One should never blog while drinking...

...but I just couldn't resist telling you about tonight's blog worthy dinner!  Let's just say my kids slurped loud and happy and it was without a doubt the MOST appreciating noises a mother could ever want at her dining room table!

My ever so awesome husband was in a really good mood tonight.  His day overall was pretty spectacular if I do say so myself.  He watched our son Mason smack a baseball, play on the playground with our youngest son, Toby, mowed the front lawn while the kiddos played out front and even got in a three hour nap.  All in all, it was a good day for him. 

So being in a good mood he suggested a date to Cattlemen's for a mouth watering juicy steak.  No girl in her right mind would EVER turn down a juicy steak!  And yet...I did. 

As I was reaching into the fridge to grab some juice for one of the boys it occurred to me that I had all the fixings for a new recipe from Pampered Chef:  Creamy Lemon-Pesto Chicken and Linguine.  I have been intrigued by these two new cookbooks "Dinner in your Deep Covered Baker and Make it Fresh, Make it Healthy" and have been trying out a few of these recipes on a regular basis.  This recipe is posted in the Pampered Chef Spring/Summer 2011 catalog and has had many people intrigued by it.  You can email me @ breesybrie@gmail.com if you would like for me to get a catalog out to you.

So here I am in the kitchen contemplating taking a relaxing hot shower and using my new bath gel from Bath and Body Works or start a little cooking magic in the kitchen.  As you can see from the photo above, the kitchen won.  And was my husband ever so pleased by my culinary skills tonight!

Now listen, I've mentioned this before I'm sure.  But for those who do not know, I frequently use my Deep Covered Baker for most of my meals.  You just need to order yours today (from me of course)  Not crazy over the price of this piece of stoneware?  Then you need to have a cooking show.  Or a catalog show (again, with me!!!) and then you will be able to get this stoneware and so much more for an amazing deal.  Pampered Chef loves their Hostesses and offers rewards for those who book a show including 60% off items!

Now back to dinner and why one should never blog while drinking...one should probably not use the italicize button so often either but I'm fond of it tonight.  Blame it on the Pino Griego.  I think I spelled that wrong...

So I've got my Ipod in and I'm singing and dancing (???) along to Rhianna and Black Eyed Peas and Britney's ex, Justin Timberlake.  Warning.  I should not be singing and dancing with the windows opened according to one of the neighborhood kids...whatever, she's just jealous...

So I'm rockin it good and drinking my bottle of wine that has been begging me to be drunk and I'm making dinner.  An awesome healthy dinner that my kids will (and did) love and then asked for more! 

Here is what you need from the grocery store:  :)

• 1 lemon for zesting
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup milk (2%)
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1/2 cup prepared basil pesto (mine had pine nuts in it)
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used tenderloins because that's what I had)
• 1 tbsp Citrus & Basil Rub (I used mine liberally) A PAMPERED CHEF ITEM
• 12 oz linguine pasta (go with 100% whole wheat for extra healthiness)
• 2 plum tomatoes
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves (left that out of mine)

Here is what you need from Pampered Chef:  :)

• Deep Covered Baker
• Classic Batter Bowl
• Microplane Zester
• Citrus & Basil Rub
• Dinner in your Deep Covered Baker Recipe Collection Cookbook

Now this is how I made an amazing Pampered Chef dinner ~ follow my directions CAREFULLY and precisely if you too want a dinner that your husband will think you totally slaved over!!!

Now your going to want to begin by pouring a big glass of pino griego (am I spelling that right yet?) turn on your Ipod so loud that you cannot hear the children screaming wildly outside and then open up the cookbook, it's time to make magic in the kitchen!

So your going to zest your lemon with PC's new microplane zester (love this) and set it aside (that was hard work, have a little drink).  Using your classic batter bowl combine the melted butter and and flour until smooth.  Add the lemon zest, milk and garlic to the butter/flour mixture.  Microwave on high 3-4 minutes until thickened stirring every 60 seconds (I'm sure you can manage a drink in between this too).  Add pesto and mix well.

Now before you touch the chicken, have another drink!  Season your chicken with the Citrus & Basil Rub and place in the Deep Covered Baker (don't forget to wash your hands after touching chicken).  Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover and microwave about 12-15 minutes or until your chicken is not pink.  Let stand for about 5 minutes covered.  You should have been able to have finished your first glass of wine during this time.  Meanwhile cook your pasta according to the directions and keep it warm.  Seed and dice your tomatoes too! 

This meal deserves a nice table setting with candles, and linens and little salt and pepper shakers.  I don't have a nice table setting so I settled for cleaning off the table and pouring more wine.

I would like to end this very long blog with a big thank you to whoever was the smart person who came up with the idea to have spell check on computers for I fear that without it well, this blog may have had many errors.  Ooh and also the wine makers of Barefoot Pino Gregio (did I get it right yet?).  Dinner, wine and blogging has never been so much fun!