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Thursday, July 19, 2012

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Buffalo Chicken Pasta


Ingredients: 

2lbs chicken - cut in small chunks
2 jars Alfredo sauce (I used Bertolli)
1lb penne (use corn penne for gluten free)
1/4 cup hidden valley ranch dressing
1 large bell pepper
1/2 large onion
3 Tbs chopped garlic
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 jar of Buffalo sauce (I used Frank's)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 parmesan cheese
1/2 pkg of cream cheese
Pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

1.) Saute onion, bell pepper, garlic, and chicken in the olive oil.
2.) When chicken is cooked through boil pasta in separate pot.  
3.) While pasta is cooking, add alfredo sauce, cream cheese, and ranch dressing to chicken mixture and simmer.  Add pepper and salt to taste.
4.) When pasta is finished, drain and add to sauce mixture.
5.) Add buffalo sauce (I use 1/2 a jar, but you can use as little or as much as you like) and cook for 5 minutes.  
6.) Add the parmesan cheese before serving.

*Note: Our family loves this recipe for dinner!  The guys fight over the leftovers.  If needed you can cut this recipe in half, but it all gets eaten at our house!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

The scariest nightmare ever

I woke up this morning like today was any other day.  About 7:00 am I took a shower and then lay down for a few minutes because I got too hot.

Not intending to, I fell asleep.  Only it was like no sleep I have ever had.

I dreamed.  No, not a normal dream.  No, not a happy dream.  I didn't even know I was asleep.  I guess I was in an odd in-between state, because for part of the time I was asleep I knew I was laying in bed.  What made this dream so different, so awful?

During my dream state, I thought I was awake.  However, what made this dream so frighting was that I couldnt move.  I thought I was awake and paralyzed.  In fact, during a portion of the dream (when I didnt know I was in my bed) I was in a crowded room with people I know and no one would help me.  I had no control over my limbs and I couldnt speak, but I could hear.

There is nothing scarier than thinking you are awake and thinking you cant move.  Towards the end of my dream-like state, I knew I was lying in my bed.  I knew I was in my house.  I still couldnt move or speak.

When I was finally able to realize I was awake and that I could move, it was almost too good to believe.  I truly believed that I couldnt move and that their was nothing I could do and no one to help me.

I had been in this state for over 3 hours.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Planning a Wedding: My Sanity Will Survive Pt 1

My current fiance proposed on Thanksgiving day in 2011 and we are getting married on October 6, 2012.  At the time of our wedding we will have been together for 3 years, been raising a teenager for a year, and been homeowners for a year and a half.  No one can say we are "starting our life together" in a "normal" fashion.

Valentine's Day 2010



I started my wedding planning early .... in January.  The first step I took in planning my big day (not including those bridal magazines) was to buy my dress.  I knew that my dress would set the tone of the day and it had to be perfect!  I think I tried on 50 different dresses at 3 different shops before I found the one!

Michael and I knew from the outset that we wanted our wedding to be outside.  Neither of us feel like the inside of a church is ever "pretty" and we felt that a garden wedding was more suitable to our personalities.  I  live in Arkansas, which is full of beautiful parks and nature and we live near Hot Springs, AR which is full of beautiful historic homes.  I never thought it would be hard to find a venue, but boy were our options limited!  Most of the outdoor venues in our area either did not have a backup location in case of rain or limited us to less than 20 guests!  Finally we found it, the Old Mill Wedding Chapel. The Old Mill had a beautiful garden area, an indoor chapel, and a great indoor reception hall that was pre-decorated and gorgeous!

Next: Vendor Options for the Big Day


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Tonight's Dinner Menu

Pesto Chicken (serve over rice)

9x13 baking dish
4 to 6 chicken breasts
1 jar or 1 cup of pesto
1 Cup of shredded jack or smoked gouda cheese

1.) Cut chicken into strips
2.) Spray dish with non-stick spray
3.) Spread 1/2 of pesto on bottom of dish
4.) layer chicken in dish
5.) Season chicken and spread remaining pesto on top of chicken
6.) Cover dish with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 min.
7.) Remove foil, add cheese, and bake until melted.


Green Bean Casserole (contains gluten)

9 x 13 baking dish
4 cans french style green beans
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 T black pepper
1 1/2 T minced dried onion (can substitute onion powder)
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1T minced garlic
6 oz pkg of French's fried onions
2 Cups shredded cheese (try with smoked gouda for an extra special treat)
2 oz softened cream cheese

1.) Spray non-stick spray in dish
2.) Mix green beans, cream of mushroom soup, softened cream cheese, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, dried onion, and garlic together.
3.) Add 1 cup shredded cheese and 1/2 French's onions to mixture
4.) Spread into baking dish and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees
5.) Remove dish and top with the rest of the cheese and French's onions
6.) Bake until cheese is melted
Pesto Chicken with Gouda Slices
Green Bean Casserole

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

So much for plans...

So my earlier goal of writing about my daily life everyday for a week, has fallen to the wayside.

On March 3rd I was heading home after running errands in a neighboring town and had a car accident. I was heading west on I-30 and saw a 18 wheeler tire in the middle lane of the interstate (the lane I was driving in). I was unable to avoid hitting the tire because there was traffic on both sides of me. I hit the tire and lost control of my car. I did several 360 degree turns and ended up hitting the cement wall lining the median wall. The car stopped facing the opposite of traffic, having hit the median on the passenger side of the car.

Two nice couples stopped and stayed with me until the ambulance arrived.

The first thoughts through my head were that I was glad my dogs weren't in the car with me because they would have probably died and that I wanted my fiancé, Michael, with me.

The result of the accident was that my left (and dominant) wrist was cracked and my car was totaled. I have been wearing a cast on my arm since the accident.

I have had a lot of pain and basic functions are difficult. Who would have thought about not being able to open containers, turning a doorknob, earring food that needs to be cut, etc .

Since the accident I have been prone to severe anxiety in the car. Not being able to drive is inconvenient for me,my staff, and my family. The nightmares have seemed to stop recently. My energy, which disappeared after the accident, has started to return.

The cast is supposed to come off later this week. I am interested how this Will continue to unfold.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

A day in the life... Day 1

I think I will start a project detailing my day for a week. This is inspired by the Library Day in the Life Project.

References to my library work day will be blogged at The Not So Shoeless, Librarian, while the personal parts of my day will be blogged here on A Life, Ashley K Parker.

I am interested in seeing the patterns of my life emerge, as I often get so wrapped up that I rarely take time to thing about where I spend all my time.

Putting this in context: I am a 28 year old public librarian living in central Arkansas.  I live in a city of 9,000 and a county of 30,000.  I live with my fiance and we have custody of our 17 year old nephew.  We have two inside dogs.  I am currently taking online classes to earn my MPA.  I serve on several local, state, and national committees.  I am planning my own wedding without outside help.


Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012


  • ‎9:00 - Breakfast
  • 9:30 to 12:00 - wash 2 loads of laundry, wash a load of dishes, clean stove, clean kitchen counters and table, clear all "crap" from kitchen area, sweep and mop kitchen, teach my resident nephew how to clean a bathroom, and take out trash
  • 12:00 - shower
  • ‎12:15 to 1:15 - play on computer
  • 1:15 to 3:15 - errands
  •  3:15 to 3:45 - dismantle library display
  • 4:00 to 5:30 - homework and snack
  • 5:30 to 6:00 - play on the computer
  • 6:00 to 6:20 - start blog and switch out loads of laundry
  • 6:20 to 7:30 - put away and wash dishes, fold 3 loads of laundry, wash 2 loads of laundry, bathe dogs, sweep laundry room
  • 7:30 to 8:20 - dinner, folding a load of clothes, then washing dishes
  • 8:30 to 10:00 - listening to music and discussing songs for our wedding ceremony
  • 10:15 - grab a snack and head to bed

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Looking to the Future

So as many of you know I became engaged to my sweetie at Thanksgiving.  We plan to get married in October of this year and in planning our wedding and talking about our future, we have discussed our future thoughts of parenthood.  Of course to me this means pigtails and cute outfits and to him it means wrestling and fishing!

Yesterday I stumbled across this website that will morph two pictures into babies.  This allowed us to create images that suggest what our future children will look like.  I wonder how accurate it is?

Us:


What our future kids might look like?: