Chicken Pot Pie the way my Mama makes it.

This recipe is a family favorite from way back. In fact, I can remember Mama making TWO batches of this dish so there would be enough for the 5 of us. Once you start eating it, it's SO hard to stop! ;)

CHICKEN POT PIE

Ingredients:

Boneless, skinless chicken breast or tenderloin

I use 4 or 5 tenders and 1 or 2 breasts depending on the size. Also, if you're in a hurry you can use 1 large can of shredded chicken.

2 cans mixed veggies

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can chicken broth

I buy the big thing of broth and use the empty soup can to "measure".

1 stick butter

Paula Deen would be SO proud. ;)

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

In a small saucepan heat the soup and broth until warm and well blended.

While the soup mixture is "cooking", add the shredded chicken and veggies to a 9X13 baking dish.

This is when I put in a little salt & pepper.

Add the soup mixture to the baking dish.

Melt the butter in a mixing bowl, and add the flour and buttermilk.

Sometimes I use the piping hot saucepan to help melt the butter instead of microwaving it.

Stir mixture until well blended. The topping should be thick but easy to pour.

Pour evenly over veggies & chicken.

Bake at 425 for about 30 minutes.

You want to be sure the topping is done on the bottom so you may have to go a little longer.

Turn the broiler on for a few minutes at the end to brown the top. 

Serve and enjoy!

Disclaimer:::: This dish stays HOT for a LONG time. Be very careful when serving it! I always plate it before we're really ready to eat.

I hope your family likes this. Monster J loves it (mostly, he loves the topping...and who can blame him?!) but he does eat the veggies, too. ;)

Anti-Daddy Phase

J Baby is almost 2! I can't even believe it. It's going by too fast. I love this toddlerhood stage. It's my favorite age so far (I've said that about every age!) He's so independent. He's insistent on helping and sometimes even demands that he do something by himself. He loves to share and is so sweet. He gives hugs and kisses without too much begging from his Mama. ;) One phase I am beginning to want to do without, though, is the anti-daddy phase. It started a couple of weeks ago and I'm grateful that it hasn't gotten worse. Sometimes J is just fine sitting with David or letting David help him to the potty or get him dressed or fed. Other times (mostly bedtime, during the night and mornings) he only wants me. He won't let David get him juice, hold him or even be near him! He runs to me and hides his face while crying and saying "No, dada!" Other times he's perfectly content to be with David. He lets him give him a bath, play outside, sit with him for a snack...and then, like a switch he's running away from David again. We know it's just a phase but it's starting to wear on David's feelings and I completely understand.

Nothing has happened that would make him not want to be around David. There hasn't been any discipline or any other "event". J is very obsessive and once he gets something in his mind, he cannot be convinced otherwise (It's why we still have to spray for snakes in his room every other night or so!) He may have thought something or whatever and now is wary of David at times. Who knows!?!?

Anyone got any suggestions? Mama suggested we just ignore it. When he reacts to David just to say "It's okay" and go on with what we're doing. That's what we've been doing.

Help! :)

Karate Kid

While D was watching Karate Kid one morning, J decided to show off his karate moves. :) He saw the actors standing on the Great Wall of China and J said "Stand?" and he stood just like they were! We didn't even have to show him how to do it. 

Mr Independent

Josh has become quite the independent little Monster lately. He wants to wipe his own mouth, pour his own juice, put his own clothes in the laundry hamper (no complaints here about that one!) and although he's been feeding himself for quite some time, he doesn't want anything cut up or broken into smaller pieces. Not even a meatball sub!

This little light of mine...

He's gonna let it shine. :)

Playing in the rain

Today was a rainy day. A perfect day for taking naps and snuggling with my guys. :)

After church we had lunch with the Woolard family and Brent (his family is in NJ visiting) :( We missed them.

The rain had stopped as we ate lunch and Silas said that if it started raining again he wanted to play in the rain. God decided to help him out and the rain began falling again! We finished up and let the kids play in it for a while before heading home to get warmed up and take naps.

Here's some of the action.

"Yanya"

Tanya has been more than patient with J Baby. She's been so wonderful in trying to figure out some ways to make Josh more comfortable while with her and the other kids. He took his lovey (a cloth diaper) with him to school Friday and had a much better day. Maybe it was the lovey...maybe it was all the prayers...either way, he had a great day!




Guess who asked to go see "Yanya" this morning?!


Guess who was smiling when "Yanya" opened the door this morning?


Guess who didn't cling to his Mama when she left him this morning?


Guess who only whined a little when his Mama left him this morning?


Guess who peeked and grinned at Emelie when she dropped Jake off this morning?


Guess who loves his new school?!