Photography Friends

I just wanted to remind all my photographer friends... Give back, Get experience and do something wonderful for someone special. Oplove(dot)org is a special organization that offers free Photo Services for Military Families : Pre Deployment, During Deployment, or Redeployment photographs. NowIlaymedowntosleep(dot)org is a very special organization for very special photographers. These photographers offer free services for those who have last and lasting moments with their child. I ask you that you are given this gift of being able to capture beautiful photographs give back by joining as a photographer of one of these organizations. You may not live near a Military post but there are plenty of National Guard families right around your city you just may not know it! A lot of parents experience the loss of their child and not have beautiful lasting images of their baby. Trust me when I say its the one thing left they can hold on to!

I am not a photographer (I probably suck with my point and shoot!) so I am not involved in these organizations at all but I do support them with prayer and donations when I can. I have met some special people in front of the lens and behind the lens of these wonderful organizations

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

So We have been to Carrabba's a few times. I even got a gift card from my dear friend Pegan at my baby shower.
We have had no luck at the restaurant. I love their bread but never like the dishes I order for some reason. I'd just rather eat somewhere else for the amount of the dish, quality, how packed the restaurant is, the wait... etc. I'd rather go to Logan's or Rosie's. But sometimes my church caters Carrabba's and they always have some type of Pasta, Salad and Chicken Marsala and its to die for!



Carrabbas Chicken Marasala
Submitted By: Debbie Smith
Serves: 4
Prep. Time: 1:00

1 – 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
olive oil – as needed
1/3 cup real butter
1 slice prosciutto - diced
2 tsp. minced shallots
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup Marsala wine
(2) 4 oz. cans sliced mushrooms - drained
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. corn starch
1 cup cold chicken broth
1 tsp. minced fresh parsley
2 Tbls. heavy whipping cream



-Pound chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a glass until thin.
-Either in a mortar or on a small plate, combine first 7 ingredients. Grind together ingredients with a pestle or the bottom of a glass.
-Coat chicken lightly with olive oil. Use spice mixture to coat chicken evenly; place in the refrigerator until needed.
-In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add prosciutto, shallots, and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add Marsala to pan and simmer for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and black pepper and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium.
-Dissolve corn starch in chicken broth, then add to saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.
-Add parsley and cream to saucepan and simmer for 3 - 4 minutes, or until thick. Remove from heat and cover until needed.
-Grill coated chicken over a medium flame for 5 - 7 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
-Place grilled chicken on individual serving plate and spoon sauce over chicken.

and does anyone know the Olive Oil dipping sauce recipe they use to dip their bread in before the meal comes out?

Maybe something like this?
just tap a little of these items in a mortar and pestle and then ground away to desired consistincy.
all dried herbs.
rosemary
oregano
basil
garlic powder or fresh
onion powder just a little of this if desired
hot pepper flakes
parmesean cheese the can kind works the best. I hate it but for this it is drier.
balsamic vinegar. just a small amount
I actually use cheap balsamic and boil it down till it is half, that makes it thicker and sweeter. not as tangy! Like the expensive balsamic

Crazy Cat Lady 3

So my sister in law's name is Beth and she is a pharmacist and her husband is a Lutheran minister. They don't have any kids but they are a blended family... of cats! They have about 14 or 15 to be exact.

My husband's aunt has about 6 I think.

So when I started feeding Cocoa James told me pleaseee no more cats we have reached our cat lady quota for the family lmao. I have disappointed him because now we have about 5 cats being fed LOL

Cocoa
Cocoa started hanging around the bus stop a few months ago. She looks like a full blooded Siamese Cat. She was very thin and very sweet. There is a house actually where the bus stop is but they have a cat and the cat didn't like Cocoa. So I fed her at my house and now she won't leave. I am very attached and William loves her. Cocoa doesn't want to come inside she is very nervous being inside. So she stays in the front yard. If we walk to the bus stop she comes after us. If we walk around the block she walks with us lol. I took her to the vet she has no chip and she looks pretty healthy. I can't believe someone would abandon this cat!


A few days after Cocoa got comfortable She brought a friend, we saw this orange cat and Orange Cat had a collar but was too afraid to come near us. Finally Skylar got to pet her by giving her a bunch of treats. Now she is still scared, hanging around the back yard and no collar *shrugs* I call her Lucy. (Like I love Lucy lol)

Lucy

Then there is our other household cats....

Peanut is our house cat. Peanut is about 2 years old and came to us because I was friends with another Army Wife who had to move in with someone who was allergic to cats so I was going to keep Peanut for the year her husband was deployed. Well a few months into the deployment she left her kid here for 24 hours and I told her to come get her kid and cat and now I am stuck with Peanut because I couldn't see her throwing away yet another animal. Although Peanut and I aren't getting along he is mean to the other cats and I want to indict him on Avian homicide RIP Lily and Attempted Rodent homicide for seriously injuring Skylar's hamster Munchy. Rick thinks he is cute because if William cries Peanut will come to investigate.

Mittens is my ball of anxiousness. I swear she is half rabbit. She is considered a Hemingway cat. She has 6 toes on one foot and no tail. She is 7 years old and I adopted her from a rescue after my sweet Lightening passed away in 2009. Mittens stays in my room 99.9% of the time and only comes out to find me. She isn't very photogenic because she is scared of everything and doesn't lay down.

Tinker Bell is my 4 year old cat. Actually she is Skylar's cat. We have had her since she was a baby. She stays upstairs too but wants to be with Skylar every second. Its like Mary had a little Lamb but its Skylar & a cat.

I think seriously all I am missing is a black cat to be happy lol well maybe hehe