Pesto Chicken Penne: Recipe #1

"A convenient pesto sauce mix provides the pleasant basil flavor in this simple chicken and pasta combination from Beth Martin Sine...This entree requires little effort, yet seems elegant."

8 oz penne pasta
1 envelope pesto sauce mix
3/4 cup milk (substitute Lactaid for lactose-free variation)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups cubed chicken
Shredded fresh parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, whisk together pesto mix, milk, and oil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add chicken; heath through. Drain pasta. Add to the sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese.

Yum!

50 Recipes! My Culinary Project

I have a new project: To gather 50 recipes I can cook for my family! I say "gather" because I am not to the point of "creating" quite yet. This project will focus on making a collection of recipes to continuously draw from when planning out my weekly menus. I have found that planning a menu for one week's worth of meals, as well as completing all the associated grocery shopping by the Saturday before the week begins does wonder for my sanity, my free time, and our family together time. Usually the task of planning out my menu takes what feels like FOREVER (in actuality it takes about an hour and a half, which feels like a long time to think about and look at food)! I browse through cookbooks, browse websites, and occasionally flip through a few magazines as well. I figure of I can pull one or two meals out of a Bos family "collection" each week, it'll save me even more time in my planning. These will be meals that are tried and tested, meals that I've previously cooked, and that I know we all like. They will also be meals that are lactose-free and Josh-appropriate :)

Tonight I made Pesto Chicken Penne--a pasta dish that is quick and yummy. I have made it a few times before and we ALL LIKE IT! Therefore...drumroll please...it qualifies to enter the collection--my 1st official addition into my 1st official collection. So exciting :)

It's the Little Things

This past weekend Josh and I went on a date to Barnes and Noble. We love to hang out and relax, flip through books, read books, etc. When we came out of the store, it was snowing and our car wasn't too close. He offered to go get the car while I waited--a little thing that meant a lot. Heaven knows I didn't want to run to the car! I also can't imagine that he wanted to walk when he could run and get there A LOT faster. It ended up working out well for both of us, and I still believe nothing is HOTTER than chivalry!

This is one of my favorite pictures of him! He always looks so HOT when we're hiking. One of the things I really LOVE about him is that he always carries Annabelle on his back so she can come with us! Chivalrous INDEED!