Thursday, June 7, 2012

hollycarotenuto.com

i've created a new URL for easier access
www.hollycarotenuto.com
in five seconds you will be automatically redirected,
be sure to update your google reader!
thank you ! <3

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

a family tradition: poppyseed chicken

i mentioned that i poached chicken for tonight's dinner.
it was so nice to throw together a quick
& easy weeknight meal in less than an hour.

not to mention it's one of my favorite meals,
not exactly healthy,
but real comfort food.

this recipe is one my mom's family loves.
poppyseed chicken.
my mom often makes big batches
& freezes or sends to us
(like after santino was first born, i lived on it)

shred roughly 1-1.5lbs of cooked chicken breast on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

combine 1cup sour cream (i used light)
& 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
(i used healthy request soup)

at this point i mix it up from the usual family recipe.
today i added 2tbsps of dill, .5tbsp of celery seed, salt&pepper, and some minced garlic.
mix spices well into sourcream/soup mix & spread over shred chicken.

next crush 1.5rolls of ritz crackers, mix with 1/2cup melted butter & 1tbsp of poppyseeds.
sprinkle crumb mixture over chicken/sourcream/soup mix.

bake at 350degrees for 40minutes.
serve over rice.
tonight i served with snow peas cooked in olive oil & garlic.
nomnom!

do you have a family recipe that everyone loves?

working mom update.

so i continue to be a full time working mom.
at least for the next month.
then i'm cutting back to three days a week
 { w a h o o }
plan on enjoying my last few months of just mom & santino.

santino's in daycare three days a week
& with my mom two days a week.
i feel like it's a great compromise,
he gets the one:one attention he craves,
& gets the social experience he needs.

i'm a little worried about him leaving daycare
for six months (summer + my maternity leave).
hoping to plan some playdates,
anyone interested?

of course working & being a mom continues to be a challenge.
not a negative challenge though.
i sometimes think about my life pre santino,
& can't imagine what i did with my free time.

i'm on my feet from 6am - 7:30pm most days.
& i really can't complain.
i love those two hours of quiet/alone time before
i actually go to bed,
but wouldn't give up the 13hours of running right now.

some tricks i've developed.
pre-planning = sanity.

coffee is preped each night
& brewed as soon as i wake.
last night i poached chicken
for tonight's dinner.
prepping snacks for santino & i.
some he takes to school,
& some i take to work.
some nights i cook
& freeze pancakes to make AM easier.

a load of laundry is done every night.
we vacuum or sweep everyday,
dishwasher every other day.
doing a little each day,
keeps this family sane!

how do you stay organized with a busy schedule?

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

in honor of three years of marriage


three years of..
remodeling
weeds
minion slobber
olives
pinecrest breakfast
game of thrones
maine
phillies games
the killing
rocco's townhouse
red wine
oreos
florida
clif bars
deadliest catch
santino's laugh
shared cooking
daily vacuuming
mexico
nightly walks

& everything else that makes our marriage work.

my favorite hol & j posts:

the eagles in the snow

on me being lucky.

after three years together

becoming a family


can i ever get over the amazingness of kamila harris' photography of our wedding? nope.