Creamy Chicken Pot Pie

Through the years I've eaten my fair share of pot pies. Yes, those frozen little pies that cook so fast in the microwave, but if you cook them in the oven the crust slightly crisps! Oh, the crust in those little pies is the best part! My sister and I would eat all the middle and save the crust for last mmmmm! Well I came across this recipe in a Sam's Club free little booklet and thought I'd give it a try tonight for dinner. So glad I did! It is super creamy, very tasty and easy-peasy!

Ingredients:
1pkg (8oz) of cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 chicken breast, cooked and cubed
16 oz frozen mixed vegetables thawed
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 cup all purpose flour

1. Heat oven to 400F

2. Cook cream cheese and broth in a large saucepan on low heat until cream cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently with a spoon. Stir in chicken, veggies, garlic salt and pepper

3. Spoon creamy mixture into a 9-inch pie plate.

4. Beat egg and milk in a medium bowl until well blended. Stir in flour just until moistened. Spoon over chicken mixture. (see picture below)

5. Bake 25-30 mins or until golden brown like so:



We really liked it! Easy to make and even V can eat it for dinner!


**I had a little bit of "overflowage" while it was baking! So either be prepared and have some foil on the rack below the pie to catch the drips, or don't fill the pie plate so full. This pie also came out so creamy and had a some "soupy-ness" to it, which we thought was good to go with the crust. I also add a few drops of Tabasco to my helping, gotta have some spice!**

Try it!

I Spy

My in laws live 7 hours from us here in Houston. I know very long trip, but we've actually made the trip many times so its not as bad as you think. And lately V baby has what we like to call "car narcolepsy", so it makes for an easier long distance trip. B wanted to drive the whole way to and fro (God bless him!) and I was left to be the passenger, which was a-okay with me! Here are a few ways I/we passed the time:

*read a magazine
*played peek-a-boo multiple times with V
*asked B about his future has an artist
*tried to think of meals for the week
*wrote a grocery list
*feed V lots of snacks
*sang the "itsy bitsy spider" over and over (Vs current FAV song, she does the cutest spider hands!)
*climbed back and forth from the front seat to the back for "errands" of snacks, V-entertainment, and lost toys
*double listened w/ B to the ipod while V was sleeping at night
*slept
*tweezed my eyebrows (great lighting in the car during the day!)
*talked, talked, talked
*made up the most ridiculous laughs with B

When I asked B about car games he use to play when on road trips he excitedly yelled "Cows and Windmills!!" I replied "ummm excuse me?? I've never heard of that game?" He says "Oh this must be a West Texas game"...He went on to explain that you count all the Cows you see while driving but the first person to see a windmill yells "Windmill". That person "keeps" his cows, while everyone else starts back at zero. Then you keep counting or yelling windmill then at the end of the game the person with the most cows wins.

How do you pass the time while on a roadtrip?

Violet's 1st Birthday

This past weekend we celebrated Miss Violet Paige's FIRST birthday! We were able to squeeze about 25 of our closest friends and family in our home for the party. (Thanks to everyone who came, especially those who traveled from out of town, it meant a lot!)

Violet had lots of help opening her presents from her very eager and helpful older cousin Ashtyn! It was quite funny!

My friend Nikki taught us how to make this super simple homemade decorations! We had 15 hanging from the ceiling all around the apartment. They really added to the party!

When it comes to party/event planning my saying for food is "it's better to have extra than not enough" and boy did we have extra!! (Where that space is on the table, we had little quiche) We've been living on the leftovers this week!


We also had a yummy cake and homemade red velvet "ladybug" cupcakes!


It has been a joy to be this little girls mom this first year!! She is such a blessing and so much fun! We thank the Lord for his perfect plan in our life! Here's to many many years ahead! Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

All you need is Love

Happy Valentine's Day!! Valentine's will always be special to us because it was the day we brought Violet home from the hospital February 14, 2010. She was our lil Valentine!

Her she is a year later with her cute matching cousin, Ashtyn:

Success

I needed to shower, Violet needed to eat. Everybody wins!!

Not-So-Ordinary Tacos

Last week as I was scrolling through my cookbooks in search of making a meal-plan for the week I came across slow-cooked "Yam and Bean Burritos".
Say What?! Ewww. (Yes, that was my reaction!) As I continued to read the recipe, I thought hmmm, this might actually be good! But if it's not we'll throw it away and order Chinese food from across the street. I'm SO glad I found this recipe!! It was really really good. Really! The unusual ingredients for a burrito/taco meal mix together perfectly. And with a Vegetarian sister, I think she would be proud I made at least one meat-less meal! So I challenge you to try it yourself.

Ingredients:
-2 Medium Yams or Sweet Potatoes
-1 Large Yellow Onion
-1 Green Bell Pepper (I didn't have one, so I just skipped it :)
-2 Garlic cloves (I used 4! love me some garlic!)
-1 Small can of Diced Green Chilies
-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
-1 Teaspoon Cumin
-1 Teaspoon Oregano
-1 Cup Frozen Corn Kernels
-1 Can Kidney Beans (drained)
Tortillas
Taco/Burrito Toppings

1. Cut the yams/sweet potatoes into cubes. Thinly slice the onion. Mince garlic. Set aside

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, can of green chilies and saute for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the cumin and oregano and cook for a minute more

3. In a slow cooker, layer half the cubed yams, and then top with half of the onion mixture, corn and beans. Repeat layers.
Pretty Colors!

4. Cover and cook on LOW 4-5 hours

5. Divide mixture evenly on tortillas and top with your favorite toppings. (I used cheese, spinach, salsa, and jalapenos)
YUM!

The flavor taste like taco meat seasoning, but then there is this sweetness from the yams! B and I really enjoyed this meal, we had leftovers for lunch today! And Violet ate everything off her tray, she usually eats everything anyways...but she enjoyed every bite!

Go ahead, try it! Tell me what ya think!

Snow Day

This is NOT what it looks like outside, but it seems everywhere else in Texas (according to facebook) or the US there is snow! I'm not one to particularly loves the cold/snow, I mean I'm fine with it, I would just prefer a sunny 70 degree weather day. Since Monday the buzz has been that there is going to be snow and/or lots of ice this week. On Tuesday I did our grocery shopping so I wouldn't have to trek through "bad" weather ahead. The store was a little busier than normal at 10 in the morning, but I figured the weather was bringing everyone to prepare for the storm ahead. Tonight as we were getting ready to go to a friends house I realized I hadn't even left the house since Tuesday morning!!! hello, earth to Marisa!? B asked "Really? Do you feel like you have cabin fever?" I said "No, I was glad not to have to go anywhere and it's actually been fun to just hangout at home." I couldn't believe it had be 2.5 days of being inside! Just me and V playing all day long! Each morning I would hope to see snow/ice outside, but even today when schools, highways, and some jobs have closed, we woke up to a normal but cold day outside. Well here's to hoping for some snow our way... (at least humor the people to stocked up at the grocery store..)

Best. Lunch. Ev-er.

Often times I'll eat your normal lunch meat sandwich for lunch or just random leftover dinner(s) we have in the fridge. Today I was on a mission for something new and exciting!

I had recently been to the store a picked up these:

yummy healthy goodness!!

Along with the the above picture I decided on:
*Half of a rotisserie chicken
*loose leaf spinach
*chopped jalapeno
*colby jack cheese
and my inspiration for the whole lunch:


Toast Sandwich Rounds. Meanwhile, shred chicken and pour RedHot over chicken. mmmm mix together! Prepare cheese, spinach and cheese on top bread piece and then spread chicken goodness on bottom bread piece. Go ahead, take a bite.

And then repeat.

Make again tomorrow! ...or for dinner!

I wish I had a picture to show you of the finished product. But I was too busy focusing on how delicious it tasted. This sandwich has a new friend in me.

Enjoy!