JAJ Installment 1: Katelin

I didn't get too many askers in my Just ask Julie post, but the askers that I got asked lots of questions so I will just answer one person per post on a first come first serve basis. I may answer more than one person a day if I feel ambitious so watch for your post to pop up.

Let's start with comment # 1 from Katelin, who had three questions.

Katelin said: How about sharing something that worries you.

Katelin you know me well enough to know that everything worries me. EV-ER-Y-THING! I am worried when the bus is five minutes late coming home. Alyssa's school gets a call from me every time this happens and they quickly assure me that bus #2 left the school a few minutes late. Phew! I worry about dark water, A LOT. I tremble and panic when I walk on a pier. I worry about letting delivery boys, the cable guy, heater repair man, etc., in my house when Seth is at work. I worry about Seth when he drives home. The other day he called 3 times on his way home from work. He usually calls twice in a row because then I know it is him and I actually move my body over to the phone and answer. This time he called 3 times. I was in the shower due to an unfortunate toilet plunging disaster that left me up to my knees in poo water. The third time I heard the phone I was trying to get out and get the phone because I was sure something had happened to him. Why would he call 3 times unless he really needed me? I worried that he was hurt and calling to make sure he could talk to us in case, well, you know the in case. I scrambled to the phone to call him back and of course, he was fine. I shouldn't even tell you that, but you asked, and now you know that I worry about EVERYTHING. Mostly about the people I love. Don't tell Jared, he will want me to come in for testing.

Katelin said: Or a favorite Christmas tradition.

This one is a lot less psycho. My favorite Christmas tradition is the annual add an ornament. Every year on the day after Thanksgiving we buy a new family tree ornament. These are the only ornaments that we put on our tree. The first year we were married we had a sad, lonely, one ornament tree. Each year we add our new ornament to the tree. We have the least show worthy tree I have ever seen but I think it is a beautiful symbol of the growth that we experience each year as a family. I also think it is cool because the tree is a symbol of the Savior, and hanging our new ornament each year is symbolic of our family becoming stronger and more rooted in Christ each year. Our tree keeps the focus on Christ, and our family. No one likes it but us, but it means something to me, and I love it!

Katelin Said: Or a favorite meal--one you ALWAYS have the ingredients for.

Clever, clever Miss Katelin! For those who don't know, Katelin has e-mailed and called me several times in the past month requesting my recipe for Chicken Broccoli Casserole. I keep telling her I will send it and I still have not. I don't have a recipe for it. I just make it the way my step-dad made it. He was the cook in our home and he knew how to make chicken broccoli, shepherd's pie, bean burritos, and spa"ghetto", which means that we went out 95% of the time, but we do all enjoy some Chicken Broccoli. The only reason I haven't sent the recipe to Katelin is because I wanted to look up an actual recipe but I guess I will just tell you how I make it. Oh, and this is not really my favorite meal but I will have to give that some more thought. Plus, I am pretty sure you didn't care what my favorite meal was...you were just capitalizing on the fact that I promised to answer any questions I was asked. Well played, my friend.

Here's how it goes...

Put chopped broccoli (frozen and thawed, or fresh, 16 oz.) in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Cover the broccoli in shredded or chopped chicken. How much? I don't know...just some, so it covers the broccoli generously. Sometimes I even put the chicken on the bottom, this recipe is not that picky. If you are feeling lazy, and sometimes I am, just shred up a rotisserie chicken and throw that in the pan. In a bowl combine two cans cream of chicken soup and one cup mayonnaise, no Miracle Whip. In my opinion, even having Miracle Whip in your house could potentially ruin the outcome. Oh, and don't use Canola Oil mayo or anything like that because it is not fatty enough and it will not work. Just regular fatty Hellmans or Best Foods, depending on which side of the Rocky's you reside on. Add some curry powder in to the mix and some lemon juice, not too much of either. Pour the goop over the chicken and broccoli. Bake for 20 minutes. Add Cheddar cheese (lots) to cover the top and sprinkle with French's fried onions and bake until cheese is melted and everything is bubbly (20 min). My step dad uses bread crumbs on top and bakes it with the cheese on the whole time but if you use the onions, they will burn so you will have to either bake the cheese/onions for less time, or cover the whole operation with some foil. Alright, are you confused? Now you know why I dragged my feet about sharing. Not quite recipe book format. If you want a real recipe, search Chicken Divan on allrecipes, and I am sure they will have some options for you. But there...I answered...and kept my promise!

Now it is Katelin's turn. I was actually laughing as I tried to think of what to ask Katelin. A few weeks before Katelin and Jared moved to Minnesota they were at our house and we were all telling stories, BUT...we already knew all of each other's stories. We laughingly decided that maybe it was time for them to move after all so that they could recycle their stories on someone new. We have talked about being moms, and being married, and kids, and we know each others birth stories, quirky habits, opinions, and we even talked about long lost high school interests and exes. Seriously, we know each other's stories, but here are the questions I came up with.

Julie asked:

Which historical site in Palmyra/Fayette was your favorite and why? (Katelin is from upstate NY. She was in high school while I was serving there but I never served in her neck of the woods.)

Oh, and I am also going to take a card from your deck, and ask...what is your recipe for Chocolate Crinkles?

Alright Katelin, have at it.