Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

1 cup of each chopped potato, onion, carrots, and celery

Saute in butter for 10 min.

Add 1/2 cup flour to pan and cook for 1 min.

In a separate bowl combine 2 cups chicken broth and 1 cup of half and half.

Gradually stir into vegetables.

Add salt and pepper and 4 cups of cooked chicken (or turkey...if you eat turkey)

I use a casserole dish or a 9X13. I also use store bought pie crust if I don't have time to make it. Cover with a pie crust and cook on 400 degrees for about 45 min.

This is super yummy!!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Saute 3 stalks of celery, 3 chopped carrots, and 1 small onion for 5 min.Sprinkle with 2 TB flour and stir.

Add 1 big box of chicken broth, 3 chopped potatoes, and a lot of broccoli. Add salt and pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper. Simmer til tender. Mash soup. Add a little milk, heavy cream, 3 pieces of American cheese and Cheddar cheese (or however much you want).

This is our favorite soup. It is perfect to get rid of all the big bags of veggies that are going bad!

Melinda's Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup br sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups oatmeal

Mix like a normal cookie batter. 375 for 8-10 min.

This is our favorite! I make cinnamon ice cream (taking store bought vanilla ice cream, letting it thaw and adding a lot of cinnamon to it, 1-2 TB) and we make ice cream sandwiches with these oh so delicious cookies. It is quite a taste treat!! The cookies are delicious plain too!

Emeril's Rib Sauce

1 TB oil
1 Med onion chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
1 cup ketchup
1 can beef broth
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 -1/2 cup br sugar
1/2 tsp of cumin, coriander, celery salt
1/4 tsp cayenne

In a med saucepan, heat oil add onion and garlic. season with s&p. Cook 3-5 min. Add remaining ingredients, bring to simmer and cook for at least 30 min. The longer the better.


I use this recipe when I make the inexpensive cut of country style pork ribs. They never get tender if you don't cook them for hours. I grill them on our BBQ for about 45 min. Then I put them in my crock pot or a roasting pan with this concoction from Emeril. I let them cook for a long time...at least 6 hours in a crock pot and 3 hours in a vented roasting pan. They are super delicious if you can do it right.

(I always lose this recipe, so now I will not)

Artichoke Picking

We found a little Artichoke farm here that lets you cut them. I couldn't wait to go. I love picking produce. It was so awesome. They were $10 for a bag of how ever many you could squish in. They gave you a huge knife and let you loose. Logan just wanted the knife, which wasn't the safest! They are delicious...perhaps the best artichokes I have ever had! They are SO HUGE!

Logan had to hold his tiny one!

I think I ended up with almost 30 of them! It was SO worth it.

Tour de Arizona

We are continuing on our tour of the Grand Canyon State! It seems that we are taking a tour of the state, staying about 2 years in each location. Yipee! Michael accepted a new position with the same department he is with now. He is so excited for the change. It will be interesting to see how everything will work out. He has to go away for training the end of May. So, we will move on to the next leg of our tour in August. Wish us luck!

Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

This recipe is a standing Hemming tradition every Easter. In fact, I have made them into balls for Christmas and other times, and have a hard time eating them. They are so Eastery to me. I can't wait to make them next week. They are so good! For those that requested this recipe, sorry it took so long!

• 1 box powdered sugar**


• 3 Cups Rice Krispies


• 1/2 Cup melter butter


• 2 cups crunchy

PB Beat all together, form into eggs and dip in chocolate. The old recipe says to use 1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips and 1 king size Hershey bar, with a little paraffin grated in. You can dip with whatever you like to dip with.

**So this powdered sugar amount causes confusion between my sister, my mom, and I ever Easter. The original recipe calls for a box of powdered sugar, but we think it makes them too dry and hard to form into eggs. I think 2-2 1/2 cups is the best amount. You need them to be sticky enough to form, but not too sticky to dip! Good Luck!

We Are Seeing PINK!!!

It's A Girl!!! Today I went to the doctor and asked for another quick peek at the baby. He was NOT happy that I requested such ridiculous demands, but he did it to appease me. I am SO glad I will NOT be having my baby here. He is not a great doctor!! So, he was able to see better and saw our 3rd GIRL!! Poor Logan! Good thing he is "BOY" enough to stand his ground. I really don't think we could have had another boy as sweet and cute as my little Logs...he is truly one of a kind. Last night he played babies with Michael and I forever. He kept scooping the baby up from my tummy and carrying her around. Then he gave her his binkie and put her to sleep. He tried to find one of his old bottles too. It was the sweetest imaginary play ever. I am excited to by all new baby girl clothes (if the government decides to function) and make all sorts of headbands. I love dressing up baby girls! It will be interesting to see if she looks like Logan or the girls. We need baby girl name ideas too. Please pass some on...only good names though. I am picky!!

Going Greek

Those that know me know that I love finding healthy food (probably to balance out all the unhealthy food)! I love finding food that has so many great nutrients in it and is not too over the top crazy gross for a picky girl, like me, to eat. So, my health conscious mom got me interested in Greek Yogurt. I really don't like normal yogurt, let alone a more thick and sour yogurt. But after reading about it I really have tried to like it. I have bought every brand that the markets here have available to find the best one. My mom likes them all...I DO NOT. Actually, I think most of them are nasty and taste like sour cream! My favorite is the Dannon vanilla, it is actually the only one that I can stand to eat. So, why eat it, right??? There is so much protein and with no fat and cholesterol and no sweeteners, and it is really low is sugars and carbs. It is more money than regular yougurt...so don't let the kids get it unless they need more protein! I eat it over fruit for breakfast and it keeps me full until lunch...and I am pregnant. Just thought I would pass some information on!