Fall Friend Fun/Fabulous Freezer Fare

Hello friends!  I've been pretty neglectful of the old blog recently.  That's primarily from lack of time, but not having much time because of work and school also means that I don't have a heck of a lot to say.  At least not anything you'd want to read about...Snoozefest.

We have had some fun over the last several weekends that mainly revolves around the football teams in our lives.  One is doing great (Go Colts!) and the other one is not being mentioned around our house at this time. 

Here are some pics from the Notre Dame game...

Lindsay, Craig, Lana, Justin, and us

Dog the Bounty Hunter.  It seemed like a good idea to pose with him at the time, but in hindsight, he was pretty sweaty and kinda scary. 

Sunday Night Football with the Sinders' -

ceeee-ute!

Brent and Sir Charles

Here's our little terrier-ist this fall...trying not to "fall" off the couch!

I'm still on that kick to make freezer meals on the weekends and did lasagna, burritos, chili, and bow-tie pasta this weekend.  I think I have enough for about ten meals.  I cannot say enough how handy these things are - it's great to come home from work and be able to workout while your meal cooks with no prep needed.  Here's a recipe for Chicken and Bows - we had half tonight and will enjoy the other half next week.  It is healthy and tasty!

Chicken and Bows - variation of a Taste of Home recipe

1 package (16 ounces) bow tie pasta
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips (I used 2 cans of Swanson chicken breast)
1 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 cup chopped celery (my addition because I had some in the fridge)
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) 98% fat-free condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cups frozen peas
1-1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook chicken and red pepper in butter over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. (I did this even though the chicken is pre-cooked, but it's probably better to saute red pepper and celery first and add the chicken after a few minutes.)  Stir in the soup, peas, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture and toss to coat.  Serve half of the mixture immediately.  Cool remaining mixture; transfer to a freezer container. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.


To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Transfer to an ungreased shallow 3-qt. microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes or until heated through, stirring once. (I'm probably going to heat on the stove.) Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Come One, Come All - Be a Loser!
Last but not least, I would like to announce a call-out for Biggest Loser - Fall 2009 Edition.  There's a little group of us that usually gets this going in January, but I want to start now because, well...I need to.  My pants are tight and there is a pair of Citizens jeans calling my name at Von Maur.

Here's how it works: we will pick a weigh-in day that everyone agrees to and start this week.  Next week, you weigh in on your honor and then email the entire group to report your loss.  We never divulge actual weight (unless you really want to for some reason) but you do keep track of your percent lost yourself, just like on the show.  We've tried different incentives - cash, a group trip if you meet your goal, etc...but I don't know what we'll do this year.  Leave a comment or shoot me an email lindseypillers@hotmail.com if you want in on the fun!  All you have to do is think of a realistic weight loss goal and make sure you have a scale (and eat right and workout - that's the hard part, right?)!