Comfort Food

There is a lengthy list of meals that I LOVE to make and eat that my sweet husband is just not a fan of.
It includes, but is not limited to:

Hawaiian Haystacks
Grilled Pork with Fruit Salsa
Chicken Pot Pie (especially if it has peas.)
Breakfast for Dinner
Any Casserole (Yes, ANY casserole, but he's particularly un-fond of the Tuna variety)
Spaghetti
Most Pasta Dishes - unless it's from Macaroni Grill
Soup (He says it's not a meal - ok as a side, but not a main dish)
Pretty much anything made in the crockpot
Steak Cosmopolitan (I've never actually made this, but he's still not a fan.)

And as of last night, there's a new one to add to the list:

Chicken with Gravy over Mashed Potatoes
I lovingly, tenderly, with all my sweet motherly soul, and a wink and a smile, put this meal on the table last night for Sunday dinner complete with homemade breadsticks, corn, and Celestial Cake for dessert.
D: What is this? Shepherd's Pie or something?
Me: No...it's chicken and gravy with mashed potatoes.
D: Hmm.
Me: You're telling me you've never had this before?
D: No, not as a main dish. What, did you just make it up? Or did you use a recipe?
Me: I used to get this as a little girl for hot lunch (which I only ever got once a month so it was a BIG deal) and I really, really liked it. I thought the kids might like it too.
D: Hmm.

Well, the kids did like it. They scarfed it down. As for Dan, well, it gets added to THE LIST.

If you're husband is not as picky as mine, and you like EASY TO MAKE comfort food, try it!

Four Small (or three large) Frozen Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Cup Strong Chicken Broth (I used two buillion cubes to 1 cup water)
1 Packet Golden Onion Soup mix

Put the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot, put other ingredients over top. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken. Mix it up with the soups. Serve over creamy mashed potatoes. (I use Yukon Gold potatoes). Enjoy!

Be Mine

I don't know if I'm starting to grow up, or just getting older, but Valentine's Day was good, and quiet, and without grand expectations - and it was wonderful that way! Usually, I get Dan something fabulous, and expect that he gets me something equally as fabulous, and generally end up disappointed for days (sorry honey!) But this year was different. I honestly didn't expect anything. And it was liberating. I didn't get Dan anything except a card, and it was awesome. We agreed that our gift would be to just spend time together - which we did - and it was so nice. We got a babysitter, went out for dinner, saw a movie, came home, and well, this is a family blog...so I'll stop at that. Suffice it to say, it was a great day.
And then on Sunday, my sweet little Valentines helped make lovey cookies to give to our cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.
We spent the evening with all of the above said family at Grammy's house where she fixed us a sweet dinner, with lots of decorations, heart shaped ice cubes, individual heart cakes for dessert, Valentine glow sticks and balloons, of course! It couldn't have been better. All in all - one of the best Valentine's weekends ever.

On a side note, this is Azure's cute class at school on their way to deliver Valentines to the principal. Love her school. Love her teacher. Love her principal. Love that she has such great friends in her class!