Daddy, this ones for you!

So, every year I make a little video for Jake for Fathers Day- this year proved to be super cute and fun! Enjoy!
We love you Daddy! You are the best!

Julie's Pesto Penne

I was trying to figure out what the HECK I was going to make for dinner the other night- so I was sifting through my pantry and found my yummy organic penne pasta I got at Costco a few months ago! My brain started swirling with WHAT I was going to make, that my whole family would love (minus my picky 4 year old, but I'll tell you about that ANOTHER day), and pasta is ALWAYS a fav in my house, so I decided to go on a whim and play around in the kitchen a bit!

This is what dinner became-


OH YES- A new favorite in the Wagner household! I cant WAIT to start adding to the recipe and become a bit more daring with it! Here is the recipe below- and btw, you can make this in 30 minutes!

Here is what you need:



Now, you can use whatever brand of chicken broth, cheese, pesto and penne you want, but I personally like to use these brands, since they have such a rich taste to them. BTW- the fresh pesto from Costco is AMAZING! I use it on sandwiches with fresh mozzorella, turkey and a tomato!


DIRECTIONS

If you have a Pampered Chef Deep Dish covered baker (I have 2, I couldnt live without mine)- use it! If not, you can cook it stovetop or in any kind of deep microwavable dish.

1. Empty packet of Penne and the box of Chicken broth in the dish. Make sure the penne is evened out so most of it is covered by the chicken broth.

2. Cover and microwave for 15 minutes. Check the pasta, if still not fully cooked, cover and cook up to 10 more minutes. Make sure the pasta is covered by the chicken broth!!! When its finished, there should only be a bit of chicken broth left at the bottom. The noodles should have soaked up most of the broth.

3. Mix in 1/2 cup to 1 cup of FRESH pesto sauce. The amount is up to you- whether you like pesto or LOVE pesto! Mix well by folding in the pesto, not stirring.

4. Add desired amount of fresh shredded cheese of your choice and enjoy!

5. I added tomatoes to mine, throwing them in after the first time I checked my pasta. My pasta took about 25 minutes to cook total.

Feel free to add chicken or sausage! ENJOY!

Julie's Summer Strawberry Pie

Yummy.. Strawberries are in season- so GRAB a few flats of them from your local strawberry farms (or Costco, since in Houston we dont seem to have them here) and start BAKING!!!!

Here is the recipe for my famous strawberry pie, which will be making its rounds out here in Houston this season... watch out Martha Stewart, Julie Wagner's pies are making their debut here! ;)






RECIPE

8 Cups FRESH Strawberries
1 Pie crust (I like Marie Calendars, but I also like to make my own)
3/4 cup Water
1 cup ORGANIC SUGAR
3 tbs. cornstarch

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Bake pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell, using 9-inch glass pie plate. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, crush enough strawberries to make 1 cup. In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch; stir in crushed strawberries and water. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. If desired, stir in food color. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

3. Place remaining strawberries, whole or sliced, in cooled baked shell. Pour cooked strawberry mixture evenly over berries. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours, before serving.

4. Just before serving, top pie with sweetened whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

ENJOY and share with your family and friends!

New blog, New Home, New State, New lots of things!

Its been awhile... too long frankly since I blogged on MY own site!

Here's a quick update for y'all who didn't know the haps with the Wagners!
- Jake got a new job (underwater welding, of course!) in Houston, TX- so here we are! I up and moved the kids, household and myself out to Houston while Jake stayed out here to work. It was hard, rough and I don't wanna do that EVER again!
- Josh is 4, Lana will be 1 next month! Holy cow! Where is the time going????
- I am rebuilding my photography business out here in Houston, which has been a little tricky, but God provides- and he is providing me with new, amazing clients!
- I started selling Gigi Hill Handbags out here, since the market is WIDE OPEN for advancement. These Houston belles sure love their purses, but good lord they are flaky at holding parties! (Don't be offended if you are one of my houstonite friends- Im not talking about you!)

Stay tuned for MANY MANY MANY new recipes, pictures and FUN! HAPPY SUMMER!

Hot COCOA Yummies... and a new camera!

For the holidays, I made these super yummy hot cocoa stirrers! They were a HIT! You can stir them in your hot cocoa to make it a more rich, sweet experience... or just eat them as is (like Grandpa Pena and Josh seemed to do!).






And... guess what MAMA got??? A new camera! I got it right before we left for MO for the holidays!
Ive worked so hard to save and get this- I actually cried when I got home. Yes, I am a dork. BUT- I will be taking MUCH better pics (of my kids) now! (pardon the nasty pics- they were taken from my phone)

Julie's Black Bean Salsa

Oh YUM... Made this the other day and had about 10 people try it, just to make sure its worth sharing... and the verdict is in- ITS AMAZING!

I cant WAIT to make it again! Want the recipe? Ask me... and I'll email it to you!

Apple Grape Cinnamon Salad

So, with Turkey Day just around the corner, you might be asked to bring something to dinner. How about bringing something that your family and friends have probably never had before!
I took my mom-in-law's grape salad reciepe and put my twist on it- so enjoy and eat away!



Apple Grape Cinnamon Salad

1 cup Brown Sugar
8oz package of cream cheese
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup Walnuts or Pecans
1 cup chopped sweet apple slices
1 cup Red Seedless Grapes, sliced in halves
Cinnamon or Pampered Chef's Cinnamon Plus Spice Blend


Take cream cheese and beat in mixer (I like to use my wonderful Kitchen Aid Artisan Mixer) till creamy. Add sour cream. Next, add brown sugar and vanilla. Beat on med/high till creamy and there are no lumps.
Now add your walnuts, apple and grapes. Fold in with spatula.
Chill for atleast 2 hours
Serve with a light dust of cinnamon on top and ENJOY!