Exciting Day

Today is monumental people...

I got to help cook dinner.  

I know, I know.  Hold your gasp of bewilderment and confusion.  I love cooking dinner for Chris.  Sure, at times it is a pain in the rear and adding more fuel to the fire is our lack of a dishwasher.  But, overall I really do enjoy it.  Since marrying the guy almost four months ago, I could probably count on two hands the times I have actually been able to prepare a meal for the two of us.  

Today is different.

Today, I got to help.

Now, seeing as how my day will still not end until 7:15ish, Chris still has to do the "cooking" aspect of things.  Here is how my helping plays out:

On the menu tonight is Olive Garden's Chicken Gnocchi Soup.  So, I wrote out the recipe, set out the dry ingredients and put the chicken in the crock pot.

Next, I cut up all the veggies and set the other ingredients close by.  (just to clarify, Chris could figure out where the heavy whipping cream and milk are located, but it makes me feel more involved)

I set our wonderful soup pot on the stove, ready to go.

Finally, I typed up an email to Chris letting him know everything is ready to go, the time I will be home, when to start the soup, and that there is bread in the freezer.

 

 

 

And there you have it.  I got to help with dinner.  

Oh, and in case you were interested, here is the recipe for this fabulous soup.  I got it from my mother, not sure where she got it from.  It is amazingly wonderful and best of all, not difficult.  Now, if I could just have the Olive Garden salad (I know there is a recipe on Pinterest, wasn't thinking ahead this week) and some bellini tea, I would be set.

Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

1/3 c. butter
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 lb chicken--cooked & cubed
1/3 c. flour
1/2 sliced carrots
1 stick sliced celery
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. fresh spinach torn in pieces
2 c. milk
2 c. heavy cream
3 chicken bullion cubes
Pepper to taste
17.6 oz. of Gnocchi (I rarely use all of it--too much)

On medium heat:
Melt butter in a soup pot, add garlic and saute.
Add chicken and flour.  Mix well until flour is cooked into chicken.
Next add milk and heavy cream.
Add veggies (carrots, celery, onion, spinach)
Add 3 bullion cubes.
Add Gnocchi last--it takes 3-4 minutes to cook throughout. 
Mix ingredients well until soup thickens and stirring occasionally.
Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

(If too thick, add milk to consistency you want.)

Ummm, Hello, My Name is Ashley

I have been asked three times this week alone why I have stopped blogging.  My response is always the same, my life is so not interesting right now.  This lady has been pretty monotonous lately.  But, alas, I will do my best to get back on the blogging wagon.  I think my biggest hindrance is the fact that I take no pictures anymore.  My phone has a pretty good camera on it, but it is a pain in the rear to email myself pics, save them on the computer, then upload them to the el bloggo.  I have misplaced my actual camera, perhaps I should locate that today.  So, forgive me for a pictureless post (again), but here is an update on this Boschen's life as of late:

• Work is picking up and becoming more consistent.  I am not sure I will ever get used to my schedule.  My friend Natalie who works from like 2am to 11am (not to mention her husband gets home from work about the time she is headed to bed) put is perfectly in an email to me however.  We have this "idea" of how we would like our day to day marriage to be and when work forces it to be different, it will always be hard to adjust.
• I got to see two of my favorite people for lunch the other day, Natalie and Haley.  Don't get to see them near enough, but always delightful when I do.
• Due to my work schedule, Chris has picked up the job of cooking.  He does pretty darn well with this.  
• We are becoming more and more aware that we will be replacing one or both cars in the not so distant future.  Praying they last until June or July at least.  Car troubles are the pits, the pits I tell ya.
• We have three weddings to attend over the next month.  All of which are optometry folk and we are so excited to catch up with everyone.
• I miss my teacher friends (notice I didn't say I missed teaching).
• My home does not have a mum or pumpkin in or around its vicinity, this makes me sad.
• I made an MU yarn wreath and listen to Chris talk about MU going to the SEC almost nightly.
• The Cardinals play tonight, hope they win.  When the season is over, talk will switch to what will happen to Albert and if they will fire the manager.  Right now I am enjoying the yelling at the TV, much more entertaining for me.
• Enjoying feeling more connected with my church people.
• Chris made the praise team at church, that will be fun to watch.
• First Thanksgiving and Christmas as a married couple are quickly approaching.  
• We have a white Christmas tree that I look at daily in the garage with great anticipation of decorating.  The possibility of putting it up while Chris is at work has crossed my mind on numerous occasions.  That would be hil-ar-i-ous.

Thank you for allowing me to share the randomness and boringness that is our life right now. I promise (ok so maybe my fingers are crossed right now) that I will check in again sooner than later.  You might just get real lucky with a picture or two.