Mmm Mmm Good...

First of all.... What exactly do you do when you suddenly have a craving for Taco Bell, but yet the meat for lasagna is thawing?  Such tough decisions!  Whatever will I DO?!

Second:

Do you feel as though half of your arteries clogged up just by looking at this photo?




Really?




Probably because THEY DID!


See, the thing is, I'm having a really hard time here. Do I post my secret recipe for the world to see?  Do I share my hints, tips, & secrets?  Such a challenge!

It really is the best fried chicken ever, though. It even won the award for the best fried chicken ever. From who? Doesn't matter. But it's the best. Ever. Hands down. Period. I'm not just saying that because I'm biased either.

Maybe I'll make a decision as I layer my lasagna tonight and post it while it's baking... or not...

So There Was This ONE Time I Was Weird...

So, I'm sitting here eating some good ol' cheez-its and thinking of how wonderful of a salty snack they really are. I mean really. Think about it. What is better than cheez-its? Not a whole lot!

Cheez-its have probably been my favorite snack cracker my entire life. I loved them as a kid, as I did just about anything cheese related.

One night, my brother Jared and I were enjoying a box of tasty treats when the horrid realization that we were down to crumbs had come to our attention. Knowing it wasn't likely to happen, we asked the adults in our home to take us to the store to get some more. My Mom was tired from working all day, and our Grandparent's looked at us like we were pretty much insane. I asked if I could make a grilled cheese sandwich then. They granted permission and off to the kitchen I went...

Well, somewhere in the hall way the brilliant idea occurred to me that I could MAKE cheez-its. I mean, how hard could it be, right?

I got out the velveeta, cut it into tiny squares, and placed them on the griddle. Then I loaded on the salt. I was CERTAIN this was going to be fantastic. I had visions of my recipe being listed in the church potluck cook book. I mean, this was going to be the perfect snack, even better than the name brand, right?

Well, Jared was a little skeptical. He felt the need to feed a few pieces to our gold fish Jaws. (Jaws never ate fish food. He ate our left overs. I'm not lying. That fish lived over a year merely on our left overs! He was a carnival prize and lived on green beans, cheese, bread, etc.)

Jaws ate them up. We tried a few, were enjoying our delicacies, and in heaven. I'll never forget what happened next. Jared went to drop another piece in Jaws cereal canister (Like I said, carnival prize. He was one of 100's. My Grandma refused to invest money in a fish that could pass any day...) and it splashed. SPLASHED! Fish water ALL OVER the griddle and plate. I cried.

Naturally the grown ups thought I burned myself cooking, came running, and were horrified. I wasn't allowed to cook again for awhile. Apparently fried cheese is a greasy mess, and is FAR from a healthy cracker snack.

Just felt the need to share that story. Poor Jaws. Probably died of a heart attack due to clogged arteries after all the junk we fed him.

RIP Jaws, RIP.

Alright, I Cave...

Quite a few people have asked me for the recipe for Broccoli and Cheese casserole over the years. There's nothing "special" about it. I guess I just worry that if I give it out I won't have anything to make for potlucks and such. Selfish am I, I know... I was going to make it a special treat on The Carnahan Family website (which I plan to launch this week or next) but realized that some who have asked aren't even close friends or family of my Grandparent's and such, and they would be left out. So, here it is for all of you.

Grandma's Broccoli & Cheese Casserole
(She got the recipe from her sister Darlene...)

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg frozen broccoli; chopped, cooked, & drained.
• 1 cup minute rice (uncooked)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom (I use chicken. I believe Grandma did also.)
• 1/2 cup cheez whiz or velveeta (I use velveeta, so did Grandma.)
• Onions to taste (If Bobby is around, this usually means A LOT of onion. Do what you like.)

Mix all ingredients together. Place in casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

I usually double this recipe, which requires closer to 40-45 minutes.

ENJOY!

Uhh... Is This Safe To Eat Still?

Is that a question you often hear in your home?

I'm extremely cautious of not eating foods after they expire. I took a nutrition class about 5 years ago, maybe a little longer, and as a result have become aware of the dangers of food poisoning. I do NOT take chances.

My Mom, who is the same way, knows how much this concerns me and sent me this link:

http://www.stilltasty.com/

I highly suggest you all checking it out! I haven't looked at it into too much depth, but I certainly plan to!

Thanks, Mom! :)

If the month is shorter, why aren't my bills cheaper?

So here I am, writing a quick blog as Tommy sits next to me on his horsey. He loves this toy! He's also been carrying on "conversations" with me as he sits here. I was working on my "to do" list for the next week and when I would ask him if I was forgetting anything he would exclaim "YEAH!" I'd then ask, "Okay, what is it?" He would then go on with what appeared to be a tangent or an excitable need using hand gestures and all. Bobby and I were laughing so hard, trying to guess by his hand gestures what he could be saying. Break dancing? Learn Karate? Do the robot? He needs Ritalin already? There is no telling, but this kid is so much fun. He brings back so many memories of Jeff and Becca at this age, but yet all three are so different.

Also, just as my children are all different, so are my pregnancies. So many people, my Dr included, refer to me as an "expert" or such in this area. Yes, I do have quite a bit of experience from all of my pregnancies, miscarriages, childbirths, and newborn care. But expert? Just last night I was thinking "I have no idea what to do!" No, it wasn't an emergency. I just seem to be carrying very differently than I have with any of my other pregnancies. None of my pants fit right! I had to go out and buy a new pair that have a different belly panel than any other pair I've had so that I didn't feel confined. I'm much more tired than I remember being with any of the others, and the pregnancy dreams are different also. Every child is a gift from God, I just can't help but wonder what God has in store for this child and our family. So exciting!

I can never blog enough about how blessed I am to have the man I married. He's been in so much agony this week with health & dental issues but still makes an effort to pitch in and be a supporting husband & father. In today's world, this is such a blessing. So many men only care about themselves. I hope I never take him for granted, though I doubt I will because each day he does something that reminds me how lucky I am... and I doubt he even realizes it.

I can't believe in 2 weeks both of my little boys will be a year older. Their birthdays are just 2 days apart. Tommy will be 1, but Jeff, my first baby, will be 8. I still remember 8 years ago right now, being 1 day from my due date and crying, begging, pleading with him to JUST BE BORN! At the time I just couldn't wait to hold him and kiss him and love him forever. Now I'd do anything to hug him everyday. He knows Mommy loves him though.

Tommy's birthday party planning is just about done. I've purchased all the decorations and favors. The day before the party we'll buy the food, etc. Sometime today or tomorrow Bobby and I plan to go down and order the cake. It's gonna be such a fun day!

One little tidbit I need to throw in... I have found that all I need to make me smile, whether I'm happy, sad, or somewhere in between (which could be all of those in 5 minutes thanks to stupid pregnancy hormones, lol), is Tommy touching his belly button and saying "beddybuddon!" He doesn't seem to realize it is two words, and he's so serious when he says it that I can't help but giggle. Now I'm working on teaching him to say "one" and hold up his index finger when someone asks how old he is. He could care. LOL.

Well, time for me to log off of here! Have lots to do and need to start preparing things for dinner. I promised Bobby oven fried potatoes and eggs. (The recipe can be found here.) They are rather scrumptious and have quickly become a favorite in our home!

STUPID MIXER!!!

I didn't want you anyways! :(

:sob:

At least not in "Licorice". I'd prefer "Empire Red".

(I'm ranting about this. I was picked. It was like a dream come true! I woke up way too early, sat and waited... I hit the button right as soon as it was available... I was so confident! Apparently I wasn't quick enough... I've been wanting this mixer for YEARS! :sigh:)

Someday... someday we'll be together like we were always meant to be. We'll bake breads, grate cheese, make gingerbread, ice cream, and so many other wonderful things.

You're my mixer, my KitchenAid Pro 600 Mixer. I'll wait for you, yes, I'll wait for you...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I hope all of you (meaning my now apparently 2 readers... oh, I should mention... I have a tracker and I know who reads my blogs by IP address, location, whether they were linked by a search engine or via email, etc... ;) That's right... I know who my new reader is. Maybe it's creepy that I track it, but not as creepy as a stalker. Oh well... Enjoy!) had a fantabulous Thanksgiving!

We had a nice day here with Tommy and my parents. It wasn't the same as if Jeff and Becca had been here and we talked about them a lot of the day and how much we missed them, but some things just couldn't be helped in that department. Bobby made the best turkey I have ever tasted! We kept the rest of the meal rather simple, but it came out OH SO GOOD! Tommy loved "big people food" and loved having his grandparents at our house for the day.

Now to continue staying awake so that I can hit the online Black Friday sales I want to take advantage of at midnight. Last night I stayed up for the Toy's R Us sale and got a toy for each of my kids at insane prices! Tonight I'm waiting up for the WalMart online sale. Looks like it's gonna be worth it!

Just around the corner...

Jeff and Becca - Christmas 2007

Jeff and Becca - Christmas 2003

Not long now and we'll be getting out the boxes of decorations and ornaments, baking, cooking, singing, etc. etc. etc.

CHRISTMAS! YAY!

I've decided to distract myself from all the political stuff today and think about something exciting!

This year is a special one, as it's Tommy's first. I've already begun a LONG wish list for him, as the poor kid really doesn't have many toys. It's going to be so much FUN!

Jeff and Becca will likely arrive the day after Christmas as this is their year to spend with their Dad. I'm completely up in the air on what to get them this year, but either way I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they open their presents!

I have a few ideas of things to get Bobby, but I'm really uncertain. I've got ideas for stocking stuffers for sure. Hard to say. I'll likely be looking into more ideas today... If Tommy allows me the computer time.

I'm also starting to think about all the baking I'd like to get done. I've decided I'm going to start baking cookies in the next week and freeze them so that there will be less money to spend at once and less work to be done in those few final days before we celebrate the birth of JESUS! There will for sure be pies, maybe a cake, definitely some casseroles, Mmm... I love holiday food... TOO much! Just look at me!

Did I mention the gift list? Naturally, this year's is going to be shorter than usual due to the economy being what it is, but I still have a few key people I'll be buying for. Seriously, this is my favorite part!

And then there are our Christmas cards. I'm debating just doing a "Photo Card" or also including an "update letter". I know some people find these annoying, but that there are also those who might like to know what we're up to. We'll see... Such decisions. :sigh:

It's gonna be wonderful! I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Dinner tonight...

Baked lemon chicken...
White rice...
Broccoli with cheese sauce...

With that, I'm calling it a dang day. Dinner will be ready in about 10 minutes.

No, I'm not at all bitter that I didn't get breakfast for dinner. Nope! Not me... really...

UPDATE: I ended up making them into "rice bowls" and they were actually REALLY good. Bobby wins... I did get breakfast for breakfast today, so that was good...

More Chicken! YAY!

As mentioned before, I said I'd be blogging about Cheesy Chicken & Noodles... well here it is!

Last Wednesday Crystal and Kaitlyn came over and spent the afternoon with Tommy and I. They ended up staying for dinner with Bobby, Tommy, and I. As before planned, I served the above mentioned meal. Crystal seemed to really enjoy it and took some home to Kevin who she claims really liked it. Whether they were lying or not, I'm unsure... either way, here is the recipe. (Note that for the veggies I use Broccoli.)

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken/cheesy-chicken-and-noodles/

Tonight we may end up with a grilled or baked chicken salad. Use your imagination for that recipe, OK? ;) (I'm a jerk... if you didn't know this by now then hurry up and get over it...)

I Feel Like Chicken Tonight...

Last night we had Monterey Chicken. This is basically Bobby's version of the Chili's favorite... minus the tomatoes. For some reason, he is not fond of that part...

First he makes the bacon, then sautes the onions in the bacon grease. (Naturally, draining some of the grease after each...) After completing both of those tasks he browns/cooks the chicken in the bacon grease. Once done, top with BBQ sauce, bacon, onions, and of course... CHEESE!!!! Mmmm.... So delicious. I made garlic mashed potatoes to accommodate the main course. Usually we also have a green vegetable or artichoke dip and bread/chips, but we weren't THAT hungry last night.

Another recipe Bobby makes often is Parmesan Chicken. It is as follows... (This is the email he sent me when Crystal asked for the recipe last week...)

On Fri, Oct 24, 2008 at 1:21 PM, Bob Schott wrote:
I don't have any measurements. It's all a process thing.

Thaw chicken
Beat your meat
Dip chicken in egg wash (Beat a couple of eggs with a splash of milk - some salt and pepper)
Coat chicken in bread crumbs (Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs, Parmesan Cheese)
Dip chicken in egg wash again
Coat chicken in bread crumbs again
Brown in pan of olive oil on med-high heat
Bake in oven @ 400 for 20-25 minutes (until chicken is done)
spoon spaghetti sauce on chicken and top with a slice of mozzarella cheese
bake for another 2 to 5 minutes

Tonight, we're on to another use of chicken. Chicken Tacos!!! I actually learned this recipe from one of the many various Disney message boards I used to participate in a few years ago. See! They were good for something other than chaos, geekdom, and unnecessary drama! ;)

Now pay attention... this gets complicated...

1. Get out your crock pot
2. Take frozen chicken out of freezer
3. Place chicken in crock pot
4. Pour about half jar (for about 1 lb of meat) of salsa over chicken
5. Place lid on crock pot
6. Set to low for 6-8 hours... or on high for 2-4.
7. Prepare flour tortillas to your liking, along with vegetables and other garnishments such as CHEESE and sides such as canned re fried beans.
8. Put it all together, call the family to the table, and EAT!

Chicken will break apart easily... and be so tender and flavorful... Mmm.... Seriously, one of the best meals ever and yet one of the simplest. Gotta love it!

Now, to share with you all the song that is stuck in my head...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ9M7bsx10I

Next time I'll likely be writing about Cheesy Chicken Noodles... Mmm...

What A Difference A Day Makes...

Wow. Don't get me wrong, I'm still sick... but my goodness. I feel SO much better!

Now it's on to those last minute things to get done before we head out on Sunday. Naturally, I'm running behind. I've started on my shopping list, but have yet to actually write/type out what we need to pack for both us and for the baby while he's at my Mom's while were gone. I plan to do some of the shopping tomorrow, and begin packing on Saturday. Such excitement!

Looks like tonight we'll be having spaghetti. It just seems silly to run out and do grocery shopping when we're going to be out of town, so I'm just going to have to make something here. I usually really enjoy spaghetti, but tonight one of our neighbors is barbecuing. It smells SO good... I can almost taste it! Maybe when we get back we'll fire ours up.

Tommy has actually taken a few half decent naps today. The one he's taking right now is included in that. It's been a rough week of very little napping for him. I'm not too sure if it's teething, adjusting to the new home, defiance, or all 3. Regardless, I'm glad he's getting some rest. I've been on the search for a new pediatrician. Not only is he due for shots, but his reflux seems to be worse when he's supposed to be outgrowing it. Poor guy...

Guess I should go start dinner...

The Never Ending List Of Things To Do...

With CHICKEN!

I'm not the biggest fan of poultry... another way in which I've grown up. As a teen I preferred it over red meat any day. Once I matured, however, I realized that the tastes of my childhood were much more intellectual than that of my adolescents.

What draws me to chicken then? Why do I cook/bake with it so often? Well, let's go over this, shall we?

• Price. It's cheaper than eating red meat and when bought frozen/skinless/boneless is REALLY cheap.
• Health. Red meat is good. I mean it's really goooooood. But chicken has a lot of good things about it too.
• VARIETY! There is so much more that you can do with chicken than you can with steak.
• Ease. Bake, boil, broil, grill, fry, brown, I could go on and on and on. Actually, I can't. I really can't thin of much more than that. But still. There isn't a lot of work to making chicken unless you want there to be.

And now, for my series on chicken.... here is my first entry:

Teriyaki Chicken

Last night for dinner I wow'd Bobby. Trust me, this takes A LOT to do. He's rarely that impressed. Not to that degree, at least. I didn't really do anything special, just the following.

I pounded out 2 once frozen but thawed chicken breasts and then did my usual... set them on the baking sheet and opened my spice cabinet. This is the fun part! Well, since we just moved "ground ginger" had made her place up to the front of the cabinet instead of her usual lonely place in the back. After adding kosher salt, pepper, & garlic salt (rarely is something in this home made without garlic, garlic powder, or garlic salt) I thought the ginger would be a nice addition. I placed the chicken in the oven for the usual time, basting with teriyaki sauce 10 minutes before completion, and made the steamed broccoli and rice.

Seriously, it had to be one of the simplest things I've ever made. Yet it made that man fall even more in love with me. Life is grand.

Tonight, I'm making his favorite: Pork Chops!