Yummies for Your Tummies

Starting a new tradition here with a "Yummies for Your Tummies". D & I are foodies. We love trying new foods; we love enjoying our tried-and-true favorites. Yesterday I made my mom's Italian Chicken, a favorite, and tried a new twist on chocolate cookies. Unfortunately, I didn't grab my camera, so you'll just have to take my word for it. With that said, I present to you:

The Worlds Easiest, Yummiest, Crockpottiest Italian Chicken
(is potty a weird word in a recipe?)

AND


Slightly More Healthy & Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Crockpot Italian Chicken

Serves 8-12
Prep Time: 10 minutes (total)
Cooking Time: 6 hours (approximately)

4-6 Chicken Breasts
1 Bottle of Italian Dressing
2 Cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Tub of Sour Cream

After cleaning the chicken and placing it in the crockpot, pour the bottle of Italian dressing over it and cook on high for 3 hours, followed by 3 more hours on low. Remove the chicken and shred it. A fork and knife get the job done easily. Add the soup and sour cream into the chicken "drippings" (and Italian dressing) and stir until well mixed. Add the chicken, serve with rice or noodles, and VOILA! Dinner is served!

Chocolate Chip Cookies | Coconut Oil version

1/2 c. Coconut Oil

2 Eggs

1 1/2 c. Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tbsp. Vanilla

1 3/4 c. Flour

1 Bag of chocolate chips (or raisins, nuts, M&M's - anything really!)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together the coconut oil, eggs and brown sugar until it's relatively creamy. Add remaining ingredients, mixing together until all are incorporated. Roll dough into balls and place 6-8 on a cookie sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or just until the outside of the cookies have browned around the edges. Remove, slightly cool, grab milk and DEVOUR!

NOTE: I love using a mini-muffin pan to bake cookies in, and my pan worked perfectly with this recipe. The end result were these adorable little cookie-pies. Adjust your baking time when you do this, though - they only need about 5-7 minutes, depending on how "done" you like them!

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What are some of your favorite recipes, and what do you like to experiment with in the kitchen?

Just because she's darling.

I already posted today, but wanted to show off my adorable baby.

She's the most darling thing you've ever seen in your life? I feel the same way.

Catch Me Up

Since my last actual blog post, I've been quite busy. Allow me to get all of you up to speed.

And by all of you, I mean Dad, my only follower.

*Slams head on keyboard in dismay*

Well, here it goes.

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In 2011, I :

- had a baby. Baby O arrived on November 16, 2011 and has been filling her dad and my world with smiles and smelly diapers ever since. She's basically the most incredible baby ever to lie down and occasionally roll over on the face of the planet. As an added bonus, she's a red-head. Be jealous.

- moved. Again. When D and I found out we were expecting and got over the initial terrified reality that we were going to be parents (creepy), we realized we would need to make some big adjustments. That meant that we needed to downsize. We relocated to a spacious apartment, one-half mile from Derek's work. Did I mention that we did this when I was six months pregnant? Or that the weather in Nebraska  was hotter than Ryan Gosling in The Notebook? (Yes, I just made a Ryan Gosling reference. Sue me; he's gorgeous.)

- got a new job. Times two. After nearly three years at Christ's Place, D & I decided it'd be best if I found a part-time job that had routine hours. It was bittersweet, but I can say now that it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Not only has my relationship with my J-dog been growing, He's been blessing the worship department at CP with amazing men and women who have seen the department grow and do amazing things for His glory. (And, yes, I just made a Jesus reference. My Jesus is a bit hip/gangster. He may or may not have dreadlocks in my head.) My new job at Elton Chiropractic was a total blessing. Since last year my job there has been redefined so that I'm able to stay home with Baby O, and I'm loving the 'work-from-home' mom hat.

- became a hippy. I'm not full-blown hemp panties and peace signs yet, but I would say it's only a matter of time. (I'm joking about the hemp panties. Sorry, Dad.) D & I have made a gigantic jump towards going green and organic. Let me tell you, it's not easy, but it's been worth it. We both feel healthier, have both lost weight without doing a weight-loss-diet, and know that our choice are going to make a better life for our children and the earth. Currently, my hippie-obssession is with coconut oil. Our house smells like a mix between a tropical island and a macaroon. YUM.

- fell in love with birth. It's a long story and will have to be told another time, but I believe that birth is one of the most incredible experiences someone can go through. In May, I will begin training to become a doula; I am so ridiculously excited. I want every woman to have a birthing experience that they will lovingly look back on and be transported to the encouragement, joy, strength, and love that made them a mom. I want to help women have their ideal birth, whether that means au natural or an epidural or a C-section - every woman deserves to have a beautiful experience. Birth makes me sappy. It makes me cry. It makes me stand in awe of the beauty and strength God gave women. And I love babies. Agh! I'm just so pumped. More on this subject later..

- realized that I suck at life without Jesus. You know those 'EPIC FAIL' pictures you see plastering the funny internet sites? That's me without Him. By His grace, I'm beginning to suck a little less. Not by my power, but by His love. God is so rad. You should know Him.

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There you have it in a nutshell, folks. 

I guess I'll see you next year. Haha, just kidding :)

Try again... Okay, now try AGAIN...

Well, this is awkward. And embarrassing.

Not only is this the first post I've written in over a year, my entire blogging history still fits on one page. ONE PAGE. I'm pathetic.

Oh, well..."If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."