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Black Bean Salad
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10 oz) can Mexicorn, drained….or 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
Zest of one lime
Juice of two limes
1/4 c. diced red onion
1 t. kosher salt
¼ t. cumin
1 t. salsa seasoning
1 T. southwest seasoning (look for Mrs. Dash)
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil “EVOO”
¼ c. red wine vinegar
3 dashes Tabasco
1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced
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I made this macaroni salad yesterday and it was really good. This recipe is an Angela original!
Macaroni Salad
1/3 c. low-fat sour cream
2/3 c. mayo (I use Hellman’s)
2 T. sweet pickle relish (I used my mom’s famous zucchini relish in place of the pickle relish….if you’re lucky enough to have a bottle her the zucchini relish use that)
1 T. honey mustard
¼ t. ground pepper
1 t. Sunny Paris (a seasoning from Penzey’s spices—optional)
4 cups (8 oz uncooked pasta) cooked macaroni, rotini, or fussili pasta
¼ c. minced red onion, soak in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow the flavor
1 c. frozen green peas, thawed
½ c. diced carrot
¼ c. diced green or red bell pepper
½ c. diced celery
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Add pasta and remaining ingredients; toss well to coat. Cover and chill.
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Just finished this yumminess: fresh berries and whipped cream!
I was up and running early this morning (well early for me...9 am). Went to Sam's this morning to get some fresh berries and veggies. The prices are so much cheaper than the grocery store and believe it or not Brian and I can eat almost all of the produce I get there...very little wasted. Then I headed to Michael's to check out the new Martha Stewart paper crafting line....sadly my store didn't have very much displayed yet, but it will be there in all it's beautiful glory on Tuesday! I also ran to the grocery store to pick up a few things, and then went to Panera to get some fresh bread. I also got a bowl of the new trio mushroom and roasted tomato soup to go.....YUMMO! I just updated my catagories on my blog to the following: scrapbooking is now "creating", recipes are now under "delicious", and I added a few categories called happy finds, inspire, and favorite people. I will typically post my spiritual thoughts and learnings under "inspire" now...religion just seemed so generic. So now....I must stop piddling on the computer and begin my list of chores: dust, laundry, make black bean salad and pasta salad for dinner at the fam's tonight, etc.....have a happy Saturday......
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OK...since I've been in college I"ve been a big Martha fan...yes, she's a bit how shall I say..."over the top" with many of her ideas (my personal favorite was her idea for making homemade Peeps...yep those little yellow marshmallow chicks that you can find for 99 cents at Walgreens...who has the time to make those when you can buy them for 99 cents...seriously!) But even though she is a bit lofty and over the top...I like her ideas, her "make your home your haven" philosphy, her recipes, etc. I don't currently subscribe to her magazines, but I do watch her show on occasion and visit her website once in awhile....but now...she has truly shown her business genius. She has created her own Martha Stewart paper crafting line availabe exclusively at Michael's. I cannot wait to see it and get my hands on it....i will have to remind myself that Michael's will be there and I don't have to get it all at once, but I seriously cannot wait! I know I will love it, because I love her simple, clean style. Here's a glimpse from another blog I read today. I will take a picture of my goodies and post tomorrow...I must stay in my budget...I must stay in my budget...I must stay in my budget....
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One of the reasons I haven't blogged in over a week is because I spent a long weekend with Kelly and Ryan in San Antonio. I had the pleasure of going to SA to help Kelly design and create an adoption album. Working on this album was one of the most incredible scrapbook memories I've had to date. Kelly worked long hours on choosing photos, journaling, writing a dear birthmother letter, and sketching out each page. I was so blessed to assist her in making decisions, give her my opinions, and carefully choose the color scheme for each page. Kelly finished the album on Tuesday and shipped it to me. I delivered it to her contact person Michelle (pictured above) who took it to the birthmother last night. This mother is expecting in early July and doesn't have the option to keep the baby. Adoption is her only option. Please pray for the birthmother to receive Godly counsel, for Kelly and Ryan to be in continued peace, and for God's will to be done in this baby's life. I will keep you posted....someday Brian and I will be walking this road and I am thankful that my friend Kelly will be there to walk beside me!
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Last Wednesday I lost my engagement ring. I was devastated even though it's insured. I called all of the places I had gone that day and hadn't received any good news in a week. Of course, I tore the house apart, looked through the laundry, trash cans, everything I could think of to no avail. I've felt lost without my engagement ring....I still had my wedding band, but it just wasn't the same....I was going to report it next Wed (2 weeks after I lost it).....my most treasured item, gone.....UNTIL TODAY....I came home from work and went out back to prune some flowers in my flower pots and make a little flower bouquet. I decided to trim some herbs from my herb pot and add them to my bouquet and as I'm trimming I look down in the pot and there it is.....my precious....my beautiful engagement ring sparkling in the sun...waiting for me to find it! I gasped, screamed, jumped up and down, and said a big "PRAISE THE BABY JESUS!" So now, it's safe and secure....and tomorrow I'll be taking both my engagement and wedding rings to the Jared's to have sized down so it won't just fall off my hand ever again!
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I am continuing to feel better each day of course a little siesta in the afternoon helps alot! Planning on going to work tomorrow for a few hours. Tomorrow night is Gateway's famed Ladies Night Out. Our pastor's wife will be speaking about the Legacy you leave behind. I know it will be awesome. I'm sure I"ll have lots to share afterwards.
For anyone who is a scrapbook junkie like me I must share a new website I found called Work In Progress. Basically it's a scrapbook kit of the month website. I've checked many of these out, but this one is really good. You don't have to sign up or prepay for more than one month at a time, and her prices are fair for what you get. She offers alot of 7 Gypsies and Autumn Leaves which are two of my favorite brands of scrap supplies. Just thought I'd share.
Please continue praying for my health. I have about 10 lbs of water weight I'd like to get rid of without needing to be admitted into the hospital. Please pray specifically that I will get rid of the water while keeping my electrolytes in balance. Thanks a bunch! Blessings
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Just relaxing at home today. While I've been working on some of my custom "lunch box" orders I've been catching up on my Tivoed episodes of cooking and decorating shows. Giada on Everyday Italian made this frittata and I thought it sounded and looked so yummy, so I pass it on to you. What a great use for leftover rotisserie chicken!
Chicken and Orzo Frittata {Everyday Italian}
3/4 cup orzo pasta
6 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk ricotta
1/4 cup creme fraiche
2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed (about 2 cups)
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup diced roasted red bell peppers
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
In a large bowl combine the eggs, ricotta, and creme fraiche and stir until the eggs are beaten and the ingredients are combined. Add the cooked orzo, chicken, scallions, parsley, red bell peppers, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes. Turn on the broiler. Place the pan under the broiler until golden on top, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let set for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with a side salad.
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I've been very busy this week. Working on Tues and Thurs at my uncle's office and catching up on house stuff and errands the other days. I'm feeling great and able to keep up with the pace, so that makes me happy.
In my quiet time this week I've been reading about showing God adoration , what it means and why it's important. One of the reasons we need to practice the principle of adoration is so that we can be daily reminded of God's majesty and glory. If we lose sight of God's greatness, our faith will weaken. One way to adore God is to tell others of His glory. Every time we meet with God, have a conversation with HIm we should be glorifying HIm and praising HIm. Singing to the Lord is one sign of being filled with the Spirit. Some things just cannot be said---they must be sung at the tops of our lungs. It's not the tune or melody of the song that matters, it's the lyrics. The Psalms were the Jewish hymnbook....they were recorded for their lyrics not their tune. It is important to sing of the Truth and to focus our heart on the Lord.
Christ set an example of how to pray to God in teaching us the Lord's Prayer. The first line "Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name" sets God apart and sanctifies His name. It acknowledges Him as our Father and our Source of life. Adoration shapes our supplication. It reminds us that God isn't Santa Claus, ready to grant us our wishes. When we approach God with adoration first, it shapes everything else we say (or don't say). It causes us to listen to God's greatness, reminds of of who and where He is, and helps us to have reverence for God's priorities and not simply our own.
The next time you talk to God (pray) remember to stop and adore HIm first, to revere Him above everything else. God will bless you for being faithful.
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I haven't tried this out yet, but thought it sounded yummy. I found it on the Central Market website.
Soft Chicken Tacos with Pinapple-Poblano Salsa
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 medium poblano peppers, seeded and finely diced
1 cup fresh pineapple, finely diced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
4 large chicken breast halves, with or without the skin
juice of 2 limes
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 dozen flour tortillas, warmed
For the salsa, combine all the tomatoes, poblano peppers, pineapple, onion, minced garlic and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
For the chicken, combine the lime juice, garlic, cilantro, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Add the chicken breasts, turning to coat. Cover, and marinade in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill. When grill is ready, scrape off as much marinade as possible and brush the chicken breasts lightly with olive oil. Place on the hot grill grates and cook for approximately 8 minutes per side, or until cooked through but still juicy.
Slice the chicken breasts into 1/2-inch strips. Assemble the tacos in warm flour tortillas with a spoonful of the pineapple-poblano salsa. Serve tacos immediately with a lime wedge.
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