Simple Easy Side Dishes that I love!

A great side dish can just make a meal sing and sometimes can be even more exciting than the entree. I tend to focus a lot on sharing recipes for entrees and realized the other day that I have some super simple, healthy, and delicious side dishes I have come up with that deserve a post as well.
I love veggies and a typical dinner in my home usually includes some type of protein and a veggie side dish. I don't make a lot of starches at dinner time and actually try to avoid too many carbs as a general rule. I know it could seem easier sometimes to open up a box of rice or instant mashed potatoes but these side dishes are just as quick and better for you.
Nick and I both love asparagus. I have found that my favorite way to cook it is to roast it in the oven.

Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Clean and trim asparagus and place on a cookie sheet or baking pan. Drizzle olive oil on asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Mix around the spears to make sure each is coated with a little oil and seasoning. Cooking time will vary depending on your oven and the size of your spears so I would check on them after 10 mins and then continue cooking until you reach desired doneness. I love to get mine a little crispy!
You can enjoy the asparagus just like that and it tastes great but you could also squirt a little lemon juice on them or drizzle a little soy sauce on them depending on what your entree is.

 I came up with this next recipe one night when I noticed we had some tomatoes that were getting soft and needed to be eaten.

Roasted Italian Tomato Slices

tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
shredded motz, Parmesan, and or cheddar
oregano

preheat oven to 350. Clean a couple small tomatoes and cut into thick slices. Spray a cookie sheet or baking pan with cooking spray and arrange the slices on the sheet. Drizzle a little olive on each slice. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese on each slice and it almost doesn't matter what type of cheese you use. I have tried all kinds and they always taste really yummy. Then top each slice with a little oregano.
Cook slices in the oven for about 10 mins and then check on them. Continue cooking until the cheese is nice and melty and maybe even a little browned.

I adore brussel sprouts and make them really often with a piece of grilled chicken. That is a summer meal go to. I also love that you can season these brussel sprout several different ways and they just suck up the flavor.

Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts

Brussel Sprouts
olive oil
salt and pepper
minced garlic
red wine vin
optional: lemon, Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese, wine wine

Clean brussels and chop each one in half long ways. Place brussels in a skillet on med heat with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and minced garlic. Cook brussels until they begin to get bright green and a little softer then add a little vinegar and any or all of the optional ingredients. Turn up the heat to high and stir often. The goal is to get a little brown crust on the veggies but to not completely over cook them.
enjoy! The picture below shows the brussel sprouts with some grilled chicken and a little guacamole.

This next one is super simple and very summery!

Herb and Feta Cucumber slices

1 Cucumber
Any Oil based Salad Dressing like a vinaigrette, Caesar, or Italian
feta
salt and pepper

Take your cucumber and clean and peel it. Slice up and either put in a bowl or right on your dinner plates. drizzle with your favorite Italian style salad dressing. Sprinkle feta on top and season with a little salt and pepper. Done!

I just came up with this next one last week and Nick and I both were crazy about it! This one has more fat than the other recipes above but its still pretty healthy and it has avocado in it which is a super food.

Avocado and Crab Salad

1 avocado
1 cup imitation crab meat
light mayo or sour cream
lemon
minced onion flakes
old bay
minced garlic or garlic powder

Slice avocado in half, remove seed, and scoop out chunks into a bowl. Add 1 cup of chopped imitation crab meat. Squeeze a little lemon juice into the bowl then add old bay and garlic and how much just depends on your taste. Next shake about 1 tablespoon of minced onion flakes into bowl and then a tablespoon of mayo or sour cream. You can add more if you like the salad wetter. Mix and taste and add more spices, lemon, and/or mayo if you like until you get it just right. chill the salad for about 30 mins.
You can serve as a side dish or put over salad greens and eat as your entree. Add bacon if you are feeling crazy.

I hope you enjoy these recipes and I will share more healthy and easy side dishes soon!

Today was a good day......

I woke up this morning to a very happy baby girl and Nick bringing me a cup of coffee in bed. So far this day was getting off to a great start! Lily went down for a nap around 9:30 and slept long enough for me to workout, tidy up just a bit, and take a shower. This day was still going great! I laid out some clothes to wear for the day and found my favorite underwear was clean and whenever that happens, I know its going to be a good day! I wasn't even upset when I realized that I didn't have any clean jeans that really fit me. I found a pair that would button enough for me to function and have some lovely muffin top, threw on an over sized sweater and accepted that this outfit and how it fit was ok for today. Then I scooped up little Lily from her crib and headed to Wegmans with gift certificates I got for Christmas. Could this day get any better?! I love Wegmans and I love free groceries from Wegmans. It was super crowded and some snotty woman fresh from the gym was rushing around the store with zero regard for anyone else and I had the unfortunate luck to run into her several times but...I did not let her bother me because I was wearing my favorite underwear and it was a good day.
I got to the register and watched my grocery bill go down to almost nothing with those wonderful gift certs and then headed to the car with my goodies and my sweet girl. I got to the car and was unloading the groceries when a nice older woman asked if she could help me and then take my cart. WHAT?! this is such a lovely day. She chatted with me and kept an eye on Lily while I packed up my car and it was a really nice moment. She waved goodbye and took my cart and I got Lily in her car seat and headed home.
Lily ate well at lunch and laughed while I made funny faces and sang to her and then went down for her afternoon nap. She slept long enough for me to clean my kitchen floor, empty trash, clean the guest room and bathroom, put away some Christmas gifts, and eat lunch myself.
She woke up happy and I found her playing in her crib with her bear and her blanket and she smiled at me when I came to get her.
My house is cleaner, groceries put away and I have a full fridge and freezer, I feel great from excising this morning, and Lily is playing in her bouncer so I can type up this post.
I am so very lucky to have this life. I am so blessed to have a beautiful and loving family (on both sides) that has a close bond and isn't too far away to spend time together often. I am thankful that I have experienced great love and great loss and learned so much from both. I am so happy for the time I got to spend with my Mother before she passed and for the fantastic childhood her and my father gave me. I am so very thankful that 2012 was a good year for me and my family for the most part. So many precious babies were born this year in my family and to my dear friends and this was a year filled with life and love instead of fear and loss.
I don't know what 2013 holds but I hope its full of more good days, happy babies, exercise, and just being happy for the little things like...your favorite underwear.

A man was found shot dead in my neighborhood last night just a few yards from my house. I don't know who this man was or why this happened to him. He was found in his car and the details still haven't been released. It is so scary to know that something so horrific could happen just a few feet from your doorstep.
I woke up this morning and held my daughter tight and was so very thankful to be inside my warm house, close to my healthy and happy family. Today was a good day because I had today at all. Anything could've happened today but I started it with a smile and a hug and the thought that I was very blessed to have the sun rising up in my backyard to shine on me and my family. I think of my mother whenever I see the sunrise, which is another story, but she shined on us today and reminded me of every wonderful thing I have to be thankful for this year.

and here are some pictures that make me happy....

Powering Through Yoga and Being a Temporary Stay at Home Mom

I recently made a huge life changing decision to take a leave of absence from my job of 10 years to stay home with Lily for a little while. She has had some troubling stomach issues since she was born and then after a few concerning events at her daycare, I just decided I needed to be home with her. It was one of the hardest and scariest decisions I have ever made actually. On one hand I get to stay home with my sweet baby and protect her and teach her and give her all the one on one attention I was missing with her.

I can focus more on taking care of my home, making delicious dinners, running all those errands that fell to the wayside, and garden in the spring. On the other hand I have been working since I was 15 years old and juggling that with school and/or theatre and I am so used to being very busy that part of me worried about how I would handle all this home time. I also haven't even mentioned that I am not getting a paycheck anymore so that is scary as well.
 It has been a big adjustment. The first couple weeks it didn't feel real and I had a little anxiety in the evenings because I kept feeling like I needed to get ready for work the next day. It has been almost two months now I guess and I am settling into a little routine and I think I am finding a new kind of happiness. It is different and still a little scary but spending time with Lily and having a tidy home is really lovely. Lily is sleeping until 7am usually and after waking up at 5am or earlier for work for a long time, 7am is a dream! I have discovered that I love the Ellen show and really look forward to 3pm. I have taken many walks and now know which neighbors seem to have homes and yards to be proud of and which seem like they are secret hoarders. I cleaned my dishwasher and discovered that it was full of goo in the corners and that was super gross. I have developed a love for HG TV so between that and my gardening and cooking, I am feeling very Martha stewarty these day.  I also have added in workout time during Lily's first nap of the day and that has really made me feel like a new person.
I have realized that I can't just sit on the couch when she naps or while she plays. As long as I stay busy for the most part, then I feel useful and content. So I started with a yoga DVD I have had for years, then added some Teabo and Pilates. I recently stepped it up and added in a short Insanity workout. If you haven't heard of Insanity then just know that it is called Insanity for a reason. I literally had to take a break after the first two minutes of the workout. Nick was working on his computer and watched me struggle through this thing and we both laughed from time to time when I would just stop and say; "oh I am NOT doing that". I pushed through and made it to the end of the workout and actually felt great.  So I have kept at it and also added in a power yoga DVD. I have never done yoga like this because I am just a novice but I have begun balancing and twisting in crazy poses and I have been so proud of what I have been able to do. I know people who do yoga really advocate for how amazing it makes you feel and how great it is for stress and the benefits just go on and on and I am here to say, it's true. Since I started yoga again I feel great! It has been just a couple weeks but I see and feel my muscles toning, my energy level has increased, my state of mind is calm and centered, and my back is getting stronger everyday. I might have found yet another hobby and I am really excited about it.
I am on a brand new journey and so much has changed in the past 9 mos. There were moments in the beginning where I was so tired and exhausted and I wondered if I could handle this new life. I wondered if I could give up my selfish, fun loving, and at times a little immature ways. I knew I was ready for a baby and a life change but there is nothing in the world that can prepare you for what it is really like. Since losing my mother I look at the world very differently and it changed me in many ways. I grew up a lot in those weeks while she was sick. Even though I already thought I was responsible adult, I had further to go and I felt this new sense of responsibility to be the woman she wanted me to be and to help take care of my family. Now that Lily is in my life I have found an even deeper maturity and have grown so much more. I think I finally really feel like a grown up and that feels really funny to say that at 32. Its the hardest job I have ever had but the most fulfilling. I never ever thought I would be the stay at home Mom type, but maybe I am. Maybe I am good at this and maybe it is enough. There are always going to be tough days but then there are days like today where Lily is being so cuddly, my home is neat and tidy, I am finally seeing weight lose results, and I made an awesome kick ass dinner!
So tonight I made the best turkey burgers I have ever had so I really hope you like this one. Its another one of my Mom's magazine recipes but I do a few things my way of course.

French Onion Soup Turkey Burgers

1 Pound Ground Turkey (or beef)
1 Can Campbell's French Onion Soup
Sliced Swiss
Buns

Seasoning for Turkey Meat:
3 T Worcestershire sauce
several dashes garlic powder
2 T Italian dressing
several shakes of grated Parmesan cheese from one of those cans
salt and pepper
bread crumbs

Mix together all seasoning ingredients except bread crumbs. Add turkey meat and mix. Add in bread crumbs until the mixture thickens up a bit. Once you get the meat to the point where you think it will make some decent patties, then form meat into four equal patties.
Place burgers in a large skillet and brown on both sides. Once browned, remove burgers and set aside. Add 1 can of french onion soup to the skillet and bring to a boil. Stir often to get up any bits left in the skillet from the burgers. Once the soup reaches a boil, add the burgers back to the skillet. Reduce heat and cook on low, covered. Cook 5 more mins or until burgers are done. Add cheese to burgers and once melted, remove from skillet.

Place burgers on a nice toasted bun. Pour remaining soup into a bowl use for dipping.

We didn't add ketchup, mayo, or any condiments to the burger because it was so packed with flavor that it didn't need it. I also made some sweet potato fries on the side. I just peeled and chopped a sweet potato and cooked the fries in a cast iron skillet with very hot vegetable oil and seasoned with sea salt. They were a little soggy so I am going to do a little research and figure out how to make them crispier.

Enjoy! This is one of my favorites. 

Holiday Edition: You did What in your Snow Suit?!

My sister and I grew up in a pretty yellow house off a dirt road in Prince William County VA when that part of VA was all farmland still. Before the malls were expanded, bypasses were built, and shopping centers were erected on every corner, almost anywhere southwest of Fairfax county was still dotted with fields and farms.
After passing the small local golf course on what used to be Davis Ford Road, you would turn right on to our road; Moore Drive. On your left was a small white country church with blue and yellow stained glass windows and a simple cemetery in back. Around your first bend was the Buckhall General Store where my sister and I would ride our bikes in the summer to buy yoohoos and ice cream bars. As you drove deeper down Moore on the bumpy, dusty, dirt road, you would see cows grazing on the fields of Kemper farm and then the trees would begin to thicken as you entered the woods on the way to our home.
In the winter these woods became a wonderland. Icicles hanging from 100 year old trees and snow drifts so deep you could lose a boot and never find it again (which did happen to my friend Rodey growing up...we dug and dug for an hour and never found that boot and it never turned up after the snow melted). Living off this narrow, hilly, winding road in the winter also meant you could get snowed in for several days or more. For my sister and I that meant several days off school to play in the snow and we were in heaven.
We had just over an acre of land surrounded my trees, a deep gully in the front yard, and some terrific hills in the back yard. This meant hours of sledding, building forts, and piling up huge snowmen. My Mom could barely get my sister and I to sit down and eat breakfast on snowy days. We would wake up and look out our window to a huge blanket of white covering our front yard and then it would drop off into the gully where sledding and hide and seek waited...how could we be asked to sit down and eat breakfast when so much fun was calling?
Lindsay and I would shovel some fruit loops in our mouths and then run to our rooms to dig out our thermal underwear, several pairs of socks, boots, hats, gloves, and to top it all off, our pink snow suits. We didn't plan on coming in for a very long time so we used to wear a couple pairs of underwear,  two layers of thermals, a sweatshirt and jeans over that, 3 pairs of socks, and then the snow suit. It was literally hard to walk and move around but we surely managed. It took so long to put all of that on and then take it off again that we would wait as long as we could to go back inside to eat or use the bathroom.

At some point my sister and I just decided it was too much work to go inside to use the bathroom and that is when we began what we called; "Yellow Snow". Yes, when we were young playing in the snow, we used to pee in the snow instead of going inside to the bathroom. I remember running up and down the hills in the backyard sledding over and over and then plopping down at the top of the hill to make some yellow snow before hoping up again for another run.
At the end of the day we would head back into the house and begin peeling off all of our damp layers. Feet numb, noses red, lips blue, and well... covered in pee. Our Mom figured out what we were doing and was in disbelief. She begged us to knock it off and would say; "what is wrong with you crazy kids!" but once we figured this little trick out, we weren't coming back inside for nothing... no way, no how! We were already soaked from the snow anyway, so we just didn't see what the big deal was. Looking back, I really can't believe we did this.
Then one day, the worst happened and it was something I definitely didn't plan....
I must have been 8 or 9 years old and had been playing in the snow all day long. As usual I waited as long as I could before deciding to go inside to use the restroom and this time there was something more than yellow snow sending me inside. My tummy began to rumble and ache and I needed a bathroom fast.
I gathered my strength and carried my heavy, soaking wet self to the front door. I was in such a hurry that I didn't notice our little black Daschund; Boston, sitting in the foyer just waiting for an opportunity like this.
I grabbed the handle on the glass door and pulled and before I knew it, Boston was speeding past me. I whirled around and saw him hauling it up the driveway as fast as he could as my Mother was screaming behind me to "Go get that DOG!!!". At this moment I was in a mental and physical battle...I knew if I turned and ran after that dog, something very very bad could happen but there was no one else who could go get him. I had no choice and I took off after the little black dot speeding up the road. My tummy ached even more and I struggled with all my might to hold back the horrible thing brewing below. I was sweating and doing this crazy hobble of a run as I clenched my muscles as hard as I could but still ran as fast as I could. Halfway up the driveway I lost this battle and I pooped in my pink snow suit. I screamed out; "OOOOH NOOOO!" but I just had to keep running. I reached Boston just before he darted into the street and I grabbed him and slowly waddled back down to the house. As I got closer to the house I began to cry.
Mom was waiting for me and she was so confused at my tears.

"Karissa, Karissa, what is wrong??"

"Mom, I pooped in my snow suit!!" I sobbed

"OOOOOH NOOO!!!" She blurted out and then she began to laugh.

 Her face got beet red and she was cracking up as she grabbed the dog from me and hurried me inside. "Oh no." she said again.

From that day on the only ones making yellow snow were our dogs Cookey and Boston. We learned our lesson and along with a little threatening from our Mother, my sister and I made sure to come inside to use the restroom during the day.
My childhood memories growing up in that house with my family on Moore Drive are magical and the holidays were even more magnificent. The snow, the smell of the wood stove, hanging home-made ornaments on the tree, and a big bowl of potato soup after a day of sledding are memories I will cherish forever and hope to pass down to my baby girl.

My sister on Christmas Day showing off some awesome new Looney Tunes gear

 I will tell her about the yellow snow and warn her that yellow snow is all fun and games until someone poops in their snow suit and that's not fun! I will also invest in extra laundry detergent in case she takes after her silly Mommy and gets some bright idea to avoid cutting her snow time short.

Connie's Kitchen: Holiday Edition-The Christmas Lamp

 This year is our first Christmas with Little Lily. She is almost 9 mos old and growing faster everyday. It has been so fun showing her our Christmas tree, walking around the neighborhood and pointing out decorations and lights, and trying to keep her from destroying all the gifts I have wrapped under the tree.

We just picked out her first Christmas gifts and it's so hard not to buy her everything I see. I mean look at that face!

 I really love buying gifts for my friends and family and I really really love finding the perfect gift for someone.
My Mom could be really easy to shop for on one hand because she made it known when she really loved something, like her Yankee Candles, Bath and Body Works lotion, the color RED, or a cute pair of flats.  On the other hand,  it was always really tough finding her that one perfect gift because she already had a ton of candles, lotions, and shoes. If you got her something she loved, she would go crazy like a little kid or scold you for spending too much even though you could tell she loved it. If you got her something she didn't really like, she had a really hard time hiding it. It was almost like she would take it personally because she hated having to pretend she liked something or explain that she didn't like something. So buying her something different and special could be really nerve wracking but when you found that perfect gift for Mom, it was so worth it! A few years ago I thought I came up with the perfect gift and I was so excited.

 My parents were in the process of remodeling their kitchen from a pretty outdated, 1970's look (dark cabinets, yellow appliances, dark wood floor). They had slowly been making updates for a long time but they were finally redoing everything from the cabinets, to the floors, to adding an island. All this time, while Mom had been making changes to update the kitchen, there was this huge hanging lamp over the sink. It was in a Tiffany style but very 1970's, yellow and brown, and out of style. I thought the perfect most amazing gift would be to replace that lamp with a beautiful new Tiffany style hanging lamp that matched the new kitchen colors.
I was nervous about getting this for my Mom because it was a big purchase, so I started to feel her out about what she would want in a new lamp. She immediately got a little weird about it when I started asking. I don't know if she hadn't decided what she wanted to do about a new lamp yet, or if she was just scared I wouldn't get her exactly what she wanted but she made it very clear that she DID NOT want me to get her a new hanging lamp for the kitchen.
Back to the drawing board....
I was still stuck on this idea of a Tiffany style lamp because I thought she would actually really like one so I thought of a table lamp instead. My parents had just added on a sun room and she was still decorating it so I thought a pretty lamp would be perfect in there.
I found a beautiful, simple, small lamp with lilies on the shade, which were my Mom's favorite flower. It was similar to the one below but the design on the shade was even more simple and I thought for sure she would love it.

I checked with my sister and she agreed that the lamp was perfect! So I ordered it and when it came I wrapped with it up with so much care and so much pride. I topped it off with a big bow and then attached the tag that said "TO: Mom-From: Karissa and Lindsay" and smiled.
I put it under the tree at my family's home on Christmas morning and was thrilled at how the wrapping looked and how large the box was. My Mom was there and watched me lay the big beautifully wrapped box on the carpet and she frowned. I could tell what she was thinking and I looked at her and said; "Don't worry Mom, I didn't get you the hanging lamp". She wasn't convinced. She starred at me with a look that said; "hmm I don't trust you Missy" and we both giggled and went on with the opening of gifts.
We had a wonderful morning unwrapping perfumes and sweaters, tossing crinkled up paper at each other and giving big hugs of appreciation.
Finally, we came to the end and Mom's big gift was the only one left under the tree. It sat there shining under the tree lights just waiting for the perfect moment when Mom would open it and delight in her new lovely piece of home decor.
I go grab the box and put it in the center of floor and call Mom over. She is hesitant and we all keep nervously laughing because she is still just 100% sure we got her some awful hanging lamp that she doesn't want.  Mom walks over to the gift and kneels down in front of it and looks up at us one more time with that same distrusting but playful look. We all hold our breath as she starts removing the green and red paper from the box. She gets down to the box and opens it to see a lamp shade and she looks up at us confused and a little angry. I will never forget her face. It was priceless! She was feeling so many things and not hiding any emotion well but mostly she was annoyed. I burst into laughter and keep assuring her that this gift is not a hanging lamp. The whole family descends on the box to get this little lamp put together as quickly as possible so Mom can see what it really is. We take out bubble wrap and Styrofoam all while she is frowning with mild hatred at this unwanted gift. I take out the lamp stand and say "See, See Mom, its not a hanging lamp, it has a stand". She doesn't believe me. My sister, Dad, and I are all laughing as Mom is getting more and more annoyed because at this point she thinks we are making fun of her.
We finally get the whole thing put together and let her look at it. Her face changes from annoyed, to confused again, to surprised, to happy and embarrassed. We all erupt in laughter and she is sheepishly smiling and promising she likes it.
The whole family walked upstairs together to the sun room to plug in the lamp and check it out in all its glory.
Mom was really pleased and I will never forget that day. She actually called me that next week to ask where I got the lamp so she could get a matching one to make it a set. I almost fell out of my chair laughing as I told her not to worry, I would order it for her.
Tell the ones you love this season how important they are to you and remember that it doesn't matter what you give them as long as its from the heart. We still have those lamps sitting in Mom's sun room and I bet she is up in heaven still so happy we didn't get her a hanging lamp.

Connie's Kitchen: By the way, no one here likes Green Bean Cass

One of my very favorite holiday side dishes is Green Bean Casserole. I love it so much that I have made it every holiday season and worked on perfecting my recipe to the point where I am very proud of how I make this dish. Its a dish that I brag about and usually everyone just loves it. I always offered to bring it for holiday gatherings and definitely made it every year for either thanksgiving or Christmas with my family.
 The first time I helped my Mom with thanksgiving dinner I was pretty young. I remember putting on her terrycloth white apron with the big yellow pear on it with yellow strings. I always wore that apron when I helped Mom in the kitchen. We cooked corn and stuffing and checked on the turkey as the smells of dinner filled the house. We made a pumpkin pie because my Dad loved pumpkin pie with cool whip. I learned about spices and seasoning and how long to cook the veggies and rolls. Cooking thanksgiving dinner with my Mother is one of the first times I remember really cooking with her. Over the years I took over more and more of the dishes until one year in high school, I offered to make the whole thing. I don't remember if we had Green Bean Casserole before this but I am almost positive that I made that casserole for that meal.
It was stressful trying to juggle all the cooking on my own and trying to make sure everything was done at the same time. I am sure I burned something or had to reheat something else but in the end I did it, I made the whole meal and it was pretty good. The turkey actually came out great I remember. I rubbed the skin with butter and salt and pepper and I stuffed orange slices in several places under the skin and it came out tender and tasting a little like orange and everyone was impressed.
After that I made most of thanksgiving dinner a few more times for my little family of four in our house in the woods off Moore Dr and every time I did, I made my "famous" green bean casserole. Everyone always ate a little bit of every thing and was very kind to let me know how much they enjoyed it.
Over the years my sister and I would miss thanksgiving with our parents now and then to go to dinner with a fiance' or husband's family but I remember enjoying thanksgiving one more time with my Mother before she passed away.
Mom had just started to feel ill in early Oct of 2010. It began with her feeling dizzy and having trouble with her balance. By thanksgiving, she could still walk and use her hands but it was becoming a little more difficult. Although she was worried and frustrated with what was going on with her health (at this time we all still thought she was experiencing an MS flare up) she was is great spirits that Thanksgiving day and was smiling and joking all day long.
After we finished our meal with My Aunt Rita and her family and our good family friends in Centreville, Nick and I made our way back to my parents house for a little visit. We all sat in the living room chatting. We were talking about how great dinner was and how I had offered to bring my Green Bean Casserole the next year. I was boasting about how delicious it was and that I love to add bacon and cheese. My Mom sat there listening to me talk and then just looked at me and said; "No one here likes Green Bean Casserole by the way. Dad, Me, Lindsay...we have never liked it." I thought she was joking and I laughed and then she laughed but stopped laughing. I looked at her kind of confused and then I said; "really?!" She looked at me, dead serious, and said " yes really, we have never liked it and you bring it every year and none of us like it."
I was shocked and a little embarrassed. We all began laughing and it was so awkward and funny. I asked her why she never said anything before and she just shrugged and said I just loved making it so much and no one wanted to say anything. I started thinking back and realizing that there way always a lot of Green Bean Casserole left over for me to take home and it all made sense. I still crack up thinking about how she had waited for years to tell me this secret that her and my Dad and my sister must have been keeping and how I couldn't believe how she finally just blurted it out. My Mom usually didn't hold back when she had something she wanted to tell you so this really did shock me.
I still make Green Bean Casserole every year, mostly for myself but my in-laws love it too thank goodness. If my Mom were still here to share Thanksgiving with us, I would still make it and just keep it all for myself.

Here is my recipe for my "Famous" Green Bean Casserole. This is for a pretty large portion-I'd say it could feed six as a side dish and still have some left over.

4 Cans Green Beans
2 Cans mushroom soup
1 can milk
6 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup onion flakes
1 T minced garlic
1 package of French's Fried Onion
1 T Worcestershire
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl except hold back two slices of bacon and 1 half of the fried onions.
Feel free to pour a little of that bacon grease in there too if you like. Bake the casserole in a large casserole dish, covered, on 400 for 30-45 mins. Once the casserole is nice and hot and bubbly, take it out of the oven and put the rest of the bacon and fried onion on top. Bake another 5 mins or so until the onions are a little browned. I topped mine with a little more cheddar and some Parmesan this year. Enjoy!

Connie's Kitchen: The Crab Cake Connoisseur!

My Mother was the crab cake connoisseur of Manassas VA and maybe even all over Northern Va and parts of Beckley West Va. She could not resist ordering the crab cake if it was on the menu and usually by ordering that dish, she would decide whether a restaurant was worth going back to. It made perfect sense for her to try the crab cake at a seafood restaurant or somewhere near the beach. It made sense to even try the crab cake at a place that was just known for making pretty good food but my Mother would try the crab cake anywhere. Anywhere once even meant a Shoney's in Beckley West Va. Now you are going to expect me to write some funny story about how it was a terrible crab cake and how she made some hilarious scene but no, oh no my friends, that is not what happened that night at the little Shoney's in the Kroger shopping center just outside of Oak Hill. My Mother LOVED that crab cake! She loved it so much that she went on and on and on about it for the entire meal and then couldn't stop mentioning how very good that crab cake was for weeks and years to come! Up until my sweet Mother passed away, this crab cake would come up every once in a while and my sister and I would die laughing as my Mother, very seriously, made sure we remembered how amazing that meal was. Through the years my Mom found her favorite places to get a crab cake and every single time we would mention one of those restaurants as a meal option, she would make sure we knew; "Oh they have a great crab cake! Lots of meat, very little breading.". She found that she loved the crab cakes at Sweet Water Tavern and Ruby Tuesdays. *So now you know that those two places are Connie Swanigan approved.* Every time we would go there she would waste away, starring at the menu, trying to decide on something besides the crab cake and almost every time she strayed she would sit there picking at her food, kind of pouting, and would eventually, quietly say; "well I should've gotten the crab cake...."
 If you knew my Mom, you would know that she didn't handle disappointment very well (and I am exactly the same way). She would get her hopes up about something and when it didn't work out, it would truly hurt her partly because she was disappointed but also because she didn't want to cause any trouble or make anyone else feel bad. Whenever my Mom strayed from her regular menu item somewhere, she was almost always disappointed and it was painful to see. My Mom was so excited though when she stuck to what she knew and that meant always ordering the crab cake at Sweet Water, Ruby Tuesday's, and especially the Shoney's in Beckley West Va.
In honor of my Mom's love for crab..I am going to share my recipe for Hot Crab Dip (which my Mom also loved and in particular she loved the crab dip from Costco..Connie Approved!).

Hot Crab Dip

3 cans of Bumble Bee Fancy White Crab Meat
2 cans of Bumble Bee Fancy Lump Crab Meat
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterrey jack, Gouda, anything that melts well and that you like alot)
1 cup Mayo
1 package of cream cheese (softened)
6 pieces of crumbled bacon
1/3 cup minced onion
3 garlic cloves minced
3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup green onion minced
1 T old bay
1/2 T hot sauce
1/2 T dry mustard
1 cup of frenches fried onion
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Drain and sort through crab meat looking for shells. I have rarely ever found any shell over the years in the bumble bee cans.

 Mix together all ingredients in a casserole except for 1/2 cup of the fried onions, Parmesan cheese, and save two slices of bacon and some of the shredded cheese. Bake the dip on 350 for 40 mins.

After 40 Mins take out the dip and top it with remaining cheese, fried onions, crumbled bacon, and Parmesan. Cook for 5-10 more mins until cheese is melted on top. Enjoy with crackers or some nice slices of french bread. Be careful because the dip will be extremely hot when it comes out.

Connie's Kitchen: Accident Prone and Corned Beef Dip

Well my current show is just about ready to wrap up and I have many mixed emotions. With only two more shows left I am partly so sad to say goodbye but partly relieved. This show has made me think about my Mom so very much and part of me loves thinking about her and needs the emotional release but it is also so exhausting. Many nights while I sit there completely trapped inside Barbara (if you saw the show, you would know what I mean) and I just think about her. I have thought a lot about when she was sick but also a lot about when we were growing up. With the holidays right around the corner I keep thinking about my childhood and wishing my Mom was here to spend this season with our family. So one night while sitting on the NOTLD couch I started thinking about how accident prone I used to be. Little Lily has had to go to the hospital twice already in her young life and it was a horrible feeling. I mean the moment you realize a sickness has gotten to the point of needing a hospital trip its just awful so I can't imagine how my Mother must have felt having to take me to the ER so many times. In my case I was constantly breaking bones and hurting myself and I don't know what is worse...being very sick or seeing your child scream with pain after breaking a bone?
When I was very young my very first friend was a boy.  My next door neighbor Benjamin and I did everything together. My sister and I also spent a lot of time with our older cousin Jason who lived just down the street.  We played outside everyday and I wanted to do everything the boys did.

This picture is of Abra (Ben's Sister), My sister Lindsay, Me, Cousin Jason, and Ben on Ben and I's first day of Kindergarten.

 Also, very important to note that we lived in the woods and there was a gully in my front yard. Actually this gully was more like a small ravine that stretched the length of our front yard as well as 3 other neighbors' yards. I can't even say how deep it was but I can say that riding a sled down that thing was insanely thrilling and always, always had the potential to cause injury..especially when you created a sled jump over a cement drainage tunnel.

I spent many summer days in that gully pretending to play "shop" with my sister and "selling" each other leaves and rocks and many winter days sledding down its dangerous hills but I also spent a lot of time climbing the trees that surrounded the gully with my sister and Ben. The first time I fell out of a tree, I landed on my feet and it was thrilling, so we climbed higher. We had these gigantic pine trees at the end of our yard, right by the dirt road, and we would climb to the top and then  jump from tree to tree, branch to branch, Tarzan style.
After climbing so often and so high I never thought I could get hurt and definitely never thought I could get hurt in a small tree but I did. While climbing a very small tree in Ben's front yard I decided to swing from a branch and for some strange reason got very scared. I mean my feet were only about two or three feet from the ground but I just completely was overwhelmed with fear.  I cried and hung there until my fingers ached and couldn't hold me any longer. I dropped to the ground, like I had so many other times from this very tree, but this time I twisted my body on the way down and landed on my hand instead of my feet. Something cracked and I laid there screaming. I was 5 or 6 at the time and I remember this very vividly. My parents rushed for me and took me to the emergency room. This would be the first of many trips.
So I broke my little wrist in two places and had to wear a cast for the summer-which was a nightmare when you are 5 or 6 and have a pool in your back yard. I remember having it wrapped up in a plastic bag, trying to keep my arm above my head, and then using a blow dryer on it after swimming. One fun part about that injury was that I had to learn to color and write with my right hand (I am left handed) and to this day I am slightly ambidextrous.
 I remember getting the cast off by first grade and I remember the doctor saying to take it easy because although I may feel fine, my bones and muscles are weak and still not 100%. Um yeah whatever, I thought and I swear a week later ( or maybe even a couple days later) I was swinging on the monkey bars on Ben's swing set next door.  He had this swing set with sings on one side, a slide on the other, and monkey bars connecting the two sides. Apparently safety wasn't as important when it came to making swing sets back in the 80's because these monkey bars extremely high off the ground! I got half way across the bars and felt very weak and scared. Again I find myself hanging, crying, fingers aching. I drop to the ground and land on my elbow this time and feel a surge of pain. I grab my arm and stumble down Ben's backyard trying to make it to my yard. I remember seeing my Dad on our back patio and I tried to yell for him. I think I did and then  remember collapsing. He carried me inside and laid me on the living room couch. I remember my parents debating what to do. I hurt myself all the time so they weren't sure if this case called for an emergency room trip. After laying on the couch crying and moaning for a couple hours, I think, my parents took me to the hospital again and this time I broke my other arm. I broke my elbow this time and had to wear a cast up to my shoulder. This was just the beginning of years of emergency room trips. We were there so often that I remember my poor Mom saying that they were going to call social services on our family soon!
I went back again for stitches in my forehead after jumping out of the bed of my Dad's pick up truck and falling face first onto the gravel driveway. Another time I twisted my neck while practicing hand stands. Then there was the time I hit a tree while sledding in the backyard and ended up in crutches. There were jammed fingers and twisted ankles from softball and one of the worst was when I chipped all of my front teeth when I was on a family vacation in VA Beach.
It was a total freak accident actually. I was body surfing with my cousin and having a blast. After playing in the waves for most of the day, I caught one really big wave and forgot to put my arms out in front of me. So I am body surfing this wave like a seal and it crashes and it crashes hard. I didn't have my hands in front me to protect myself and my face plants into the hard, solid, packed sand under the water. My jaw hit first and when it slammed down my teeth smashed together and all of my front teeth cracked and chipped. I knew instantly something was very wrong and I pulled myself up out of the water crying and running for our family's beach camp. I literally had pieces of my teeth on my lips and cheeks. My Aunt Rita tried to calm me down and ease my pain and fears but I just couldn't stop crying. She took me to the nearest hotel bathroom so I could see the damage and it was even worse than I expected. I felt like I was looking at the jaws of a shark. My teeth were jagged and angry and they ached. Unfortunately that injury cut our trip short and I had to go to the dentist back home and get my teeth filed down! Filed DOWN! WITHOUT NOVOCAINE! My dentist didn't think I would need it. I was about 10 at the time and it was one of the worst experiences of my life. To this day I have a slight fear of the waves and worry every time I make a dental appt.
I pray my daughter isn't as fearless and wild as I was but the chances are she will end up being just like me.
We have really good insurance thank goodness!!

I don't know how my Mom and Dad got though those years and everything I put them through and that wasn't event the worst of it. As kids get older there are just bigger and more scary ways they can get hurt like car accidents or drug use. No matter what, they were always there for me to wipe my tears or guide me to the right path when I found myself a little lost. I know I was very lucky to have parents that tried very hard to protect me and keep me safe and I plan on doing exactly the same for my daughter...even if it means she hates me a little bit for it. She needs a Mom who knows what's best for her, just like mine did for me.

So one of my very favorite recipes my Mom taught me was for Corned Beef Dip. With the holidays coming, I plan on making a lot of my holiday favorites and sharing those recipes and this one is in my top 5 for sure.

Corned Beef Dip

1 1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cup mayo
2 T Dill Weed
2 T Onion Flakes
2 T Parsley
2 pkg Corned Beef

When I make it I actually add pepper, garlic salt, and I do 4 packs of corned beef. Just get the budding corned beef and dice it up. Mix all the ingredients together and let chill for a few hours. We always served it in a rye bread bowl and used the bread pieces for dipping. Addicting!

Hunkering down with some White Bean Chicken Chili

As hurricane Sandy was approaching the east coast, everyone in this area was heading to the grocery store in droves to get storm essentials. There are several grocery store options near me but my favorite is Wegmans. If you don't have a Wegmans in your area then think of it as a Whole Foods and regular grocery store mixed together but it also has a killer hot and ready food area and AMAZING wine and cheese section...oh everything about Wegmans is amazing.......except the crowds. The store near me is apparently a favorite of everyone else in this area and it doesn't matter when you go, there are always a ton of people there. During the holidays they actually have police men directing traffic into the store parking lot and have several exits blocked off so you can only leave one way. I hoped that maybe since I am currently a stay at home Mom (and actor/singer) that I could hit the store during the day on Friday and it wouldn't be so bad but of course it was pure pandemonium. I pulled into the parking lot and it was packed but thankfully this store has "parents with children" parking (i am so in the Mom club now that I get special parking? Awesome! We deserve some perks right?!) and I was able to slip into a spot right next to the cart corral. I put little Lily into a cart, grab my short list, say a prayer, and head in. Just getting to the doors can be nerve wracking as I dodge every other Mom in Sterling with the same idea and working folks on their lunch breaks trying to grab some sushi or hot sandwich. And it just gets worse in the store. I walk down the entry hallway and there is a stream of carts coming at me, briskly walking, to get the hell out of there and just as I was about to turn the corner into the produce section, I am stopped by someone. This very sweet older woman spies Lily in her carrier and just stops in the middle of the chaos and says; "Oh you are the nicest thing I have seen all day!" Now this was so very sweet but it forced me to also stop in the middle of the chaos. She was smiling at Lily and asked how old she was and then said "well you be safe in there, seems like every other mother and child in there area is in there and she is way too sweet to get in the middle of that!" As she says this I turn my head to look out on the sea of people pushing past each other grabbing up apples and bananas, Mom's scolding children not to touch anything, older folks moving at there own pace while crazed Mom's speed around them to grab carrots, and business men and women just trying to avoid all this to get over to the hot food and shaking their heads. This lovely woman and I are at the mouth of the beast where every thing is coming and going. We are only paused for a moment but I swear if these carts had horns on them, people would be honking at us to MOVE!
I see the pile up behind me and figure I better get moving so I thank the nice lady and push forward with caution.
Once completely inside I make sure to always watch where I am going and look both ways before exiting an aisle. If you just keep your eyes peeled and try to be quick, then you can make it through unscathed. To my shock, after I left produce and entered into the wine and cheese section, it was almost empty! Oh sweet sweet charity. Well I took my time there and really enjoyed searching out a good cheese to take home, grabbed a couple (or three or four) bottles of my favorite cheaper Cabernet and then decided, since it was so nice in the section, that I would check out the imported and craft beer section to take something nice home for Nick. I probably would not have bought so much in that section but I was scared to leave it!
Next I made sure to turn quickly to the left out of the section, avoiding the meat, seafood, and bakery all together...it was a blood bath over there. hehe
I was able to grab bottled water, some dry goods, more coffee, some baby food that didn't need refrigerating in case we lost power and all my homemade stuff gets ruined, and got the heck out of that place.
As I was leaving and thankful that I was a smart and quick shopper, I saw this poor poor couple trying to make it inside. They made the mistake of walking up to the wrong door so they were trapped by the brick wall outside as the flood of people exiting were not letting them cross over to get the the entrance. Even I walked passed.  They were kinda giggling about it, but I was just as bad as everyone else and scooted by thinking, you are on your own folks!
The storm hit on Monday and into Tuesday across the east coast and caused horrible devastation in places like New Jersey and did terrible damage in New York, Ocean City Md, the DC Metro Area, and more.
We hunkered down here in Sterling and were very very lucky that we didn't experience and damage to our house or property and never lost power. While the winds blew and rain can down in sheets a crock pot of chicken chili bubbled in my kitchen. I always make something in the crock pot during a storm where we will be stuck inside and its usually some kind of chili. The thing I love about chili is how easy it is to make, the variety of ways you can make it, and how different it can taste eat time you make it. Yet again I was searching through my supplies and didn't have my typical chili supplies so I made due with some logical substitutions that worked out great. I wrote down what I did but its difficult to really write a precise recipe for chili because part of the fun of making it is going back and tasting it throughout the day and adding a dash more of this and a drop more of that. So use the recipe below as a guideline but by no means should you stick to it. Have fun and find other spices to add, different veggies, and make sure to taste it from time to time and sprinkle in some more love.
 
White Bean Chicken Chili

3 Chicken Breasts shredded
1 Cup V8
1 Med Onion chopped
1 Med Green Pepper Chopped
1 Med Red Pepper Chopped
1 Can Great Northern Beans
2 Cans Diced Tomatoes
1 Packet Taco Seasoning
1 Light Beer
1 T Chili Powder
1 T minced Garlic
1 T Cumin
1 T Hot Sauce
2 T Apple Cider Vin
1 T Garlic Powder
2 T Minced Onion
1 T Paprika
1/2 T Celery Salt
1/2 T Curry Powder

Season 3 chicken breasts and bake in the oven at 350. Cook until done but be careful not to over cook and dry out the chicken. Once chicken is cooked and cooled, shred the chicken and put in the crock pot. Go ahead and dump in any juices from the chicken that may be in the pan as well. Add all the rest of the ingredients and cook on med for a few hours. Check on the pot every once in a while and add more spices if you feel the chili needs a little more flavor.
You can eat the chili once hot and bubbly but its even better to wait and turn down the pot to low for a couple hours.
once you are ready to eat, think about adding some slices of avocado, sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips, or some shredded cheddar or smoked Gouda.

Connie's Kitchen: Halloween Edition- Are you afraid of the dark?

Night of the Living Dead the musical just opened this past Friday. Yet again I find myself in another horror/thriller type musical around this time of year.

 I am playing Barbara in this terrifying and intense production but I have also been Cheryl in Evil Dead, Aria in Diamond Dead (awesome zombie rock musical),

 Elmira in Nevermore (Musical about Edgar Allen Poe), Magenta in Rocky Horror,

 Spider Woman in Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Little Dead Riding Hood in a workshop. My friend Stephen (co-writer of Night of the Living Dead the musical) and I have joked that I am the scream queen of DC musical theatre. He might even try writing Rosemary's Baby the musical for me one day....but first he needs to finish Billy the Kid vs Dracula the musical for me to star in as well. (Stephen, if you read this-that's a hint-get to work)
I love playing these roles and doing these types of shows. I also have a love for horror films and fascination with ghosts. I am actually sitting here typing and watching a movie called Kingdom of the Spiders right now.
So with all this being said/typed you would probably be shocked to hear that I am totally and honestly scared of the dark.
It all started in 3rd grade which is funny because I can remember being really young and getting out of bed one night, creeping into the living room, and spying on my parents watching Nightmare on Elm Street and it didn't even phase me. See it was not slasher films or monsters that got my heart racing and legs shaking, it was and is the paranormal and hence things that go boo in the night.  So in 3rd grade I was friends with this strange little girl named Eleanor. One day while sitting in the lunch room she started telling me and a couple other friends about how she saw a ghost once while she was laying in her crib as a baby. Now, I should've known right there that the odds of her actually remembering something from when she was young enough to be in a crib and then having the ability to be able to tell a real person from a ghost at that age as well was just  total BS but I was 8 and gullible For the next few days at lunch Eleanor continued on with these ghost stories. Some about ghosts she thought she saw and other stories were classic ones like "Where's my Golden Arm" and one about a lady in black and a necklace hidden under a stair case. These stories were my very first exposure to ghost stories and they terrified me! For the next several years I was too scared to sleep alone at night and to this day I am scared to sleep in total darkness.
My poor parents had to deal with my wining and crying at night from age 8 until about 13 years old. I made my little sister sleep in the bed with me at night or I would crawl into my parents bed crying. I remember my Mom sitting on the edge of my bed so many nights trying to calm my fears and assuring me that there was nothing to be afraid of. Over those years my fear and fascination with ghosts and the paranormal just increased. I remember at one point in 5th grade my Mom had me go see the school counselor and began regular counseling sessions to try and tackle my fears. Nothing really worked. I did eventually get a little older and a little tougher and started sleeping alone and even moved to the bedroom downstairs but I still slept with a nightlight on and would stay awake at night looking around my room until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.
My love of horror films began around this time too. I think in a way I was trying to conquer my fears but also because being afraid is thrilling. Crippling fear is no fun but jumping from a scary movie (as long as its not too late at night) is exciting. I was always watching these movies and trying to test how much I could take. I wanted to try and understand why I was so afraid, maybe desensitize myself, or maybe get proof and validation for my fears. Some movies stuck with me and scared me for weeks like Blair Witch, The Candyman, Poltergeist, the Exorcism of Emily Rose, and Paranormal Activity...yet I continued to search out and watch these movies.

 I began watching shows like ghost hunters, haunted travels, a haunting, celebrity ghost stories, ghost adventures, and more, almost obsessively. Anytime something like that was on TV I had to watch it, knowing I could be paying for it later.
Now I am 32 years old and after all the years of trying to understand this fear I have of the paranormal I think I have finally accepted that there are things in the world that happen and can't be explained but what's the worst that could happen if I do run into a ghost? I have even prayed to see my Mother again so (and i am not trying to be funny here) I am asking and begging to see a ghost. I would welcome it with open arms and ask her to stay forever. So I guess I have over come this fear?

Its almost Halloween now and I am getting excited to watch Ghost Hunters Live and have several spooky movies lined up to get me in the spirit of the holiday and even though I am basically in control of my fears, I will still be sleeping with a night light on.

The Juggling Act

I am someone with many passions and lately it feels like I have been trying to do everything all at once. Now that I am a Mom I feel busier than I have ever been yet, I leave the house so much less than I used to. We are deep into rehearsals for Nightofthelivingdead and even though I only go twice a week at the moment, I feel so much busier. I also began making my own baby food AND eating a lot of South Beach Diet recipes. Both of those things are time consuming on the weekends and I haven't felt like I have had much time to sit down and write or even think lately either. I shouldn't complain because we have had a lot of fun the past couple months too. We have been to the MD Renn Faire, Lily had her first overnight baby sitter while we went to Williamsburg for a weekend, I sang in a one night performance of Jason Robert Brown's Song's for a New World and it was amazing, Lily had school pictures taken and of course I brought in two outfits because my baby needed a costume change, we went to the Old Town Manassas Fall Festival, Lily is cutting her first tooth, My car's check engine light has been on for two months, I had a facial at massage envy and had an allergic reaction and now my skin is breaking out/dry/peeling, i had a cortisone shot in my back for the first time ( i have a lower back injury), and just this morning me and my office chair fell over in my cube and I still can't figure out how it happened.
Even on days where Nick and I say we are going to stay in and "relax" we still fill the day with laundry, dishes, baby food making, meal prep for the week, and house projects..not to mention there is a little 6 and a half month old needing our attention. It just doesn't stop. Being a Mom with a full time job, a side gig as an actor, and having a huge cooking hobby is tough people!
This week my goal is to take a breath and slow down a little.
The good news is I have lost some more baby weight and I discovered I love making baby food for Lily. Rehearsals are also going really well and I have made some discoveries about my character that are bringing me a few steps closer to making her real.
So I haven't been making too many meals lately that have excited me enough to share. I got the Beaba Babycook and so I have been steaming and pureeing a lot of fruits and veggies for Miss Lily and I love that. Right now its just very basic stuff but I can't wait to add spices or meat to make her really neat combinations. The coolest thing I have done so far is cucumber and avocado, kind of like a version of green gazpacho. I hope she likes it! I do know that she LOVES peas.

I have been cooking a ton of recipes from the South Beach Super Charged cook book. Right now I am enjoying some green gazpacho myself and a low fat cheese stick.

You basically just take a few peeled cucumbers, some leaf lettuce, lime juice, garlic, chopped green pepper, salt, cumin, Cayenne pepper, a tablespoon of olive oil, and a little water. Puree that in a blender and chill and you have your soup. Its good but its even better if you add a few slices of avocado to your bowl once you are ready to eat it. 

I guess I did make one pretty wacky and interesting meal this past weekend. It started off simple and ordinary enough but when I discovered I was out of a key ingredient, I picked an unexpected substitution.

I actually don't have pictures of this one because I never intended to share it. Its called:

Goldfish cracker chicken

Yes

Goldfish Cracker Chicken

Start with-

1/2 cup fat free half in half ( I was out of buttermilk too so it would be better to have buttermilk) and pour into a large zip lock baggie. 

Add several dashes each of paprika, garlic powder, minced onion, salt, pepper to the bag. Shake to mix. Add 3 chicken breasts. Mix. Let chill and soak in the fridge for several hours. 

Now at this point I opened up the pantry and expected to have some corn flakes or bread crumbs but I was all out. I found some french's fried onions and goldfish crackers though and ran with it.

Take a few handfuls of goldfish crackers and a few spoon fulls of fried onions and put them in another large zip lock bag. Crush until it becomes very crumbled and powdery. 

Take chicken that has been soaking and shake 1 piece at a time in the breading mixture. 

Lay chicken on a greased baking sheet and cook at 350 for 35 mins. Depending on your oven and the size of the pieces of chicken, you may need more or less time.

Nick and I ate the chicken over mixed greens with blue cheese dressing. It was excellent! 

Connie's Kitchen: The Younger Face of Mesothelioma by Heather Von St. James

I was contacted by Heather Von St. James, a blogger as well but more importantly a courageous cancer survivor and mother, about sharing her story on my blog to raise awareness for Mesothelioma. I would like to dedicate today's "Connie's Kitchen" post to her and share a guest blog written by her. My sweet beautiful mother died on March 23rd 2011 when she lost her battle with cancer. She was diagnosed with a stage 4 glioblastoma (malignant primary brain tumor) and was gone from this world exactly 1 week later. There were signs leading up to her diagnosis but they were confused by the fact that she had Multiple Sclerosis and the fact that we had no clue what signs and symptoms to look for. Brain tumor was not part of our vocabulary. Early detection is the key with any form of cancer and knowing what to look for can save your life. Heather battled a different form of cancer than my mother but it was that terrible disease all the same. She contacted me in the hope that sharing her story could raise awareness and save lives. I hope we both can help someone out there by sharing these stories...Heather's is below and if you want to check out her blog please go to: http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather/

The Younger Face of Mesothelioma

You have cancer . . .

That one statement is enough to horrify you deeply. I heard these words at what was supposed to be my life's shining time. I had a 3 1/2 month old daughter, and I was being told that I had malignant pleural mesothelioma -- it was caused by asbestos exposure.

Most people wonder how I got cancer from asbestos. Wasn't that banned? Then, they want to know where I came across asbestos. Firstly, no. It was not. Secondly, I got it from breathing in the particles on my father's clothing. His construction job put him in contact with asbestos regularly. He brought little bits of it home with him on his work clothes and I would often wear his jacket outside to feed our rabbits.

I was diagnosed at age 36 and learned that the Mayo clinic only knew of one other instance of a person as young as myself being diagnosed with malignant plural mesothelioma. It has a tendency to occur in older males who have worked around asbestos. Their wives often got it too, from cleaning their husbands clothes. There were also women who worked in buildings with asbestos. The next wave of mesothelioma patients included people like me. People who went to school in buildings with asbestos were getting sick. People who were the children of the male workers who handled asbestos were being diagnosed with cancer. People who had decided to play with insulation as children were learning that it made them ill. These children are now grown and are the newer, younger face of mesothelioma.

As I have spent more time with people like me, I am meeting other individuals who are in their 20's and 30's and are fighting for their lives. Many of these people are starting marriages, having babies, starting careers and their lives are taken over by mesothelioma and its treatments. Thankfully, the treatments are getting better and patients young and old are beating this cancer.

Of course, learning you have cancer is earth shattering. Nonetheless, I am hopeful, as are a great deal of other mesothelioma sufferers. We are a community of people who share our stories, help lift each other up, grieve together when treatment is not helping and celebrate together when it is.

Through all of this, why do I do this? Why do I get my tale of cancer out there? I do it so people will be aware of what is happening. If no one knows, how will things get any better? If I can show someone who has just been diagnosed that it is possible to be a survivor or alleviate someone's fear, than I have done what I aimed to do.