close up to prevent some jerk from cutting in. - Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

 

I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save the changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

 

How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

Was learning cursive really necessary?

MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they reported how the person died

 

I totally regret all those times I didn't want to take a nap when I was younger.

Jacks, Pick up Sticks, Chutes n Ladders, and Badminton

When I was making our summer to do list I added badminton to the list because I always thought of it as a summertime game to play outside. I remember playing it in our backyard when I was growing up, amidst the itchy plants and pine needles. I recalled other childhood games I played too. Like Jacks!

Oh my! I used to play this on the kitchen floor. I remember the tension I experienced playing it. And the excitement when I scooped up more and more Jacks.

And then there is Pick up Sticks...

I loved this game. A steady hand. Patience. Fun.

I think I'm going to get all three for the boys to play this summer. I think they'll have a blast. But, chutes and ladders - I am so over that game - and so are the boys! We've moved on to Sorry!  

Summer To do list

I was inspired to make a summer fun to do list for the boys and our family. I don't know how many things we'll get done and be able to check off the list but it will be fun trying.

make homemade ice cream ... go on a scavenger hunt ... visit Oatland Island ... vist the library - alot ... read ... go jet skiing ... go to the beach ... swim at the pool - alot ... celebrate John and Jarrod's birthday ... visit family for the 4th of July ... repot plants ... grow herbs ... have a watergun fight ... paint outside ... go on day trips ... have a picnic ... make shrimp and grits ... eat watermellon ... visit sea turtle center ... take a dolphin spotting tour ... play badminton ... visit jekyll island ... game nights ... decorate a piece of pottery ...make strawberry freezer jam ... play jacks ... go to the movies ... read a book together ... work on merit badges ... go bike riding ... roast hot dogs over an open fire and marshmellows too ... make sun tea ... laugh alot.

This Week so far...

hassn't been the best. It's been a storm here. I came down with a major cold/flu. Just today am I feeling like I'm getting over it, although not great. Scary! Came on fast and took me by storm - and I worked through it too.

Work is a blessing in the storm! this week (and another week of work next week); and I'm on the schedule for 6 days of work the beginning of July - yippee!

Speaking of blessings in the storm we had van transmission problems and expected, because the van is so old that we'd need a new transmission. I picked the van up yesterday and I didn't have to pay a penny for the work done. Amazing God! We were expecting thousands and it didn't cost anything. Seems the work they did was covered under warranty work they'd done years ago. Wow!

Another blessing we had was our home air conditioning. Again, we expected a new air conditioning, and more thousands (and I mean thousands - like $6- 8) and yet major handiwork from God - my last paycheck that had just came in took care of the bill! Jehovah Jirah! My Provider!

So then amidst all this some personal, marital strife, working out and moving forward. It's yuk while it's going on.