So-Easy Mexi-style Chicken

Looking for a quick, easy, DELICIOUS dinner to liven up the repetition of chicken?  That is what I was doing when I developed this recipe.  Chicken is cheap (at least where we live it is).  It is the most cost-effective way to feed a family of 6, half of which are men.  This recipe is so versatile, you can cook it 4 ways:

Slow cooker thawed
Slow cooker frozen
Stove top
Oven baked

... and if you are a grilling expert, you could even use the sauce as you would BBQ... but I am not a grilling expert and I like the tender flavorful version of the above methods.

What you need: 

The pictures say it all, you can see I go super cheap!  But here is the list:

Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Cumin
Chili Powder
Red Pepper (if you like super spicy)
Cilantro
     (I don't always have these last three seasonings on hand but it still turns out great)
Salsa
Stewed tomatoes (you can use crushed if you prefer)
Salt and Pepper
Chicken of choice (I used boneless skinless breast)
     When feeding a crowd I will fillet my chicken to make it stretch


If you are baking, grease your baking dish with cooking oil first.
When I use my crock I mix the sauce straight in my cooking dish.  All other methods, I mix in a bowl and then pour it in.

Salsa and tomatoes first.  For 5 pieces of chicken I use about 2-3 cups salsa.  It doesn't have to cover the chicken but I like a good 1 1/2 to 2" lining of sauce in the bottom of my cooker. I crush the tomatoes by hand like so:

Then I sprinkle all my herbs to taste.  Usually about 1-2 teaspoons each (except the red pepper which I just barely put a pinch in).  A dash of salt and pepper and then give a quick stir. 

In the slow cooker:
Add the chicken and stir around just till coated.  Place the lid on and cook on low all day or on High for approximately 4 or 5 hours.  (For frozen chicken, cook on low)

On the stove top:
I use a deep frying pan with lid.  Put sauce in pan, lay chicken on top, cover with lid and fry on medium high, turning ever few minutes.  I usually remove the lid in the last few minutes of cooking to let some of the juice cook out and brown the chicken just a bit.  Add a bit of water if your juices cook out too quick, once they are gone your chicken will brown fast.  I then garnish with cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese before serving straight from pan.

In the oven:
Pour half of sauce in 13x9 baking dish.  Arrange chicken in pan, pour reaming sauce over top.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes and check.  I don't use this method as often as the other two but I believe cook time is 30-45 minutes.  I will also garnish this with cheese before serving.

Serve
I forgot to take a picture of the finished product!!  You can imagine how great it looks (and tastes!)  I love serving it with a side of salad and black or pinto or refried beans, and even tortilla chips.  All with trimmings of sour cream, green onions and cheese of choice.  I have also served it over a bed of Spanish rice which I have a crazy simple recipe for:

White or brown rice
cook in chicken broth (I use bullion base in water)
once done cooking, add salsa to taste
.... viola!


This is a filling and nutritious meal, almost ruin-proof.  It is my go-to meal when I know company is coming and they don't mind a little Tex-Mex! It feeds a crowd easy and cost effectively... two things I LOVE in the kitchen!

Blessings for great cooking and delicious dinners in your home!

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Easy Peasy Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake

Ohhhhh, yes, it is as great as it sounds!!  This was my birthday cake this year which I made for myself because sometimes baking is therapy to me.... especially if I know someone else is doing the clean-up... and on my birthday, I am blessed, someone else always does the clean-up!!! 

Beyond great taste, I also love this cake because it has that "WOW" factor while being ridiculously simple to make. I have modified the ingredients and steps some to make it more chic`!  Yet even in its modified state this cake is easy and will make you look like a professional baker.  Ready to impress guests and family?...

The simplest form of making this cake is this:

1 box milk chocolate cake mix
20 oz can cherry pie filling
3 eggs

Mix all the ingredients by hand.  Transfer to a greased 9x13 pan.  Place in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  Remove from oven, cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar or frosting of your choice and enjoy.

Viola!!

My modified version reconfigures the process to provide a cherry gel filling:

1 box triple chocolate fudge cake mix (you can use any brand, any flavor of chocolate you like.  This one had small chunks of chocolate in it!!)
20 oz can cherry pie filling
3 eggs
1/4 - 1/3 cup almond milk (or any kind of milk preferably whole or 2%)

Empty cake mix into medium bowl.  Add eggs.
Strain cherries and reserve gel in separate container.  I did this by pouring the can of cherries into a plastic strainer and gently stirring them around with my hand to release them from the gel.  After only a minute or two I removed the cherries by hand fulls into the bowl of cake mix.  I didn't try to completely remove the gel, I simply tried to get enough separated out to provide a good glaze for the middle of the cake.  You can see how much I removed in the picture above.

Add milk 1/4 cup if you only removed a little cherry gel, or 1/3 cup if you removed alot of the gel.  (I actually eye-balled this part, the milk was a replacement liquid for the gel which, in a typical cake mix, would be oil and water)

Mix with spoon by hand until moist and combined.

Pour into two greased 8 or 9 inch round cake pans and bake according to directions on box for pan size and type.  Once done, cool and remove from pans.

Place first round on serving platter, "frost" the top (not the sides) with reserved cherry gel.  You don't need to go all the way to the edge because when you place the top cake layer on the gel will be pressed and spread some.  You can spread the gel to within approximately 1/2 inch from the edge.  Then place next cake round on top. 

Frost cake with powdered sugar, cool whip or frosting of your choice.  I used the frosting recipe here: Carmel Potatoes Texas Sheet Cake (good but VERY rich frosting).  You can also use store-bought frosting and warm to soften for 10-20 seconds in the microwave or briefly on the stove top and it becomes pourable.  You can simply drizzle it over the top of cake!

** I didn't have 2 of the same size cake rounds so I improvised with a spring form and cake round.  When I stacked and frosted them the top wanted to slide off the bottom!!!  I fixed this by placing a wooden chopstick in the center of the cake while it finished setting up.... the frosting seemed to 'glue' it in place after it set-up.  When I removed the stick I sprinkled some frosting over the hole and set a sprig of silk flowers to conceal!  (If you look closely at the above picture you can see the stick!!)

The cake was a HUGE hit and I felt super special having something so decadent yet so amazingly simple.

Blessings for beautiful baking and home-cooked Christ-centered hospitality!

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A Second Word on Hospitality

It is time for the promised part 2 to ...a Word on Hospitality.  I figured 2 weeks was long enough of a wait!!  I consider this article, decor` basics for absolute beginners on a budget.  After all, we all start somewhere (and sometimes we need refreshers)!  Bare in mind, I am not an 'expert', I am merely sharing my experiences, things that have blessed my home and visitors over the years.

As I mentioned in Part 1, I didn't set out to deliberately coordinate or invest in home decor` nor did I understand the scope of intentional hospitality.... it just kind of happened.  Sometimes the decor` was (and in some areas of my house still IS) a hodge-podge.  However, always, I wanted to give people a good experience in my home.  It wasn't until I rededicated my life to live for Christ that I really understand the divine implications of hospitality.  I will admit, hospitality isn't natural for everyone.  But at least some (if not all) elements can be learned by anyone with a heart to serve Christ with your home.

#1, coordination of furniture isn't required with my method... nor is a shopping adventure!  Be thrifty, use what you have on hand!  However, if any pictures or ideas I share are inspiring and you have the means.... check out your local Dollar Tree, Thrift Store or garage sale!

#2, coordination of theme is helpful.  While the furniture may not match, what you place on the walls and shelves can help give cohesiveness if IT does.  Some examples from my home...

I prayed over the living room in our new house.  The house and surfaces were much smaller than I had been use to for many years.  The decor` I use to spread between  5 common rooms and 3 hallways I now had to squeeze into half that.  I wanted to display all my favorites but I didn't want my house to feel cluttered or disconnected.  So i prayed and God reminded me of the hospitality aspect He had called me to, the center of which is HOME.  My intimate living room reflects that theme with bird houses, pictures of home type settings I have collected over the years, flowers and vines for the feel of a home style garden and books... because who doesn't like cozying up with books at home!  I keep God's Word and reassurances in prominent places as well because His Word is the greatest Home we can know here on earth.  Baskets for storage complete the ensemble since, to me, baskets are classic reminders of home.  Other details connect this theme together such as statues of vintage ladies and unique sconces I have collected.

My kitchen has, for a very long time revolved around the theme of old country general store/country kitchen.  It has been a theme in progress and there is still so much more I wish to add to my collection.  I refuse to spend full price, though, so I eye-ball garage sales and, when I have pocket change, I might peruse the local thrift store.  For now, I am content.  The picture you see bottom left in the collage above was purchased almost 20 years ago at a discount store and has become the focal point of my theme.  Anything I add to my kitchen passes through the filter of this image.  I have had guests sit in my kitchen for a meal and simply marvel for the entire time at all there is to see and enjoy around them.  It blesses my heart because I love rooms that are a visual feast you just can't get enough of!

Even the bathroom has a theme; beach-side with a childlike twist.  I framed a Mary Inglebert calendar image and embellished the area with shells collected over the years. Special favorites are ones the kids and I found on the shores of the mighty Mississippi when they were younger (a picture of them on that excursion graces the area as well... I used an old 25 cent frame from a garage sale and added some of the shells they found).  The sand castles are my favorite accent (I should have taken a closer picture...).  Both were given to me over the years, one, the pink one, is an oil lamp but I thought it looked better with shells where the lantern would go.  They add the fun, childlike twist to this very traditional bathroom theme.


Rest assured, some rooms or walls in my house have sat empty for long periods as themes came together.  Don't fret.  It isn't worth debt to try and run out and buy what you think would make your home 'fit'.  Use what you have, if you are artistic, make some of what you want... find a theme somehow, somewhere. Consider your interests, tastes and current items on hand.

#3- Don't feel like you have to display everything all the time.  The decor you see in my pictures today is actually my spring/Easter 'collection'!  Each season and major holiday I switch out parts of my decor.   Most of my wall pictures are up year round, though even a few of those (especially in the kitchen) get rotated for more seasonal reflections.  I find that rotating decor keeps it fresh and interesting, especially to myself and my family.  Seasonal rotation also helps beat back the desire to fully re-arrange the house because you just need a change!!!  Maybe you don't have enough for seasonal rotation... no worries.  My point here is for those who perhaps have too much and feel obligated to display it ALL at all times.  I have a stack of rubber made containers in my garage with foliage and trinkets for when the decor` needs freshening.  That's just how I roll!! 

#4- Think outside the box.  I'm not going for JCPenny catalog display, but my family likes to cover with a throw no matter what time of year (we are, after all, in the north!).  I keep our favorite blankets thrown over the arms of the couches simply folded in half and laid there.  I use calendar pictures I like (as seen in the Mary Ingelbert picture in my bathroom) to decorate small empty nooks and books with beautiful covers as tactile display options.  Currently I'm using a small end-table by our front door to hold shoes for those of us that keep them handy (my husband religiously stores his in the bedroom).  I used disposable cups and small canning jars to sort items in a potting tin I have for pencil holder and a craft basket sits on our serving table in the kitchen to hold and sort silverware which saves time when preparing for a meal.  I could make a whole post on out of the box ideas!  Simply put, look at shape and discover purpose rather than reverse!

#5- Let your home be a reflection of your personality.  It will be more comfortable for living in and more genuine to guests.


This is just a brief run-down on some of the things I have found helpful in decor` with hospitality in mind; helping guests to feel cozy, at home and inspired by their surroundings to know your heart and, as per the goal of biblical hospitality, to know God's heart even more!

I pray you find your niche` in home decor` (if you haven't already) to provide a hope and a haven for all who wonder through your door!

Blessings,

Linking up today with some of these...

**Disclaimer.... I am getting over being sick upon writing this post.  Please forgive my splotchy writing and less-than attractive pictures!!  My heart and hope is that the information at it's base will be helpful!

Open Window Day and a Word on Hospitality

 

It's open window day here in the home.  When I first moved to this city I lamented over the early spring and how I missed the lingering winter of the Flathead (yes, I know, some of you are groaning as you cringe at the sea of white out your window!!)  Truth is, we entered this town as spring was unfolding 2 short years ago and it feels like a blink.  As the wind ruffles my curtains, the breeze blowing fresh through this musty hunkered down house, I am grateful.

Grateful for the sun.
Grateful for the touch of warmth in the spring breeze.
Grateful for lace curtains to scatter the light and make my house feel like a home.
Grateful to be where God has placed me... for the warmth he placed and has grown in my heart.

This cool breeze, open window, sunny, lovely day is made especially bright as I ponder my freshly revived decor.  Something even my husband loves and looks forward to as the seasons transform not just the outside of our house but the inside as well.  I exchange the green garland and snow-covered trinkets of winter for the green of leafy vines, graceful ladies in long-ago gowns holding parasols or small children... splashes of spring.  Even some of the pictures get a switch-out; soft colored gardens now hang where snowy hills were framed on the wall.  My home feels like a livened page from the Secret Garden, inviting all who enter to come and rest and find Life.

In what feels like forever ago, when I was a young bride far from home, I felt the need to make my house a home.  I didn't understand where it would lead, I just knew I wanted to feel cozy in my home and one night, I learned and appreciated the aspect of making others feel cozy as well.

A young man, coworker of my husband, stopped by to exchange vehicles with us for the weekend.  His sports sedan wouldn't work for a moving project he had and our pick-up truck was the perfect fit!  He, like us, was far from home.  Military employed but, unlike us, he was un-wed and living in the base dorms fighting through a college type mentality and unwittingly longing for the comforts of home. 

He entered our modest studio nestled in the corner of an old turn-of-the-century run-down mansion-turned-furnished-apartment building.  He slid onto the cushions of the blue velvet couch next to the tall bay window, our hide-a bed neatly made in the opposite corner.  Was it the warmth of the deep wood, high chair rail, and led-lined glass on the century old built-in buffet (I'm certain our apartment was once the house's large dining room!).  Or was it the neatly positioned hand paintings my great-grandmother lovingly brushed and chose for our wedding gift and sat high on-top of the rails filling the pail egg shell void to the 12 foot ceilings?  Nothing in the room was spectacular, as a matter of fact, the expanse of our carpet was a hodge-podge of 2 foot by 1 foot shag samples that seemed to be a throw back from a decade before!  My home trimmings were modest in light of my young life and only 6 months of marriage.  But everything was neatly in order and lovingly placed.  This young man seemed to allow the cushions of that old couch just swallow him up as his eyes lit, nearly watering, and a smile slid over his sweet face. He nearly breathed, "this feels like home."  I was so touched in that moment.  I had no idea the impact my time and attention in decor could have.

More than 20 years has passed since that night, but the moment is like a snap-shot in my memory which always warms my heart and reminds me of the treasure of making a house a home.  I have grown older, and closer to Christ in that time and have come to understand how home means so much more than something remembered of long ago and far away.  It is an eternal home we can draw others to with the time and care we take to our surroundings.  I don't mean slaving away with Spic and Span or running to Target and bringing home all the latest in decor.... No, I mean, creating a home with what you have.  Making a cozy place where you feel comfortable and relaxed and where others walk in and feel the presence of God and invited to Dwell.

A home is not always perfectly clean, but it does have its own style of order.  You may have small children and feel like you've forgotten what a toyless floor looks like: don't fret!  You may homeschool and have books and maps and books and pencils and books lying everywhere: no worries!  You may have health issues and not able to create much order anymore: just relax. My rule of thumb is this:  Can someone come into my house, walk without getting stuck to the floor, sit without getting crumbs on their butt, visit my kitchen without pondering the risk of salmonella and use the bathroom without fear of strange diseases.  I also shoot to create an environment that smells mostly nice!  And behind the books and toys is a base-line of homey decor and a semblance of order.

Over the years I have collected pictures which (mostly) coordinate, reflect my personality, and speak of home in their own way.  I hang scripture where possible and, this time of year, greenery with vines and the hint of flowers.  St. Patrick's Day is coming so my simple decorations; two angels with shamrock gowns, adorn the focal point of my home surrounded by greenery and accented with a light house which casts my mind to Irish shores!  In a week or two these will be exchanged for the trinkets of Easter and Resurrection Sunday to come.

My furniture doesn't match, the tables and shelves in my living room are mostly mis-matched as well.  My dining room table use to be our craft table and shows the wear of many years under paint and exacto knives.  It never had matching chairs under my ownership of roughly 20 years, the ones we use now were all gifted to us from a card-table collection!! But no one ever notices.  Each time a new guest enters in I see the melting in their eyes, the comfort in their posture as they sit and rest and the whispers as they hug farewells, "I always love coming to your house because it feels like home".  It isn't just the temporal home which invites them in but the eternal home they feel as love and laughter and ease are shared here in my perfectly imperfect cozy and delightful home!

But I can't take credit.  Truth is, I couldn't do this on my own.  It was my heavenly Father's Divine guidance so many years ago and the words spoken through a young man which God used to shape my heart and my life for a piece of His Kingdom here on earth.

I pray you might find and create that peace of heavenly home right where you are with whatever you have.  Share your heart, share your hearth, share your hope!

Blessings,

I am currently planning a part 2 to this article to share more detail and a How-To on simple decor with what you have and how my style (both trial and error) has developed and transformed over the years.  My heart and hope is that others who aren't sure how to make a house a home (and especially those on a budget and needing a low-stress version) can be encouraged to find their own niche in this important element of hospitality.

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The mmmmm Factor: Leftovers Made New

I thought it would be more fun to share recipes under the title "The mmmmmm Factor" as in, yummy stuff my family loves too much to keep to myself!  It is a hospitality/Titus2 kind of idea to encourage and inspire easy and cost effective cooking.  No one loves easy, inexpensive, and yummy cooking as much as me.... ok.... I'm sure someone out there does! 

This mmmmm factor is an Irish delete: POTATOES!!!  I want to take a look at the left-over mashed variety....

I quit buying instant potatoes some months ago.  Mostly for the healthier quality of 'fresh' in a red or yellow AND the "real" potatoes are actually more filling and satisfying.  My quick run-down if you have never made home-made mashed potatoes:

Peel and cut potatoes of choice into small cubes about 1-2 potatoes per person (depending on size and appetite!  If you want leftovers for the following recipe, make a bunch).  Place in cook pot and just barely cover with water*, boil until tender enough to mash easily with a fork, drain, and mash with masher (if you don't have a potato masher, a tenderizer will work).  Add a splash of milk (I use almond milk) and beat with mixer.  If you have never made mashed potatoes before, do not fear: as you mix, slowly add milk little by little until your potatoes are the consistency you like.  Don't fret if they are slightly lumpy, it just adds texture!!
*(You can add other flavors such as bullion or herbs to the water while they boil if you want something beyond plain).

So what to do with those leftovers?

I don't have a good name for them... maybe Fried Potato Cakes?  They are a variation of Latkes if you are familiar with them.  My recipe calls for:

Mashed potato (2-4 cups) (instant will NOT work for this recipe... I've tried!)
1 egg
1/3-1/2 cup flour of choice
1tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
oil of choice (for frying)  I use lard

Mix all ingredients, except oil, in bowl by hand. 

Heat oil in skillet on medium high
Spoon a heaping amount of potato mixture into pan and gently flatten to approx 1/2 inch thick or slightly thinner.  Fry till brown, carefully flip and finish frying.  Drain on towel or rack and salt.  I kept mine warm on a rack on a cookie sheet in the oven set low till we were ready to serve.

Serve.... however you like!  We had ours with fried eggs.  You could also serve with fish or any other dish where you enjoy the taste of potatoes.

I hope this recipe blesses your kitchen, your stomach, and all who get to enjoy your cooking!

Blessings,

Linking up today with some of these...

Monthly *Vlog* and a note on Hospitality*

It is that time of month again where I try not to embarrass myself in front of my webcam!  Where I also still seem to fall short on keeping it... well.... short!  I will get there... someday!  But, hey, for the first time it actually gave me a thumbnail where I am smiling!

The book is Open Heart Open Home; How to find joy through sharing your home with others by Karen Burton Mains. My copy is a 1976... seriously! So the subtitle on the new one is a bit different (and the cover has changed).

The *vlog* challenge comes from Jen Ferguson at Finding Heaven Today I think it is a GREAT idea for our sister bloggers to create community and get to know each other more personally.

Jen Ferguso Pop over and check it out.  I think it is a GREAT idea for connecting with our sister bloggers on a more personal level!

Because hospitality is often mis-understood and under-estimated, I plan to share more on it.  Be sure to email or comment with questions and I would be happy to respond!

Be blessed, be hospitable, and be open to sharing God through your home!

“Hospitality, however, seeks to minister. It says, "This home is not mine. It is truly a gift from my Master. I am His servant and I use it as He desires." Hospitality does not try to impress, but to serve.”
― Karen Burton Mains, Open Heart, Open Home: The Hospitable Way to Make Others Feel Welcome & Wanted

Also linking up with Michelle at intentional.me today