Italian Chicken Stir-Fry

Chef Paula invited a group of young women to her home and served a delicious Italian Stir-Fry dinner.  Instead of using Asian inspired sauces and noodles she went with Italian!  Which we all loved! 

She invited everyone there to participate as she taught us how to prepare this very simple, yet delicious meal.

Italian Chicken Stir-Fry

(Chef Paula)

Cubed uncooked chicken breast

Chopped broccoli, asparagus
Sliced mushrooms, olives and sundried tomatoes
Diced garlic
Bowtie Pasta
Parmesan cheese
Alfredo and Spaghetti sauces
Olive oil

Boil a large pot of salted water
While that is coming to a boil, pour olive oil into a skillet and heat, add chicken and cook thoroughly.
While chicken is cooking, steam the broccoli and asparagus, but stop before fully cooked.
Once the pot of water is boiling add the bowtie pasta and cook as directed on box.
Drain chicken and set aside.
Add more oil to the skillet and toss in garlic, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, olives & tomatoes.
Toss until mushrooms have cooked.
Sprinkle heavily with parmesan cheese.
Add chicken back into skillet.
Drain the pasta and add to the skillet also.
Toss until mixed, sprinkle on more cheese.
Serve with Alfredo and Spaghetti Sauce in separate bowls and let guests decide which sauce they want.  (Some people like to mix the two)

I serve it with a Caesar salad, fresh grapes and toasted garlic bread.

Along with the great food, Chef Paula treated us to her highly coveted homemade grape juice...in beautiful crystal goblets.

It was an evening of great food, fun friends and chef inspired learning.

Vintage Dresser and Rocking Chair Re-Do

I'd like to give a shout out to a friend that is talented in many things and especially in purchasing old, beat up furniture and turning them into beautiful works of art.

She looks for sturdy, well built pieces that need a little tender loving care.  And then she works her magic.  She found this one for me.  Before the re-do I called it "old."  After the magic, I felt it deserved the honor of being labeled "restored vintage!"

Her Facebook described this chest as a...

"Dreamy Vintage Dresser!!! Look at the original Drawer Pulls, aren't they lovely? It has been painted a custom palest of blue, I'm calling this color "cloud 9". I painted the drawers antique white for a fresh clean look. Of course I'm loving the original Casters! Perfect for storing old quilts in a cottage guest house by the beach...Just sayin"

Beautiful, ornate hand crafted markings. 

Lindsey gave me the option of changing out the antique drawer pulls or keeping them.  It didn't take us long to come to the decision of KEEPING THEM.  They are beautiful.

I don't have a "cottage guest house by the beach" but it has become a wonderful edition to my sitting room.  And I do store my cozy handmade quilts in the drawers!

While negotiating our deal for the dresser, I couldn't resist this adorable vintage children's rocking chair in "Mint" condition. 

Lots and lots of layers of paint to refinish all these chair spindles.  It will make a great chair for our little one as she reads her books or watches her favorite video.

Check out Lindsey's Furniture by the Canyon

This was another make-over.  So beautiful.

She does custom orders!

And I love mine!

Fruit Pizza Sugar Cookies

This semi-homemade recipe is my go-to for potluck picnics and barbecues.  My secret to not heating up the kitchen...buy unfrosted sugar cookies from your local bakery.  That's where the "semi-homemade" comes in.

Cut up your favorite fruits.

This cream cheese spread is the best!  It's light and not too sweet.  I use it for a lot of recipes, especially this one.

 

Takes less than 30 minutes to create these fabulous morsels of goodness.

It takes even less time to pack the ingredients in separate containers and let your BBQ buddies create their own cookie pizza.

For a little 4th of July flair, order star cookies from the bakery and here ya go!  

Picture from The Baker Mama

Best cream cheese/whipped cream recipe ever!

Strawberry Spring Thaw

It's spring break at our house.  The sun is shining, the grass is green, the spring flowers are peeking up and I'm thinking of this long time family favorite.

This is a dessert that my mom has made for years and years.  Usually during the spring when the strawberries are in season.  Why the name "Spring Thaw?"  I don't know but would assume that spring brings about a thaw, at least in the cold, snowy mountains.  This dessert is frosty strawberry goodness.  Do you like my reasoning?

The is an old tried and true recipe from the coveted family dessert binder.  I haven't met a person that loved strawberries, that didn't love this dessert.

My mom's handwriting.  Even though I have most of my recipes online or on the computer I still like to keep the recipes that family members actually hand write.  Even has some strawberry sauce on it just to keep it real.

Strawberry Spring Thaw

Mix together and put in jelly roll pan (or 9X13 pan).

1/2 cup margarine-melted

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 cup chopped nuts (we use walnuts)

  Bake at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.  Cool.

2 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 pt. fresh strawberries, sliced

1 T lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Mix all ingredients (except the whipped cream) in mixer and beat for about 10-15 min.  

Must triple in size.  Fold in whipped cream.

Layer crumbs, then strawberry mixture, then crumbs in a spring form pan.  

Freeze at least overnight.

We normally just use a 9x13 pan but if you decide to use the spring form pan you can create masterpieces like this!

High School Parking Lot Spaces=Artwork

 Isn't this the coolest thing ever!  Parking slot artwork!  

Evidently this high school in San Diego county invites their senior students to invest in a little property.

For a small fee the student can purchase a space to call their very own for their last year of high school.  The seniors come very early in the morning a couple of weeks before the beginning of the new school year and stake out their parking place.  First come, first choice.

They are given specific instructions of what can be used to "paint" their place.  Once completed and approved they are responsible for the upkeep throughout the year.

The spot is theirs to park in every school day.  

As we parked our car it felt like we were covering up great works of art.  BTW-we were there on a Saturday.

  So many talented seniors.  

I thought it was a great way to encourage responsibility and pride of ownership...at least for one entire school year.

NOW PLAYING-Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week

I was asked to be in charge of our Jr. High School's Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week.  Of course I said YES, along with a huge committee of very capable, creative people.

As our committee was searching for fun TA week themes and ideas, we had a hard time coming up with older student events.  Most of the ideas online were for elementary aged kids.  We tweaked those ideas a bit and came up with what we thought could be a great Jr. High fun-filled week.

We love our teachers and think they deserve much more than just one week...  

But like the brochure advertises--

Be prepared to experience the week of a lifetime...or at least four days of great food and fun.

Brochure outside  

Brochure inside

The brochures were folded and then slipped into a cellophane bag with a movie treat inside.

They were delivered the Friday before TA Week so all would know what to plan for the next week.

The school teacher/staff lunchroom was set up on that same Friday.

To avoid unnecessary spending we borrowed "decor" from several of our parent's home theater rooms.  The decor set a perfect stage for the week.

One of our moms made gigantic signs to remind the students of the fun they were invited to participate in, with their teachers.

Day ONE

Vader Taters and More

Star Wars themed lunch

The teachers had a visit from Mr. Vader.  They also packed their own sack lunch with all kinds of options (see brochure).

The teacher movie quiz was introduced.

We also displayed all the movie trivia questions for the students to try and guess as well. 1-15

Disney Scene It

Students vs. teachers during lunch break was awesome!

Day TWO

Breakfast Club Awaits You

Entry into the Breakfast Club was by Detention slip only

The detention slip was stapled to a little cello bag of Captain Crunch and a Pixie stick.  Put in the teacher boxes the day before to remind them to come a bit early for breakfast.

We served breakfast casseroles, fresh pastries and orange rolls, fruit, OJ and milk.  And by the way...All of the food for each meal was donated by local vendors and our wonderful parents.

The students and teachers participated in a TOP GUN Paper Airplane contest at lunch time.  We definitely had some crazy flight plans.

Day THREE

FROZEN Ice Cream Parlor

After school ice cream sundae bar

Olaf was there.

Along with some beautiful snowflakes and FROZEN banners.

The invite/reminders for the teacher boxes were snowman parts.

And then of course all the gourmet ice cream and fixins.  

The lunchtime activity with the students was a Napoleon Dynamite dance-off.  It was HILARIOUS!  I wish I could show you the pictures.

Day FOUR

NACHO Average Salad Bar

Wear your “stretchy pants” for an authentic lunch time fiesta.  Mucho food to eat. No Lucha Libre wrestling, please. 

Because it was St. Patrick's Day we also served delicious Mint Brownies and other homemade finger desserts.

The Movie Quiz contest winners were announced and awarded Movie Pack Prizes.  All of the candy was donated by our local Nestle company.  Nice!

The packs also included local movie theater tickets, popcorn and RedBox Gift cards.  There were even a few grand prizes that had restaurant gift cards, hair stylist coupons, gym memberships, etc.  (Containers came from Oriental Trading)

Find the RedBox template here 

The week ended on day four...teachers (and students) were calendared to have Friday off from school.  I'm sure that was the best treat of all!

Friday was rest day for the Teacher Appreciation Committee.  We don't know how teachers do it every single school day!