Then & Now: Hank Turns 1

Hank turned one last Friday and OMG did someone get spoiled...don't judge.

So here are so pictures of the Hanky Panky and maybe a few funny stories.

Hank or commonly know as: Hanky, Hanky Panky, Bud, Munch, Munchkin, or Dude. (Or Tank by people who can't remember his name but remember the "ank" part.)

He was so little, he came home weighing 16lbs...he weighed in on Monday at 72lb. 

Ironically, we still have that Frisbee...

"This looks yummy..." I had a few flowers that bloomed in the beginning of May, by the second week of May I had to more flowers/plants. 

On of my favorite pictures of Hank, that rope at the time was longer then him. The rope no longer exist.

He's always been so helpful with chores around the house.

Yeah, he's pretty much that spoiled.

In July we took him to Silver Lake Sand Dunes. At first I was a little nervous how he would react to that noise and commotion, I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that it didn't even phase him. He just sat and watched the trucks/dirt bikes/quad runners go by.  

During that same trip he did a lot of digging holes and sunbathing. 

First time swimming was in Lake Michigan! 

Just watching people go by on the beach. He rode in the truck like a champ, I even did a little dune riding with him riding shotgun. 

Sometimes he makes doing chores a little harder...

"Ummm, Mom I think the house exploded...I didn't do it."

Chillin' in the backyard. 

His first fall. 

For his first Halloween he was a Hankarous...he didn't really like me putting the head part of the costume on him. I'm pretty sure if he had his way, he would have destroyed the whole thing.

Hank and his girlfriend, Remmy, these two are crazy together. I don't think crazy is even the right word...they are no stop from wrestling, running and playing machines when together. 

Hank's first Christmas! He got to see Santa at the local mall. 

There were some squeaker toys in this stocking...he was more entertained by chewing on this stocking then actually trying to get them out.

He was pretty spoiled for Christmas.

For news year we went running in the swamp behind my dads house. At this point I am trying to figure out what he has...(it's not a stick!)

Right about now I realize he had a deer leg. When I finally got him to leave the deer leg alone, he went back into the swamp...he then brought me the rest (or what was left) of the deer. 

Yep, he is that spoiled. 

It's been a fun and crazy year but I can't wait for the years to come.

Over and out, 

A Engineer in the Kitchen

Easy Chicken & Gravy

I guess it's nothing when I say sometimes I fail as a blogger...

I throw this meal together so fast that I didn't take any pictures. Oh well, hopefully you guys forgive me. I will try to remember to take pictures next time I make it.

This is a really easy chicken crock pot meal that takes only a few minutes to throw together. When I was ready to eat I did take some of the juices out and to thicken it for gravy. I am a gravy person.

Anyways, throw some chicken breast or tenders into a crock pot (mine were still frozen), add quartered potatoes, two cans cream of chicken soup, two cans of chicken stock, sprinkle with salt, pepper, Accent, parsley and a pinch of cumin.

Took for 8 hours on low. When ready to serve scoop out some of the juices to make gravy using cornstarch.

The chicken was so juicy and fell apart it was so good.

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast
• Quartered Potatoes
• 2 cans Cream of Chicken
• 2 cans of Chicken Stock
• Salt, pepper, Accent, parsley as desired
• Pinch of Cumin

Directions:

1. Throw all the ingredients into the crockpot.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours.
3. When ready to serve scoop out, juices and use cornstarch to make gravy.

Enjoy,
Over and out,
A Engineer in the Kitche

Somebody is Turning One...

Hank will be one on Friday March 1, 2013!!!

I have a lot planned for this boy, including a good run in the woods and a bath...he doesn't know about the bath part yet.

Over and out,
A Engineer in the Kitchen

Slacking...

At least in the blog world.

I think when I get back to classes I fall off the edge of the planet, I'm taking less credits then I did last semester and I can't figure out what is wrong with me and blogging. I'm not sure if it's the fact that I have class until 7 PM three nights a week and then have to be up at 10 PM to be to work and to be honest at that point nothing is more important to me then going home and cuddling with the puppy to get a couple hours of a sleep. I have been majorly slacking in cooking...sorry Big-D! His mom who I love very much has been sending over meals...

In my free time (haha free time what is that), I have found lots of things to do.

The drywall in the living room is up...finally. OMG I am so happy to not have furniture in my hallway, bedroom, office and any random other place that I had it. Like seriously it's nice to be able to use our second TV so I don't have to watch that basketball game I could careless about. It isn't finished yet, going to have them do it all at once and we have one more room to put new drywall up in. Hopefully by the end of March I will be able to paint!

I got a microwave for Christmas, because my mom is awesome like that. I wish I had known they were into buying appliances because I would have asked for a new washer and dryer. (They got me a brand new refrigerator for Christmas last year.) Well it sat in the middle of my kitchen floor for 4 weeks before I finally got annoyed enough to put it up! That was an I operation not a we operation, I literally did the whole thing by myself (up until I needed to actually install it)...

Hank and I have been crazy busy, we started an agility class and I don't know about his agility thing. I thought it would be fun and it is fun but I have a what I am going to call an ADHD dog and he gets bored very very easily and when he gets bored I hear about it.

Speaking of Hank he turns ONE!!! on March 1st. I feel like I am going to have to make him a cake and have a little party for him...

Okay, I have a couple of planned posts just need pictures and to finish them up. Hopefully I won't disappear again..

Over and out,
 A Engineer in the Kitchen

Chicken Potatoes & Beans

I've been trying to meal plan a little more, which means that we eat more at home then we do out. This is great it saves us a lot of money and it's better for us. It is kind of hard though mainly because with me back in school I don't get home on Tuesday and Thursday night until after 7, I then have to be back up at 10pm to be to work at 11pm. This is usually what happens, hmmm take an hour to cook, eat and clean up get an hour and half of sleep or get McDonald's and get two and half hours of sleep...can you see what usually wins? 

I've have been trying to make up some simple meals that I can make the night before and either have Big-D through in the oven when he gets home from work or in the crock pot before he goes to work. 

Place 3 to 4 chicken breast, potatoes and green beans in a oven safe si

Add butter and Italian dressing. 

Bake at 350° for one hour. 

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 Chicken Breast
• 2 cans of green beans
• 3 potatoes cubed
• Butter
• Italian dressing

Directions:

1. Place chicken, green beans and potatoes into oven safe dish.
2. Add butter and Italian dressing.
3. Bake at 350° for one hour.

Enjoy,

Over and out,

A Engineer in the Kitchen

Oh The Humanity

Warning Extreme Cuteness...

I found my old point and shoot camera...guess what was on it? Some of the very first pictures of the Hanky. I got my DSLR like a week after I got Hank, so these are pictures of him when he was all of 9 weeks old.

For those that don't know we got Hank from the middle of nowhere in Pennsylvania ..Like seriously once we got off the highway we drove for two hours in the mountains, but look at that gorgeous view. If I was ever to leave the great state of Michigan I think I'm going to move to the mountains. It was the longest trip I think I've ever done, 18 hours in a car, we some how pulled off a 20 plus hour trip in a day. I tell people that we got him from Pennsylvania and they think we are crazy for driving so far for a puppy and people I was crazy but I love that little face since the moment I saw it.

Look at those ears! On our long venture home, he seriously slept the whole way home. 

He still thinks that he can fit under the bed, I seriously fish him out from under the bed at least twice a day. 

Oh, how I love this boy. 

Napping after his first swim. 

See that man in this picture, that's my dad, he "hates" pointers. He wanted me to get a lab...yeah it looks like he "hates" that pointer for sure...

He now takes up all of that bed and then some...

Okay, I'm done...just to make you all feel better I had originally planned to tell you all about this amazing chicken recipe I made. There is always tomorrow. 

Over and out,

A Engineer in the Kitchen

Pizza Quesadilla

My mom use to make these for my brother and I when we were little. They are quick and easy to make. And when you are a kid, its like pizza which I still to this day can eat almost every day.

Place a tortilla in a greased skillet. (Use medium heat.)

Add favorite pizza toppings and cover. Cook until cheese has melted.

Let cool and enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 10" tortillas
• Pizza sauce
• Favorite pizza toppings

Directions:

1. Place tortilla in a grease skillet, over medium heat.
2. Add favorite pizza toppings.
3. Cover and cook until cheese has melted.

Enjoy!

Over and out,

A Engineer in the Kitchen