Easter

Hello, again! I haven’t written in a while due to the fact I haven’t had much to write about. As many of you know, this past weekend was Easter and it was particularly special this year because Adam decided to join the Catholic Church. I am not familiar with the process of joining a church for other denominations, but I have a feeling that our process is a little more structured and takes a little bit longer.

I won’t go into full details regarding the process, but it did start in September and he was confirmed and received his first Communion at the Easter Vigil mass Saturday Evening. This mass is unlike any other mass we have during the rest of the year. There is a lot of ritual and tradition that goes into it and it is a very long mass; but it is one of my favorites. The entire services was about three hours long (this is uncharacteristically long and it is typically about 2 hours) but not once during the entire mass was I bored or disinterested. It truly is a beautiful a beautiful service.

Originally, a lot of Adam’s family was planning on joining us for the service; however his grandfather had surgery that Friday in which his mom went to be with her parents in Arizona at that time and his brother’s fiancé broke her leg a few weeks prior and had surgery so she was pretty immobile. However, Adam’s dad and stepmom made the trip from Omaha and I know that it meant a lot to Adam to have his dad’s support. Overall, it was a great weekend.

For more information regarding the Easter Vigil service, I would recommend reading this link. I think it gives a pretty good synopsis of the different parts of the Mass.

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent//prep-eastervigil.html

Spaghetti Squash Experiement

I normally don't post recipes, but feel like I need to share this with everyone!

In an effort to eat a little more healthy, I stumbled upon a spaghetti squash recipe. Since I am a lover of all carbs (especially pasta) I thought I would go ahead and give this a try. I really wasn't even expecting to try this until summer since it is somewhat out of season, but I was at the local grocery store in Produce and just saw it sitting there, staring at me, saying "Buy me! You won't regret it!!!"

 I don't have step-by-step pictures, but I do have a few and I do have the recipe.

After baking the squash for 45 minutes, take a fork and shred the inside

Pretty much hollowed out at this point

The squash mixed together with the peas, chicken, tomatoes, and sauce

Serve with some parmesan cheese!

Spaghetti Squash with Grilled Chicken and Sun-dried tomatoes
Cast of Ingredients

1 whole Spaghetti Squash

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 cup Chicken Broth, Divided Use

⅓ cups Sundried Tomatoes, Chopped

2 cups Broccoli Florets

1 cup Frozen Peas

2 whole Chicken Breasts, Grilled And Sliced

¼ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 pinch Salt/pepper To Taste

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
2. With a sharp knife, cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scrape/remove seeds with a spoon.
3. Place squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet: bake for 45 minutes. Let squash cool.
4. While squash is baking, in a large, deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic. Saute 1 minute.
5. Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth, sundried tomatoes, and broccoli and saute 5 minutes.
6. Add peas, grilled chicken, and remaining 3/4 cup of chicken broth. Shake about 1/4 cup parmesan cheese into mixture (just enough to thicken the chicken broth).
8. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover skillet and simmer for about 3 minutes.
9. 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
2. With a sharp knife, cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scrape/remove seeds with a spoon.
3. Place squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet: bake for 45 minutes. Let squash cool.
4. Using a fork, scrape the inside of the squash with the tines to remove strands.
5. In a large, deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic. Saute 1 minute.
6. Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth, sundried tomatoes, and broccoli and saute 5 minutes.
7. Add peas, grilled chicken, and remaining 3/4 cup of chicken broth. Shake about 1/4 cup parmesan cheese into mixture (just enough to thicken the chicken broth).
8. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover skillet and simmer for about 3 minutes.
9. Once squash is done baking, shred with fork. It should be soft and easy.9. Mix squash with the chicken and pea mixture.
10. Serve with parmesan cheese

This is a great, healthy substitute to pasta. I have read that people will just top the squash with marinara sauce as it was spaghetti! If you haven't tried this wonderful veggie, do it ASAP!!!

Cross-Country Road Trip

Adam and I have been toying with the idea of taking a road trip to see his grandparents in....ARIZONA!!!! I have never been west of Colorado and, while he has, he greatly wants to visit his grandparents and spend some quality time with them!

The longest we have been in the car together was a trip to Lake Michigan from Kansas City last summer which was broken up into two days. The trip to AZ will obviously be broken up as well and I think our marriage can survive a road trip like this, but Adam is a little worried! I don't blame him, I can definitely be a back seat driver!

Whenever I think of the possibility of this trip, I get really excited for a variety of reasons! 1. To see some sites that I have never seen before, 2. Spend quality time with the hubby! 3. Spend some quality time with his grandparents!

So I am asking all 4 of my subscribed readers and whoever else takes the time to read this thing, what advice do you have for taking an affordable, fun-filled road trip? How do you budget your time, your stops, etc.? These questions are especially aimed toward Candice who, her and her hubby, have taken several road trips all over the place and always see to have a WONDERFUL time!