TV Addicts Anonymous

TVAA...that is seriously what I need. I was looking at my DVR last night, and it is getting a little bit out of control. The funny thing is that before I had a DVR, I hardly ever kept up with shows on tv. There were very few that I watched regularly. Now, my list seems to always be growing. I think right now it's because when all the shows I normally watch ended for the summer, I worried there might not be anything to watch, so I recorded everything. Don't get me wrong...I'm not one of those people that comes home and turns the tv on for five hours. I do however like to catch up on some shows when Stephen's on call at the hospital or on the weekend, and I have been known to watch several shows in a row. In DVR time though, that's only two hour tops...right? I also tend to get a bit anxious if my DVR isn't working. :)

So here's my summer tv list:

There's the old standbys that I watch every summer. They are:

• So You Think You Can Dance (love love love this show)
• Drop Dead Diva
• Royal Pains
• Design Star

and mine and Stephen's absolute favorite...

• Big Brother (this one starts in July, and I can't wait, and it is the only show Stephen will watch with me)

Also in the line up is Pretty Little Liars, which is a wonderful guilty pleasure to watch.

The new ones I'm recording this summer are:

• Breaking Pointe- This is a reality show about ballet. I have only watched one episode, and I'm not sure how many more I'll watch. I'm usually a sucker for anything having to do with dance though.
• Dance Moms- I've caught this show a few times here and there, and I decided to start recording it. The teacher is portrayed as absolutely awful. It's kind of like watching a train wreck.
• Dallas- I don't really remember the first Dallas, but there seems to be a lot of hype about the remake. I recorded the pilot, but haven't watched it yet. We'll see how this one turns out.

• Bunheads- This show is from the creators of Gilmore Girls (which is one of my all time favorites). The first episode wasn't what I expected at all from the previews. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing yet.

The jury is still out on some of these new shows, but my DVR will definitely be pretty full this summer. I guess tv is my way of relaxing after a long week of work. I can let my brain rest because none of these shows require much brain power to keep up with. :) So, until I hear about a TVAA meeting in my area, I guess I'll press on with my summer list.

Yum Yum

Since we've moved to Birmingham, we have become pretty decent cooks. This has not been the best thing for the waistline. The single life and lean cuisines did more for my figure than cooking. We have come up with some pretty yummy recipes though. Last night I made one of our favorites, chicken pot pie. This is the one that we usually make whenever we have company. It is really good. I thought I would share the recipe so everyone out there in the blogosphere can enjoy too.

Chicken Pot Pie (Bell Style)

Ingredients
1.5-2 lbs. of boneless chicken breasts
1/3-1/2 of a yellow onion (chopped)
2 cups of frozen veggies (I buy the bag with carrots, corn, lima beans, and green beans)
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 box (two crusts) of rolled pie crust
pepper
basil
garlic powder
oregano
tobasco

Boil the chicken breasts until cooked. While the chicken is boiling, put the veggies, cheese, onion, and soup in a large mixing bowl and mix together well. Spray a pie pan with cooking spray and put one of the two pie crusts in the pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. This will keep your bottom crust from getting soggy. Add seasoning. We don't measure our seasoning, we just put a couple of shakes of each item in the mixing bowl. After you've added your seasoning, mix well again. By this time, your chicken should be ready. Cut off the fat, and cut the remaining chicken into small bit size pieces. Mix with the other ingredients. Then pour mixture on bottom pie crust. Even out with a spoon. Then roll out the other pie crust and place it on top. Cut several slits in the top of the crust for venting. Cook the pie at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Enjoy!!!

For the pie crust, I buy the Publix brand, but there is a Pillsbury brand right beside it in the store (in case you don't have Publix). It is in the refrigerated section near the biscuits and pre-made cookie dough. Leave the pie crust in the refrigerator until you are ready for it. This will make it easier to unroll. One other tip...there is no reason to thaw your frozen veggies.