Saturday, November 26, 2011

Two is better than one!

Congratulations to Abbeville High School for winning yet another State Championship!  We're proud of the panthers. They made history by successfully achieving the title for two consecutive years in a row. That's an accomplishment in itself.

Final score 20-0

Friday, November 18, 2011

Leaves, Panthers & Shopping!

Here is another totally random blog; get excited!! 
I'm really LOVING the leaves. I'm sure it pains my husband for me to write this, since he blows the driveway about every other day (which is an understatement). Oh well, they are b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l!  I want to snag some outside pics before they are gone.

My Alma mater  (Abbeville High) is playing for the Upper State Championship tonight. Go Panthers!  Disclaimer: I come from a school that is pretty awesome at sports, especially football. We typically go far in the playoffs.  It is definitely a town affair each Friday night during the season. My Dad was on the 1971 3A State Championship team. They were honored a few weeks back in which they proudly showed off their newly purchased rings. Bless it, they did not get rings like our guys do now.  My brother was also a member of a State Championship team in 1996.  There is always a debate in the house about which team was the best Abbeville team in history.

Brant's cousin (Jamie) is also in the pictures below.  He is the current head coach at Abbeville.  He also won a state championship as a player in 1981.  He was a coach on the 1996 team my brother played on.  Last year, he was able to win his first State Title as a head coach.  Hopefully, the team wins the next two games and that will be another championship. So, for the record football is a BIG deal for my family - on both sides!






 
Brant and I plan to head to Columbia tomorrow to watch the Gamecocks play and do a little shopping. Some people do not like early games, but I'm all for it. I'm about 1/2 way through on my Christmas shopping - which is good. I plan to be done, fin, complete, by the end of this month. So, if your on my list - you better tell me what you want. We have a slam packed December and there is no time for shopping. Brant and I have to play Mary and Joseph in our church nativity - no joke.

Twenty-five minutes until kickoff. Goooo Panthers!


Tuesday, November 15, 2011

All I want for Christmas....

Don't be fooled, these are definitely "wants" and not "needs".  Here are my top three wants this Christmas season.

Uno

I'm really wanting a Coach cross body bag.

 I love the bag below, just the right color and size.

Coach Kristin Metallic Leather Hippie



If I can't have this bag, something similar will do!

Dos

Call me crazy, but I love to iron my clothes. We just have an iron that gets the job done. I need something that is quick and powerful. Here is what I found:

Rowenta DW9080 Iron



The reviews speak for themselves and the positives definitely outweigh the negatives on this one! The Q and Amazon sales this iron. (I'll be watching the Q to see if this comes on as a TSV.)

Tres

I'm also wanting a new camera lens for my Nikon D5000. I think pictures speak a thousand words...as long as they look professional! I have a good camera, so why not get a good lens! Here are the two that I'm looking at:


Nikon AF 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR

Compact 5.5X DX-format telephoto zoom lens with High Refractive Index lens element and ED glass is Ideal for capturing distant subjects at athletic events, family pictures, dramatic sunsets, travel and more. VR II image stabilization for handheld shooting at up to 4 shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible, assuring dramatically sharper still images and stable video capture.

AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED

This high-power, high-performance 4.3x telephoto zoom with VR image stabilization lens allows better hand-held telephoto shooting ED glass.

I can definitely live without all three of these items. But do feel that I can look and love!



Wednesday, November 9, 2011

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

We are not eating this for dinner tonight, instead we are having leftovers. boooo!

Last week, some friends and I stopped by Jason's Deli before heading out for a weekend of shopping. I ended up ordering the Managers Special which is 1/2 of a sandwich and a bowl of soup. Playing it safe (due to my picky habits), I ordered the club royale and a bowl of broccoli soup. I mean, you can never go wrong with broccoli soup. Am I right?


I received my sandwich, which was on time and delicious...however they were out of broccoli soup. So, my second choice was to go with the chicken pot pie soup.

Three words: oh. my. word.
 It was fantastic!!

Being that my husband loves when I make chicken pot pie, I thought it would be neat to switch things up and try this tasty recipe.  It can be made two ways depending on how much time you have available. The results should be the same.


Chicken Pot Pie Soup – from scratch
adapted from Food.com
Dinner | Servings: 4
Prep time: 30 min | Cook time: 20 min | Total time: 50 min
Ingredients
  • 2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
  • 2 cups chicken broth, divided
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
  • 8 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed (about 2 cups)*
  • 6 tbsp. butter, divided
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 – 2/3 cup)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp. chicken bouillon, ground up
  • 1 tbsp. fresh chopped thyme or 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 4 cups milk
  • 1 can (15 oz.) green peas, drained**
  • 1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained**
  • Puff pastry dough (I use Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations)
*If you want to save some time, I like this pre-cooked chicken.
**You can use frozen corn/peas instead of canned. Cook the still frozen vegetables along with the carrots instead of adding them at the end.
Process
  1. Put potatoes in a pot with 1 cup of chicken broth and enough water to cover them. At the same time, put your carrots in a pot with enough water to cover them. Cover and cook both vegetables until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat up 1 teaspoon of oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add half of the cubed chicken to the pan and cook until no longer pink, about 5-10 minutes (depending on how big you cut the pieces of chicken). Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Heat the other teaspoon of oil and cook the remaining chicken. Add it to the plate and set aside. If there is any liquid/oil left in the pot, pour it out.
  3. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the pot. Add the onions and saute over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Once it melts add the garlic, bouillon, thyme, pepper, flour and 1 cup chicken broth. Stir until smooth.
  5. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat until it boils. Simmer, stirring constantly, for a few minutes until it thickens.
Note: If the soup gets too thick for your liking, add in more chicken broth. If it’s too thin for your liking, try adding about 1/4 cup more flour or cook it longer to let some liquid evaporate.
  1. Stir in the chicken and vegetables. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, (or uncovered if you want to thicken it more) while you bake the puff pastry.
  1. Roll out your pastry dough about 1/4 inch thick and cut into 3×3 inch squares. Bake in 375 degree oven for 7-10 minutes, until puffy and slightly browned on top.
  2. Add salt and pepper to the soup, to taste. Serve with puff pastry on top.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup – The uber easy way
adapted from Allrecipes.com
Dinner | Servings: 4
Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 10 min | Total time: 10 min
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked cubed chicken (If you want to save time, I recommend pre-cooked chicken)
  • 2 cans condensed cream of potato
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 1 can peas, drained
  • 1 can carrots, drained
  • 2 cups span class=”name”>milk
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • Puff pastry dough (optional if you are trying to keep it low fat)
Process
  1. In large pot, combine all ingredients and heat through, about 10 minutes.
  2. Roll out your pastry dough about 1/4 inch thick and cut into 3×3 inch squares. Bake in 375 degree oven for 7-10 minutes, until puffy and slightly browned on top. Serve on top of soup.

We have family coming in this weekend for a wedding; and I'm happy to say that this soup will definitely be on the agenda!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Keep Calm...Be Thankful!

I cannot believe it's November. It seems like yesterday I was talking about the cicadas that emerged this past Spring. Furthermore, where did Summer go??  I remember it being so unbearably hot this past July in Hilton Head that their was no point in wearing makeup..it would just melt off! It always seems like I am wishing time away for the next season. I have got to stop doing that and live in the moment!

November reminds me to count my blessings. As I reflect over this past year, I realize that my trials do not compare to what other people go though. I have a wonderful marriage, a loving family, my health, a paying job, etc, etc.etc... I could go on and on.  I'm so blessed and I have God to thank for that. I am a true believer that God gives us nothing we can't handle. During the trials, I have to remind myself to "let go and let God" take control.

For a while, I have been looking for a daily devotional specifically written for a woman. For some reason, it seems like I was drawn to read the book, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. (I kept seeing the title everywhere I looked.) So far it has been wonderful! It's written as if God is talking directly to me. I started reading at the end of October in the book and will continue to read daily for the next year. I just could not wait to begin the book in January; too excited I guess. So, if you want a good devotional - get this book!
I saw a cute idea on Pinterest for a Thanksgiving tree. It seems really easy to make and a great activity to bring out year after year.  Check out the website here: http://befickle.blogspot.com/2010/11/thankful-trees-activity-days.html


If I could slow time down, it would be RIGHT now! Enjoy life, don't sweat the small stuff, and count your blessings!!