On the Porch

Our kids love hanging out on our front porch. Today, as Steve and Seth left for a birthday party and Tristen snoozed inside, Caleb and I spent a little time on the ol' front porch.

I took all of these shots within about 3 minutes, and I love how many different facial expressions he made in that small amount of time. I was catching pictures between times of him picking up rocks and dirt and throwing them over and over. Boys :-)

When I Was Younger...

When I was younger (lot's younger), I used to always say things like, "When I'm a mom, I am going to be a "cool" mom. I am going to stay up with the trends. I am going to resist the urge to age before my time. I'm not going to wear "mom" jeans. And I am for sure NOT going to EVER drive a minivan."

Fast forward to 2009 and I have three kids 5 and under living in my home...

Now, if someone told me I had won the Car Lottery and I could pick ANY car out there that I wanted, what do you think I would pick?

I also used to think minivans were cheap. A 2009 Honda Odyssey with 20K miles on it goes for $35,000 on Craigslist. At that cost, I might be able to get a 2009 Honda Odyssey in about 2015...

Chicken Scallopine

Chicken Scallopine has always been one of my favorite italian dishes. I needed to make a meal today for our friend Mindie that had a baby this past weekend, and this one fit all the parameters for a new mom:

Nothing Spicy

No Onions

No Beans

No Red Sauce

I found this particular recipe on Pioneer Woman's website. Can I just say....I Love The Pioneer Woman! And I am very excited that she will be coming to Dallas on Tuesday, December 1st to sign her cookbook at the Border's off Preston in Dallas.

This recipe was super easy. Start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Pound them to equal thickness with a rolling pin.

Ummm....appetizing, huh?

Next, boil 1 lb. linguine. Set aside (you can always toss it in a little olive oil to keep it from sticking.)

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt & pepper then dredge in flour (or drag, dredge just sounds cooler...) Put them in a pan with 4 T melted butter and 2T olive oil. Cook until golden brown.

Throw 12oz. of sliced mushrooms into the same pan.

Add 1 cup dry white wine and the juice from one lemon.

Reduce heat to low and stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream (I used half-and-half). At this point, Pioneer Woman adds a heaping Tablespoon of capers and some chopped parsley. I was making this for a woman who just gave birth, and I was a little afraid of adding capers. I had some, I just couldn't do it. Besides, I still don't really know what they are...and if she asked me, I didn't want that to be my answer. So I left them out.

Put the chicken on top of the linguine and pour the sauce all over the top. Add shredded parmesan to the top and ....wallah! Chicken Scallopine.

I also made a salad to go with it. This one is also super easy. Spring mix, sliced strawberries, mandarin oranges and feta cheese. Top it with Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette (preferably Newman's Own) and you have a pretty salad that took almost no prep work. (I just remembered I forgot the almond slivers! They add a nice crunch to the salad)

If you haven't tried Pilsbury's Country Italian Bread, you don't know what you're missing! It is in a can, by the biscuits, and you bake it at 350 degrees for about 25 - 30 minutes. SO GOOD!!

Here is the full recipe from Pioneer Woman's site. Happy Cooking!!

CHICKEN SCALLOPINE

Ingredients

• 1 pound Linguine
• 6 whole Boneless, Skinless, Trimmed Chicken Breasts
• Salt And Pepper (to Taste)
• Flour
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 12 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Sliced Thin
• 1 cup Dry White Wine
• Chicken Broth (optional)
• 1 whole Lemon
• ½ cups Heavy Cream (can Use Half And Half)
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Capers
• Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley
• Parmesan Cheese, For Topping

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Flatten chicken breasts to uniform thickness. Salt and pepper both sides, then dredge in flour. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry chicken breasts until golden brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Throw mushrooms into the pan and stir. Immediately pour in wine and chicken broth (optional), and then squeeze juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon. Stir to deglaze the pan, and then cook vigorously for 1 minute, until sauce reduces.

Pour in cream and stir, then add capers and parsley and stir. Turn off heat. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Don’t under salt!

Place pasta and chicken on a platter and top with every last drop of sauce. Generously sprinkle Parmesan Cheese over the top.

The Mesmerizing Glow

I love when Seth and Caleb get up in the computer chair together.

Seth navigates, and Caleb watches.

(Don't they look SO MUCH ALIKE in this next picture??)

Tonight, it was sesamestreet.com

And I love seeing the excitement on these little faces!

Two more great sites for kids ages 2 - 6(ish) are

www.starfall.com

www.pbskids.org

Thanks Jen!

My friend Jen of I Believe in Love nominated me for a Kreative Blogger award. Thanks so much, Jen!

The rules are that I have to share 7 things about myself that people might not know and then nominate 7 more bloggers to do the same.

1. I went backpacking right after I graduated from college, and we made it to all of the places I marked on this map. We stayed for 2 months, and it was an incredible experience! Looking back, I am SO glad I did that at that time in my life. I can't imagine having a spare 2 months anytime in the near future!

2. Staying with the Travel theme, I have also been to 38 states, Mexico and Canada. (Thanks for all those childhood road trips Mom and Dad!)

3. When I was 21 and doing a summer internship in the LA area, I went with a group of friends to see The Price is Right. I was the first contestant called up, I won the first item up for bid (a Lobster tennis ball machine) and I won both prizes in the Clock Game (a bed and a TV). When I spun the Big Wheel, all three of us tied on the first spin. When I spun again, I got 95 cents and tied with another girl. The third time I spun, I got a nickle. No Showcase Showdown for me.

4. I live in the house that my Grandmother built in the early 60's. My Dad was still in high school. When he married my mom, they lived here until they built a house (next door). While my sister was in college, she lived in this house. My brother and sister-in-law moved in with her for while after they got married. So, in other words, every person in my immediate family has lived in the house that we currently call home.

5. I LOVE Garage Sales. I love digging up that treasure that someone else doesn't want and I can find a great use for! I also love bargain hunting and searching the sales racks. I need to join Target Shoppers Anonymous.

6. I have an intense love of fans. When I sleep, I must have a fan on. This is really the only area in my life where I consider myself high maintenance. I need circulating air, even in the dead of winter, and I need the noise of the fan to drown out any distracting noises around me (people breathing or snoring, dogs barking, creaks, road noise). I have met several other people in my life who have the same love with the same intensity: My friend Amy's husband Josh, my friend Cindy, and Steve's step-mom Jacey.

7. When my husband and I met, we worked at Hillview Acres Children's Home in Chino, CA (home of Chino State Prison and a whole lotta smelly cows). I lived in a house with 10 girls, ages 4 - 16 and he lived in a house with 10 boys. We were friends for about 9 months, and then he accidentally sent me an email that was meant to be sent to his friend. At the bottom, it said, "You should save this email in case Courtney and I get married someday." And the rest....

is history.

So I am really tired and I am not going to tag anyone for this (I know some of you are leaping for joy as you read this.) But you know who you are, and you know I love you :-)