FOOD FOR THOUGHT

After reading my post about marriage blues, you might better understand where I'm coming from:

I've been emotionally eating. 

I'm getting really honest here. I have gained more weight this year than since I was a growing, developing child, and I am at my heaviest weight.

Eating something creamy and thick and chocolatey and sweet makes me feel relaxed and less anxious. I try to turn off the irrational worries of the future by turning on my favorite television shows accompanied by my favorite snacks and treats.

It all started when I was feeling pretty down this past summer-- I've been battling my emotions and food ever since. This is an example of how I think about food during the day.

Today, I'm going to eat better.

Well, I didn't have time to eat breakfast, so I need to make sure I don't eat overeat at lunch.

Oh, those doughnuts in the faculty room look so good. It's okay, I can have one because I didn't eat breakfast. 

Yeah, this salad looks really healthy! AND I opted for the vinaigrette, I'm awesome.
What is good about spinach and mixed greens? Yuck. I want iceberg lettuce.
I'll just eat extra fruit instead. 

I ate really well at lunch and work was long. I deserve to plop down on the couch, watch Dr. Phil and consume an entire bag of microwave popcorn. I want hot chocolate, too. Nope, not enough chocolate, I'll add some extra scoops. It's in almond milk, so there is  protein (yeah, I actually have that thought. I actually think that almond milk can be my main source of protein.)

Since dinner won't be until 9, I will just keep snacking until then. Snacking is better for your metabolism. I'll snack on this peppermint bark. It had dark chocolate, so that makes it better for me. What else can I snack on...

Wait. I was going to eat better today, humph. I can't do it. Yet another thing I can't do right. I'm the worst! This bowl of cereal will make me feel better... and I can try again tomorrow.

Dinner was good, but I should add more vegetables. I'm glad I asked G to bring home some gummies. I am craaaving them. 

And sometimes, after enjoying three slices of pizza instead of one, or after eating extra pasta and breadsticks at dinner, I have a horrific thought. One that I am disgusted in myself for having.

Sometimes I think,

If only I could make myself purge all this crap I've consumed. 

I do NOT want to live like this! I don't want to have those thoughts. Especially that last one. I want to feel good about what I eat. I want to enjoy dessert *every once in a while* and not tear myself down for a week afterward.

I don't want to starve myself. I don't want to do anything unhealthy-- yet I know my current eating and thinking habits are unhealthy.

My husband is a trooper for living with me. I cry about my eating habits sometimes and he just tell ms me I'm beautiful. He spoils me with a new pair of jeans when my old ones don't fit. My husband tells me I look great.

The thing is, I don't FEEL great.

 I don't want to be struggling with regret after late-night bingeing. I don't want to late-night binge in the first place! I want to cook more. I want to eat less sugar. I need to eat better.


I want to feel better.

I've finally had it. It's time that I do something about all of this. I've been doing a lot of reading, and while I firmly believe in the mantra, "moderation in all things" I've decided to do a sugar detox. Personally, I think this will be the best way for me to kick start a better lifestyle. If anyone wants to join me, I'm starting the day after Christmas-- December 26th.

This week, I'll be posting the plan I decide to go with. I'll be posting updates and photos and recipes galore. Your support means EVERYTHING.

1. Have you found an awesome cleanse or detox that worked for you? If so, tell me about it.

2. Do you have a favorite sweet-tooth-craving buster? I am a junk-food junkie and am terrified to go off sweets and excess sugar for so long.

3. I've heard that eating late can be yucky for your metabolism and my husband get's home from work around 9:30. In an effort to enjoy dinner together, I wait and eat late. Any suggestions of how to fix this situation?

FINALS BREAKFAST: RASPBERRY, LEMON, & RICOTTA PANCAKES

Holy mackerel-- these pancakes are DIVINE. Sweet raspberries with a zip of lemon and the rich, melty ricotta made this a breakfast I almost kept entirely for myself.

Since I'm a big girl now (all finished with my Bachelor's degree as of last week), I wanted to make G a tasty breakfast before his last final of the semester. The problem is that I leave for work pretty early and I don't like waking up earlier than I have to. I decided I'd make something the night before that he could re-heat. I've made waffles or pancakes toaster-size so they can be revived *almost* as new.

So, last night I experimented with a recipe from my favorite cook book. I made a few changes to the ricotta pancakes found inside and was quite please with the way they turned out... even though I'm terrible at flipping pancakes and they looked much worse than they tasted.

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Raspberry, Lemon & Ricotta Pancakes 

2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)
1 lemon
1/4 cup of sugar, plus 1 Tbs

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs, separate yolks and whites
1 1/4 cup milk
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

Mix raspberries, 1/4 cup of sugar and zest from the entire lemon in a bowl, gently crushing berries as you stir. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, and remaining sugar. In a separate bowl, combine egg yolks, milk, and ricotta cheese. In another bowl (YES, another bowl....), beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, set aside.  Add wet mixture to dry mixture, stirring until mostly smooth. Gently fold in berry mixture and egg whites.

Here's the tricky part, at least for me. Hopefully your pancakes will turn out before you make your last one. I used a medium skillet, warmed with coconut oil for my cakes-- you can use butter, too. Using my 1/3 cup measuring cup, I plopped the batter in the center of my skillet and flipped my cake too soon. After a lot of trial and error (and patience), the perfect pancakes came when I saw bubbles form in the center of my pancake, THEN I flipped them. I'm going to blame it on my skillet, it's not very good. We got one pot from our gift registry and I have yet to buy a decent pot and pan set. Maybe for Christmas?

We ate these with homemade maple syrup and they were delectable. Even though I'm a waffle girl, I'm definitely making these again.

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Pancakes, or waffles?

Any tips for someone who can't flip her pancakes?

VEGETABLE SPAGHETTI SAUCE

The recipe I made for dinner last night turned out pretty amazing. The best part? It was LOADED with vegetables. I do not like vegetables, to say the least. I think their textures are despicable, they all taste like grass and the only time they are appealing is when they are steamed, covered in butter and showered with salt. 

What I'm saying, is that this recipe is one you'll want to make-- there's no butter. 

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Veggie Spaghetti Sauce:

1 cup of each diced:

Yellow Summer Squash

Zucchini

White onion

Carrot

Half of a Red Bell Pepper, diced

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 14 oz. can tomato sauce

4 Tbs. tomato paste

1/8 cup sugar

1 tsp.  salt

1 tsp. nutmeg

Fresh basil and oregano to taste!

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Pulse diced squash, zucchini, carrot, onion, and bell pepper in processor until desired size and consistency. I pulsed mine quickly to make them smaller, but not so much that they became mushy or runny. You can add ANY other vegetables you have on hand (spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, kale, etc.).

In a sauce pan over medium heat, warm olive oil and sauté all your diced veggies for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until veggies are soft. Add garlic. Sauté for 2-3 more minutes. 

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar and stir until veggies are fully incorporated. Simmer sauce for 10-15 minutes, add salt and nutmeg. Simmer for 15 more minutes, stirring in basil and oregano 5 minutes before serving. 

Serve over whole wheat spaghetti-- about 6 servings. 

What I LOVE about this recipe is that it leaves plenty of leftover for me to take to work. I love that it's packed with veggies and it tastes so fresh. 

What veggies would you add to this sauce?

Do any of you have tricks for me to get more veggies in my life? 

GROWING PAINS

I was going to post a new recipe, but we just ate leftovers and popcorn for dinner (lately I have been on a popcorn kick, trying all different kinds-- and I am never quite satisfied). This week has been full of all sorts of emotional highs and some devastating outcomes from that stupid and wonderful thing called *real life*. 

As I grow up and realize more everyday how little I know, I have to remind myself of all the good around me. I finished my bachelor's degree on Wedneday and start my new job On Monday. That's amazing, right? Then why do I feel this sense of panic? I am terrified of failing. 

I am a little terrified to grow up too fast. 

I want to slow time down and be wrapped up in G's arms just a few minutes longer in the morning. I want my aching knees to stop-- can't I have the body of an 18-year-old again? Within the blink of an eye, I will be sending off my first kid to college and then pretty soon I will be a grandma. After that? Greg will be all alone, or worse, I will be all alone. I don't want to grow old. 

A couple months ago, G's grandfather passed away, leaving his wife. Much more recently, his paternal grandmother passed away Wednesday morning-- finally joining her husband. She had been without him for far too long. Yesterday, I got a phone call informing me that my grandfather will be passing in only a matter of time, leaving my grandmother alone. What is the point of that? I couldn't do it. 

I am so terrified of getting old. 

Someone tell me how to embrace it all and just let things happen. 

 

SLOW-COOKER TORTILLA SOUP

Yesterday was practically the worst day of the year because it was the COLDEST day since summer. I was freezing all day and plopped right down on the couch when I got home from school. I warmed myself up with hot cocoa and some Dr. Phil. Why do I love that show so much?

I was happy that I didn't need to worry about dinner since I prepped it all this past weekend and was able to toss it in a Crockpot this morning. It was so tasty (and warm!), I hope you enjoy it! 

Slow Cooker Torrilla Soup -- serves 4

2 large chicken breasts, trimmed 

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped white onion

1 cup sliced carrots

3 chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes

1 clove minced garlic

1 package taco seasoning 

1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 can diced tomatoes

3 cups water

2 8-inch whole wheat tortillas, torn into small pieces (about 2 inches)

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup milk (optional) 

Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded cheese of choice for sprinkling on served soup

You can prepare this as a freezer meal by putting everything except cilantro, tortillas, cheese, water, salt, pepper and milk in a gallon freezer bag. After freezing, place contents of bag, plus 3 cups of water, in the Crockpot on low for 6-8 hours.

If you aren't freezing beforehand, put the same contents and water in a the Crockpot for 4-6 hours. 

1 hour before serving, remove chicken breasts and shred use two forks. Return to Crockpot. Put half of the cilantro and all the tortillas in the crockpot. Stir occasionally, until tortillas are incorporated. If using milk, stir in with salt and pepper 30 minutes before serving. 

Serve with cheese, tortillas chips, guacamole, sour cream, etc. 

Enjoy!

What are you doing to stay warm? 

LIGHTER FARE MUSHROOM, ASPARAGUS, & CHICKEN ALFREDO

I posted this on Instagram about two weeks ago, promising I would post it the following day. Oops.

This is one of my favorite go-to recipes. I got it from an ex-boyfriend's mother and I have made a few changes to her recipe to make it slightly less guilty. The flavor isn't sacrificed, but for a creamier, more luscious texture, add more butter and use heavy cream instead of milk. 

Bon a petit! 

Chicken (optional) -- 

2-3 Chicken breasts

2 Tbs olive oil

Sea salt

Pepper

Trim 2-3 chicken breasts and cut into chunks. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. In a medium skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, cook chicken (about 2-3 minutes each side). Check the largest piece and make sure juices run clear. Set chicken aside.

Sauce: 

2 Tbs. butter (gasp!)

1-2 cloves garlic, minced (I use about 3-- you can never have enough garlic!)

2 Tbs. whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups of milk (you can even use skim!)

1 cup shredded parmesean cheese

Sea salt

Pepper 

Nutmeg 

The first thing you will be doing is making a rous. This is a butter, flour and milk mixture that creates a thick sauce base. This also allows to omit that luscious, heavy cream. 

In a sauce pan over medium heat, heat butter and garlic. Be careful not to burn the garlic, it should become soft and translucent-- but not brown! 

Whisk in flour until thoroughly combined. Whisk in half the milk and bring to boil. Turn heat to low and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Your mixture will have thickened. Stir in half the cheese followed by remaining milk. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat and cover. 

Asparagus and Mushrooms:

2 Tbs. olive oil

However many mushrooms you desire, thinly sliced (I only sliced enough for my hubs).

However many asparagus stalks you desire, cut into 2 inch sections (I cut tons of asparagus-- I love it!).

2 Tbs. olive oil

Heat oil in a medium skillet and sautée mushrooms and asparagus for about 5 minutes, turning veggies halfway through.

(I sautéed the mushrooms separately because I hate them. I added them to the dish after on the side of the bowl that serves my husband)

 Drain excess oil, return to low heat and add chicken to warm. Add sauce to skillet, stirring in veggies and chicken. 

Serve over whole wheat linguine. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

What types of add-ins would you include in this recipe? 

Do any of you have guilty pasta recipes that you have adjusted to a lighter option? 

SIX MONTHS

I have been a very weak and pitiful blogger the last few months year because I’ve had the emotional roller coaster of my short lifetime thus far. One year ago, I finally decided to get engaged to G. Half a year later, I married him. I can’t believe he has stuck by my side as my husband for six whole months. Between crying so hard I can’t breathe and cursing at my body image in the mirror, G conquers all my fears and doubts. He stays by me and tells me that everything is going to be okay (often times I follow, yelling “everything is NOT okay!!!). That man is one decision I’ll never regret.

I’ve hesitated posting this, (the fact that I prefaced this paragraph with that phrase suggests that perhaps I shouldn’t) but I want to share part of my experience as a newlywed.  The days following my honeymoon were overwhelming to say the least. The commitment I had just made with another human was unfathomable and daunting. Committing to someone for all eternity, FOREVER, cannot even be put into words. Never mind having pick up someone else’s socks from the floor or cleaning toothpaste splatter from your mirror, you are tied to this one person forever.

It wasn’t as if I wanted anyone else. Things just didn’t feel right. I was nervous and doubtful. I felt, and still feel, that there is no one better for me than my husband. I knew I loved him, so why wasn’t being married all that people made it out to be? I constantly thought I was disappointing him. I thought he was irritated with me. I cried most nights and called my mother way too much. I felt immature and unprepared. I saw girls getting married who were much younger I and they seemed to do just fine—what was wrong with me?  My married peers wouldn’t shut up about how amazing their marriage was and couldn’t stop sharing all the incredible gestures shown by their spouse. I wanted G to give me more attention and leave me notes. I wanted flowers and text messages throughout my day. The guy I dated was now consumed with two jobs and college classes and I was busy with work, student teaching, and adjusting to a lot of change. Real life was setting in and I didn't handle it well, AT ALL. I wasn’t happy for months. How could I have had a picture perfect wedding day, a honeymoon in paradise, the man of my dreams and still be unhappy?

All the change I experienced this last summer sent me somewhere dark. I was constantly worried about pleasing him. I doubted my abilities. I honestly convinced myself that I didn't deserve someone as wonderful as my husband and I thought he was going to leave. I even contemplated calling it quits myself. That is one horribly awful feeling. One I wish I never had. I felt utterly alone.

After countless prayers, arguments, tears, and more prayers, something wonderful happened.  I was scheduled to nanny for an entire weekend, and G was invited to keep my company. I had seen G with my nieces and nephew before, but there was something about this particular weekend that hit me hard. I stood in the light of the hallway, holding a teary-eyed three-year-old at three in the morning, I felt this flood of peace and reassurance: G found me and put his arm around me, whispering to the little boy that everything was going to be all right. He rubbed the boy’s back, kissed me on the cheek and waited with me until we got the boy to sleep.  That moment was all I needed. I realized that G and I are a team. He’s my better half; my partner in crime. He wasn't going to give up on my and I will never give up on him.

Everything is going to be all right.

That man is one decision I will never regret.

The reason I wanted to share this post is because I felt completely alone the first several months of my marriage. My mother consoled me and I found temporary relief in prayer, but for months my heart was heavy and I blamed myself. I tore myself up for feeling the way I did because everyone else around me was having a wonderful time being married. I was so hard on the woman I am that I drove myself into depression. Why did that happen? I sobbed through a Sunday school lesson because everyone was sharing why their marriages were great. I couldn’t relate and I felt as if I was a horrible wife. Maybe no one feels the way I felt, and if that’s the case, then at least I blogged today, right?

Things are still hard, but I am letting go of a lot of my insecurities. G puts up with my tears more than he should. He orders us take-out when a cooking experiment goes awry. He makes me feel like the most gorgeous human being, even if I have gained 10 pounds since getting hitched. He never gets mad. He always holds me. He is patient and kind. 

He makes me feel safe. 

I just have to believe him when he says that everything will be all right.

TOOTH ACHE

Today in my reading circle with my 4th graders, the boys were complaining about how many girls were in our group. 

"There are way more girls than boys!" 

"No, there are 4 girls and 6 boys here."

"Well not if you count Mrs. Johnson!"

"Yeah, but she doesn't count because she's a woman." 

Is that kid-code for "she's old"?

In other news, we passed our cleaning checks-- Hooray! I haven't cooked anything fancy today because nothing sounds super yummy to me since my tooth has decided it wants a root canal. Hooray. I guess it's a left-over kind if night. 

Am I a bad wife for forcing my husband to eat leftovers even though I usually find them to be repulsive? 

I guess I will have some cold cereal and chew on only one side of my mouth.... Does anyone have any home-remedies for tooth pain? I have zero time for a root-canal until school is out for the holidays so any help you can offer would be very much appreciated.

GET HIM TO CLEAN THE APARTMENT

This morning as I hit the snooze button for the 5th time, I realized that I have less than 7 weeks left of student teaching. I have 7 weeks until I officially graduate. How crazy-cool is that?

I also realized that I haven't visited the blogosphere in a about two months. Yikes. Student teaching has consumed me whole.

Well, here I am & in the next several weeks I will...

Post about 10 new recipes that I have been loving 

Post something overly sentimental, but life-changing 

Give away a brand spankin' new copy of my favorite FAVORITE cook book

Beg ask you to share your favorite holiday recipes and feature you! 

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Today after school, this was posted on our door:



Cleaning inspections. YUCK. It's not that my place is messy, I just get nervous about people coming to critique my home and pry into my space... to make things easier, my man stepped up. I walked in and G had done dishes, made the bed, closed the shower curtain (gasp!) and put the toilet seat down (double gasp!). I think I owe it to the following recipe, it is literally entitled "Get Him to Clean the Apartment Burgers." I made it for the mister while we dating and he knew we were having burgers tonight...so I'm going to say the recipe worked.

Here is one of my guilty recipes-- so for those of you who like to eat healthy and clean, the following may offend you. I love this burger because it's a step up from plain ol' onion flakes in ground beef. Plus, the Swiss cheese and BUTTER make this burger drool-worthy.

Get Him to Clean the Apartment Burgers
(from my favorite book)

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (80-to-20 meat-to-fat ratio--sorry, but leaner just won't do!)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
4 pats (1⁄2 tablespoon each) butter
4 thin square slices Cheddar or Swiss cheese (optional)
4 hamburger buns, lightly toasted

Preparation
1. In a large bowl, using your hands, gently mix the meat with a generous pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper, the cumin, shallot, and Worcestershire sauce, making sure not to take so long that you begin to warm the meat.



2. Divide into 4 balls and flatten into patties.

3. With your thumbs, create a depression in the top and add a pat of butter to each patty. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

4. Preheat the broiler or grill. If using the broiler, put the patties on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and broil for about 7 minutes, until they are browned on one side. Flip and cook for about 4 minutes longer, depending on how well done you like them. If using the grill, add the patties to the grill rack and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until charred, about 7 minutes. If making cheeseburgers, add the cheese during the last few minutes of cooking.

*When I take this out from the broiler, I place them on a plate with a paper towel before serving. It soaks up a little of that extra fat; however, I snarf these bad boys down and all lady-likeness is gone. 

Top with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and any other desired toppings. Enjoy. 

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Can anyone tell me what life will be like once I'm done with college? I have been a student for the past 16 years of my life. 

If you made these burgers as turkey-burgers, what adjustments would you make to the add-ins?

What's a guilty recipe you love to make?

WHAT I MADE FOR DINNER: SPICY TOMATO PENNE

Adapted from "Let's Make a Baby Pasta" recipe.

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Spicy Tomato Penne

3/4 pound whole wheat penne
2 tablespoons olive oil + extra for grilling chicken
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I even put as much as a whole teaspoon for extra kick!)
One 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 large chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper

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Cook penne in boiling water until al dente, drain and set pasta aside in serving bowl

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over moderate heat, then add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic is soft, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon--careful not to let the garlic brown. Add the tomatoes and stir. Simmer until warmed through. Add salt to taste.

In a separate, lightly oiled skillet, grill chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper until golden brown on both sides.

Toss pasta with tomato sauce, reserving a few tablespoons of sauce to drizzle atop chicken. Place grilled chicken breasts on top of the pasta (I cut my chicken into strips). Pour remaining sauce and cheese on top of the chicken.

I love this dish because it's light, but filling and tasty. When I need some good carbs, you bet I make this pasta! I really like how much you can tweak this dish, too. Sometimes I add some zucchini to the pasta sauce, and sometimes I leave the chicken out.

I'm going to go heat up my left-overs right now...

SLUMP

Ever since running the Ragnar relay at the end of June-- I really haven't been running and I feel awful. I tried running last weekend, and let's just say it almost killed me. I think that I pushed myself too hard during Ragnar and because it was my first time, I didn't know what to expect. I thought I trained pretty well...turns out I didn't. It took me weeks to recover after that race.

The rest of this summer I have been in a slump. I have taken the "it's okay to relax in the summer" mantra way too seriously. Let me explain how...

///// Ever since Thanksgiving, I seem to actually feel my metabolism slowing down by the hour. Oh the woes of aging.

///// Our apartment comes with free cable and I've been exposed to all these television shows I didn't even know existed. The Real Housewives of Wherever are captivating to watch. Their lives are unreal to me and ridiculously entertaining.

///// We had left over cheese cake from our reception that helped kick off my summer of sucky eating. Seriously...I had a piece every day for breakfast for about 2 weeks.

///// I blame Breaking Bad for my inability to wake up early and exercise outdoors before it's blistering hot. The husband gets off work at 9, we eat dinner, and finish watching the good old Heisenberg around midnight.

Do any of you feel sluggish and plump at the end of summer? What do you do to stay motivated and moving? I need someone to get up in my face, and tell me to shape up.

WHAT MY HUSBAND MADE FOR DINNER

This is what happens when my husband is left to fend for himself:

A pan cake. 

Eggs

Almond Milk

Bisquick 

Ick.

WHAT I MADE FOR DINNER: ENCHILADAS

Here's the think you need to know about me: I love cheese. I love it. I love all the different kinds of cheddar, I love blue cheese, I love goat cheeses, I love a slice of fresh mozzarella with a slice of tomato, I love brie, I love pepper jack, and so on and so forth.

Here's the thing you need to know about cheese: it's sort of full of fat. 

In all my recipes that use cheese, I opt for the lighter option or switch out medium cheddar for a smaller serving of sharp, etc. Find comfort in knowing that I have tweaked ingredients into being slightly better for you than the alternative. I'm sure there are vegan cheeses and much healthier options, but I haven't sacrificed total richness, comfort, and flavor in my cooking.

Enchiladas (adapted from Delfina Amate)

2 lb. boneless chicken breast, shredded (you can boil chicken in water until cooked or let cook in a crock pot covered by water on high for a few hours, shred chicken with a fork)
1 small can cream of chicken soup
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 package neufchatel cheese (found next to cream cheese)
2 tsp butter
1 small white onion, chopped
1 4-oz. can chopped green chiles, drained
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup water
1 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
8 whole wheat tortillas
2 C. sharp cheddar cheese
1 10-oz. can green enchilada sauce

*sliced black olives
*guacamole
*tomatoes
*salsa

Phew! That's quite the ingredient list. Trust me, it's not a complicated recipe.

In a saucepan, combine cream of chicken soup, neufchatel cheese, and chili powder; bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring until heated through. Turn off heat and cover to keep warm. In a skillet, heat butter over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent-- about 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken, chopped green chilies, taco seasoning, half the chopped green onions, and water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice, onion powder, and garlic powder. Simmer for 10 more minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir 1 cup creamy mixture into skillet, spread the remaining creamy mixture on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture. Spring cheddar cheese over the chicken filling and roll up, save half the cheese for topping the enchiladas. Place enchiladas seam side down in the prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining green onions and olives on top of the enchiladas (at this point, if you want to put any other veggies like green peppers or tomatoes on top, go for it!). Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling-- about 20-25 minutes. This serves about 8 people.

  

 I serve my enchiladas with salsa and some homemade guacamole on the side. Delish!

If you have a small family to serve (just the husband and me over here), split the chicken, creamy mixture, tortillas, and cheese in half. Put 4 enchiladas each in 2 smaller pans. I cover one pan, uncooked, in the freezer. I can make dinner with the other pan and have dinner for next week all ready to go! If you are baking the frozen dish, it takes about 35 minutes.

Do any of you love enchiladas? Any changes you would make to this dish?

BRIDALS

Here are just a few of my amazing bridals shot by the lovely and incredibly talented Jessica Kettle.

When I was a senior in high school, I stumbled about Jessica's work and it was a dream come true to have her shoot my bridals and wedding day.  I had such a great time with her in these gorgeous fields. She got so many different shots as the sun set. There were so many to choose from!

Would it be weird if I had about 150+ photos of myself throughout my apartment?