white chili with chicken: crockpot style.

My sweet friend Kari (who is also an incredibly talented photographer, check out her work here.) made me this soup the day we brought Drew home from the hospital and I've been in love with it ever since. 
(Her friend, McKenzie Weber, made the same soup for her when she brought her third child, Bryn, home from the hospital and she had to get the recipe...I understand why:) )

Well now I'm sharing the recipe with all of you.  :)
I changed it just a bit to make it easier, healthier and so that I could cook it in a crock-pot instead of on the stove-top, since that is more conducive to my hectic schedule right now. 
I also double it when I make it because it makes such good leftovers.

White Chili with Chicken Recipe;

*For a lighter version substitute light sour cream and half and half, or omit cream and sour cream completely. I go the substitution route, can't fully let go of the creaminess, right? 

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast  (I use canned chicken, 1 12.5 oz can)
1 med sweet onion, chopped (I use a food processor)
1 tsp garlic powder (I use 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
2 (15.5 oz) cans Great Northern beans (any white beans work, I use whatever I have)
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth (this is about 2 cups if you make your own broth)
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 c (8 oz) sour cream (I use light sour cream)
1 c whipping cream   (I use Half and Half)   

Cut chicken into 1/2 inch cubes. In a large frying pan, saute chicken*, onion, and garlic in oil until chicken is no longer pink. 
Put sauteed onion and garlic in crock-pot. Add chicken*, beans, broth, chilies and seasonings.  

 *If you use canned chicken you will wait to add it to the crock-pot until you add the beans, chilies and spices otherwise you saute with onion and garlic.

Choose the length of time you want for your crock-pot to cook. (I usually do the 4 hour setting) Whisk in the light sour cream and half and half 30 minutes before the cooking time is up. (So after 3.5 hours if you do 4 hours like me.)
 Top with fresh cilantro. (if desired)

This meal is so easy and ridiculously delicious, enjoy!
 


 

"our mothers knew it."

I’ve read this particular scripture story countless times; about a group of 2,000 teenage boys that bravely go to fight against their enemies so that their fathers, who promised never to kill again after they came to a belief in Christ, would not have to break that promise.

The thing that really gets me about the story though isn’t the boys bravery or even their unwavering faith in God’s protection, though both are remarkable, it is the fact that when their leader, Helaman, asked them about the source of this unmatched strength and faith they simply reply, “We do not doubt our mothers knew it.”*

Well now I’m the mom of two baby boys, who I know will grow faster than I can possibly imagine right now. And this week I can’t stop wondering, over and over, “What kind of mothers did those boys have exactly?” 

I wonder what I’d see if I were to somehow observe their daily interactions with their children within their homes. How did they show such great faith that their boys were described as men who “…put their trust in God continually”*?

I want to give that to my boys.  I can’t think of anything more empowering than an unwavering faith in God. There are so many things today, in our world, that are frightening, heart wrenching, debased, cowardly and amoral. There are countless influences that will not be concerned about the true wellbeing of my boys. But I am. 

I am.

But what does that mean exactly? I sure pictured myself as a different mom growing up than I am.  It is so much harder than I ever imagined to have daily family prayer and scripture study, to discipline as the Savior might and act out of love and not react out of the frustration of the moment. It is so much more exhausting than I knew day-to-day living could be.

I worry about my sons’ futures and the choices they’ll make.  I worry that I’m not teaching them well enough, how can you know that you’re doing enough?

Can my boys tell how much I love and rely on my Savior? How do I show them, really, that the only way to be happy now and forever is to follow, as exactly as possible, the loving guidelines that God has given us in His commandments from ancient and living prophets? How do you teach them that it really does matter, what we do, say and think, how we live and the little choices we make? How do I teach them what I know?

You may be thinking, “Good gravy Michelle! You are over complicating this, you just keep living and teaching them, every day.” It sure feels less simple than it sounds.   

I know there probably can’t be one fail-proof answer to my questions.  I also know, based on past experience, these are likely the types of questions that may only be answered one day at a time, as experiences pile up and deepen my understanding. But I do hope that somehow, no matter what choices my boys make in the future,they will be able to say without a doubt that their mother “knew it” too. In spite of how weak I feel.  Because I do, and I’m trying to live what I believe today and tomorrow… I hope it rubs off a little.

And I hope your successes rub off on me too, how do you do it? What are your little victories? As much bad as there is in the world, I am constantly surprised and thrilled at how much good I find in the people I get to interact with too.  So thank you.

*Alma 56:48 ,57:27

Black Bean and Quinoa Burgers.

I don't know about y'all but I really love beans, so the idea of a bean burger has always appealed to me. Being a healthy alternative to red meat was a plus too.

*As I've said before, though I love the taste of red meat, it's not really great friends with my stomach.


I used this recipe from allrecipes.com as a starting point for my first attempt at black bean burgers. My "burgers" were actually a combination of my favorite advice for changes I took from several different reviews of the original recipe.
(I would recommend trying some of the ideas at the bottom of this post on your first go-around to give your burgers a bit more flavor.)

So my recipe looked like this; (everything in red is a change I made to the original recipe.)

1/4 cup quinoa (cook this first and mix it in when smashing the beans)
(quinoa uses a 2:1 ratio like rice, so I used 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup quinoa)
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained, rinsed and dried  
(I dried mine on paper towels, this  helps keep them from falling apart later.)
2 hatch chili peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces (these are our new favorite pepper of the South, you can use bell peppers as called for if you can't get them)
1/2 sweet onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin (I thought that the cumin was a bit overpowering, so I'll use less and add different flavors next time.)
1 teaspoon chili sauce (I used Sriracha Chili Sauce)
1 cup bread crumbs (I used Panko)

Directions

1. If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty. Mix in cooked quinoa. (I mashed it a lot with a pastry blender.)
3. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Strain out the excess liquid in a fine strainer. (I pushed the mix against the strainer to get as much liquid as possible out.) Then stir into mashed beans.

   

   Just after adding the pepper, onion and garlic. My bowl sure makes the beans look like beef.

4. In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce. (I added a bit of salt too.)
5. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.
6. If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

*everything in black is from the original recipe from allrecipes.com which you can find here.

*I put the patties in the freezer until we actually cooked them to help them keep their form.

We grilled onion and pepper to put on our burgers, added a little mozzarella,  some fresh guacamole and we topped it all with spinach.

So, I think when eating vegetarian burgers it's important to not expect it to taste like a hamburger, because it doesn't.  Think of it as a bean dish and it'll be a lot more delicious to you.


Both Kevin and I agreed that we wanted the actual bean burger to be "bursting with flavor" a little more and I think our next ones will be.
We are really excited to try a "teriyaki-style" burger with sliced pineapple on top. We also want to do a "mexi-style" burger with taco seasonings with fresh pico and guacamole on top.

Happy Friday!

lunch lifesaver. best dressing in the world.

I'm always trying to find ways to keep it healthier in the food department at our house and having a salad most days for lunch has been really successful for me.

With my two boys under two...(okay, two boys under one and a half) quick meals are a necessity during the day. But I still like my food to taste delicious.  For all these reasons, this salad is my go-to lifesaver.

For me the key is an old family recipe for a poppy seed, oil and vinegar dressing;

2/3 cup sugar  
2/3 cup white vinegar
1 cup olive oil (original recipe calls for vegetable oil)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp poppy seeds
1 diced green onion (optional)   

Romaine lettuce is the base (obviously) and then I go from there with what I have in the house.  
From there I had loads of topping go-tos;
red, black or pinto beans
bell peppers
red onion or green onion
doritos
mozzarella or feta cheese
crasins
cucumber
dried fruit

*When we have this type of salad for dinner we throw a chicken breast and some sweet onions and peppers on the grill to add in but I can't manage that during the day with the kiddos.

So so good. I know there are healthier ways to eat a salad, but for me, a salad is better than most other things I can whip together for lunch so it's worth it, at least for now. 

* Random Tidbit: I hated most vegetables up through my college years prior to serving as an LDS missionary. A love of anything veggie, is new and still developing for me.  So salads for lunch are a big deal, especially since I sincerely love them.  I love *most* vegetables now. So if you read this and think, "easy for you to do Michelle, I hate vegetables", no worries, I did too.  

Here's to a conscious effort to be a little better. (and delicious food)

Happy Monday y'all!

feels like home.

*This is a post I recently added to my art blog. (michtmc.blogspot.com)

With two babies under 17 months I have spent more time than ever before within the walls of my own home.  Instead of the constant "cabin fever" I feared I'd experience,  I've been surprised by how often I can feel the beauty of it all.

Babies, I believe, are especially close to God. There is something sacred about an infant experiencing things for the first time, something sacred too about being the one that they rely completely on for life.  So much so that it can easy overwhelm my emotions and leave me feeling anxious and unsure of myself. 

But through the days, weeks, moments and hours that have followed our second son's birth I have often found strength, beyond my own certainly, to somehow call back the perspective that allows me to love and care when I have nothing left to give. 

What happens inside the walls of a home, as I learn and grow with my children, is truly spectacular. It is not, perhaps, the kind of spectacle the world today applauds. But in truth,  it is beautiful, it's sacred, it's unique, it is elating and miraculous. It's humbling and heart wrenching, light and tremendously heavy. It is so much and yet it can feel like I’m doing so little. It is emotional. 

As I was pacing our bedroom with my baby last night the words from a song in Les Miserables kept running into my thoughts,

“To love another person is to see the face of God.”

It has given me a little peek into the depth of God's greatness;

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,  that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

                                                                                                 -John 3:16 (emphasis added.) 

This painting was inspired by my focus on the joy and happiness that home, my home and my roles in it, has brought to me.

best.pasta.salad.ever

Back when we were getting ready to move from Utah to Texas my sweet cousin called and asked if she could bring dinner over to eat while we chatted and packed.   I said "yes", of course, and she ended up bringing a pasta salad that quickly became my very favorite. I've made it again so many times and thought it was too good not to share with y'all. 

We have done a little bit of a variation but I'll get to that; here's the original recipe;

Ingredients: 

1 lb. pasta, (your choice, I used multi-grain Rotini) cooked, drained, and cooled
2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 lb. cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in halves or quarters depending on size
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
2 medium carrots, grated
1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tsp. chopped fresh mint
1/2 lb. Feta cheese, cut into bite sized cubes
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Total Time: 31 minutes

Yield: 8 servings


Here is the dressing, that in my opinion, is what makes the salad;
(courtesy of Athelia Graham)
 

Ingredients: 

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp salt

 ¼ tsp pepper

3 Tbsp vinegar:

*this is the key: half white vinegar and half balsamic vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

¼ tsp dry mustard

¾ tsp grated onions(or fresh green onions)

¾ tsp poppy seeds

* I always double the dressing recipe so I have plenty if it needs a little boost for leftovers, and leftovers with this salad are AWESOME.

So, like I said we often do a variation on the original recipe based on what we have in the house and to save on cost.

Here is a favorite alternative list of ingredients to add to the pasta;

-sauteed sweet onions and Hatch chilli peppers, chopped 

(you could substitute bell peppers or something with a hint of spice for the Hatch peppers if you can't get them.)

*saute with a bit of olive oil and one minced clove of garlic

- chicken: 1 breast, grilled and chopped or one can, shredded

*We still added the cucumber, spinach, green onions, fresh basil, Feta and pepper.

the relatives came. part two: food and f-u-n.

Okay, so we really like food.  Of course we had to get in as many food experiences as possible when my family was here.

I had my first true Texas BBQ with them and I was pleasantly surprised;  not being a huge meat girl with an added pretty strong dislike for all things BBQ, I was shocked to genuinely like a lot of what we tried at Rudy's BBQ. (it doubles as a gas station)
*note: I'm not a hater, red meat usually makes me feeling pretty sick and I just don't love that BBQ flavor.

matty obviously can't get enough.

 

Blue Bell has long been a favorite of my Dad's. (we lived outside of Houston for about four years when I was young.) And he was quick to load up on as many varieties as suited his fancy when they came so we could sample them all. 

well hello heaven...

here's dad trying my personal favorite: cotton candy.

Such incredible deliciousness. I think my new tied-for-first-place flavor is actually Neapolitan.  It's definitely a flavor I usually pass up but, oh my goodnight, from Blue Bell every flavor tastes like homemade.  Makes me crave it just thinking about it.  

We also had good home cooked meals as well and, as always, breakfast was my FAVORITE. It's probably a good thing we never make "real" breakfast like this.

Kevin is always looking for an adventure so, he took the boys to a spot he goes fishing and they  "skim-boarded" on a boogie board on a sandbar and had a riot, of course.  

Have you noticed that people who make fun for themselves are generally pretty happy? Me too.

 

This is a hilarious video clip Kevin caught of Dave the first time he inadvertently ventured into the murky "unknown", man, we sure miss this kid.

One of my favorite twiner pictures of all time:
 

Lee's face KILLS me.

We had SUCH a good time, man, it went by way too quickly. Good thing there are many good and beautiful days ahead, here's to a "Tuesday Monday". (much better than a "Monday Monday", right?)