Undone

When i was growing up my aunt had a saying on her wall, and I didn’t get it as a kid, but I get it now… It said “If you are what you eat, I’m either fast, cheap, or easy.”

As terrible as that sounds, it totally applies to me. I work, and even if I didn’t, spending time in a kitchen with kids hanging off of me asking ever 30 seconds if dinner is done yet, well it’s not my bag. I’m sure there are people who either enjoy their time in the kitchen more or have children who hound them less.

This week we tried Mini Chicken Pot Pies.

Now we had them once before, on a whim, because I found the recipe and had all the stuff, so i thought “why the heck not?”

I will admit, I am a purchaser of Canned chicken breast. SOMETIMES you need it. Ok? Sometimes *I* need it because A) I forget to take chicken out of the freezer like ALL THE TIME and I come home from work and I think “OH NO WHAT NOW?!” and I don’t have time to do anything else except maybe cry about it a little, and pick up food on the way home from work. I get my cans at costco. It’s pretty tasty. I don’t mean I’d eat it out the can or anything… that’s nasty. Anyway. if you have left over chicken breasts (or thighs or something) or maybe you got a rotisserie chicken– I’m pretty sure it’d all work out. I try and make my chicken breast (cause i prefer breasts… HAH) shredded a bit.  The KEY to this recipe (which I discussed before) is that the filling can’t be too wet. When you combine everything the cream of chicken soup works like glue and holds it together, it’s not runny or anything. So that allows the biscuits to get crisp, not soggy and nasty. If you’re like me, I’d like to highlight the fact that you MUST grease the muffin tin. I always forget. when I say always, I mean it. lol.

If you’re a much more patient mommy than me, and your little ones have clean hands they can help line the muffin tin by pressing in the biscuits. My hubby wanted me to roll them out first and then smoosh them in, but I honestly don’t notice a difference. Also this is a bit tricky getting them all evenly cooked. the ones in the middle of the pan don’t seem to get as crispy on top… that may be my oven’s shortfall though.

Ease: 5/5 – this recipe is all about dumping food together and sticking it in the oven. Super easy. I made it sunday after church one week. SO EASY.

Taste: Make sure you season it well. I used the recommended seasonings, and I thought it was pretty dang good. num. 4/5

Kid rating:

Kate: Now my Katie will eat just about anything… except bread (GASP HORROR!) Our first go around she ate the whole thing, and loved it, I think she even had seconds. but the second time she only ate the filling. I suspect a cup of noodles spoiled her dinner. 4/5

Audrey: Eats like a bird. First time we ate this she had 2, and came back for more! That’s a HUGE victory. If you know picky eaters, this is like… miraculous. BUT the second time she only had one and called it quits. As with her sister, i expect a cup of noodles prevented her from eating more. 3/5

Overall: I’d say a pretty good recipe. It was good enough I gave it a second go. so that says SOMETHING right? Plus it has veggies, dairy, grain, protein… pretty well rounded. Not perfect… but at least it’s got SOME of that stuff right? 4/5

Be sure to follow me on Pinterest!

Derringer Meryl [Not quite a cook yet] Out

Scott and I have been watching our finances, and we found that a lot of our money was going to food. Snacks, eating out and then regular groceries. WHOO it added up! So now, we’re planning menus for two week periods. Hopefully next week I can do some casseroles and freeze them. I hope so anyway. Mostly because I don’t mind cooking, I mind cooking after a long day, in a hot Kitchen… etc etc. So hopefully this will help eliminate that. I’m going to cook a bunch at once, so we ‘ll stop eating out so much! 🙂

Also, if you want to come and keep me company while I go on this cooking adventure next week, That would be great!

We’re also venturing into Potty training-ville next week. Katie is super psyched about undies. This makes me excited we have so much upstairs space that is un-carpeted. We’re going to be spending much of sunday in the kitchen, hanging out in our undies (well Katie in hers, me in my pj’s) learning how to pee on the potty!

I’m a little sad to be leaving work, but I know it’s time. In no way a reflection on the company it’s self, I have been really stressed about work, I come home and I am not the best mommy I could be, and it has been contributing to my depression a lot.  It is time for me to leave. We are parting on amicable terms. I prefer it that way. I will miss the good people I’ve worked with, and have had the opportunity to meet and work with a lot of very nice and friendly people. Some of which have already gone on before me. I will miss the people, and hope to keep in touch with many of them. They are good people.

this new job I’m going to be starting will be the first job I’ve started in 6 years where I don’t know ANYONE I work with. I’ve only done that before at Convergys. That being said, I only still talk to two or three people I worked with at convergys, but the job didn’t really lend its self to making friends. Everyone was in and out of there like clockwork. No time to get to know anyone. Anyway… Its intimidating to be  yourself. To be … comfortable with complete strangers.

I feel though, that after last week’s complete break down in therapy, I feel like I am building up. I’ve always had a problem expressing myself. A big problem. I will hold things in. But lately, I have been much better. Being honest in my communication. I wouldn’t say that I’m blunt, but I tell the truth. I don’t hold it in. Which is a great thing. It’s healthier all over. Mostly because if you’re telling people what bothers you, they can adjust… or I guess more exactly they can know how you’re feeling and you can work together to make sure that any bad feelings you have won’t come back. I do … still hold back some. Mostly because I think about “Is this really that big of a deal” and try and calm myself down.

I helped with CareBear’s baby shower. I thought it went well. I’m fairly good (If I do say so myself) at picking activities. Not everyone participated in the balloon toss, which is fine, because … I figured on that 🙂 Sukie and Mrs. O did a great job on the food, it was delicious. Then Mama O took me out to get my nails done. It was so nice to be able to relax, and Katie and audrey had fun with Uncle Frik and later on with little Squirt. It was a nice day. I don’t do things for myself, without prodding. I am not… actively thinking about myself. Which is unfortunate. I am a person too, I deserve for good things to happen for me! I deserve to be happy!

Side note: I hate when people say things like that “I deserve to be happy” as if it’s a thing they’ve earned. it’s not like… doing work and then being happy is payment. I guess a better statement would be “I have a right to pursue happiness” Because you don’t just get happiness.   It doesn’t just happen to you.

Just my thoughts for the day

Derringer Meryl [off for now] out

I think I do.

I’m going to get it all together soon and make some lactation cookies. I learned that with Katie last time you can’t go into Breastfeeding half handedly.  I had some problems that I’m trying to remember and keep in mind this time for a less stressful situation.  I will probably want to make these cookies ASAP just so I have them handy.  This is the following recipe:

Nothing happened to me. Lucky me…

Oh except my legs decided to pull a Christopher Reeve and stop working.

Too soon?

Seriously though. I was walking down the stairs, happy as a clam to be getting Katie’s PJ’s for her, and eating a Little Debbie’s snack when i hit the landing (thank goodness) and my foot landed on some DANG toy that Katie had left there. Normally when you step on something your foot says “OW, stop stepping on that” and you recoil, and walk around it. For some reason when i’m pregnant, my body says “Oh that’s no fun. I’m just going to send a signal to stop working” and my whole leg collapses and I fall. It’s like I’m a rag doll… or possibly Woody from toy story. Depending on which you prefer. in any case, I lay in a heap on the landing. I hit my back slightly on the door into the laundry room and I think my shoulder is a bit sore from it. Otherwise I’m fine– and Audrey seemed to be a bit startled, but she’s been active, so I’m not worried. I was worried a bit last night. Audrey is a much more mellow baby than Katie, Which is STUNNING to me, because Katie was very mellow once she was born, so maybe the opposite will happen here? As far as I can see though ladies and gents, Audrey is due to arrive any time from June 10th on. That is to say if I spontaneously go into labor at that point, they’ll let me go. WAHOO. Right? right? Anyway.  And then anytime from July 1st to 8th, I’ll have a c-section if I don’t pop first. 🙂

Crazy right?

The month of march was…. well it was BAD. Healthwise anyway. Katie and I were pretty much rockin’ a sickness every weekend (and sometimes during the week) I’m hoping April changes that. Right now i’m still trying to kick the end of a cold, that is trying very desperately to be some sort of sinus infection.  Mostly I find it annoying. Everything I eat tastes like… Snot. Gross right? yay for grossness. Poor Katie is recovering from the cold too. Plus we gave it to Drama queen, cause we’re sharing people like that.

I’m still searching my house for Katie clothes, soon to be Audrey clothes. I cannot think of where they might be. I am not the most organized mom in the world, apparently.

My Boss at work is helping me think of different things I can cook and freeze (yes!) and store for when i have the baby. Scott made this AWESOME Soup last night that is SOOO yummy (Seriously!) that I ate it for dinner last night, and lunch again today. I will be having it for dinner tonight as well. I love me some soup!! I will probably have him make a bunch of it, and then freeze it in Ziplock Bags in our new freezer.

Derringer Meryl [Good days and bad] Out

Good husband. Scott’s making dinner again 😉 YAY!

The movie was excellent. I will give more but not spoilerish details later. 🙂 I’m exhausted and work is almost done. YAY weekend!