A long time coming...

Wow its been so long... over a year. It seems like just yesterday I posted the last entry in here. Since my last post a lot has happend. I have gotten very involved in our new home, running the Airman's Attic, become a Scentsy Independent Consultant and a number of other things. We moved house after our roof leaked for 4 months, really a lot has happened. I could say that all these things, my busyness, is the reason I stoped blogging, but that would be a lie. August 16, 2011, my Grammy passed away. I woke up went to the Airman's Attic and planned on calling her back that afternoon. (She had tried to call me the day before.) Josh came to the Attic to tell me the horrible news. I knew right away, no question. How I knew I don't know.... she was fine I had just talked to her, seen her, spent the summer hanging out with her, and now she was gone. I felt empty, alone, and like no one would ever completly understand me ever again. You see she was a retired military wife and I was just begining this crazy Air Force Wife life and she was guiding me, telling me how to meet people, how to live this life, and how to be a good wife. Grammy reassured me and encouraged me in this new life. How was I going to go on with her gone? How was I ever going to cook again without her guidance? Well lets just say the first time I cooked was about 3 weeks later and I had my first guests over in nowhere and I balled like a baby while I prepared that meal. I used her recipies and her bowls, but it wasnt the same. I hid this last year in volunteer work at the Attic, and tried hard not to be sad and move on. I did it pretty sucessfully, but thought of Grammy every day in one thing I did or another and sometimes would even pick up the phone to call her only to relize once again the depressing truth that she was gone. Dont think I have been alone in all this I have not, but I have done a pretty good job of covering the grief in my day to day life. Well now it has been one year, one month, and 5 days. In the last month I have DIYed my poor husband to death and cooked I dont know how many new meals and I baked I finally baked again. These are all things that give me Joy, but have not wanted to do since she was gone. Today I decided was the day the day I would begin blogging again. Sorry if my writing is bad Im not proofing it but I heading to work. But I will leave you with this....

“If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together.. there is something you must always remember. you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. but the most important thing is, even if we're apart.. i'll always be with you.” - Winnie the Pooh

New Bedding

 We got new bedding this week as well as made a new headboard for our bed. Hope you like it.

Hang your hat

Fun Suff

These are some new fun things we have made.

Freezer Friends

Tangy Pineapple Chicken by Jen

Ingredients:
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups Barbecue sauce
1 1/2 cup pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 cup brown sugar

Assembly:
Mix barbecue sauce and brown sugar together. Stir in pineapple chunks. Pour over chicken breasts. Place in 9x13 pan, cover and bake at 350 for 30-40 mins.

Freezer Friendz:
Thaw.  Pour bag of chicken with pineapple chunks in 9x13 pan.   Cover and bake at 350 for 30-40 mins.

We loved this recipe... the chicken was so moist. I served over rice and cooked carrots. check out Freezer Friendz.

Once a month cooking

So this month I embarked on a new adventure, once a month cooking. It is great. I love pulling out dinner and not worrying what is for dinner. I love that we can have fresh food with little day of effort. I love that when I cook chicken or beef I wash the pan once for the entire month and don't have to cook it again. Awesome. I love the variety. When you cook for two you can end up eating the same thing for a week which can be a little boring. I don't mind leftovers, but not for three days. A lot of recipes serve six or eight, and with two people that means 3 to 4 diners. Another plus is we are throwing away a lot less food which is always a plus. Right we just have the freezer part of our fridge, not an extra freezer and it works. Maybe by not eating out we can save up for a small freezer that way I can make breakfast foods and frozen cookie dough, but for now it works and works great.


I will start putting up my monthly menu as well as some of our favorite freezer friendly recipes and websites that I find. I would recommend cooking with a friend or splitting it up and swapping meals with a friend. Whatever you do have fun, shop the day before, and maybe pull up the computer and catch up on some tv on hulu.


Here is one of my new favorite recipes:

Salsa Chicken Burritos (Keezas freezer meals)

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts                     
1 can black beans                       
1 C brown rice                                
8oz pepper jack cheese               
16 oz salsa                                    
1 pkg taco seasoning                     
1/2 C chopped cilantro              
1 C corn (not pictured)                  
2 pkg 8 inch flour tortillas 
          

Cook  the chicken breasts and chop into 1/4 inch pieces.  Steam the brown rice according to package directions.  As these are cooking you can drain and rinse the black beans.  Drain excess moisture off the salsa.  Grate the pepper jack cheese.  Mix the rice, beans, salsa, cheese, taco seasoning, corn and cilantro in a medium mixing bowl.   At this stage you have the vegetarian version.  Now add the chopped chicken for the original version. Now place two heaping spoonfuls (about 2/3 C) of this filling into the middle of a tortilla. Next the left and right sides of the tortilla in over the filling and roll up the tortilla from the bottom to the top. Then wrap each filled tortilla in plastic wrap. Then place in the freezer.  When ready to eat, you can put one plastic wrapped Salsa Chicken Wrap into the microwave and cook on high for a 2-3 minutes.  Then let it rest for a minute or two so it is cool enough to handle.  Unwrap the plastic wrap and enjoy.  You can dip in sour cream.

This such a great snack or even meal. I love, love, love them. I used about 20 tortillas and only put about ½ cup in each, this amount seemed to work better for me. Hope you enjoy and don’t forget to check out the blog I found it at Keezas freezer meals.

Updates...

Here are some pics of our new dog George as well as so projects we have been up to.