Sweat

So since my last post, the month has changed. We were very busy the last week so that is my excuse for the lack of posting.  Honestly, I can't really recall what exactly made us so busy but it was just one of those weeks.  We did celebrate Ben's birthday last week.  He's not a big birthday fan like his dear sweet wife, but I wasn't going to let the day pass without something neat.  Per his request, I made chicken spaghetti and peach cobbler.  Ben's sweet family visited a couple of weeks ago from Georgia and brought us sliced peaches and they were delicious but I knew we wouldn't be able to finish them off before they went bad so I made my first ever cobbler.  It wasn't a perfect success, but it was edible.  The crust didn't rise like it was supposed to, I'm guessing I used all-purpose flour instead of self-rising. WHOOPS. The peach part was still so so yummy, especially topped with vanilla ice cream. 

Last week, we discovered the local dog park. Can I get a HALLELUJAH?? When we lived in Hattiesburg, we had a big fenced in backyard that was accessible by the pups through a doggie door.  They LOVED it.  We LOVED it.  Since the move, we have struggled to get the dogs adequate exercise.  If you've ever had the pleasure of meeting our dogs, you would understand :)  They were getting 3 to 4 fifteen minute walks each a day but it just wasn't cutting it.  After a night of minimal sleep due to restless dogs, I started googling local dog parks.  I found one that had just recently opened a few miles from our apartment.  It is huge and completely shaded.  There is also a creek that runs beside it that the dogs can go wade when it gets too hot.  We spent 3 nights out there last week and they dogs were in doggie heaven, hah.  We were in doggie heaven too those nights thanks to the uninterrupted sleep we experienced. On another sort of braggy note, we have always thought our dogs, especially Layla were not well-behaved and not trained well enough.  But after being at the dog park and seeing so many more dogs and their actions, we have come to the conclusion that Layla is very well-behaved and trained.  She runs and plays with other dogs but never acts inappropriately and she is always the dog fetching the ball.  With that being said, the  next time you come for a visit, just remember that Layla is well-behaved, shes just super excited you're there to see her :)

This past weekend, we traveled to probably our favorite place:  Oxford.  We were there for a wedding of some friends of friends that we have become close with after sharing season tickets.  The wedding took place at Castle Hill Resort (formerly Colonel's Quarters).  It was a gorgeous setting on the front lawn of the mansion.  At 6:30 on a Mississippi evening, it was miserably HOT.  There aren't enough adjectives to describe the heat we all felt.  However, the heat didn't stop anyone from having a good ole time.  The reception was a blast.  The band was great and didn't stop playing until after midnight and those of us on the dance floor never missed a beat.  The food was delicious, especially the lobster macaroni and cheese.  Thanks for sharing your special day with us Stephen & Denise. We had a wonderful time.

Finally, I wanted to share the only recipe of the only meal I cooked last week during our crazy/busy week.  It's super easy & delicious for those busy nights.

Sante Fe Chicken & Rice
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic gloves minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup white rice
1 1/2 cup salsa
1 can chicken stock
4-6 chicken tenders
1 cup shredded cheese ( I like colby jack)
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
salt & pepper
1 tomato, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. In a 13x9 baking dish, add melted butter, olive oil, onion, garlic and rice. Stir together and spread to cover bottom of dish.  Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes or until rice is lightly browned.  Next, stir in salsa with rice mixture and spread evenly in baking dish.  Lay chicken tenders over rice.  Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper over chicken.  Pour chicken stock over entire dish.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45-50 minutes until chicken is cooked and rice has absorbed all of the chicken stock.  Remove foil and top with shredded cheese.  Return to oven just long enough to melt cheese.  Top with chopped tomatoes.  It is yummy with a little dollop of daisy, hah.

A sad and happy post soon to come!