Friday, May 27, 2011

Favorite Dessert Recipes

I'm linking up with Kelly's Korner again this week for favorite dessert recipes.  I'm looking forward to getting new yummy dessert recipes.     Creamy Lemon Squares20 Reduced Fat NILLA Wafers, finely crushed (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup  flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup  cold margarine
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, softened
1 cup  granulated sugar
eggs
2 Tbsp.  flour
3 Tbsp. lemon zest, divided
1/4 cup  fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. CALUMET Baking Powder
2 tsp.  powdered sugar

HEAT oven to 350ºF.
LINE 8-inch square pan with foil. Mix wafer crumbs, 1/2 cup flour and brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in margarine with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 min.
BEAT Neufchatel and granulated sugar with mixer until well blended. Add eggs and 2 Tbsp. flour; mix well. Blend in 1 Tbsp. zest, juice and baking powder; pour over crust.
BAKE 25 to 28 min. or until center is set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 2 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining zest before serving.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Weekend Review

This weekend was great!!  Friday, TC grilled steaks and we shopped for a new TV.  We might have treated ourselves to a Sonic blast as well.  We both worked hard Saturday morning.  I worked inside, sweeping and vacuuming and doing about 7,362 loads of laundry.  TC worked outside mowing grass and raking leaves.  After a bite of lunch, we headed back outside to wash our cars.  Then, we got ready and headed to A and K's dance recital.  Both girls were so cute and the recital was great.  We ate Mexican for dinner.  I am picky about my Mexican and this one was nasty.  I won't be going back.  We went to church Sunday morning and worked more in the yard Sunday afternoon.  We added pine straw to our flowerbeds and under some trees where grass will not grow.  I cooked a roast for dinner and we had some friends over and I got to play with my most favorite baby girl!!  Monday was K's kindergarten awards ceremony and back to work for me.

Here are some pictures from the recital and the awards ceremony.







Jessica

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Chicken Lasagna

I'm linking up with Kelly's Korner Show Us Your Life - Main Dish Recipes.



Chicken Lasagna
6 lasagna noodles
chicken tenderloins, plus seasonings
1 jar Alfredo sauce
half a bag of frozen spinach
roasted red peppers
shredded Parmesan cheese

Bring water to cook noodles to a boil.  Heat about 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan.  Cook chicken; add seasonings.  You can use whatever you would like.  I always use salt, pepper, lemon pepper, and garlic.  Thaw out half the bag of frozen spinach in the microwave.  Make sure to squeeze out as much of the water as you can.  Cut up the roasted red peppers.  Once water is boiling, salt and add noodles.  Cook according to directions on the package.  Once chicken is fully cooked, chop or shred.
In a bowl, combine the Alfredo sauce, chicken, peppers, spinach, and a handful of the cheese.  In a greased baking dish, layer half the noodles, then half the sauce.  Repeat the layer.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  About 5 minutes before pulling the lasagna out of the oven, top with the rest of the cheese and finish baking until the cheese is just melted.

Sorry for not having step by step pictures.  And for not measuring anything!!  I like to serve this with a side salad and garlic bread.  We think this is delicious and the perfect summertime meal!!

Jessica

Friday, May 20, 2011

Finales

First, is How I Met Your Mother. I began watching this show when it was coming on in syndication on Lifetime. That lasted approximately 3 weeks (just long enough for me to get really into it) and then they stopped showing it. So, I did what any other person would do...I added every season to my Netflix queue. I have watched the past 2 seasons every Monday on CBS at 7:00 Central since.
Season 6 finale: Ted and Zoey break up. Ted and Barney fight over who will implode the Arcadian. Lily thinks she has food poisoning and that Marshall will get sick soon. This goes on for a while. Ted wants to get back together with Zoey, and Robin and Barney bond through trying to stop Ted, until they run into Nora (Barney's old flame). Marshall doesn't get sick and Lily reveals she is pregnant. Barney lets Ted push the button to implode the hotel. Finally, we see the wedding scene that has been shown all season. Ted is the best man at Barney's wedding.

If anybody else out there watches this show, who else squealed and clapped when Lily said she was pregnant? No one, just me?? Ok. I have read some opinions on whose wedding it is and who the mother is. I don't really care to hypothesize because I really want to be surprised in the end. I have my own theory, but I hope I'm wrong!



Second, is Grey's Anatomy. I will admit, I was not a fan at first. Probably because everyone else was. But I got into it as well.
I kinda thought this finale was a bit disappointing.  We were warned that it would be different, and it was.  There was no major medical catastrophe, but everyone's relationships seem to be falling apart.  Yay for Kepner getting Chief Resident!!  That was not a huge surprise to me after last episode when Stark recommended her to Owen.  MerDer gets the baby, but Mer might no longer have Der.  Christina revealed she is pregnant, but does not want to be a mother, and Owen is NOT happy about that.  Karev told off Lucy for taking his job in Africa.  Sidenote: Karev has a soft spot in my heart and it just seems like the guy can't catch a break in the love department.  He comes off as a jerk, but I think we've all seen how great he has been with the kids this season.  I'm a bit worried for next season, especially if MerDer doesn't return, which is rumored.

What are your favorite TV shows??

Jessica

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Checking In

I'm still alive, dear readers.  Just not much to report.  The normal stuff.  We had a partay for my sister, who is going to nursing school.  I also did some work in my flower beds this weekend.  Then, the cat promptly dug up all the flowers I planted.  We also had to install a new toilet (glamorous, I know).  Here are a few pictures!!

I got flowers for my office

Mi familia



I'll be back tomorrow with a recap of all my favorite TV show's season finalies.  What are your favorite TV shows?

Jessica

Monday, May 9, 2011

Overwhelmed

Where to start??  With all that's going on, I have felt too overwhelmed to even think about blogging.  (Warning: this is a long post, bear with me)

First, was the tornadoes that devastated my state.  I have no words to describe what has been going on during the time since the storms.  People have rallied and proven their resiliency. 

On a more positive note, I got up at 3:00 last Friday morning to watch all the Royal Wedding coverage.  I know that I could have just recorded it and watched it at a more reasonable hour, but I wanted to see it in real time.

The Royal Wedding party
 Last week was filled with celebrations for all the people I know graduating.  I had lunch with a friend Wednesday who is graduating and Thursday was a pinning ceremony.

Wednesday afternoon as I was leaving work, my car would not start.  So, I had to get TC's sister to come get me and I used his truck for the rest of the week.

I had an orientation session at work Friday and when I got back from that, my coworkers surprised me with cake and ice cream for my birthday! We had fun eating cake and ice cream and chatting with each other.
My delicious cake

Balloons!!
Sunday was my birthday and Mother's Day, so I spent Saturday with my family fixing the car, Home Depot, and lunch.  We had a great time, even though one of us was working on the car.

I went to church Sunday morning and then headed out to pick up TC in Atlanta because HE GOT A NEW JOB AT HOME.  The entire time we've known each other, he has worked out of town.  Now, he will be home every night!!  I hope we don't kill each other :)  His first day is today and I am anxious to hear how it went.

Congratulations for making it to the end of this long post!!

Jessica