MISC – Page 361 – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads ME

Slow Cooking Thursday ~ Linguine & Chicken or Italian Chicken

Hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

LINGUINE & CHICKEN or ITALIAN CHICKEN
2 pounds chicken tenders, cut in half
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon each sea salt & white pepper
1 heaping teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon ground basil
olive oil
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes with herbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 1/3 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon chicken base
Fresh cooked linguine
Parmesan cheese
Garlic Bread

Mix together the flour, sea salt, white pepper, basil & Italian seasoning.
Coat each chicken tender well.
In a large skillet heat enough olive oil to coat bottom well.
Brown chicken pieces until golden on each side, but not cooked through. With a slotted spoon transfer to slow cooker.
Add onions to oil and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add tomatoes, boiling water and chicken base until well blended.
Bring to a boil.
Pour over everything.
Cook 4 hours on low.
Serve over hot cooked linguine.
Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and a slice of garlic bread.

You can also skip the skillet portion, but need to increase the cooking time by 1 hour. I prefer the grilled edges to the chicken and onions.

This recipe can also be made without slow cooking: but I prefer slow cooking which I believe makes for much more tender chicken pieces.

Mix together the flour, sea salt, white pepper, basil & Italian seasoning.
Coat each chicken tender well.
In a large skillet heat enough olive oil to coat bottom well.
Add onions to oil and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Brown chicken pieces until golden on each side and cooked through.
Whisk together water (reduced to 2/4 cup if not slow cooking) and chicken base until well blended. Add tomatoes. Pour into skillet.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Serve over hot cooked linguine.
Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and a slice of garlic bread.

While I call this Linguine and Chicken we much prefer to have it over Parmesan Potatoes and that’s when we call it Italian chicken.

I also participate in the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy

, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom

, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks

, Homemaker Mondays hosted by Robyn at 11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven, Making a Happy Home Monday hosted by LL at As for me and my house…, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace, Slow Cooking Thursday & Tips on Tuesday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

, $5 Dinners is hosted by Erin at $5 DInners and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

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Thursday Thirteen

THURSDAY THIRTEEN IS BACK!!!
http://www.thursday-13.com/
Thank you Janet and Megan for resurrecting it!

13 projects being worked this week and hope to get at least one to completion because I am running into issue after issue.

Texture coat for linen effect stairwell walls.
Texture coat for linen effect Amber’s bedroom walls.
Paint stairwell.
Paint Amber’s bedroom.
Hang Oak Quilt Hanger Bar.
Close dining room ceiling now that upstairs shower leak is fixed.
Finish upstairs bathroom molding.
Paint Upstairs bathroom.
Repair bedroom wall from electrician and texture coat over repair and then paint it.
Finish caulking seams on downstairs bathroom ceiling.
Paint downstairs bathroom.
Take weekend off to watch playoff games.
Work on quilt for stairwell.

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VTT&STF – Oak Phone

Vintage Thingies Thursday is hosted by Suzanne at Coloradolady. Show & Tell Friday is Hosted by Kelli at There is No Place Like Home.

At one time or another hubby and I both worked for a major phone company in various capacities. In fact in the course of our employment the company was purchased and changed names twice while I was there and three times while hubby was there. I can’t remember where this phone originated, but it fits this 117 year old house well. We hung it in the foyer where one quite like it probably hung at some point in time.

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Jenjen & Alice both make my difficult morning brighter

Jenjen over at Tatertos and Jello sent me this awesome award. Isn’t it pretty? Thanks Jenjen.

The award states:
“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

Now there are sooooooooooooo many wonderful bloggers out there who deserve this and you know who you are, but I’ll start the awards with…

Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Shannon at Shannon’s Moments of Introspection
Barbara at Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers
Holly at Mommy Holly
Joyce at Mom’s Musings
Diana at Forgetfulone
Janet at Fond of Snape
Kiy at Rocking Chairs & a Tricycle

Alice over at Alice’s Restaurant sent me this awesome award. Isn’t it pretty? Thanks Alice.

Now there are sooooooooooooo many wonderful bloggers out there who deserve this award too and you know who you are, but I only have so much time so I’ll start the awards with…

Jenjen at Tatertots and Jello
Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Michelle at Scribbit A blog about Motherhood in Alaska
Misty Dawn at Misty’s Words
Lucy at Lulu’s Petals

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Thank Goodness today's project keeps me Indoors

From weather.com:
ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE DROPPING FROM CENTRAL CANADA INTO THE PLAINS STATES WILL BRING A REINFORCING SHOT OF BITTER COLD AIR INTO THE UPPER GREAT LAKES REGION THROUGH THURSDAY. THIS BITTER COLD AIR MASS ALONG WITH AN INCREASE IN NORTHWEST WINDS THIS AFTERNOON WILL DRIVE WIND CHILL VALUES INTO THE 25 TO 35 BELOW ZERO RANGE OVER WEST AND CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. EXPECT WIND CHILL VALUES TO TUMBLE INTO THE 35 TO 45 BELOW ZERO RANGE TONIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING AS THE CORE OF THE ARCTIC AIR MASS DRIFTS OVERHEAD. I’m sure glad I don’t have to leave the house today, my boots are only rated to 30 below – LOL. I think I’ll go get another cup of coffee.

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To lurk or Not to lurk? That is the question.

Did you know yesterday was National Delurking Day? Me either. Barbara is right though ~ we all know there are more people reading our blogs than we have comments for, so yesterday was the day everyone was supposed to say hi. Let’s see if we can continue for a long while longer? Please feel free to say hi, and if you have a blog make sure you leave a link so I can come visit!

Care to unmask and say hi?

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TWD ~ Savory Corn & Pepper Muffins

Laurie of Quirky Cupcake formed Tuesdays With Dorie as a form of accountability for baking at least once a week using the cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. TWD celebrated it’s 1 year anniversary last week and is still going strong!

Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake chose Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins on page 6. I loved this recipe. I wanted to try out a new pan I received for Christmas, but the batter rose more than I expected so we have these cute rounded leaves. It didn’t affect the flavor at all! Head on over to Rebecca’s for the recipe.

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Homemaking a happy home Monday, tummy tempting and tips Tuesday

Homemaker Mondays is hosted by Robyn at 11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven Making a Happy Home Monday is hosted by LL at As for me and my house… Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace Tips on Tuesday is hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

HOMEMAKING AND MAKING A HAPPY HOME to me isn’t being clutter free – that just doesn’t happen in real life, but I do like to make sure under that clutter everything is clean. One of the things I do daily so it doesn’t become a chore is keep a Scrubbing Bubbles or Clorox Wipes (whichever is on sale) container of wipes under each bathroom sink. Just before my shower, I wipe down the sink and toilet. That way it’s done daily and isn’t a big chore on the weekend. This is a TUESDAY TIP too.

TUESDAY TIP ~ When you make bacon on the weekend, save it in a pyrex storage container large enough for the grease and a can of green beans. Cover it and refrigerate. On the night you’re having green beans, open them into the pyrex and microwave for 2 minutes for flavorful green beans.

TEMPT MY TUMMY TUESDAY is the perfect place for trying new and exciting recipes.

HUEVOS con YUMMY
2 cups diced ham, crumbled beef or sausage
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can green chiles, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 cups shredded mild cheddar or colby cheese
8 eggs

Brown meat and onions in a large skillet.
Add tomatoes and chiles.
Simmer 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
In a separate pan, lightly scramble the eggs.
Add to the meat mixture after liquid absorbed.
Stir in cheese until melted.
Serve with warm tortillas and Garden Tomato Salsa.

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Mellow Yellow Monday [1]

There’s a new photo meme in town, in fact this is week one over at Mellow Yellow Monday and it is all about the color yellow. Go check it out. LOL Yellow is one of my favorite colors when I need to see spring come faster. I took this picture near Land o’ Lakes or Eagle River, Wisconsin last summer. This was just hanging out on a backyard dock. Check out the happy face on his rear fin!

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Monday Musings

Hosted by Barbara at Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers

Life is to be lived. If you have to support yourself, you had bloody well better find some way that is going to be interesting. And you don’t do that by sitting around.

~Katharine Hepburn
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Menu Plan Monday

Weekday breakfasts are always either toast, scrambled eggs or cereal so I don’t post those. Working from home, lunch is “whatever” so it isn’t definitive either, but weekends are usually a brunch and I will start posting those along with the dinners.

Monday ~ Twisted Pepper Steak
Tuesday ~ Beef Stroganoff
Wednesday ~ Crockpot Pork Chops & Scalloped Potatoes
Thursday ~ Jambalaya
Friday ~ Recipe re-work experiment night
Saturday ~ Buttermilk Cinnamon Pancakes & Monte’ Cristos
Sunday ~ Toasted French Toast & Tomato Spincah Soup

I participate in the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy

, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom

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House Update ~ Chronicles of a Real Estate Nightmare ~ Kitchen Part 3

These first 2 pictures are what were taken when the house was on the market. Cute kitchen and sun porch right? I couldn’t wait to make that sun porch my studio/office.

These 2 pictures were taken of the kitchen just after we moved in and got everything put away.

We didn’t have any furnishings for the sun porch so we put my studio table our there and it became a staging area for unpacking and keeping the clutter out of the house itself. It was going to become my studio/office. It worked out great until it started to flood under the side wall. After we pulled up the old moldy carpet and linoleum I sat and cried and then we got to work. This truly became a work of Blood Sweat & Tears ~ all ours!

Hubby is pulling out the drywall that backed up to the downstairs bathroom where this all began. Before it was all over we also found mold in the cabinets. The interior shelves had never been painted and the underneath sides especially were atrocious. They had been contact paper over so it was pretty gross.

We were hopeful at saving the sun porch, but began to be doubtful and even hesitant at every board we pulled off and found more mold. We feared there would be no end.

After we removed the ceiling of the sun porch we also found that the ceiling joists were only old 2×4’s and ‘sistered’ together. There were no continuous joists anywhere in the room. There was also no insulation in the ceiling though we were told there was and there was a roof leak that the next door neighbor told us the previous owners had been trying to find, but never had. (We were never informed of the roof leak). Hubby put in continuous 2×6 ceiling joists and then we added R22 insulation throughout before putting up new drywall. We were told that the entire house had been insulated by the gas company in the years past for the elderly lady who lived here from 1948-1983, but these 2 rooms only consisted of crumpled up old Russian newspapers for insulation.

As we were pulling off each board we began to see a vision. As long as these walls had to come out to remove the mold, why not leave them off? So we closed up the original 30 inch door opening and made an 8 foot opening into the kitchen area to make a single “L” shaped family kitchen. And no, I didn’t really give up my studio. The formal dining room and parlor are becoming my studio/office as well as the 4th bedroom when necessary now that there was room for the large table in the kitchen.

So the above walls became this:

We strengthened the opening supports and increased the header to bring the entire area to code. As you look through the small doorway in the above picture you see the door to the downstairs bathroom where we found the original mold locations. That was then closed in to create a linen closet on the bath side of the hallway and cabinet space on the kitchen side.

Don’t mind the yellow, it was our version of primer to brighten the place up!

We were a long way from completion but at least we were solid now and the mold was gone, at least from the kitchen. The electrician came through and installed all new wiring and brought the entire kitchen to “code”. We installed 2 fixtures like this on the larger old sun porch side and one in the center of the old kitchen side.

Now the fun began. We needed cabinets and appliances. We had purchased the house with what we were told were a ‘couple’ of year old appliances. It turns out they were 14 years old and when the oven went out on Christmas Eve and then the refrigerator of New Years we were told they weren’t covered by the home warranty insurance due to age. We opted at that point to move the stove to the “new” side of the kitchen. The old stove was gas so we decided to make the new one electric out of ease on the cost of moving the gas line. It also allowed up to move the washer and dryer (previously in the basement) up to the first floor. The dryer was gas so it now connected to the old stove line. The washer and dryer went the way of the old stove and refrigerator when we discovered mold in the washer too and the dryer heating element went out. They too were not covered by the warranty due to age.

We found a cabinet distributor going out of business and his floor models matched VERY closely what Home Depot was selling on the floor. So we purchased his floor models to get us started and then purchased each successive unit as we needed and could. For the walls we used 4×8 sheets of plywood bead board over the insulation. We have just started working on trim molding and still have the ceiling and floor to finish, but those seem like little things compared to what we have already had to do.

I made custom shelves for the decorative jars that turned out quite nice. The cabinets are in various stages of staining; some done, some a single coat and others with 2 coats. So eventually the cabinets will all be the same colors. These are actually now ‘old’ pictures. Tomorrow I will update with current pictures as I continue the story and describe the rationale on the locations.

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Category: MISC