Pocatello 2013

A friend of mine's, Heather, husband was finishing optometry school and the last year of school is rotations. He had four 3-month rotations; one of which was in Pocatello, ID.

While Heather and Chris were in Pocatello I had just quit my job, so I went to visit her. Why not?! She's always a blast to be with and only 4 hours away.

The few days up there were perfect and just what I needed. Heather has the most adorable daughter, that I can't get enough of, who's schedule we worked around; and I wouldn't have it any other way. We spent most our time hanging out in their apartment: playing with Londyn, talking, getting addicted to games on our phones (Ruzzle!), cooking and watching the finale of the Bachelor.

Chicken Rolls

16 Rhodes rolls, thawed (or croissant rolls in a can if you want to be lazy like me)
1 cube butter or margarine
Seasoned breadcrumbs
Filling:
6 oz. cream cheese softened
4 T. soft butter
Sage and Thyme to taste
2 T. minced onion
2 T. minced celery
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken or turkey
Salt and Peper to taste
1 (4 oz.) Can mushrooms, drained and chopped (optional) (I skip this)
Roll out each roll, Put a tablespoon of Chicken filling in the center of each roll. Fold over and seal. Dip rolls in 1 cube melted butter or margarine, then roll in seasoned breadcrumbs. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream
Heat soup; add sour cream. Add milk to desired consistency. Pour over rolls.

Chicken Tacos
4 chicken breasts-frozen
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups of frozen corn (or 1- 15 oz. can, drained)
1 jar of pace salsa
1 package cream cheese
1 1/2 garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
Cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours.
Take 4 frozen (or thawed) boneless chicken breasts put into crock pot. Add 1 can of black beans, drained, 1 jar of salsa, 1 can of corn drained.  Keep in crock pot on low for about 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked. Once it is cooked, take it out and shred it. Return shredded chicken to the crockpot.
Add 1 package of cream cheese and let sit for about 1/2 hour. It may look at little strange at this point. Don't worry. Stir in the cream cheese. 
Serve over rice or in warm flour tortillas.
Cilantro Lime Rice
Yield: about 4 C cooked rice
Time: 45 minutes start to finish
2 C uncooked rice
1 T butter
2 cloves garlic minced
4  chicken bullion cubes
1 t lime zest
4 C water
2 T lime juice
1 T sugar
3 T fresh cilantro, chopped
1. In a large skillet combine rice, butter, garlic, lime zest, bullion cubes, and water. Bring to a boil and stir well.
2. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
3. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over the top of the hot cooked rice, and stir to incorporate. ENJOY!

I had looked up things to do in Pocatello and one of the recommended things was The Clean Museum. The what?! Yes, The Clean Museum. Haha, so we went. (The Clean Museum is also recommended by Roadside America) When we first got there the parking lot was empty. We thought we were either in the back parking lot or it was closed. Nope to both. When we walked in nobody was at the front desk to greet us and to pay admission was a sign, on a bucket, that said something like, "This is the honor system, just pay here." mmmk. The museum was basically random displays on vacuums through the ages and brooms through the ages, random cleaning facts and suggestions, and cleaning games and books.

My most favorite fact I learned at the museum was about the FIRST chimney sweeps. Back in the day before children were chimney sweeps they (I don't know who "they" is) would tie ropes around the necks and heads of geese and throw them down the chimney. The goose would FREAK OUT and flap its wings and "they" would slowly pull the goose back out... AND they would "sweep" the chimney. COOL Uh?! I loved this that anyone I talked to for a month afterwards I would tell them about this.

That night Heather and I kept laughing and joking about how ridiculous the museum was but her husband made a great point that we would never forget it and it would be something we'd probably laugh about for years. So true!

Things to go back and do in Pocatello (if I'm ever forced to go back now that Heather is not there):
Hiking
Natural History Museum

Read Heather's Post about our Clean Museum Adventures too: The Lowe Down