I Feel Like Chicken Tonight, Chicken Tonight!!

Hello Sweets,

Well I am officially back on Canadian soil :(, which is precisely why I didn't have a post for y'all yesterday.  Since I got an extra night with Nathan we spent a lot of time talking and enjoying our final night together :)  When I finally made it back to my home I had to run to the grocery store, because let's face it a girls gotta eat ;)  Since I am finally back on a somewhat normal schedule, I figured I would share a yummy treat with my lovely readers.  I have to say it feels really good to be writing again, I guess every once in a while a writer has to take a step back to put things into perspective.

As I am writing this post, I realize I have just dated myself lol.  The title of this post is from a catchy little jingle from the 1990's, even though the brand (Chicken Tonight) is still around you don't ever see their commercials.  The inspiration for the title came to me literally while looking at the pictures for tonight's post, I love when things just fall into place with little to no effort :)  A few months back Nathan came up to visit me for a few days, and we planned to go visit my mom and her husband.  Since we had an early flight the next morning, a red eye what fun lol, they offered for us to sleep at their house.  This lovely act of kindness would easily shave an hour off our drive to the airport, and with a red eye an extra hour of sleep is soooo worth it.  My mom makes pretty amazing chicken wings, but I haven't had them since I was younger and that was when she used to fry them.  Now she bakes them in the oven, they're crispy and not overly greasy.  What more can you ask for in a chicken wing?

Mommas Chicken Wings

Ingredients

Chicken wings (as many as you need)

Butter (you have to use it sparingly), melted

Ketchup (I used both regular and spicy)

Hot sauce, I used two types to kick it up a notch (use the spice level you're comfortable with)

Flour

pinch of salt

dash of pepper

dash of seasoning salt

 

Directions:

1)  Preheat oven to 400F.  In a large Ziploc bag, add the dry ingredients.  Use enough flour to completely coat every chicken wing, I used more than necessary so I didn't have to re-adjust the spices.  Shake until wings are completely coated, shake off any excess before placing on baking sheet.

 

2)  Place chicken wings on a tinfoil lined (I forgot to do that and they stuck a bit) baking sheet, bake until crispy (oops forgot to write the time down :/ )

 

3)  While chicken is cooking, melt butter (not too much or the sauce will just slide off).  Add enough ketchup to thicken the sauce, then add your hot sauce.  Taste test the sauce as you go, making adjustments until you reach you desired flavor.

 

 

4)  Once the chicken wings are crispy, gently toss them in your sauce.  Serve immediately, you can even dress it up with carrots and celery.

 

These were so simple to make, and they tasted better than the ones you get at the bar!  Well at least that is what I took from Nathan gobbling them up lol.  I am actually excited to expand to new and different flavors, I am very partial to honey garlic or anything with a sweet heat kick to it.  The only way you get good at flavor combinations is by trail and error, so if at first you don't succeed.... well you know the rest.  Basically what I'm trying to say is just go for it, and follow your taste buds.

I should take a moment to thank my momma for not only sharing her recipe with me, but also for teaching me how to cook with my senses and not a recipe ;)  I know this post isn't a sweet treat, but you know me I like to mix it up.  However, tomorrow's post is going right back to the sweets so get ready for something delicious and holiday appropriate!  Yes I know the main holidays are over, but I'm back logged :p  So consider the next few posts like a time machine, "once this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're going to see some serious s%*t!".  If you like Marty McFly, you'll know what I'm talking about ;)  Until next time....

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo

Change Can Be Good

Hello Sweets,

I'm sorry I've been MIA lately, the migraines have been winning the fight over sleep which makes me drained :(  So today's post is just going to be a quick one as I haven't been doing too much lol.  I'm thinking of making oatmeal cookies, so hopefully tomorrow will be the perfect day to make some.  Just like last week, I feel like tomorrow is going to be MY day, lol maybe if I put it out there it will come true ;)

So the other night I went over to my grandparents house to make them dinner, and they decided on chicken....again.  Since that's what we usually have, I felt the need to change it up a little, but how?  Then I remembered a clip I had seen on TV, but instead of chicken they were using pork.  Any good recipe can be changed around to better suit what you have on hand ;)  That is how this recipe was born;

Canuckette's Smothered Chicken

Ingredients

chicken breast

1 can of mushroom Soup

1C frozen peas

1/4C water

Directions:

1)  Preheat oven to 425F.  Place chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish.

2)  Add the soup, diluting just enough to keep chicken moist.

3)  Add the peas on top and mix slightly.  Place in the oven for about 30-45 mins (depending on size), or until the center is not pink.

 

3)  Remove chicken, spoon the mushroom and pea sauce into a separate bowl.  Serve over rice.

 

 

Simple and tasty!  I personally don't care for white rice, but I'll eat it this way lol. 

I know this is a super short post, but I've got some research to do, some kitchen-wise and some not.  I'll do my best to post daily but please bare with me if I don't get them out as often.

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxoxo

A Little Chicken

Hello Sweets,

Well it's official, Canuckette's Creations has booked it's first order!  I would be lying if I said that I wasn't nervous lol, but it's a big step which mean I can only go up :)  For the last 36 hours I have been creating a website (still in progress), and working on a price list so I can price jobs appropriately.  I know this all seems daunting right now, but it once I get this stuff done I'll be sitting pretty ;)

Today I thought I would do a post regarding how I'm seeing myself, like a scared little chicken lol!  I love roasted chicken, and I will be the first to admit that I've bought the pre made kind at the deli counter *slinks away*.  Last week I was craving chicken, a lot, and as I walked by the deli counter I thought to myself "I can do that myself, and better!".  It is more expensive to buy a whole chicken and make it myself compared to the pre made, but you don't know what goes into it (sodium mainly) and you'll never know how to make one on your own.  So I bought a whole chicken, did a little research and
gave it the good ol' college try.  I went into this feeling pretty confident, and kept a positive attitude.  I set out to make a flavorful and moist chicken, something that is harder to achieve than you'd think.  Thankfully I have nothing but positive news to report, and if you follow these simple steps your kitchen will smell just as divine as mine did!

Canuckette's Roasted Chicken

Ingredients

1 whole chicken

carrots, chopped (not pictured)

potatoes, chopped (not pictured)

2tbs butter

garlic

red pepper flakes

chili powder

coriander

rosemary

olive oil

salt

pepper

 

Directions:
1)  Preheat oven to 425F.  Wash chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels both inside and out.

 

2)  Salt and pepper the cavity of the chicken, then truss (tie the legs/wings together) the chicken.  This is to prevent your chicken from drying out, however I did not do this and mine turned out fine :)  Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then rub all over with the butter.

 

3)  Then season the chicken as you would like.  Place the seasoned chicken in a roasting pan and surround with the carrots and potatoes.  I drizzled a very small amount of olive oil onto the veggies but not too much as the chicken fat will do most of the work.

 

4)  Place the chicken in the preheated oven and bake for 60mins.  Check after one hour, if the legs and wings move easily it is complete.  If it's not done check every ten minutes so you don't over cook and dry it out.

 

5)  Remove the chicken from the oven and set on a cutting board (with grooved edges so the juices don't spill), allowing to sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

 

I don't think I'll ever buy a pre made chicken again, this was so moist and juicy and it still was when I had leftovers.  I made my chicken a little spicy because that is my preference, but you can use any spices that you like and make it your own :)  Since I seasoned the chicken so well I didn't need to season the veggies, they absorb the flavors of the chicken and taste AMAZING!

Well this post was a lovely little break for me, I was getting ridiculously stressed about the website and needed a much needed break.  Now that I feel recharged I'm going dive right back into my new little world.  If you're on Facebook feel free to stop by my business page to say hello, follow, or peruse the pictures and maybe even place an order ;)  I also just wanted to take a moment to say a big "THANK YOU" to all of y'all.  Without my faithful readers I don't know if I would have put myself out there, or ever!  Until next time......

Stay sweet,



Jennifer xoxoxo

In Grandma's Kitchen

Hello Sweets,

(This was supposed to be posted Monday evening, but health stopped that, so there will be multiple posts on one day to catch up with what I've done :p )  Did you have a manic Monday?  Mine although not busy felt manic, and I think that was largely because of my wonky sleep schedule.  I didn't sleep on Saturday night and tried very hard to stay awake, to the point that my roommate was worried about me using a stove lol, but then around 2 o'clock I knew I had to have a nap and then I didn't wake up until midnight.  When Nathan heard this that night he thought for sure I would not be getting back to sleep, but thankfully my eyes got tired around 2am and I snoozed off and on until the morning.  I am hoping the tonight my body gets back to normal, or as close as possible because clearly the schedule I am on is not healthy :(

As I told you all a few days ago I am going to be making my wonderful grandparents dinner every few nights, and tonight was the first time!  They choose chicken to be the protein and left the rest up to me, which had me thinking all weekend about what I wanted to create for them.  One of the first ways I learned to cook chicken was with vegetables and mushroom soup in a casserole dish, so that is what I decided to do something simple and delicious (starting to think that is my signature).  I knew what they had in regards to rice and some veggies but I wanted some green veggies in there as well, and on Sunday I picked up a head of fresh broccoli and knew it would make a perfect addition.  So this recipe is one that is very versatile, you can add or change the veggies  and soup, and serve with rice, potatoes, or even a salad.

Canuckette's Tasty Chicken

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts

1 can mushroom soup

garlic powder, to taste

roasted red peppers, to taste

broccoli, handful

red and yellow peppers, handful

2Tbs extra virgin olive oil

2C rice, made as directed (2Tbs butter and pinch of salt)

1/4-1/2C milk

milk not pictured, oops!

Directions:

1)  Preheat oven to 400F.  Season the chicken to your preferences, preheat a skillet with the olive oil in it.  Brown the chicken on each side, do not cook thoroughly, this will make your chicken flavorful and juicy.

 

2)  Line the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish with your veggies (fresh or frozen works), and place the chicken on top.  Mix the milk and mushroom soup in a bowl, and pour over the chicken.

3)  Place in preheated oven, uncovered for about 40 minutes (until the chicken is fully cooked with no pink in the center).  Plate on top of a bed of rice and enjoy!

I am glad to say that the grandparents enjoyed the dinner very much, so much that they both had cleaned plates at the end :)  As a loving granddaughter I'm happy to give something back to them, of course it never feels like enough but a smile goes a long way.

Tomorrows post I'm going to share a recipe of my grandmothers with you, but you'll have to come back to see what this delicious healthy and tasty treat with a twist of my own of course ;)  Later this week I'll make my grandparents dinner again and that will be a dinner post too!  Until next time.....................

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo

A Cure for my Craving

Hello Sweets,

I hope you all are having a wonderful Monday, unfortunately for me the theme for my day is migraine Monday :(.  I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the freezing cold wind, but I'm doing everything I can to help remedy the migraine and I think I'm doing a pretty good job.  I wanted to share with you guys my latest obsession, Cherry Craisins.  They are sooo yummy and good for you too!  I first tried them in a trail mix I bought (I didn't think I would like them), and I'm so glad I did, because you can never have too many healthy snack options right?

Happy girl with a yummy snack

So lately I've been craving chicken, like really really craving chicken lol, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I haven't had it in a while?  So on my way home from my meeting today, I decided to stop in the grocery store and pick up some chicken to cure my cravings.  So then it got me thinking about flavors, how did I want to prep my chicken?  So when I got home I took inventory of my spices.  I knew I definitely wanted to use garlic and red chili flakes but I felt like I needed something more.  Then I opened open the fridge and it was like the kitchen angels started to sing, tandoori sauce was what caught my eye.  I haven't cooked with the tandoori flavor in a very long time, but it smelt too yummy to pass up, thus a new Canuckette recipe was born!

Canuckette's Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients

chicken breast

garlic powder

red chili flakes

tandoori sauce

Directions:

1)  Rub chicken breast with garlic and red pepper flakes, then smoother in tandoori.  Let marinade for a couple of hours in the fridge (overnight if you can).

2)  Preheat oven to broil, fill bottom of the broiling pan with water.  Cook for 13 minutes.

3)  Remove from oven and enjoy!

nice and juicy

This subtle spicy dinner definitely satisfied my chicken craving, and since I am one girl I have some leftovers for tomorrow :)  Is there something you've been craving lately?  Did you satisfy that craving, and with what?

While I was at the grocery store I picked up a couple of other mystery items.  The reason they are mystery items is because I am devising a new yummy recipe for tomorrow.  I want to make something subtly sweet with a hearty fall likeness to it.  But it will remain a secret until tomorrow, which means even more incentive to come back to my little blog :)  (sneaky sneaky)  Until next time.........

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo

Soup's On!!

Hello Sweets,

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.  Mine so far has been fairly low key, which is a good thing, but I may get to see a couple of friends tonight for some post birthday laughs!  I talked with Nathan last night, and we've decided that I am still twenty-eight since we have yet to celebrate my birthday together (every girls dream lol), but I really liked the sound of that because he is the one person I do want to celebrate my birthday with!  Now don't get me wrong, I love all my family and friends, but he has a way about him that can make me forget, even if just for a moment, that I'm constantly in pain.  But enough about me, lets get to the meat of this blog, or in this case the chicken lol!!

I don't know about you guys, but the smell of freshly made soup wafting through the house is absolutely divine.  I don't remember clearly who had made soup from scratch in my house, but smelling the soup I am making right now, is giving me a nostalgic feeling that is reminiscence of my childhood.  Soup is really a great dish to make during the colder months, not just because it warms you up inside or is easy to make, but more importantly it stores and keeps fabulously!  You can literally throw in whatever your heart desires, because after all, it is your soup :)  I feel like soup is the "everything but the kitchen sink" kind of meal, because you can go through your crisper, cupboards, and leftovers to create a one of a kind creation, that is completely reflective of your pallet.  Now I made a dumb move, and instead of boiling down the bones into a broth, I threw them out (smh).  A girlfriend of mine (Heather), her boyfriend just got back from deer hunting, so overnight she had made the broth for her soup (yes I am a little jealous but now I know for next time).  So I just ended up using boxed broth.  I know not a great choice, but I did buy the lower sodium, and used all fresh ingredients for the rest (with the exception of my leftover chicken).  As of right now, it has been simmering for just over 35 minutes, and I have topped up the broth and added the noodles, within 30 minutes it will be all done and ready to eat!  Now lets get to this delicious recipe, so all of your homes can smell as savory as mine ;)

Canuckette's Chicken Soup

Ingredients

1/2 Box Whole wheat rotini noodles (or which ever you prefer)

1Qrt Chicken broth (or make your own)

1-2C Chicken, diced

1Tbs Extra virgin olive oil

3 stocks Celery, diced

3 Carrots, diced

2 potatoes, diced

1/2 Spanish onion, diced

Bay leaves

Garlic

Celery Salt

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Whole Coriander, crushed

Oregano

Directions:

1)  In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil, meanwhile dice all the vegetables.  Place vegetables into pot and stir for 3-5 minutes, or until they start to soften.  Then add the garlic (about 1Tsp), allow to become aromatic (about 30 seconds), before mixing into the vegetables.

Before and After

2)  Dice the chicken, add to the vegetables, and top with the broth.  Add all your spices, I didn't give measurements because I don't use them I use my nose (if I had to guess; 4 bay leaves, 1Tsp garlic (after softening the veggies), 1/2Tsp celery salt, 1/2Tsp sea salt, 1Tsp pepper, 1/2Tsp coriander, and 1/2Tsp oregano).  Let simmer for at least thirty minutes, on low to medium heat.

Before and After simmer

3)  While that is simmering, boil your noodles.  I tend to leave them "al dente", because they will cook a little more on the final simmer.

4)  Add the noodles to the simmered vegetables and broth, at this point you'll be able to see if you need to top up the broth, or if you need to adjust the spices.  Let simmer on low for another fifteen minutes at least.

already looks and smells so good!

5)  Remove from heat, and serve, or divide up among containers to freeze and store.  But most importantly enjoy the fruits of your labor.

one for the fridge and one for the freezer :)

Now I like a heartier soup, so I opted out to adding anymore liquids to mine, but I did try some and it is a very nice, mild chicken noodle soup with plenty of vegetables with each bite!  I don't add a lot of salt because some people like it saltier than others, but you can always add this when you make your own bowl. Every time I make a new recipe I always make mental notes, what could I add more of, what can I include next time that I didn't this time.  And this soup is no different, although I think my next adventure will be trying my hand at the McWhorter stew that Nathan and his grandmother make :) I do after all, love family recipes that get passed down from generation to generation, like my grandmothers banana bread, or my grandfathers baked rice.  Perhaps tomorrow I'll do a biscuit or bread to accompany my soup, I guess you'll just have to come back and see ;)

Do you have a favorite soup you like to make?  Or maybe a favorite that someone in your family makes?  I always love hearing from everyone, with suggestions or even just fun facts.  Until next time..........

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo

A bid farewell to my 28th year!

Hello Sweets!

I am sure everyone is thinking the same thing, that thankfully tomorrow is Friday, although it may be for various reasons, mine is because it's my birthday!!  Sadly that is the extent of my excitement as this whole week has not been good health wise, I'm just really hoping for a somewhat pain-free day tomorrow as these seem to be harder to come by, actually the more I type the shorter I think this post will be :(

My roomie Tereza and I last year celebrating my twenty eighth and looking great lol

I'm not doing anything for my birthday, literally nothing as everyone is busy, so as long as my arms allow it tomorrow I will be making my absolute favorite dessert, CHEESECAKE!!!  I haven't made one in a couple of years now, and normally I would be 100% confident in making it, but this time I am attempting to duplicate the Cheesecake Factory delight :)  I have been obsessed with cheesecake since I was little, my mom used to make an Upside Down Cherry Cheesecake, and that is where my obsession started.  I'm sure it will turn out well, but as this may be my only celebration for my birthday, I am putting a bit of pressure on myself.  Now as I read as I am writing this, it may seem like I am not happy about my birthday, but I am.  I just can't celebrate like a normal person.  The way my health has been getting worse, I find it harder and harder to enjoy the simple things in life that all of us take for granted, like hanging out with friends, going for dinner, or even enjoying a night of music and dancing.  I cannot wait until I have my surgery (less than five months now :D).  Once I have healed I am going to do all the things I was planning to do the summer I was diagnosed; white water rafting, going to an amusement park, and riding the roller coasters, but most importantly, having my nights out with my girlfriends (I miss laughing and dancing with all my fabulous friends).  So my thirtieth birthday will not be sad, I am going to embrace my thirtieth year like nobody's business!!

I have also been checking out some recipes for my leftover chicken that I still have, to use it in a more imaginative way.  Do you recommend any ways you like to use leftovers?  I think I am leaning towards either chicken pot pie, or maybe a yummy soup (clearly I have some direction lol), mainly because it's getting so cold outside, and I like a hot and hearty meal during the fall/winter months.

Well since my arm, neck, and shoulders are screaming in protest at this point (didn't take very long did it), I am going to bid you farewell until tomorrow, when hopefully I will come back and write a super happy birthday post!  Until next time.........


Stay sweet,



Jennifer xoxoxo

Leftovers, but not left out

Hello Sweets!

I hope you all are enjoying the fact that it's the middle of the week.  I am having a very bad health day, but have decided to at least write a small post about the "misfits" of the refrigerator; the leftovers.

I am the kind of person that doesn't like to waste food, and since being taken off of work for health reasons, it is all the more important that I don't waste food. Yesterday being my first day back to Canadia, meant I had a doctors appointment, and that I'd being seeing my grandfather and going to the pharmacy in my local grocery store. When I took my prescriptions in, I was told it would be about forty five minutes (yikes just a bit of a wait lol), and having just gotten multiple shots, there was no way I'd be going home and walking back. I am fortunate enough to be a granddaughter to my loving wonderful grandparents, who would do anything for me and when it comes to my health, they don't skimp even when I say it's okay. Since my grandparents had just gotten back from a cruise, we sat down in the waiting area and chatted about both of our trips. While sitting there, the delicious smell of slow roasted chicken was wafting over our way and making my stomach growl, lol in typical Jennifer fashion I hadn't located my bank card yet, which meant I had not gone grocery shopping. My grandfather saw I was hungry from being at the doctors, and the near hour that had passed, so he asked me if I wanted a chicken (it was also on special that day).  That was an offer my stomach was not going to pass up! Needless to say, being one girl I obviously could not finish the chicken at all lol.

too much chicken for one little girl!

So earlier this afternoon I started thinking to myself; how was I going to eat the rest of the chicken?  As is? Shredded on a sandwich or salad?  I could even make it into a whole new dish :).  I love to have turkey sandwiches during Thanksgiving or Christmas, so I decided I would shred the rest of the chicken and have it on hand to create anything my heart desired with the scraps.

looks like I'll be eating chicken for a while

After breaking the chicken down and disposing of the bones, I had worked up quite the appetite, so I decided to have a simple yet delicious chicken sandwich. All I needed was some bread, whipped dressing, salt, pepper, and some sharp cheese to accompany the already delectable seasoned chicken.

nothing fancy, just simply flavor

Now there are plenty of ways to make chicken salad, but I chose to make more of a traditional sandwich.  Normally, I would add all sorts of different veggies, but since I still haven't made it to the grocery store I settled with what I had on hand. Now not everyone likes a warm or toasted sandwich, but when it comes to left over chicken or turkey, I do! So I start by toasting the bread, not very dark at all, and add a thin layer of whipped dressing.

boring lol

After warming the chicken up, I place a hearty layer of chicken and sprinkle a small amount of salt, and some pepper, then topped with some of the sharp cheddar cheese (maybe 2Tbs).

I'm starting to get hungry

I then place a very, very small amount of whipped dressing on the top slice of bread (just to help hold it in place), then close the sandwich, cut, and enjoy with veggies, chips, or salad.

yum!!

Now you can do this with any type of left over, maybe not a sandwich, but wraps, salads, soups, and so much more. Don't let generic options limit you(although mine sort of is lol), think outside the box and get creative, experiment with your pallet and enjoy what you eat. Try not to waste anything, but don't do the boring, have fun with your food (even if your mom told you not too ;)). I promise to have a longer post tomorrow, until next time........

Stay sweet,


Jennifer xoxoxo

Through the looking glass

Hello sweets!!

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend, I know I sure did :). I want to tell you guys all about it and also a little history on me and my journey called life.

Over a year and a half ago I was diagnosed with a rare brain malformation (I was in utter shock since we were looking at torn shoulder ligaments) called Arnold Chiari malformation type one.  It's not life threatening but it definitely affected my quality of life, to the point were I slowed down my love and passion for food :(. Six months after that I was also diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, and at that point I was taken off of work, and life as I had known it, had ceased to exist.  Being that I'm from Canada, going through the health care system was long and trying, that is until I found a doctor in Toronto who had experience with my malformation! Needless to say, I was on board with meeting him and to explore other options than mere medication treatments :s.  Since my progression was in a "grey" area he wanted me to come back in six months (this was back in April), so I made a follow up for October to return and hopefully get some direction on how to overcome it.

Nathan purposely made this special trip to attend my appointment with me for moral support.  I had been going alone on this journey since the beginning, so it was greatly appreciated.  We decided to go to Toronto on Sunday afternoon to stay overnight in a hotel, since my appointment was in the morning.  Adding to the evening, was a nice dinner to take both my mind and nerves off the impending appointment.

Being silly on the drive into Toronto

Once we arrived in Toronto we checked into the hotel and decided we need food, stat!  Nathan, being from Texas and all, LOVES his steak, and since he had never been to The Keg, I insisted we dine there :)  We went to the Keg Mansion in downtown Toronto, and I'm glad we did because it had a very romantic ambiance, which is just what we wanted <3   

 Vino for me and a beer for my love

We both had a delicious meal.  I had the prime rib, and he had the rib eye, and since we were both starving, lol, of course I forgot to take a picture before they were half demolished.  To end our lovely night of delicious food and wonderful company, we shared a piece of cheesecake (I think Nathan spoiled my cheesecake pallet after taking me to The Cheesecake Factory *drool*), and a Baileys coffee, yum!

The romantic lighting made the sweets sinful delights

After an evening spent with Nathan, doing nothing but enjoying each other's company, my appointment time crept up quickly.  We trekked our way down to Toronto Western University hospital this morning after a wonderful breakfast in bed.  The closer we got, the worse my nerves were.  Once inside the consultation room, I was on the brink of tears.  The one trying thing about this whole process, was having doctors look at me like I was either crazy, or lying, so part of me was expecting the same.  Thankfully, since my symptoms had progressed more, and had further impeded my quality of life, Dr.Gentili gave the green light for surgery.  Needless to say, I cried happy tears while walking back to the car.  It's crazy to think that in just six short months, I'll be on the road to recovery!!

With happy news in tow, we headed to the airport to depart for my surrogate home of Texas :)

Sadly this is 75% mine lol

After a very quick run through customs, security, and a quick stop a TGI Fridays to pick up our sky luncheon, we were off flying high over Toronto, headed to Dallas Fort Worth airport.

See ya soon Canada!

We thought the novelty of having our lunch date in the sky was fun :)  It was that, or we wait five more hours until the next flight (not going to happen!).

Ginger ale w/ chicken fingers, french fries, and BBQ sauce

Before long we were cruising at an altitude of about 30,000 feet, soaring through the clouds.  Dating a pilot (in a pilot family), definitely has its advantages, and the views never get old.  We were even on the American Airlines "Dream liner 737" with a fancy blue interior :)

Best view in the world(space might top it, but until I've seen it...)

Both tired, but happy about good news

Before we knew it we had landed in Texas, and were back to familiar faces, furry that is!!  Nothing is better than coming home to puppy kisses after a busy weekend :)  Which also means that baking blogs are back, I always spoil Nathan and his family, so check back for some new and yummy recipes!

Meet Bear!! (or Berries to us!)

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo