Week #??????

Dearest Family and Friends,

I am quickly realizing that once you decide you want to start posting on a blog regularly that it takes a lot more discipline and determination than you originally thought.  I apologize for probably the 100th time for not writing in a long while.  It has been such a long while that I am no longer able to quickly think right off the top of my head what number week this has been for Kyle and I in Texas together.  Some of you may not have spoken to Kyle recently but there has been a lot of things happening in his crazy Texas life lately.  Some highlights of the last two weeks has been:

1. We saw "The Sound of Music" at Zilker Hillside Theater.  It was an incredible musical to watch and it was neat beacause we watched it picnic style on a hillside.  I loved it because I got to use my picnic accesories Beth, Kyle's sister, has given me for past holidays/birthdays.  YAY!

2. Kyle was told a couple weeks ago that he is no longer welcome to stay as my visitor :(  A. it isn't fair to my roomie and close friend that he has been staying for such a long while.  B. The company I work for owns my home and pays for my rent which means that it isn't cool I have a long term visitor taking advantage of that sweet deal.  Kyle is currently still staying with me but he has hit the ground running looking for an apartment.  Currently, there is no apartment is lined up. Please say a prayer for him so that his awesome girlfriend doesn't have to literally kick him to the curb :(  Sidenote: I love Kyle dearly...don't take this information the wrong way.  We will still be dating when I kick him to the curb :) 

3. KYLE HAS A FULL TIME JOB!!!!!!!!!!!  If you haven't processed that last sentence, I encourage you all to read it over and over and over again....because I am so proud of him!  Starting this upcoming Monday, August 27, Kyle will be employed full time at Amplifier.  I am not exactly certain what this company is.  I know that one of their clients is The Onion.  I believe companies use Amplifier to print their material and what not.  This has been a company Kyle has been eyeing since he heard one of my good friends has been working there.  He thought is sounded awesome and right up his alley; while I still sit here clueless as to what exactly the company does.  So after showing interest in this company over a year ago and looking for other jobs in the meantime, he got an interview with them and VOILA....a job!  I would like to shoot a big thanks to my friend Nicole for helping make this magic happen. 

4. The last couple of weeks has been full of talk about this sausage and beer place called Bangers.  They just recently opened up and it has been coming up in many conversations.  This past weekend we got to try out Bangers.  We went out with my friends Lindsay and Kristi.  First to dinner at a place called Doc's where Kyle was in Heaven eating his stuffed fried avacado.  Afterwards we headed over to Bangers.  We did not try their food but we had beer and a good time out in their beer garden.  Bangers was on this unique street called Rainey Street.  Basically, these restuarant/bar owners bought/leased homes on this everyday neighborhood street.  So basically it is a street of houses but all these houses have been transformed into bars and restuarants.  Pretty neat looking! 

5. There was an awful sound coming from Kyle's car on the way back from Bangers.  I immediately got antsy when I heard the sound.....

6. This past Monday, Kyle left for work.  At 5:40am I receive a phone call that his car died about 30 minutes from my home.  Already I began kicking myself, I meant to tell Kyle that morning that he should just take my gem of a car to work so not to put stress on his car.  Turns out that he blew a gasket on his engine....those of you who have had this work done or know stuff about cars probably know that this is far from a cheap fix-up.  His car is currently getting worked on. 

This is where we are now.  A tad on the stressed out side of things.  If I am stressed out then I cannot even imagine where Kyle is right now with his feelings.  He is currently scurrying to find a place to live before I officially tell him he can't stay with me and he is now trying to figure how to recover both emotionally and finacially from such a terrible blow to his car.  UGH....This all sort of shadows the excitement of finding a full time job.  So please, if you talk to him support him and congratulate him on getting 1 out of 2 (job & apartment) big things completed while he is in Texas. 

xx
Madeline

P.S. Recipe of the week(s)  (this recipe is so easy to do and so delicious...we are definitely adding this to our regularly used recipes!)

Creamy Pesto Chicken and Bow Ties

Rated: Submitted By: Campbell's Kitchen Cook Time: 20 Minutes Ready In: 20 Minutes Servings: 4

"Use Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, chicken breast, and bow tie pasta to make an easy one-dish meal with a creamy pesto sauce."

Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked bow tie pasta 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed 1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's®

Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free) 1/2 cup pesto sauce 1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1.	Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
2.	Meanwhile, heat butter in skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned, stirring often.
3.	Add soup, pesto sauce and milk. Bring to a boil. Cook over low heat 5 minutes or until done. Stir in drained pasta and heat through

Week 8

OLYMPICS...'MERICA. Enough said about this week.

xx
Madeline

P.S.
Recipe of the week:
Savory Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Casserole (see image)

Serves 6 to 8

This recipe is perfect for using up stale bread since its firm texture stands up to overnight soaking. A casserole stretches expensive ingredients by using them to flavor low cost ingredients so this meal is a good value when you need to feed a holiday crowd.

Nutrition
Per serving (about 7oz/206g-wt.): 370 calories (210 from fat), 23g total fat, 10g saturated fat, 285mg cholesterol, 940mg sodium, 18g total carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 5g sugar), 22g protein
Ingredients

5 cups (1-inch) cubes sourdough or white bread
1/2 pound loose breakfast sausage, cooked (about 1 cup cooked)
1 cup spinach leaves
8 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Directions

Layer bread, sausage and spinach in an 8-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, garlic, salt, pepper and sage then pour over contents in baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover dish and bake until cooked through and golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes then serve.