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Love Ya Lots,

PAW

Dinner: Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

Hi GFWs,

I have been searching all over the internet for a good chicken spaghetti recipe. I couldn't find one. So I had to ask my mother-in-law and my aunt for her recipe since I am trying to learn how to cook different things that my husband likes before he comes home from his deployment. I saw that their recipes were very similar, but decided to make it like his mom because again I'm just practicing for when he comes home. Of course, I substituted a couple of things but hey he will get over it. lol
Here are the ingredients I used:

• 1 10 3/4 oz. can of Cream of Mushroom
• 1 10 3/4 oz. can of Cream of Chicken
• 1 10 oz. can of Rotel Mild Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilli
• 1 8 oz. can of Del Monte Whole Kernal Corn
• 1 8 oz. can of Del Monte Sweet Peas
• 1 12 oz package of Skinner's Regular Spaghetti Noodles
• 2 packages of boneless breast tenderloins (doesn't matter what brand)
• 1 small package of Velveeta Cheese (original)
• Others: salt, pepper, creole seasoning (original)

Let's get started preparing... 

If necessary thaw out your chicken!

Prepare the Creamy Mixture: In a large bowl add cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, corn, sweet peas, rotel, cheese, and a layer of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning (original). Once all are added mix them together. (If you don't have creole seasoning you can just add salt/pepper)

Prepare the chicken: Once the chicken is thawed, washed, and clean begin to fill a pot about half way or 3/4 the way with cold water and place chicken in the pot. Set on the stove on high (medium/high) and cook for 20 minutes or once all chicken as floated to the top. While it was boiling I added a couple of dashed of salt/pepper (Just Because). Once done drain it and run cold water over the chicken. 

Prepare the noodles: If you have a non-stick pot like I have then spray a little PAM at the bottom and along the sides and add water. Let the water come to a "bubbling" boil before adding noodles. Check the back of the package to see how long to allow your noodles to cook. I cooked mine for 11 minutes. Make sure you monitor your noodles to make sure they are not over cooking and/or sticking to the pot.

While the noodles are cooking peel your chicken into bite size pieces and make sure you toss out the gummy icky parts. I added a little salt on my chicken after I peeled it, but its not necessary. By now the noodles should be done so drain them and then preheat your oven at 350 degrees.

Let's get started layering. *Layering is optional, you can just mix it all together then place it into the pan* I forgot to spray my pan with PAM (so make sure you do that)

Layer 1: Creamy Mixture

Layer 2: Chicken

Layer 3: Slices of Cheese

Layer 4: Noodles

Repeat

Once to the top at add cheese. I added both the slices from the chunk of Velveeta and half the bag of shredded Velveeta cheese. 

Place in the stove for 30 minutes on 350 degrees. Stir. Let cool.
Enjoy!!! 
Creamy Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti.

Optional:

-If you are a fan of bell pepper and onion you can add that in with the chicken while it is cooking instead of salt/pepper.

-You don't have to add corn/sweet peas

By the way I am nowhere near a chef. I'm just a beginner. Thanks for viewing.

Before it's cooked

get the 8 oz cans of corn and sweet peas not those in the photo

Creamy Mixture

Creamy Mixture w/ cheese added

Layering

More Layering

Top Layer

Finished! Delicious... ENJOY!!!

Coping with Deployment #2

Hi ladies,

Since we are getting closer and closer to my husband return home I decided to do another coping with deployment update.

Since the last Coping with Deployment, I have started school and it is going very well. School really does keep me busy. I only have a few more classes until I earn my degree. I am so excited that I am one step closer to being able to work and do something that I love and not having to settled for something that I am not happy with. Throughout this deployment I have not watched the news or even read a newspaper. I never watched the news or read the newspaper even before I became an Army Wife so it wasn't hard to get accustomed to it. The only time I watched the news is when there is a storm heading this way and the only time I read the newspaper is to glance at the classified ad section to see what local jobs are hiring. If none of the job interest me I simple toss the paper in the trash. The last thing that has been occupying my time is my friends; one friend in particular. She has a 8 month of baby girl that I love so very much "my God-Daughter". She keeps me entertained whenever I go over to visit them which is almost nearly everyday.

As for my husband and I, we talk every single day no matter what. My husband walks in snow, rain, or weather is tired just to come and talk to me to make sure I am okay. Normally, he will call me twice a day when he isn't that tired, but if he is he calls once. I truly hope I don't get him in trouble, but even when there is a blackout he contacts me. He isn't able to call, but he will shoot me a quick message just to let me know that he is fine and the internet is down because of a blackout. He doesn't tell me why there is a blackout until the blackout is over due to the respect of the lost soldiers family. I truly appreciate my babe for taking the time out for me it is truly helping me get through this deployment a lot easier. Thanks babe! The higher up and deployment oldies (brain fart) recommend that the soldiers don't call there family members everyday, but as for my husband he is like forget ya'll I'm going to talk to my wife no matter what. LOL. He really did say that.

Early on during the deployment after he got settled in, he started to hear tons of stories from other soldiers that had been over there for a while. The stories of "Your Wife Will Cheat" "She is Cheating On You" or "She is not Going to be Faithful".  Yes, those type of stories. So he started to think negative thoughts. He started to question me everyday and wanted to check around the house. Yep it got that crazy for what seem like forever. I had to constantly tell him that nothing is going on over and over again until he finally got it through his head. After that guess what ladies you will go through that phase. Once he is acting normal and happy you will begin to think something and start asking him questions. It didn't take me that long to get over it. It was only 2 or 3 times that it happen to me, but the point is I still did it. Not only did it happen to us but it happen to a couple of my friends. They told me their experiences and I just said hmm this must be a phase that they go through once they get over there.

Well ladies that is all for this coping with deployment update. I hope you enjoyed. If you haven't read the first one then go check it out. Also I have a video of this on my YouTube channel.

I have joined Google+ . Look me up (Nitra SoExclusive) and follow me or add me in a circle.

Thanks for reading. Love You Lots, PAW

BCT: What to expect? [GIRLFRIEND EDITION]

Hi ladies,

I thought that it was time for me to start talking to my military girlfriends. Of course, I know that some fiancees and wives are going through this too, but since I was a girlfriend during this time I thought I would dedicate this towards them.

Throughout basic training pictures will be posted of your soldier while he/she is doing different training task on Facebook. Also there is a page dedicated towards answering all type of questions, comments, and concerns that you may have at the time of family day or graduation.

My solider graduated from Fort Jackson, SC so this is where my focus will be on.

Whoever the soldier puts on his contact sheet will receive all the information about where everything will be located and directions to get there.

Family Day:

• Be Early! (1 or 2 hours) 
• Limited Parking
• If inside/soldiers will be waiting outside
• Soldiers not allowed to leave off post
• Activities: bowling, food court, museum, movies, barracks, or just driving around
• Soldiers have a curfew 

Graduation Day:

• Be Early!!! (1 or 1.5 hrs.)
• Parking Limited
• Seating Limited
• The Graduation not long at all
• Once over Free to leave
• Soldiers can't drive 
• Don't cuddle up with soldier
• Hands Free at all times

If its raining the ceremonies will be held inside. 

For more on this please visit my YouTube channel youtube.com/nitrasoexclusive 

Dessert: Banana Pudding Recipe

Hi Ladies,
Today was my very first time making banana pudding. I got a sweet tooth and decided to go and buy the ingredients to make banana pudding.
While making it I ate half of the cookies. Shame on me. lol
1 (5 ounce) Vanilla Pudding Mix (Jell-O)
1 (8 ounce) Cream Cheese (I used Philadelphia)
1 can of sweeten condense milk (I used Eagle Brand)
3 cups of regular milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) Cool Whip
4 Bananas or however many you like
1 Box of Nilla Wafers (Don't eat half the box like I did..lol)

Place the room temperature cream cheese into a bowl and mix until creamy, then add the condense milk, mix those together. Now add the vanilla pudding (mix), then slowly pour in the 3 cups of cold milk, then add the teaspoon of vanilla extract. Finally, fluff in half of the thing of cool whip. Once everything is mixed together well prepare your bowl. A lot of recipes require you to use a 9 x 13 bowl to place in your ingredients. Place however you like in layers. I placed the cookies, bananas, and poured a bit of the mix over it and repeated that step. After that I added the remaining cool whip and decorated it with crumbled Nilla wafers on the top.

Let it chill in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours or if your like me and made this at 11 at night then leave it in until the next day.

I personally think that it doesn't need the cream cheese because I taste it. I don't want to taste it. But hey I'm a very picky eater and I can't cook. So hey...lol

Hope you enjoy!

By the way I am not a chef. I am just a beginner. Thanks for viewing.

xoxo, Nitra (PAW)