Sunday, June 13, 2010

Mt. Rainier 2010





Our little family


We finally went on our first camping trip. We went to Mt. Rainier with Ryan's family and it was so much fun! Emma was such a good girl. Thanks to my parents we took their tent trailer which made it so nice and comfy! We enjoyed great food, awesome weather, great company, hiking and site seeing! It was so fun and we can't wait to do it again! Here are some pictures of our adventure!

The family hiking


Emma and I being silly.

Emma playing and being such a good girl :)


Packing up and getting ready to go. She is such a little ham!



Family picture in front of Rainier. Emma is passed out from the long weekend, but it was perfect :)

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Stuffed Chicken Parmesan and Parmesan herb rice MMMmmmm...

This recipe is SO good and SO easy to make. It can be adapted to whatever ingredients you have on hand and you don't have to exactly follow the recipe. I made this one evening when Ryan was super hungry, I needed to go grocery shopping and thought I had nothing to make for dinner. I was able to concoct it from a bunch of different recipes online to fit the things that I had in my pantry. Needless to say, I was avoiding having to do that pesky grocery shopping! Here goes to Chicken Parmesan. Easy, quick, and even better when your man LOVES it!


Chicken Parmesan:

2-3 Chicken breasts thawed
1 cup Ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 spinach
1 T Parsley
1 T Oregano
1-2 T Fresh minced Garlic
Salt and Pepper to dash
1 bottle your favorite marinara sauce or try THIS homemade recipe
1 Cup Panko Bread crumbs
1 egg
2 T milk

Directions:

1. Heat skillet with a little olive oil. While Skillet is heating crack egg and whisk in med. size bowl. Add 2 T milk to egg. In another medium size bowl add bread crumbs. (If you desire, add garlic powder, onion powder or your favorite seasoning to your bread crumbs for extra flavor).
2. Before dredging chicken cut a pocket in center of each of them. Then dredge in egg/milk mixture, then in bread crumbs. Then place chicken in hot skillet.
3. Sear chicken on each side for 2-3 minutes or until bread crumbs are crusty and brown. You are not cooking the chicken, simply cooking the outside ingredients. Take off heat when done.
4. Take your Ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, spinach, oregano, parsley, and garlic and mix together in bowl. Then place a good amount of mixture into each breast. Place stuffed chicken breasts onto an oven safe dish.
5. You will cook them at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the meat is tender and done.
4. While chicken is cooking heat up your sauce. If you made homemade, go you!! If it is bottled simply heat it up. Sometimes I like to add sauted onions, mushrooms, or artichoke hearts to my sauce if I have them on hand. SO good!
5. When chicken is done, place hot sauce all over the top and extra Parmesan cheese if you like. Enjoy! So good!

Parmesan Herb Rice:

Ingredients:

1 Cup white rice
1 Cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups chicken broth
1 T garlic
1 T Italian Seasoning
1 T Parsely or Basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients except your Parmesan cheese into either a rice cooker or a pot on the stove. Give it a quick stir and then cook according to rice package directions.
2. In the last two minutes of cooking stir rice and add your Parmesan cheese and then serve with your main dish.