Come What May and Love it

I was updating our recent post because it was wacking out on our blog. I just clicked on this "mormon message". I love it.

THANKSGIVING DAILY

A holiday thought

Seriously, this blog is turning into the "Andrea Wanlass" blog. I have family updates coming, but this is something that I am so eager to share with everyone who takes the time to read our blog.

Yesterday I had a very unique opportunity. All day I had been feeling extremely humbled and so close to my Heavenly Father. Life has been hitting our family so hard and it's beginning to be seen as a blessing, even in the midst of a GREAT trial. lots of prayer and softening of my heart has been taking place.

I had a photo shoot at 3:30 and had my mom watch Maycee. I love this little family I took pictures of, they were so sweet. It was so comforting to meet another family who has been experiencing the same things we have. The photoshoot ended early and I began heading home. Instead of taking the freeway, I decided to go up Main St. As I drove past the temple I felt impressed to walk on the grounds for a shot time, maybe take a few pictures. The moment I got out of my car and walked on the grounds, the most overwhelming feeling of peace filled me. I felt the spirit so strongly..so wonderful. I love that feeling on the grounds, it's a recurring feeling each time I visit. I took a few shots of the temple and decided to watch the Luke II video in the Visitor's Center. I was the only one who was in their along with a sister missionary. She was so kind and sweet toward me, we got along so well. As we talked after the video, she began sharing about a wonderful "mormon message" that she had just watched. I asked her about it and she said, "do you want to watch it?" I of course replied, YES! She turned it on and it was the EXACT thing that I had needed to hear. I am so thankful for Heavenly Father's hand in my life and for the ways he has blessed it. This message was a reminder of what I need to have on my mind daily.

During this holiday season, Shem and I both have felt how important it is to focus on the importance of Christmas. We do not have the means to give eachother gifts, so our gift this year is the gift of a love for one another and our Savior. Please watch and keep in mind the importance of Christ's birth and how it relates to this message; what His ultimate purpose was in coming to Earth. Enjoy.

My very own CROCK POT recipes

I love cooking this time of year. Who doesn't? Crock potting is my favorite form of cooking right now considering it's easy. Also, the result is usually "comfort food". Yes, fattening, steamy, feels-good-going-down food. Last week I bought prepackaged chicken thighs at Costco (the fridge to freezer packs). I had previously purchased chicken breast with the same packaging, but it's a little bit pricier than the thighs, so I decided to try the cheaper of the two. Yes, thighs have more fat, but isn't that what makes them tastier?! Anyway, this week I tested out slow-cooking them. Barbara had made the best roast a few weeks ago and I loved the way she cooked it, so I tried it out with the chicken. She had stuck the roast in (frozen) and put cream of mushroom soup all over (somewhat as a protector from drying out) as well as a lipton onion soup mix. Anyway, she cooked it a whole 19 hours and it was SOOOOOOOO good. She had stuck it in on a Saturday night for Sunday dinner. I'm not kidding, that roast was the best roast I have ever eaten. At dinner, we were even debating on whether or not it was beef (maybe pork). Nope, it was beef. Anyway, back to the chicken...the inspiration was from Barbara, so THANK YOU! I'm so excited to cook these recipes and pass them down to my daughters!

Creamy Mushroom Chicken (by me, yes I'm a genius)

4 frozen chicken thighs
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1-2 tsp. crushed rosemary
1 bay leaf (my favorite for ALL chicken recipes)
Fresh ground pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Put olive oil on bottom of pot. Set chicken inside. Douse the chicken in the cream of mushroom soup so that it is completely covered. Sprinkle the rosemary on top. Set the bay leaf on top of chicken(slightly push is down into the soup). Sprinkle some pepper over the top (to your liking).

Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.
Trim fat (if you can find it, haha), remove bones, and cut into bite-sized pieces before serving.

This was yummy over "Near East" wild mushroom and herb couscous. (I wish we had some mushrooms and I would have sauteed them with onions to add to the flavor of the chicken.) I also made an apple-walnut spinach salad with "Girad's" white balsamic dressing and feta cheese. That's my favorite dressing for the season and almost all the time. Maybe some roasted butternut squash would be yummy with this. Hmmm, maybe next time. http://http//www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-butternut-squash-recipe/index.html


Creamy Rosemary Chicken Stew (By Me)

4 chicken thighs
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 md-lg carrots peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces
1/2 white onion chopped
4 red potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces peeled or with skin (both are yummy)
3 ribs of celery chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2-3 Tbsp. crushed rosemary
fresh/dried Italian parsley
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
8x8 square baking dish

Add olive oil to the crock pot on bottom. Set chicken inside. Sprinkle poultry seasoning directly on chicken, then cover with cream of chicken soup. Sprinkle Rosemary on top and set bay leaf on top pushing it slightly down in the soup layer.

Cook on LOW 7-8 hours. (On HIGH 4 hours if you need to shorten the cook time)

At the 2 hour mark on the crock pot, meaning two hours left, put onions, celery, potatoes, and carrots in a large pot with water covering all the ingredients. Cook on med-low heat for the remaining two hours. Once the chicken is yummy and tender, remove the bones and skin/fat. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Set aside (not back in crock pot). Check veggies. If they are all slightly tender, you did good. I personally don't like overcooked vegetables, but not crunchy ones either.

Put both cut-up chicken pieces and cooked vegetables in serving dish. Spoon the creamy mixture that was left in the crock pot over the chicken and veggies. Sprinkle top with dried/fresh parsley. Enjoy!

This is so delicious. It is unlike any other chicken stew I have made. The secret ingredient is the cream of chicken soup and always using a bay leaf.

Tastes great served with some cooked Rhodes rolls and a mixed salad.

*For both recipes, they serve 3-4 people. You can serve more people by doubling all the ingredients and using a family-sized can of soup.

Try out my recipes and let me know how they were. Let me know, too, if you have any suggestions or improvements. Good luck!

Our little munchkin

I just love Maycee, nothing new saying that :). Last week we discovered that she had teeth! We had no idea she was even teething! But I will say that a few weeks ago I was ready to rip all my hair out because she was being quite difficult. I guess that explains it. But we love her two little teeth. It is absolutely precious! Our little girl is growing up. And, aside from crawling tons, she is pulling herself up. In fact, the other day, she pulled herself up one step into the entry way. It was a piece of cake! Fortunately, we haven't had to chase her up the stairs yet but I wouldn't be surprised if she is attempting the stairs before Thanksgiving. TIME FLIES! Where has it gone? Our baby girl will be a 1-year-old in no time at all and there are Christmas decorations in the stores. Wow.
Cute little teeth!!!

One more thing about Maycee....she is a little owl. She makes the Zoolander face and makes a "who" sound. HILARIOUS! She was really into that sound a few weeks ago. She just cracks me up. She is always doing something to get me to laugh. Oh Maycee, you are loved!

Halloween Post...

Scroll down to Nov. 1st....that's when I began the post. FINALLY they're all up. Enjoy!