Chicken Pot Pie

Jarrod always raves about my chicken pot pie with our friends and family. So much, in fact, that they began to request it when they would come over. Which I would then promptly smack him, because, seriously folks, this recipe is nothing fancy. It is so simple and uncomplicated. It does taste good, but I think he exaggerates just a tad. And I fear all the hype will lead to disappointment. But, to please the masses, I am sharing the recipe I use.

First, gather all your needed ingredients. Fairly simple, right?

Mix the chicken, cream of chicken soup, flour, broth and veggies together in a medium-sized bowl. Whew...that was tough.

Sprinkle a little pepper on top and mix. This is just to help give it a little extra kick of flavor. You could add other spices to your liking as well. Get creative!

Place one of the pie shells in a greased pie pan and pour the mixture on top.

Now here comes the hard part...place the other pie shell on top, crimp the edges and cut vent holes on top. Ok, ok...so it isn't that hard.

Put it in the oven for about 15-20 minutes at 400° F. Once that is done...

...cover the edges with aluminum foil or a pie shield. I don't own a pie shield, so I had to go the ghetto way.

Place back in the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.

And voila! Chicken Pot Pie. See? Super, super easy. Nothing to it.

You may wish to make yours a little more golden than what I have pictured, but it was late at night and I was ready for bed. So, this is what I got.


Here is the recipe written out. Enjoy!

• 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
• 1 1/2 cup cubed cooked chicken (I use a 10 oz. can of chicken)
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• Flour (about 3 to 4 tablespoons)
• 2 Pillsbury pie shells
• Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400° F. Mix the soup, vegetables, chicken, broth, flour and pepper in a large bowl. The mixture should be somewhat thick (add a little more flour if it is too thin). Layer one pie shell on bottom of a greased pie pan. Pour mixture into pie shell. Cover with additional pie shell and crimp edges. Slice a few vent holes in the top. Bake for 40 minutes until golden. Cover pie edge with aluminum foil or a pie shield if it begins to brown too quickly.

Red River Rivalry Fun

Yesterday Jarrod sprung the idea to have friends over for the Texas vs. Oklahoma game this weekend. Now, usually this wouldn't be an issue, but I am a bit of a planner. And a perfectionist. So, immediately I began working on a menu of food items and stressing over the cleanliness of the house. I'm dramatic like that (as you can imagine, I drive my super laid back husband insane). Where did I turn for help in these dire circumstances? Pinterest, of course!

Here are the scrumptious foods we plan on consuming this weekend:

Source: kayotic.nl via Kimberly on Pinterest

I think queso is a must for any get together. True yumminess.

Source: aisletoaloha.blogspot.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Jalapeno poppers - who doesn't love cresent rolls, bacon and cream cheese? And then a little spice added in?! I think this is one of my favorite things on the menu. I just hope it turns out as delicious as I am imagining it.

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

If you have queso, you must have guacamole. It's a rule.

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

I actually saw this Rootbeer Pulled Pork recipe on Facebook first, but searched for it on Pinterest. It looks amazing, no?

Source: penniesonaplatter.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

I am debating making these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies for dessert. In the spirit of fall and all. Mmm...pumpkin.

So, that is what we are planning on for our get together this weekend! I am really excited!

Recipe Share

I have been striving to cook more meals at home lately. However, growing up in a non-cooking home, I don't have a ton of skill in the kitchen. It can be a bit of a challenge sometimes. So, I have been scouring the internet for some recipes that are both easy and not extremely time-consuming. And, if they require any sort of baking, then all the better! Here are a few that I have tried over the past few weeks that you may wish to try as well!

via

First was this brownie/oreo/chocolate chip cookie concoction. Ok, ok, so this isn't technically a "meal," but I found the recipe on Pinterest and immediately wanted to make it the next time we had people over to the house. Y'all know how I love to bake. I didn't want to make them for just me and Jarrod, though...I needed to make others suffer by consuming this yumminess! So this past weekend became the perfect occasion, as my brother-in-law and sister-in-law were visiting from out of town. Unfortunately, though, it didn't turn out as good as I had hoped. The cookie portion was dry and the brownie was a little under cooked. Disappointing, to say the least. With that said, Jarrod went out the next day and bought some pumpkin ice cream (I know, right?!?!) to put on top and it tasted a lot better. So, it wasn't perfect, but in the end it turned out okay. I guess you can't win them all, right?

Let's eat!

To make up for the sadness of the dessert, Jarrod and I made a quiche the next night. And it was super yummy. I found the recipe on one of my favorite blogs, The Glamorous Life of a Housewife. I had never made a quiche before, but I figured it couldn't be too hard. And I was right. My only suggestion would be to not add salt, like the recipe states. We used turkey bacon, which already had a salty flavor. I think next time I will just add a little more pepper.

via

I made this Weight Watcher's Bubble Up Enchilada recipe a couple of nights ago and it was delicious. I am not sure I would call it enchiladas, but I guess that is the best way to describe it. I found the recipe off a blog called Lucky in Love. I didn't make it exactly as it called for, as we used ground beef instead of ground turkey. We also added onions, but I add onions to everything. I think next time we make this we will add more vegetables. Maybe cilantro and peppers?

via

And last, but definitely not least, was this Hawaiian BBQ Chicken recipe. I love crockpot recipes, because they are so great for Monday nights while Jarrod is in class. I can cook everything all day while I am at work and keep it warm in the crockpot for when he gets home at night. So simple! We ate the chicken over rice instead of on a sandwich and it was really good.

What are some of your favorite recipes? Any good dishes for a beginner like me?

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

This weekend flew by, but then again, I guess every weekend does. Speaking of time flying by, can you believe it is almost October?! Where has this year gone?

Anyways, here is a little recap of what went on in the Sparks' household this weekend.

Jarrod and I went to a "pseudo" going away party for one of our good friends on Friday night. He will be working out of state for awhile, but will be coming back every so often in 2 week stretches. It was a lot of fun hanging out with everyone and having a good time. Good luck, Chris! We will miss you while you are gone!

Pretty friends at the going away party :)
Why do I look so tired?!

On Saturday, Jarrod's brother and sister flew in to stay with us for the weekend. I haven't seen his sister since May, so I was really looking forward to just hanging out with her. We all went out to eat at a local sushi restaurant and then came home and I made dessert. Which didn't turn out so well. Sadness.

By the way, you know you married into an awesome family when you make something that isn't particularly scrumptious, but they compliment it anyways.

The next day we got up and went to church, graduated from our Newlywed or Close class (we had been in the class for over a year...time to move to the next class!) and then Josh and Kristina left that evening to fly back home and Jarrod and I made a quiche for dinner. Which did turn out really well. Happiness.

Quiche!

Pssst...I made a couple of new dishes that turned out to be pretty good, so I plan on doing a full review in an upcoming post. Keep an eye out. :)

In other news...

As far as weight loss is concerned, I think I am back on track. Ever heard of Couch to 5k? It's a running program that helps people gradually build their endurance and train for a 5k. Although I am not planning on ever officially running a 5k, I figured it would be a good way to help speed up the weight loss process. Jarrod and I completed our first week (3 runs) and I actually enjoyed it! I downloaded the app on my smartphone, which was extremely helpful. It would beep when we needed to begin running and then beep when we needed to walk. This week we will step it up a notch and have to run for a longer period of time. Wish me luck!

We take Piper on our runs as well
and she is exhausted when we get home!

Ah, We Meet Again

Friends, I have great news...

I have mastered the art of the bundt pan.

If you recall, I had some trouble the last time I used a bundt pan. After that incident, I accepted the challenge and began preparing for the day the bundt pan and I would meet again. That day came Wednesday night.

I decided to make the chocolate chip banana bread again, since the buttermilk was about to go bad. I generously floured the pan and then once it came out of the oven I waited a good 30 minutes to let it cool. And it came out beautifully! I can't take all the credit for this success, though. Jarrod helped me remove the bread from the pan, as I was scared I would mess it up again. Sorry that a big chunk is missing. Jarrod couldn't wait till after I took the picture to eat some of it.

Ok, ok...neither could I.

Discipleship, Dinner and Dessert

Jarrod and I had my cousin, Brett, and his wife, Kim, over for dinner last night. They are currently raising their support for CRU (formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ) and wanted to meet with us to share what God has been doing this past year and what their plans are for the future. I have so much fun having friends and family over to our house. Not only do I get to use some of our wedding gifts, but I also get to visit and hear what is happening in their lives. It was so wonderful to hear Brett and Kim's stories and see their passion for ministry. If anyone is interested in learning more about CRU or feels led to help them raise their support, let me know or leave a comment.

For dinner, Jarrod helped me prepare a garlic-lime grilled chicken recipe that I had found off of The Pioneer Woman's blog. I had never made it before, but I had heard good things about her recipes, so I thought why not! And it turned out wonderful! We paired the chicken with corn relish, baked beans and crescent rolls. It was certainly yummy. And may I just say that it is so nice to have a husband that enjoys cooking. Not only is it a huge help, but I love just spending that time with him.

What dinner looked like last night!
Photo by The Pioneer Woman

As you all know, I will find any excuse to bake. So when I started making preparations for Brett and Kim to come over, I decided I wanted to make a dessert as well. More specifically this chocolate chip cookie recipe. I had made it once before and they were amazing. Unfortunately, though, there wasn't enough time and I had to scratch it from the menu. Sadness. But, seriously, you need to try them. Oh my goodness. They are incredible. Delicious. Mouthwatering. The best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had. Maybe I will make them this weekend when my brother-in-law, Josh, comes to visit us. I better say goodbye to my waistline now.

Photo from the Bakerella blog

Goodbye, waistline.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

A few weeks ago our pastor emailed a banana bread recipe to our entire congregation. Apparently it was a big hit and everyone loved it. So, of course, I had to try it. I never turn down an opportunity to bake something yummy!

I decided to bake it last night while Jarrod was at his MBA class. That way it would be a surprise for him when he got home. After visiting with my dad, I hurried over to the grocery store to buy the rest of the ingredients and then rushed home and began baking.

The recipe itself was rather easy and didn't take much time to prepare. I got it in the oven and the house immediately began to smell of chocolate and bananas. It smelled so good! After it was done baking, I pulled it out of the oven. It was perfect - nice and golden on the top. I let it cool and then tried to turn it over as instructed.

Disaster. The entire thing just crumbled into pieces. I think I didn't let it cool long enough or I was too harsh when turning it over onto the plate. Either way, I was distraught. All that effort and it just looked like a pile of crumbs!

Jarrod enjoyed it though, and that is all that mattered to me. Even if it wasn't beautifully prepared, it tasted darn good! I will definitely be making this again. Not only because it was delicious, but because I now need to master the art of a bundt pan.

What it is supposed to look like...

CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 stick butter, softened

2 eggs

3 medium sized ripe bananas

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of bundt pan with Crisco shortening and dust with flour. Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Mix in remaining ingredients except chocolate chips just until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into pan. Bake about 45 minutes until top is light brown and wooden pick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Slice and spread with butter. Serve warm with a glass of cold milk. Enjoy!