Recipe: Creamy Chicken Pesto and Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsps butter (I used olive oil)
• 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut into cubes
• 1 can Campbell's condensed cream of chicken soup (I used the low fat one)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto
• 3 cups pasta, prepared and drained (I used rotini, the original recipe called for bow-tie)

Steps

1. Heat butter/oil in 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add the chicken and cook until well browned, stirring often. (At this time I start preparing the pasta).

3. Stir in the milk, pesto and soup into the skillet.

4. Heat until boiling.

5. Reduce the heat to low and let cook for 5-7 more minutes.

6. Stir in the pasta, and cook until mixture is hot and bubbly.

- Recipe from Campbell's Cookbook

Recipe: Pistachio Salad

Ingredients

• 1 tub of frozen whipped cream (thawed)
• 1 package of pistachio Jello/pudding mix
• 1 small can of crushed pineapple
• 1 package of mini marshmallows

Steps

1. With the thawed whipped cream, empty into a large mixing bowl.

2. Add pistachio pudding mix and stir into the whipped cream.

3. Add crushed pineapple and mix in thoroughly.

4. Add marshmallows a bit at a time (sometimes you'll use more than other times - it depends on the consistency you're looking for), and mix in.

5. Chill in the fridge until time to serve.

- Recipe from my Sister

Recipe: Ham & Cheese Casserole [w/ Cheez Whiz]

Ingredients

• 4 cups rotini pasta
• 1 cup cubed cooked ham
• 1 1/4 cup Cheez Whiz
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup milk

Steps

1. Cook pasta in large pot.

2. In small saucepan, melt Cheez Whiz product over low heat. Add in milk and stir until creamy and smooth.

3. Drain pasta, and pour into 9x13 pan.

4. Mix in cubed ham.

5. Pour cheese sauce over top of pasta, and mix in thoroughly.

6. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

- Recipe loosely based on leftover casserole from my Mommy, but re-done myself

Book Review: The Forgotten Garden

The Forgotten Garden

Kate Morton

2008

648 pages

Synopsis

A foundling, an old book of dark fairy tales, a secret garden, an aristocratic family, a love denied, and a mystery. The Forgotten Garden is a captivating, atmospheric and compulsively readable story of the past, secrets, family and memory from the international best-selling author Kate Morton. 

Cassandra is lost, alone and grieving. Her much loved grandmother, Nell, has just died and Cassandra, her life already shaken by a tragic accident ten years ago, feels like she has lost everything dear to her. But an unexpected and mysterious bequest from Nell turns Cassandra's life upside down and ends up challenging everything she thought she knew about herself and her family. 

Inheriting a book of dark and intriguing fairytales written by Eliza Makepeace - the Victorian authoress who disappeared mysteriously in the early twentieth century - Cassandra takes her courage in both hands to follow in the footsteps of Nell on a quest to find out the truth about their history, their family and their past; little knowing that in the process, she will also discover a new life for herself.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

My Review

This book took a little while to draw me in, as I found it difficult initially to keep up with who was who, and what time period the chapter was set in. Eventually as time went on, and as the stories interconnected with each other, I was able to follow a little more clearly. There was a lot of descriptive writing, which I have to really be in the mood to read through, but I did enjoy the realistic nature of the characters. I felt like the author really portrayed their actions, thoughts and dialogues quite well, and made it more of a believable story. I have others of hers waiting to be read on my night stand - we had a great discussion of the book at book club, and one of my friends had two of her other novels. So I'm looking forward to tackling those soon.

Book Review: Summer Rental

Summer Rentals

Mary Kay Andrews

2011

402 pages

Synopsis

Sometimes, when you need a change in your life, the tide just happens to pull you in the right direction…

Ellis, Julia, and Dorie. Best friends since Catholic grade school, they now find themselves, in their mid-thirties, at the crossroads of life and love. Ellis, recently fired from a job she gave everything to, is rudderless and now beginning to question the choices she's made over the past decade of her life. Julia--whose caustic wit covers up her wounds--has a man who loves her and is offering her the world, but she can't hide from how deeply insecure she feels about her looks, her brains, her life. And Dorie has just been shockingly betrayed by the man she loved and trusted the most in the world…though this is just the tip of the iceberg of her problems and secrets. A month in North Carolina's Outer Banks is just what they each of them needs.

Ty Bazemore is their landlord, though he's hanging on to the rambling old beach house by a thin thread. After an inauspicious first meeting with Ellis, the two find themselves disturbingly attracted to one another, even as Ty is about to lose everything he's ever cared about.

Maryn Shackleford is a stranger, and a woman on the run. Maryn needs just a few things in life: no questions, a good hiding place, and a new identity. Ellis, Julia, and Dorie can provide what Maryn wants; can they also provide what she needs?

Mary Kay Andrews' novel is the story of five people questioning everything they ever thought they knew about life. Five people on a journey that will uncover their secrets and point them on the path to forgiveness. Five people who each need a sea change, and one month in a summer rental that might just give it to them.

Rating: 2/5 Stars

My Review

It was definitely a light summer read. I pushed through it because I had gotten so far in it. It wasn't horrible, but there were some parts that were dry and did not leave me hanging, like my usual suspenseful reads. The characters were more believable than I was first expecting, so that part was great. The romance in it was expected, but still well-played out. I'll probably read more of hers in the future - especially when I want a lighter read.

Book Review: The Power of a Praying Parent

The Power of a Praying Parent

Stormie Omartian

1995

214 pages

Synopsis

Stormie Omartian's bestselling The Power of a Praying series (more than 23 million copies sold) is rereleased with fresh new covers and new material to reach a still-growing market of readers eager to discover the power of prayer for their lives.

After 20 years of raising her son and daughter alongside her husband, Michael, Stormie looks back at the trials and joys of parenting and the power in praying for her children. In these easy-to-read chapters, Stormie shares from personal experience as to how parents can pray for their kids':

* safety 

* character development 

* adolescence 

* peer pressure 

* school experiences 

* friends 

* relationship with God

This resource will help you to be an amazing praying parent whether your kids are three or thirty-three.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

My Review

I absolutely love this book. As a parent, it taught me a lot of things that my child needs prayer for, in every aspect of their lives. It was nice because there was a personal connection made in the devotion, then an example of a prayer about that specific topic, and then 5-6 verses that apply to what was prayed about. For me personally, my prayer life is not the strongest, and I often feel like I don't know *how* to pray, so by reading the example prayers in the book I was able to get an idea of how I could pray for my child in such an easy manner. I will likely be buying this book in hardcopy because I want to use it more than just the past 3 weeks (I borrowed it from the library). I'll also check into her other devotional books about prayer, like the one meant for wives.

Recipe: Apple Crisp

Ingredients

• 3 medium apples - peeled and sliced
• 3 Tbsp water
• 3 Tbsp white sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 cup oatmeal

Steps

1. Grease small casserole dish (I use an 8x8 glass dish)

2. Spread apples on the bottom of the dish.

3. Sprinkle water over top of apples.

4. Sprinkle white sugar over the water and apples.

5. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients, and mulch with a fork or pastry blender. Mix until crumbly.

6. Spread crumbs overtop of apples.

7. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

- Recipe from my Mommy

Recipe: Zucchini Loaf

Ingredients

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 3 cups shredded zucchini (I always use frozen zucchini, so thaw it first, and then squeeze all the water out of it before mixing with other ingredients)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cup coconut or 1/2 cup crushed pineapple

Steps

1. In one bowl, mix eggs, sugar and oil together.
2. Add to the shredded and dried zucchini. Mix in.
3. Add vanilla.
4. In separate bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.
5. Add to zucchini mixture.
6. Mix thoroughly.
7. Add coconut and/or pineapple. If you want both you could do 1/2 cup coconut and 3/4 cup pineapple.
8. Pour mixture into two greased loaf pans.
9. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

*Makes two loaves

- Recipe from my Nana :)

Recipe: Beef Taco Skillet

Ingredients

• 1 lb of ground beef
• 2 tsp garlic powder or garlic salt
• 1 tsp onion powder or onion salt
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp taco seasoning (full Old El Paso packet)
• 8-9 oz of pasta (I used penne)
• 1 cup water
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (colby jack or mozzarella)

Steps

1. Brown hamburger in large skillet. Drain.
2. Add all above ingredients, except for cheese, to the skillet.
3. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer.
4. Cover for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Sprinkle cheese on top.
6. Cover and cook until cheese is melted.

- Recipe based from The Domestic Geek, with some alterations by myself (green pepper, salts, mozzarella cheese, amount of pasta)

I added the cheese on after, instead of letting it melt in the skillet.

Recipe: Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 Tbsp white sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon or 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Steps

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder together. Mix well with a fork.
2. Before adding the eggs to the big bowl, I like to beat them a little with a fork. Then I add them to the flour mixture.
3. Add milk and vegetable oil. Stir in well.
4. Add cinnamon or chocolate chips and stir to mix.
5. Heat a griddle to 350 degrees. I put about 1/2 Tbsp of oil onto the griddle and spread it around.
6. Pour pancake mix onto griddle. I usually do circles, but like to do Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes. I'd like to eventually get some shape stencils so I can make letters or other objects.
7. Flip after 1-2 minutes (I leave mine longer than usual because I like them a little crispy).
8. Flip again after 1-2 minutes.
9. Serve with butter and maple syrup!