My attempt at Olive Garden's Chicken Marsala

When I initially saw this recipe on Pinterest I knew I had to try it out. Olive Garden Chicken Marsala at home? Yes please! You can find the recipe as it is on their website here. As usual, I changed it up a bit. Here's my take on their recipe:


Chicken Marsala

Picture courtesy of Olive Garden
Brandon asked if I was going to take a
picture of mine, but my mouth was
already full!

Ingredients

1. 4 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
2. 1/2 cup flour
3. 1 tsp. salt
4. 1/4 tsp. pepper
5. 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
6. 2 Tbsp. dried oregano
7. 5 Tbsp oil
8. 5 Tbsp butter or margarine
9. 2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
10. 2 cups Marsala wine
11. 1/2 c. Wondra
12. 8 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
13. 1 cup flour
14. Salt to taste
15. Pepper to taste
16. Dried oregano to taste
17. 8 Tbsp oil
18. 8 Tbsp butter or margarine
19. 2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
20. 2 cups Marsala wine
21. 12 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
22. 1 1/2 cups flour
23. Salt to taste
24. Pepper to taste
25. Dried oregano to taste
26. 12 Tbsp oil
27. 12 Tbsp butter or margarine
28. 3 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
29. 3 cups Marsala wine

 

1. Cut chicken breasts in half so that you have eight thin chicken breasts
2. Stir together flour, salt, pepper and oregano in a shallow bowl. Dredge chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off any excess.
3. While chicken is cooking, in a separate saucepan heat the other 2 tbsp. oil and 3 tbsp. butter over medium-high heat. Once butter has melted add mushrooms. Cook mushrooms until just tender. Add Marsala wine and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
4. Heat 2 tbsp. oil and 2 tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken breasts on medium heat until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes. Turn breasts over and cook approximately about 4 more minutes, until both sides are lightly browned and chicken is cooked through.
5. When sauce has simmered for about 10 minutes, whisk in Wondra, a little at a time, until sauce thickens.
6. Put chicken breasts on the plate and cover with sauce and mushroom mixture.

Why do I like my take better? I like my chicken a bit crispy. If you follow their instructions exactly the taste will be wonderful, however the coating on the chicken will be quite soggy. I prefer to have the sauce cover the chicken just before serving to prevent that.

Along with this dish I tried a recipe I found for Olive Garden Tuscan potatoes too. It was not akin to Olive Garden's potatoes at all in my opinion. They tasted just fine, but I thoroughly enjoy those encrusted potatoes on the side of my Marsala. I will continue my search on that one.

Take a Chance on Me

Yesterday my Mom scored free tickets to Mamma Mia! and asked if I wanted to go. Although I can't deny that I am a fan of many ABBA songs, I wasn't going to spend the dough to go see the musical. I did see the movie a few years ago and I liked it, but I'm not one to turn down an opportunity to see a musical in person - especially for free!

If you haven't seen it, or are debating, I'd highly recommend it. It's in Seattle at the The Paramount for a very short time. While the music was on the loud side, the musical was comical and the talent was profound. Even sitting up with the birds in the last row on the very end, we didn't miss a thing. With the exception of not being able to see the facial expressions of the talent on stage, it was a most enjoyable experience. I think Lilly would've loved it. Maybe I will take her next year.

Men's T-shirts are NOT meant for girls!

When I was little I was a gymnast. I was on the team and we went to a lot of gymnastic meets. At every one my parents would buy me a t-shirt. And they were great for the gym. I wore them all the time to gymnastics practice (which was a substantial amount of time: 4 nights a week for 3 hours). When I got to be a teenager big, baggy t-shirts were no longer my thing. And they still aren't. I like a fitted t-shirt - a girl's t-shirt.

Unfortunately, I still have some regular t-shirts. I've gotten them from conferences, from friends or family from vacations, or I've picked them up because they were the only kind of t-shirt available where I was and wanted a souvenir. With my addiction to Pinterest I've seen lots of ideas of how to transform those baggy men's t-shirts into something I might actually wear.

Since I happen to have 2 of these t-shirts I decided to try out the method I found here by Mrs. Dotson. It's a no-sew so I didn't have to fish my sewing machine out of the mess that is my den right now.

Here's the t-shirt I decided to experiment with

I turned the red t-shirt inside out. Then I brought out one of my favorite shirts and laid it on top of the t-shirt I was modifying. Since I was going to be tying knots with the fabric I drew chalk lines about an inch and a half larger than my favorite shirt.

Then I cut along the chalk lines, as well as along the bottom of the red t-shirt to make it shorter.

I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with the sleeves. They are kind of long and way too wide but I really didn't want to hem them so I didn't want to cut them. I decided to continue the cut of the curve into the sleeve and just make the shirt have sleeves that reached my elbows.

Here's what it looks like after it's all cut up:

At this point you could just sew a hem all along the cuts. That's what I'm planning to do with the other shirt I have like this. For the no-sew method though out come the scissors.

Make small cuts all the way up the cut sides continuing on to the sleeves as well. Once all of the cuts are made comes the tedious task of knotting each pair of cut fringe.

I suppose you could put the fringe on the outside of the shirt but I liked the way Mrs. Dotson's looked being on the inside. I don't quite think I could pull off the exposed fringe. :)

In the end, I'm pretty happy. I definitely would like to use the sewing machine next time but for now this works. I like to wear a tank under my t-shirts anyway so the little holes are not a problem. I also really like the length of the sleeves.

Now it almost looks like a girls shirt on the hangar too!

Finally a Local 77 t-shirt that looks like it was made for a girl! Think I'll wear it to the Hall on Friday.

Menu #5 of 2012

I struggled with the menu this time. I guess I just really wasn't feeling much inspiration from the recipes I had laying around. I tried scouring some magazines looking for more but they also left me wanting more. Finally I went to my "Yummo" board and the "Food and Drink" section on Pinterest and my interested was piqued.

To prove that I'm actually using the system I put in place here is a picture of my Menu chalkboard for the upcoming two weeks:

I'm still perfecting my chalkboard handwriting...

In case you'd like a more readable copy:

• Ribeye & Prawns - baked potato - green beans
• Egg Bake
• Steak Fajitas
• Lasagna
• Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup
• Shrimp Coconut Curry
• Chicken Chili
• Olive Garden Chicken Marsala
• Veggie Tacos
• Artichoke sausage & Veggie Patties
• Honey Mustard Pork Roast & Sauteed Brussel Sprouts
• Veggie Alfredo
• Make-your-own-pizza Night
• Birthday outing - Owl & Thistle Irish Pub. Kids: Spaghetti (?)

Three dinners are carried over from last week because my folks took us out to dinner one night for my birthday, we went to birthday dinner for our friend's son and I had forgotten St. Patty's Day Dinner when I wrote the last menu. The new recipes we are trying this time: Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup, a new Shrimp Coconut Curry recipe, Veggie Tacos, and Veggie Patties.

Last menu's new recipes went over well. Here are our reviews of the new recipes we tried:

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

This recipe is made with the meat leftover from the Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sammies. It combines the chicken with crushed white beans, cheese, onion and bell pepper and cook in fresh flour tortillas. They were delightful. The kids were thrilled with them. This recipe will definitely be moving into the family recipe book.

Tortellini Meatball Soup 

This recipe was pulled from a magazine and I really can't say enough about it. Homemade mini-meatballs, cheese tortellini and fresh vegetables combine for a delicious (and fast) meal. Paired with a loaf of toasted garlic bread? MMMmmmm is all I can say. The hubs and kiddos instantly wanted it added to repertoire and I couldn't agree more.

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sammies
This chicken was pretty good. In my opinion  it needed a bit more flavor and could've been cooked a little bit less. Overall because it lends itself to the BBQ Chicken Quesadillas I would try it again. It won't make it into the ol' recipe book yet though.

Beef Wasabi Tacos
I've already posted the recipe for these. They were outstanding and I can't wait to try them in Bahn Mi form. The hubs really enjoyed them even though food with Thai flair is not really his favorite. This kiddos gave them a thumbs up too, even with the Wasabi Sauce, though Lilly thought they were a little messy (she does not like her hands dirty).

As always, if you'd like a recipe post and let me know!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

St. Patrick's Day has always been an awesome day for me because it is the day before my birthday. In fact, my Mom was in labor with me all day on St. Patty's Day and I finally decided to make my appearance 49 minutes late. Oh well, we're only a little bit Irish anyway. :)

Every year for as long as I can remember I have had corned beef & cabbage on St. Pat's. There's just no other alternative. (OK, possibly in college, when I was poor and was at the bar by 4pm I may have skipped on the traditional Irish fare.) This year I was late picking up my corned beef brisket. I even forgot to put it on the last menu. So when I got home today at 3pm I had to cook our meal in a new way instead of my usual crockpot method.

I will try a recipe from anywhere - magazine, friend's referral, or a newspaper ad. That is where I found the recipe I used (and modified, of course) tonight. It turned out delicious and so I wanted to share.

Mustard Glazed Corned Beef with Roasted Cabbage, Potatoes and Carrots

Ingredients:
1 boneless corned beef brisket (2-3 lbs) with seasoning packet
8 cloves of peeled and crushed garlic
1 tsp. whole peppercorns
2 c. water
8 tbsp. butter
1 c. green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 c. horseradish or horseradish sauce
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 head of green cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
6 red potatoes, washed and cut into quarters
1-2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut in half
1/3 c. dijon mustard
1/4 c. brown sugar

1. Place oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place brisket in roasting pan; add garlic, contents of seasoning packet, peppercorns and water. Cover with aluminum foil making sure to fold the edges in tight. Put on upper rack of oven and braise for approximately 2 1/2 hours (50 minutes per pound).

2. Place potatoes in a plastic Ziploc bag. Place butter, green onions, horseradish sauce, pepper, and salt into microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high 1-2 minutes or until melted. Pour a 1/4 of the butter mixture into the bag and shake to coat. Put potatoes on aluminum lined baking sheet. Put carrots in the same bag, add another 1/4 of the butter mixture and shake to coat. Put carrots onto the same baking sheet with the potatoes. Place cabbage on the baking sheet and carefully pour the remaining butter mixture over the cabbage making sure to coat all sides with a pastry brush. Cover the baking sheet tightly with foil and place on the oven rack in the lower part of the oven. Roast for 55 minutes. After 55 minutes, remove the foil and leave in oven for additional 15-20 minutes.

3. Combine the mustard and the brown sugar in a bowl and stir to combine. When the corned beef is done cooking pull it out of the oven, place the brisket on a baking rack over an aluminum foil covered baking sheet. Set the oven to broil (leave the veggies in the oven) Spread the mustard mixture over the brisket and return to the upper rack in the oven. Broil until glaze becomes bubbly and starts to brown.

4. Remove everything from the oven, place on a serving dish and bring to the table!

Beverage Accompaniments
It wouldn't be St. Patty's Day without a bottle of Guinness. This year I had no luck finding any Harp's Lager anywhere so we couldn't make the traditional Black & Tan's, instead we settled for some Irish Car Bombs. If you've never tried them (and even if you don't like Guinness), I would recommend giving them a try. They are delicious! Here's a recipe:

3/4 pint Guinness
1/2 shot Bailey's Irish Cream
1/2 shot Jameson Irish Whiskey

Add the Bailey's and Jameson to a shot glass, layering the Bailey's on the bottom. Pour the Guinness into a pint glass or beer mug 3/4 of the way full and let settle. Drop the shot glass into the Guinness and chug. This is extremely important! If you don't chug it it will start to curdle - YUCK!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Vegas is Calling

A few years ago Brie'n and I were sitting at work, loathing the day, dreaming of a warmer, sunnier place. Thoughts of warm weather, sun, and fruity drinks coursed through our minds. And then we decided we should go somewhere, just the girls, and get away from it all. That place: VEGAS.

I had been to Vegas before that trip, but going with "the girls" was a whole different experience. Brie'n and I flew out a day before the other two gals we were meeting and were thrilled to be in Sin City. We got there late, explored very little and shopped most the next day. That night we met up with two of Brie'ns friends in front of O'Shea's. It did not take long to know that the four of us would get along famously. We got free drinks (courtesy of Brie'ns "assets"), we strolled the Strip with 40's in our hands, we danced the night away...it was a blast and I will never forget it. On the trip home it was decided: this would need to be an every year thing.

We made good on our promise the following year. We stayed in a better location (MGM Grand is THE BEST!) and enjoyed the lazy river hung over...and still drinking.

By then the buzz had started. Brie'n and I always had such a good time, and came home with such good stories, our co-workers began to ask us, "When are you going next.....and can I come?" And so we planned it. We collected a bigger group, organized the rooms and flights and it was set. Labor Day weekend 2010! There were a lot of us, and it was crazy, and again we couldn't wait to go back.

Then this went and happened:

Two of us original four decided that babies were more important than our annual Vegas trip.... just kidding :) In any case, Vegas missed the "Seattle Girls" in 2011.

Now that it is 2012 I feel like I'm expecting a phone call any day. "Hello Vegas, yeah, we need some more alcohols and we need some more beers."

So let's set the date Brie'n. I need something to count down to :)

THE Lemon Cupcakes

A few years ago I was in search of the perfect lemon cupcake. I could have spent hours messing with a homemade concoction but why, when a modified box cake is just as good, if not better!?! I bought boxes and boxes of every different brand of lemon cake mix and every time I made them I tweaked the recipe just a little bit differently. All of them tasted good (you can't really go wrong with a boxed cake mix), but I have finally perfected the recipe. I used to think that I had to keep all of my tips and tricks to myself, but I've decided it would be criminal to keep these to myself - they're just too good!

The first and most prominent ingredient is the cake mix. It's from Pillsbury and is their Moist Supreme Cake Mix in Lemon. In our area it seems to be difficult to find but when I run into it I buy every box they have.

Now for the tweaking:

The back of the box says that all you need is 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of oil and 3 eggs. The ingredients you'll need to make it my way are:

1/2 c. water
1/2 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice (approx 3 lemons)
1/3 c. oil
3 eggs
2 tbsp fresh lemon zest

Then, follow the directions on the box! Here they are in case you need them:

1. Set oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with baking cups. (My favorite are these ones from Reynold's.)

These Reynolds^® Baked for You^® StayBrite^® Baking Cups are THE BEST because they don't get the soggy, oily, see-through look a lot of the baking cup liners get.

2. Blend cake mix, water, lemon juice, oil, eggs and lemon zest in a large bowl until moistened. Beat with a mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. (I set the timer and mix for exactly two minutes.)

3. Bake 18-22 minutes. Let fully cool before frosting.

FROSTING
Again I have experimented many times with this frosting to get it just right. Here are the ingredients you need:

3 - 3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened (DO NOT MELT)
1/3 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. lemon zest

With a mixer, beat together the powdered sugar, butter and lemon juice. Once well combined, add milk and lemon zest. If it seems to thick continue to add lemon juice a tablespoon at a time until the perfect consistency. If you want them to look yellow you could add some food coloring but I prefer to leave it natural.

Here is what they look like when you're finished:

 I like to add a little slice of candied lemon to make them cuter but it definitely isn't necessary.

There is something about lemon that is so fresh and delicious. I am constantly asked to bring these to social functions and they really are easy to make.

Enjoy!

Operation Make Dollars on Etsy

In case you didn't already know, I own my own business with one of my bestest friends. We started out making wedding invitations and then, upon request, we expanded our business into planning weddings. It has been a wild ride. We have spent hours and hours with a computer, a printer, a paper cutter and glue dots. We have laughed hysterically, we have gotten angry (mostly at technological equipment) and we have totally stressed out. This past year my dear friend Brie'n had a baby and so we decided to take some time off. Now that time is over and we are forced to evaluate where we want to take our business going forward.

We currently belong to the Snohomish Wedding Guild and had our monthly meeting tonight. In May we are participating in the Snohomish Wedding Tour and will be at Craven Farm which means we have to start planning the event. While we have had a great time planning this event in the past, this year everyone seems a bit less enthused than previous year's. It could be the economy, it could be the number of new members in the Guild, it could be that we're just at the end of our planning journey and need to start something new.

On the way home we chatted about the possibility of dedicating more of our time towards expanding our Etsy store. Brie'n and I are both pretty crafty. With her new addition she has expanded her crafting repertoire to include adorable projects for babies. She wants to start crocheting. I am becoming more and more obsessed with organizing in a pretty and sensible way. I also still love paper crafting. We are two peas in a pod when it comes to our passion for crafty stuff. And we have complimentary talents - where I lack skill, she is proficient and vice-versa.

An invitation we created for Kirk and Tiffani
Photo complements of our incredibly talented friend Laura Marchbanks

And so we have some work to do.

We really need to make a decision whether the planning thing is something we still want to pursue. From our discussion tonight I get the impression her passion for it is as deflated as mine. It's not that I don't get satisfaction from seeing an event that we created come together flawlessly (at least in the eyes of the bride), I'm just not so sure I'm willing to subject myself to that much stress anymore.

We also need to get our Bella Vita blog back up and current to bring the world a way of connecting with us, not only for the products we create but to indulge in the ups and downs of the creative process with us.

One of our issues is: What should we make? What will sell?

So tell me: What kinds of crafts do you see on Etsy, or Pinterest, or somebody's blog, that you wish you could make but either lack the craft gene or just don't have time? What would you be willing to pay for that item?

Beef Wasabi Tacos

We tested out a new recipe and I had to share. These tacos were delicious; I just can't say enough about them. I got the recipe from Better Homes & Gardens and, of course, altered it a bit.

First, we seem to be having a ton of pork dishes on our menus lately (maybe we should be seriously thinking about raising pigs) and so I decided that I would substitute beef in these tacos. Other than that, I didn't really change much - though I have some ideas to improve on this already good recipe for next time.

Here's the recipe as I made it:

1 1/2 lbs top sirloin steak, cut into cubes
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
8 raw flour tortillas, cooked just before serving
2 tsp. wasabi paste
4 tbsp water
4 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp white rice vinegar
3/4 tsp sugar
3-4 cups of napa cabbage, chopped
2 large carrots, shredded
1/2 English cucumber, sliced thin lengthwise
1/3 bunch cilantro

1. Cut the top sirloin into chunks and put them into a Ziploc bag with the hoisin sauce and let them marinate for an hour and a half.
2. While the beef is marinating, prep the cabbage, carrots, cucumber and cilantro.

3. Once marinated, skewer the beef chunks onto 6" skewers (enough for about 4 chunks of beef).

4. Place on a rack on top of a foil-lined baking sheet (much less mess later) and broil for 8 minutes, flipping skewers every two minutes.

5. In a Mix & Pour or a small bowl, combine the wasabi paste, water, canola oil, rice vinegar, and sugar. Whisk together until combined.

6. Place a non-stick pan on medium heat. Once warm cook raw tortillas until just light brown and bubbly.

7. Serve by placing veggies and a skewer of beef on top of a tortilla. Drizzle wasabi sauce over the filling, fold and eat!

These really were delicious and the wasabi sauce was not too hot for my kiddos or the hubs. They are reminiscent of a sort of Latin fusion paired with the Banh Mi sandwiches that I love at the Saigon Deli in the International District in Seattle. P.S. If you haven't ever tried a Banh Mi sandwich you MUST try them. They are outrageously inexpensive and are to-die-for good. My favorite is the barbecue pork. They have a special mayonnaise, pickled vegetables, cilantro and fresh jalapenos. Wowee, my mouth is watering just thinking about them!

We all really liked them as tacos, but this is what I plan to do with this recipe next:
I want to try using the carne asada cut beef you can find at the supermarket and marinate it in the hoisin sauce overnight. Next, I will leave the water out of the wasabi sauce and instead use mayonnaise to thicken it up. Hopefully by some miracle I will be able to find a really good baguette to put it all on. Oh, and the jalapenos, at least on mine I'll add fresh sliced jalapenos.

I seriously can't wait to morph this recipe even more!

New Project: Chalkboard Cabinet Door

In my opinion coming home from work only to try to figure out what to make for dinner is one of the worst things ever. Your brain is fried, you're tired and no one can decide what they want. The only way that I can prevent this from happening is to plan a menu, buy groceries according to the menu (so that we have everything we need) and post it so that Brandon can see what we'll be having for the next two weeks.

The problem is I write my menu on my grocery list. And my grocery list goes in my purse.....or in my pocket.....or in my coupon holder. And it almost never gets posted right away. In a morning rush this is the conversation between myself and the hubs:

Him: "What should I take out for dinner tonight?"
Me: "I don't know."
Him: "Well what's on the list?"
Me: "I can't remember.
Him: "Well, where is it?"
Me: "Ummm, I'm not sure right now."

SO, in order to avoid all of this, and since I have this newly painted kitchen which I am organizing and prettying, I decided to paint the inside of one of our cupboards with chalkboard paint. I can write out the menu after I have it done and there will be no question as to where it is. Also, we can cross off the ones we've already had so we don't end up having the same thing twice in one week (it's happened).

First Brandon had to sand down the inside of the door. Then I wanted to tape off a border for two reasons;, 1) for decorative purposes, and 2) so that I didn't have to worry about the screw from the knob or the hinges. First, I measured two inches in all the way around and made small marks to make sure the tape was straight.

Next I taped off the border:

Then, in order to prevent those nasty paint leaks under the tape, I painted the tape line with a clear acrylic. This is the kind we had at home already:

As soon as the clear acrylic was dry I got to start painting the chalkboard. After the first coat it was clear a few more were needed.

After the third coat was dry I pulled the tape off and low and behold there was a beautiful new chalkboard!

After you paint the chalkboard you have to wait three days before you apply any chalk so today I got to condition it and start using it. You condition the chalkboard by rubbing a white piece of chalk all over the board and then wiping it off with the eraser. This preps the board so that it erases easier in the future. Finally, I got to write my menu on the board!

Since we often also have a handful of recipes from magazines and we have another cabinet right next door that will fully open when the menu door is fully open, I had Brandon attach a clip so that the new recipes (as well as the old ones) would all be in one place and ready to use. As a bonus, we often do our prepping on this part of the counter so we can actually just put the current recipe in the front of the pile and work off it while it hangs from the clip.

So excited to have another organizing project done! Having a routine and a specific place for stuff makes me very happy!

New Project: Conquer Kitchen Counter Mess!

Like I'm sure many of you can sympathize with, our kitchen counter top is a catchall for all kinds of stuff: mail, kids binders, newspapers, keys, dishes, food, etc. It seems like no matter what we do we cannot keep stuff off that counter!

While thinking creatively about my kitchen and pantry re-organization I decided to tackle this as well. We have this blank wall next to the back door where I used to have a little chalkboard hung up. We never used it and the little shelf it had was just a dust collector. So down it went. I was at Marshall's one day and found a wall hanging for office organization that immediately gave me inspiration for this space. So I bought it, brought it home and hung it on the wall.

It fit perfect and it fits over the phone outlet nicely so that once filled, you will not see that ugly thing anymore.

On the same shopping trip with Tonya and Heather, Tonya found these super cute frames at Kohl's that have a magnetic space on them. I decided I would get one to go with each of the baskets and add pictures of us. A little bit decorative but still useful - I love it!

My handy hubby was nice enough to install them for me so that they would be securely fastened to the wall.

Look! He even has the construction worker shirt!

It was looking so good. I debated about what kind of system I wanted for the baskets and decided that file folders would be the most functional for us and they fit right into the baskets. So I ran to Staple's since I knew they carried pretty file folders. I had a hard time finding semi-boyish folders for Logan but I managed to find one with blue polka dots and one with little sunbursts.

Next, I had to put my graphic design skills to work to finish up the project and make everything look pretty. I created labels to put on the file folders. I decided that the kids would have 2 folders, 1 labeled "School", and the other "To-Do". In the school folder I added 2" fasteners and attached their syllabi's, their lunch number information, and any other notes from the school. Any homework papers, project descriptions or other papers that will be vacating the folder in the next couple weeks are loose in the folder. The categories I used for Brandon and I are: New Mail, Ready to File, Bills, and Miscellaneous.

I also purchased a planner to keep in our basket with the family calendar. We always have a hard time remembering what's going on, especially with my sometimes crazy schedule. Also, I was tired of the calendar inside the cabinet door. The planner calendar allows us to look at the month at a glance and then if there is something that requires more explanation we can write it in the daily pages that follow the monthly calendar

For the final touches I had to create the labels for the front of the baskets. I kept it with the same theme as the labels I made for the folder labels.

WaLa! I'm proud of myself for finishing a project and I LOVE the way it looks. So far we've been good about using the system and our counter top (with the exception of the work we've been doing on the science project) has been clear!

My next additions to this piece of the wall are chore sheets for the kids magnetic boards and an important number list to have near the phone. Soon!

Creamy Gorgonzola Fettucine

Creamy Gorgonzola Fettuccine

16 oz. fettuccine

6 c. roasted asparagus

4 tsp. olive oil

8 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1 c. heavy cream

1.5 c. milk

1/2 c. cream cheese, cut into cubes

1/2 tsp salt

5 oz. Gorgonzola

2/3 c. walnuts

To Roast Asparagus:

1. Cut asparagus into 3" lengths. Put asparagus into a large Ziploc bag with 2 tsp. olive oil and 2 cloves of chopped garlic. Toss to coat.

2. Spread asparagus on a broiling pan and put in the oven at 425 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes or until tender.

While the asparagus is roasting:

1. Measure milk and heavy cream and put into a separate bowl.

2. Add the remaining olive oil in a saucepan and warm over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and cook until soft and fragrant. Add contents of pan to milk/cream mixture.

3. In the meantime bring a pot of water to boiling to cook the noodles.

4. In the same saucepan melt butter and add flour to create a roux. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture and cook over medium heat until thickened (approximately 7-10 minutes)

5. Once sauce has thickened add cream cheese and stir until melted.

6. Add salt and 4 oz. of the Gorgonzola, simmer until noodles are done cooking.

7. When the noodles are finished, drain and separate into individual bowls. Top with roasted asparagus, then sauce. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and the remaining Gorgonzola cheese.

This was so yummy tonight I had to share. The sauce has a pretty subtle Gorgonzola taste so if the kiddos don't like the strong taste of that cheese they should still like this dinner. I just don't sprinkle theirs with the extra Gorgonzola.

Yeah buddy!

Menu #4 of 2012

With the kitchen renno underway these last few weeks our eating schedule has been less than routine. We are now at the point that we only have the flooring left (Hello, Home Depot, any day now?!!) and so the dining room table is clear and we can cook in the kitchen.

In the last two week menu Brandon and I seemed to have a hard time taking meat out of the freezer in the morning and so we have a few carryovers from the last menu. It seems like this is a pretty typical thing for us. For one of the night's Brandon couldn't find the recipe and so he made us a new recipe out of an existing cookbook for sweet-n-sour pork. It was delicious. He did a great job. The Greens & Grains Torta that we tried? Not so hot. It was everything I could do to keep a straight face eating it while the kids gagged it down. Needless to say, that one went directly to the trash.

Here are is the new menu. Like always, if you would like a recipe let me know. I promise I will try to be better at getting them to you right away. I've started a Reedy Family Cookbook and am creating an online document to keep our recipes so it will be easier to copy & paste & send!

• Ginger Pork & Broccoli
• BBQ Chicken Quesadillas (new recipe)
• Tortellini Meatball Soup (new recipe)
• Clam Chowder
• Egg Bake
• Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sammies - Jicama slaw (new recipe)
• Creamy Gorgonzola Fettuccine
• Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy - Fried Potatoes - Broccoli & Cauliflower
• Steak Fajitas - Mexican Rice - Refried Beans
• Turkey Chili
• Tuna Melts
• Whole Chicken stuffed with garlic cloves & rosemary - Veggie Rice - Corn
• Beef Wasabi Tacos - Fried Rice (new recipe)
• Olive Garden Chicken Marsala (here's hoping this is close to theirs)

I'm late submitting this so we've already tried the Ginger Pork & Broccoli. It was a good concept but way too overpowering with the soy sauce. There are so many other stir fry's that are better that recipe made its way to the garbage. Tonight we are having Creamy Gorgonzola Fettuccine. This is one of Brandon and I's favorite meals. It is vegetarian which we try to fit in at least once a week and it features garlic roasted asparagus. Yummy!

Rockin' Chicken Chili

My poor friend Jennifer has been waiting for this recipe for forever...or at least since November. :)

Here you go, the best Chicken Chili I've ever had.

Ingredients:
6 tbsp butter
2-3 lbs. chicken breast, cubed
1/4 c. flour
1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped small
1/2 medium red onion, chopped small
1/2 c. bell pepper - I like to use yellow and red
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. half-and-half
1 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground chipotle chili powder (more if you like it spicier)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 (14.5 oz) cans of small white beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can of mild green chiles
1/2 c. mexican sour cream
grated cheese (cheddar or pepper jack are good) & cilantro for garnish

Directions
1. In a large pot melt 3 tbsp. butter over medium high heat. Brown the chicken until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove to separate bowl leaving any liquid in the pot.

2. Add remaining butter to pot and melt. Stir in the flour until well mixed. Add onions and peppers and cook for approximately 1 minute, stirring constantly.

3. Add the chicken broth and half-and-half. Lower heat and cook until thickens, approximately 5-10 minutes.

4. Add all spices, season with salt & black pepper. Stir and cook for 5 minutes

5. Add the white beans, chiles (with the liquid they are packed in) and chicken. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes.

6. Just before serving stir in sour cream and heat through. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cheese and cilantro.