Admin Day 2014

Kind of celebrated administrative professional day for a couple weeks this year! Last week went to Casa de Oro on the northside with Brian and the new DM Jackie. They also gave me a plant (upper left). This week Katie Nelson brought me a hot chocolate from Starbucks and the Columbia Team gave me a ton of stuff - - lots of chocolate, the 3-tier metal stand with flowers (upper middle photo), and gift cards. Cheri Offil gave me a Starbucks gift card, Robin Clark gave me the orange flowers in the basket (upper right), Ray Walrath sent his wife from Newport to Spokane (my buddy Becky) to take me to Mustard Seed for lunch and Jessee Fraser sent me chocolates in the green mail bag! Rich Knapp and Shirley Sands from Sandpoint sent me these flowers the week after.

Easter M&M Cookies

Easter M&M Oatmeal Cookies
1 and 1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 TB milk
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
6 and 1/2 cups oats
2 and 1/2 cups flour
1 and 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 cups M&M's

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugars until smooth. Add in the milk, the extracts and the eggs, beat until well mixed. In a separate bowl measure all of the dry ingredients except the M&M's. Slowly add them to the wet mixture. Once combined, add in the M&M's and stir well. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a lightly sprayed pan. Bake one sheet at a time for 11-13 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Makes 8 dozen.

Easter

Easter Sunday morning was spent at church. I accompanied the choir on their two numbers, "In the Silent Garden" and "He is Risen from the Dead". After church we went home and enjoyed a simple meal of deviled eggs, church potatoes, and a new recipe - Orange Pineapple Fluff. I would call it a dessert - almost.

Of course we had to check in our Easter baskets - if you zoom in you can probably guess whose basket belongs to who...

Church Potatoes
2 can (10 3/4 oz) Cream of Chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1/2 c. melted butter
1/2 c. grated onion
1 package (32oz) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cups crushed cornflakes
Additional melted butter, about 4 tablespoons

In a large bowl, combine soup, sour cream, 1/2 cup butter and the onion. Stir in potatoes and cheese. Transfer to a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Toss cornflakes with about 4 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle over potatoes. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Orange Pineapple Fluff
1 (8oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 (8oz) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 pkg (3.4oz) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup mini-marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 and 1/2 cups thawed whipped topping

Mix first 5 ingredients in large bowl until well blended. Stir in whipped topping. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Captain America

We went to AMC theaters and saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier today. Great movie - lots of action and adventure! Plot follows Steve Rogers as he works to embrace his role in the modern world. He battles a new threat, the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier.

Slow Cooker Fiesta Ranch Chicken

Slow Cooker Fiesta Ranch Chicken
3 chicken breasts
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 package Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch Dip
1/8 cup butter, cubed

Turn on cork pot to high and put in butter. Empty the ranch dip package on a plate and coat each chicken breast. Put the chicken inside the crock pot along with the cream of mushroom soup. Let it cook for 3-4 hours. Serve over rice.

April Activities

We had a free movie ticket so went to see Muppets Most Wanted on Saturday evening (4/5). It was "ok". Not my favorite Muppets movie. In fact, John fell asleep! The plot had the Muppets on a world tour and found themselves wrapped into a jewel-heist caper headed by a Kermit the Frog look-alike.

John started a mini-yard project. The paving blocks that surrounded a flower bed (between the cement patio and deck) had settled over the years. He removed them and then put them back after leveling the base.

15 Minute Skillet Lasagna

15 Minute Skillet Lasagna
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound Jimmy Dean sausage
1 cup onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz (about 10) lasagna noodles, broken into 1/4ths
1 (10oz) can Rotel diced tomatoes
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 oz fresh mozzarella pearls

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef, sausage and onions over medium heat until browned. Drain excess grease. Stir in minced garlic and cook for one minute. Add the lasagna pieces, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water in the skillet. Stir gently to combine. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes over medium to medium-low heat. Shake the skillet occasionally to distribute the noodles as they soften. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Top with mozzarella pearls and broil for 3-4 minutes in the oven until golden and bubbly.