Elvis has left the building!

Woo Hoo! Today is Thursday, December 20 and I am officially a free woman. Today starts my vacation and I won't return to work until Friday, January 4. I haven't had a vacation this long for quite a while. I so need this time off - the last couple of months at work have been really hard on a lot of us. Just really busy and lots of change.

I get to head home to Knoxville and spend the time with my parents and extended family. It's hard being away from them all, but it just makes the time we get to spend together all that more special. My brother and sister-in-law will be coming in as well so my parents will have a house full - just like they like it.

I snapped a pic of Leah this morning, I couldn't find her and called her name and she popped her head up from this little burrow she made. Let's play, Where's Leah??

Well, tonight we'll have some friends over for dinner and I'm making my take on chicken pot pie. It's absurdly quick and delicious and easy!

Laura's Chicken Pot Pie

1 package Pillsbury Pie Crust (from the refrigerator section)

2 C shredded chicken (I use a store bought rotisserie chicken)

1 small can Veg-all, drained

1 can cream of chicken and mushroom soup

4 oz cream cheese

salt, pepper, garlic powder and poultry seasoning to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take one of the pie crusts and roll it out a little on a lightly floured surface. Place carefully in a 9" pie crust. Crimp the edges as you'd like. In a medium sized microwave safe bowl, heat together the soup and cream cheese for about 2 minutes. Stir to combine. Add the Veg-all and chicken to the soup and cream cheese mixture. Stir well to combine - if it seems too thick, thin out with a little chicken stock or milk. Taste and add salt, pepper, garlic powder and poultry seasoning to taste. Pour into pie shell. Roll out second crust a little and do whatever you want with it. I usually cut out crazy shapes and what not...cause I'm kinda crazy like that. Place pie plate on a cookie sheet and place in the middle of your oven. Bake for about 30-45 min until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Let cool for about 5-10 min before serving.

Okay...so this pot pie was so delicious I didn't even have a chance to take photos. We literally ate the pan clean. Thanks to Dusty. ;-) I did however snap a photo or two of the table before we ate.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. Postings may be erratic over the next couple of weeks as I'll be hanging with the fam. Count on early morning pics of my brother to make it on here. He's completely embarrassed me by putting up a pic on his Myspace page of us two years ago on Christmas morning....just wait, bro.