"12 Layers Deep"

Well, as you can see, I've been a little more quiet than usual on the recipe front.  Last week we were met with yet another snow day (and a half) and three sick kiddos.  Thankfully, my in-laws were here the weekend before and had us STOCKED with all kinds of goodies.  So, we basically ate out of the fridge/freezer and enjoyed some pimento cheese sandwiches, chicken salad with crackers and grapes, macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets, and homemade lasagna. 

I have to tell y'all, though, that despite being hunkered down at home for a few days, I had some wonderful experiences this past week.  I got to work with Julia Chandler of Julia's Takeaway Gourmet in her commercial kitchen and be on the "tart line" as she prepared dinner for 100+ people for an event Friday night.   It was amazing to watch her in her element, and she was kind and patient with me as I needed instructions on even the simplest tasks of slicing tomatoes and adding cheese to the tarts.  If you'd like to see a picture of us in all of our tart line glory, check out Julia's post about it, HERE on her blog.

I got to enjoy Julia's wonderful meal on Friday night while having the privilege of eating dinner with an amazing group of women and hearing Glennon Doyle Melton speak on the 5 most asked questions that she gets from women on a daily basis.  After dinner, we headed to the sanctuary of our church to hear her speak again (to a much larger crowd) while raising money for H.O.P.E., which is a non-profit whose aim is to feed hungry children here in the Winston-Salem area.  The next day, I got to hear Glennon speak again at the women's retreat at our church.  My head was truly spinning after all of these events, and I learned so many things that I can start implementing right now.  Out of everything that I heard over the weekend, the two that rang the most true were (1) leaving margin in your life and (2) being your authentic self.

When she was talking about leaving margin, she basically was saying don't "reap" to the edges of your life with your time, your energy, your talents, because, if you do, there won't be anything left for you to give.  I think most of us can relate to this.  Our days are filled with what is mostly good stuff...children, jobs, families, volunteerism, bettering ourselves... BUT, too much "good stuff" can leave us weary and with nothing left to give.  What good does it do for us or for our family/friends/strangers who can benefit from our gifts and talents if we're left pushed to (or beyond) our limits everyday?

I was the recipient of two friends "leaving margin" this week.  My very closest friend here in Winston is an incredible fifth grade teacher who has two small children and a husband to take care of when she arrives home everyday from molding the hearts and minds of her school kiddos.  Well, guess what, even she leaves margin...the other night, she left enough margin to make a meal special enough for an anniversary, birthday, etc just because she wanted to do something kind for me.  She had dinner prepared, the wine poured, the table set, and was dressed to the nines when I arrived at her house for what I thought was a late afternoon play date.  Seriously?  Another friend took the time during her day of racing three kiddos all over (along with all of the other kiddos she helps other mamas out with everyday) to drop by my house, in the rain, with some cookies we had been talking about.  What?  How in the world do these women find the time or the energy?  They leave margin, that's how.

When Glennon was talking about being your authentic self, she said that basically on the surface we are all so different, but if we go "12 layers deep," (Glennon's phrase) we are all more similar than we think in terms of our hopes, our fears, and our dreams.  This got me thinking about a challenge I recently read about "telling your story," your true story, and having it posted on the Momastery blog.  (See link below if you're interested.)

http://momastery.com/carry-on-warrior

Well, here's the thing, my story doesn't involve anything that is totally outrageous and that would become a New York Times bestseller because of crazy, unpredictable plot twists, and there are lots of people I love involved in my story whose permission I would have to get before throwing everything out there into the great unknown.  With that said, mine is a story of great love, joy, heartache, loss, hope, and redemption much like, I am sure, a lot of yours are.  So, here's my thought...rather than posting my story out on the web for all the world to read, (okay, maybe the handful of strangers that would read it) I am going to start writing my story for just me, and I'm going to ask a few of my close friends here if they'll do the same.  Then, my hope is that we will share our stories with each other...or at least parts of our stories...the whole story, our story today, our year's story, our hope for the future story, whatever they're comfortable with today.  Now, I haven't approached them with this yet, but we did have a meeting the other night recapping the weekend where we all opened up about SOMETHING, (struggles with children, struggles with balance, struggles with loneliness, deep thoughts about starfish) and it was powerful.

I have an amazing group of girls that already knows my story.  We all met in college and continue to have a reunion at least once a year and continually catch up on each other's lives via our email banter that we constantly have going.  I can tell them ANYTHING, and when we get together we talk about EVERYTHING.  And when I say everything, I really mean EVERYTHING.  These are the deepest, most authentic relationships I have because we let ourselves be vulnerable with one another...and this is my story with all of my best girlfriends...from Augusta, from Nashville, from Scottsdale, from Winston and beyond. They are the ones that have let me into their hearts and have allowed me to do the same.  These people are so important because they can see things in you that sometimes you, yourself can't see. They look into your soul and know when you're elated, when you're thriving, when you're floundering, and when you're drowning...no matter how you may appear on the outside...believe me, I've tried to hide behind a smile, and it's exhausting, and I've gotten caught in my own headspace, and it backfires...terribly.  It is so much easier to live with your true self out in the open than to hide behind insecurities, anger, fear, rejection, shame, drama. This is what leads to "real" friendships.  Authentic friendship is the only friendship I really know how to do.  The other stuff makes me nervous and makes my closet-introvert self very uncomfortable because I don't really know how to do small talk over long periods of time. (Right, Star?)

We all have a story to share.  We all have hopes, fears, dreams, disappointments, things that overwhelm us, things we'd rather hide, and things we have found to make us stronger.  We all have something others can relate to.  We all have gifts to give through our words.  We all have reasons behind the way that we behave and relate to other people.  We all have blessings to give by opening up and being vulnerable.  And this is why I want to keep the chain going.  Now, I'm not saying to start complaining and to just air your dirty laundry all over the place, but I am saying to find someone you trust, whether you've known them for a while or whether they're a newer acquaintance that could use a friend.  Share your story and ask them theirs. I am going to continue sharing my crazy self with friends both old and new knowing that this is the way to truly live life..."12 layers deep."

Happy Cooking!
 

Butternut Squash Risotto

Butternut Squash Risotto:

5 T extra-virgin olive oil (divided)

2 tsp kosher salt (divided)
3/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Herbs De Provence

1 lb butternut squash, peeled and cubed (I bought pre-cut this time)

1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 large clove garlic, smashed, peeled, chopped

1 cup Arborio rice (about 6 ½ ounces)

¼ cup dry white wine

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

Toss squash with 2T olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and Herbs de Provence.  Place on an aluminum lined baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes until slightly browned and tender.

Heat remaining 3T oil over medium heat in medium stockpot.  Add onions, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.  Add the rice. Stir until well coated and translucent in spots, about 2 minutes. Add the wine. Cook until the wine is absorbed, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the rice is just tender but still has some bite and the risotto is creamy, stirring often, about 20 minutes.

Stir in butternut squash at the end and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

Happy Cooking!

It's My Party, and I'll Cry if I Want To...Or Maybe Not?

Well, I don't really know where to begin.  This week has certainly NOT been what I expected...

Last Thursday, my husband's parents arrived into town bearing lots of gifts for my son's 6th birthday party planned for Monday and ready to help my husband with the kids for the weekend as I was flying to NYC to surprise my sister for her 30th birthday.  We had a grown up dinner that night of Green Jacket Salad,  Eggplant Gratin, and leftover lasagna made by my neighbor...it was absolutely delicious, and I am hoping that she'll share the recipe with me!  The evening was lovely , and we all headed to bed early and ready for action the next morning.

After getting all of the kiddos off to school, I was on my way!  When I arrived at the airport, there was a slight delay but nothing unexpected.  I was in contact with my brother-in-law all morning trying to plan our surprise attack down to the minute.  He met me downstairs under the guise that he had to run to the ATM really quickly and then asked my sister to grab something out in the hall.  You know what, we ACTUALLY pulled it off!!!  She was shocked that I was there, and she literally picked me up off of the ground.  We had an awesome weekend...I got LOTS of baby snuggles with my 5 week old niece, I think that I may have imparted some baby knowledge to the new parents...just maybe ;), and my brother-in-law threw together a fun brunch menu for my sister including Zucker's Bagels, Eggs with Goat Cheese & Basil, Fresh Fruit, and some cocktails.  I had planned on making Julia's Oven Crispy Chicken for dinner that night, but their oven was on the fritz, so we went for plan B...take out of Fried Chicken, Asparagus, and Lemon Chicken with a yummy salad from The Kitchenette.  SO DELISH!!

View from my sis and blaw's rooftop in NYC

The next day, the surprise was on me.  I got a phone call that my flight was cancelled.  Um, no, that is not acceptable.  That change would be a real pain on any other Sunday afternoon, but I could've managed, especially with my in-laws staying until Monday anyway.  BUT, Monday was my first born's 6th birthday, I was doing the St. Patty's Day party at his school, and his birthday party was planned at the Soccerplex that afternoon.  SO, rather than having the afternoon to peruse around NYC with my sis et al on what was her actual birthday, I hopped in a cab and booked it to the airport.  Thankfully, all was fine, and my plane landed six hours earlier than my original flight, which honestly ended up being a blessing because it gave me time to make birthday cupcakes, get the supplies for the party at school, and see my hubby and kiddos before they went to bed.

Well, the leprechaun must've been upset that we tried to trap him with our stellar leprechaun trap, because SURPRISE! school let out an hour and a half early AND the Soccerplex closed due to the ice storm. What???  My lovely Pinterest/friend inspired fruit rainbow was sitting there ready to take to school for my St. Patty's Day baby's afternoon party at school, I had 48 cupcakes here iced and ready to go to the Soccerplex for his party, and I REALLY didn't want to break it to my son that his party was not going to happen and that we were just going to have a nice afternoon at home with just our family.

So, what does a mama do when her son asks her if he can have a few friends over?  Well, she does just that.  We moved some furniture, whipped up some decorations (luckily his birthday is St. Patty's Day every year, so we're pretty covered in that department...plus, my sweet father-in-law went out that morning and grabbed some additional gear for the original party), and had an impromptu party at our house.  Now, it was much smaller in scale than was originally planned, but I think that our little guy had a blast.  He was in his element with a NCAA inspired basketball tournament going
on in the basement on the double arcade bball game with his grandparents, his daddy, his brother, and his buddies.  After all was said and done, the craziness had subsided, and the gifts were opened, I asked him what he thought of his party.  He replied, "It was the best day.  I got out of school early.  I got to play basketball at MY house with my friends, AND we got to watch a show while we played!!"  WOW.  Through the eyes of my child, I saw how simple it was to find joy when the "leprechaun" turns your day upside down.

I was so upset when I first found out that his party had been cancelled.  I was honestly working myself into a bit of a tizzy worrying about it.  I was worried about my child being upset, I was worried that he would (understandably) sulk about not going to the Soccerplex, I was worried that his birthday would be ruined.  When I saw my child's face and heard his voice, though, I saw through his eyes that it was not a big deal and that he was fine.  He responded exactly how I should respond when life throws me for a loop...he rolled with the punches, had a positive attitude, and decided he was going to have an amazing day.

Isn't it true that attitude is everything?  We're all going to hit bumps in the road, we're all going to have set backs, run into road blocks, and life is going to turn everything on its head at some point.  The lovely truth is that no matter what life throws at us, WE get to choose how we respond.  We can allow things or people to ruin our day, our month, our year.  We can throw temper tantrums and get angry.  OR, we can choose a different approach.  We can choose love over anger, we can choose kindness over pride, we can choose to take control of our lives rather than letting life take control of us.  We can take a deep breath, take a step back, make a plan, and decide that everything is going to be okay.  And you know what?  Everything IS going to be okay.

So, I sit here now, with three sick kiddos at home, counting the minutes until someone needs a tissue, a snack, a fight broken up, a drink, a snuggle, a hug, and I am grateful that I had this gentle reminder about attitude earlier in the week...and that by some miracle I am sitting here writing at this moment :)

Happy Cooking!

Teacher Appreciation Week to Week to Week

So, this morning, I was delivering those Spaghetti Pies that I posted about earlier in the week.  It is teacher appreciation week at my son's elementary school, and it has been really fun to get involved with spoiling our teachers.  As I walked into school carrying my stack o' casseroles in one arm and my one year old on the other, several people commented, let me help you, you're carrying quite a load.  All I could help but think was, this is NOTHING compared to the load these teachers carry every single day with our precious kiddos.

Teaching is a role that I am in awe of.  I would seriously have a panic attack if you told me that I had to sub for even one day.  Standing in front of a class with little (or big) people relying on me to say something meaningful, to teach them something profound...dealing with parents who are either helicoptering their children or who just don't care and are relying on the teachers solely to teach their kids not only intellectual knowledge but emotional knowledge as well...the beaurocrazy (I was going to correct the spelling of that, but it seems about right) that dictates what they can and cannot teach, the testing, the snow make up days, the overworked and underpaid aspect of it all, (that could be a whole week's worth of posts all together) the pure emotional and physical exhaustion of being on their feet all day and shaping hearts and minds.  I need a nap even thinking about all that they endure and are passionate about enduring every.single.day. 

Glennon Melton (who will be here in Winston in just over a week on March 21-22...buy your tickets HERE) wrote about a teacher on her blog Momastery that has gone viral.  It is the perfect example of how these amazing men and women are not only shaping our children's minds but also their hearts.  The blog post is called, "SHARE THIS WITH ALL THE SCHOOLS PLEASE," and can be found HERE. (More to come on Glennon's visit next week!!)

There is nothing that I can do to truly show my gratitude for what each and every one of these teachers is doing for my children...especially not during one week...but we can do some things:

We can pray for our teachers...our children's teachers, our friends who are teachers, those who are career teachers and those who are life teachers.

Get to know our teachers.  Don't take everything at face value or at the word of our children.  Chances are, our teachers have been doing what they're doing for quite a few years and probably, in fact, know exactly what they're doing.

Thank our teachers...don't just make one week about thanking teachers...taking time to say a simple "Thank you!" can go a long way...a note, a gift card, a dinner (some easy recipes are linked below) just take it a step further.

These teachers are on the front lines of helping to form our children into their future selves...let's support them wholeheartedly in any way that we can.  Special love to NSF, MKO, LWT, AEL, CLS, SJL and JMC who are some of my family and best friends who are doing all that they can do embrace our children (young and old) and show them that there's more to learning than striving for straight A's.

Happy Cooking!

LINKS TO RECIPES:

Chicken & Wild Rice

Chicken Enchiladas

Jambalaya

Poppyseed Chicken or Chicken, Broccoli, & Rice Casserole

Stetson Salad if you want something really special

Leprechaun Mac and Cheese

This recipe is actually called just Green Macaroni and Cheese, but you know I had to "sell" it :) As I was making this "St Patty's Day Leprechaun Mac and Cheese," I couldn't help but think, "There is NO WAY my family is going to eat this."  Too many bits of broccoli and peas...nope, no way.  Well, see the before and after picture to show that I was absolutely proven wrong.  They still weren't huge fans of the broccoli, but they didn't even notice the peas, and the spinach was well hidden in the sauce.  I may have added a touch of salt for my taste, but it's certainly more healthy without it :)  This is probably the most veggies my kids have ever eaten in one sitting!

St Patty's Day Leprechaun Mac and Cheese:   I used the recipe from Red Tricyle's Blog found HERE.

Happy Cooking!!

S'mores Pie

Who doesn't love S'mores?!?!  My friend Jessica shared this recipe with me, and it was so fun watching her make it. Jessica had the dough prepared before I arrived, but I saw her put the pie all together, and it looked pretty straightforward.  This was out of this world!  It will definitely be a go-to dessert from now on.  I am seriously contemplating whether to have a piece for breakfast or to opt for a Think Thin bar...hmmmm.

S'mores Pie: (recipe shared by Jessica Himebauch and changed very slightly from Tasty Kitchen Blog's recipe found HERE.)

1 stick butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 c flour

1 c graham cracker crumbs (can make this by pulsing graham crackers in food processor)

1 tsp baking powder

1 7oz container of Marshmallow Fluff

6 or 7 large Hershey's chocolate bars

1 c mini marshmallows

1/4 c mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9″ pie pan with cooking spray.  In a large bowl beat butter and sugar together until combined.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.  Stir in flour, graham cracker crumbs and baking powder.  Divide the dough in half. Press half of the dough in the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie pan. Evenly spread the marshmallow fluff over the bottom crust. Separate chocolate squares and place on top of the marshmallow fluff.  Place mini marshmallows on next.  Using the remaining crust, pat sections of dough on top of and around all the marshmallows (they will still show through a little.) Sprinkle chocolate chips on last.  Bake for about 30 minutes until lightly browned...keep an eye on this, though!!  Remove pan from oven and set it on a wire rack. Cool COMPLETELY before serving.

Happy Cooking!
 

Nutty Pasta Toss with Shrimp

Nutty Pasta Toss with Shrimp (recipe modified slightly from Cooking Light's recipe found HERE.)

• 1 lb rigatoni pasta
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter 
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce 
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 
• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (use more if you'd like more protein!!) **
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into (1/4-inch) strips 
• 5 oz fresh spinach 

Cook rigatoni according to package instructions and return hot pasta to stock pot.  Meanwhile, whisk together next 9 ingredients (cilantro through sesame oil) in medium bowl.  Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add shrimp and sautee until pink, about 3 minutes.  Remove shrimp and set aside.  Add onion & red pepper to the pan and sautee for about 5 minutes, until tender.  Add soy sauce mixture, shrimp, and spinach to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes until spinach wilts.  Pour shrimp mixture over hot pasta and serve immediately.

**can substitute chicken for shrimp and increase cooking time to cook chicken through.

NOTES: My best friend here in Winston made this for me a few month's ago.  She had been talking about this nutty pasta dish forever.  I pictured something with a peanut sauce and some long, thin noodles, so I was surprised to see the rigatoni.  What a perfect pasta for this dish, though!  The grooves catch all of the delicious sauce.  I will say that this was a bigger hit for me and my husband than with the kids, but one child ate all of the noodles while the other ate all of the shrimp.  I'll call it a win ;)

A New Beginning and a Look Back

"Every good and perfect gift is from above..."  - James 1:17

How sweet it is to have new little fingers and toes in the family.  Last weekend, I got to go to NYC to meet my sister & brother-in-law's (blaw's) new baby...my first niece.  I worked to butter up my husband the week before with some yummy meals, Crispy Oven Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Creamed Spinach, some Shrimp & Corn Chowder, and a Sausage & Cheese Grits Casserole for him to enjoy with the kids for breakfast while I was away.

I mean, I know that I am biased, but Baby C is just precious.  Having three children of my own, I thought that I'd know what being an aunt would feel like. And, while the feelings are similar, the experience is completely different.  I'm fairly certain (and my husband is 100% certain) that our little family is complete, so these newborn snuggles were all the more special...plus it's my sister's first baby!!!  What could be more amazing???  I was making a deliberate effort to breathe in every moment of being with that little angel.  I loved getting to hold baby C, relax during the quiet moments while she slept in my arms (and watch 2 movies on a Saturday!,) and just enjoy the slowness of life that comes from having a new baby at home.  I didn't change one diaper, I didn't feed her one time, and she doesn't really cry, so there honestly wasn't much in the way of rocking her to sleep...I'm telling you, this aunt gig is amazing!!  I did attempt to help her parents out with cooking...they are annoyingly self sufficient (I say that in the most loving way possible, Star & Blaw; I was a basketcase and a nightmare with my newborns, and it's just unfathomable to me that they are so calm and so good at this new parent business!!) so it took all the convincing I had to get them to let me grocery shop and cook dinners for them during my short stay.  I made Chipotle Beef Tostadas one night (a hit with all of us but not so much with the baby...whoops!) and my sister's favorite, Macaroni & Cheese with Marinated Chicken Breasts, using the marinade that I usually use for Marinated Pork Tenderloin, and asparagus the next.  It was awesome to see my sis and blaw in their new roles as parents...all of the nervousness and questions that I had being a first time mom came flooding back, and I just had to grin.  Oh, how I wish I could go back and convince myself to just slow down and enjoy the ride rather than worrying about the baby, about my social life, about what to do about work, about getting my body back, about missing out.  Isn't that how it is with most life changing events, though?  Hindsight is always 20/20.

Looking back always offers a more big picture view than the tunnel vision you experience when going through tough times or just making a change.  I couldn't understand at the time why my sweet husband took 7 years to propose, (okay, we met when we were 18, so it really wasn't that much of a stretch) but looking back I see that he always had a plan and that our relationship and marriage is stronger because of it.  I didn't want to move from Charleston to Nashville, leave all of my friends, leave the beach, start a new job, move further away from my family, but looking back, I never would've met some of the most important people in my life nor would I have "grown up" in my marriage and in my role as a mama in quite the same way.  And even worse was moving to Scottsdale (I know that you are all probably rolling your eyes at me...Charleston, Nashville, Scottsdale...rough life!) not knowing a soul, having a 10 month old and a 2 year old, knowing that my husband would be away more than he'd be at home, moving literally across the country from my entire support system...but if we hadn't have done that, I can assure you that our little family's foundation would not be nearly as strong as it is today, my faith would not have been renewed and challenged, and I wouldn't have met and been blessed by amazing friends, especially during hard moments there.  The Lord was working hard in my life during those two years to get me where I am today.  Our move back east came with tears and also with excitement...a new baby on the way, a new job on the horizon, friends that we knew in Winston already, and a drive that was doable for visiting our families on the weekends.  It has all come full circle for us...we met here in Winston at Wake and now we're here making a life for ourselves and our family right back in the same spot.  Had you asked my 18 year old self where I saw myself in 15 (okay 17) years, I would have never guessed that I'd end up right where I was, but there's a reason for everything, and I thank the dear Lord everyday that He has a plan for my life that I could/can never even dream for myself.

All of that to say that when you find yourself in the midst of something wonderful, something new, something scary, something hard, something painful, something that requires more of you than you think you can handle, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are strong and that you'll make it through and look back one day with fresh eyes.  Through it all, remember this: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11

Happy Cooking!

Frontera Green Chicken Enchiladas

Enchiladas are one of those foods that you can make to your own taste. You can use any green enchilada sauce of your choosing, but Frontera is always my favorite.  If you're looking for spice, you could also substitute salsa verde for the enchilada sauce.  This took a half hour total to prepare once the chicken was cooked.  This would also be delicious as a vegetarian dish just using cheese in the enchiladas!  A big hit at our house :)

Frontera Green Chicken Enchiladas

4 chicken breasts
2 packets (16oz) Frontera Green Enchilada Sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (divided)
6 flour tortillas (medium soft taco size)

Place chicken breasts in crockpot on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.  Shred and set aside.  Heat enchilada sauce, sour cream, and 1 cup of cheese in medium sauce pan over medium heat until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.  Take out 1 cup of sauce and set aside.  Add chicken to saucepan and heat through.  Add 1/4 cup to each tortilla and roll up.  Place seam side down in 13x9 baking dish.  Pour remaining sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over top.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Happy Cooking!