Enchiladas Delicioso!

Sometimes the best meals come out of complete random ingredients. I needed to go grocery shopping and didn't have time so I grabbed some ingredients from the pantry and made some of the best enchiladas that we've ever had. These enchiladas were delicious, cheesy, and oh so easy!

 

Grabe Enchiladas  

1 lb. ground chicken

1 can low sodium cream of mushroom soup

1 small can of corn niblets, drained

1 small can of diced green chilies, drained

1 can black beans (15 ounces), rinsed and drained

1 can of enchilada sauce, green or red

3/4 C. shredded cheese

7 Life Balance tortillas

Mexican spices (Chile Pepper, Cumin, Chipotle Powder etc.)

 

Preheat your oven to 375. Saute your ground chicken with your Mexican spices and a little olive oil. We used 2 teaspoon of chipotle powder, and a couple shakes of chili powder and cumin. When the chicken is browned (about 10-12 minutes) add the cream of mushroom soup, corn, diced green chilies, and black beans. Mix thoroughly and remove from the heat. At this point, you could add more spices if you wanted more of a kick but beware if you are using chipotle powder since it has quite a kick! Spray a 13x9 dish with Pam and pour enough enchilada sauce in the bottom so just cover (about 1/4 of your can). Load your tortillas up generously.

 

 

(Just a disclaimer: the picture above doesn't do this filling justice. I can assure you these are really delicious!) Roll up and place seam side down in your dish. When you are finished with the tortillas top them with the remaining enchilada sauce.

 

 

 

Top the enchiladas with cheese and cook for 20-25 minutes. Switch your oven to Broil and put the pan on the top level and broil for 5 minutes or less to brown the cheese on top.

 

 

Serve with chopped romaine, tomatoes, and fresh salsa. And, as always, ENJOY!

 

Family Ties

We were lucky to come back from Galena to see my beloved cousin, Julie, who was travelling all over the Midwest to see friends and family. It was a whirlwind afternoon of catching up and talking until all of us could barely keep our eyes open. Julie is such an sweet soul with a thick Southern accent! I love picking up little southern phrases that she has and attempting to use them around the house (which has either brought on a strange look from Bill or just laughter). She's been through her share of struggles and I think this trip was exactly what she needed to recharge. I am so thankful for our wonderful family.

 

Weekend In Galena

Galena, Illinois is a cute, touristy little place to get away. Bill and I took some time for ourselves and took a long weekend to stay at the Eagle Ridge Golf Resort. The weekend was filled with some of the most delicious food I've ever had, Chime Pinot Noir (highly recommend it!), cards, and beautiful scenery. The blessing of the weekend was how simple and simply wonderful it became. We ate, drank, hiked, and just enjoyed each others company. The best part of the trip was that we were able to take Dutch. I have to admit that when Bill first surprised me with the getaway I was absolutely convinced that Dutch should come but it turned out to be a fantastic idea!

 

Holiday Road ~ Lyndsay Buckingham

 

When we drove into town around lunchtime on Friday we checked in early and dropped Dutch off in our beautiful villa that had this cozy cabin decor. We decided to head to Main Street to have lunch and ended up at a pizza joint called Gobbie's.... We decided to get a taco pizza since we saw one when we first walked in and it looked delicious! I think it's safe to say it was the best taco pizza I've ever had and quite possibly some of the best pizza ever. We washed it down with a couple wheat beers and walked it off down Main Street. After getting back to our home away from home we took Dutch for a long walk through the South Golf Course behind us.

 

That night we decided to head up to the Main Lodge and listen to live music. We were able to eat, drink, listen to music, and watch the Cardinals game. Afterwards, we decided to crack open the Chime and play 313 until 2 am. I won the first game and Bill won the last two but I should mention that he only won the last game by ONE POINT!

 

The next day we hiked through the hills of Galena all morning through mid-afternoon. It was a foggy day so we had the trails to ourselves and Dutch was able to run off-leash the entire time. He was having a blast! After a quick nap, we went to Main Street again to shop and eat. We walked up and down the street a couple times and decided to eat at Fried Green Tomatoes. Oh my word, it was amazing. We started with Crab Cakes which were better than the crab cakes I've had in Boston or South Carolina! Bill had steak for his entree and I had Chicken Marsala. We finished it off with a hot apple crumble dessert served with fresh-churned ice cream. We were absolutely stuffed.

 

So when we woke up on Sunday morning we realized... we haven't taken one picture so far! So here's a couple quick ones we got before we took off that afternoon. It was a great trip and I am so thankful that I married such a thoughtful man!

 

Dutch loved the yard behind our villa ~

This was our view!

The first hole on the South Course near our place

Man's best friend

The view was beautiful.

 

 

See that brown little cabin in the lower middle part of this picture? That's where we stayed. I have a feeling we might want to make this an annual getaway! 

 

Roasted Chickpeas

I'm a relentless snacker. Sometimes I feel as if I'm hungry all day long. No joke. I generally go for a salty snack and I need something that can be pretty filling. This recipe is perfect as long as you love chickpeas! I am loving the spiciness and how filling these little snacks are. Bill loves nothing about them... I forgot that he hates whole beans. Ooooops. Nevertheless, I can share with you!

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

1 15 oz. can of Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained

1 T. Olive Oil

1/2 t. Sea Salt

2 t. of spice mixture (curry, Morrocan, or Mexican spice mixture)

Make sure the chickpeas are dry after rinsing them. Double or triple pat them dry. Toss the chickpeas with the olive oil and spice. I ended up using curry which gave it a delicious Middle-eastern kick. Preheat the oven to 400 and arrange the chickpeas in a single layer on a baking sheet or stone. Bake for 30 minutes or until crispy. While baking, stir the pan every 10 minutes with a spatula. These chickpeas are a great snack and even better on a salad. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Living Magnet

Fall has arrived in Iowa. The trees have turned colors, the yard is covered in bright leaves, and the smell of sweet leaves in the air. It is such a beautiful time of year. I'm not exactly looking forward to the hours we will spend raking, I am looking forward to the feeling of accomplishment and pride at our beautiful yard.

This week ~ Happy, grateful, energetic, hopeful, joyful, and delighted to be alive. I've learned that positivity begets more hope and happiness in my life.

Music: Mumford & Sons

 

I'm a huge Mumford & Sons Fan. When I heard this song I knew I was going to share it on my blog. There is something about 'Below My Feet' that is so powerful and rich. In fact, their entire cd is pretty amazing. This is what REAL music is. Many people have commented on what they think the video is about.... My personal idea, it's a Bonnie and Clyde traveling across the land with man's best friend in the back seat. Nevertheless, it's a awesome song and the video is even better!

Meet Me In St. Louis: The Zoo

The St. Louis Zoo has a special place in my heart. I love being around animals and while I'm not a huge fan of animals in captivity the St. Louis Zoo is pretty amazing. After all of the times we have been to St. Louis, I have never taken Bill to the zoo. The weather was perfect and we spent the day in wonder of each animal. We ooh-ed and ahh-ed at the baby elephant, laughed at the hyena's resemblance to our dog, and pointed out our favorite animals. It was such a fun day for us.

 

Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to. ~Alfred A. Montapert

Meet Me In St. Louis

I received a message from my cousin Kris in early September telling me she's going to be back in St. Louis for a high school reunion at the end of the month and "would we be able to stop down and visit?" You bet your sweet .... umm, yes, Kris we'll definitely make the trip down to see you. It's only 4 hours and Bill and I love STL. Just to give you a little background. Kris lives in San Rafael, California and has lived there for about 20 years. I haven't seen Kris since my Aunt Dene's funeral in 2008 and, of course, when you see someone under those circumstances it's not easy to laugh and catch up. Before 2008, due to unforeseen circumstances (there was a bit of a family rift) I, honestly, cannot remember when the last time I would have talked to her.

 

I am going to completely get off topic here but I feel that this would be the perfect time to bring up Facebook. Oh the dreaded, horrible Facebook. People knock Facebook constantly about the drama, the cheating, and the gossip. In 2009, when I was beginning to plan my wedding and still under the impression that Facebook was the devil incarnate I was getting bummed out that I couldn't share details easily with my family. So I did the unthinkable and joined Facebook. I was smart about it and only became 'friends' with family and people that I would say "hello" to if I were grocery shopping. It might sound silly but it's amazing how many people you don't want to be in touch with!! For me, Facebook has let me keep in touch with my family, who besides my immediate family, is all out of town. Facebook allowed me to keep in touch and get to know the family that we hadn't spoken to in years. It's been pretty wonderful.

 

So back to St. Louis, I am excited to see Kris and make a little mini-vacay while we are there and Bill is excited that he finally gets to meet her! So we meet Kris for an amazing breakfast. The food was fantastic but we talked, and talked, and talked for 3 hours. My heart was just bursting with love, affection, and gratitude. I am so thankful we were able to see each other and have time to catch up. We left no stone unturned and had such a blast. My only complaint is that there just wasn't enough time! There is something about Kris... something that I just relate to. She has such a good heart and after all of these years we just picked up where we left off. We didn't miss a beat. Now there is talks of more mini-reunions and having all of the family and cousins get together.

 

Days Like These ~ Jason Aldean

 

I should also mention that by some strange fate my Dad was going to be in St. Louis that weekend for his high school reunion too! So the next day Kris and 'Uncle Drew' were able to catch up over lunch. I know that Kris was excited to see him but I've never seen my Dad that giddy about anything. He was excited about his reunion and seeing Kris was sweet icing on the cake. We love you, Kris!

 

The Skin Scoop: Maracuja Oil

In the years that I've been in the skincare industry I've discovered some amazing products. Just recently I've discovered another amazing product that I can't stop raving about: Pure Maracuja Oil. It is quite simply pure and simple... and miraculous. Maracuja oil comes from a rare passion fruit in the Amazon that is harvested once a year. The seeded pulp of the maracuja is hand pressed (no heat) to guarantee the maximum amount of essential fatty acids and vitamins that can be found in this oil. And why would you need any other ingredients when you can get tons of Vitamin C, hydration and fatty acids which are known to fight free radicals and aging?!

*Tarte Maracuja Oil Video*

I'm always skeptical when it comes to oil, my skin is pretty normal but adding oil tends to make my skin feel greasy and eventually breakout, especially in the chin and nose area. However, I had a very light anti-aging chemical peel done and I needed a little extra hydration to smooth out some dry patches. I could immediately feel a difference after trying the oil. It was ultra light but extremely hydrating. My skin immediately had a glow and looked radiant. I even pointed it out to Bill who immediately responded and said "Yeah, your skin looks really good." That's a major observation coming from a dude who didn't even notice when I had Juvederm injected into my lips 2 years ago, haha.

Ulta Reviews
Sephora Reviews

So in the couple of weeks I've been using the Pure Maracuja Oil I've noticed my skin glowing 24/7, less crepiness, and a softness that I've never, ever felt before. The glowing skin has truly made my skin look flawless. No zits, no greasiness. Just pure awesomeness. This oil gets 5 stars!!

Happy Tears

My brother shared this video with me last week. The video shows my niece, Hailey, when she was 1 at Friendship Village. It includes my Grandma and Aunt Dene who both passed away in 2008. It was so fun to see Dene playing and talking with Hailey and hear her voice again. At 2:33, I am speechless. My grandma sings Jesus Loves Me to Hailey, one of her favorite songs. We sang Jesus Loves Me at my grandmother's funeral. I watched that part over and over, crying happy tears. I am so thankful that my brother was digging up old videos and found that magical moment.

Happy Friday

Potential Captions:

"One more picture and I'm going to scream...."

"Who pooped in my yard????"

"Ooohoooohhh livin' on a prayer!"

"Help! I'm trapped in Shueyville!!!!!!"

"Please don't make me hang out with Grandma & Grandpa's 4 schnauzers again!!"

"I LOVE CARROTS!"

"My Mom & Dad rock!!"

"It's Friiiidaaaaaay, bitches!"



Eco- Glow

Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop ~ Landon Pigg

 

I love making candles. I love the scents, the colors, the gratification of making something by hand... and now I'm officially in love with my new jars.

www.candleprincess.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it; Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Goldfinch

Have you ever wondered what store Bill and I love to go to? You guessed it, Theisen's. Bill loves to look at the Carhartt pants and I always browse the racks looking for a camoflauge shirt that's just the right amount of outdoorsy and girly but doesn't say white trash. I feel it is necessary to tell you I have never purchased any clothing there YET. I'm already off topic though.... A couple weeks ago Bill and I headed to Theisen's to pick up food and treats for Dutch. While we were there Bill and I decided to pick up some more birdseed and we ended up buying a Goldfinch feeder and Goldfinch food. After a couple days and no finches to be found around our feeder I was feeling a little ripped off. And then on a dreary and rainy Sunday, Bill spotted this little guy having a snack. Every day since then we've had finches at the feeder.

 

Blackbird ~ Sarah McLachlan

 

Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. ~ Henry Van Dyke

 

Natarajasana Wisdom

The true harvest of my daily life is somewhat as intangible and indescribable as the tints of morning or evening. It is a little star dust caught, a segment of the rainbow which I have clutched. ~Henry David Thoreau, Walden