Cheesy Bake Shells and Broccoli Recipe

I got this great recipe from a friend of mine, who got it from her mother, who got it from a book or magazine called Real Simple October 2008. Whew!

Anyways, I wanted to post it and share it with all of you. It turned out so yummy! and of course I omitted the Nutmeg, I couldn't find mine! and I changed it up a bit but it was so good!

Serves 4

3/4 pound medium pasta shells (about 5 cups) I used 3 cups
1 tablespoon butter I used margarine
2 cups whole milk I used 2%
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups coarsely graded Cheddar or Gruyere (8 oz) I used Mexican Blend, shredded
1/8 teaspoon ground Nutmeg I didn't add this
Kosher salt and black pepper I used my table salt and pepper
1 16 oz bag frozen broccoli, thawed I used fresh broccoli that I cooked for 2 minutes

Heat broiler. Cook pasta according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 4-5 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and stir until melted. Stir in the nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Add the pasta and broccoli and toss to combine. Transfer to a broiler proof 8-inch square or another 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Broil until golden, 3-4 minutes.

Totally yummy and not too fattening and you get a serving of vegetables!

Marvel Comics T

Had to write about this awesome T! I went shopping at Target this morning, my favorite store, and well I had to get some new shirts, and I am a T-shirt/tank top type of gal....so I was looking thru all their shirts and found this one!

Marvel Comics!

On clearance!

So, the regular price was 12.99 and I got it for just over 3 bucks!

Stuff like this makes my entire day.....since I am not fond of shopping, much less for myself. I won't have to buy anything for myself until Christmas!

I know...it doesn't take much to make me happy!

Quick Update on Blake and Marshall

I mentioned in my last post I would find out how much the little dudes weigh now, since they have been home but only a short time...

Blake is now 6 lbs 2 oz and his birth weight was 5 lbs 2 oz, so he has gained a pound! :)

Marshall Jr. is now 4 lbs 10 oz and his birth weight was 3 lbs 12 oz, so he has almost gained a pound! :)

They sleep 2-3 hours at a time and then eat, get a diaper change and maybe stay awake for a little while checkin' out the house and their new surroundings...everyone is doing well!

Welcome 2 babies to the Denninger Home!

I am happy to post that Lisa's babies are now home! I have been the AUNTI to twins for 3 weeks already!!! :) :) :)

Blake came home after almost 2 weeks in the NICU and he is doing great!

After 3 weeks in the hospital for baby Marshall, he finally came home yesterday and joined the entire family! I am so happy for my sister and her family.

I am not obligated to post pics of them just yet on here, but I am sure most of you have already seen pics thru e-mail. I just had to welcome them into the family on here like I have done for all the other babies born since I have started my blog.

I will talk with my sister soon and find out how much they each weigh now, since they were so tiny when they were born.

I am so happy for them and I am happy my prayers (and all of yours) for healthy babies came true. The miracle of prayer....(doing the happy dance)....

WildWood Hike Aug. 27th

Poison Oak

Serena and her bottle of water

Mariposa...butterfly...

Brandon and his water

We counted 16 lizards the first time we hiked and the second time was only 8.

Kylie and Serena

Mel, Ponch, Serena and Brandon

Brandon checking out the water down below

Mel, Kylie, Brandon and Serena

This is a cool cactus-type succulent plant that grows in Wildwood

Lovely waterfall.

Memo Update

Well, I type this with a heavy heart. We lost Serena's fish, Memo, yesterday. Originally, I was going to replace the fish without her knowing. Daddy and I had discussed it and that is the way we wanted to handle it, she is only 4, and well we thought having her see Memo dead would be too much for her.

She found him before I could "replace" him. So, we went to the pet store and got a new fish, which she name Pikachu, after the Pokemon she likes. When I called the pet store, they told me to bring the fish and water separately, they wanted to test the water and the receipt. So, I did all that and they never did test the water....and I paid 3.73 more for the new fish...

We come home and Daddy had added some water and we put Pikachu in the water. He was swimming around and looked happy.

We get up this morning and Serena turns on the light and Pikachu is no where to be found....until I looked and looked and finally found him DEAD stuck in the plant. Poor fish but more importantly poor Serena! She was devastated, her baby fish was dead. The lady at the pet store told us he was a baby, only like 3 months old.....

Now, let me back up 2 nights ago....Brandon came out here and took the top off the tank, threw it on the floor, stuck his hands in the water and took out the filter and flung it on the couch and then proceeded to play in the water, thinking he was so cool. All this happened in a matter of minutes. As soon as I heard the top hit the floor I was just imagining what he was doing and I finished up what I was doing and rushed out to the living room. Memo was still in the tank, he didn't get a hold of him, but we think putting the filter back in with out washing it out could be the problem. Or the fact that Daddy had cleaned the table the fish tank sits on with that oily orange stuff earlier that day and Brandon had touched that before the water in the tank....that would have killed Memo for sure.

We will replace this fish, too. But we will wait until Daddy gets back from both trips, clean out the tank and make the people at the pet store test the water!

Random Pics

Just some recent pics of the kids I thought I would post on here. Serena got a movie, Barbie and The Magic of Pegasus, The First Barbie Movie with 3-D.....well when we first got this movie a while ago, of course we let her have one set of the glasses and she ruined them. Well, the other day I found 2 more pairs of the glasses and let her watch the movie in 3-D! Brandon wouldn't keep them on long enough to watch much less for me to take a picture....so there you have it!