Food Friday: Bacon Cheese Chicken

I borrowed this idea from here. It was a great way to use left over bacon because we never finish it all and was really yummy with mashed potatoes.

They have pretty pictures on their website if you want to bookmark the link. However you choose to read the recipe, I reccommend that you cook this now. As in today, not tomorrow.

Bacon Cheeseburger Chicken

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, split
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 lb bacon (or bacon bits)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large skillet, heat oil & butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts, and saute 4 to 5 minutes each side, until lightly browned. Place browned chicken breasts in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover with teriyaki sauce and dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and top with bacon bits. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

God Bless Pandora

There's just something about listening to Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr, and Willie Nelson that draws out the country girl inside of me.
I'm totally flashing back to childhood road trips, chopping wood with my dad, and pretending to drive the tractor.
I miss living in the country every single day. I miss my wide open spaces. I miss not hearing my neighbors argue, party, and slur curses at one another. I miss star gazing b/c I could actually see the stars at night. I miss the migrant worker's festive music blasting on the weekends over the open fields. I miss my favorite spot by the horse pond where I would sleep and dream.
I think having a kid has brought out things in me that I tried to run away from so long ago. I am so sentimental and hate that Monkeyface is not growing up the way I did. I have to remind myself constantly that this is his childhood, not mine.

Smiles

Operation Smile: Help Children Around the World Through a Simple Click - From Money Saving Mom:

Oral-B will donate one foot of dental floss to Operation Smile for every visitor that clicks through this link on their web site. No strings attached, no personal information required. It takes less than 5 seconds. Operation Smile is an organization that helps repair facial deformities in children throughout the world.

Opt out of phone books

So I've opted out of junk mail, catalogs, credit card applications, and unsolicited telemarketers. NOW I can opt out of phone books! Sign me up.

What's Up

I feel like I haven't done an actual update in quite some time. I've been busy piddling around with Google Reader and reading what other people have to say.

The plan today was to go to the pool with the Hubby and Monkeyface but the little one woke up with a fever again. He acts fine despite a 101.5 degree temperature. However, I'm going to have him take it easy. The pool will be there the entire summer so I know we'll be using it another day. I just really wanted the Hubby to go with us since he works on the weekends. Soon enough though we'll be in Costa Rica enjoying the ocean and the pools for a week.

So with my life...I've been working as usual, reading a lot of blogs on my Google Reader, and shopping with coupons. I love to shop but I also want to pay off our debt so I'm using CVS to get what we need for free and I'm using coupons to get as much as I can for free. I've almost become really good at planning a menu each week and sticking to it which helped us to only spend $35 at the grocery store this week for our family of 3. This included all breakfasts and a few lunches for me as well. Another way I've cut costs is to limit the amount of take out I buy. I allocated myself $100 for the last 2 weeks to use for lunches, incidentals, Friday nights (I don't cook on Fridays), and the occasional bout of laziness. Normally I would spend over $200 on this and I kept it at $112 (Hubby wanted ice cream last night). I'm so impressed that I could do it. Hubby also quit smoking so I'm thinking that will be another $200-250 per month that we'll have towards debt. It's amazing how much we were spending on food. Now I just need to battle the Target bug that infects me every time I walk in there. It is so hard to come out with only what you need.

I helped K move into her new place last weekend and it has come together nicely. Her screened in back porch has 2 cozy chairs and plants all over. I visited the other night and couldn't stop smiling the entire time I was sitting out there. The entire place is peaceful and I love it. I know that she loves having a home of her own again.

Other than that, I'm just reading a good book here and there, doing the normal things that a mom, full time employee, and wife do to keep the house running, and taking Monkeyface out on a new adventure each weekend. Life is pretty sweet.

Food Friday-Chicken Spaghetti

This Food Friday is brought to you by Pioneer Woman. The hubby and I made this Chicken Spaghetti exactly like she said and it was delicious. I will definitely be making it again but I think I might use a little less chicken and add either some ham or bacon. I will definitely put this one in our rotation. You can also make it ahead a few days and it will keep in the freezer. Did I mention that it was cheap to make? My kind of recipe.

Enjoy!

Modern Guilt

Dear Beck,

When your new album comes out next Tuesday, do you think you could tour North Carolina this time? We miss you.

Kind Regards,
Mama Feelgood