Christmas List

 I am a firm believer that it is never too early to make your Christmas list. It is always better to be more prepared, than less prepared... if that makes sense.

Here are some underlined, starred, highlighted, capitalized items on this years Christmas list!

Victoria Secret Tee & Boyfriend Pant Gift Set

TOMS Glitter Shoes Womens Coffee

World Market Gray Ribbed Infinity Scarf

UGG Bailey Button Triplet: Chestnut

annnddddd a sewing machine that sews and monograms :)

...southern girls dream!

What's on your Christmas list this season?

Crispy Parmesan Chicken Strips

There is nothing I despise more than coming home from school, slaving over five hours of homework, and having to cook for two hours. I have been searching relentlessly for quick but delicious recipes that I can have made and eaten in under an hour. These yummy chicken strips hit the nail on the head. If you have pre-thawed chicken breasts, the prep time should be no more than 10 minutes (about the time it takes to heat the oven up!) I have made these twice: once with homemade Alfredo noodles, and this time with garlic mashed potatoes, which take the same time to prepare as the chicken!

Crispy Parmesan Chicken Strips

1.5 cups season croutons, crushed

1.5 oz. (1/3 c) fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tsp. dried parsley, optional

1/4 tsp garlic salt

2 egg whites

1 T. water

1lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1'' pieces

1/4 c. prepared Ranch dressing, can be lite

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Crush croutons into resealable bag. Grate Parmesan cheese. In large bowl, combine crushed croutons, cheese, parsley, and garlic salt. Whisk egg and water in a separate bowl. Dip chicken pieces into egg mixture, then into crumb mixtures to coat evenly. Arrange on 13" round baking dish. Bake 14-16 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.

What You Need:

crouton mixture^

egg and water mixture^

1st, dip chicken in egg mixture...

then evenly coat chicken in crumb mixture

YUM!

Inspiration

I love finding quotes in the "Quotes" tab on Pinterest. They are even better when they match my blog theme.

Remember these words, friend.♥

Hearty Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I fell in love with this soup last night! It is the ultimate cold weather-warm your insides kinda meal! The garlic bread complimented the soup nicely... made me feel like I was at Olive Garden eating their chicken gnocchi soup!

Hearty Chicken Gnocchi Soup

*Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups fat free half-and-half

1 cup lowfat milk

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

16 ounce package gnocchi

1-2 cups cooked, shredded or diced chicken breasts

1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped (left this out)

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a 4- or 5-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot and rippling. Add the chopped onion, carrots and thyme. Cook until the onion is translucent and carrots are slightly tender, stirring often, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking or stirring constantly, until the flour is lightly golden, 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half. Whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Stir while bringing the mixture to a boil over medium to medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is slightly thickened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the uncooked gnocchi and simmer over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup should thicken up quite a bit while the gnocchi is cooking. Stir in the chicken and spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Step One:

add olive oil

Step Two:

add onions, carrots, and thyme

Step Three:

add garlic

Step Four:

whisk in flour

no photo

Step Five:

add half-and-half

Step Six:

add low fat milk and chicken broth 

Step Six:

bring to boil

Step Seven:

add gnocchi

Step Eight:

add chicken (and spinach*)

This soup seriously made it to my favorites list with the first spoonful! Don't skimp on the pepper at the end... makes it that much better!

Loving Lately: Leggings

I used to be the biggest hater of wearing leggings as pants. Maybe because they used to be poorly worn. But this season, Pinterest has TOTALLY changed my mind! I am totally Loving leggings Lately!

In my world, these looks are too perfect to be true! I hate wearing jeans. Maybe because I am in between two sizes, but having to sit in a desk for almost eight hours makes me want to trade in my American Eagle Original Boot jeans for Victoria Secret yoga pants!

These ladies look so put together in these ensembles! The last outfit is my favorite- I'm a sucker for plaid! 

Are you Loving something Lately? Well make a post and link up with Niki!

Reading Addict

I am beyond in love with reading. It is an obsession. My favorite part is discussing what I've read. I would love to recap on all the bored faces my boy friend has shot my way as I ramble on about a recent chapter. 

I am always looking for new books to read. If someone gives me a good testimonial on a book, I'll read is ASAP! 

Here are just a few of my favorite reads and why I love them dearly!

1. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. - We literally just finished reading this novel in my Honors English ll class. It totally amazed me. The cultural enlightenment was one of my favorite parts. It opens your eyes to an otherwise "easy to hate" culture. The actions among the characters totally bewilder you. I didn't think it was possible for one character to posses two traits so different in comparison. But, it is amazing! The movie is also good. Never as good as the book, but it was cool to compare my visualizations to how those of movie producers!

2. Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks. - I am super good at predicting what will happen next. This book made a liar out of me. It is suspenseful in that way that you don't get bored, but you don't get confused. I'm not a sci-fi person at all but the mysterious vibes Sparks puts off in this novel are off the charts!

3. Something Borrowed by Emily Griffen. - So, so, so, so, so, sooo much better than the movie! Rachel's thoughts throughout the scheme of things are amazingly written. This is the ideal quick summer read! I cannot wait to read the sequel, Something Blue!

I recently started the book Chill Factor by Sandra Brown! Upon request for good reads, my English teacher brought me this and commented that she could not put it down! I am about at chapter five I believe and I'm totally addicted. The imagery is fabulous. I can't wait to read farther!

A few other favorites of mine are anything Nicholas Sparks (I've read them all), Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, and Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson (love him as well!)

What are your "must read" suggestions!? I'd LOVE to hear your responses!

Updates

I feel like I haven't been personal with you guys in a lonnng time! The hustle and bustle of getting back into school has shifted blogging from my every day priority to about the 5th priority. I know, terrible. 

Anyways, here are a few "FYI's" I feel you should know!

1. I recently went to the neurologist to continue the quest of finding out why I have daily headaches. No diagnosis, again. However, I am forbidden to drink coffee or diet sundrop. If you know me very well, you know I literally live off these two beverages. I basically cannot consume caffeine... what's left?

2. In my honors english class, we read the novel The Kite Runner. It is so amazing- hands down the best book I ever read. It puts those trashy-"summer reads" to shame. And the movie, great too! I highly recommend to read it!

3. Yesterday for Halloween I was a Toddler in Tiara... proud title-holder of "Little Miss 'Merica".... I was presh!

4. My boy friend, Tyler, got his license yesterday! I feel like just yesterday we were in 8th grade dreaming about this day. Now its here.. where has time gone?

5. I got a Lifeproof phone case! It is amazing. I will be getting it monogrammed. Shocker!