What I love about Sundays...

Have you ever heard that country song...

What I love about Sundays?

Well, I've always liked it. 

It just made me happy...sort of reminded me of good times.

Another reason is because I've always loved Sundays.

I know it's right before the week gets started and everything starts to turn busy once again.

But there is just something sweeter about that day. 

Especially, the afternoon/evenings.

They seem magical.

Slower.

If I could capture Sunday afternoons for a time capsule so I could always come back to feel those warm, lovey feelings...these would be in there. 

 

warm light...long afternoons

 daddy rocking it out feeding baby....us all home, all day!

 time to really cook and enjoy the process.

 quiet room play

 sweet tunes softly serenading our little home

sitting down, supper together, long conversations...no where to be.

 

longer baths...i love that baby bath smell drifting through the rooms

footie pjs.

seriously, what can be better than footie pjs.

tomorrow is wednesday, but I'm going to pretend it's sunday.

thank you very much.

Just little cups of happiness

For my birthday, my lovely mother gave me these sweet little measuring cups from Pier1.

I almost didn't want to open them because they looked so cute packaged up.

 There are four... different colors on the rim  and all with that beautiful Zinnia pattern

 Their lines of measurement.

 I'm seriously in love with all the gorgeous colors.

I know my cooking is going to be a little more happier because of these beauties!

Play Date for the Mommies : )

I LOVE LOVE LOVE play dates!

They make my kids happy and they make me happy.

They get to play and I get to talk to adults.

Usually, though it's always kid related...

the place, the food and the activities.

So I'm trying to be more diligent for finding ways to make both parties happy.

For instance, my Moma, Sis and her kids came to my house for a play date.

So I decided to actually make it special for us.

I made big people food: my fav pasta salad.

It's super easy.

Mix together tri-color rotini, fresh mozzarella pearls, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, vinaigrette and a few tablespoons of zesty Italian dressing.

While I fixed lunch and the babies slept...Moma and Johnah took the big kids outside to play.

so I could finish the pasta salad

and make the kids lunches....like my little man pb&j sandwich?

: )

I even used my favorite serving pieces...

which make me happy...

my Nanny's snack plates, the vintage table cloth my Moma bought me, little bowls, nice flatware and my chalkboard glasses.

The sandwiches, I found recipe out of a Food &Family issue.

They are turkey, baby spinach, Cesar dressing and Parmesan cheese put inside a pita pocket.

It was sooo good and easy...my new go to sandwich.

oh and just because here are the baby cousins in all their cuteness!!!

What's for dinner?

I love this bowl!

My sweet husband brought it home from Africa long before we were dating.

Doesn't he have such great taste?!?!?!

Speaking of taste, my kids have been loving salads lately.

So I've been making them as often as I can. I love the Spinach and Argula mix from the the Marketside Brand *wallyworld*

It's yummy and paired with roma tomatoes make such a good salad.

Just top with some of your fav cheese and dressing.

Besides them scarfing down the salads, I also had a chicken dish *of course pretty much always chicken* This one is Cheesy Chicken. Simple. Mix canned chicken, cheddar chicken and spices. Spoon into crescent rolls and lay bundles on bottom of casserole dish. In saucepan melt cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup and butter, then pour over bundles. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

YUM-O!!! Please feel free to leave any favorite recipes in the comments because I can always use some inspiration. Thanks.

what's for supper?

Not sure you've noticed, but I make lots of pasta at our house.

Partly because I'm selfish and it's my fav. Also because it's easy. I like to think I got inspired cooking Italian while I was in Rome for the summer in college.

I do like to try other than pasta italian dishes.

Whenever we light a candle which was advice given to me to celebrate a meal with family, little man calls it "Real supper". He knows it takes a little longer and that it is going to be a little better than turkey wraps. : )

Here's my little monkeys enjoying "REAL supper".

This night I tried this new concoction: chicken florentine wrapped in ham

*would have been better with prosciutto (salty, thin italian ham)

but it turned out pretty good.

little man had seconds

but of course, he'd eat seconds of cooked liver

notice my front yard hydrangeas on my table?

They are soo pretty and have my mother-in-love to thank!

about two years ago she gave me part of her bunch from her yard.

they've done well.

So what's for dinner?

Chicken florintine wrapped in ham: chicken, spinach, mozzarella, ham

Pasta salad: pasta with cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegarette

bruschetta (can't even type this without thinking of you Mer): toasted bread, olive oil, balsamic vinegarette, diced tomatoes, grated parmesan, basil

peaches from a can : )

and just to keep it real:

My kitchen after I cook in it.

messy mess mess

usually my computer is open for recipes, music (when i have my husband's laptop), or other things I'm working on when I have a few seconds.

I was watching Everybody Loves Raymond, and Deborah was sneaking around to find Marie's (her m-i-l) secret recipes. It made me hope that one day I'll be a fantastic cook and my children will want my recipes. Of course, I'll just have to hand them Betty Crocker cookbook, Pioneer Woman cookbook and the web address for allrecipes.com : )

Happy cooking!

P.S. Please feel free to leave me any amazing recipes you have. Thank you very much!

What the Pioneer Woman gets me into....

I love to eat meat! Love it! But I really don't like handling it before it's cooked. Especially chicken...it just grosses me out. But I read this recipe on the Pioneer Woman's website that looked cool and easy.

Baking a WHOLE chicken...with herbs.

I mean look at this thing...it is U-G-L-Y ...it ain't got no alibi...It's ugly!!!

But a coating in herbs and oil makes it look a little better.

Don't forget to cut up some apples and onions to stuff in it's booty! Yes, I really had to put my hand up in there!

All while following directions from The Man's MAC...he loves when I bring it in the kitchen among liquids and mess....not really. : )

So I'm sure we can all agree that it WAS ugly, but look at it now.

yummy golden deliciousness!

Check out other recipes at

www.thepioneerwoman.com