Mission accomplished!

Finally! After more than 20 years of cutting out, jotting down, Google-ing and printing off recipes and then stuffing them into an accordion file in a very haphazard manner ... these interesting and yummy-sounding recipes are now neatly organized in a 3" D-binder with dividers labeled from "Appetizers" to "Veggies"!
I've been working on this for weeks. I'd finally had it with NOT being able to find that recipe that was at the back of my mind that someone gave me five years ago at a Potluck, etc. I have stuff in this notebook that I absolutely cannot WAIT to cook! That's amazing right there ~ because I have no sense for cooking whatsoever! I'm pretty good at baking, if the recipe isn't too complicated ... but I've basically been a five (or six) recipe cook ... for years ... which is pathetic and boring!
I even found my "Cheesy Broccoli Noodle Soup" recipe that I actually successfully made (twice) ... 25 years ago and LOVED. I'm so exited to make a nice big pot of it. I also found a wonderful sounding cake recipe titled: "Luscious 4-layer Pumpkin Cake." The layers are frosted with a pumpkin cream cheese frosting and then caramel topping is drizzled over the top, with chopped pecans ~ I'm definitely making this for Thanksgiving dessert!

I tried a really simple recipe tonight because I had everything the recipe called for and there were only THREE steps ... what could go wrong? So I made the "Simple Southern-Style 'Unfried" Chicken" which called for 1 broiler-fryer chicken cut up and skinned. I didn't have a broiler-fryer chicken, but I had skinless boneless breasts of chicken. All that was required was to marinate the chicken pieces in Ranch dressing (preferrably the reduced fat kind ... but I used regular) and then coat the marinated pieces in a package of Shake 'N Bake, pop it in the oven at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes. I fixed some home-grown beets (thanks to Mr. Jones), a nice bunch of fresh broccoli, and some rice for the rest of the meal. I checked the chicken at 38 minutes and took it out of the oven. The chicken looked a little bit ... overdone. Mr. Jones says it's because there was no bone in the chicken. He pronounced it "very dry" but tasty. Sigh. I have duly noted on the recipe his comment. Don't worry. I won't give up. I've got lots more recipes to try!