Swiss Chicken Recipe. Easy and delicious recipe (thanks to my friends, Ryan and Regan Haggerty who showed it to me years ago in Regan and my Ft. Worth apartment):

Ingredients:

4-8 pieces of boneless, skinless chicken (the official recipe calls for 8, but you can adjust it depending on how many you're serving)

1 can cream of chicken soup

4-8 slices of swiss cheese

1/3 c. water

1-2 c. Italian bread crumbs (again, you can adjust that depending on the number of chicken breasts used)

1/2 c. butter 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Layer chicken, soup, and water.

3. Place one piece of swiss cheese over each chicken breast and cover evenly with bread crumbs.

4. Slice butter into pads and place over bread crumbs. 

5. Cook for 45 minutes or until chicken juice runs clear. 

I usually serve this with egg noodles because Nate prefers noodles to rice, but you could use either one! 

Happy MLK weekend... Enjoy.

Control Freak...

Last week I had the joy of visiting my cousin, Cimbrey, in New Orleans on a work trip. We had a great time going to the French Quarter, visiting her favorite chocolate shop, laughing and catching up on life. There's something special about family and the way they just "get" you. Cimbrey and her husband, Mark, have been married for almost eight years and are in the process of adopting a child from Ethiopia. We talked a lot about our background and families, beginning a marriage and life together, and how we wanted to raise our children one day.

Something Cimbrey said that really struck me as profound is, "When we're trying to control things, it's really an issue with us and God because it means we don't trust God to handle them." You see, as much as I don't like to admit it, I'm a control-freak... I like to be in a routine, scheduled, and on the ball. Don't get me wrong, most of the time this isn't a conscious effort, it's just how I've learned to do life. Regardless, when I take inventory of my actions and how often I say and do things in an effort to control situations, I become aware of how often I take things out of God's hands and into my own. The ridiculousness and truth of that makes me thankful for friends and family that provide wisdom and insight to both challenge and encourage me. Cimbrey's advice reminds me of Proverbs 19:21, "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that will prevail." Thanks cuz for sharing your wisdom as a woman who has walked the road several years ahead of me!

Creating Meaningful Memories with My Time

As I said in my last post, something I really want to do better in 2011 is experiment with creative and intentional ways to spend my time. I've been convicted recently about how much time I waste in front of the TV, computer, and all my other electronic devices (I know that's ironic that I'm saying that as I'm sitting on a computer typing this). Hopefully more will follow, but here's my first few ideas of this endeavor:

Creative Idea #1 - Game night

I know having game night is nothing ground-breaking or original, but I forget how much fun it is to plan opportunities to play games. This week, Nate and I played a game of Scrabble Monday night, played Boxers or Briefs for Chelsea's birthday Tuesday night, and last night we went over to the Porter's house for a "spades" night, complete with popcorn and delicious cider! It was great to be able to chat over a fun and mildly competitive game. Whether or not it's valid, after playing on someones team in a game, you feel like you've bonded with them. 

Creative Idea #2 - Building a Fire 

There's something so comforting about a fire. It makes you want to curl up and read a good book or drink a cup of good tea or cider. Living in Texas, there's not too many days when it's cold enough to build one, but today is definitely one of those days. 

What are some of your favorite creative hobbies or ways to spend your time?

Happy New Year!

Since I'm missing out on Canton with my friends because a stomach bug creeped over me last night, I might as well play on our new computer and post on the blog! I'm so excited for 2011. At dinner the other night Nate and I were talking about what an eventful year we've had: we got engaged, planned a wedding and were married, moved into a house (and several smaller moves in between), started hunting for a new church, and celebrated Nate's 30th birthday. These memories will forever be etched in our hearts and minds, and these sharing all of this with friends and family is what made 2010 such a special year for the Kotschi's!

As exciting as this past year has been, we are excited to welcome 2011! The first four months of marriage for us have been jam-packed and we're so looking forward to spending this year continuing to learn how to do marriage and enjoy the simple joys of spending time with friends and family. Nate's not big on "New Year's Resolutions", but here are my few:

1. Nate and I find a new church home and community.
2. Continue to learn about how to be a good wife and love Nate well; to pray for him instead of nagging him; and to learn to be wise with how we handle conflict.
3. Spend more time doing creative things (walking, crafting, cooking, etc.) and less time in front of the TV.

Thank God for a new year with fresh beginnings and a time and season of hope and joy! Happy 2011 everyone!

Holiday Limbo Week

I was at work today looking at our "Holiday" card we sent out and started thinking about Christmas and New Years. This week, post-Christmas and pre-New Years reminds me of a holiday limbo: everyone goes back to work and gets in the swing of things, but only for a few days before the New Years holiday; Christmas music is still being played on the radio (and I know we're still listening to it); shopping malls and stores are still every bit as crowded with shoppers; then there's the issue of Christmas lights and decorations... some people leave them up and some go ahead and take them down.

Even with all that being said, I really enjoy this week. For me work is really slow, and I usually only work one or two days, which means I have lots of free time on my hands. Not only that but I also think this week is an exciting time to reflect on the current year and look forward to what the year to come holds. Being the "Type A" personality that I am, this week is a great time for me to check things off of my "To-Do" list so I can start a new list in 2011! This year that includes cleaning out a closet or two, returning things that have been sitting in the back of my car, taking down Christmas decorations (only because if I didn't now they would be up until July), hopefully finishing our wedding thank you notes, and a few other random things.

I'm sure another post will follow shortly with thoughts from 2010 and resolutions for 2011! Happy Holiday Limbo week!

Christmas with the Kotschi's

This year might be my favorite Christmas yet. I feel like Nate and I have been celebrating for the last three weeks. Last week we took  my sister, April, to the Gaylord Texan to see "ICE". If you haven't ever been, we highly recommend it... two million pounds of ice with a Charlie Brown theme... it was awesome!

  

 

One of my favorite things about "ICE" was the life-size nativity they had at the end. They played the Christmas story on audio and ended the showcase with a spotlight on baby Jesus. It was amazing that they shared the true meaning of Christmas and used that venue as a ministry opportunity! 

My brother, Wade, also came into town and the next night April made the four of us a wonderful Christmas dinner and afterwards we exchanged Christmas gifts! Over the weekend, I went to Houston to have another little family Christmas with my parents, and last night Nate's parents came over to see our Christmas decorations and we got to have dinner and hang out with them. I love celebrating Christmas all through December. It reminds me that the most important part of the holiday is sharing it with friends and family!

MERRY (ALMOST) CHRISTMAS!!

Goodbye to the Liggitts

I know that Brittany and William aren't moving tomorrow, but Friday was their going away party and I wanted to take this chance to honor their friendship. William and Brittany Liggitt have been some of my best friends for the last seven years. Brittany was my big sis in Chi O, roommate for a year at Baylor, private school work lunch buddies, and for the last three years, we have lived within 15 minutes of each other. Brittany and William are the kind of people that everyone regards as best friends. They are loyal, godly, kind, compassionate, and fun friends. Whether it's hanging out chatting, eating Mexican food, or playing games, they're always a joy to be around. I know so many other friends have been blessed by them individually and as a couple, and I'm so thankful to have had them in Dallas for the last three years!

Because I know Brittany and William and I know their heart to serve the Lord, there's no doubt in my mind that this is God's will for them, and He has some amazing plans for them in North Carolina! As sad as it is to see them go, I'm so excited for their opportunity to try something new.

Brittany and William, thank you for blessing Nate and I and being such faithful friends! We're thinking about you guys and praying for you during this move... we can't wait to come see you in North Carolina!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

I really do believe Christmas is the best time of the year. I love everything about this season... christmas songs being played everywhere, festive decorations, looking at Christmas lights, drinking hot chocolate, holiday cookies and treats, secret santa and white elephant gift exchanges, all the fun parties and Christmas activities, and being with family and friends. This is also the time of the year when I feel so lucky to work at a school. Kids have such tangible excitement and energy, and there's so many Christmas concerts, plays, and parties to celebrate with them. The beautiful tree, poinsettas, and homeade ornaments around the school are almost enough in themselves to make me want to come to the office every day.

Last night, while Nate was on the roof working hard to put up our Christmas lights and I was inside listening to Christmas music and setting up our nativity, I realized how much we have to give and share with those around us. Not simply gifts and time, we have joy and hope that doesn't end when the tree comes down. The gifts that we give to those we love are uncomparable to the gift God gave us when He sent His son to the earth. As corny as it seems, I would be remiss if I didn't say it... "He's the reason for the season."

Happy Holidays everyone!  

What a Fun Time of Year!

JAMAICAN-ME-CRAZY


Last week at this time I was on a plane heading back from a recruiting trip in Jamaica. I thought I would recap the highlights of my trip:


1. High tea at the British influenced hotel, Terra Nova, in Kingston.
2. Two successful fairs and interviews in Kingston and Montego Bay.
3. Speaking about Hockaday and all-girls education on Jamaican radio and TV.
4. Getting up at 5:00 a.m. or before three times within a week!
5. A very successful girls' boarding school reception with Dana Hall and Buffalo Seminary (we literally ran out of food and information - which is a nice problem to have).
6. Getting a little laying out/ beach time at a fabulous resort.
7. Having a crab the size of my face creep into the resort room!


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!


A day after returning to Dallas, Nate and I drove to Houston for a McCombs' family Thanksgiving with my mom's whole side of the family. Aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins came to our house to play games, eat, and watch football (Gig' Em Ags)! My mom is great about always taking a moment during the day to stop and aknowledge what we're thankful for. This year, we have so much to praise the Lord for... a new marriage, a great place to live, healthy family, wonderful friends, and jobs! We also took time to talk about the trials and hardships that God has used to mold and shape us and how we are thankful for those. That was such a special time of hearing about God's faithfulness and gaining encouragement from family who has walked our road before us.


"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." - James 1:2-3


 We stayed in Houston through Sunday and hung out with my family. I love getting time to just lay around in our pj's and watch TV, play games, and chat. Wade and Lindsay took us out to their favorite places in the Heights area on Saturday night and we had a blast hanging out with them! I always love getting to spend time with my mom and dad and can't wait for April to come visit us in a few weeks!

Edgar the Turkey

Tonight is the annual "Morgiving" to celebrate Morgan's birthday. It's going to be at our house, so naturally we decided to cook the turkey (didn't cross our minds when we volunteered that neither Nate nor I knew the first thing about buying, dressing, and cooking a turkey). Last night we went to get a turkey (again, never been turkey shopping before), and we bought what we thought was a fresh, non-frozen turkey. Lo and behold, when we got home and started taking out the giblets and neck (thank goodness there is directions on the packaging) we realized it was frozen in the middle! PANIC... well, not really... at that point Nate started flapping Edgar's wings and moving his legs like he was alive. After working last night and this morning to defrost him, I went home during lunch to find Edgar completely de-thawed and ready to be dressed! My turkey recipe is the culmination of my mom and all of the women in my office. I will say, phase one (Edgar being prepped and dressed) is complete and he even looks like a real turkey. Now, Nate is at home putting Edgar in the oven to cook, and hopefully phase two will be ready in time for our company tonight. The final verdict on Edgar will come later, after his date with destiny ...

I Am My Mother's Daughter

My mom is one of my best friends and we are similar in so many ways. We think alike, talk alike, and get excited about the same things. I've also recently realized that not only did I inherit some of mom's personality traits but I also inherited one of her passions - hospitality. Growing up, our home was always filled with people. My mom and dad's dream when they built our house was for our home to be a place of peace where people could relax and feel at home. Mom modeled to me someone who loved and was gifted at hostessing. Not because the house was meticulously clean or because the food, decorations, and details were all perfect selections from "Martha Stewart Living" (not that mom didn't decorate beautifully and have wonderful food). She was a great hostess because her motto, which was taught to her by her mother, my Honey, was - "there's always room for more beans in the pot." Whether a party or just a Tuesday night dinner, Mom and Honey made others feel welcomed and at home. Hosting wasn't about perfection, it was about loving on people and just enjoying the company of others. 

Now that I'm grown up, I've realized that share this same passion for hospitality. Although there are things about my personality that are different from mom's, the desire to share my home with others is the same... I love cooking (even if it's just for Nate and I) and getting my home ready for visitors. I love when my friends feel comfortable enough to just camp out on our couch on a Saturday and hang out with Nate and I. I love that my family has a place to stay when they come to Dallas. I love breaking bread with our friends at our table and the conversations that follow while sitting on the couches, shoes kicked off, drinking a glass of wine. I love being able to celebrate friends birthdays and special occasions while doing somethings special for them. I love being able to make others feel welcomed and wanted...

Thank you mom, for being such a special example to me of hostessing and ministry. That is what I want... for the Kotschi house to truly be a place of "Konnecting" with God, friends, family, and even strangers!

"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

- Matthew 18:20

Mellow Monday

The weather has been so nice the last few days, and I wanted to take advantage of that before it gets warm again this week. Last night, we had a wonderful dinner on our back patio and really enjoyed simply talking and enjoying the peaceful quietness. It was nice to turn off the TV, not worry about work or our "to do" list and do something different!

We're really trying to be wise about our budget and money, and I'm cooking a lot more these days (which I really love). I made macaroni casserole with smoked sausage, rosemary brussel sprouts, and salad. I can't say the brussel sprouts were a big hit to Nate, but he did eat two of them!

The macaroni casserole ended up being AWESOME, so I thought I would pass along the recipe, we'll call it "Smoked Mac-n-Cheese":

Ingredients:

2 boxes velveeta shells-n-cheese

liquid smoke

smoked sausage (cooked and sliced)

Italian bread crumbs

2 Tbs butter (melted)

shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Make velveeta according to directions

2. Add salt and pepper (to taste), a few drops liquid smoke (be careful, it's strong!), and sliced sausage and mix well.

3. Spread into casserole dish. Add a handful of cheese over the top. Sprinkle bread crumbs and pour melted butter to top it off.

4. Bake on 350 for about 20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Enjoy!



For My Husband...

Let me just take a moment to really honor my husband and thank him for his hard work this week. He's been so quick to help me with things around the house. One big project that's been on the "honey-do" list is mounting our living room TV. Nate knew I really wanted this done so he went to Sam's on Wednesday and bought a mount. To his frustration, after spending several hours putting it together he discovered when they say, "fits most TV's," they didn't mean his LG. Nate finally found and ordered one online and spent Friday night and all day today (Sunday) mounting the TV then drilling holes in the walls and running wires so the cables wouldn't show. After tons of work, it's done and it looks AMAZING!

On the same note, I had a "Scentsy" party for my friend Morgan today (Sunday). We were running really late after church and it was looking like I wasn't going to have enough time to clean up around the house and make snacks. Without being asked or commenting that he had, Nate cleaned up our bedroom, did the dishes in the kitchen, and planted pansies in our flower pots for me! I was so very thankful for my personal "Mr. Fix-It" husband and his servants heart, hard work, and help this week. He totally blessed my socks off and loved me so well. Thanks Nate, I love you!

You Tube Funnies

I don't know who invented YouTube, but thank you! The funny, serious, motivational, and every other kind of video entertainment are so useful for wasting time. A few weeks ago Nate and I discovered, "Marcel The Shell With Shoes On" and it's awesome! My coworker (who I share an office with), Katie, and I were watching it again today when I found another video, "Charlie the Cheez-It". If you haven't seen these, here you go:

Marcel the Shell

Charlie the Cheez-It

Here's a tribute to some of my favorite YouTube videos:

1. Charlie Bit My Finger
2. Double Rainbow
3. Bed Intruder Song (Antwon Dodson)
4. Scarlett Takes a Tumble
5. Bon Qui Qui (p.s. Kate and I do an amazing rendition of this)
6. Nail Salon - Anjelah Johnson
7. David Goes to the Dentist

What are some of your favorite YouTubes?

The "Church Hunt"

As most of you who know, Nate and I are in the process of "church shopping". Before we started dating, we attended different churches and once we were engaged we both felt the Lord calling us to look into other churches together... just one of the many and wonderful things that comes with joining lives together. Luckily, we live in the Bible belt, and Dallas has some wonderful churches to choose from. We're really enjoying this time and learning a lot because it challenges us to really listen to God and also helps us realize what things are important to us in a church home. There have been many great conversations in that after-church car ride home.

In the meantime, we have decided to do a Bible study together, and are looking for a good, several week study. It definitely doesn't have to be about marriage, and we're super open about a topic. That being said does anyone have any suggestions of studies they've done and really loved or of churches in Dallas?...

Chicken Divan Recipe

"Chicken Divan" is an easy casserole recipe that my mom use to make us. I combined her recipe with some of a Paula Dean recipe and viola!...

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts (cooked and diced, cut, or shredded)
1 large bunch of fresh broccoli (cooked and cut)
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1.5 cup shredded cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup bread crumbs
2 Tbs butter (melted)
lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste (I also like to use "Tony Saturies" seasoning)

Directions:
1. Combine chicken and broccoli in casserole dish
2. Mix together mayo, sour cream, soup, cheese, lemon juice and seasoning to make sauce
3. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli and mix well
4. In a separate bowl, mix together parmesan cheese, butter, and bread crumbs and sprinkle on top of the casserole
5. Bake casserole @ 350 for 30-40 min. Serve with rice.

Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

Our first Halloween weekend as married folk was a blast! Friday night we went to Morgan's apartment to watch Baylor beat UT (sic'em) and the Rangers beat the Giants. After that we went to a Halloween party at Nate's buddy, Rolo's.

Since this Halloween is Nate and my first official holiday to be married, I really wanted us to dress up as something together. After changing our minds about six times, then not wanting to get out and put the effort into finding a costume on Saturday, we decided that Nate would recycle an old costume (western cowboy with an inflatable ostrich that it looks like he's riding - way cooler and funnier than it sounds) and I would just go as a standard cowgirl (easy enough since I already had some "cowgirls-esque" clothes). However, while stopping at CVS on our way to the party, we saw "Snuggies" and immediately had the idea to go as snuggie buddies. So that ended up being our great, comfortable, and effortless costume (even though we think we look like "Friar Tuck")!

Halloween night, we were all geared up and excited about lots of cute trick-or-treaters, and I bought like five bags of the good candy. Of course, we only had about six kids come by (thanks to the Liggits because 3 of those kiddos were theirs)! So we now have tons of candy and we'll be taking trick-or-treaters all week long.

Happy Halloween!

Go Rangers!!!

My new blog background is in honor of the Dallas Rangers being in the WORLD SERIES! It's an exciting time in Dallas... And here's a little chant:


"LET'S GO RANGERS, LET'S GO (CLAP, CLAP)! LET'S GO RANGERS, LET'S GO (CLAP, CLAP)!"


Yay for game #2 tonight!

Praying For My Husband

I love being married, and Nate really makes it easy to love and respect him. During our pre-marital counseling class, they talked a lot about praying for your husband instead of nagging him, and I'm trying to get a start on that early into our marriage! Here's what I've been praying for Nate this past month:

^"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe."

- Ephesians 1:15-19

Enjoy the end of the week!

Patio Furniture Made New!

Here's some random (possibly helpful) information... Nate and my friend, Cathy, gave us her white patio furniture last year. It's about 15 years old and other than wear and tear (paint chipping off, paint fading/ discoloration) they are in great shape. Instead of buying new patio furniture, we cleaned and painted these and it was so easy:

1. We cleaned it with a water and bleach mixture and a scrub brush, and we used a power washer nozzle that Nate's dad got us (thanks, Ray!) to wash it off.

2. After letting it dry, we used a Brillo pad to get off any excess paint flakes.

3. We used five cans of white furniture spray paint to paint all of it and cover it well. We did it over a drop cloth and let it dry for about 24 hours.

Viola! Brand, spanking new looking patio furniture all for about $15 and a few hours of time.

AMK