0 Crock Pot Thursday: Cream Cheese Chicken

I love cream cheese. LOVE it. I try not to eat too much of it though, mostly because society says I have to wear pants, and if I ate as much cream cheese as I want to, I wouldn't have any pants that fit. I am telling you this because when I saw that last week's Crock Pot Thursday recipe was Cream Cheese Chicken from Food.com, I knew I would like it. This recipe could have just been chicken covered in cream cheese, and I would have been licking the bowl. It was rich and delicious, as I knew it would be, and even my cream cheese hating brother-in-law liked this one. 

• 
  Cream Cheese ChickenINGREDIENTS3 lbs chicken pieces
• 1 (2/3 ounce) package Italian salad dressing mix
• 4 tablespoons melted butter ( divided)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
  DIRECTIONS
  1. Place chicken pieces in crock pot and sprinkle Italian seasoning over chicken. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
  2. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
  3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a sauce pan and saute onion and garlic. Add cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Stir until smooth.
  4. Add this mixture to crock pot and cook on low for an additional hour.
     
FEEDBACK

Sarah

This was so good! I love a good and easy crock and this totally makes the cut! I did make one change and that was instead of adding an Italian seasoning packet and 2 tbsp melted butter, I just added 3 tbsp of Italian salad dressing. I would do this next time too... It was great! Our family served with mashed potatoes and we all (even my 2 year old) thought it was great. I should also mention that my husband HATES cream cheese and normally I would substitute for sour cream but I decided to stick with the heart of the recipe and he didn't even notice! (Note: Sarah cooked it for 4 hours on low for the first step and another hour after adding the final ingredients.)

Me

I made a modification that I would recommend to those of you who are out of the house all day. I put everything in the slow cooker (except the cream cheese) and cooked it on low for six hours. The cream cheese was added immediately before serving. If you are familiar with Crock Pot Thursday, you know that any steps that dirty another dish annoy me, and on this particular day, I wasn't home to add the extra step an hour before serving. It turned out great, and I think sauteing the garlic and onion is a totally unnecessary step if it's cooking for six hours. A handy alternative for someone who truly needs to set it and forget it. We served it with rice one night and mashed potatoes the next, and my husband preferred the rice while I liked the mashed potatoes. The kids didn't like the looks of it, and since I didn't want to share, I didn't force them to eat it. If they would have tried it, they would have liked it. Suckers.

Kim

This recipe is most definitely not fancy, but it is GOOD. The creamy gravy is so perfect with mashed potatoes. I didn't change anything, except that I cut up the chicken about half way through to help soak up some flavor (and I forgot to add the Italian seasoning until way late, but it still turned out great). My family loved it. The only downside I can think of is that... while simple... it's a two-step recipe, so not as friendly for those that like the ease of slow cooking while at work.

0 9 Of My All-Time Favorite Books

 The above was written for Ketchup with Us, a link up from Michele at Old Dog, New Tits and Mel at According to Mags. This week's topic, in 57 words or less: Books.

I love to read. I love getting suggestions on what to read. I love carving out a little time to read. Every summer, I imagine a beach bag full of books and snacks, and myself on a blanket engrossed in a story. Every summer, I have a beach bag full of snacks and books, but I don't get to read because I have to make sure my kids don't drown when they try to swim to Long Island from the Connecticut shoreline. Because, despite what they truly believe, they cannot swim. Not in a pool, and definitely not in the ocean.

I also like to give people suggestions on what to read, but it hurts my feelings when those suggestions are disregarded. So if you choose not to read any of my suggestions, don't tell me. If you do read any of these, I would love to hear how you like them. Even if you don't like them.

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
I had no idea that building a cathedral in 12th century England would entail so much raping and pillaging. This is an amazing novel that spans 50 years and is full of heartbreak and triumph, and I would never have read if it wasn't recommended by a friend. I am doing you that same favor right now. The sequel is called World Without End.

Bossypants by Tina Fey
In the category of smart, funny women, Tina Fey is queen. I adore her wit and self-deprication, and loved hearing the story of her journey to Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock. I have read this book twice and just last week listened to the audio version.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
This dystopian novel is the debut for Veronica Roth, and had rightly been compared to The Hunger Games. The main character is a teen girl who chooses to leave her family and join one the other five factions in which this futuristic society is divided. It is the first book in a trilogy, and it's an easy and engaging story.

While I'm thinking of The Hunger Games, it isn't on this list because I assume everyone has already read it. See also: Harry Potter and anything by Jodi Picoult.

Gone Girl: A Novel by Gillian Flynn
I could not get over how much the characters in this book pissed me off, and I mean that in the very best way. Gillian Flynn crafted a couple so real yet so unbelievable, the reader can't help but be emotionally invested in their story.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
I love Mindy Kaling, and I love a good underdog story. The way she talks about her childhood made me laugh multiple times, and her unapologetic love for all things girly was very refreshing. Her uncoolness is the coolest thing about her.

The Passage: A Novel by Justin Cronin
An epic trilogy, this post-apocalyptic story has the United States almost annihilated by a vampire-like virus that stems from a military project gone wrong. It was rumored to by written by Stephen King under a pseudonym  but that was put to rest after some fact-checking. It does feel like a King novel, and that is a compliment. This story also has a young girl as the heroine, but also has tons of bad guys.

Under the Dome: A Novel by Stephen King
Speaking of Stephen King, this book is set to become a television show. It is fantasy, with a small town being encapsulated by a mysterious transparent dome, but the characters are very real. The story lines are rich, and the way the locals movers and shakers use the dome entrapment to their advantage is small town politics at it's best. Or worst.

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells
A story that jumps from the 1930s to present day, it follows four women, who grew up together in a small southern town, through their journey of raising children of their own and managing these adult relationships. The way the different personalities come together to create an unbreakable bond of friendship and family will stay with the reader long after the story ends.

I Just Want to Pee Alone by Some Kick Ass Bloggers
Here's another book I've read more than once. In the same way I love a book full of dynamic characters, I love a collection of essays that has more than one voice. I can hear my coauthors reading their stories, and as a reader I appreciate different voices taking on one theme. Also, as I've mentioned more than once, I love funny women, and this book has 37 of them.

What are you reading? What is your favorite book? Hit me up on Goodreads if you want to see more of my book reviews!

0 Feeling Judged As A Mom

The weather is getting warmer, and the clothing is getting scarce. When the weather reaches 70 degrees, my kids shed their cotton exterior like it's their moulting season. They ditch the shoes, they unravel the garden hose, and they begin making the signature dish of summer. Mud soup. Water and dirt are lovingly mixed in a yellow plastic bowl, with sticks and leaves added only after the consistency is just so.

I love this time of year, but it also makes me apprehensive. Is this the year? Has the time come for me to tell my daughter that she's finally too old to run around with her shirt off like the boys do?

I don't want to have that conversation. She's turning four, and is still a little girl. From waist to shoulders she looks just like the boys do, and if it's fine for them to be shirtless, it should be fine for her, too. But what will other people say? I like to believe I don't care what other people think about my parenting choices, but when it comes down to it, that simply isn't true. 

I do care. I want people to look at my children and my choices and approve. I want my parenting style to be validated, so I seek out friendships with women who support me and support my lifestyle. Because when it comes down to it, while I will make concessions to accommodate the comfort and sensibilities if we have house guests, or we are house guests, I cannot and will not raise my children in a way that isn't right for our family, just because someone else thinks that that I should. 

If this means a friend, family member, or neighbor thinks it's wrong for my four-year-old daughter to play in the front yard with her shirt off, or to not wear a coat at the park; or for my son to swim in some puddles back when he was two, or still take his favorite stuffed owl to the store when he's six, then that's on them. Families can be different and still be okay, and I have enough people surrounding me who make me feel supported. Accepted.

My friends and I are pretty much the opposite of the group of women in Lifetime's newest show, Pretty Wicked Moms. The title is perfect for this group of women, and after watching one episode, I wanted to get together with my normal friends and watch the next episode. Check it out.

Tune in to watch parenting like you've never seen before with the first episode of Pretty Wicked Moms on Tuesday, June 4 at 10:00 pm ET/PT on Lifetime. 

These women are grown-up mean girls with kids, money, and a "Bless your heart!" at the ready. This show pairs well with a generous glass of wine, and is best enjoyed with a sense of humor. 

When have you felt judged as a mom? How do you handle it? Tell me in the comments!

FTC DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT Funny is Family aims to provide unbiased editorials. However, I wish to disclose that from time to time I may receive free products or other compensation from companies for blogger reviews.