Goal #11: Try 75 new recipes (31-32/75)

I'm skipping # 28-30 since I miscounted and cooked 4 recipes from 2 of my cookbooks and had a new recipe tucked into another post that I forgot about.

Goal #11: Try 75 new recipes (31/75)

I made this last night. It was easy to prepare but didn't have a whole lot of flavor. Instead of fresh parsley I used Italian Seasoning and added pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. I also used Wacky Mac spirals instead of penne. I think this dish would be better if I tried the Philidelphia Cream Cheese Cooking Cream. I haven't tried those yet but they would probably add some flavor this dish was missing.

Creamy Chicken Penne
Kraft Online

2 cups penne pasta, uncooked

3/4 lb.  boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 Tbsp.  olive oil

1 pkg. (6 oz. ) snow peas

1 small  red pepper, chopped

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 Tbsp.  butter

1 Tbsp. flour

1-1/2 cups  milk

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed

1/2 cup  DI GIORNO Grated Romano Cheese

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

COOK pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, cook chicken and onions in hot oil in large skillet on medium heat 6 to 8 min. or until chicken is done, stirring frequently. Add peas, peppers and garlic; cook and stir 1 min. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.

MELT butter in medium saucepan on medium heat. Stir in flour until well blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to boil; cook 2 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add cream cheese and Romano; cook 1 to 2 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted and sauce is well blended, stirring constantly.

DRAIN pasta; place in large bowl. Add chicken mixture and sauce; toss to coat. Top with parsley

Goal #11: Try 75 new recipes (32/75)

We had this tonight. The meat was falling apart and pretty tasty. I used crimini mushrooms (which I love) but I wasn't a fan of them in this dish. I served this over rice.

Melt in your Mouth Cube Steak and Gravy

www.TastyKitchen.com 

• 1 pound Cubed Steak (about 4 Pieces)
• Flour For Breading
• 3 Tablespoons Oil
• 1 cup Sliced Mushrooms (optional)
• 3 cups Water, Divided
• 3 envelopes Beef Gravy Or Mushroom Gravy, 1 Ounce Packets (beef, Mushroom Beef, Herbed Beef, Mushroom...mix And Match To Your Liking)

Roll cubed steak in flour.
Place in hot oil for frying. Brown on both sides (you don’t have to cook it all the way through – just sear it).
Place steak in crock pot along with mushrooms. Cover with two cups of water.
Cook on low for 8 hours.
Half an hour before serving mix the gravy packs with the remaining cup of water.
Pour the gravy mixture over the cubed steak. Let cook for 30 minutes more or until the gravy has thickened.

A change in Goals....and States

If you don't already know, we are moving.

To Chicago.

I know, I know... Everyone keeps having a shocked look on their face and they say "You know it's cold there, right?" Well, do they know it's not as hot there in the summer? We've consistently been in the mid to upper 90's and have had several 100 degree days since APRIL! I'd much rather have to bundle up, cozy up by a fire under a blanket, drink hot chocolate, etc. than have to shower twice a day to get the sweat off from this southern heat. Ugh! I hate the heat. And man is it humid this year in NC.

I grew up in Colorado so I know what cold is. It's been 11 years since I lived there so it will take awhile to get used to the cold again. I'm game.

With that said, I'm going to change a few of my goals since I can't do them before we go to Chicago and I can't do them in Chicago.

4. Participate in the Bumper Crop at church at least 3 times in 6 months.

18. Have a Mom's night in for the girls every 6 months (1/5)

33. Go to a Carolina Hurricanes game (I guess I could go to a BlackHawks game whenever they play the Hurricanes but I don't know if they ever play them or when it will be)

56. Visit 2 NC wineries I haven't been to yet (0/2)

59. Repaint 1/2 bath (Now that our house is on the market there's no need to)

67. Go down the Blue Ridge Parkway when the leaves are changing.

I need to come up with some goals to replace these. If you have any ideas leave them as a comment! You can do it as "anonymous" and then you won't have to log in to leave a comment.

Goal #11: Try 75 new recipes (24-27/75)

#24
S'mores Bars
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/smores-crumb-bars/detail.aspx

I made these to take to our neighborhood 4th of July cookout. They are so awesome but super rich!! You can smell the butter in them from a mile away.
#25
Caprese Salad
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/06/caprese-salad/

I also took this salad to the cookout. By the time I got through the line there were only a few pieces of tomato and mozzarella left. It was a hit.



#26
S'mores Dropshttp://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/S-more-Drops

I made these the weekend after the 4th and took them to my friend's house. I liked these better than the S'mores Bars. They weren't as rich and easier to make. I could've eaten the whole container!

#27
Tomato Bread Salad
http://weelicious.com/2011/07/11/tomato-bread-salad/
AKA: Panzanella
I've seen this on just about every show on the Food Network. Seems to be a trend. I thought I'd try it out! The salad was really good and light. I put it over some baby spinach leaves. I think adding some chickpeas would have "beefed" this salad up a little and added some much needed protein with a mild flavor.

Goal #72: Take Ryan to the Aquarium

This past weekend my dad came to visit. We took him and the boys down to Fort Fisher Aquarium and to Holden Beach.

We saw Jessie and Lea and her family when we were leaving.

Then we went to eat at Provision Co. and it was delicious as usual!!

After dinner we took the kayaks down to the intercoastal waterway that is right by our friend's house we were staying. Ryan helped Jimmy get the truck down the driveway...

The water was pretty smooth and Ryan wanted to be in my kayak when he was in Jimmy's and then in Jimmy's when he was in mine. We had a few switcharoos while we were out.

On Sunday we went out to the beach for the morning. 

Jimmy tried to take Ryan on the boogie board. He got one ride and Ryan cried the whole time he was in the water.

Lucas didn't like the water either. I have a pic of him with his feet in the water but it's a very non-flattering pic of me so I'll refrain from posting it :)  Lucas was screaming anyway.



Goal #95: Create 10 things found on craft blogs (10/10)

Yesterday we made Ryan and activity board modeled after the one on this blog: Counting Coconuts

I got a piece of scrap wood at Home Depot and Jimmy added a little edging around it with a piece of of wood we had in the garage. On the board are two hinges, two springy door stops, a hook and eye lock and two bolts (one with washers and a hex nut and one with washers and a wing nut). I want to add a door chain lock and a sliding lock but I didn't want to pay what they were selling for at HD. I made this board for $18 (the wood was the most expensive part at $7). If you had a scrap piece of wood laying around to use this would be much, much cheaper.

I didn't want Ryan to have to use tools just yet so I modified it. I know he'd end up banging the hammer onto the tile floor or stabbing the coffee table with the screwdriver!

Goal #58. Make something by hand for Ryan to play with

The past few afternoons have been pretty nasty. We've had thunderstorms every afternoon this week. While Ryan was napping I decided to make him something he could play with when he awoke.

I remember visiting my grandma in the summers and her making homemade playdough. I looked up a recipe for it - there was one in my family cookbook but I couldn't dig that out at the time so I googled one real quick.

Homemade Playdough Recipe

You really have to use your strength to stir the dough until it gets to the right consistency. Man! My grandma was tough!!!

I made blue playdough but didn't put too much food coloring in it because I wasn't sure where it would end up and if it would stain.

Every kid's got to taste it at least once!! He made a "pickle" face. I can't imagine it tastes good because there was a cup of salt in the dough!

Ryan really enjoyed himself but once it started going on the floor I knew he was finished!

This also fulfills Goal #95. Create 10 things found on craft blogs (9/10)