Calling All Chickens

Yesterday and today we are trying out some new chicken recipes and if tonight´s recipe tastes half as good as last nights...then we are on track for two family favourites here.

Last night I made Bacon and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Filets

You can find the recipe HERE.

Now, at the risk of exposing the less intelligent side of myself I have to tell you I was frustrated....only for a few minutes mind you....as to where I´d get goat´s cheese...then I realized goat´s cheese is also feta cheese...duh...and there is loads of feta cheese in stores around here! As you are only suppose to use 1 slice of bacon in this recipe (I used 2) I had some leftover bacon which I decided to wrap around our asparagus- YUM. If you want to make this meal even healthier you could drop the potatoes and do a big salad or rice perhaps....however, everything I am reading these days says potatoes are better for you then rice...so maybe you can just kick back and enjoy your potatoes without worry? We did :-) This is definitely a meal to try out if you are looking for a good chicken recipe. The chicken was so tender and moist and the stuffing flavors perfect with the chicken. Mmmmmm Mmmmm Mmmmm and I think that says it all about what I thought of that recipe!

For desert I cheated. I was going to bake a chocolate cake. As I wandered the isles of ICA Maxi in Hamar I came across Betty Crocker. My old cooking friend from the states....the lady who helped me with all my baking needs before I learned to bake on my own.

Now admittedly homemade is the very best you can get, hands down. There is no contest. However, homemade takes time...loving time...for your heart and soul to wield it´s magic in the kitchen you can not be rushed....so if you are in a hurry or just don´t feel like putting your heart and soul into something you can cheat like I did and get Betty to help you and you will get fairly decent results. The cake was moist and very rich (you´ll need some milk or ice cream to go with this baby) but I couldn´t help thinking....I could make something better...with that said..everyone enjoyed their cake and it was fun catching up with Betty again after so many years...

I am struggling with sleep these days. Not sure exactly why but I have some ideas. Never the less, it is coloring my thoughts and actions in very negative ways. I have been moody and a tad depressed...anti-social and just bah humbugy...It started when I had several free days in a row. I started staying up incredibly late talking with family on the internet and surfing around. Then I would wake early because either a child wasn´t done with school or I had to go to work or something...so late nights and early mornings were going hand in hand there for awhile and I am seeing this bad pattern especially on my days off. So with four weeks of vacation coming up in July I don´t want to be a walking zombie...so I am reading up on sleep tips and trying to figure out how to beat my body´s messed up system. What is your best tips for getting some Zzzzz´s when they aren´t coming easily?

If only we could all sleep as peacefully and as well as this lady.

Today is my Classic Song litter´s 2nd birthday. My very first leonberger litter came 2 years ago and it was such an exciting and scary time. I wanted to do everything right and everything that could go wrong went wrong. That just goes to show that life isn´t predictable and can´t be controlled...it happens and you either go with the flow or sink...thankfully we went with the flow and four happy sweet pups grew up to be the beautiful dogs they are today...one is living happily in Japan, another lives happily in Oslo, and the princess of the group lives a wonderful happy life in Gausdal and this big bear lives a happy life with us....

Happy Birthday Bently, Shakira, Sou, and Redman!!

One of the neat things about living in the woods is all the beautiful nature around you...meeting the wild animals that happen past your house like foxes...

And deer....

And sometimes you get to witness them meeting each other...like we did yesterday morning at breakfast....

These two watched each other for about a minute then the fox tried to run past the deer...the deer actually followed but just as he turned the corner down in the field, he turned again and came back up toward the house and then turned and went into the woods another way. Perhaps they were playing a game? It would all be speculation but it is fun to watch how they interacted together. Sorry I didn´t have a better zoom on my lens so I could have gotten better photos but maybe you get the idea?

Despite the lack of sunshine we are having here I think we might try another hike today. I will have to ask the gang when they wake up. In the meantime, I wish you all the very best Sunday!! If you are interested click the link on the right side of my page above followers and visit my daughter, Sarah´s blog. She is having a wonderful giveaway with some beautiful turquoise jewelry which she will send anywhere in the world to the lucky winner! So check it out!

Until next time my friends....