Southwest Chicken Corn Chowder

Southwest Chicken Corn Chowder
6 servings

1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon oil
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
2 cans (14-3/4 ounces each) cream-style corn
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
shredded cheddar cheese
chopped cilantro

Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the broth, soup, chicken and chilies until blended. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; stir in the corn, milk, chili powder and cumin. Heat through (do not boil). Sprinkle each serving with cheese and cilantro and enjoy!

Greek Chicken Penne

Greek Chicken Penne
6 servings

2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 small onion, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1 cup artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped
1/3 cup Greek olives, sliced (I just used regular black olives)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon Greek seasoning*

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, place tomatoes in a small bowl; add boiling water. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. In a large sauce pan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Drain and chop tomatoes; add to the pan. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drain pasta; add to the pan and heat through.

Space Exploration Day for Home School Students

The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum hosted a Space Exploration Day exclusively for home schooled students. My children and I (and 250 others!) had the great pleasure of attending today. The programs were fascinating and lots of fun!

We attended a class entitled "Reaching the Future", given by a NASA Aerospace Education Specialist, where we learned about the Constellation Program. The program is designed to send human explorers back to the moon, and then onward to Mars and other destinations in the solar system during the next decade.

A NASA space shuttle project engineer, specializing in space suit technology, talked to us about how space suits are designed and tested. We got to see and touch the parts of a space suit and we learned a lot of interesting facts about life as an astronaut!

A NASA mission control employee of Johnson Space Center taught us about the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle during his talk entitled "Help Us Take the Next Human to the Moon and Beyond". (In this class I learned that my son knew the names of all five shuttles...and I did not! ;-)

We also enjoyed a self-guided tour of NASA's mobile "Driven to Explore" exhibit where we touched a moon rock! And a self-guided Museum tour of the current display "Beyond the Moon: NASA's Continuing Mission" which will be at the Library through August 2009.

There was a small amount of time for a brief stop through the main part of the museum to learn a little bit more about the lives of our 41st president, George Herbert Walker Bush and first lady Barbara Bush. :-)

love this!

having a "chat" with President Bush :-)

taking a peek into the White House

an actual piece of the Berlin Wall

We are very blessed to have such wonderful educational opportunities so close to home. Please visit The George Bush Library to learn more about the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum and NASA to explore the wonders of our great nation's space program!

Balsamic Chicken

Balsamic Chicken 

4 servings

1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, pepper and salt. Add chicken, one piece at a time, and shake to coat. In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm. In the same pan, cook onion until tender. Add water, stirring to loosen browned bits. Add the vinegar, thyme and rosemary; cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve over chicken.

Children enjoyed this and Mr. H. loved it!

Lemon Streusel Muffins

Lemon Streusel Muffins
1 dozen

1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 cup cake flour (I used regular flour)
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup lemon juice (I used 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup water)
1/2 cup lemon yogurt
4 egg whites
for streusel
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon cold butter

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Beat in egg yolks and lemon peel. Combine the flours, baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to the butter mixture alternately with lemon juice and yogurt. In a small bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Grease muffin cups or use paper liners; fill two-thirds full with batter. For streusel, combine the flour, brown sugar and nutmeg; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Perfect for summertime! :-)

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup.

The Lord of the Rings
The Two Towers

Supper Menus
March 9th-14th

Monday
basalmic chicken breasts, sauteed fresh green beans and tomatoes, new potatoes, dinner rolls
Tuesday
swiss steak, twice baked potatoes, lettuce and tomato salad, dinner rolls
Wednesday
greek chicken penne, spring mix salad, focaccia bread
Thursday
southwest chicken corn chowder, jalapeno cheese cornbread
Friday
baked ratatouille boats, amish potato bread
Saturday
take out pizza :-)

Many of these menu items are from my latest issue of Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking. Please stop by later in the week for pictures and recipes of our favorites. :-)

Please be sure to visit Laura at Menu Plan Monday!

Spring Forward!

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Spring Ahead" by Carol Robinson

Peace

With eager heart and will on fire,

I sought to win my great desire

"Peace shall be mine," I said; but life

Grew bitter in the weary strife.

My soul was tired, and my pride

Was wounded deep: to Heaven I cried,

"God grant me peace or I must die,"

The dumb stars glittered no reply.

Broken at last, I bowed my head,

Forgetting all myself, and said,

"Whatever comes, His will be done;"

And in that moment peace was won.

~Henry Van Dyke

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

James 4:13-15

Couch to 5K Update

It has been one week since I began the Couch to 5K program and I just completed my 4th "run". And, let me tell you, it was H-A-R-D! But it was wonderful at the same time. :-) There is nothing like doing something that you really thought you couldn't do!

Today's workout increased the running time from 60 second intervals to 90 second intervals. (Oh, and by the way, Couch to 5K calls this "jogging" - which I refuse to do. ;-) This is hard. It is running. And I want credit where credit is due!)

The thing that I am noticing about running is that it is really so much harder than walking or doing aerobics. I am also noticing that I am not in as good a shape as I thought I was! Yes, I know I need to loose a few pounds (Actually at my short stature, I need to lose more than a few! ;-) But, more important to me than what the scale says, is the condition of my heart (physically and spiritually). I can walk all day and I can do aerobics for quite awhile without getting too winded, but running? It is really challenging. But you know...I've always loved a good challenge! :-)

Life

"Let me but live my life from

year to year,

With forward face and

unreluctant soul;

Not hurrying to, nor turning

from, the goal;

Not mourning for the things

that disappear

In the dim past, nor holding

back in fear

from what the future veils;

but with a whole

And happy heart, that pays its toll

To Youth and Age, and

travels on with cheer.

So let the way wind up the

hill or down,

O'er rough or smooth, the

journey will be joy:

Still seeking what I sought

when but a boy,

New friendship, high adventure,

and a crown,

My heart will keep the courage

of the quest,

And hope the road's last turn

will be the best."

~Henry Van Dyke

"Look not mournfully into the Past. It comes not back again. Wisely improve the Present. It is thine. Go fourth to meet the shadowy Future, without fear, and with a manly heart."

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"...let us run with patience

the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus

the author and finisher of our faith..."

Hebrews 12:1-2

Happy Texas Independence Day!

Texas Independence Day is the celebration of the adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos.

"Texas is a state of mind.

Texas is an obsession.

Above all, Texas is a nation in every sense of the word."

~John Steinbeck

"Entertaining at Home" is fun!

Oh did I have fun hosting a Taste of Home's "Entertaining at Home" party a few weeks ago! Have you heard of it? I love Taste of Home - we go way back! ;-) Some friends are Entertaining at Home consultants. To host - I mailed invites, opened my home and provided refreshments. The consultants did everything else. So fun! And check out my goodies...

"italian stitch" espresso set

for Mr. H.

a lovely and practical
gramercy cookbook shelf

can't wait to try out this
mandoline slicer

and lov-ing these!
venetian plaque medallions

Not hung yet, but are planned to "fancy up" the master bath.

Love

them. :-)

The best part? The party earned me $50 in free product, 3 half priced items and no shipping charges. Pretty cool. :-) All the guests also got a February special free gift with purchase. And since most of the things I chose were on clearance, my "Entertaining at Home" goodies cost me all of $20 ~ total. Definitely worth the effort. ;-)

Check out www.entertainingathome.com

and host a party today!

The year’s at the spring
And day’s at the morn;
Morning’s at seven;
The hill side’s dew-pearled;
The lark’s on the wing;
The snail’s on the thorn;
God’s in his heaven –
All’s right with the world.

~Robert Browning
The Year’s at the Spring, 1870

“Flowers appear on the earth;

the season of singing has come…”

Song of Solomon 2:12

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Springtime on the Farm" by Konstantin Rodko

The Lord of the Rings

The Fellowship of the Ring

Supper Menus
March 2nd-7th

Monday
rotisserie chicken, green beans and new potatoes, sour dough bread, spring mix green salad
Tuesday
supper at friend's house - taking baked beans
Wednesday
angel hair pasta with marinara sauce and italian chicken, garlic bread sticks, caesar salad
Thursday
hamburgers, spicy potato wedges, coleslaw
Friday
homemade pizza, lettuce and tomato salad
Saturday
supper at friend's house

Happy Birthday to Mr. H. :-)

~ a very special man ~

And I Really Thought It Couldn't Be Done...

I ran today. On purpose. :-)

I really want to run part of the next 5K I participate in. I have decided to try the "Couch to 5K" running plan. After having printed out the schedule several times over the years, I have since discovered that you actually have to do more than print it out... ;-)

So, 1 workout down...26 to go! Going to put a tracker in my side bar for accountability. :-)

You can check out the schedule at Cool Running.

"I love the sweet smell of dawn -
our unique daily opportunity to smell time,
to smell opportunity -
each morning being, a new beginning."

~Emme Woodhull-Bäche

"As much as I converse with sages and heroes,

they have very little of my love and admiration.

I long for rural and domestic scenes,

for the warbling of birds and the prattling of my children."

~John Adams