My New Recipe Creation

Let me start off by saying my husband is not a fan of change... or trying new things.  So when he asked me from his tractor last night "What's for supper?--he wasn't real enthused with my answer "Casserole Surprise".  He asked what the surprise was and I told him the surprise would be whether or not it was edible.  He responded that he might just drive tractor all night long. 

Now I've been know to try and "create" recipes sometimes.  We usually do a "once-a-month" grocery shopping trip.  So, when supplies get low, I get creative.  And it usually fails.  Miserably.   But this one was a success.  My husband went back for seconds and I would make it again in a heartbeat.

We renamed it though:  Spicy Chicken Bacon Club Casserole.  Sounds much more appealing than Casserole Surprise!

Spicy Chicken Bacon Club Casserole
 Total Time:  About 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 large spicy chicken breast fillets (I used Schwanz.  These are our favorite because they have real chicken meat inside.  Any kind would probably do.)
•  1-12 oz package of Reames Egg Noodles
• 1 can of Campbells Cream of Chicken Soup
• 2 cups of milk
• 4 slices of bacon
• 1/8 cup of Parmesan cheese

Put spicy chicken breasts in oven to bake.  While they are baking, boil Egg Noodles in a large pot of water.  (I added a little bit of salt for flavor.)  Cook bacon.  I used the microwave to cut down on mess/smell. Once chicken is thoroughly cooked, chop into 1 inch strips.  Drain cooked noodles, and then layer noodles in the bottom of a 9x9 pan.  Completely cover the noodles with 1 can of Cream of Chicken soup and 2 cups of milk (I just filled the soup can back up with milk).  Layer the spicy chicken pieces next, followed by the bacon.  Finally, top it off with the Parmesan cheese.

Cook at 400* for about 20 minutes.  (This is the temperature my chicken had to cook at, so I just left my oven set there.) 

Enjoy!  Just a fair warning:  It may not be waist-line friendly, but it was a big hit at our house!  :)

Time Away? No Thanks.

Easter Sunday was a sullen day in our neck of the woods.  Daddy's  parents got a phone call that his great-aunt and his 2nd cousin had been killed in a car wreck on their way to Easter dinner.  I didn't know them well.  But I do know that his 87 year-old (at-the-time), great-aunt came to our wedding in taller high-heeled shoes than I was wearing.  She was one of those older ladies that you look at and say, "Gosh, I hope I age like that!"  We were sure she would live to be 110. 

Today was the funeral and Daddy wanted to take Kaiden so that he could meet some family that he's never seen before.

We had a good day in Kindergarten today.  My kids had their music program last night so they were kind of tired.  I am pretty proud of them for the progress they have made this year.  Today marks only 22 days left of school (ohmygoshwehavesomuchlefttodo!!)  Friday is an early release day, so I was looking forward to getting home early and getting some much needed housework done while baby boy and Daddy were gone.

Well, it's 10:00... and the errands are run, the bills are payed, the 2011 taxes are on the china hutch ready to go to the post office tomorrow.  I wrote about 15 thank yous and "catch-up" notes to family and close friends.  The house is clean  (I'd lie and say it's spotless but I'm sure my little bug could find dust bunnies somewhere)... And Daddy and Kaiden are still on the road... :(  And this clean house IS SOOO LONELY!

I just realized that I haven't been bored since I've had Kaiden.  There is never a dull minute with him and I LOVE LOVE LOVE soaking up every possible minute with him.  I hear plenty of parents say they need a break or time away from their kids but I haven't reached that point yet.  I don't know that I ever will.  So time away?  No thanks!  I'll take my potty-partner, shower-interrupter, 20 lb. weight on my hip while doing dishes, broom chaser any day of the week over this quiet, lonely house!!!

Balancing Kaiden and Kindergarten Intro

When I found out I was pregnant with Kaiden, one of the most popular questions I got was "Are you going to keep teaching?"  And I was quick to tell everyone that I couldn't imagine life without teaching, I'd be bored as a stay-at-home mom, I NEEDED work to keep me sane, etc. etc.  You name it--I probably said it.

My whole world changed the minute my little bitty baby was placed into my arms.  He quickly consumed my every thought and changed the whole purpose of my life on this earth.  Three days after he was born, we were released from the hospital and I found myself in tears... "I don't want to go back to work!"

But I did.

And this is my story... Of balancing Kaiden and Kindergarten!