Shower the People You Love with Love

We headed out of town this weekend for a very very important reason.  K1's baby shower!!!! When we met with them to tell them about my pregnancy last year the Ks confided that they had just started trying for a baby themselves.  After months with no success, the Ks planned an anniversary trip to Spain.  "You know what this means, don't you?"  I told them.  "Now that you've planned this trip, you're going to end up pregnant."  I love being right.

The Ks are expecting their little boy at the end of  April, so we all gathered this weekend to shower this beautiful mother-to-be with love and presents!

K1 is another one of those gorgeous pregnant women.  I mean, look at this picture.  With the present on her lap you can't even tell she's pregnant.  Which shows all her pregnancy weight is in her chest and stomach - the best places for pregnancy weight to be!

And in just a few short months, Thatbaby will have a new friend to play with!  We just can't wait.  I know they're probably equally as anxious although K1 thinks they're not ready.   I assured her that in just a couple more weeks she'll be more than ready to have that baby on the outside!

Sunday we spent the day catching up with friends and family.  I met up with a mutual friend who couldn't make it to the shower and filled her in on all that she'd missed.  Good thing I took a lot of pictures!  And then it was lunch with Thatbrother and UDubb.  All that running around town meant we got in a little later Sunday night than we were anticipating, but that's okay because I had dinner preparations all ready to go.

I love meal planning because when we get home late I can easily throw it together.  This was a weekend meal, but Sunday nights never feel like a weekend when you're trying to get ready for the upcoming week.  It comes together really quickly when you have cooked chicken all ready to go.

 Chicken Marsala Casserole

3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup hot milk

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 sprig of thyme
1 sprig of parsley
1/4 cup Marsala wine
3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

2 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 Tbsp breadcrumbs

1. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a small saucepan.  Slowly stir in the flour and heat until a paste forms.  Slowly stir in the hot milk.  Continue to stir and cook until bubbling.  Cook 2-3 minutes more.  Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350.  Heat olive oil and remaining butter in a new saucepan.  Add the mushrooms, onion, thyme, and parsley.   Cook until the onions are translucent.
3. Stir in the Marsala and remove from heat. 
4. Add the sauce from the first pan,  2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, and the chicken. Pour all of this into a casserole dish.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs over the mixture. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook for 5-10 minutes, until breadcrumbs are golden brown.