May menu

Here's what we're eating in May. This will be my last monthly menu for a while, because I get to go to camp all summer where my friend Jennifer and her awesome cooks do all the meal preparation. It's great!

Cashew sweet & sour pork
Spicy honey chicken
Crock pot santa fe chicken
Chicken cordon bleu
Smoky honey mustard pork tenderloin
Southwest chicken & corn cakes
Chicken & bacon pastry pockets
Creamy chicken taquitos
Coconut chicken fingers
BBQ meatballs
Glazed bacon-wrapped meatloaf
Braided sandwich loaf
Pizza
Jalapeno popper chicken pizza (recipe below)

Desserts I'm making for company or get-togethers:
Chocolate peanut butter bars
Pig cake
Chocolate chip cookie pie (no nuts. While I love a good pecan or almond, they do not belong in baked goods. This is not debatable.)
Frozen lemonade pie

Here's the jalapeno popper pizza recipe. Originally I made the topping and used it as a filling for soft tacos, but I like the pizza too.

1 loaf frozen white bread dough (such as Rhode's), thawed and risen according to package instructions

2 T oil

Salt & pepper

2 large chicken breasts

8 pieces of bacon, diced

4-5 large jalapenos, ribs and seeds removed, sliced into thin strips

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup sour cream

1/2 T chili powder

8 oz. monterey jack cheese, shredded (can substitute pepper jack)

Chopped cilantro or green onions for topping (optional, but highly recommended)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Roll out pizza dough to ½ inch thick; fit on rectangular baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat mat. Bake for 7 minutes; remove from oven and set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Saute chicken breasts in oil 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet; shred with two forks and set aside.

4. In the same skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet; reserve 4 T bacon drippings.

5. Saute jalapeno and onions in bacon drippings until soft and onions are translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic during last minute of cooking time and cook for one minute.

6. Return chicken and bacon to skillet with jalapeno mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cream cheese, sour cream, and chili powder. Stir until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well-combined.

7. Spread mixture onto pizza crust. Top with shredded cheese. Bake for 7-9 more minutes, until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

8. Allow pizza to cool for five minutes, top with cilantro and serve.

500

This is my 500th post! 5 years and 11 days ago I started this little blog, which has since chronicled the important and not so important events in our lives. I keep meaning to have it published into a book since I'm not a scrapbooker. I will get it done eventually, then I will start contacting agents to get it published into a memoir. (I kid.) Today my goal was to upload videos and post them. Some of these are recent and some of them are from three months ago, but ALL of them are cute. Enjoy!

Ezra and the dishwasher from Lesley Montandon on Vimeo.

Untitled from Lesley Montandon on Vimeo.

Hat? from Lesley Montandon on Vimeo.

Getting buff from Lesley Montandon on Vimeo.

If you can't tell, Ezra is saying "Gig 'em Aggies" in this one:

Gig em aggies from Lesley Montandon on Vimeo.

Harmonica from Lesley Montandon on Vimeo.

Eieio from Lesley Montandon on Vimeo.

Ezra, two from Lesley Montandon on Vimeo.

If you're happy and you know it from Lesley Montandon on Vimeo.

This is Ezra saying "oh, toodles!" His current obsession is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and that is what they say.

Oh toodles from Lesley Montandon on Vimeo.

21 months...and 499 posts!

Well, Ezra just keeps getting closer and closer to two years old. This month his verbal skills have exploded and he just parrots everything he hears. He is such a big boy. We also got rid of his pacifier about a week ago and he is doing great. He still mentions it maybe once or twice a day, but he is quickly distracted when we tell him he can't have it and he doesn't make a big deal about it. We have traveled a couple times this month and Ezra has been a great traveler recently, much better than he has ever been. He eats well, he sleeps well, and he is super fun to be around. We love our little boy so much!

April random

Here are just some random pictures from the last few days. We decided to get Ezra a little potty because he talks about it quite a bit. No potty training yet, just getting ready for when he's ready in a few months.

This is after we took family pictures. I got this lollipop in case we needed to bribe him. And, we did. He acted like we were poking him with toothpicks the entire time we took pictures and would barely look at the camera, much less smile.
Got this picture on Sunday morning of Ezra's bible class. He has always loved going to class.
I watched my friend Amanda's baby, Laynee, a few days ago. I put her in Ezra's old walker and she loved it...she also loved Ezra entertaining her. Isn't she beautiful!?
Cool in his sunglasses, playing the harmonica
And this is the last picture I will post of Ezra with his beloved "Pass." We got rid of it today, and will be putting them away until further notice (i.e., subsequent children). RIP Pass.

April so far...Paul & Carolyn's visit

We have had a busy but good month. At the beginning, Paul & Carolyn came for a visit. Within the first few minutes of them being here, Ezra was calling for papaw to come play with him. They babysat while Chad and I went out on a date, took Ezra shopping for his birthday (which isn't until July but we'll be at camp then), and other fun stuff. Paul's birthday was that next Monday so we decided to take them out to the arboretum and do a little photo shoot with Ezra. Here are a few pictures from the weekend.

April menu and an easy dessert recipe

Here's what we're eating in April... (yes, we eat a lot of chicken.)

Chicken cordon bleu
Sticky chicken wings (this marinade/glaze would be great on chicken thighs or breasts too)
Creamy chicken taquitos
Hamburgers
Pizza
Roasted lemon chicken
Southwest chicken & corn cakes
Sour cream chicken enchilada casserole
Steak & baked potatoes
Lemon chicken soup
Jalapeno popper tacos
BBQ Baked potatoes
Taco pile-up
Sub sandwiches
Honey-balsamic glazed chicken

I started making this recipe when I was in junior high--that is how easy it is. But it is so good too and the cheesecakes come out really cute. Enjoy!

Mini Cheesecakes (makes 20)

20 vanilla wafers

cupcake liners

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened

2 tsp lemon juice (I just juice one whole lemon)

1 tsp vanilla

Put liners in tins.

Put one vanilla wafer in the bottom of each liner, round side up.

Combine all ingredients. Beat until very smooth.

Spoon filling on vanilla wafers about halfway full.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Let cakes cool completely before removing papers carefully or leave decorated liners on.

Top with cherry pie filling or filling of your choice. Fresh fruit in season may also be used.