How to accidentally make a 20 pound Chicken Pot Pie

Begin with a recipe you have never made before. Don't worry if it is even called chicken pot pie, as any basic casserole will do. Look over the list of ingredients while thinking what a great way this will be to use up some veggies. Notice that the recipe doesn't include chicken so throw a couple of breasts in the oven to bake. Begin by peeling, de seeding and dicing a butternut squash. Read that the recipe requires only a half cup. Question what you would do with the rest, while seeing that the recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups carrots. Decide to use the whole butternut squash and leave out the carrots. Peel and dice one baking potato. Realize how lost it seems in all the squash and peel a second one. Measure 1 1/2 cups frozen peas into pot. Question what to so with remainder in bag before adding them to the pot. Measure 1/2 cup frozen corn. Think about how much your kids like corn and add more. Think about the sweet corn and the sweet squash and worry the pie will be too sweet. Decide to add the carrots anyways. The pan is now overflowing, so get a bigger pan. Allow contents to boil for 4 minutes.

While this is happening, chop the cooked chicken breasts. Saute one onion. Recipe calls for 1 and 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms, but mushrooms shrink when cooking right? Add a few more. Increase the butter to account for the extra mushrooms. Add extra flour to account for the extra butter. Since you don't like vegetable stock, use the chicken stock you keep on hand. It isn't granules so go ahead and add the whole box (4 cups). Increase the milk to keep proportions correct. Just guess at seasoning as no one's spice rack is the same. Stir in the veges and chopped chicken. Find a bigger pan to bake it in. Realize you will need to double the crust recipe to cover the whole thing. Give up the recipe and mix a Jiffy corn mix with a little Martha White cornmeal and extra milk and eggs. When it looks right, pour it on top. Be careful as it is probably now spilling over the top. Ask for help getting it in and out of the oven.

Finally, hope your family likes it as they will be eating it for a week.

Christmas 2009

B didn’t feel well Christmas Eve, so she made a nest on the couch and stayed put.

 

The rest of the crew.  L’s place of choice is always Daddy’s lap.

L got several pieces of “chewelry” for Christmas.  She is a “bling” kind of girl, so we are encouraging her to chew on these special items instead of herself or others.

 

J shows off his tall pile of gifts.  He opened a Handy Manny workbench first and didn’t get back to anything else for much of the night.  Cousins rotated around to help him build things.  Because we had to put it together and had to make it back to our house, it rode in my lap where my nose kept setting off the saw and drill sounds.  The really tall box was a basketball goal of course!

Much to J’s dismay, L opened her own gifts this year.  She also shredded any box she could get hold of as well!

Ipods.  What else can I say.  Despite needing to get to Ina’s and on to Bracken County, H insisted we get songs downloaded.  I was too scattered and finally said they would have to wait till we got back and cousin SC could help.  Then J “accidentally” downloaded exactly what they wanted.

This happens so rarely, I had to make sure there was photographic evidence.

L needed a little pediasure before she checked out her stuff.  She liked J’s truck more than he did!  She loves to open and close the door.

L got a dancing chicken at Grandma’s.  Since Mama sings (and does the dance) many times a day, she was very appreciative.

Baby Angels

J and L literally played the baby angels and sang Away in a manger.  All Mama wanted for Christmas was for L to be able to sign it.  We got the sign for sleep and one side of Jesus.  Those of you whom know that sign will understand.  I guess we can try next year.  I would love to have had a picture of them on stage and in costume, but the director can only do so much.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

After 2 months of practice I was a little sorry to see it end.  They all did an awesome job!  I need to make special mention of Michael and Kassie for playing Mr. and Mrs. Bradley as well as coaching lines and handling scene changes.  H was Gladys (not really a stretch).  B was Maxine, and had the entire Christmas story memorized.  Cousin B was Ollie and Cousin D memorized and acted her heart out as Beth.  Aren’t they all just wonderful!

Halloween 2009

Not a great picture, but I needed some evidence of the event!

Williamsburg

J’s dream scenario.

He had to occupy himself somehow on the very long drive!

Yorktown

H got to be a runner for a cannon exhibition.  This would have been a boy of her age who ran in  the pouches of gunpowder between shots.

B got to pretend she was a battle surgeon and dig a bullet out of a re-enactor.

The Great American History Trip

Part school and part “everyone needs to do this”, we headed to the Historic Triangle for fall break.  While Williamsburg was a little above us, Jamestown and Yorktown were amazing.  The girls learned more than I could have hoped for and really got to be a part of hands

on history.

At Jamestown, we saw models of the ships as well as experiencing both Native American and Colonial life.  Digging out a birch bark canoe was definitely a highlight.

Busch Gardens

 

We were prepared to leave early in the day, but nice temperatures and small crowds made it a fabulous time.  Everyone did awesome and we drug the kids out well after dark!

Bath Junkie

I am playing catch up on posting pictures and events after being without my computer for so long.  For B’s 11th birthday, we went to Bath Junkie (think build a bear only bath products) and mixed lotions and salt scrubs.  The girls got to choose scents or combinations of scents and colors etc.  This was such a B thing to do.  The funniest was H who found the scent of Brian’s cologne and mixed it with a scent called dirt and stated “I made Daddy”  I have to admit she was pretty darn close.  And while I love Brian, I don’t think I want bath products that smell like him!

Have Crockpot, Will Travel

Most of you realize I am a little off anyways, but based on a friends response the other night, this post will confirm any doubts you had about my sanity. I LOVE MY CROCKPOT. Yes, that's right, the once somewhat outdated appliance of the 70's has more value in my kitchen than the microwave. My kids love most of what comes from it. It is the secret to Sunday dinner being on the table in a timely manner, and an ever helpful friend on busy, overwhelming days. So strongly do I feel about my crockpots abilities that this year it hit the road with us. You make room for your pet, or technological devices, I'll find a place for my crockpot, even if it means in my lap.

L doesn't do restaurants well. Combine a long day and then J's antics and an evening meal out is a recipe for disaster. Brian used to joke that our kitchen closed on weekends, but no longer. We have a 24 hour open sign hanging over the doorway and rarely have food in the fridge long enough to come even close to expiration dates. We do hot breakfast and sit down suppers. Vacation, as you can imagine, becomes a challenge. If we can stay in a condo, problem solved. This fall, we went to Williamsburg, Jamestowne, and Yorktown. We stayed in a Great Wolf Lodge and a full kitchen was not in my budget. Of course my loving crockpot came to the rescue. Each morning we left for touring with that night's supper happily stewing from a slew of raw ingredients to a delicious "home cooked meal". Add a fresh salad and bread and who could want more. We saved money and simply ate better. My crockpot will definitely be joining us on future adventures.

It didn't have to wait long till Thanksgiving rolled around. We decided L would do better if we left Thanksgiving morning for Bracken County, but that would mean arriving right at meal time and I needed to cook my butternut squash. Crockpot to the rescue. We used the adaptor in the car and it happily cooked along the drive to Mom and Dad's, filling the car with a wonderful aroma. What a friend. Stay tuned for further adventures of my crockpot.

Beef and Mushroom soup
1 1/2 pounds stew meat
1 onion chopped
1 small package mushrooms chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cans water

Mix in the crockpot and allow to cook all day. If need be, you can add 4 chopped potatoes during this time, but I usually cook the potatoes separately and add them at the end.

Before serving, turn off or turn to low and stir in one can evaporated milk, salt and pepper.