Recipe Thursday!

I've decided that I am going to start posting something that I've cooked in the past week every Thursday! I will try and come up with some originals along with some recipes I plan on trying from good old Pinterest!

Today's Recipe is a combo of both. I originally made this recipe http://www.darlingdoodlesdesign.com/2012/04/forgotten-chicken.html which by the way was fantastic, easy and mess free! This week however I decided to change a few items and make one of our family fav dishes, using these guidelines.

Baked Mushroom Soup Gravy Pork chops
Prep time: 5minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 10mins

Here's what you need:

 

Preheat oven to 350
2 (*3) cans of mushroom soup

1 can water
(* 1/2 can of milk)

2 cups of instant rice (uncooked)

Boneless Pork Chops

Seasoning of your choice (I used a southwest spice, garlic & pepper)
***Read notes at bottom before making***
 

 

 

Start by mixing 2 cans of mushroom soup with 1 can of water, then mix in 2 cups of rice.

 

 

 

Next poor into a buttered casserole dish & top with pork chops. I added some seasoning to the top of the rice mixture so that the bottom of the pork chops would be seasoned.

 

I then added seasoning to the top of the pork chops, covered in tinfoil & baked 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove tinfoil & bake for an additional 30 mins.

before

Like the original recipe states & what I love, is that the rice gets crispy on the outside but stays moist on the inside! Yum!

after

***So after taste testing this recipe, there is 1 thing I will do differently next time around & you may want to do if your trying this out for the first time. I like my pork chops nice and saucy & so next time I plan on adding 1 more can of mushroom soup mixed with 1/2 can of milk over top of the pork chops. :)

Dinner is served!

 

 

 



Gifts from Aunty

Today when we went to check the mail, we were surprised to find "the magic key"! Anyone who has the same type of mailboxes (the kind you have to walk to and unlock), knows that there is nothing better then finding "the magic key" inside :) For those of you who are lucky enough to still have the old school mail boxes hanging on your front step, let me explain. When the mail man leaves you a key it means that whatever is waiting for you is too big to fit in your mail box....there are 2 doors at the bottom of the box, one medium and one large. I always feel like I'm on a game show when I get a key and pick the smaller box to try first. If it doesn't fit...bonus, your item needed the BIG box to fit in. Its like winning the jackpot, there really is no better feeling, I mean you know its not going to be a GIANT bill in there.

our package

Today our key opened the large box and inside was a GIANT package all the way from Victoria, BC! We were so excited, well I was, Bry was sleeping. My girlfriend Sarah had mailed Bry's gift because she was unfortunately unable to make the trip out here right now & was worried he would outgrow it.

Here is what we found inside:

Gifts from Aunty!

 

A whole whack of fun stuff. A beautiful blankie, brown bear book & xylophone (need to ask Aunty about this one), with the majority being Vancouver Canucks gear. Although I am a Calgary Flames fan, I do cheer for the Canucks as well & LOVE all the new stuff. Daddy on the other hand dislikes the Canucks a LOT (and that's putting it lightly). He wouldn't even help put the jersey on...he only helped take it off. Poor sport! haha

I think this jersey brings out my eyes?!?

We cant wait for the day to come when we see Aunty Sarah & Uncle Taylor but until then we will cheer on the boys in blue & send pictures to show how much we love everything! xoxo

I can totally rock this look!

Summer 2012

Soooo here is a run down on our amazing summer of 2012! The weather has been fantastic and I'm pretty sure our air conditioner has run the entire time....I have the bill to prove it ;)

To me summer starts on June 1st and runs until August 31st...with fall promptly beginning Sept 1st. I don't care if it's +30 that day, it is fall! Everyone always complains about how fast summer flies by and I tend to agree, however I'm not sure if it was the mat leave or the heat but this summer felt loooong (in a good way of course).

First swim-Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan

I am all about the HEAT, I love nothing more then to lie in the sun and suck up every ounce of the warmth, but by the end of August I am ready for a season change. As much as I would love summer to be longer, I do appreciate the fact that we live somewhere that gets to enjoy each and every season to its fullest and I love the change!


Driving Somewhere

I'm starting a little early this year, hoping that I can ease into fall and get my family back into a routine & my little man onto a schedule. We have traveled 10 different times over the past 3 months and have barely spent an entire week straight in one place. Brylen has been a trooper and for the most part a wonderful travel companion, but I'm starting to wonder if he thinks we're gypsies.

Good Morning Daddy-Simmie, Saskatchewan

We started summer with a trip to our cabin in Simmie. It is located 20 mins from Clayton's hometown and takes us about 2 hours to drive there now. Clayton pretty much grew up on that lake and loves everything about it- the fishing, boating, water skiing and most importantly the bringing together of old friends. I love Simmie because of its beautiful breath taking views & its peacefulness. There is no cell service, so once you drive down the small hill its like going back in time. You are forced to sit back and enjoy the view, walk to the cabins of people you want to talk to and best of all, relax!

Brylen enjoying life at the lake

FIRST FAMILY PIC at Simmie 2012

We are lucky enough to have 2 cabins and both are totally different. Simmie is lake front & great for boating and visiting friends, while Cypress is located on the Saskatchewan side of Cypress Hills Provincial Park and is 100% geared towards families. There is a small lake, pool, ice cream stands, zip lining, horseback riding, mini golf, golfing, hiking trails & tons more. Our cabin here is also very relaxing and we love spending the days playing horse shoes & the nights sitting around the fire chatting.


Swimming in Cypress

Walking around the lake-Cypress 2012

Beckam & Brylen listening to Grandpa tell stories

 

We made it to Regina 3 times this summer & up to Calgary for the 100th Stampede. We also headed out to Echo Dale a couple of times which is one of my favorite places & a short 20 minute drive from our home. It is a beautiful park located just outside the city & has a man made beach with music, lifegaurds & a concession. My sister & family travel here just to go there (and to visit us I think?). It is one of those hidden gems and if your ever here in the summer, make sure you ask someone to take you!

Echo Dale-2012

Lastly, I am ever so lucky that the way my mother's work schedule works out, she has 1 week off a month and has driven up to spend it with us each month since Bry was born! I love having her here to spend time with and her help has been amazing! Thanks momma :)

Grandma & Bry playing Superman

That was our summer in a nutshell! I feel blessed to have had such a fun filled & beautiful summer and I look forward to many more to come. Next up.....Starbucks Pumpkin Spiced Latte.









The Green Dessert

Every family has their staple dessert and ours is no different. This dessert is known in our family as the "Green Dessert" and I give full credit to my Auntie Brenda for the creation. I have no idea where the original recipe came from or what the original name was, however if you say "Green Dessert" everyone knows what your talking about.

I have since shared this recipe with my in laws and it has become a family favorite of theirs as well. Clayton requested this as his birthday cake this year and I decided then to write a blog post and share this wonderful easy and super yummy delight with you. At the same time I decided that I was going to rename the "Green Dessert" and it is now known as the "Roughrider Delight" (GO RIDERS!!!!)

Anyone who knows me, knows that I dislike following recipes', I'd much rather wing it! I will do my best at giving you accurate information on this one but feel free to experiment!

What you'll need:

1 box Graham Cracker Crumbs

2 tbsp Melted Butter

1 container of Cool whip

1/2 cup of icing sugar

1 pkg of cream cheese

1 large package of Instant Vanilla Pudding

1 large package of Instant Pistachio Pudding

2 cups of milk*

 

*depends which brand of pudding you use

 

Layer #1-Graham Cracker Crust

The bottom layer is the common Graham Cracker Crust used in a zillion recipes and so I am not posting directions on how to make it. If you have no idea, they are usually on the box and involve mixing the crumbs with melted butter and then pressing them into the bottom of the pan (just wing it). I like to bake mine for 10mins to have it slightly crispy but if you do this make sure to let it cool before adding the next layer.



mmmm!

While the crust is cooling, you can start on the middle layer. In a large bowl, whip together the Cool Whip, Cream Cheese & Icing sugar.....make sure you test this layer before spreading it on top of the crust ;)

Next, mix together the vanilla & pistachio puddings using HALF the milk that is required to make regular pudding. I'm pretty sure that works out to be 2 cups instead of the regular 4, but whatever your package says, cut it in half!

Spread this layer on top of the previous layer, making sure to cover all the white!

The "Roughrider Delight"

Voila! The finished product! Mmmmm so freaken good and if your smart (which I know you are because your reading my blog), you will have used 2 different bowls to mix the white and green layers and you can now sit back and dip your finger into one and then the other to have a sneak peak taste of this delight! ENJOY~!

Update

So its been over a month since my last post but let me explain....

Between having a newborn, being away on summer vacation(s) and our laptop dying, I have not had a chance to update my blog. Since my newborn is now and infant, summer is coming to an end (yes tear) annnnnd we have purchased a desktop computer, I PROMISE to update this more regularly!

With that being said....my laptop is still down and out, which means the pictures from my second Regina  baby shower are MIA. Until I get those recovered, I'm putting a hold on that post. Please know I will come back to it as I have many people to thank and many pictures to show off!

I plan to write a quick "Summer" post, to let you know what went on and then start fresh, other wise I will be behind forever.

Stay tuned :)