Pasta with Pancetta & Mushrooms!

1 TBS Olive Oil
½ Cup diced up pancetta
½ Cup sliced portabella mushrooms
½ Small onion diced
4 Garlic cloves diced
1/2 Cup of chicken broth
½ Cup of heavy cream
¼ Cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ Cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese
Pepper


While the pasta is cooking, sauté pancetta in olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once the pancetta is brown and crisp remove with a slotted spoon. Reserve the drippings in the pan and add the mushrooms and onion to it and cook until mushrooms are golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Stir in chicken broth. Cook until chicken broth is reduced by half. Add cream. When sauce comes to a boil, add the pancetta and remove from the heat and stir in cheese and parsley. Add pepper to taste. Toss sauce and pasta together and serve!


SO SO SO SO GOOD!

Home Theater!

So Alex has loved our new TV (Samsung, really big, hd, flat panel, etc.) since we got it about a year ago. His only complaint has been that the TVs speakers can't handle the big sound. FINALLY I caved and let him (did I really just say "let him" - isn't he the only one making the bucks?) buy a small sound system for it. I agreed, knowing for sure I would hear NO difference and I would just be whatever about the whole thing - in fact I'd be aggravated about fining a way to conceal the wires and annoyed about what a mess it looks like since we can't afford a new TV stand or someone to professionally put in the system behind walls! I was kinda wrong - the sound is incredible, I seriously didn't think I would be able to tell, but I can, and it's really GREAT! I still hate our $20 set up/hide the wire thing but I guess we take the ugly (thanks Target) with the GREAT!

Meatloaf, Rice & Salad

Meatloaf-
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 egg
Milk (about 1/4 cup)
Catchup (a few squirts)
Worshsire sauce (a few shakes)
Seasoned bread crumbs (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 small onion, diced
1/2 small green pepper, diced
McCormick montreal seasoning blend (palm full)
Sea salt
Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mush all together, then form a big ball. Place in a baking dish and push down on the center of the ball and work with it to form a loaf. Top with some marinara sauce (I use Rao's) and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees.




Slice and serve with some rice & a salad!

Baked Chicken & Roasted Garlic Whipped Potatoes!

Roast about 6-8 garlic cloves in the oven by peeling, drizzled olive oil on them and baking for 30 minutes at 250 degrees.

Chicken-
2 chicken breasts
1/2 small chopped onion
2 roasted garlic cloves
2 TBS olive oil
Italian seasoning
Sea salt
pepper

Place chicken and onions in roasting dish and rub a garlic clove on each. Drizzle the chicken with the olive oil and then season with the sea salt, pepper and italian seasoning. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.


Potatoes-
2 small red potatoes, peeled and cut up
Whole milk
Butter
Roasted Garlic
Pepper

Place potatoes in a pot with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook till the potatoes are soft. Place potatoes, milk, butter and garlic in a dish and mash all together (I used my hand held food processor lightly to mash well).



We had ours some heated up frozen spinach and everything (including the frozen spinach) was delish!

STX!

We had such an amazing time on vacation visiting with Alex's parents! AJ was a perfect angel on all 4 flights which just made the whole experience even better. She had a blast at the beach, she loved playing in the sand and in the water. The weather was perfect and our meals were all delish (except for our horrible experience at the Brew Pub)! AJ got to see the Mocko Jumbie stilt dancers and Point Udall (the most eastern point of the US). WE LOVE STX and had a great time!

STX 09'!



Scary Cape Air flight from San Juan to STX!


Mocko Jumies at Jump Up!


Wearing grandma's hat!


Pretty entranceway to our villa!


Collecting shells on the Divi beach!


Walking in the water with Dada at Divi Beach!


Enjoying the the blues band at dinner!


All dressed for dinner and the band at Chicken Charlies!


Playing in the sand!


Grandpa, AJ & Dada at the Reef Beach!


Catching some waves at The Reef Beach!


Playing with Grandma at the Reef Beach!


All ready for dinner at Top Hat (YUMMY YUMMY in your TUMMY food!)



Point Udall!





Dinner at the Buccaneer (My favorite dinner in STX)!



Flight home - AJ checking out what's new in Sky Mall!

A is for AJ & Apple!

Our friend Leanne made the cutest little hoodie for AJ - I LOVE the fabric she used for the a and the apple! Thanks Leanne - it fits just perfect and AJ look SO cute in it!! LOVE IT!

Cheese Steak Sandwiches

1 medium onion sliced
1/2 green pepper sliced
4 large mushrooms sliced
1/2 lb shell steaks VERY VERY thinly sliced, cut up into strips
3 slices of deli American cheese
1 tsp butter
2 long rolls
sea salt
pepper







Season the meat with sea salt and pepper. Melt butter in a frying pan and add onion and pepper and cook on medium heat for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook till tender. Push the mixture off to the side of the pan and cook the steak till brown (since it's so thin it only takes a minute or two) then mix with the vegetables and separate into two halves about the size of your rolls, place a slice of cheese over each half and then turn off heat and cover with a top to melt the cheese. Serve on long rolls!

These tasted great - so perfect for a weekend night at home on the couch with the one you love!

Tossed!

Salads can be boring, but this one is great and it goes perfect with a sandwich or some soup! Tonight we had ours with some of my crock pot pulled pork sandwiches!

Lettuce
Celery
Carrots
Tomato
Red Onion
Bacon
Egg
Shredded Cheese
Ranch Dressing



Here is another pic of the pulled pork when it's done, when I posted the original recipe on 2/3 I couldn't find my camera and had to use my cell phone!

STX Bound!

We leave tomorrow morning for STX to visit Alex's parents for 8 days and we can't wait!

St. Croix is the largest of the United States Virgin Islands, 82 square miles in area. Christiansted and Frederiksted are the two main towns on the Island and we will be staying closer to Chirstiansted on the east end of the island with a view of Buck Island.

Here is the link to the villa that we will be staying in-
http://stcroixrentavilla.com/Caribe_Villa_Madeleine_St_Croix.html

CAN'T WAIT TO BE THERE!

Simple Chocolate Pudding

OK, for the few ingredients it calls for and since it was all I had in the house and I was really craving something sweet - it was pretty darn good (thanks for the cocoa mix Juna)!


6 TBS coco mix (I used one my friend Juna got me for my 30th!)
2 cups whole milk
2 TBS corn starch



Heat the milk in a sauce pan over medium heat. When it starts to get warm add the cornstarch and whisk till it comes to a slow boil. Add the coco mix and continue whisking for a few minutes.



Pour into serving glasses and chill for a few hours then serve!

Valentine's Day Cards

I love that AJ is really starting to enjoy arts & crafts! Today we made Valentine's Day cards - she did such a great job and we both had a really fun time making them!