My Cooking Obsession

I have an obsession... with the Pioneer Woman. Seriously, if you haven't checked out her cooking website... do it. now. I just find such treasures on there and she is so funny. So many websites I find for recipes use so many ingredients that are kind of weird but her recipes hardly ever require a spice that costs an arm and a leg for one use and I feel confident in switching out a spice I don't have for something I do. Derek helps in this because he makes me more confident in my cooking by always complimenting everything I cook. He makes me feel good  :) This week I think he has just been extra complimentary because I made loaded tacos.. which he really loved.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/05/loaded-nachos/

But who wouldn't love these! They were so tasty and perfect for watching the game :) (I can't remember which game... which watch a lot of games...) 

Anyways... I am obsessed with The Pioneer Woman on a weird level.. like the same level as my mom is obsessed with Clover Lane... 

Well.. I think I am finished for this post, except for listing my two favorite "cooking in the kitchen" songs... 

Sweet Pea by Amos Lee

Love by Matt White

Busy but Wonderful!

Basically this is my life lately... I have been so busy with all sorts of things but it has been so great! I am finally getting some real teaching experience and I am loving it and looking so forward to hopefully being an intern next year. Also, life has been great lately because I love my new apartment! I am so much more motivated to do the laundry and to keep the apartment neat and tidy (because everything is better that way) and because I actually really like our new apartment. Also lately I have become in love with looking online and putting together good "teacher outfits" but right now its hard because I have to overdress since I am not a teacher or even an intern yet but one day it will all be worth it... probably... My problem is I don't want to spend money on something I am only going to wear teaching because one day when I am not teaching, I don't want clothes to go to waste just sitting in my closet. Also another problem is I don't have money for new clothes (I have negative money if you ask Derek haha). So, ya know, if anyone wants to send me teacher clothes money I probably wouldn't turn you down ;). It's funny because since I have been in the schools more, going to my classes on campus seems useless because I learn more one hour in the school than I do with one week on campus. But I guess that's the way real-life applicable experience goes and I will just be glad I have the real-life experience in addition to the on campus classes I'm still taking right now.

Derek has been keeping busy too. He keeps to his studying and I try to not distract him or drag him away from that because I understand that it is important. It also helps that I am really busy too because then neither of us feels neglected or whatever the word to use there would be. We are both happy and loving life the way it is and enjoying every step of our long journey of schooling :)

Also, I think I am turning into an old person.. this picture was taken last night at about nine pm. Already in bed and reading.

One of the joys of Sundays.

Spring is Coming Early this Year!

.... no this does not have anything to do with groundhogs day. haha but basically spring means new beginnings and I feel like is a second new years day because it signifies a fresh start. As most of you know... we don't really like the apartment we currently live in and have just been needing a change. A week and a half ago I came across this apartment that just seemed perfect for Derek and I so I jumped on the opportunity and we are in the process of moving this week. I just feel so excited to start new and fresh in a different apartment in a different part of town in a different ward (church congregation). I feel like in my current ward I have been somewhat antisocial because I just for some reason had no desire to make new friends and I am hoping to be a little bit more outgoing (like my personality is normally). One other fun thing about me and Derek's place is we have a nice little laundry room that I just love. Since we got married, Derek does the laundry and I fold it because our laundry room is creepy and shared.... seriously, it's creepy.... if you don't believe me, I once had to email my landlord and the email was "Possible Dead Cat"... it was in the laundry room... and it was gross, and I had nightmares of it coming to life and coming after me. Anyways, I have missed doing laundry... I love clothes and I love being in control of how the laundry is done because I guess when it comes to my clothes I am a bit of a control freak. Derek is also loving that we are moving because he is off laundry duty and unlike me he doesn't like to do laundry... what a weirdo! Over the weekend Derek and I went to buy a washer and dryer for our little laundry room and while walking up and down the aisles of an Appliance Direct type store I just kept singing this song in my head....

Buying a washer and dryer is probably the most womanly thing I have ever done! Isn't buying appliances what being a woman is all about?

We are also excited because at our new place we will have a spot for a little grill so we can have real hamburgers and steak instead of the fake ones I have been doctoring in our kitchen now. Basically, I am so happy and excited for a fresh start and hopefully spring the season comes soon too so I can just enjoy everything!

On different news real quick, as I get further and further into my program and spend more and more time in the elementary schools, I just want  to be a teacher even more and can't wait until it actually happens! Only a little while longer :)

Cheddar Baked Chicken

So, a couple weeks ago I asked Derek to grab a block of cheddar cheese while he was out for something that I was making and he came back with a huge block. So, we just decided we would make a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches to use it up. Anywayss, yesterday for dinner I was planning on making the Pioneer Woman's Pantry Pasta for Two until I looked in the fridge and remembered the block of cheese that was still pretty huge and I thought I had maybe heard of people doing cheddar baked chicken so I just decided to give it a try. It turned out sooo good! I don't like to promote myself or toot my own horn but Derek and I both agreed it was some of the best chicken we have ever had and he said I need to write down the recipe because he wants it again (such a nice compliment :)) So I decided that before I write the recipe into my custom cookbook (thanks again Steph!) I will post it on here since a few people have asked for it anyways.

One disclaimer before I start... I didn't measure much but I will try to estimate how much of everything I used.

So first I guess is what you need.... here it is..

2 chicken breasts (sliced lengthwise to make 4 total thinner pieces because I think it's easier to work with)
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 to 1-1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 to 3/4 cup crunched caesar croutons (that's what I had, you could use breadcrumbs, cereal or whatever)
1 teaspoon ground pepper or less... or more depending on how much you like.

These next two ingredients can be substituted for what you have in the pantry, I had these so I added them..
~1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I just shook and mixed until it looked like there was a good amount
1/2 teaspoon rosemary (it smelled good)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare a baking dish (I used an 8x8 pan) by melting 2 tablespoons of butter in the bottom

Beat one egg and mix in milk in a small bowl.

In a little bigger of a bowl mix together shredded cheese, crunched croutons (or whatever you use), pepper, red pepper flakes, and rosemary. I found it best to just use my hands and make sure everything looked pretty evenly dispersed.

Take each chicken breast piece (you should have 4) and coat it in the first bowl of egg and milk and then dip it in the cheese mixture making sure it coated good on both sides then place it into the baking dish. Do this with the remaining pieces of chicken. My pieces fit pretty snug in my 8x8 dish so if you were going to do more than you'd want a bigger dish. Then, you just pop it in the over for 35-45 minutes or until the top is nice and golden and the chicken is cooked through.

Then, you enjoy :) Hopefully you like it as much as we did :)