The Cordle Fam

Bo and I made dinner last night with a Rachael Ray recipe! It was very good so I thought I would share it with yall!

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Breasts with Tomato and Basil and Potatoes with Peppers and Onions

Ingredients

* 1 1/2-2 pounds fingerling potatoes or baby red potatoes
* 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
* 1 cubanelle pepper (an Italian mild green pepper), seeded and thinly sliced
* 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
* 4 large cloves garlic, cracked away from skin
* 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
* 2 cups shredded parmesan cheese, available in tubs near the deli counter at the grocery store – make sure to get shredded cheese, not grated
* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8 ounces each)
* Coarse salt and pepper
* 4 Roma tomatoes or small vine-ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
* 15-20 leaves fresh basil, cut or torn into a chiffonade

Preparation

Pre-heat the oven to 500°F.

Cut fingerling potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on thickness of fingerlings – thin, small fingerlings may also be left whole, while larger potatoes should be quartered to speed cooking process. If you are using small red potatoes, halve or quarter them in the same way.

Cover a large cookie sheet with foil. Place potatoes on the cookie sheet. Combine with peppers, onion, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Coat the potatoes, peppers and onions with EVOO, just enough to coat vegetables in a thin layer, 2-3 tablespoons. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

Place potatoes in the oven and roast for 20-22 minutes, until potatoes are just tender and peppers and onions are crisp at edges. Toss mixture with tongs, turning the potatoes after 15 minutes. When the potatoes are cooked, transfer them to a serving dish and peel the foil off the cookie sheet and discard for super-quick clean up!

While potatoes cook, prepare the chicken: roll out a 2-foot piece of waxed paper or foil near the stove top. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat – your pan must be very hot when the chicken is added. Pile the shredded cheese on the work surface created with the waxed paper or foil. Season your chicken breasts with black pepper but no salt; the cheese will add enough salt to the taste of the dish. Press the breasts firmly into the cheese. Coat both sides of breasts with as much cheese as possible.

Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to the skillet, one turn of the pan. Set breasts into the skillet and cook for 7 minutes on each side, until cheese forms an even, golden casing around the tender chicken breasts.

While chicken cooks, combine the chopped tomatoes with basil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Drain off any excess oil from chicken as you remove it from the skillet. Top chicken with big spoonfuls of raw sauce and serve with potatoes, peppers and onions.

Yesterday at 2PM I took last exam for my Freshmen year! Mom, Bo, and I packed up my dorm room and I said my goodbyes and headed home! I did well on all of my exams so I was very excited!

I am now at home and Mom and I are going to be getting things done that need to be done before I leave for the beach.

Well. I have to go unpack the car now. ENJOY this beautiful day!

After writing a paper on Time Management you would think I have learned a few things, but tonight I just can’t seem to get myself to study. I can take one night off- right? Anyways. I thought I would catch everyone up on my life. This past weekend my friends Bailey, Caitlin, Blakley, Ramsey, and I went to Tuscaloosa. I know you are wondering why Tuscaloosa? Well. Blakey’s friend from home was playing Tyler Horne(an old friend) team in baseball so I figured it was a good time to go. I hadn’t had a chance to watch Tyler play since he has been at school and it was a lot of fun.

Tuscaloosa is defiantly a different place than Auburn, and it made me realize how much I really love Auburn! It’s still crazy to me that I am in college, not only am I in college I am about to finish my Freshmen year. I remember thinking how old Bo and Anna were when they went to college, and how I couldn’t wait to be that grown up. I only have one more week of classes then Finals and I am done with my Freshmen year of college. Wow this year really has flown by!! Sitting here reflecting on my past year it is clear that I have learned so much ! God has taught me so much about myself and I am so thankful for everything and everyone he has put in my life this year.

Today. Bailey and I talked with our boss for the Summer. I really am living at the beach this Summer!!! Ahh! I am so excited, yet so scared at the same time! I think this Summer is going to help me realize that I do have to grow up and start being independent. I’m not going to be able to drive to Newnan when I desperately need mom and dad or need to just do laundry. Nor am I going to be able to call Bo and drive two minutes to his apartment just to get away for a little bit.

Well enough venting. I am going to try to get a good two hours of studying in before i go to bed. Love you all!!

oh yeah. The HALF-MARATHON is this weekend!! Please start praying for us!!

I figured I would take a quick study break and blog about something exciting. Two in one day!! Bo aren’t you proud!

Well. Today I had to teach the lesson in my math class. I was very nervous about this, being that my teacher is not very nice and she told us she would be brutally honest about what she thinks about our teaching. She also told us she did not care if she made us cry and that she would be just flat out rude to us if we did not do a good job. Now do you see why I was nervous?? Anyways… after teaching my lesson on prime and composite numbers I stayed back after class to hear what she thought. To my surprise she told me how well I did and how much she liked it!!!!! Like dad said, this was like hearing a good job from Simon (american idol simon).

Now after saying this. I must be honest these past two weeks have been very discouraging when it comes to my grades and college in general. Many times this week I have just pictured me having to move back home with mom, dad, and moe and take classes at West Georgia-Newnan campus… its been that bad. Don’t you just love how God knows when you are so discouraged you can’t take it and he makes something little happen that encourages you to keep on going!!

So who cares if I’m not going to be a Historian or a geologist… I will be a teacher!!!

Just thought I would write a quick post so it doesn’t look like Bo really is the only one who does this thing. Last night we had Greek Sing. Greek sing is a dance competition between all 16 sororities. It is a HUGE deal! I didn’t actually compete in Greek sing because it is for girls who know how to dance (either they did cheerleading or dance in high school). These girls have been practicing since January almost every other day. well anyways… WE WON!!!!!!! Below is a picture of some of us with two of our friends who competed. (the theme was pirates).

Tomorrow after my Geology test(ah) I will be going home so we can leave for Memphis on Friday. I am really excited to get away for a weekend!! I’m sure we will have some funny stories to post after some “fam time” this weekend. Hope everyone is having a great week!

Everyone check this out.

This is no April Fools.

I added a few pictures to an album in the photo gallery! I forgot to update everyone on my Summer!

On Spring Break Bailey and I interviewed with a outside boutique in Sea Side called “Perspicasity,” and WE GOT THE JOB! We will be starting work on the 19th of May and staying in Grayton beach until the end of July. I get out of school on May 7, so I will have a couple days to spend at home before we head to the beach. I am getting really excited!

I’m 19! My birthday started off very spontaneously (if thats even a word?) Monday night (my birthday eve) around 9:30, Bailey, Tara, and I were sitting around talking about how Bailey needed to find a formal date very soon or else it would be too late for them to rent a tux. Tara and I suggested she take her good friend that goes to University of Ala. So instead of calling him and asking him we decided she should ask him in person. so…. around 10 last night we headed to Tuscaloosa. On the ride down we wrote a song asking Phil(Bailey’s friend) to go to formal. We arrived at Phil’s(baileys friend) house around 12:30 a.m. Phil had no idea we were coming and we ran in his room and woke him up. We then sang the song to Phil–got back in the car and headed back to Auburn. ohh and don’t worry he said YES! We got back to Auburn around 3:30 where I came back to some birthday flowers from my amazing roommate! I got a few hours of sleep and then woke up to go to class!

The day kept getting better. Mom and John Hayden came to town for a lunch. Tara, Bailey, and Caitlyn decorated my room with streamers and balloons. I went out to dinner with about 15 friends AND I got tons of facebook posts, text messages, and calls saying “Happy Birthday.”

Thanks to everyone who made my birthday so great!!

oh and thanks Bo for the coffee pot!

Hello Everyone!

I am about to get on a bus all the way to New Orleans for Fiji’s formal.  I’m really excited! It will be good to get out of Auburn after everything that has gone on this week. 

I think Bo did a great job of informing yall of everything. It is scary to think this happened in a parking lot right behind my dorm. The same parking lot that I sat in my car by myself for 20 minutes waiting on the security shuttle to pick me up the night before.  The latest update I have heard is that Lauren was not sexually assaulted and that they found a gas can on College Street that may be some evidence. They have not made any arrest in the case, but apparently they are “very close.” Who knows if that is true? 

There is going to be a memorial service for Lauren on Samford lawn Monday for all the students to attend. The school is also having a session with the dean Monday night for the students to voice their concerns on safety at Auburn.

 Throughout this whole thing I have realized to be very aware of my surroundings, but I have also realized I have a mighty God who is protecting me. My favorite verse has been very comforting this week. “Do not be afraid for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Continue to pray for the Burk family and Lauren’s friends! 

Love yall, Miss yall 

p.s- I left the sink running for about 30 minutes today. My bathroom was completely flooded and water was coming into my room. What a great brother I have, who came to my rescue and took all the wet towels and mats to be cleaned. Thanks again Bo!