They grow up so fast

My son is now driving.

 

This makes me sad.

 

I am seriously upset that I can no longer hide my treats in the driver's side door.

 

Why do they have to grow up?

 

It's just so sad.

If I didn't have to work...

If I didn't have to work I would...

...clean my house. You know, work.

But if my house was already clean I would most likely....

....read more books. Way better watching T.V.

But I also might...

...watch a little T.V.

I might consider...

...starting up a recipe group again. I did that before and it was a lot of fun. Fun place to try recipes that your family most likely will think are "gross!"

Then I might tackle...

...painting the ceilings and walls in my house. I've been wanting to do that for a while. Then I think I would....

...get me some friends and go to all the chick flicks my husband falls asleep in. Because it's so much better to swoon with friends.

In all honesty, one of the first things on my list to do, at least for the first week would be...

...Nap. Not long ones. But if I was feeling tired from a late night, or I was sick...I could nap.

I should say that I would...

...volunteer at my kids school more. I should.

I might take a stab at...

...organizing myself. I am about 16 years overdue.

You know, I might even try my hand at....

...shopping (which I now hate doing). But then I would just have to get a job to pay for that, so forget it!

30 more years and then I can justify doing all these things on a daily basis. Until then....

...I gotta go to work, work, work, work.

The important things...

Do you know what I really want?

 

Not money.

Not fame.

-Maybe a little extra sleep.-

 

But what I really want....

 

I want the recipe for the rolls that all elementary school cafeterias everywhere

have served since the beginning of time. 

 

They are delicious.

 

No matter what other disgusting food is put on that turquoise tray,

THAT  roll can save the meal.

 

That recipe...

I want it.

 

Picture (and I would assume recipe) found here.

 

Guess what.

In looking for this image,

I found the recipe for these exact rolls.

Thank you Google..

 

Now if I can just find a lunch lady willing to make it for me.  

Recipe: Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Recipe and picture found here. 

 

Ingredients

For the casserole:

• 1 whole cooked chicken, bones removed, meat diced or shredded (rotisserie chicken is excellent, should have 5-6 cups)
• 1/2 pound very thinly sliced deli-style honey ham, rough chopped
• 1/4  pound thin sliced baby Swiss cheese

For the sauce:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 3 1/4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• salt, to taste

For the topping:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

Put cooked shredded or diced chicken on the bottom of the baking dish. Rough chop the ham and scatter it over the top of the chicken. Lay the Swiss cheese on top of the ham.

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, quickly stir in the flour to form a smooth roux. Do not brown! Once the roux is smooth and bubbly, slowly pour in the cold milk while stirring briskly to make a smooth sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, smoked paprika and white pepper. Bring sauce just back to a low boil and turn off heat. Pour sauce evenly over the casserole, being certain to get some of the sauce around the edges of the pan.

To make the topping: Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium sized microwaveable bowl. Heat it for 30 seconds at a time and stop once it’s melted. Take the bowl out of the microwave and stir in the panko bread crumbs, seasoning salt and crushed dried parsley. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

Bake casserole uncovered for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly throughout and topping has turned a light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

It's my favorite!!

Look who is back...

 

 

Finally!!

 

#ILOVEFALL

Stranger Things

Most days when my kids are in school,

I am working.

 

But there are about 5 days a month

when my kids are in school

and I am not working.

 

Wow, that is sad if you think about it.

Let's not think about that.

 

So what do I do on these 5 days?

 

Mostly I clean...

bathrooms, bedrooms, dust,

 mop floors, clean my car, maybe tackle a big project.

 

Okay, so I was just kidding about the dusting.

I never dust.

 

But...

 

 when the laundry is all washed and dried,

I take the mounds of clothes,

sit down on the couch

and turn on this show.

 

 

I have never wished for piles of laundry.

Now I do.  

Things I've learned...

...from my children.

What I think is cool is definitely not cool.

Something happens to me on the eve of each of my children's 13th birthday and I wake up not knowing anything.

Things don't get easier as my kids get older....they just get a different kind of hard.

No matter how easy the older kids had it, the youngest has it the easiest.

I am responsible for anything and everything my teenagers forget to do.

I apparently don't need to sleep. If they wake up early, I should be awake. If they are up late, I should be awake. If they wake in the night, I have to be awake with them.

There is an endless amount of money on my little debit card to be spent on them.

I cannot be trusted to pick the music in my own car.

Anything that is in my bag is community property.

There is always hope, sunshine, happiness and joy in these 5 little people.