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 :)

RRRrrraaarrrr!!!!

The lion Beanie

I just can't decide what is Cuter...

My newest Beanie :)

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.

This is for reals...

This is serious folks. She REALLY has it down now...

Garlic Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Pizza of all kinds has become a favorite in my family. It is easy, quick and can be so fun adapting so many different kinds! One of our favorites is garlic chicken alfredo. You can use leftover chicken if you have it on hand for this and if you really get into it... make your own dough! This dough recipe is a "no failure". I got it from our friends the Hoyles and lets just say... They don't mess around when it comes to their pizza. Also, you can really add any toppings you like. The recipe below is what I always have on hand to do, but I have added many different things to this recipe such as mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes or mozzarella, onions (when Ryan isn't looking) or whatever else you like! It is all up to you!

For the dough:
Ingredients:
1 3/4 Cups Hot Water
4 1/2 Cups Flour
1 tsp. Yeast
1/2 Cup oil
2 tsp Salt

Directions:*Mix all ingredients together into bowl.
*Place a towel over bowl and let rise for 2 hours

Cooking Directions:
*Heat oven to 55o degrees for 25 minutes
*Roll out dough 1/4 inch thick
*After rolling out dough place cornmeal on paddle, then place dough on the paddle. Add your sauce, cheese, and toppings. Easy enough!

For the pizza:

Ingredients:
Alfredo Sauce (try this homemade one from www.ourbestbites.com)
1 tsp. minced garlic
Salt and Pepper to dash
Fresh Basil4 cooked strips bacon
1 cup cooked chicken
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp olive oil
Italian Seasoning to dash

Directions:
1. After dough is rolled out, spread olive oil, garlic and Italian Seasonings on dough. I like to bake my dough for about 2 minutes to instill these flavorings on the crust. Then take out and place toppings on.
2. Place alfredo sauce, chicken, bacon, dash of salt and pepper, and cheese all over pizza. I like to add cheese, then add basil, then add a little more cheese. Cook for 8-10 minutes and then serve.

It should look like this! Yum!

Crawling and Standing...

I sit here quiet and look lazy so they think I am being good...

And then when I have the chance...


I go! I start out slow and give Mommy a smile as if to say, "Mind your business Mommy. I am just hanging out."

But then...


I am off! And, I am going fast!!!


Here I come Doggy food! No one can stop me!!! Chevy will starve if I have it my way!!!

Ut oh... Mommy is coming to get me...


I like to stand and greet Mommy now when she comes to get me. I am just so nice like that...


And, look what Grandma Ihnen caught me doing. Hehehe...