Barn

Philly Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

Olive oil spray for baking pan
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons minced onions (if you like onions)
2 minced garlic cloves
1/4 spoon dried basil
dash of black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, flattened
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 
2. Combine the cream cheese, onion, garlic and seasonings. Mix well until blended.
3. Spread each piece with 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture, roll up and secure with toothpicks.

Spray the olive oil over chicken pieces to coat.  

1. Roll in Panko breadcrumbs.
2. Spray the olive oil over the pieces of chicken, once more.  
3. Bake 25-30 minutes or until cooked through and browned nicely.  Super awesome!

Audrey quote

"The best thing

to hold onto

in life is each other."

- Audrey Hepburn

Mazatlan Mexican Restaurant

One of the best places in Oak Creek for Authentic Mexican Restaurant.  

Margaritas are quite yummy, as well.  

10166 South 27th Street Oak Creek WI

414.761.5617

Carnation bouquet

Christina Rossetti Sonnett

Many years ago, I ran across a Sierra Club poster that had the first three sentences of this poem on it.  I memorized the words because it struck me.  I was overjoyed to find there was more to the poem!  Read below:

Tread softly! all the earth is holy ground.
        It may be, could we look with seeing eyes,
        This spot we stand on is a Paradise
Where dead have come to life and lost been found,
Where Faith has triumphed, Martyrdom been crowned,
        Where fools have foiled the wisdom of the wise;
        From this same spot the dust of saints may rise,
And the King's prisoners come to light unbound.
O earth, earth, earth, hear thou thy Maker's Word:
        "Thy dead thou shalt give up, nor hide thy slain"--
        Some who went weeping forth shall come again
                Rejoicing from the east or from the west,
As doves fly to their windows, love's own bird
        Contented and desirous to the nest.

- Christina Rossetti

Rilke quote

"And now we welcome the new year.  

Full of things that have never been."  

- Rilke

Flutter-by

Basic Pizza Dough (best recipe ever!)

The New Basics Cookbook, is totally amazing!  

It seriously tells you everything from how to boil an egg to prepare an elegant meal for a formal occasion.  While looking on line I found this link:  The New Basics Cookbook.  The recipe for the best pizza dough ever is on the page, but even more than that, you are able to look at other recipes AND even purchase the e-book online, which is only about half of the hard copy version of the book.  

Audrey quote

"Your heart just breaks,

that's all.  

But you can't judge

or point fingers.

You just have to be

lucky enough

to find someone

who appreciates you."

- Audrey Hepburn

Unknown Building

This is a utility building, I think?  It's on the edge of the road on Nicholson Road, in between Oak Creek and Racine somewhere over by Countyline Road.  If anyone knows what exactly it is, I'd be curious to know.  

Anyway, I plan to take a photo of this place during all the seasons, just for fun.  Wanted to do that, since moving to the area a few years ago.

Grand Jardin des Fluers

String of Christmas Lights

I keep a string of Christmas lights up 

in the house all year round 

because it makes me feel happy

just seeing all the pretty color lights.  

My boys even have strings of lights in their bedrooms.  

This is truly one of those quirky fun things 

that makes me, me.  :)  

Saint-Exupery quote

"One sees clearly only with the heart.   

Anything essential is invisible to the eyes."  

- Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince

Yoga Giraffe

Elaine's Sugar Cookies

 Elaine's Sugar Cookies
 7 Dozen
  
       1 cup  Butter, softened
       1 cup  Powdered sugar
       1 cup  Granulated sugar
       2    Eggs
       1 cup  Salad oil
       2 teaspoons Vanilla
       1 teaspoons Grated lemon peel
   4 1/4 cup  Flour
       1 teaspoon Baking soda
       1 teaspoon Cream of tartar
       1 teaspoon Salt
            Plain or colored sugar
  
   Cream butter & sugars; beat in eggs one at a time until light &
   fluffy. Beat in oil, vanilla & lemon peel.  Combine dry ingredients & gradually add to sugar mixture, beating till well blended.  Wrap in wax paper; chill several hours.
   
   Preheat oven to 325.  Grease 2 cookie sheets.  Divide dough into
   thirds (keep 1/3 out, refrigerate the rest till needed).  Form
   heaping tsp. of dough into ball.  Place on cookie sheet.  Flatten to
   2″ diameter with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.  Sprinkle with
   plain or colored sugar & bake 8 - 10 min. till lightly browned.  Let stand on cookie sheet 2-3 min. before removing.  So good.  Mmmm.

Audrey quote

"If I'm honest 

I have to tell you

I still read fairy-tales 

and I like them 

best of all."

- Audrey Hepburn

Downtown Racine

Spring bulbs, II

I must admit, I'm gelish...

I fought it, but when Acrylic nails started really doing a number on my real nails, I decided to switch and give it a try doing it myself.  It's kinda fun.  I recommend it.  

Rilke quote

Love consists

in this,

that two solitudes

protect and touch and greet

each other 

- Rilke

Colorful Wreath

I drove by this colorful thing, twice.  After driving by, I kept thinking how cool it would look in a photo.  I do that with a lot of my pictures, lol, drive by twice.  

Chicken Cheese Tortilla Soup

Chicken Cheese Tortilla Soup

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 jar (8 ounces) Queso Cheese (in the snack aisle)

1 (10.75 ounce) cream of chicken soup

1 (10.75 ounce) cream of celery soup

1/2 can mayo (I used fat free, works great and less calories)

1 cup chicken broth

1 package taco seasoning

1 lb shredded chicken

1/2 cup onions (if you like them, lol, I don't)

1 bag tortilla strips (in the salad dressing aisle, by the croutons)

salt and pepper

Put butter, soups, mayo and cheese in a saucepan, stirring constantly over medium heat, until smooth.  Stir in broth, taco seasoning (onions) and chicken; season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir occasionally until hot - but don't let it boil.  

Top each bowl with tortilla strips.  Yummy.

Audrey quote

"I love people who make me laugh.  

I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh.  

It cures a multitude of ills.  

It's probably the most important thing in a person."  

- Audrey Hepburn

Freedom Murals

Went to the Milwaukee Art Museum a few days ago and saw this lovely mural.  It's called, FREEDOM, by Sally Duback  & 5th graders at MPS summer program.  

Check out her website:  

http://sallyduback.com/welcome/murals/

Spring Bulbs

Since we're knee deep in Winter, I keep dreaming about Spring bulbs.  Hyacinths, tulips & daffodils.  Oh I cannot wait to see those little splashes of color popping up from the blanket of snow.  Hyacinths are my favorite.  The funny thing about the bulbs is that the won't bloom until they spend some time in the dark cold ground...well, there is a way around that.  To cheer up my winter home, I always buy an extra package of hyacinths and store them in the garage until mid-way through the season, then around now, I pull them inside to warm up, keeping them in the dark for another good week.  Next post on the bulbs, I'll show you what they look like now, after the extra week in the warmth and dark.

Do You Know Your Dosha?

One of the many things I enjoy reading about is Ayurveda.  It's the idea of balance in the body system using diet, herbal treatments and breathing.  There are many suggestions on line (and in books, of course) that act as a guide once you find out what your 'dosha' is.  Here's the link to find out what yours is, it's free and no obligation. All you have to do is answer the questions most like you and select:  No thank you, take me to my results.  I'm a Vata.  What are you?  

Click the word, Doshaquiz to go to the website...

Doshaquiz

Saint- Exupery quote

"Even our misfortunes are a part of our belongings."  

- Antoine de Saint-Exupery from Night Flight

CatsEye

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Servings 4

2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast meat
1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of potato soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups skim milk

In medium saucepan combine all the ingredients and heat thoroughly over medium heat til hot.

Serve over premade Pillsbury biscuits.  Mmmmm.  Yummy.

Audrey quote

"NOTHING IS 

IMPOSSIBLE,

THE WORD 

ITSELF SAYS, 

'I'M POSSIBLE'!"

-Audrey Hepburn