Chicken Pesto Penne

Check me out over at At Work, At Play or At Home All Day talking about girlie stuff:-)
Here, I am doing more menu planning with I'm an Organizing Junkie and finding more deals at Pick N Save for $5 Dinners .

Chicken was on sale for $1.99/lb. at Pick N Save (normally, $4.79/lb.)!! I picked up some up. Check out the recipe below.

Here is what I am serving this week:
Monday: Semi-Homemade Spaghetti (Swim Class Tonight)

Tuesday: Chicken Pesto Penne (see recipe below)

Wednesday: Leftover Buffet (Doctor Appointment and Swim Class:-)

Thursday: Grilled Brats (Also on sale at Pick N Save)

Friday: Eat Out

Chicken Pesto Penne
Ingredients:
1 lb penne
1 ladle cooking water
1 tbs olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 1/2 lb Chicken, diced
3 cups packed fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
1/4 pine nuts
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper
Directions:
1. Make the penne per the package directions. Reserve 1 ladle of the cooking water for the sauce.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic to a large skillet over medium high heat for one minute. Add chicken and sauté until done.

3. Meanwhile, make the pesto. Process basil, pine nuts, remaining garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until combined. With machine running, gradually add the rest of the olive oil; process until smooth. Stir in Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the reserved ladle of water and the pesto to the chicken. Toss with pasta, top with more cheese and serve.

Servings: 6

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/6 of a recipe (9.7 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 697.3
Calories From Fat (30%) 209.73
% Daily Value
Total Fat 23.36g 36%
Saturated Fat 3.89g 19%
Cholesterol 69.44mg 23%
Sodium 176.84mg 7%
Potassium 660.52mg 19%
Total Carbohydrates 78.49g 26%
Fiber 4.92g 20%
Sugar 0.77g
Protein 42.03g 84%

Recipe Type: Chicken, Main Course

Source
Author: Susan Ewing

Recipe: $6.64 (on sale for $5.16)
Serving: $1.11 (on sale for $0.86)

Which Gadget for Which Task?

With all the kitchen gadgets out there, I sometimes wonder, am I using this right? There seems to be a million different tools for the same job. For example:

Stand Mixer : This is my favorite tool in the kitchen! I make all my batters and frosting in this thing. I couldn't be a competitive baker without it. It's got all kinds of great attachments too. The one I want the most is the pasta maker but not for pasta...to roll out fondant:-) Hee, hee, hee.

Hand-mixer: This is not one that I get out very much. The only time I use it is when my Stand Mixer is already being used or if I don't want to lug the big thing out.

Food Processor : I use this one even less. I know that you can make chutneys and sauces and things like that but I find that the only thing I do is make bread crumbs or chop a bunch of nuts up. Oh, and I make my pesto in there too! I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe yet! I will on Monday so come back for that!!

Blender : For me, this baby is only for drinks (i.e. smoothies, Margaritas, etc.). I know you can make salad dressing and stuff like that in them to but I generally just whip those up by hand.

So, what about you? What do you use your kitchen appliances for?

Friday Foto Fun with an Entrepreneur

Its time for Carrie's Friday Foto Fun:-) This is my youngest daughter and her first try with entrepreneurship:

She decided (on her own) that she was going to sell leaves. That's right...leaves...for 6 cents a piece. That is an old stump in our front yard which is functioning as her store front. The sign is her price menu. And the name of her business was "Leaf Sell". She did get some traffic to her "brick and mortar":

And Mommy and Daddy bought one too:-)

About an hour after she set up shop, I asked how business was doing. She said,

"Great. I've never felt so alive".

Keep in mind, she's five!!! Forbes List, here she comes.

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

Help!!!! I transplanted a rose bush from the house I grew up in to my house last year. I get free plants all the time but this one was my grandmother's and it's the only thing I really, really wanted to survive. This is what it looked like in early June:

Now, it looks like this:

It's still alive but barely:-(

Too much sun?

Too much water?

Too much fertilzer?

Any suggestions? If you can help me save my grandmother's rose bush, you will be my new best friend:-)

"I Go Bananas for Ruthie" Cupcakes

This week, I tackled cupcakes for Iron Cupcake: Milwaukee Booze Challenge . Dear Ruthie was our special guest hostess for the challenge and my cupcakes were an ode to her.

Check out the poster:

And now check out my entry:

I called them :
"I Go Bananas for Ruthie" Cupcakes
Bananas Foster Cupcakes
with Rum Frosting

Pretty close, right?

Ruthie loved it and I won second place in the Partner's Pick:-) I got a T-Shirt and a frig magnet!It was awesome:-)

Tax Credit Kitchen

Before I met my husband, he gutted and rebuilt all three bedrooms. A couple years ago we got a new roof and a new car. Last year, we gutted and redid our bathrooms and windows and bought another new car. AND, we bought two new computers last year and one was for education! We hit all of the tax credits for this year, last year! We have done everything possible to improve our property and support the economy. With nothing to show for the improvements (except the improvements), we deserve a tax credit kitchen.

Now, we are half way there. Last year (last year was a rough one) got a new range, a new dishwasher and a new microwave. All we need now is a enclume pot racks and some new cabinets. That's all I am looking for:-) Do you think that I could get a tax credit for a
enclume pot racks ?

Now, hear me out...we have done everything right. We are putting money into our property to keep the values up. We have almost single-handedly maintained the economy and the auto industry (both cars are American) during this difficult time. We are being penalized on our timing for the other credits. The least the administration could do for us is get me a new bright and shiny enclume pot racks . That's all. Just a little thank you for our support:-) Is that too much to ask?

The Pool

Introducing the Incredibly Shrinking Pool:



This is what happens when you put the Intex Easy Set pool on unlevel ground:-( I can't help it, we live on a hill. We have tried for 3 years to get this darned thing straight with now luck:-( Oh well, we still have fun in it. I only have to fill it with air every other day:-)

Leaning Tower of Grapes

I think our grape arbor will need to be replaced this year:

What do you think?

Bathing Beauty

How cute is she in her new swimwear? She started swimming classes this week and is very excited:-)

Kathy's Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This weekend, I made my first pineapple upside-down cake. It is a recipe from my husband's Aunt Kathy and it is what my BiL wanted for his birthday. So, I obliged and now, I am sharing it with you. Enjoy:-)


Kathy's Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
1 yellow cake mix
1 20 oz can pineapple rings
1 cup brown sugar
1 sticks butter
12 maraschino cherries

1. Grease sides only of a 9X13 baking dish. Set aside.

2. Drain pineapple but save the juice.

3. Combine butter and brown sugar in a sauce pan. Cook until thoroughly combined but not burnt. Pour into the bottom of the baking pan. Place pineapple over the brown sugar mixture and top each ring with a maraschino cherry.

4. Prepare the cake mix according to the box but use the saved pineapple juice for part of the water that is required. Pour mix carefully over the pineapple. Bake according to the box instructions.

5. When the cake is done, turn out onto a platter and enjoy:-)

Servings: 12

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Oven Temperature: 350°F

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/12 of a recipe (4.8 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 416.9
Calories From Fat (38%) 156.49
% Daily Value
Total Fat 17.8g 27%
Saturated Fat 10.32g 52%
Cholesterol 40.67mg 14%
Sodium 277.29mg 12%
Potassium 169.75mg 5%
Total Carbohydrates 63.44g 21%
Fiber 0.73g 3%
Sugar 24.07g
Protein 2.38g 5%

Recipe Type: Cake, Dessert, Other Desserts

Source
Author: Kathy Ewing
Source: Mommies Tried and True

Recipe: $6.63
Serving: $0.55

Would You Like Wine With That?

In a former life, I ran a wine pairing site. I maintained a database that would match wines with different proteins, carbs, sauces, etc. I had all kinds of recipes paired with wines too. I even had a way that you could buy the wines right there. It was to be the perfect dinner planning device. However, in 2005, I was brand new to the blogging game and spent way too much money trying to get people to my site. So, I abandoned the project.

Now, I have my share of readers and recipes but wouldn't it be great to have wine pairings with my Monday Menu Plan? I have found a site that does that and wine reviews and wine grades too. Take a gander at Supplewine.com . It's like looking back at a former life for me and it has some useful information for you:-)

Bake Like a Pro

Iron Cupcake: Milwaukee has really taken off! The last challenge we had people out the door waiting to get to the cupcakes! If I want every one of those judges to taste my cupcakes, I need to bring 3-dozen beautiful babies!! That means that for every challenge I am making restaurant size batches! So now, I need some restaurant supplies!

In my quest for bulk baking, I found Wasserstrom.com. They have everything that I need for my competitive baking, my chocolate shop and my awesome cupcake shop dream. I spent hours looking around and making my wish list:

1. I wish I had more baking pans.

2. I wish I had an abundance of bakery boxes.

3. I wish I had an endless supply of cupcake liners.

4. I wish I had all that professional cookware .

5. I wish I had my cupcake shop.

So there you have it:-) If you know anyone who is looking to buy me a late birthday or early Christmas present...

Tenants

 I got this lovely birdhouse for a birthday present several years ago.

We have had tenants a couple years in a row but never like this. The house is close to our patio set and usually, the birds stay clear when we are out there. Not this year!

The birds are really ballsy! They will sit in their house and stare you down. They will fly out at inopportune times. Like when we are walking by. A couple of times I have gotten hit in the head with one. So much so, you could start calling me Fabio! They even sit in the trees and yell at us for blocking their driveway! How rude.

So, I have decided that at any time, I can evict the little suckers! I mean, I am higher on the food chain, right?

Peonies in Bloom

I have a lot of catching up to do in reporting all of my gardening activities to you. My lilacs have already come and gone:-( However, the peonies are about ready to explode!


So, enjoy this for now and stay tuned from more reports from my garden:-)

An Epic Battle

Badminton tournament sans net:-)

Setting Up a Playset

After I was done being sick, we tackled this playset:

It's pretty fun with a slide:

and swings:

and a teeter-totter:

and a really cool ladder:

Oh, and did I mention that my husband rolled that tower all the way from the front yard? We got it second-hand from his sister so, we didn't completely disassembled for fear we would not be able to put it back together. He is such a big strong man!
That's part of what we tackled while I was away. More to come next week:-)

Strawberry Smoothies

Check me out over at At Work, At Play or At Home All Day talking about girlie stuff:-)
Here, I am doing more menu planning with I'm an Organizing Junkie and finding more deals at Pick N Save for $5 Dinners .

June is National Dairy Month so, milk was on sale for $1.88/gallon at Pick N Save (normally, $2.59/gallon)!! I picked up a couple extra gallons and made my Strawberry Smoothies. Check it all out below:-)

Here is what I am serving this week:

Monday: Semi-Homemade Spaghetti

Tuesday: Bourbon Chicken

Wednesday: Honey Dijon Pork Loin Roast

Thursday: Leftover Buffet

Friday: Eat Out
Strawberry SmoothiesServes 4
Ingredients:
1 cup Strawberries, chopped
1/2 cup milk
1 cup yogurt
1 cup ice cubes

Directions:
1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

2. Enjoy:-)

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 113.41
Calories From Fat: 19.65
Total Fat: 2.23g
Saturated Fat: 1.15g
Cholesterol: 5.90mg
Sodium: 61.21mg Potassium: 483.70mg
Total Carbohydrates: 21.06mg
Fiber: 5.92g
Protein: 6.36g

Recipe Author: Susan Ewing

Recipe: $2.08
Serving: $0.52

Update

It's me...Susie:-) I am peaking my head in here just to let my wonderful readers know what is going on.

A couple weeks ago, I came down with a terrible secondary respiratory infection. It was second to seasonal allergies!! I didn't know you could develop an infection from pollen. Anyway, the remedy was antibodotics which kicked my butt!! I was so physically worn out, I couldn't even blog. Now, that's serious!

I am feeling much better now (thank you for asking:-) and, am slowly coming back to the blogosphere:-) You should be seeing my silly mug around soon because I have a lot of catching up to do:-) And then Monday, I will be back with lots of new stuff to share.

Thanks again for everyone's concern and for hanging in there:-)

Please Stand By

This is Jeff, Susie's husband. Susie is sick and out of commission. Please stay tuned for new posts:-)