Chicken Divan

2 or more cups cooked brown rice
2 bunches fresh broccoli, lightly stemmed & chopped
2-3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
½ cup mayonnaise
1-2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp curry
½ cup grated cheese
½-3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp melted butter, optional

Combine soup with mayo, lemon and curry. Keep the mixture relatively thin by adding further milk or water. Additional salt may be necessary. Gently steam broccoli until tender.

Grease a 13×9 pan. Layer rice, followed by broccoli and then the chicken. Pour creamed soup mixture over the broccoli. Sprinkle cheese on top. Combine crumbs and butter, sprinkle over all. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. For freezer cooking, leave unbaked and cover to freeze. If frozen, you may have to cook 1 hr or longer.

2-3 cups chicken, cooked & shredded (I like to boil the chicken in chicken broth with a bay leaf and oregano for about 15 minutes or until done.  Then I shred it with a fork)

1 large onion
3 garlic cloves
1 (29 oz) can of enchilada sauce (Below is my recipe for homemade sauce)
2 (4-6 oz) cans chilis, optional
1 (15 oz) can of olives, sliced
1 cup kidney or black beans, if desired
cheddar cheese, grated (i like cheddar and monetary jack – yum!)
9 tortillas

Combine garlic and onions and fry in a little oil until golden brown. Add chicken, enchiladas sauce, chilis, olives. It will be runny, but that’s okay. Add kidney beans. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Layer flat in a 13×9 pan, starting with a thin layer of sauce, tortilla, sauce, cheese, tortilla, etc. ending with a layer of cheese. Cover with tin foil, and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes otherwise it will be on the runny side.

When finished add sour cream, lettuce, tomato and green onion. 

This can be a freezer meal.  Just thaw and bake per above directions.

Enchilada Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce (or spaghetti sauce)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion salt
• salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and chili powder, reduce heat to medium, and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour.
2. Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion salt into the flour and chili powder until smooth, and continue cooking over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.

Things have been tough for the last month or so. 

My dear friend lost her Step-Father.  Having lost my father 10 years ago I helped her though by offering a shoulder, an ear, or whatever she needed (which turned out to be technical advice from the hubby). 

On the 8th, my mother passed away.  She is reunited with my dad and that makes me happy for her, but incredibly sad for me.  Luckily, my friend stepped up for me, like I did for her, and not only that, but I had a tremendous outpouring from friends near and far.  Friends I have had for years and people I hardly know.  We have had donations to my charity in my mom’s name, we have had dinners made with love and cards of concern and sympathy.  I even got a card from a friends parents and dear sweet grandparents. 

It’s really easy to see the good in people when you are feeling the worst.  I wish people could see the good in people when you are feeling the best.

It’s also really easy to be let down for those who you would assume would be there.  Who knew that when you were at your lowest, the people who you thought would be there no matter what, wouldn’t be.  What results from mourning and being let down… oh that’s right… anger.  Yep, I am angry.  Not at everyone, just at certain people who did nothing and then had the nerve to get upset with me because I haven’t gotten back to reality yet.  Angry and hurt because when they lost a parent I did nice things for them, but when my mom died, they expected more for me.  They actually had the nerve to ask Chris what was wrong with me.  My mom JUST died.

Funny enough, I haven’t gotten mad at them when they canceled on vacations and left us in a bind, when their child threw a rock at my car and they didn’t even offer to pay for the damages (scratches and dents), when they were coming to a recital for my daughter, and then couldn’t come.  I didn’t say anything to them when their child didn’t say thank you for their Christmas gift (or even acknowledge that I gave it to her).  Or when they say one thing and do another, and by doing another making us look bad.  Nope, just let it slide.  But this will be a little harder to get over.

It’s been 2 weeks.  i guess I should be happier by now, but I am not.  I am happy that I have a great family, great friends, and lots of love and prayers.  I am happy that when I needed it most I had an offer of a place to stay with my whole bunch even if it inconvenienced their family and interrupted their week.  I am happy that my best friend was able to come for the weekend and had no expectations.  I am happy that my husband didn’t know what to do for me, but still did everything he could.  I am lucky that after years and years i have friends parents and grandparents who reached out to me. 

Over all I guess I am not angry, I am hurt.  But I actually feel badly for those people who didn’t reach out.  Maybe nobody reached out to them and they don’t know real kindness.  Maybe I was expecting too much.  Oh well.  Too late now.

Pictures of our kidlets on Halloween. Katelyn was Sharpay from High School Musical, Zachary was Batman and Brandon was Mickey Mouse.

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We had the ALS walk on Saturday and it was very successful!  We don't have total numbers but we raised over $14,000!  And a total of over $20,000 in three walks.  Amazing!

My friend, H, was released from her job from being the low man (woman in this case) but she just landed her DREAM job.  I am so excited for her!

I am hoping and praying I hear something soon about the status of Pajama Pals.  I should know something definate by the last week of June / First week of July.  It is so nerve wracking.  I am so anxious and excited.  I have about 30 groups at different Universities and High Schools that are interested in doing a book drive, pajama drive or having a social and donating the proceeds to Pajama Pals.  Our home church has adopted us as their mission for June.  The need is there and there are lovely people locally who want to help!  August will be a busy month!!!

I just mailed in preschool paperwork for my 2 year old.  He will start on September 2nd  Wow...  Makes my heart sad.  He is just a baby in my mind still.

My other baby only has 7 more days until she is considered a 1st grader.  That pangs at my heart and makes me ache.  Every time she reminds me I get sad. 

And our 8 month old baby boy is crawling all over the house like a crazy man.  How did he get so big???

If you are reading this, please pray that I will have the strength told hold out until I get my IRS status with Pajama Pals and that I will be able to handle their decision big or small.

Time to go get K.  Only 6 more days now until 1st grade!

~ Mandy

I was writing a friend of mine and shared the following about my babies.  I thought, hey, why stop there... I should let the world know how proud of them I am and what great little people they are.  Here ya go!

Thankfully, the clan is complete.  They are such good kidlets.  They really are. 

Katelyn is smart as can be.  She is in Kindergarten and reads on an almost 2^nd grade level.  She is friendly to all, and always tries to help everyone out.  She has never met a stranger and has questions about everything.  Last night at dinner it was “Mommy, how do we know that Heaven is real?”  She is beautiful inside and out and I just love her to pieces. 

Zachary is 2 and just as goofy as they come.  He doesn’t talk a lot, but he is smart too.  He knows his letters and letter sounds for most of his letters.  He is funny as can be and just a silly goof ball.  He loves people and shows a lot of concern when someone is upset.  Especially a baby.  Even if it isn’t our baby he calls for me and comes to me, takes my hand and drags me to the crying baby.  Too funny.  He will come over and say “shhh shhh shhhh” when he is crying.  Too sweet! 

And Baby Brandon, he is just as sweet as they come.  He smiles all the time and is a strong determined little man.  He has made us complete.  It is wonderful.

I hope you are blessed with many blessings in your life.  I am so lucky, I got three little blessings, a bigger one (my darling hubby) and a pretty darn good life. 

BTW, How about on April 11th, Chris and I have been together 11 years.  What in the world???  Seems like it was just yesterday, but forever, all at once.  Cool huh!

Hey all,

 This is the survey for ordering shirts.  It is to help determine how much you are willing to to pay for a Team Keri shirt for the walk.  Even if you aren't walking but are interested in a Team Keri shirt please vote!

There are several options.  Please vote by asap!  I will let you know the results soon!

 Thank you for your time!

Click Here to take survey

Mandy

Team Keri is off to a wonderful start.  Over $1700 raised in two weeks time.  And we have 40 walkers!  Amazing!  Please check out the Team Keri page here for Important Information!

 Thanks!

Mandy

Hello everyone,

I must say that I am completely impressed by the first week of fundraising for Team Keri!  We have raised $385 so far!  Way to go all! 

We are now featured on www.helpkeri.com but we still have a lot of spreading the word to do!  Tell everyone you know, friends, family, churches, co-workers.  Every penny counts to help find a cure for ALS!

Thanks so much!  I will post sample letters on here for your fundraising efforts, as well as thank you note information.

As soon as we figure out more information about the get together after, I will post that as well.

Since this is my blog too, I will be posting here about my family and friends.  Updates about general information from the Patterson Clan and just things that tickle my funny bone.  Starting right now...

I was looking for a Wii on Craigslist (which totally rocks by the way) and I ran across this ...

For Sale: A Wii that was supposed to be my sons bday present - $350

Yep, he apparently doesn't understand that other people want this more than he does. Days of searching and leaving work on lunch and he still doesn't know how to act. Very ungrateful teenager...
This is the standard system which includes: Wii console, Wii Console stand, Wii Remote, Wii Remote Jacket, Nunchuk, Sensor bar, AC Adapter, AV Cable, Wii Sports Disc 5 games (Baseball, Bowling, Boxing, Golf, Tennis) Purchased from GameStop on 1/24. Will include receipt, of course, so you can get the warranty or sell it again on eBay. I really don't care what happens to it after you buy it.
$350, cash only! Sorry, don't have time to chase people who might think it's smart to bounce a check.
Hope you have kids! Would love to arrange for pickup or delivery with your kids there so he can see the look on their faces when it's picked up or delivered.

Thanks for taking time here... see ya soon!  :-)

Mandy

http://web.alsa.org/goto/mandypatterson

http://web.alsa.org/goto/teamkeri

Thank you all for all of your thoughts, prayers visits, and phone calls!

Mandy, Katelyn, Zachary and I are all happy to announce that Baby Patterson is here!!!

Brandon Coley Patterson was born on Friday, September 28th at 11:45 am. Even though he was 2 weeks early he weighed in at a whopping 8 pounds 11 ounces and 22 inches long.  He is PERFECT and didn't have to go to the NICU at all (that was my biggest fear because of Zachary's birth and NICU visit). He got to stay in the OR and recovery for as long as I wanted him to. He was in the nursery for a bath and eye cream and then back with us. He is a great sleeper and I am praying that he continues to be.

Luckily, Zachary is THRILLED with his baby brother and has loved on him bunches.

Chris, Mandy, Katelyn, Zachary and Baby Brandon

Here is a quick video of his first days.  As we get more pictures they will be posted at the photo site.