Yummy Recipe - Cajun Chicken Pasta

Oh look at you lucky people...getting two posts from me in the same day!

So I just posted about my new love of Pinterest and all the different things that I have pinned.  Another great thing that I love to pin is recipes.  LOTS and LOTS of recipes.  This is one of the first one that I tried and I absolutely love it!  My man loves it to saying that it is way better as leftovers.  I would have to agree because all of the spices and flavors get the chance to meld together into super yummy goodness!

So here it is.  I pinned the recipe a while ago and this is the original site but I did some adjusting to fit my needs and whims and desires.  Enjoy!



Cajun Chicken Pasta

8 oz uncooked linguine (or a little bit more than 1/2 of the box)
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 in or bit sized pieces
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes
1 cup of chicken broth (I just boil a cup of water and then toss in a chicken bullion cube.)
1/3 cup milk
1 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp cream cheese
olive oil
chili powder
season salt
garlic powder
cayenne pepper

1) Prep all veggies and chicken.
2) In a small blender make a "slurry" by adding milk, flour, and cream cheese in a blending til your heart's content. :)  Set aside.
3) Boil pasta using directions on box - I use the giant pot that I have because everything will go into this in the end.
4) In a large non-stick skillet/pan add in a bit of olive oil (I don't really measure it but its enough to swirl around and coat the bottom of the pan.) at medium-high heat and toss in half of the cut up chicken.  (Last time I tried to put all of the chicken in at once and it took a long time to cook and make sure that everything was cooked all of the way.)  Season with the four spices as you see fit.  Jeremy likes lots of spice and I can generally handle it so I go REALLY heavy on all spices.  Note: original recipe calls for Cajun seasoning but I decided it was silly to pay for the only one I found, Emeril's, so I looked at the ingredient list and realized I already had all that junk.  
5) Make sure chicken is all the way cooked.  Put on a clean plate and add more olive oil, rest of chicken, and same amount of spices as the first batch.  Once all chicken is cooked, take out of skillet.
6) Use more olive oil for the pan at medium heat and ass bell peppers, onions, and garlic.  Season as you did chicken.  Cook (saute) until tender - 10ish minutes.
7) Add mushrooms and tomatoes and cook about 3-4 more minutes or until all veggies are tender.  Adjust seasonings if necessary.
8) At this point the pasta is probably done, drain it and put it back in the big pot.
9) Quickly blend "slurry" mixture one more time and then mix with chicken broth.
10) Add sauce, veggies, and chicken to giant pot with pasta and turn to low heat.  Toss well to coat and continue cooking until all ingredients are hot.

YUUUUUUUUUUUMMMY :)



This makes A LOT and I am so glad about that.  Yay for leftovers!


Side note: It takes a bit of time to get everything chopped up and the whole thing from start to finish can take about an hour or more from first chop to table top.  Just give yourself time...but you will smell the yumminess for awhile and taste the yumminess soon enough!

Pinteresting :)

Ok so like everybody I know...well everybody but my bff Laura...I have become 'addicted' in a way to Pinterest!  I have pinned many a picture and design element and cute saying and recipe to last me a while.  One thing that I have been pinning recently is different ways of cleaning.  Do you know how useful a new or used dryer sheet could be? No?  Check it out here.  Well I haven't tried any of these yet but I did try one cleaning idea today.

My roommate and I have lived in our apartment for 3 years now and those little 'spill' trays on the stove have gotten really gross...because we basically haven't done anything to get them clean in those 3 years.  So when I saw this idea on Pinterest I was happy to try it.

So this is what my drip pans looked like earlier today...

          

Not horrible but definitely gross and the burnt-on-junk often smelled up the apartment.

The post says that all you need to do is:

1) Spray with WD-40

2) Let sit for 30 minutes

3) Scrub with soap and water

4) Ta-da good as new

Well...it seemed fairly simple so why not give it a try.  I took my drip pans outside because WD-40 is gross and smells bad and can kill you if you inhale too much of it.  I used old grocery bags to collect any drippage from landing on my balcony or my floor when I brought them back through the living room.

And I waited the 30 minutes...

Then it was time to use some elbow grease and attempt to get those things clean.  I used the hottest water my poor little hands could stand and used regular dish soap.  I also used one of those sponges with the extra scrubby stuff on one side.  This was the outcome from lots scrubbing and soaking.

   

So I didn't get the "Ta-da good as new" feeling or result but they definitely look a WHOLE lot better and will hopefully alleviate some of the burnt smell when I cook on the stove.

I did make sure that I cleaned and rinsed the pans several times to make sure I got all of the WD-40 off so hopefully I won't explode the next time I use the stove :)  

Grade for this Pin: B- for general ease and short time period to complete task but with slightly less than promised results.  I bet those results would have been improved had they been cleaned sooner.

What a difference a year makes

A week ago last year I was wrapping up my 2nd year of teaching and preparing for an adventure in Russia.  On this day last year I was touring Moscow with 35 people I didn't know attempting a language that I am sure I failed miserably at.  When I got back from my trip I was off to the lake for my typical birthday festivities with my wonderful second family.  Last summer I was in talks with my best friend and we decide that this was no longer the place for us anymore.  This was a great starter job and starter town but we needed something else, something new, something different, something exciting.

Yep that's us!

Well...my best friend is moving away to her something else, something new, something different, something exciting in a new city and I am staying here because I found my something right here in this town.  I am super excited for her and her new home preparations.  Can you believe that I am at an age where I could be buying a house?. I didn't buy a house but she did and she has spent lots of time painting and coordinating and   looking for furniture - all very exciting.  But quickly after that excitement is felt, sadness creeps in.  I miss her already and she is technically not yet fully moved.  She is off on her new adventure 3 hours away :(


And me?  My new adventure started shortly after the school year began.  You remember 'that man' - as my bff so affectionately refers to him - from an earlier post.  Not really much to update you on there besides that we went skiing - something I hadn't done since I was in middle school one time with my youth group - so that was entertaining :) And he has, to my dismayed, reignited my affinity for NASCAR to the point where I watch it now, even if he isn't around.  I watch qualifying and practices and Nationwide races and read articles online about different drivers...it's really bad.  This year I have gone to three races - one of those weekends I even slept in a tent.  I relayed that story to a girl at work and she was adamant that I must love him if I would sleep in a tent for two nights and go to NASCAR races.  My only response to that was "yep!"

While I still have my same job and still live in my same apartment, my life is very different than last year.  No wild summers with far away trips or NKOTBSB concert with the bff.  Just taking it easy, staying in town, and hanging out with my man.  I do still need to get on that to-do list I already have planned out...maybe tomorrow :)

Things that make me go hmmmmm

So I am sure this list is extensive and will be added to as they come to mind but the inspiration for this first post is...the need for fast food and other manufacturers to put CAUTION labels on various items.  The dummies that didn't realize that coffee is generally served hot, PopTarts reminding you to take the pastries out of the foil packaging before you put it in the toaster or microwave, and any other ridiculous cautions provided on items for the people who don't use common sense or want to sue other people for everything. Who would put a plastic bag in a crib?  What would be that purpose?

People...use some sense!

Plan for the summer

I am happy to report that I don't really have plans this summer.  No long extended vacations, no actual days set in stone that I have to be somewhere.  I do know that in 18 school days I will be on summer vacation...well not exactly but I feel like those workdays at the end of the year are like vacation days because there are no children and plus the 18 days makes me feel better about the time frame so that is what I am going with.

I do know that I plan to do things this summer and while I enjoy traveling and galivanting around the world, I am glad to be home.  But while at home I do have quite an extensive list of things to accomplish.  So here is my to-do list...for now anyway.

1. Get driver's license renewed...I'll be 25 and I have been living away from home for 3 years, its probably time I get the address changed :| that's probably against the law so let's pretend I didn't say that.
2. Get banks switched...I have been a State Employee for 3 years now and have never switched banks.  I still have my mom on my account...since high school.  Although that does come in handy if I was to ever need a "loan" from the Bank of Mom!
3. Read.  That is always my plan in the summertime and I do very well to accomplish that goal so I figure its a good one to have.
4. Help my best friend move far, far away.  Ok, this one I am not happy about at all but I am happy for her and her new home and life...really I am just being selfish when I discuss my sadness so...moving on.
5. Spend time with that wonderful man of mine.
6. Try to update some lesson plan ideas.
7. Go through closet and dresser to cut down on stuff I never wear.

Ummmmmm so there is probably more but if you notice the post just below this one...I'm sick and I'm not a fan...so I may not be thinking as clearly as normal.  Sorry also for only having 7 things on my list.

On being sick...

NOT A FAN...

Liar, Liar Pants On Fire

Ok blog readers...I again apologize for the lack of communication on my part.  And I totally lied when I said I had nothing to tell you about.  I knew I was lying to you but I did it anyway.  And then my mom called me out on the lie so this is me repenting and desperately asking for your forgiveness.  I actually have some VERY exciting stuff going on in my life but I just didn't really know how to tell you about it.

We don't have a whole lot of pictures yet so this will suffice for now.

Distraction from blog #1: This has been my biggest distraction for the past four months...I have a man in my life!  His name is Jeremy and he is really really great!  We met through a lady that I work with whose kids go to the Rec center that he supervises.  Long story short our mutual acquaintance didn't really know either of us that well but it turns out that we have ALL KINDS of stuff in common.  It is a little strange/weird/both of those words tend to have bad connotations so we will go with "uncanny" how much we have in common.  A great thing about him is that he and my best friend have become pretty good friends and can hang out with each other watching football on Sunday and neither one gets upset when I take an hour nap on the couch.  They just talk it up...I am actually glad that they have each other to talk to about football because when it is just me and one of them watching football, they do a lot of talking and I do a lot of head nodding and half smiling!  My family also loves him and finds all kinds of reasons/excuses to see him or have me bring him home.  I met a lot of his family over Thanksgiving and they are so welcoming and sweet.  This whole experience has been a bit overwhelming for me and at points seems completely unreal how comfortable and normal (yet at the same time SO different and exciting and fun and AWESOME) this way of life has become for me.

Distraction from blog #2: School DUN DUN DUN  This year has been SUPER crazy for me.  I think I have gone on a rant about all of the crazy jobs and stuff that I am responsible for this year.  I believe you can get caught up on all of that here.  I even went on and on about how that had caused a delay in September so yeah...definite distraction.  But now that I have Distraction #1, Distraction #2 gets to take a back seat!!!  Muahahahaha take that school!

Distraction from blog #3: Allllllllllllllright so really I don't have other distractions that are keeping me from my blog. #1 is really the only legit thing WONDERFULLY taking up lots of my time.  But, there are lots of other things going on in my life that I will briefly mention here and hopefully getting around to posting more about them in the very near future.

- I got to see Lion King and Beauty & the Beast in 3D.  They are two of my favorite Disney movies and I got to see both with my incredible guy.  Lion King was on the 1st date...definitely a good sign!!!
- I am actively involved in two Journey Groups (sort of like small groups) at my church. One is people - guys and girls - my age and we meet on Sunday morning before worship and the other is women of all ages - 17+ - and we complete different Bible studies from Beth Moore.  Both are great groups and have helped me grow a lot in the last year/year and a half.
- Everyone in my family and most of my friends have smart phones and I do not.  Sad day for this girl and her tiny tiny budget.
- Today was the end of the 2nd Quarter and 1st Semester of school.  Half way to SUMMER!!!!!
- Girls' soccer starts in February - only a few weeks away.

I can't think of anything else but I know Laura will be very satisfied that I gave a list with a semi-nice number. Ok, so I thought I gave a list of five things and then I recounted and saw that it was six so maybe she won't like it too much.  Uh oh!  Anyway...for those of you less concerned about the number of things in a list I hope you enjoyed the very brief recap of my life.  And that you forgive me for lying to you in my last post.

Until I get the notion to write again...

--

Ok so on second thought there are only 5 things in the list but a formatting issue and a hyphen in one of the thoughts made me think it was six ideas.  Great!  

Whoa! Sorry!

Ok people...first of all I want to apologize for the 2 month hiatus I took from blogging.  I guess I just haven't had any random experiences that I have found worth embarrassing myself on the internet about!

As the year draws to a close I figured I should do something to recap the year but now that I think about it, there isn't much to tell that hasn't already been stated...

I could make a list of my resolutions for the new year but I have never been known to make and/or keep said resolutions so I don't think that will work either...

Alright so I have just lost my inspiration to continue writing...yikes, not good...that only took about 10 minutes!  Basically I wanted to write to let you know that I haven't forgotten about you...all 3 of you...I just haven't had the time/inspiration/patience to sit down and write.

One resolution for the new year...keep you better updated on the happenings of my life.

I hope you had a fantastic Christmas spent with family and friends and that you have a wonderful and safe time celebrating this year and bringing in the new one!  Lots of love is being sent to all of you!

Teacher Workday

So today was a teacher workday and it is one of my favorite days of the school year.  I have been planning for this day for a few weeks now.  I had many lists prepared detailing things that needed to get done and I am delighted to inform you that I was able to accomplish all of the essentials on the list plus a few extra things that were just fun.

Top Reasons I Love Teacher Workdays:
1. I don't have to be to school until 8.  (Normally I am there by 6:15.)
2. I don't have to wear my 'teacher clothes".
3. I get to listen to music while I work.
4. I get to mark things off of my to-do lists.
5. I get to reorganize all the junk - I mean stuff - on my desks and bookshelves and closet.
6. I get to chat with other teachers I rarely get to see when I am trapped in my own classroom.
7. Maturity leave teachers bring their babies in to show them off.
8. I am at school working but there isn't a kid in sight.
9. We sometimes we have meetings where they buy us lunch.
10. I get to check things off my to-do lists.

I am sure there are way more things I love and they will all come to mind later but this gives you a bit of an idea.

This workday in particular comes at the end of the first nine weeks of school and is typically used as a day to get all of the grades posted for report cards, wrap up beginning of the year things and then prepare for the rest of the year.  At the end of each quarter we are asked to reflect on how things went.  Most people typically write a few sentences, these are the good things...these are the bad things.  Well for some reason today I felt as if it were necessary to write a book about the first nine weeks.  OK so it wasn't really a book but it was a single spaced page.

A lot of things have changed for me this year and I am having to get used to new roles and responsibilities.  I am now teaching math which is super stressful because it is tested and before when I was teaching social studies nobody really cared about the actual learning taking place.  I am also my team leader and 6th grade math PLC leader.  Both of which are jobs I have never had (or wanted) before and both require me to be on top of everything for everyone.  Oh yeah and not only that but I coached boys' soccer - everyday.  (So far we are 2-4 but we have a game next week that should be a fairly easy game for us so its not TOO bad.)  This first quarter has been extremely busy and therefore I felt it necessary to tell all about it.  Had I really took more time and thought about it longer, my reflection could have easily been 2 or more pages long but I was a little bit tired of writing and 2:30 was quickly approaching and I intended to be out the door as the bell rang.

I used to love teacher workdays because I got to stay at home all day.  Now I love teacher workdays because I still get to sleep in but I also get to go to school and be overly productive without children (or adults) constantly needing me for one thing or another.  Come Monday I am going to have another list and more junk that I need to do and so on and so forth but for right now, its Friday, I got home at 2:45, and I don't have to do anything until Monday!

Sorry for the delay...

Alrighty so school has started again and that means that I don't have a life.  Well I don't really have much of a social life in general but now if I wanted one, I might have some difficulties.

Anyways, this year I am teaching math for the first time.  For the past two years I have taught social studies (7th grade and 6th grade) and everyone has told me "Oh my gosh, you are such a math teacher".  I think it may be because of my over organization or my logical brain because I am not sure my patience and strength are up for this challenge.  I came in assuming (yeah, yeah I know that assuming is bad), anyway, I came in assuming that the students would know certain things - like multiplication facts, and how to add decimals, and how to use a pencil sharpener, and how to keep their snot and cooties to themselves.  Let me tell you, they don't know any of those things!!!!

I am only slightly kidding.  I did tell my kids that if they ever saw me having a heart attack or panic attack that they needed to know how to dial 221.  (That is the extension for the front office.  Haha!)  This was after we were "reviewing" multiplying with two digits and all I got were completely BLANK STARES.  But I had an epiphany the other day.  Instead of assuming the kids know how to do something and flipping out and over stressing when they don't, I will assume they know how to do nothing so that when they do understand something, or at least vaguely remember it, from the past I will be really excited.

Oh, did I also mention that I am teaching three 80-minute class periods of 6TH GRADERS?  And that one of those classes includes a high number of students that require special services? And that I am currently the only math teacher in 6th grade that actually taught at my school last year so I am the go-to person for the other 4 math teachers?  And that I am my team's leader?  And that I am the head, and only, coach of boys' soccer?  And that our first game is next Tuesday?  And that the boys' soccer team went undefeated last year - the only team in the county to ever do that? 

All of these things combined leave me running around like a chicken with its head cut off.  I never can get caught up.  The moment I think I am almost up-to-date I get another thing (or 5 things) thrown my way.  Stress and exhaustion are just barely touching the surface but are pretty good indicators of how I am feeling.

In the midst of all of this I also happen to be a part of a wonderful women's Bible study group at church.  These ladies come from every walk of life and walk with Jesus but are completely encouraging.  I am also reminded of several verses of Scripture that help me refocus my thoughts and motivations.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:13

'For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'  Jeremiah 29:11

As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.  2 Chronicles 26:56

So whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, you God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  Isaiah 43:2-3

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.  Romans 8:28

These are just a few of the awesome examples of how I can believe that God has a plan for my life and no matter what I am going through now, He is always with me.

So if you begin to wonder where I am and why I am not updating you with the wonders of my life, just know that I am in the middle of a craziness that I am not sure I can really describe or understand but I am loved by an AWESOME God who will see me through it!

When is it summertime again?