Herbed Chicken Pot Pie

Baby, it's cold outside! Warm up your life with this scrumptious chicken pot pie! Oh and it's not your great grandma's bland old church potluck version, oh no! This is much more flavorful and savory. Mmmmm, chicken pot pie the way it should be with richly seasoned rotisserie chicken and you can even use fresh herbs if you have them available. If not, used the dried ones. I don't measure the herbs so just add them to taste.

2, 9 inch ready made pie crusts, thawed
1 rotisserie chicken
1 package of frozen mixed vegetables- peas, carrots, corn, and green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or poultry seasoning
1/4 of a yellow onion chopped
fresh ground black pepper
sea salt
Italian herb grinder seasoning, or fresh rosemary, oregano, basil, and parsley
Lawry's seasoned salt
garlic salt

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Open can of cream of mushroom soup and pour into a saucepan. Add frozen veggies, water and chicken bouillon to taste.
3. Sautee cooked rotisserie chicken with chopped onion in some olive oil. Add all seasonings to taste.
4. Add herbed chicken to the cream of mushroom mixture.
5. Pour chicken and soup mixture into one pie crust and cover with the other crust. Seal the edges and cut a small steam hole in the top crust. Bake in the preheated oven 30-35 minutes or until crust is brown.

It's so amazingly good, warm and comforting that you'd better make two and freeze one for a rainy day! 

Fun Photo Shoot

"Hand over the cookies mom, and I'll sport the hat for about 12.5 seconds...

"Mmmmmm Egg nog cookies are the best mama!"

"Ok are we done here yet!?"

"Because I'm getting sleepy and I want another cookie!"- Aiden

xmas 2010

Delightful Damask Magenta Christmas Card

Turn your unique photos into Christmas cards with Shutterfly.

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A Classic Christmas Greeting

Now that hubby is home for the weekend, I can start thinking about our 2010 Christmas card! I have always used Shutterfly because their designs are just simple, classy and beautiful which goes right along with my personal style of Christmas decor and well, Christmas in general. Classic, not plastic is my motto when it comes to anything Christmas related. :) I don't want to give anything away, but I'm loving this lovely design and oh...OHHHHHH and  this elegant little number! Oh so many to choose from! How ever will I decide? The ONE annual family card that captures the essence of your whole existence! It's a HUGE decision! :)
I've used Shutterfly in the past for photo books, holiday cards ect. One of the reasons I love using Shutterfly is because it is very easy to use, (no program to download) and the quality of how the pictures turn out is great! They also have the best prices around and GREAT promotions!
If you are still looking for gift ideas, you can't go wrong with a personalized calendar because you'd practically have to be without a soul to not want to look at THIS FACE every day for the upcoming year! :)

And while we're on the subject of our family stationary needs, let's not forget that in only 4 SHORT MONTHS my little baby boy will be turning TWO years old! EXCUSE me, didn't we JUST have his first year birthday! How in the world is this flying by so fast!? Well, now that I've practically almost choked on my toast with this new realization, it's time to think about birthday party themes, activities and the invitation of course! Cute CUTE options from Shutterfly! I'm off to get lost for a while in design heaven :) Ta Ta!

Baked Oatmeal

Did you know baked oatmeal is a new thing?! I had no idea!!!
I knew you could bake it into cookies...but THIS!? THIS is amazing!!!
Baked oatmeal is very different from the stovetop kind. The consistency is close to cake but the edges turn out all crispy like a cookie! It's fabulous! If you don't eat regular oatmeal because you detest the goopy consistency, THIS baked version will change your life! Oatmeal just got much more fabulous and a LOT more classy! Here's the recipe adapted from allrecipies.com...serves four people or two REALLY hungry people :)

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (the quick cooking variety will break down and get soggy)

1/2 cup  dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk (any fat content will do)

1/4 cup melted butter

1 large egg

splash of vanilla extract

handful of dried cranberries (optional)

Granny Smith apples, fresh raspberries, slivered almonds and pistachios for topping (Use your imagination)

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the oats, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, egg and vanilla extract.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to incorporate.  Fold in the dried cranberries.

Pour mixture into a lightly greased 9-inch pie pan.  Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly firm to the touch and no wiggle remains.

Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes then spoon into serving bowls.  Top with milk, fresh fruit and nuts and serve.

Bon appetite!