Dinner Time! Chicken and Italian Dressing Mix!

  I'm always trying to think of new things to make for dinner. I always end up making the same things over and over. While I don't mind, because they're super delicious, I get bored with making and eating the same things. I mostly make, lasagna, chili, hamburger helper and tacos. I used to make spaghetti, but lasagna took the place of that. I remember once I forgot to make the spaghetti without the meat. Oh let me tell you, Craig never lets me live that one down! The great thing about the internet and more specifically pinterest, is that there are tons of ideas on what to make for dinner. I admittedly "pin" various food items that I probably won't make anytime in the near future, but maybe since I'm getting a little more brave in the kitchen, I'll attempt to make some of those things.
  One day I was on a blog entering a giveaway and one of the entries said to comment on another blog post. So I went searching for the most recent ones the blogger posted and found a recipe. I read through and commented so I could gain an extra entry into the giveaway. I will mention as a side note, I did not end up winning that particular giveaway. Yeah, I was pretty bummed. Oh well, I got a pretty awesome recipe to try out anyway. That sounds like a win to me! This blogger mentioned how she found this recipe on pinterest where we all find the best recipes.
  Alright, the instructions and what you'll need, are as follows:

1lb boneless, skinless chicken

1-2 cans of green beans (I used a bag of frozen green beans)

5-6 small red potatoes

1 package of Italian dressing mix (.7 oz pack. I used Hidden Valley)

1 stick of butter

You'll want to preheat your oven to 350. Next organize your chicken, green beans and potatoes in a 9x13 dish. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning packet over the entire dish. Melt the butter in the microwave and poor over everything. Then you'll cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for one hour.

This was definitely a shot in the dark since I'd never quite made anything like it before. I was worried how Craig would like it and how it would turn out. Surprisingly it turned out rather well and Craig said he enjoyed it. I thought it was pretty good myself, although, I would like to try to substitute something instead of the butter, personally. I thought it was delicious, but I'd like to experiment around with the dish a little bit. Anyway, here is a picture of the finished product. It looks so tasty I want to make it again!

OH! If you decide to make it, please let me know how it turns out for you and your family!! Just leave a comment for me below.

A Very Happy Birthday To My Very Handsome Husband!

Birthday present!!

Delicious Funfetti cake!

  On Monday, October 22 it was my Husbands birthday. I think every year he expects a cake, because every year I make him a cake. Although, sometimes I switch it up and make cupcakes instead. Every year I give him his cake and his presents at midnight. I seriously think I'm more excited about his birthday than my own. I love getting him gifts and making him a cake, I love making him feel special the whole day on his birthday. What can I say, birthdays are fun! I remember last year for his birthday, I was as huge as a whale and took him to eat a nice filling dinner. I was so stuffed I had to change my clothes. This year we had the joy of celebrating his birthday with Chester right here with us. So at midnight I had his cake put together and ready to go, I made it special by making orange frosting, since orange is his favorite color. It was a delicious funfetti cake, because come on, who doesn't love funfetti! I lit the candles and had him come out into the kitchen to blow them out and give him his present. I really loved the look on his face when he was opening it. It was seriously like a kid on Christmas. So after he opened his present, we had some cake and I took Chester to bed. After we got up for the day, we had lunch then took Chester over to my Mom's so we could go see a movie. Craig decided he wanted to see Sinister. Ugh! That movie was terrifying! It's a good thing we were the only ones in the theater. I screamed at quite a few parts and had to look away, a LOT! There were even some parts where I slapped his arm. I'm a big baby when it comes to horror movies, but I go see them because he likes to see them. I guess that's what I get for taking him to so many chick flicks. Craig enjoyed the movie, of course. Although, I think he said something about thinking it would be a little more on the creepy or gory side. He's all about those movies though because he loves Halloween and the Fall season. It might have something to do with him being a Fall baby. I always strive to make his birthday memorable because I want him to know just how much he means to me. I'm so thankful to have him in my life as my husband and Chester's father. He's such an amazing person and always brings happiness to my life. I'm already thinking about next year, thinking how I can make it better than this year. I always feel like his birthday, or Fall in general, goes by so quickly. I can remember back to the very first birthday of his that we spent together. It was 2007 and we had recently just started dating. I didn't do much that year for his birthday and I felt terrible. I ordered a birthday present from online and it was so late getting to me. I didn't even get him a cake. We did go to a haunted house with a bunch of his friends though. That was a pretty interesting experience. I'm seriously not the person you want to take to a haunted house. I scream at everything! Craig really isn't the person you'd want to take either, because he ran ahead a bit and scared the crap out of me. I'm used to it now though, because he's a joker like that. 

Chester and Craig on his birthday.

Chester helping Mommy out in the kitchen.

  All in all though, this birthday was a pretty successful one. Besides the fact that I need to make the cake elsewhere and bring it home because every time I make his cake here, he knows. He can smell it and always asks what I'm making. He was even distracted by working out, but still could smell that smell of cake fill the house. (Mm. Thinking about that cake has me wanting a piece now.) I'm always so sneaky with everything else too. I'll get his presents early and leave them in the closet. Although, I usually tell him they're there and that he can't look. He never does. He likes the surprise of waiting until his birthday. I always make sure to write something heart warming and sincere in his cards too. Usually for people's birthdays you just say, Happy Birthday, I hope you have a great day. You know, something generic. I always make sure his cards have a lot more love to them. Although, I bet if we look back to all his past birthday cards, they might all have something similar. Anyway, I hope you had a very wonderful day, Hubby! Here's to another birthday together.