What's for Dinner?::Chicken Marsala

Oh my goodness! This was SO good!!! I was wishing I made more to have more because it was SO good!

 

Ingredients

	2 tsp olive oil
	3 cup(s) fresh mushroom(s), fresh, sliced
	1 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s), four 4 oz pieces
	1 tsp dried thyme
	1/2 tsp table salt
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	1/2 cup(s) table wine, Marsala variety
	1 1/4 cup(s) canned beef broth, reduced-sodium, divided
	1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender and releasing liquid, about 5 minutes.
  
• Meanwhile, place chicken on a plate and season both sides with thyme, salt and pepper. Move mushrooms to outer edge of skillet once cooked. Place chicken in center of skillet and sauté until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
  
• Add wine to skillet; simmer 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup of broth and simmer, uncovered, until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
  
• Dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1/2 cup of broth in a small bowl; add to skillet. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring constantly and incorporating mushrooms into the liquid, about 1 minute. Serve chicken with mushroom sauce spooned over top. Yields about 3 ounces of chicken and 1/3 cup of sauce per serving.

What's for Dinner?::Chicken Sausage Casserole

I didn't get my own picture of this one so the picture is from the Weight Watchers website, but this is pretty much what mine looked like. It was really good, and made enough for lots of leftovers! It was so good I didn't mind having it for lunch & dinner for a couple days! ;)

I couldn't find Chicken Sausage so I just used regular Italian Sausage & crumbled it as I cooked in...I'm sure it was probably more points this way, but that's the joy of Weight Watchers...you have room for flexibility!




Ingredients

	2 spray(s) cooking spray
	12 oz uncooked whole wheat pasta, rotini suggested (about 3 cups)
	1 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin
	1/2 cup(s) panko breadcrumbs
	2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano suggested
	1 tsp dried oregano
	8 oz cooked chicken sausage(s), Italian-variety, thinly sliced
	1 medium yellow pepper(s), thinly sliced
	1 medium uncooked, onion(s), chopped
	1 pound(s) fresh mushroom(s), sliced
	2 Tbsp water
	4 cup(s) marinara sauce
	1 cup(s) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9- X 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  
• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain pasta and return to pot.
  
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring often, until toasted, about 4 minutes. Remove breadcrumbs to a small bowl; stir in Parmesan and oregano and set aside.
  
• In same skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes; remove to a plate and drain any fat from skillet.
  
• Add pepper and onion to skillet; cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until vegetables start to brown and soften, about 5 minutes.
  
• Add mushrooms and water to skillet; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
  
• Add vegetables, sausage and marinara sauce to pot with drained pasta; toss to coat. Spoon into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with mozzarella and reserved breadcrumbs. Bake until heated through and cheese melts, about 25 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving (about 1 1/2 cups).

Prestyn's 4th Month

So I decided to start working on these posts throughout the month rather than when she turns that age. This way I'm not trying to remember everything that has happened. So I apologize if this sounds choppy since it was worked on daily.

Well...we knew the day would come. When you no longer needed to be swaddled. :( Before we moved you to your room we started weening you out of the swaddle with 1 arm out. Once you were in your crib we went back to both arms in. Then slowly did one arm out again. I read that you would let us know when you were ready to bit be swaddled anymore. That was when you got both arms out of the swaddle and still slept soundly! So now we still put you in the swaddle me but arms are out! 

You are definitely a girly girl and such a lady. Except when you lift your dress up to suck on it, and stick your tongue out at everything! But both are so cute!! Since you have found your tongue you find it quite funny and entertaining to stick it out! And so do we! We just laugh at you & stick our tongue right back out at ya!

Oh my distracted baby! Your daddy has officially been diagnosed with ADHD...mommy has unofficially been diagnosed with ADD since I can manage...so I'm sorry kid...the cards aren't dealt in your favor! Ha! It's so cute though! Sheesh everything you do is cute! Even when a you pop off during a nursing session to gaze at me then giggle! I'm pretty sure you're getting a full feeding so I'm not too worried about it...we hesitated to hang a mobile from your crib or to put the projection on your ceiling from your noise maker since you do get distracted so easily and you might talk to it all night rather than go to sleep. Well we figured out that not much can stop you from talking to anything & everything so we went ahead and put the projection on your ceiling...and whatdya know?! You stared for a little bit then went right to sleep! Such a good baby!

One of my favorite things that you now do is reach up and touch my face. I cried the first time you did it. It was the best feeling. To feel you reaching up to feel me. You like to do this when I'm trying to rock you before bed. I smile at you for a little bit then hold your hand so we can hold hands, and you can concentrate on going to sleep! 

Oh little girl! How you make us laugh! And we make you laugh too! Mommy blows raspberries and you just laugh! Daddy tries to which makes Mommy laugh, and then you laugh because Mommy's laughing! But boy oh boy you do not like when raspberries are blown on your cheek or neck! We found this out when Papa did it! We thought you didn't like his whiskers, but the next day Momma did it...ohhhh girl and you turned that bottom lip out! Good thing we were able to soothe you before it turned into an all out cry! 

Oops you did it again! Started leaking in your diapers that is! So we tried the next size up--size 2--and they fit! So you're now wearing a size 2 diaper. Your size 3 month clothes are getting pretty snug too! 

During this 4 month you are experiencing 5 weeks of a "leap" in brain development. This is what the Wonder Weeks app calls it. On the chart these weeks are all black with a storm cloud. Which means you might be fussier during this time. Might?! Nope! You for sure are! But I still love you! By the end of this leap you'll be able to do all the things you see here. I'm noticing you already are which is A LOT! So that explains your fussiness! You're so smart!!

 

So 1 day during your 4th month during a nap you decided to try to start rolling. Daddy and I were watching you on the monitor then went into your room to watch you. We watched you roll from your back to side. Then side to stomach. It took a while for you to get completely on your stomach since your arm was in the way...once you figured it out and were on your tummy you were a little surprised, and woke up! We celebrated! Then we wondered what to do since you could now roll, and wanted to sleep this way. So we still put you to bed on your back, but you always make it to your tummy! And you seem to sleep much better this way!

 

We had your 4th month appointment this week. We told Dr. Drake about you rolling, and she said it was time to not swaddle at all anymore. I thought it was getting close since you just kick when we put the swaddle on you. Since you had shots this day your naps were mostly in our arms...so when I put you to bed that night I did so without a swaddle...and you...SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!! Halleluia! I don't think it had anything to do with the swaddle, but EVERYTHING to do with the shots! Ha! We might be onto something though! I'm hoping you'll do this again! People talk about the 4th month sleep regression. I don't think you can regress much, but you can progress! And I think you're almost there! You're waking up 1-2 times a night. We will be starting you on cereal soon hopeful that it will help you sleep. Contrary to what some other moms may say...we're going to try & see what works for us! :)

 

You had a really good nap before your doctor's appointment so you were a happy baby at the appointment! They did all your measurements & here's how you did:

 

Height: 23.5 in (13%) you might be a shorty like Mommy & Daddy! Sorry Kid! :)

Weight: 12 lb 10 oz (17%) EXACTLY 3 pounds more than at your 2 month appt!

Head: 41 cm (61%) the same percentage as your 2 month appt!

 

With your awesome growth you have not only moved up in diaper sizes, but in clothes too...you wear size 3-6 months. You've even outgrown some of your size 3 month clothes. Exciting news about your growth though...you can now wear your size newborn shoes! Yay! You don't care for them too much though since you like to eat your feet. :) Silly girl!

 

Or Silly Goose as I sing to you & you just laugh! You also get a kick out of peek-a-boo! We love you, P, Tooter, Sugar Booger Bear! Muah!!

 

 

What's for Dinner?::BBQ Chicken Pizza

I don't have much to say about this one other than it was really good! And easy! Here's the recipe...Enjoy!

Ingredients

	2 spray(s) cooking spray
	4 medium whole wheat tortilla(s)
	1 cup(s) (chopped) cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast(s), or shredded
	1/2 cup(s) barbecue sauce
	3 oz Gouda cheese, smoked or regular, shredded (about 3/4 cup)
	1/2 small uncooked red onion(s), cut in thin slivers
	1/2 cup(s) cilantro, fresh, chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat 1 or 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
• Place tortillas on prepared pan(s).
• In a small bowl, toss chicken with barbecue sauce; divide among tortillas and sprinkle each with 3 tablespoons cheese and 2 tablespoons onions. Bake until cheese melts and bottoms of tortillas are lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle each pizza with 2 tablespoons cilantro. Slice each pizza into 4 wedges and serve. Yields 1 pizza (4 wedges) per serving.

What's for Dinner?

I've done posts like this before...but I'm wanting to start it up again to save some of my favorite recipes...I was going to later post about my post pregnancy weight loss until I lost all the weight I wanted to lose, but I'll go ahead and start a little with this post...then blog more about it later when I lose all the weight!

So I gained about 50 pounds during pregnancy. Go ahead...look all wide eyed! Unless you saw me in person you may be like, that's all?! Ha! I got pretty big! And I don't regret it at all! I ate what I wanted to eat...I still ate healthy, but if I wanted a Little Debby I had a Little Debby! My weight gain was slow so the doctors weren't concerned about it...my blood pressure was always good so health wise...I was fine!

Since I had a C-Section I had to go to the doctor 2 weeks post partum to check my incision. So...I also had to step on the scale...by this point I lost 20 pounds! We had lovely friends and family bringing us meals for the first 6 weeks since Prestyn was born. So I wasn't going to worry about it! I was going to eat the yummy meals that were brought to us and enjoy them! At my 6 week post partum check I don't remember what my weight was at the doctor, but I had weighed myself at home that morning...that was the day I decided to start Weight Watchers! Not because the number scared me, but because this was my plan all along.

I did Weight Watchers before we got married, and was pleased with the results! I have a Weight Watchers scale at home...and a newborn so going to the meetings wasn't going to work for me! So I joined online! I hardly have to get on the computer since I have the Weight Watchers app. But I do get on the computer when I'm looking for recipes!

So here's the point of this blog...for the Weight Watcher recipes that Husband says, "mmmm! That was good! Make that again!" I'll be blogging the recipe! I wish I would have thought of this sooner since we've had several "mmmm! That was good!" meals...and since I pay for Weight Watchers I'm paying for these recipes... so I'm blogging about them so I can find them again later. And hopefully my readers will try some of these recipes, and enjoy them as much as did!

So for dinner tonight we had: barbecue pork sandwiches, mac & cheese, and green beans (no...the mac & cheese isn't Weight Watchers, but we like it so we had it!)

Ingredients

	1 spray(s) cooking spray
	1 pound(s) uncooked lean pork tenderloin, sliced 1/4-inch thick
	1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste, divided
	1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste, divided
	1 small uncooked onion(s), finely chopped
	1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
	15 oz canned tomato sauce
	1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
	1 Tbsp white wine vinegar    (I didn't have any of this so I used the red wine vinegar that I did have...the recipe could have done without this...it was a little too vinegar-y)
	4 item(s) reduced calorie hamburger roll(s)

Instructions

• Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat. Add pork slices in a single layer and season with salt and pepper; brown 2 minutes per side. Do not crowd; cook in batches if necessary. Remove pork and set aside. Add onion and garlic to skillet; sauté over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
  
  
• Add tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper to skillet; stir and simmer 1 minute. Add pork to skillet and spoon sauce over pork; cover and simmer 15 minutes.

I guess next time I'll be like everybody else, and take a picture of my food to post for the blog...haha!

Roll the Stone Away...

...Let the Guilty Pay...It's Independence Day!

I have been looking forward to this day since Prestyn got her 1st bikini that looked like the American Flag! Then I got really excited for today when BFF sent us both matching flag shirts!

Of course we wear the American flag, and celebrate in such a way because we are rejoicing that we are an independent country! Though our country...may have it's ups and downs...and that's all we'll say about that...I am still proud to be an American! Where at least I know I'm free! And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me!

Ryan's mom, Prestyn's Grammies, got her the American Flag bikini & matching hat so I told Ryan we must spend the 4th with them so they could see her in it! Thankfully they had planned on having family over to Nanny's for a pool party & cook out!

We were so excited that we were the first there! Besides Nanny of course...and the cooks, Uncle John & Stevie. We of course had to get some family pictures, and some pictures of me & P in our matching tee! (Have I been reading too much Dr. Suess?!...speaking of reading...P got her 1st Curious George book! I don't think we've ever seen Aunt Gina & Uncle Chris and NOT gotten a gift for P!) Woops! There I go rambling again...

Since P's wake times are short I fed her then we were able to get in the pool with her! She loves bath time, and has loved the other times we've gotten her in a pool. But we were a little hesitant since the water was a little chilly. But she did great! She just floated around with Mommy & Daddy! I know, I know, I didn't wait the 30 minutes to an hour after feeding her to put her in the pool, but she did wonderful so no complaints!

Then it was time for the grown ups to eat! We had a delicious 4th of July lunch with BBQ sandwiches, baked beans, pasta salad, and more! As soon as I finished eating, and ready for Aunt Gina's patriotic cake the baby was ready for a nap! Oh well...maybe I'll get some next year! ;)

We put P in the Pack 'n' Play in the "doll room" at Nanny's house (duh! that's where we were!). She went right now. Thankfully Nanny still had a monitor from when Moose was living with her so she kept an ear out for Prestyn while Ryan and I got in the pool with everybody else! It was so fun to lay out in the pool & relax! I haven't done this in a YEAR! It was a year ago this weekend that we found out we were pregnant...I already felt chubby & like I was showing (yeah right!) so didn't get back in a bathing suit after that!

Nanny did such a good job listening for Prestyn. When she started to fuss when she was waking up Nanny went in to check on her. And oh sweet Nanny! I know she tried, but Prestyn woke up in an unfamiliar place with somebody not as familiar to her as Mommy & Daddy! So it took her a good while to calm down. Thankfully Ryan was there because I don't think I could have done that alone! Once we finally got her calm she ate, and then it was time to go!

So here we are...baby is bathed & in bed while Daddy is volunteering at the fire station. Let's hope for a good, quiet, and safe night for all!

Cheers! XOXO

Prestyn wasn't too thrilled with her new sunglasses today so I thought I'd get some use out of them! :)

2 Year Anniversity

No...that is not a type-o. We call our anniversary a anniversity...it's an inside joke, but I'm feeling generous so that you can all laugh here's why::

After we'd been married for 6 months Ryan left me a sweet note on our bathroom mirror that said: Happy 6 Month Anniversity! I was like, anniversity?! I have to give credit to my friend Amy who said...what's that? The college of marriages? Haha! So now we call it an anniversity & laugh about it every time! Who knows what he was thinking about when he wrote that, but it was at about 4 in the morning so the thought was nice. :)

It took us a while to celebrate our anniversary...with an infant & a the recent events of our puppy the celebration was put a hold a little bit. If you read our previous post you have an idea on how we celebrated.

I am all about the traditions! This year the traditional anniversary gift is cotton. So I got Ryan a cotton golf towel with his monogram on it. And what goes better with a golf towel than a new golf bag?! Husband has been wanting one, and was pretty excited to get both! 

My BFF is selling seersucker monogrammed koozies. I never mentioned to Ryan that I wanted one, but he just knew I did! And got me one in my favorite colors: pink and orange! I love my cotton koozie and use it all the time! 

For our Valentine's gift to each other we got the camera we've been wanting! And since then I've been wanting a fancy camera strap that set our camera apart from the rest! Since we assume the straps are woven of cotton that's another thing Husband got me! I love it!!! It's red and white striped because the 2 year anniversary stone is garnet and garnets are red! It also has my name on the leather part on the end. He did good!! 

So to celebrate we had dinner at PF Chang's in downtown Fort Worth. It was delicious!!! We went all out with cocktails, appetizers, dinner, and dessert! Thanks to my FIL for the gift card and to my MIL for babysitting! 

And since I'm all about the traditions last year we started a few anniversary traditions! One of them is to take a picture of us each year holding a picture from the year before. So you'll see in this picture were holding a picture from our 1 year anniversary where there's a picture of us on our wedding day! 

We enjoyed watching our wedding video and reminiscing that beautiful day! I love him even more now than that day! He's an awesome husband and father! 

Cheers! Xoxo!