What's Crockin? Crockpot Chicken N Stuffin'

I tried the most fabulous crockpot recipe last week. It is (of course) from my new RS Cookbook. By 5 pm, my house smelled heavenly! It was

easy to make and tasted divine!

{Tip: Do not overcook the stuffing--I was at a meeting and so my family ate dinner at the 4 hour finishing mark..but then it continued to cook for another hour till I got home..and it was NOT a good thing. I'm not a fan of mushy stuffing. Also...do not just start randomly dumping the ingredients into the crockpot..follow the directions below...not that I would forget to do anything as silly as that.}

Crockin' Chicken-n-Stuffing

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 1/2 c. water
1 cube butter
2 packages stuffing mix

Place chicken in crock-pot. Top with soup. In a bowl, combine water with butter and stuffing mix. Spoon stuffing over chicken. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or until chicken juices run clear.

A Medical Mystery

For the past couple of years, I have had a little dark spot on my left cheek. {I know, probably too much information...but you did read the title right? This kooky story should come as no surprise.}

Last year, I had it checked at my mediocre dermatologist's office and he said it was a sunspot or something of the like. He sold me some fancy $80 fading cream..which after 4 months of using I gave it up cause it wasn't working.

So, a couple of weeks ago I noticed that the spot was no longer there. I hadn't used the cream in almost a year..but I wasn't going to argue about why it was gone--I was just glad it was gone.

This morning, as I was putting on my makeup, I noticed I now have the same dark spot on my RIGHT cheek. What in the?

Did the spot decide it liked the other side of my face better and jump ship?

Am I going crazy? Maybe it was always on the right side of my face and the mirror has been messing with me all this time.

As my cute teenager says, "I am confuzzled!"

Just Another Manic Monday

I just accidentally deleted my whole

post and had to start over.

My ward split yesterday.

I still have a funeral headache leftover from yesterday due to all the crying and carrying on that

I did--and still want to do.

I was 5 minutes late to work today.

It's raining.

Had to do unloading in the rain today..remembered the umbrella but wore ballet slipper shoes gosh I looked cute {this proves that I am unable to make rational decisions before 8 am}

My feet were cold and wet all day.

Did you know that water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius and not 32 degrees Celsius? I had forgotten..but don't worry...my cute little math kids reminded me--wholeheartedly.

This morning during math, one of my students said, "Mrs. H when did you get a retainer." It was gum {and if you think I was confessing after the whole Celsius debacle--you've got another thing coming.}

During our Monday meeting, our head teacher told us aides that when we get in trouble with the principal we need to let her know...so she can defend us. My response? "We got in trouble?" it really wasn't that big of deal

My feet are still cold.

My house looks like a bomb went off in it.

Anyone wanna go with me to Sonic and drown my/our Monday sorrows in

diet coke and tots?

The Sunday Funnies

Last Sunday, we went to see my new little nephew, Franky Tate, get blessed. He looked so cute in his little white outfit. He really is a little doll. He was passed all over the place before and after his blessing and was just a perfect little angel.

When they announced for my brother, Zach, and his posse to come up and bless the baby--all of the men who had been invited to be in the circle walked up to the front of the chapel...including Zach.

As he walked up to the front of the chapel, Zach realized one important aspect of the baby blessing..he needed a baby...and he had left his behind.

The Congregation Chuckled.

Zach quickly remedied this by walking back to his sister-in-law, taking Franky, and carrying him up to the front {He gave a beautiful blessing, by the way}.

And now...the rest of the story

{Disclaimer: What a shenanigan I have gotten myself into! I'm a giver...but not a giver of mousy proportions! You know how when you have a really bad head cold and things seem funny and sarcastic to you? Well, after the two disgusting little mice found entry into our house...I truly thought... finally, Elvis can have a snippet of the life he is missing out on. Then I thought it would be pretty hilar to blog about it--and as a bonus I got to use those cute pics that Jay took of Elvis a couple of weeks ago. So, to answer your questions: NO! I did NOT turn mice loose in my house.}

And so now, loyal readers, here is the rest of the story...

We have a mouse in the house and I am totally freaked out.

Thursday night, I was attending a stake RS leadership meeting--just as I was getting ready to doze off- right in the middle of a great talk, my cell phone buzzed.

It was El Jefe. Now, El Jefe knew I was at a stake meeting--but I figured he had forgotten.

Phone buzzed again.

Ignored it.

The third time it buzzed I took it into the hall. This was getting awkward. Plus, I was starting to think their may be trouble on the home front.

"Honey, Elvis has two mice cornered in the kitchen!" El Jefe said.

"Eeew! Gross! Why are you calling me?" I said.

"Because I walked in the door only 15 minutes after you left and here sits Elvis with two mice...I was thinking maybe you had something to do with it," he answered.

I'll admit I've played a few jokes on El Jefe...but I would never involve disease-ridden-germ-infested-mousies in one.

He proceeded to tell me about how upon walking into the house...there sat Elvis with not one but two mice sitting on a glue trap--one was still alive...with his two little front paws on the gluey trap--but how disgusting..the other was old & dead {a couple of years ago we had mice troubles so I bought these great glue traps at IFA and stuck them every where--this one happened to be from underneath my stove--I had forgotten we even had it under there. I was pretty surprised that it even had any stickiness left on it since it had been there for so long.}

"I gotta go...mouse #1 is making a move to get off the trap!" he yelled.

"Kill it! Kill it before I get home!" I said.

Text messaging ensued:

El Jefe: I'm setting trap

Nicolita: Thank goodness

El Jefe: I've trapped the mice under your big blue bowl so the live one can't escape.

Nicolita: Who are you Elmer Fudd? Get out the mousetraps.

El Jefe: I've set up a perimeter...that **rascally rodent ain't gettin' out of here alive.

Oh great. He really is Elmer Fudd, I thought to myself.

El Jefe: Mouse #2 escaped through a crack in my perimeter! I can't believe it! It was foolproof!

Guess I'll go watch the Utah game.

Nicolita: {Edited for PG purposes} Okay

In other news...

Elvis aka Mouse Killer...Enjoys being one with nature..okay, so he's actually being one with a dusty ole glue trap and a mummified mouse..but we're all about baby steps around here.

**Okay, so, El Jefe did not really say rascally rodent...but you know he wanted to!

I'm a Giver {and Elvis better be a getter if he knows what's good for him!}

Sometimes I feel guilty that our kitty, Elvis, is an inside cat. We had him declawed last year so it's not like he has a choice--he'd be dogmeat for sure if he got loose outside.

But, every once in a while I get to feeling like it just ain't natural for a kitty to not be able to run

wild and free.

I'm humane like that.

Last night, being the kind and sensitive pet owner that I am, I decided to bring the outdoors in and turned two sweet little mice loose into my house.

It provided Elvis with hours of entertainment...actually he is still being entertained as he only caught one of the little devils.

What can I say? I'm a giver.

{A completely grossed out giver who is freaking out that there is a mouse/mice? scurrying around her house! What in the? I am headed to IFA tomorrow to buy me some traps! And Elvis better get down to business--because, Kitty Cat, it's time to earn your keep!}

PS Lest you think I have been hanging out & waiting for the perfect photography moment with my kitty-cat...Jay is the photog of all of these lovely pics of Elvis.

A New Family Favorite: "Baked Potato Soup" aka "Bacon Soup"

{I am so in love with my new RS Cookbook...there are so many fun soup recipes. On Saturday, since I just love soup on a rainy Fall afternoon--I made up a Baked Potato Soup recipe well, I actually combined a couple of soup recipes because I was lacking ingredients for both and it was a big hit. Jay said it was "Zupa Worthy"--and since Zupa's happens to be my favorite place to eat..I felt honored. Austin & Savannah liked it so much they asked me to make it the very next day.}

Baked Potato Soup

{This is a great recipe for leftover baked potatoes...I had 6 small ones left from the night before so I threw 6 more in the microwave and it worked out just fine. I like my soup really chunky & potatoey...so adjust according to what you like.}

1/2 c onion diced

12 small baked potatoes peeled and cubed

1/2 c butter

1/2 c flour

3 c half and half

1 tsp salt

Dash pepper

4 c chicken broth

3 garlic cloves--minced

1 pkg of bacon strips cooked and crumbled {both recipes only called for 8-10 strips...but we love us some bacon--and besides my diet doesn't start till next week}

2 c grated cheddar cheese {Ummm...I didn't really measure this out..I just threw in 2 or 3 handfuls which I figured to be 2 cups}


Combine potatoes and onion in a soup pot. Pour in broth. Simmer for about 15 minutes. In a separate sauce pan, melt butter and add flour--stir and cook till bubbly. Pour flour mix into simmering pot of potatoes. Stir well and add milk, garlic & bacon. Do not boil. Just heat thoroughly for about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper and cheese. Heat through and serve.