Month: March 2016

Crock Pot Ranch Chicken

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Okay, so I made this new dish yesterday. And it was AMAZING! It’s a recipe that’s been making the rounds on the internet and has even achieved the coveted “viral” status. It’s Mississippi Chicken ~ have you heard of it? This is that recipe ~ only I changed the name.

See, I have an uber picky eater, and anything with “Ranch” in it, is far more palatable than anything with “Mississippi” in it. So this is my “soon to be famous,” child-approved Crock Pot Ranch Chicken. And yes, she LOVED it! Win-win for Ranch Chicken!

Doing my deep and arduous research for this recipe, I discovered there are two ways to make it and two ways to serve it. Some recipes called for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, while others opted for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Since I’m a rebel, I used both!

As for serving, some recipes kept the chicken whole, plating it with fantastic sides. It works really well this way, as the chicken is both juicy and flavorful.

Ranch Chicken 1

Others went the extra mile and shredded it. When shredded, it is excellent over rice or mashed potatoes, on top of a salad, or wrapped in a tortilla. I decided to shred it and served it over rice, with steamed veggies.  I’m of the opinion that you should do whatever works for you!

Ranch Chicken 2

This recipe was easy-peasy and totally delish!

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (or any combination of the two)
  • 1 stick butter (I didn’t say it was healthy!)
  • 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix (thus the new name)
  • 1 packet gravy mix (I used au jus)
  • 10 pepperoncinis (and just because I like to live on the wild side, I added 1 Tbsp of the pepperoncini juice from the jar)

Instructions:

  1. Place chicken in Crock Pot, and sprinkle dry ranch mix and gravy packet over the top.
  2. Slice butter into even-ish slices, and place on top of chicken.
  3. Toss pepperoncinis on top (and add a little juice if you like).
  4. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours.
  5. If desired, shred chicken in the juices. Otherwise, serve the chicken with a little of the sauce drizzled on top.

As I said, it was well-liked and will be added to the preferred meals lineup! A word of caution ~ do not, I repeat… DO NOT withhold the pepperoncinis, it would completely change the flavor (if you don’t like them, just pull ’em out after it’s done cooking)!

The Sacredness of the Pinky Promise

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Mother n Daughter Swing

I blinked. I must have. I didn’t mean to, but surely that’s what happened. Just yesterday my darling daughter was a baby… it was yesterday, right? And now she’s eight (and a half, she would tell me), which may not seem too drastic, but it is to this Mama’s heart. I know she’s growing up. I know she needs to grow up, that it is all part of God’s plan, but does it have to be so soon?

It seems like every day, she needs me a little less. And while I’m happy that she is growing into a smart, independent, capable, young lady, I am also saddened because I know that each step toward independence takes her a step further from me. I look at this beautiful, sweet girl of mine, and I see the child less and less. It’s as if I’m looking at an image that is dancing in shimmering transformation, there, yet not there; the child fading into the future young lady, who elusively, isn’t quite there yet.

She knows I’m a wreck over this experiencing challenges with this, so she tries to help me. She reassures me that her growing up, and learning to do more on her own is all part of God’s plan. She tells me that she still needs me, that she’ll always need me, just in different ways. And then there’s this:

Pinky Promise

The pinky promise comes straight from the heart and is the most sacred, serious, vow anyone can ever swear to. If broken, the consequences are serious, devastating… life-changing, even. They are not meant to be entered into lightly. THIS is the promise my daughter has made to me… She has made this solemn oath to never leave me, to never move out, and to always need me. She has sworn upon the sanctity of the pinky promise, that when she gets married, her husband and children also have to love, need, obey, and want to live with me.

I must admit, this makes me happy! Perhaps a little too happy. But it gives me comfort when I see yet again, where she doesn’t need me to take care of her. The pinky promise is true, it’s binding. And I choose to trust in it.

So if that doesn’t work out, if she tries to leave me if anything changes, all is not lost. I still have another choice. If the pinky promise doesn’t hold true, I always have the option of… The Tower. The Rapunzel-style tower, that will keep her with me for forever and always. That works too, right?

Rapunzel's Tower

Yes, I joke.. but I know she is growing, and I believe she will make a great life for herself. And yes, I’ll be proud of her, no matter what. Actually, I already am!

Motherhood ~ My Greatest Contribution

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Mother n Daughter

This Mom thing’s quite a gig, isn’t it? It seems like I could barely take care of myself, then all of a sudden I’m responsible for the life and well-being of a helpless, vulnerable, tiny human. In the blink of an eye, the tiny human grows into a sweet, funny, demanding tyrant toddler, that I have to teach to not drink the bath water (yep…). Then come the school years… a time where the best day ever, turns into the worst day ever, then back into the best day ever, about seventy-two times a day. It is during this time that I feel the weight of responsibility to guide what is now a small person, into an awesome,  kind, productive, compassionate, educated, responsible member of society adequately functioning adult. No pressure there.

I love motherhood memes. I really do. They’re funny! And why are they funny? The humor they provide comes from the truth that they speak! Here’s one of my favorites:

Keep You Alive

And again, it’s funny because it’s true! I have never been able to keep a plant alive. I’ve tried. Many times. In fact, I’ve come to the realization that my role in the plant world is more like that of a hospice worker ~ I ease the transition into death. BUT… not only have I been able to keep Mini-me alive, but for all intents and purposes, she appears to be thriving! How awesome is that!

And another meme that fits me perfectly is closely related:

All These Moms on Pinterest

So yeah… there’s all these amazing, crafty, chef type moms out there that seem to have it all together, while the rest of us are barely getting through the day. But here’s the thing… they only SEEM like they have it all together, because the truth is, we’re ALL fumbling through, putting our best foot forward, to fake it till we make it. I’ve talked to lots of moms (even the perfect ones), and we’re pretty much in agreement on that.

The thing that gives me comfort, is the knowledge that God chose me, to raise my child. Which means that He must have a plan for us together. It also means He has the ability to redeem anything I may screw up along the way. I know that if I trust in Him, and follow Him, He will reveal His plan and purpose for her life.

We haven’t yet hit the teenage years, and while it’s pretty well known that that time of change and development can be both trying and turbulent, I’m not overly concerned. I am pouring into her now, trusting that I’m laying the foundation for the future. And I am listening to the words of Jesus:

Do Not Worry About Tomorrow

It may very well be that my greatest contribution to the world will be raising a godly daughter, who stands strong for Him. And I’m okay with that.

Life is Messy

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Life is Messy 2

Life is… messy. It’s complicated. It’s beautiful and ugly, inspiring and crushing, hopeful and hopeless, all at once. And relationships? Well, they can be complicated too ~ we love, but then in our love, we hurt those we love or are hurt by them. Still, we love. Sometimes the assault is from an external source, and sometimes it comes from within (don’t even get me started on how we tend to be our own worst enemy, rather than our own best friend). The fact is bad things really do happen to good people, just as good things happen to bad people. In fact, the Bible even tells us this:

~ His sun shines on bad people and on good people. He sends rain on those who are right with God and on those who are not right with God. (Matt. 5:45)

We know these things happen. We know that there will be times in our lives that are filled with laughter, light, love, and great success and joy. And there will also be times of sorrow, loneliness, anger, frustration, and darkness. Most likely, we can’t control anything that happens to us (how can we possibly control the storm?), but we can control how we react to them. We can control how we let them affect us. We can choose to focus on the good, cling to the knowledge that nothing lasts forever and that even in the midst of the storm, He is with us.

Focus on the Good

When we change our focus, we change our life.

When we focus on the good, we aren’t living in denial of the bad, we’re just choosing to see the light in the darkness, to behold the beauty in the storm, to feel refreshment in the rain, and to understand there’s a purpose in the pain.

When we understand that this too shall pass, we can move forward, knowing that we will get through whatever is trying to take us out. Sometimes we’re able to do this on our own, but most of the time, we need help. We need God on our side (knowing and trusting that He will never leave us or forsake us), and we need people on our side too. Our friends and/or families are powerful resources for getting through the tough times. They encourage us, strengthen us, and give us a safe place to rest when we’re weary.

Yes, life can be messy, but if it weren’t, it wouldn’t be colorful, and it wouldn’t be such an exhilarating ride!

Amp Up Your Vacuuming

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Dirty carpets got you down? Let me tell you, with a child, one large and one medium-sized dogs, AND a cat, I get it. Boy, do I get it. Carpet fresheners DO help, but what are they made from? Mostly chemicals and toxins, which stay in the air for breathing in, or in the carpet where we tend to walk barefoot. Did you know that the bottoms of your feet are an excellent place for drawing things into the body? Yep, it’s true!

As much as I love a clean, fresh-smelling carpet, I gave up commercial carpet freshener years ago. I love that I now have a fantastic DIY alternative, that is made without harmful chemicals. And it’s so EASY to make!

MFL Carpet Freshener

How to make:

  • 1/2 C Baking Soda
  • 1/2 C Borax
  • 20 – 25 Drops Essential Oil (Lemon, Purification, Cinnamon, Lavender, Orange, or any that you like!)

Combine all ingredients, mix well, and it’s ready to use! Sprinkle it over your carpet, using whatever container you like… I’ve found that an old (clean) parmesan cheese shaker bottle or large spice bottle (like the kind you’d get at Costco) works great. OR, if you want to class it up a little, simply take the lid of the parmesan cheese shaker, and add it to a mason jar ~ it works!

See? Easy-peasy!