Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Chicken Squash Bake


We tried this tonight and it was Nummmm Yummy!! Fo' Shizzel, Yo!

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, each cut into about 4 strips (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds)
Garlic salt
Lemon pepper seasoning
10 cups yellow squash, washed and sliced 1/4-inch thick (cut large slices in half as well)
6 ounces fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
4 ounces sliced Muenster cheese (can also use provolone or baby swiss, or even mozzarella)



Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and place chicken inside. Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt and lemon pepper; turn chicken over and sprinkle other side with seasonings also. Cover dish with foil and bake for 60 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

2. After about 30 minutes of baking time has passed, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large stock pot. Saute squash in butter until tender.

3. Add remaining tablespoon of butter to the pot, and add spinach leaves. Cook and stir just until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and toss with just a little salt.

4. Take the dish of chicken from the oven, uncover, and spoon the squash mixture over the chicken. Place slices of cheese on top, enough to make a thin layer over the vegetables.

5. Broil (uncovered) for about 5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

(note- pictures and recipe are courtesy of www.tammysrecipes.com)



Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Happy Fat Tuesday, Everyone!!!

Ireland on the Brain...



With Saint Patrick's Day right around the corner, my affection inevitably turns to all things Irish this time of year. If it were St. Patty's Day everyday, I wouldn't mind.

I pride myself on being at least part Irish and no matter how small the part, I take it very seriously! I love green, I'm spunky, cornbeef is my fave, and I like to enjoy a nice thick beer every now and then. Oh, and my name, Kelli, is Gaelic for warrior princess!

I have not been to Ireland, though there is a change fund sitting on my dresser that will one day pay my way to the Emerald Isle and I simply can't wait until it does. I envision myself sitting in these lush green fields wearing a big, comfy hand knit sweater, enjoying the tranquil sounds of the wind and sea.

One day, with LUCK on my side, I'll experience this. One day......

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Raw (Long)



I heard a song the other day on the radio.......

Beautiful by Bethany Dillon

I was so unique
Now I feel skin deep
I count on the make-up to cover it all
Crying myself to sleep cause I
cannot keep their attention
I thought I could be strong
But it's killing me

Does someone hear my cry?
I'm dying for new life

[Chorus]
I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart,
and be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful

Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me
Fighting to make the mirror happy
Trying to find whatever is missing
Won't you help me back to glory

[Chorus]

You make me beautiful
You make me stand in awe
You step inside my heart, and I am amazed
I love to hear You say
Who I am is quite enough
You make me worthy of love and beautiful

It really got me thinking.....

I'm getting older. I dye my hair to cover the greys. I recently cut my hair to feel more trendy and not so mom-y. I wear make-up to cover PMS acne and blotchy skin. My skin is dry and flakey. I still have a pooch from where I haven't lost all my baby weight. My thighs touch when I walk. I've been told I could afford to tone up- you know for my health. All I hear is I'm not attractive in my new post baby body. My nose is crooked from breaking it years ago. My teeth are starting to shift from years of not wearing my retainer. I also have coffee stains. Crows feet are developing around my eyes. I have to wax my lip.

Who in the world would think THIS was pretty?

With all these flaws and make-up to boot, nothing makes up for the fact that I'm....

A sinner. I'm filthy and dirty. I'm raw. I'm scarred and marred. Broken and emotional. I'm covered with envy. I procrastinate. I have a sharp tongue. I get angry. I stay angry. I'm resentful and can be unappreciative. I whine. I complain. I long for what I don't have. I'm impatient. I'm controlling, too. I cut hateful looks and I make assumptions. I'm never to blame and I accept no fault. I'm hasty. And I'm judgemental.

I'm human.

Who in the world would love THIS?

JESUS would.

No matter how rotten and disappointing I am. No matter how undeserving and even ungrateful I am. No matter with or without make-up and with all my worldly stains, my God loves me. I am His child and I am beautiful in His eyes even if I'm not beautiful even to myself or the rest of the world.

He loves me.

Friday, February 6, 2009

BIG Project!!

I started making my first quilt the other day.  I'm almost done sewing all my squares together and remarkably they line up pretty nicely.  I didn't have a pattern, just went with generic every other in three prints. 

I should tell you that I have no idea how to quilt.  I also don't take instruction well.  Instead I have decided just to wing it and do things as I see fit along the way.  The Improv Quilter I guess you could say!

Nevertheless, I've had a stupendous (yes I just used that word) time creating it.  It's simple, it'll hopefully be functional and there's no doubt that it'll look pretty jacked-up by the end of this process.

I'll certainly post the infamous pics of it under the Crafts tabs once complete!

25 Random Things About Me


Daggum Facebook!
The new "Note" going around is this 25 Things list. It took me three days to come up with all of it.

1. I still pick apart the cleanliness and organization of most Target stores.
2. Because I was a manager there for three years.
3. I love the Goodwill!
4. I'm learning to sew.
5. I hope to write a book one day.
6. I interned at the Peace Corps in Washington, DC.
7. I used to write for an Arts and Leisure Mag. in Roanoke, VA.
8. I am my grandfather's namesake.
9. I talk to my mom once, sometimes twice a day.
10. I used to collect keychains as a kid.
11. My dad let me drive a skid loader when I was about 8 years old.
12. I swallowed a checker (a small one) when I was a kid.
13. I'm terrified of spiders.
14. I'm terrified of big, dark houses too. Even my own home. The second floor is the worse for me!
15. I talk to myself- A LOT!
16. My husband and my daughter are my life.
17. I don't know how to use my IPOD.
18. I'm a sucker for cookies and cream anything.
19. I'm a huge Dave Matthews fan.
20. I've been to Belgium.
21. Went to NATO while I was there.
22. At one point in my life I had over a hundred pairs of shoes.
23. I was prom queen my senior year.
24. I was homecoming queen in college.
25. I hate watching the news.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Seriously???



I went to the Chiropractor today.

Last week I had inquired about what sort of exercises I could be doing since I was feeling better. I got my news today...

Dr. said, "No exercise for you!"

Seriously?

I mean, I know I'm the one that asked, but I was highly anticipating that I wouldn't like the answer because I HATE to exercise!! Then he tells me not to do anything (yet). Of course I LOVED this answer, it was just unexpected. Dude is like the Holy Grail of men- women have searched high and low for a man that will look at them with loving, concerned eyes and say those coveted words..."No dear, please don't exercise"....!!!!!! And I found him!

HOLY GUACOMOLE!! I've hit the mother load!!

This guy is genius and though I know when I am finally able to workout, he is going to have little Physical Therapist Megan whip me into shape. But for now, no matter how brief a time, I can revel in the fact that I don't have to exercise. I don't have to tone up. I don't have to whittle my middle or turn my flab into fab!

I can just be....

The amazing, untone, borderline flabby, hatin' on sweat, get tired even watching my kid play self!!

By the way- that pic up there is a real book! Ha!

Seriously!

Pleasantly Surprised...


I haven't watched Saturday morning cartoons in forever...well, since I was a kid. But the more Saturdays that my husband and I spend at home, I find myself flipping through the channels to find nothing else but the multitude of animation.

Emma's too young at this point to understand what she watches, but an hour of her being mezmerized by the latest colorful character allows me to catch up on laundry and maybe get a shower. So, we turned on the Saturday morning cartoons and let her sink away into her trance that lasted a solid 45 minutes.

Now, I don't expect much from television in general. Most of what is on is vulgar, profane, laden with sex, infidelity, cursing and so on and so on. My expectations were no different for these children's shows; I just prayed for something that wasn't violent.

Anyway, we settled on 3-2-1 Penguins. I'd never heard of this show, but Emma seemed interested and it was way better than the anime on the other channels so we stayed with it.

To my surprise, at the very beginning, the Granny character was teaching her granddaughter (Michelle) about the importance of keeping promises. And then (this is the best part) Granny breaks out a book titled HOLY BIBLE and read a verse from Proverbs. My mouth hit the floor. I was amazed at what I'd just seen (a cartoon Bible) and what I'd just heard (a cartoon character talking about Scripture)!!! On public TV! I ran into Jon's office and was spouting, "Oh my gosh!! Granny just read the Bible to the little cartoon girl!!"

Isn't it sad that we're shocked when this happens?

But to think I had concluded that ALL programs were inappropriate (even children's shows). Only to learn that there are stations and producers and writers who do still care about the young eyes and ears out there. There are actually shows dedicated to teaching children right and wrong, life lessons and even (gasp!) about God!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!

Then, as if my day couldn't get any better, Veggie Tales came on and the episode was a loose translation of the Book of Ruth in the Bible. Again- total amazement!

Thanks Qubo Channel!