Deep Dish Chicken Pot Pie [Recipe]

It's fall y'all (aka my favorite time of year). And with the cooler temperatures comes comfort food. On Friday night when our desert temps dipped to 60 degrees, I decided to dust off my deep dish chicken pot pie recipe I found several years ago from Kraft. It's simple, looks fancy and I'm pretty positive you'll love it. I always forget how much I enjoy this dish.

I made a few slight variations to the original recipe and here's how.

WHAT YOU NEED

• 1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/4 cup KRAFT Lite Zesty Italian Dressing
• 4 oz. Neufchatel Cheese, cubed
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (optional)
• Salt, pepper & parsley to taste (optional)
• 1 ready-to-use frozen pie crust
• Egg wash (one egg + 2 Tbsp water)

Sautee veges in 2 Tbsp. of butter over medium low heat to soften. In a separate skillet, cook chicken in dressing in large skillet on medium heat 2 min. Add cream cheese; cook and stir until melted. Add flour; mix well. Add broth and vegetables; simmer 5 min. 

After you pour mixture into deep dish 10-inch pie plate, arrange pie crust over filling and flute edges. Cut slits in crust to allow steam to escape. Brush pie with egg wash. Bake 25-30 min. or until crust is golden brown.

The cream cheese is the secret. Enjoy.

[RECIPE] Mock Mashed Potatoes Using Cauliflower

I typically don't get home from my Skyrobics trampoline class until almost 9PM at night. I go straight from work to make it to the 7PM class. Since I am getting home so late these days, I am trying to limit my carb intake so at dinner, which resulted in me finally trying this dupe for mashed potatoes.

I saw Laura from Laura Must Lose Weight vlog her recipe and I was still skeptical when I watched it a few months ago. And if you've never tried this, then I'm sure you're going to still be skeptical after I tell you how great it was. I don't blame you. But I'll also tell you that you are missing out. This stuff is legit. I Instagrammed a photo of the mashed cauliflowers and I had a few requests for the recipe, so here you go. It's super easy to make.

You need:

1. A head of cauliflower, chopped
2. One ziploc steam bag (can be found where the oven bags are)
3. 1/2 C of cottage cheese
4. 1 clove of garlic minced
5. salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Put chopped cauliflower in ziplock steam bag and steam for 5 to 6 minutues or until soft
2. Mix all ingredients in a blender and blend untill smooth
3. Enjoy!

 

I served mine with zesty tilpia and sauteed mushrooms (I use a slight variation of that recipe). I didn't use oil for any of this, just fresh lemon and lime juice, salt, pepper and mrs. dash original seasoning. BAM.

A new look for "The BB" plus a link-up party for Friday Favorites!

Well, I feel like all I did was complain on the blog this week. Do you hate me yet?

In happier news ... SURPRISE!!!!!  Notice anything different?  The Bargain Blonde got a design revamp complete with a brand new About Me page and I couldn't be more excited about it.  My homie Jonalynn McFadden is a talented graphic designer whom I met in college at a Journalism leadership conference in Oregon and we've remained in contact ever since.  If you like what you see and are looking for a bloggy make-over, then she is definitely the woman for the job.

Check out her design portfolio and you can contact her here.  I promise you'll love whatever she comes up with!  Not to mention she's awesome to work with and a personal friend of mine.  What are you waiting for?

All righty, it's favorites time!

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$49 - Shop Here

I was so excited to see The Bachelorette Emily Maynard wearing Stella and Dot again this week!  I'll forgive that phony tail and bird necklace I blogged about yesterday because she knocked it out the park with her beach blonde hair and sun kissed skin paired with the turquoise Stella and Dot Capri Chandelier Earrings in turquoise. The Capri Chandeliers, which are also available in coral, are a steal at under $50!

Oh my goodness gracious. I'm all by my lonely laying in bed writing this post at midnight and I just let out the loudest, most unattractive cackle ever. Why? Because I just re-watched the clip of Bravo's (and my imaginary bestie) Andy Cohen getting attacked by the bird during the RHOC Reunion.  I could watch and will watch this a million times over. So funny.

Really Lindsey? Favorite pen?  I know.  But this pen is pretty much life changing.  If you are a cray like me, then you are very particular about your pens.  My BFF told me about the Pilot G-2 07 and on Sunday I picked a pack up at Target. Can't. Stop. Writing.  Seriously, this pen writes as smooth as butta. Get yo'self some.

This 100% all-natural Lucini Italia Bold Parmesan and Garlic vinaigrette is so amazing on salads and as a marinade. If I could drink it straight, I would.

Remember way back in November I blogged about a boot camp I was doing?  Well, now that I'm back into the swing of things thanks to Tone It Up, I signed up for another Boot Camp session with my friend and certifiable personal trainer Jeremy Jackson.  He started his own boot camp called GetFit Nation and convinced me to sign-up for his new camp that starts this coming Monday.  

EFF MY LIFE because when I signed up I didn't know it was a MORNING boot camp and if you know me, you know I do NOT do mornings.  My only saving grace is that Jeremy is really good at keeping you accountable and does not accept excuses, so I will be be dragging my ass up to the camp Mon/Wed at 6 a.m. and Tues/Thurs at 6:45 a.m.  I know my family reads my blog and I already know they are laughing out loud at the notion of me going to a 6 a.m. boot camp.  Guess I better start going to bed earlier.  

If anyone is interested in the boot camp, all fitness levels are welcome.  E-mail Jeremy or text him at 469.438.7898 if you have any questions.  Or check out the boot camp's Facebook page for deets. Let him know you heard about it on The Bargain Blonde.  Hope to see some of you Dallas area ladies there!  

Now it's your turn! Grab my button at the top of the post and link-up below!

My 4th of July via what else? Instagram.

I'm going to make this post quick, but I wanted to share some pictures from my 4th of July for those of you that don't have Instagram.

Tomorrow I will be hosting my Friday Favorites link-up, so be sure to link up!  I'm setting it to post at 7 a.m. EST ... I better see all your pretty faces linked-up. Mmmmkay?

The flag flying in my yard!

Melt my heart.

I honestly did nothing for the first half of my day but watch TV, do laundry and paint my nails.  That gold is "Golden Ticket" from the Sonia Kashuk summer line at Target (I blogged about her lipstick here) and I'm pretty obsessed with it.  The other color that looks red is actually a pink and it's an Ulta color I've had forever called "Shocking". 

I tried out this bloody mary mix I hauled back from Charleston and it was legit, Reese had the cutest 4th of July outfit on and we brought BBQ home from Rudy's BBQ for dinner.  

Reese and Bear taking a dip at the pool.

We could see our city firework display from our house, so we brought chairs and an ottoman out to sit and wait for the show to start.

Bear was excited for his first 4th of July ever!  Ruff.

Father and son. Hash tag presh.

I hope you all enjoyed your time off! I totally thought it was Saturday all day yesterday.  The 4th falling in the middle of the week is unconstitutional if you ask me. 

God Bless the US! 

TenList Giveaway Winner + Weekend Wrap-Up!

Last Wednesday, the $75 Visa Gift Card Giveaway that TenList hosted on The Bargain Blonde closed!  I went out of town Thursday, came back Friday and then went to Ft. Worth Sunday. Life has been so hectic lately, but today I'm finally able to blog again and announce the winner! Congratulations to #259, Katelyn ...

And TenList is so awesome that they upped the card to $100 just because.  Enjoy Katelyn!

Like I mentioned above, I went out of town twice this weekend and both times were for Stella and Dot parties!  

Thursday I went to visit my Aunt who lives about 2 hours west of Dallas in a small town and while there, I had a party with blogger Amy from Tales of Small Town Girl.  She was the tiniest, cutest, sweetest little thing ever! Here are a few pics from my time in the country.

Yummy! My Aunt made veggie omlette, turkey sausage and low carb toast for breakfast. Love me some home cookin!

Saw this sign while antiquing and I'm seriously regretting not buying it for my desk at work.

Downtown Decatur, Texas

The most delicious Club Cobb Salad ever!  Sorry, I'm not sorry but I did eat all that cheese.

I drove back to Dallas Friday evening and stayed in that night.  This Bargain Blonde was tired.  Saturday morning I took Reese to gymnastics, then Bear to the dog park, took a nap and then went over to my bestie Courtney's new house for grilling, pool time and a puppy play date.

Bear taking a dip in the pool

Red wine and fresh watermelon!  

Bear is OBSESSED with the water and he swims laps. It is the cutest thing ever. 

Sunday I headed out west to Ft. Worth for another Stella and Dot party blogger Mrs. Lia Joy from life is aMAYESing hosted for moi!  She had the cutest spread, baked a fabulous cake and even had homemade Sangria for us!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake (not on the nutrition plan, but so worth the cals)

The bevys!

The food!

If you follow me on Instagram/Twitter, then you've most likely seen me posting pictures about the Tone It Up nutrition plan.  I started the Tone It Up fitness/nutrition program last week and many of you have asked me to share it with you and post recipes to some of the healthy foods I've cooked.  I will be blogging all about it tomorrow, so stay tuned!!  If you have any fitness/nutrition related questions about Tone It Up or want to know what Tone It Up even is, leave me your question in the comments of this post!

Happy Monday!  Make it a good one! XOXO


p.s. Huge thank you to both Amy and Lia Joy for hosting Stella & Dot parties for me!  We have a fabulous hostess rewards program if any of you readers are from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. I'd love to throw a show with y'all and get you hundreds in free Stella and Dot.  Just e-mail me!