Food and the good stuff

So here are few tried and loved recipes I thought I would share with you all because they are too good to pass up!

Salsa Chicken Cassarole ( this one is simple easy and takes no prep time. What more could you want?)

Fettuccine Alfredo  ( I am in love with this recipe. We have made it twice in a week. Barbecue some lemon chicken and some garlic bread, seriously could eat this for days. )

Spaghetti Carbonara, (I dropped the garlic. the first time I made it, it over powered the dish. )

Grilled Chicken Veggie Bowl  ( I swapped out the broccoli and quinoa for summer squash/zucchini and peas) With only an hour for lunch and a complete distaste for sandwiches. I try and prep for lunch a head of time, these are a super healthy and yummy option to grab and reheat.)

In my effort to ditch soda... I have been looking for easy drinks to substitute. I gave a girly yelp when I saw this in the freezer isle of Winco a few weeks ago!

Well, other than that life has been good to us these last few weeks. I got over being "sick" which was a complete surprise and took almost a week and a half to get over.

I have Pandora on shuffle at work all the time and love hearing songs that remind me of memories. I was listening to Hootie & the Blowfish, " I'm coming Home" and was transported back to my summers eating T's burritos on the boat in the middle of Lake Tahoe. My dad with his hat on backward, the twins with food all over their faces. Mary Jane, Mom, and Connor all busy with something... probably getting ready to go crawdad fishing with Swedish fish and a safety pin.

Baby Hayley- Fannette Island,Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe CA

Most days, I hardly pay attention to the music, but lately I seem to be catching memories all over the place. Makes me miss the simplicity of sitting on a boat eating lunch, laughing, and goofing off with family.

I am pretty sure Family is what makes the world go round!

-enjoy the food and take some time to appreciate life!

Good Eating and a little Comfort talks

So as I mentioned before... I am trying to be/eat healthier.  As for my goal... I failed. I ate what I wanted on date nights, then went out of town and could only eat out. So I am going to try again.

With that said, it's pretty expensive to make everything at home, to me that is the hardest part. There are something's you just can't make with out the right equipment ( soda, ice cream, ice( didn't have an ice tray) etc...) So you have to give in on those store bought items. Other things take so much time, you buy the ingredients and then they go to waste because you can never make the time... this project takes a lot of planning out and recipes that use the a lot of the same ingredients. I really like the "freezer meals," but have a hard time eating so much of the same leftovers.

As far as the comfort talks go, there is something to be said about dinner time. I LOVE sitting down eating and talking to people. It's three of my favorite things in one shot! Haha, anyways, I have had some great conversations at the dinner table these last few weeks and I am grateful for them. The idea of having a conversation with people sitting down at a table, is seeming to me to becoming a lost art. I really wish people would go back to some of the basics. But hey, maybe I am just old fashioned.


Here are a few tried and loved recipes from this last round. Until next time:)

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Coke-a-cola Cake ( this is SO addicting)

White Chicken Enchiladas

Bean and Bacon Soup

Healthy

This is a Hayley post... Not about Kade... so looking for an overall family update... you'll have to wait until I finish that post!

Persisting in healthy eating. I read this post over at Cup of Jo.

here is the video she posted....

I seriously fell in love with this concept. If you what to eat healthy eat at home. So this is my challenge to myself for the next month. I can eat whatever I want as long as I make it.

Here is to a better healthy lifestyle and eating! Plus, getting back into something I really love..cooking!

Food

Okay, so food is probably one of my most favorite things in the world. So here are a few recipes:

yogurt bites!

cream cheese corn

peanut butter cups s'mores bars

oven roasted bacon potatoes

coconut popsicles

breakfast cookies

chicken and dumpling stew

artichoke dip!!

thats enough for now.

Catch up/ Recipes we are loving.

So we have been up to and taking care of a lot in the last couple of weeks and have been trying to get ahead and basically staying behind at the same time. I am never not amazed at the fact that I constantly push push push and stay at the right in the middle line.

So lets play catch up

Kade:  went to school donated plasma, and went on dates with me.... but most important! He got a job! and we both feel very blessed that at least one of us has found a job in rexburg!

Hayley: Went to school, does lots of homework, cooks a ton, and goes on dates with him. I am leaving for Phoenix tomorrow for Alex's wedding and I cant wait to see her so happy! 

Here are a few absolute lifesaving recipes that can for almost no work at all and are delish! 

meatloaf! (family fun cookbook)

not the soggy nasty bread kind and its basically idiot proof, which works great for me! 

you can see my notes, I love! the sauce on top so I double it always, then I make mashed potatoes and have peas:) this also make way more than kade and I can eat or should eat in one sitting, so more super yummy leftovers. ( that we will actually eat)

photo: tasty kitchen

cowboy-potato-chowder

use the spicy stuff! and make homemade wheat bread! makes 6 serving and keeps for about 5 days in the fridge.

 photo: pennies platter

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/04/baked-creamy-chicken-taquitos/

I always double this one and freeze them( before you cook them!!) and throw them in the oven for the same amount of time and it works great for a busy day! 

Also, a tip, once rolled and placed on the cookie sheet, baste with a little veggie oil and then cover with sprinkled kosher salt. 

happy eating! and good luck this week! I know we need it!

- hayley

Weekend

Well as it turns out I stink at taking pictures! I had so many chances to get some good ones and I totally forgot! We went to Boise for baby Lyla's Blessing. Got to see all the family, celebrate the the cute baby girl. So fun to see all the little ones.

We also got to join Dana and Andy Gillette for dinner! Dana made a super yummy dinner and it was so fun to catch up with her and here about their new adventures in Boise! Thanks again for having us over!

Next important thing, well at least to me I can continue adding to that check off list I made a week or so ago.

Registered?!?!! Check! at target and bed bath and beyond.
Kade sizes for a suit? check!
Open house is Boise? We have a date! Check!


That and I have some seriously yummy recipes to try this week! don't worry I will share if that turn out well! I may even post pictures~

off for busy weeks!

-hayley

Dinner

I love eating dinner with him, its a great way to take 30 minutes or an hour if we cook it to relax and goof around. 

Last few nights we have had 

Macaroni and Cheese,

  Baked potato soup, 

and Quesadillas guacamole and homemade tortilla chips. 

So yummy! you should try the recipes they were really good!