Where I've been...& some GREAT pasta salad!

"Hello out there!?! HELLOOO?! Is any one out there?!"

*..I call out from the bottom of the dark hole I've been hiding in..*

Oddly enough, I just envisioned myself at the bottom of a hole & a guy saying: "It puts the lotion on its skin"...BAHAHA! Ok so, hopefully someone out there has wondered what I've been up to..."where have you beeeeen?...I've been every wheres man!" *in my best Rihanna voice* (haha love that song) Well, for those of you who were wondering about me, my life has been moving right along had the gas pedal floored & has seemed to be running at 120MPH! But moving on, no seriously, MOVING is exactly what we are in the middle of! We wanted to get a bigger house in a more private location (you know, a house that isn't so close to your neighbors that you can open your blinds & you can see straight into their dining room & feel like your sitting down having breakfast with them lol) & not so 'cookie cutter suburbs'. Just thinking about it made it happen because we actually have already sold our place to our newly wed friends so we don't even have to worry with putting it on the market! Out of 22+ houses, we only found one that felt warm & inviting that actually suited my our tastes..(Mr.Hooah said he sleeps in tents, or occasionally on the warm hood of Humvee's when its cold, & sometimes in the dirt for a living so anything with a roof would suit him...Thats the army in him talking lol!) It is totally adorbs & I LOVE that it is a two-story home! It is a bit bigger than our house now but that is ok, since it is a two level home, it breaks the space up & is much more spacious! And its all about what makes us happy & feels like home, right? So, after a little renovating & final finishes with the hardwood & tile flooring, Mr.Hooah & I will finally be able to move in! Thank heavens! Living out of packed boxes is absolutely NO FUN whatsoever! I hope that all of you sweet followers/bloggers out there are doing wonderful & haven't completely forgotten about me! I will be returning full swing as soon as we get moved, as I plan on having an 'Open House' on here for my family back home & thought maybe it would be something you guys might enjoy also! But as for now, I'm going to share a SUPER SIMPLE & FRESH pasta salad recipe that I got from a great friend of mine, who also happens to be an awesome armywife! Miss you Lex!!! This recipe would be great to whip up for July 4th or a great light dinner for the hot summer days ahead! Take care & keep an eye out for me within the next few weeks! I've sure missed you guys! (:

Mrs. O'malley's Chicken Pasta Salad

1lb. rigatoni or penne pasta
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1 TBSP. lemon juice (I used sprinkled however much I thought it needed)
1 sweet red pepper, diced or sliced.
1 head broccoli, chopped.
1/4 c. Basil Parmesan Vinaigrette dressing by Kraft
4 boneless chicken breasts, cooked & cut into bite size pieces
 (I cut into bite size pieces before cooking instead of after) 
Salt & Pepper to season chicken with before cooking

 The seasoning that I personally made up & use to season the chicken with is a mixture of the following by teaspoon: Onion powder, chili powder, garlic pepper seasoning, salt, black pepper & paprika.

• Boil water for pasta & cooked as directed.
• After washing chicken, sprinkle with chicken seasoning. Then dip chicken into lemon juice before cooking chicken...(I drizzle however much lemon juice I think it needs & cook it in a pan with a little EVOO until nice & browned/chicken cooked through)...When chicken is done, set aside to let cool.
• Cut veggies to size desired.
• After pasta is done, drain & rinse with cold water so it cools the pasta down. Then add chicken, veggies, Parmesan cheese, a little splash of lemon juice & dressing; mix together well then place in refrigerator to cool.

**When serving if it seems a little dry, mix in a little more of the dressing!***