October 3, 2009

Winner, Winner ,Chicken Dinner!

I saw this recipe on Kelly's Korner blog a few weeks ago and finally decided to try it out myself and I am SO glad I did!!! This will definitly be making our dinner rotation! It is SO yummy and SO healthy. Also, its a ONE PAN meal! Can I get an amen y'all?

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced

4 cloves garlic (I use garlic salt)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

2 cans green beans

8 small red potatoes, quartered

4 chicken breasts (I use tenders since we buy a big bag from Costco)


Preheat oven to 450. Coat a large baking dish with PAM. Arrange lemon slices from 1 lemon in a single layer on the bottom of the dish. In large bowl combine remaining olive oil, lemon juice of 2nd lemon, garlic, salt and pepper. Add green beans and toss to coat. Using tongs, remove green beans and arrange them on top of lemon slices. Add potatoes to same olive oil mixture and coat. Arrange on inside edge of dish on top of the beans. I also add a lemon pepper mixture on top of everything. It adds a lot of flavor.Place chicken in olive oil mixture and coat. Place chicken in dish. Roast for 40-50 minutes. Remove chicken and continue roasting potatoes/beans if necessary.


**I mixed my potatoes and greeen beans together and then put the chicken on top.

And as Julia would say, "Bon Appetit!"
September 27, 2009

Happy Fall Y'all

It is really starting to look and feel like fall here in Kansas City. The leaves are starting to turn yellow and the temperature is starting to cool down. The start of fall here means...Fall Festivals! This weekend Overland Park hosted theirs so we went to check it out on Saturday. Our bff's the Johnsons joined us and fun was had by all! We toured all the craft tents with kettle corn and diet dp in hand. We even watched a little parade!

Chris and Josh delivered the cokes to their "high maintenence" wives.

Ok, and I can't forget to post this link at the end. I came across this post on the LPM blog the other day and Chris and I both just laughed so hard. All I have to say is if you grew up in Texas and had the pleasure of experiencing the coveted homecoming mum...lift up a prayer of thanks. And when/if you move to some other state where people do not know what "homecoming mums" are...just remember...how can they believe if they have not yet heard? And when those people laugh and mock you because you wore a giant fake flower with streamers hanging from it and hung it on your wall for the remainder of your high school career...just hold on to that Texas Pride. It will carry you through.

September 7, 2009

One Month...

is exactly how long its been since my last blog post. Can you tell school has started or what? So what have the Branigan's been up to in the last month...


-Starting year two of teaching 3rd grade
-Starting and finishing a two week module at seminary
-Dog sitting
-Starting Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace class...more on that later
-Running...and more running...
-Eating...and more eating...
-Being a bridesmaid for my dear friend Liz (now) Green

Since I don't really feel like backposting and updating on all of those things...I'll just blog about our Labor Day! We slept in this morning and then made banana wheat pancakes which were YUMMY!! After that our friends Josh and Courtney came over and we went to Cactus Grill for lunch. We tried to go to a store called "Stuff" in Brookside but it was unfortunately closed...boo. We headed to the plaza after that and did a little (window) shopping and then on our way home got FREE CHICK FIL A! Can I get an amen? So, all in all it was a super day off spent with awesome friends and really good food!



August 11, 2009

Good Bye Summer

Dear Summer,
Thank you for letting me sleep in every single day, if I wanted to. Thank you for giving me lots of sunshine to get tan at the pool. And most of all...thank you for Snow Cones. However, please let our snow cone stand get more sugar free flavors by next year.
Love,
Kelly



Well today was my official last day of summer so Chris and I celebrated all day. This morning we bought a mini fridge off Craigslist and took it to my classroom. Then, this afternoon we went to the pool for one last "hurrah". And then this evening we went to Jack Stack BBQ for an amazing dinner. We had smoked chicken topped with brisket. It was delicious. Not to mention the cheesy cornbake and baked beans. For dessert Chris ate some bread pudding...one of his favorites!




July 24, 2009

Show Us Your Life- Wedding Dress Edition

Ok, so this is my first time participating in Kelly's Korner "Show us where you live..." and I'm super excited! This Friday is all about your wedding dress and I absolutely loved mine! The day I found my dress was actually the first day I really looked at dresses. I had been looking online and thought I knew what I wanted but sure enough when I tried that style on...it looked awful!
We went to Terry Costa in Dallas and it was so fun because all my bridesmaids, my mom, and my sister were even there. I just remember the ladies kept bringing me dress after dress until we found "the one".
Trying on all the dresses...


I LOVE this picture...



The dress I ended up with was off white, strapless, with a slight sweetheart neckline. It "poofed" out a little at the bottom and had really beautiful detailing all throughout the dress even down to the train.

On my wedding day...putting on my shoes...

I really loved all the details in my dress, like the little broach on the empire waist. I wore the same veil that my mom wore on her wedding day which was also really special : )

And this is one of my favorite pictures from that day. I love the camera angel and how it really shows off the train of my dress.


And also like Kelly, I love TLC's "Say Yes to the Dress" and when I watch it I think about if I had to pick a different dress I would pick one like this:

July 22, 2009

Baked Potato Dip

I made this dip last night for a little get together we had and it was SO good!! I could have eaten the entire thing on my own...but don't worry, I didn't!

1 8oz sour cream
1 8oz whipped cream cheese
1 pkg Cheddar Cheese
1 pkg dry ranch dressing mix
1 pkg real bacon pieces
(Chives are optional...I don't care for them, so I didn't use them!)

Ok, so this is literally the easiest dip ever. All you do is mix all those ingredients together, put them in an 8x8 and bake at 300 for about 45 minutes. Just until all the cheeses are melted together. Serve with wheat thins! (or triscuits, or chips...anything you want!)

*Another way I saw this dip served was in a bread bowl. If you make it in a bread bowl you have to bake it at 300 for about 2 hours.

Take this to your next party...everyone will LOVE it!
July 20, 2009

Spontaneous Sunday

So yesterday afternoon I finished up my weekly phone conversation with my family and when I hung up Chris said, "Ok, you have 15 minutes to get ready..."

Our surprise trip landed us at a cute park in downtown Overland Park where we listened to the "Dixie Doodlers". It was so fun! I think we might have been one of ten families that were not in their umm...70's...but thats ok! We had a really great time and got to listen to some fun music. It was truly one of those perfect summer nights.

Lawn chairs, live music, snacks...what else do you need?


exhibit A:


 

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