Chicken Bruschetta Pasta & 26 things about me...

Hello all! Have you dusted off your grill yet? I'll admit, our poor grill deserves a good deep cleaning. Or.....to be put out of it's misery. It was a gift from my husband's siblings, ahem...via the parents, for our wedding 10 YEARS AGO!!! But it still works like a charm, and we've decided that when it's time to move into a permanent home, then we will get ourselves a nice big NEW grill!

We use the grill a lot when it's not covered in snow. My boys LOVE to eat grilled chicken, so I've been making it on a weekly basis. Just marinade the chicken in Italian salad dressing for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Once your grill is preheated, put the chicken on medium high {grills will vary, remember ours is 10 years old} and cook 5-8 minutes on each side. The chicken will give freely from the grates when it is ready to flip. Once the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, cover in tinfoil and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.

And here's what I have on hand in the fridge: Parmesan cheese, Bruschetta Sauce, and Pesto. I'm thinking Chicken Bruschetta Pasta sounds oh so nice!



You will need:

Cook the angel hair pasta according to package instructions. Reserve one cup of pasta water.

Empty the bruschetta {I used Trader Joe's brand} into a pasta serving bowl. Add the hot angel hair pasta noodles on top of the bruschetta and toss. Add about 1 cup Parmesan cheese and toss again. Then I added about 3 large spoonfuls of pesto {you can add more or less to taste}, 3/4 of the grilled chicken and then tossed one last time. Add a little pasta water to moisten if needed.

Serve in shallow bowls and top with the additional chicken slices. Some pretty sprigs of basil would look nice torn and placed on top as well, but I have none :(

Need a dessert idea? How about Gator Cheesecake Cups with Pecan Crumbles or
MONSTER Pecan Bars?

And now that I've filled your belly, I've got some blog housekeeping to do!

I am so very late in responding to some sweet nominations. But today I'm taking care of business by acknowledging all of them in one post! Thanks for your patience with me :) Thanks to the ladies whose blogs I love and who thought to include me in their awards and fun games!

First up...the Most Versatile Blogger Award. 

Given to me by two lovely ladies:

Monica @ MdoubleMcrafts. She has it all. Crafts, food, projects. everything. Check out this Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip. Mmmmm.........

Debbie @ Life Is Sweets. If you are looking for a killer cupcake {one that will make your eyes and mouth drool}, just check out this link here. Seriously. Do it now. Chocolate Rolo Cupcakes - yes, please!

As a recipient, I am to share 7 things about myself. Hmm...where to begin?

1. I grew up with five brothers, no sisters and two amazing parents.
2. I now have five brothers, four brother-in-laws, eight sister-in-laws, two possible future sister-in-laws {?}, wonderful in-laws, and by the end of the spring - a total of three nephews and four nieces! That is...if my math is right...
3. I have a B.S. in Exercise Science with a minor in Cardiac Rehabilitation and Worksite Health Promotion. 
4. I have a bionic nose - I can smell even the slightest odor. Is that a curse or a blessing?
5. I sometimes dream of living in the South.
6. My first time to Disney World in October was also my boys first time :)
7. I'll be a blond by Saturday! SO excited to do this for myself {not to be confused with BY myself!}

Next up, blog taggers.  I think it makes for good timing and a good post because you will get to learn a little about me, albeit random things! I won't tag anyone specifically, but I will include my own question below and you can comment below! If you feel so inclined to participate, please do so! 

Melissa from Seredipity and Spice:

What's your favorite television show?

Happy Endings - it makes me pee my pants, everytime I watch it.

Name your 3 guilty pleasures.

Beverly Hills 90210 {the original} reruns.
Checking out old food magazines from the library.
Awards shows.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Christmas - because I am OBSESSED with large family gatherings.

Who's your secret celebrity crush?

Oh...they are not secret! Aaron Rodgers, Seth Myers, & Justin Timberlake.

What is your favorite color?

Green, yellow, and turquoise, in no particular order :)

Fill in the blanks: I think _______ is ________.

I think life is perfect the way it is.

Kelly from Herringbone Lane:

If you had to leave your home quickly, what three things would you take {people/pets excluded}?

My Shutterfly books, my laptop, and my kitchen table.

How do you typically spend a Sunday?

Church and always with the hubs and my boys
.

What actor would you want to portray you in a movie?

Tina Fey, because she is hilarious and beautiful. I'm not a brunette, but I always wanted to be.

Do you have a nickname?

My Dad calls me Toots, but not the way the name implies ;)

What is your favorite word?

Faith.

Sweet or Sour,what do you prefer?

Sweet for sure. Sour gives me terrible canker sores.

.

11. Why do you blog?

For hobby and because I love to cook.

Amy from While Wearing Heels:

What posts are you most proud of and why?
Sewing Machine 101 because I worked really hard on it when I taught myself to sew!

Feeding New Moms because it was nice to help out my friend. And it went viral so the exposure was fun too!

Are you the only, oldest, middle, or youngest in your family?

I am the only girl of six kids in my family, third in line.

What style is your home currently decorated in?

It used to look all Pottery Barn-esque, but when we moved we sold almost everything and started over in a style I can't quite describe.

What are you making for dinner tonight?

How about last night? We had a cousin pancake party! When it's me versus five kids {watching my niece and nephew} you can't lose with pancakes.

What made you decide to start blogging?

My husband started traveling more for work. I was sick of television and decided to get a camera and sewing machine and start writing.

What's the story behind your blog name?

I meet with a small group at church and we challenged ourselves to write down our prayers and joys everyday. It had a huge impact on me and showed me how important it is to recognize everyday joys in my life, and not to dwell on negative things.

My question to you?


What recharges your battery at the end of a long day or week?


Me? Socializing. If I can have a date with the hubs or drinks with my girlfriends, I'm good to go!

Shared with:


Made Famous By