Girls Night In

Hi Friends!

Sometimes you want to just hang out with some friends, who totally get you. They know you've royally screwed up in a lot of ways, and yet HEY! they love you anyways! They've laughed, cried, rejoiced, been angry, disappointed, indifferent, all of these things with you & at you. And yet God, in all of his awesomeness has blessed you with them. It's rare. It's been a learning process for me. I've not been the greatest friend. I've been an introvert who didn't want to ask for help & support. Even to this day, after going through recovery & knowing that God's love is the one true love & friendship that will guide me through life, I've failed. But I'm also so thankful that everyday is a new day. A day to get it right... If I constantly go back & think on the ways I have been, even just yesterday, I am giving in to the enemy. God wants us to live in his new strength. He gives it to us everyday. We can either embrace it or reject it. I know this.. I'm over rejecting it!

So on that note.. lastnight I had a Girls Night In! And it was so needed.. if not for the select ladies that I had over, it was absolutely for me! Each one of them know this as well.. like I've stated, I've been a not so good friend, so I really needed this time with them!

I love to cook. I wish that I could become a personal Chef, or start my own business in this manner somehow. But until God leads me in that direction, I will put love into dishes for those I love!

I decided to have an Asian Menu... my girlfriends say everything I prepared was Amazing. They better be telling the truth, since it's Blog Official!!! :)


When you see these ingredients, what do you think will be happening?

I realize not everyone will want to use these specific things. But, for my girlfriends who I know are on a Healthy lifestyle journey like I am.. this is how I wanted to prepare it for them!!

::Egg Drop Soup::
Serves 4 & Total time of Prep to Service is 10 Minutes

4 Cups Chicken Stock
1-2 TSP Grated Fresh Ginger (I LOVE Ginger, so I went heavy on this)
1-2 TSP Coconut Aminos or Gluten Free Soy Sauce (Or Low Sodium Soy Sauce, it's whatever you like)
1/4 TSP Sea Salt
1/4 TSP Black Pepper
2 TSP Coconut Flour (Again, my preference)
1-2 Eggs Whisked (I did 2, but feel like 1 would've been ok)
3 Scallions, sliced

In a large saucepan, bring the stock, ginger, Aminos/Soy Sauce, salt & pepper to a slow boil. Stir in flour until dissolved. Turn off the heat. From around 8-10" above the soup, slowly drizzle the eggs while stirring the soup slowly in a circular motion. Continue to stir for around 30 seconds after the eggs have been added.
Add the scallions.

And there you have it!

Next up, our Main Course!

::Ginger Sesame Pepper Steak::

1 Lb thin sliced steak (I used Lean Sirloin & next time will slice Ribeye. Sirloin became tough due to being so lean.)
2 TBSP Coconut oil, Divided
1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into strips
1 Red or Yellow Pepper, cut into strips (I used both, I love Peppers!)
1 Sweet Onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
1 TBSP Freshly Grated Ginger
2 TBSP Coconut Aminos, Gluten Free Soy Sauce, Tamari or just regular Soy if you don't care lol.
2 TSP Sesame Oil

If you buy pre-sliced steak, then you can skip this step. Otherwise, Slice the steak crosswise against the grain into 1/4" strips.
In a wok or large skillet over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil until hot. Stir-fry pepeprs & onion for around 3 minutes, or until tender crisp. Transfer to a plate & set aside.
In the same wok or skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil until hot. Cook the steak strips for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the garlic & ginger & continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the steak is browned. Add the Aminos/Soy, along with the sesame oil. Add the Peppers & Onions back into the skillet & cook for 1-2 minutes, tossing until hot.

And there you have it!!

Peppers & Onions

Steak

Finished Dish!

 

Dole brand Asian Salad, with Walden Farms Sesame Dressing

We really had a great time. We ate, we laughed, we shared heart to heart stories. It was needed. There is truly nothing I enjoy more, than to prepare a meal for the ones I love!

I truly hope you will take time out this weekend, to show the ones you love (and even the ones who are hard to love) the true love of Christ. He offered himself up for us, so that we could live in his love & grace. It's not easy, but with His help, we can do it. He commands us to do so... Our Pastor has said, when you have a hard time showing Grace & Love to some people, bake them a cake.. No one can resist good food :)

I don't "Got This"

I'm just curious.. how many times have you been in a tough situation, and you say to yourself, "I got this" I'm sure a lot of you have said that. I know that I have numerous times! But in reality, I really DON'T got this.. This thing called life, this thing called being a wife, a mother, daughter, sister, friend, Child of God, and so on. I mean, lets face it, when we grab control of things, how many times do we seriously just mess it all up? Maybe I'm alone in this area, but what I have found is this....

I cannot do anything, not even open up social media for the first time in the day, without talking to my Jesus first. I've tried the other way. I've picked up my phone in the morning, and opened a text or notification from social media. And literally, it has set the mood for my day. When I start to look at what people post, which A LOT of times are total Debbie Downers, and trust me, I know that life is not easy. I get it. 

But when you genuinely spend some serious time talking to the Creator, the Lover of your soul, your friend.. It's a game changer. I am telling you right now, because I have experienced it, God will set you up to succeed! Your day could consist of laundry & housework, and yet you will be doing it for all of the right reasons. You will find joy in it! I'm so serious about this! Housework is my least favorite thing. Well.. mainly laundry. I despise it. But when I wake up, and I talk to Jesus & he encourages me & loves me. I remember WHY I am doing these things. I mean.. my men need clean undies :)

Another reason why I don't GOT this.. My will has gotten me into a lot of nasty sin. I remember being in recovery & being told by one of my Counselors, Miss Rose. She just told it like it was.. .. "Your will got you HERE.. Gods will gets you OUT of here." And it just clicked. Only through his Love & Grace can we get out of ourselves. Now granted, I have still had moments where I take my will into my own hands, and I've justified WHY. And again, it just brings hurt, sin, heartache & misery. I would have the mindset of.. "I can handle it just by trying harder or having more willpower." And that is just so untrue. When we truly, and I mean, TOTALLY surrender ourselves, we are saying to God, Your will, NOT MINE. And in that moment when we truly surrender our life over to Him, that is when we experience victory. 

It hasn't been easy for me.. But it's because I have made it hard on myself!! I have had a tug of war with my will & giving it to him. But I do know that the parts of my life that I truly have given to him, and certain struggles.. He has fought those battles for me. And I have received Victory! 

So here is to marching on! Here is to those who are struggling in certain areas of your life. Surrender is scary. But how amazing is it to know that the Creator of the Universe wants to fight the battle for you?!?! 

He's GOT THIS!!!!! Let him :)

Lets Get Roasted!

Hi Friends!

I need to let you in on a little issue I have. It's called ROASTING VEGETABLES! I am seriously out of control. I've already shared my Cauliflower love, but it goes beyond that! Brussels, Mushrooms, Onions, Peppers, Carrots, shall I go on?!?! But I wanted to share my favorite way of Roasting. It involves 4 staples that you should already have... Ready?

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Ground Sea Salt
• Ground Black Pepper

Yes, SERIOUSLY, that's it. So let's do this!

Preheat your oven to 450, I know that's high, but it's what I do to get them really good & brown. You could clearly lower your heat to 400 for a not so brown effect :) I just love how caramelized they become!

Line a baking sheet with foil.

For Mushrooms & Peppers, here's what I do..

• 1 big Portobello Cap  wiped clean & cut into large slices (I buy a large Cap & slice it myself)
• 1 Red Pepper cut into large slices
•  Place them in a medium size bowl
• In a small bowl, combine 1 TBSP Oil, 1 TBSP Vinegar, 1 TSP Salt & Pepper.
• Pour mixture over the mushrooms & peppers & lightly toss until completely coated.
• I often drizzle a little more of the oil & vinegar, I like them really saucy :)
• Place them on the lined baking sheet & roast for 15 minutes.
• Turn & roast for an additional 15 minutes. And there you have em!

Why have just plain ole veggies, when you can bring out such a delicious flavor this way!

Before Roasting

After Roasting

Creamy Buffalo Chicken Salad

Hi Friends! 

Here is a quick & yummy new recipe for you! I made 2 different variations of this, one with Ground Chicken & one with Ground Turkey. So you can decide which you like best! I made this Salad for 2 of my girlfriends this past week, and they both really enjoyed it. I hope you will as well! What I love about this particular recipe is it's so versatile! Just as one of my girlfriends said, you could even make it as a dip! And that's where my original idea actually came from. I always hear people rave about Buffalo Chicken Dip. This is a great variation of that as well! So here we go...

What you'll need:

1 lb Ground Chicken or Turkey

2 TSP Garlic Powder

2 TSP Onion Powder

1 TSP Ground Sea Salt

1 TSP Ground Black Pepper

1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt or they make a Whipped Greek Yogurt/Cream Cheese you can find by the Cream Cheese

Hot Sauce (I love Franks) But use your favorite here!

Toppings of your Choice (Lettuce, Tomato, Scallions, Cilantro, Cheese, Avocado, Red Peppers, Etc.)

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chicken or turkey for 5 minutes, or until no longer pink. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the Yogurt & Hot Sauce. I usually start with a teaspoon of sauce & go from there. This is YOUR dish, so make it as Mild or HOT as you like!Once you reach desired heat, set that aside. Add the garlic & onion powder, salt & pepper to your meat. Let spices combine for 2 minutes, then drain. Reduce the heat to Low. Add your Buffalo Yogurt mixture to your meat & stir until well incorporated. Now, you can turn the heat off & let sit with a lid on it, while you prepare what you want to top it with! 

If you decide to make this as a dip, you could just add this to a bowl, top it with cheese & start dipping! Or, you can do as I did, and make it into a Salad! When I was at home, I kept it simple with just some lettuce, scallions, Mexican Blend Cheese & additional dashes of hot sauce! But when I made it for my girlfriends, we loaded it down! So just have fun with it, & add whatever you love! 

I hope you will make this delicious salad! Better yet, call some friends & make it for them. 

Be a blessing to someone, it's truly rewarding to put love into a dish. 

This is what my Ground Chicken looked like after I added Greek Yogurt
& Hot Sauce. If you use the Greek Yogurt/Cream Cheese combo,
it will be creamier. Just wanted you to know! :)

Salad at Home

Salad with Girlfriends

All Mixed Up

Mushroom Monday

Hi Friends!

Well once again, it's a nasty rainy day here in Ohio.. Therefore, what a PERFECT day to show off my new & improves Blog design!! I hope you all love it as much as I do. I still need to update my about me area, but all in due time :) My new favorite part is the Recipe section! And today, that's what this post will be about!

Last week, my little Mr. was sick with an ear infection. It was a rough week to say the least, with a lot of sleepless nights for Danny & I. So, I decided some soup was just what we needed. For lunch, I made us just that. I made a delicious Mushroom Soup for my Mom & I to enjoy. She was my guinea pig since it was my first time ever making it! And she LOVED it, as did I! So here's what I did..

"Cream of Mushroom Soup"

Serves 2

1-2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 Onion - Finely Chopped

1 Minced Garlic Clove

8-16oz Finely chopped Mushrooms of your Choice (I used a combo of Shiitake, Crimini & Oyster)

Sea Salt to Taste

1/2 TSP Ground Black Pepper

1.5 Cups of Chicken or Beef Stock (I used Beef)

1 Cup Almond Milk (or Milk/Cream of your choice, I used Almond.)

1 TBSP Chives or Scallions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Cook the onion for 3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic & cook for 1 minute. Add the Mushrooms, salt, & pepper. Reduce the heat to medium & cover & cook for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are softened.

Stir in the stock of choice & milk. Bring to a slow boil & simmer for 3 minutes. 

Now, at this point you could do one of two things. You could pour the mixture into a blender for a smooth texture, or you could do what I did & leave it chunky. 

Top with chives, and you are done! 

I hope you all have an awesome Mushroom Monday! 

{Leslie}

Friday Favorites

Hi Friends!

I hope this rainy Friday finds you all well :) At least it's raining here in Ohio! It has been since Wednesday... But, that just means Sunshine is on it's way! It could be snow ya know!

So today is the First Friday of the month, and you know what that means??? I'm going to share one of my favorite things! And it's a good one.. 

So let's jump right in. When you are planning a Party, Wedding, Baby or Bridal Shower, a Special Announcement, what is like THEE most important thing for you to start with? I know everyone is different, but for me, I start with my Theme. I like to just get a general idea of what I want, and then the next BIGGEST thing for me are my Invitations. I like them to be personal. Again, I know everyone is different. I'm not saying I'm against the store bought invites, that you fill in yourself AT ALL.. What I'm saying is, I love to send something personal to the guest that are going to be sharing in this special moment. 

Let me introduce you to Jayme...

I met Jayme, probably 5 years ago? It was a brief introduction at my church Missions Conference we were having. It wouldn't be until just 3 years ago, that I would really get to know her. She is the sweetest, most genuine, giving person that I know. She is a Wife, Mother & Oh so crafty! 

I don't even know exactly how I came to discover that she could design Invites, I think it was through Whitney, who was my last months Friday Favorite & also the photographer of the above pictures (of course) But long story short, she is my GO TO GAL when it comes to planning any event. I start with her, Love Custom Designs. I will text her & say, Ok, I've got something lol. And I generally just tell her very little, which I think makes me like THEE worst customer lol. And then she literally designs what I've had in my head, but she makes it real. In the last 3 years, I don't think I've EVER said, No, to her very first proof she sends to me. It is always right on point for what I've envisioned. She does them from her home, in between feeding her children, playing with them, dinner times, and during a nap or two. She has really made quite a business for herself, I think so at least. And every person I have sent her way, has NEVER been dissapointed. They rave about her to anyone I know is planning anything lol. 

SO, what I'm trying to say is.. SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES! Support those stay at home Moms who are trying to also contribute to their home. Why not? I mean really, WHY NOT? Your going to invest that money in some way to plan that party, why not make it special??

Here's where you can find Love Custom Designs

 https://www.etsy.com/shop/lovecustomdesigns & https://www.facebook.com/love.customdesigns

So go check her out! Jayme, I appreciate EVERYTHING you have done for me & those I love most. You make everything so special, and I know that there is so much time & love that goes into everything you do! I look forward to every event, just because I know you are going to design something AMAZING! So thank you, you are my Favorite today!!

{Leslie}

PS... Here are just a FEW of the cards she has personally done for me & my family :)

I've been MIA....

Hi friends!

I've been a terrible blogger :( I had a lot going on the last few weeks! I co-hosted my baby cousins Bridal Shower, so I had been in full on party planning mode! Which is no excuse not to get on & update, but it was mine :) My husband got sick, then passed it on to me & now our little man has it! The last 2 nights have been sleepless for our family.

Although I have not posted in awhile, I've been cooking up some yummy food to share with you all! I've just been writing out all my recipes as I've made them. And since it's rainy out today, be on the lookout for a yummy recipe to be posted later today!

I just wanted to hop on here while I was sitting here cuddling with my little one & say hello! Also, in the next few weeks at some point, my blog will be getting a face lift! I have someone designing an awesome layout for me. So if you are looking for a recipe, it will be easy peasy to find!!

Again, I just want to express how much you all have blessed & encouraged me on this new blog journey! It is so uplifting to personally hear from you all!

{Leslie}