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}

Just can't get enough!

Do you ever just get hooked on a certain food, and you could literally eat it all day, everyday?!?! 

Well, Hello, my name is Leslie, and I can't get enough of this right here...

Yes.. that's right, I am hooked on Cauliflower. But not just raw cauliflower, that you would dip in ranch or put on a salad.. I'm hooked on Roasted Cauliflower.. So here's how you get it..

1 head of Cauliflower

1-2 TBSP Olive Oil

Ground Sea Salt

Ground Black Pepper

Yes, literally, that is all you need!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Break down your Cauliflower, into pieces like this. 

You can cut them to any size you desire. If you go too small though, they will brown more quickly than the other pieces. In the above picture, I have drizzled with the olive oil & then Salt & Pepper went on after that. 

I allow to roast for 15 minutes, I then turn the pieces over & allow to roast for 15 more minutes. And then I even sometimes roast them a little longer, because I LOVE to get them really brown. :)

And here is what you get.. I have no words for the taste that occurs.

It can only be experienced :) Jeremiah LOVES them as well! I actually add some Franks Hot Sauce to mine, and it's just so "Licious" as Jeremiah says!

I hope you will try this Simple, yet tasty treat!!

I hope you all are having a great week so far. It's been a challenging week for me, by my own doing of course.. I've been dealing with some personal things, that I have tried to take control over to deal with myself. Which, is always the WRONG answer! So I've really had to ask God to take the lead, and guide me. Our human nature always wants to think, Oh, I've got this, or I've got that under control. When, lets face it, we don't. So, I'm taking steps in the right direction, that's for sure! I'm just so thankful that I am loved by an amazing God, who doesn't look at my faults & failures that occur on a daily basis. I'm a work in progress, I'm under construction! 

{Leslie}

Oh, here's my #TBT for this week. My brother & I swimming at my Grandparents house.

I'm ready for some WARM weather!

When he wants, what he wants...

Hi Friends.. I hope you had an amazing weekend & a fantastic week so far!

So let me ask you.. are you familiar with what these are?

Well if not, let me explain. These are French Macaroons. I love them, like alot. I blame the TV Show Gossip Girl for my love of these. Blair Waldorf had a love for these on the show, and it spawned my love. But hey, this post isn't about me... it's about Jeremiah!

So.. a certain Realtor friend of ours, who I will name as the Beautiful Tina, sends us a magnetic Calender at the beginning of every year. We put it on our refrigerator everytime. Said calender offers recipes each month.Well.. lets fast forward to April, shall we? Jeremiah found the calender, and clearly found which month he loved the most.. and that is April. Aprils recipe is for French Macaroons.. and so began his love for these.. "Cheeseburgers" :)

So... last Thursday, we as a family were riding home from the Gym. Danny & I asked Jeremiah what he wanted for lunch. He proceeded to tell us he wanted a "Pink Cheeseburger." Well.. we were totally stumped as to why he would request such a thing. We got home & I decided I wanted a Turkey Burger. So I told Jeremiah I was making a Burger for him. He wanted it to be a Pink one.. What?!? So, in order to not crush his hopes & dreams, I got creative. I made him a "Pink" Cheeseburger!

 So, here is the base to my Turkey Burger.

1 lb 99% lean ground Turkey

1 TSP Ground Black Pepper

1 TSP Ground Sea Salt

1 TSP Onion Powder

1 TSP Garlic Powder

1 TBSP Lemon Zest

1 TBSP Melted Coconut Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I LOVE the lemon flavor the zest adds.. So I mix the Turkey & all the ingredients together. Yes, even the oil. The Turkey is so lean, it needs some good fats! I separate them into burgers. Do this as necessary for your family. unfortunately, I'm STILL trying to get my Hubs into this routine. So Jeremiah & I split this amount between us. :) 

For his "Pink" Burger, I just made him a sauce that looked Pink. Which was 1 TBSP 2% Greek Yogurt with 1 TSP Ketchup! I didn't have it on my Burger, and I also did NOT have cheese. But for him, he needs the added Fat with the Cheese. And I will never complain about the fat content!

So.. 2 days later, what did he want??!?! A YELLOW Cheeseburger. Well Tina.. thank you for keeping me on my toes! I not only accomplished it, but I NAILED it!!! Same base burger. But, I added some sauteed Yellow peppers... I added 2 small yellow peppers. Which you can get a bag of sweet peppers at the grocery. Just ask me because, I did NOT take a picture of the bag! But it is not the normal pepper size. 

So I sauteed some Yellow Peppers in a TBSP of coconut oil. I sweated them out & let them cool. I then, added said peppers to Ground Turkey Mixture. Therefore, I made a Yellow Burger! I put it on top of a roasted Portabella Mushroom Cap. 

I do know this... Your child WILL eat what you are enthusiastic & excited about! Jeremiah LOVED this recipe. It was his Yellow Burger. Yes, I made a Greek yogurt blend to on top. And if interested I will post it. But I am THEE worst about taking measurements... All I know is this.. When you make fresh food for your family & you love it at the same time, so will your children! 

I hope y'all have had an amazing week so far!!

{Leslie}

Friday Favorites

Good Morning Friends!

I've decided to do a special post, every other Friday called, Friday Favorites. I want to spotlight one of my favorite things, that I love! Some days it could be something minor, and others more major :) So for my very first post, it's a MAJOR MAJ post :)

It's not every day, that you find someone who captures your families special moments. And not just a little  posed picture, but really captures precious moments, in a way that you never imagined possible. Someone to a point that they are no longer your photographer, but a part of your Family.

Well, let me introduce you to Whitney, her husband Kyle & sweet daughter Iris. They are the founders of Ballentine Photography. www.ballentinephotography.com. 

 

First of all, I have known Whitney since she was born. She is the youngest of 4 girls, and I knew her 2 older sisters more personally than I knew Whit, because of our age. She's a youngin :)

When we Adopted Jeremiah, we couldn't tell anyone for a few weeks that we had him. There were legalities that had to be worked out before people could know. However, I wanted his first few days of life captured in photos. So I got ahold of Whitneys older sister, Stephanie, who I knew was doing some photography. I knew I could trust her not to say anything. So I went to her home to have Jeremiahs pictures done, I believe he was 10 days old.

Well, Stephanie & her family moved to Africa to follow Gods calling on their lives to be Missionaries. But she told me that her sister Whitney was starting to get into photography as well, and that I should have her do Jeremiah's pictures in the future.

The first event that I asked Whitney to come take pictures at, was Jeremiah's official Adoption Day! She would have to come to the courthouse to take pictures of the proceedings & then take a few pics afterwards. To say that she went over & beyond that day would be a complete understatement. She blew my mind! She created THEE most amazing video

that day, that I had NO idea she was even doing. To this day, 3 years later, the video brings me to tears.

I knew from that moment forward, I would never have anyone else take our pictures. And I haven't. She has captured Jeremiahs every special moment.

And that has also poured onto my brothers family. Whenever they are in town from Florida, we always plan family photos. She was even willing to take a road trip with me to Florida, to capture the birth of my twin nephews (my hubby ruined that idea, but in a good way!)

I love Whitney & her little family. They are an awesome team & they really capture every perfect moment. Thank you for all of the special moments you have given our family over the last 3 years. And we ALL look forward to all the future moments we will get to share!

You are my Favorite today :)

{Leslie}