Good news everyone! Spring is here...Bad news everyone...the pollen decided to come along with it haha! Just kidding, it sucks for my allergies and sinuses but its a good thing for the flowers and plants etc.
So I made this awesome not to bad for you dish the other day, I couldn't smell any of the ingredients but I could sort of taste them. Just to be sure that it was okay to eat I had my beloved, David try it and see if it was any good, he seemed to like it pretty well so thats a good thing.
Spaghetti squash, Pretty sure that this little angel was made just for me...and anyone else that really likes spaghetti squash I guess LOL.
Does anyone else watch the other drivers (like the actual person) while they are driving? Any of my readers? I do, but I think that I made several people feel bad this past week. As some of you may know, we moved to a new place in the same town, we had people come and help us with the big stuff and then we (David and I) (along with my saint of a Mother one day..shout out to super Mom!!) moved all of the little stuff. Well...as this past week progressed, all of the moving dust, mixed with pollen, mixed with the new air/heating system of the new house I have looked like a puffy faced, snot nosed, Rudolph resembling, cry baby looking person. Let me set the scene for you, I am driving in my little car down the street. It is piled up to the gills with clothes, dishes, anything else that I/We own. I am looking like I am bawling my eyes out because my eyes are watering so bad, this poor woman next to me facing the opposite way in the traffic jam that it 5 Pm in this place looked over and saw my car was all packed up. I am not sure exactly what she thought, maybe I was moving out of my parents house for the first time, or maybe I had just been evicted (the sloppy way I looked could probably corroborate that theory), maybe even broken up with my boyfriend/husband type situation....I don't know so I can't say for sure but she even tried to check on me by cocking her head to the side and giving me the okay question hand gesture....I nodded and reached over and grabbed the roll of paper towels and blew my nose for the 500 billionth time for that day. Allergies suck. Just sayin.
So back to the spaghetti squash dish.
Spaghetti squash (cooked, seeded, and scraped from the shell)
chicken broth
can of diced tomatoes (you can use the Italian seasoned kind that would be perfect)
can (big or small depending on your love of) mushrooms
italian seasoning
basil
oregano
lime juice (small squirt)
little sugar
a small little bit og garlic
onion powder
and surprisingly cinnamon
what you do is spray your skillet ( I use a deep one from Rachael Ray) add in your garlic on a medium heat and let that brown up slightly.
add in the tomatoes
add in the mushrooms
add in the chicken broth to where it comes to the top of the mixture, you can cover it all of the way because the spaghetti squash is going to soak this up.
Season it with whatever seasonings you like, I listed all of the ones I used up top.
Add in your spaghetti squash and cover the skillet and let cook stirring frequently for about 20 minutes. You may need to add a little more chicken broth, this is 100% okay. Just have fun with it and add in and do what makes you happy.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
The time has come
Well moving is slowing coming upon us. We have people coming to move the furniture this week!!! Ahhh! and Eeeeeeeeee!!!! You never really realize how much stuff you can have before you go to pick it up and move it to another location. My little car has been stuffed to the gills with things haha!
No cooking for me this week, so far the only thing that I have made is a box of mac and cheese. Its just to crazy to cook, I have been looking on Pinterest before I go to sleep so once I am settled in the new place you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be churning out some good stuff! I am so excited for this new kitchen, its bigger, and has way more cabinet and counter space...and an island!!! Eeeeeee!!! (hopping up and down!)
Anyways, the kittens have been growing like weeds (my how quickly the time flies) We will be taking them and getting them fixed soon (poor little babies)! They are each developing their own personalities, Moxie is a mommy's girl, she cuddles with me the most and most nights she will sleep with me. Luna is sort of a loner, but she is a jumpy little thing, just about everything scares her, but she is getting better, they both have discovered that they can make it to the top of the cabinets in the upper row of the kitchen, just like little man. Luna makes it up there and sleeps, but when it comes time to get down, I think she gets scared and she freaks out and starts meowing and crying and being crazy until you come and get her down from the top of the refrigerator.
I hope that all of you are doing well, I want to apologize that I haven't been a faithful blogger like I have been previously, but I promise that I will start back up when I have the time.
Thanks for reading this, here is a few pictures that will hopefully brighten up your day!
No cooking for me this week, so far the only thing that I have made is a box of mac and cheese. Its just to crazy to cook, I have been looking on Pinterest before I go to sleep so once I am settled in the new place you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be churning out some good stuff! I am so excited for this new kitchen, its bigger, and has way more cabinet and counter space...and an island!!! Eeeeeee!!! (hopping up and down!)
Anyways, the kittens have been growing like weeds (my how quickly the time flies) We will be taking them and getting them fixed soon (poor little babies)! They are each developing their own personalities, Moxie is a mommy's girl, she cuddles with me the most and most nights she will sleep with me. Luna is sort of a loner, but she is a jumpy little thing, just about everything scares her, but she is getting better, they both have discovered that they can make it to the top of the cabinets in the upper row of the kitchen, just like little man. Luna makes it up there and sleeps, but when it comes time to get down, I think she gets scared and she freaks out and starts meowing and crying and being crazy until you come and get her down from the top of the refrigerator.
I hope that all of you are doing well, I want to apologize that I haven't been a faithful blogger like I have been previously, but I promise that I will start back up when I have the time.
Thanks for reading this, here is a few pictures that will hopefully brighten up your day!
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
All Good News
It's all coming up roses or daisies (whichever one sounds right to you)!
Just a quick little backstory for part of the good news this month so far. Isis who was the grouchy little lover girl that we had that didn't like being confined to the apartment that went to stay with my parents ran away. She was gone for a long long time. She had never pent more than an hour probably total outside in her life previously to this time. We all thought that something like a coyote or a bobcat or something got her. WE WERE WRONG!!!!! Hallelujah!!!! She came waltzing back onto my parents porch and just strutted inside when my Mom opened the door like the owned the place. She is very very skinny but otherwise she looks in good shape for being gone almost a month. The story of her going missing is that she knocked over one of those pretty thermometers with the glass bulbs filled with the different color liquid and got the kerosene smelling stuff on her. Isis being Isis ad the dainty princess she is didn't like this one bit. When my mom went to go let her other cat Cleo in the house Isis darted out and was never seen again until now!!!! But she is back and she is alive!!!!!!! I/we are so happy!!!!
See!! Isn't she beautiful!
Just so you can see the progress of the other little lovers ( I am animal obsessed I know!!)
I might as well just start a list of good things that have happened as well as the negative things jut to give you guys some perspective.
Pro
We are moving into a bigger place!
My beloved (David) had a birthday!
My health is going great so far and so is my family's (sans a poor little cousin with strep...sad face)
The little lovers are growing and being great
My Gerbera Daisy my sister bought for me that i thought died, is sprouting new leaves
I have a something else I want to add here but I don't want to spoil it in case if it doesn't happen. Don't worry its professionally related.
Con
I lost my job last week :-( I really enjoyed it there for the most part and I really loved my co-workers. They are wonderful and I wish each one of them the best of luck, love, peace, happiness, harmony and, any other good wonderful fantastic thing you can think of.
I have been applying to a ton of places so hopefully God will see me through yet another obstacle or as I am beginning to call them lessons/character building times. Prayers are appreciated.
So with just one con on the list I think that so far April might be amazing. I hope that all of you will be having an amazing April as well as the rest of the year. I am making a new resolution for May that I will be more diligent on writing this blog. I really enjoy doing it, but with everything going on so far this month it's been hard to find the time. I will add more recipes etc. I will be throwing together some old reliable favorites for the crock pot these next couple weeks while we move. If you have a recipe that you have tried and liked please feel free to leave a comment or to send me an email and I can feature it! landoffoodandkitties@gmail.com
Stay wonderful, happy and in love!
Rach
Just a quick little backstory for part of the good news this month so far. Isis who was the grouchy little lover girl that we had that didn't like being confined to the apartment that went to stay with my parents ran away. She was gone for a long long time. She had never pent more than an hour probably total outside in her life previously to this time. We all thought that something like a coyote or a bobcat or something got her. WE WERE WRONG!!!!! Hallelujah!!!! She came waltzing back onto my parents porch and just strutted inside when my Mom opened the door like the owned the place. She is very very skinny but otherwise she looks in good shape for being gone almost a month. The story of her going missing is that she knocked over one of those pretty thermometers with the glass bulbs filled with the different color liquid and got the kerosene smelling stuff on her. Isis being Isis ad the dainty princess she is didn't like this one bit. When my mom went to go let her other cat Cleo in the house Isis darted out and was never seen again until now!!!! But she is back and she is alive!!!!!!! I/we are so happy!!!!
Just so you can see the progress of the other little lovers ( I am animal obsessed I know!!)
I might as well just start a list of good things that have happened as well as the negative things jut to give you guys some perspective.
Pro
We are moving into a bigger place!
My beloved (David) had a birthday!
My health is going great so far and so is my family's (sans a poor little cousin with strep...sad face)
The little lovers are growing and being great
My Gerbera Daisy my sister bought for me that i thought died, is sprouting new leaves
I have a something else I want to add here but I don't want to spoil it in case if it doesn't happen. Don't worry its professionally related.
Con
I lost my job last week :-( I really enjoyed it there for the most part and I really loved my co-workers. They are wonderful and I wish each one of them the best of luck, love, peace, happiness, harmony and, any other good wonderful fantastic thing you can think of.
I have been applying to a ton of places so hopefully God will see me through yet another obstacle or as I am beginning to call them lessons/character building times. Prayers are appreciated.
So with just one con on the list I think that so far April might be amazing. I hope that all of you will be having an amazing April as well as the rest of the year. I am making a new resolution for May that I will be more diligent on writing this blog. I really enjoy doing it, but with everything going on so far this month it's been hard to find the time. I will add more recipes etc. I will be throwing together some old reliable favorites for the crock pot these next couple weeks while we move. If you have a recipe that you have tried and liked please feel free to leave a comment or to send me an email and I can feature it! landoffoodandkitties@gmail.com
Stay wonderful, happy and in love!
Rach
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Live from the Deck
Hello everyone! Hopefully the week is going wonderful for you all! I am sitting in the sun on my back deck enjoying this glorious weather! Its beautiful here today, and yesterday, and I think the day before that!! I am sooo happy! Spring time is coming (well technically it is already here according to the calendar but you could have fooled me, ice and snow this past weekend, boo!) If you haven't been able to guess, I sort of really have an intense dislike for all things cold, and winter. I am a summer person, and spring. It makes me happy. Being outside is the best thing, especially when you are cramped up in an office all day long like a lot of people are around here. Makes me miss living in the country where you can be outside all of the time.
The recipe of today is something that I made some time ago but forgot to put on here. We were all starving so sorry that I didn't get a good picture before it got half demolished. This recipe is pretty easy to do, bakes up nicely.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
INgredients
1 whole Cooked Chicken, Bones Removed, Meat Diced Or Shredded (rotisserie Chicken Is Excellent, Should Be 5-6 Cups Of Chicken
1/2 pound of thinly sliced ham roughly chopped (I used Honey ham and it turned out great)
1/4 pound of thin sliced Swiss cheese
For the Sauce ingredients
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Flour
3-¼ cups Milk (I Used Whole Milk)
2 Tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1-½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoons Smoked Paprika
¼ teaspoons White Pepper
For the Topping
6 Tablespoons Butter
1-½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs (I would recommend only using 1 cup. I used the 1.5 C and it was to much)
¾ teaspoons Seasoning Salt
1-½ teaspoon Crushed Dried Parsley
1) spray your dish with nonstick spray,
2) place the chicken in the bottom of the dish
3) then the ham
4) then the Swiss cheese
5) then you start on the sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
6) stir in the flour and let cook for a couple minutes until bubbling and smooth
7) slowly start to add the milk, cook until thickened.
8) add the lemon juice, the mustard, salt, paprika, and white pepper. Bring to a boil then remove from heat.
9) pour the sauce on top of the cheese layer of the casserole.
10) to make the topping melt the butter, stir in the bread crumbs, the seasoning salt, and parsley. (I took away the seasoning salt and added Parmesan cheese instead)
11) place the topping on the top of the casserole. Bake at 350 until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling (I baked mine for about 45 minutes or so)
The recipe of today is something that I made some time ago but forgot to put on here. We were all starving so sorry that I didn't get a good picture before it got half demolished. This recipe is pretty easy to do, bakes up nicely.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
INgredients
1 whole Cooked Chicken, Bones Removed, Meat Diced Or Shredded (rotisserie Chicken Is Excellent, Should Be 5-6 Cups Of Chicken
1/2 pound of thinly sliced ham roughly chopped (I used Honey ham and it turned out great)
1/4 pound of thin sliced Swiss cheese
For the Sauce ingredients
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Flour
3-¼ cups Milk (I Used Whole Milk)
2 Tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1-½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoons Smoked Paprika
¼ teaspoons White Pepper
For the Topping
6 Tablespoons Butter
1-½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs (I would recommend only using 1 cup. I used the 1.5 C and it was to much)
¾ teaspoons Seasoning Salt
1-½ teaspoon Crushed Dried Parsley
1) spray your dish with nonstick spray,
2) place the chicken in the bottom of the dish
3) then the ham
4) then the Swiss cheese
5) then you start on the sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
6) stir in the flour and let cook for a couple minutes until bubbling and smooth
7) slowly start to add the milk, cook until thickened.
8) add the lemon juice, the mustard, salt, paprika, and white pepper. Bring to a boil then remove from heat.
9) pour the sauce on top of the cheese layer of the casserole.
10) to make the topping melt the butter, stir in the bread crumbs, the seasoning salt, and parsley. (I took away the seasoning salt and added Parmesan cheese instead)
11) place the topping on the top of the casserole. Bake at 350 until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling (I baked mine for about 45 minutes or so)
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Chuck It
Just a quick little blurb for today. I experimented with a recipe that my Nana has, It is amazing and the best thing in the world when she makes it. I'm not sure of the correct name of it, but I call it Nana's Orange-Peach Chicken. I wanted to see if I could come up with a similar thing for the crock pot since we all know by now that I am addicted!!
Crock pot Orange Peach Chicken
1 regular sixed can of sliced peaches
1 lb of chicken breasts (can be thawed or frozen)
1.5 C orange juice (I used tropicana with some pulp since it's my favorite)
Italian dressing mix packet
Add all ingredients to the crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8. Shred the chicken, this goes great with rice and veggies!!
Any Feedback would be great if you guys have a recipe you would like me to try please feel free to comment or shoot me an email at landoffoodandkitties@gmail.com!
Crock pot Orange Peach Chicken
1 regular sixed can of sliced peaches
1 lb of chicken breasts (can be thawed or frozen)
1.5 C orange juice (I used tropicana with some pulp since it's my favorite)
Italian dressing mix packet
Add all ingredients to the crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8. Shred the chicken, this goes great with rice and veggies!!
Any Feedback would be great if you guys have a recipe you would like me to try please feel free to comment or shoot me an email at landoffoodandkitties@gmail.com!
Thursday, March 20, 2014
My Fair Lady
So late last night, after I soaked in the tub for a while (had a rough pt day) I decided to pop in my DVD of My Fair Lady. It, by far, is the best musical in the world, right beside of Singing in the Rain.
There are several reasons that this movie is my go to feel good movie. When I was a little girl, my Nana (Dads Mom) lived almost 2 hours away, and my sister and I would get to go stay with her every once in a while, and it was always the best times, we would bawl like babies when we would go and leave. The wonderfulness (I'm making this a word if it isn't one already) that happened at her house I will never forget. We would dress up to the nines in costume jewelry and dresses and have outlandish turbans and things, ya know typical girly girl stuff. We (my sister and I) would put on fashion shows for her in the living room. She would throw together these amazing tea parties, nobody in the planet made a better tea party than my Nana...nobody! :-) So while we were having tea in the living room we would watch old movies and things and just hang out, one of these movies was My Fair Lady.
There are so many life lessons and cute little tidbits in that movie. I don't get to see my Nana as often a I like still to this day, but I think about her a lot. Especially when I see this movie, or some of the others that we watched like Daddy Long Legs or The Last Unicorn. Those are the memories that I will cherish forever, and one day I hope to be as amazing and a good role model as she was.
Moving onward and upward to the recipe for today! Yay!
Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo
8
1) start cooking your pasta according to package instructions.
2) in a skillet melt the butter
3) coat the shrimp in the Cajun seasoning and then place in the skillet on medium heat. Cook on each side about 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4) add the garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 30-45 seconds.
5) pour in the chicken broth (or wine), swirl around in the skillet. Add in the cream, the parmesan cheese, and Cajun sseasoning and cook until thickened 5-7 minutes or so.
6) dump the sauce on the pasta, and stir it all together. Serve it up and munch down!!
There are several reasons that this movie is my go to feel good movie. When I was a little girl, my Nana (Dads Mom) lived almost 2 hours away, and my sister and I would get to go stay with her every once in a while, and it was always the best times, we would bawl like babies when we would go and leave. The wonderfulness (I'm making this a word if it isn't one already) that happened at her house I will never forget. We would dress up to the nines in costume jewelry and dresses and have outlandish turbans and things, ya know typical girly girl stuff. We (my sister and I) would put on fashion shows for her in the living room. She would throw together these amazing tea parties, nobody in the planet made a better tea party than my Nana...nobody! :-) So while we were having tea in the living room we would watch old movies and things and just hang out, one of these movies was My Fair Lady.
There are so many life lessons and cute little tidbits in that movie. I don't get to see my Nana as often a I like still to this day, but I think about her a lot. Especially when I see this movie, or some of the others that we watched like Daddy Long Legs or The Last Unicorn. Those are the memories that I will cherish forever, and one day I hope to be as amazing and a good role model as she was.
Moving onward and upward to the recipe for today! Yay!
Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo
8
- 8 ounces fettuccine or your favorite pasta
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and De-veined
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 cup parmigiano reggiano (Parmesan), grated
- 1/2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning or to taste - link this
- 1/4 cup green onion, sliced(optional)
1) start cooking your pasta according to package instructions.
2) in a skillet melt the butter
3) coat the shrimp in the Cajun seasoning and then place in the skillet on medium heat. Cook on each side about 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4) add the garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 30-45 seconds.
5) pour in the chicken broth (or wine), swirl around in the skillet. Add in the cream, the parmesan cheese, and Cajun sseasoning and cook until thickened 5-7 minutes or so.
6) dump the sauce on the pasta, and stir it all together. Serve it up and munch down!!
Monday, March 17, 2014
Everything in the Bathroom Sink
 |
| This is his "Hey Girl, What's Up?" face |
 |
| Ash and Luna sleeping next to me on the couch |
 |
| Moxie cuddled up for her beauty sleep |
With all of this winter weather business I am primed and ready for some warmer weather. Hot, warm, temperate, I would even settle for less chilly than it is. NO SNOW! Or ice for that matter. If I ever win the lottery (although my chances would be higher if I actually played haha) I am going to buy myself an island somewhere where it is sunny and warm most of the time, then I will vacation to West Virginia (because it will always be home for me) where I will have a farm or something that I can go and have fun on. Not to mention that I would have a big house and provide for my family etc. charities and other philanthropic venture will surely benefit if I win. I guess I should just start playing so that this master plan can come into effect hahaha! I would probably have more luck getting hit by a bus.
I found this recipe on pinterest. It was very good, I think the way that the original recipe was lacked something so I tweaked it a bit.
Mexican Chicken Taco Bowls
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. chicken breasts (you could use less or more depending on the size of the package you buy)
- 1 (16 oz.) jar salsa
- 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained
- 12 oz. frozen corn
- (one of the changes that I made when I made this again was to add a packet of taco seasoning mix. It added the extra flavor that it needed because the rice kind of blanded (not sure if that is a word) (made it more bland) out the flavor)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- cracked pepper to taste
- 2 cups dry rice
- 8 oz. shredded cheddar
- ½ bunch cilantro or green onions (optional,I don't usually ccare for onions so I omitted these)
- sour cream and salsa for topping.
Directions
1) add the chicken breasts (can be frozen), the salsa, black beans, corn, 1/2 cup of water (so everything stays moist) and spices to the crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours. About 45 minutes before serving take the chicken out and shred it and return to the pot to cook the remaining 45 minutes.
2) cook the rice per package instructions.
3) serve by placing a scoop of rice in the bottom of the bowl, topping with the chicken mixture, add cheese, sourcream, cilantro, green onions, and/or salsa to garnish it with.
We really liked this dish once we got all of the spices worked out, Its cheap, easy, and works great for left overs!
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