Chicken Fajitas

I just made some yummy chicken fajitas, using a recipe I adapted from this one:
Here is my version:

1-1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced into strips
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 large onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced (~1/2 tsp)
1 Tbsp veg oil
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp of each of the following:
chili powder
cumin
salt
black pepper
~1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
8 flour tortillas

The toppings we used:
salsa
shredded cheddar cheese
lettuce
tomatoes
sour cream

1. Saute bell pepper, chicken, onion, garlic in oil.
2. Add lime juice and spices. Simmer for a few minutes.
3. Warm tortillas by placing a few on a plate in between 2 damp paper towels. Microwave for ~45 seconds to 1 minute.
4. Toss a scoop into a warm tortilla, then add your favorite toppings.

Choo-choo

The weekend before Easter, we went on a train ride at the railroad museum. I have issues with celebrating Easter during Lent, but we put up with the Peter Cottontail theme and had a great time. Jack was terrified of the bunny. I mean, scared.out.of.his.mind. If you check out his frightful Santa encounter you'll get the idea of what it was like to be hugged by a giant mint green furry creature with massive eyeballs. And to answer your question, yes, he was the only kid on the entire train who cried. (We just tell ourselves that he's smart.)

Here are some pics:



And the photo below is what I was referring to in my previous post.

Happy Easter

I'm mainly writing this to let y'all know that The Gaudet Family - our friends from Mobile - will be on Extreme Makeover this evening on ABC.  I'm still wondering if Ty got a concussion from being tackled by the boys...on the news clips, it looked downright painful.

Holy Week has been spiritually exhausting for me.  I think sometimes it's easy to just push grief and suffering aside, if only to catch my breath and to give my heavy heart a break, but I made an extra effort to meditate on my sorrow and experience Christ's Passion as I've never experienced it before.  I used to go to Confession at the beginning of Lent...it's not one of my favorite activities, so I usually want to get it over with.  But I waited until Holy Thursday this year.  I had gone in December, but the sadness was still so raw back then, that I was sort of numb through the whole thing.  There was a long line this time, and Jack was with John Mark at work, so I was able to focus all my energy on what these past few months have done in regards to my faith.  It was painful, mainly because my current weaknesses and sin are all new to me - they are reminders of the person I had become the moment Bernadette's heart stopped beating.   In many aspects, the new me is stronger in her faith - I have witnessed God's grace in so many ways that I simply could not deny him at this point.  But at the same time, the temptations of envy, fear, pride, and hard-heartedness can throw swings at me so fast that I hardly have time to prepare for impact.  As C.S. Lewis states in The Screwtape Letters, Satan will try to grab hold of you in the most subtle ways.  The example I remember most is that of the faithful Christian who attends a Sunday service and becomes increasingly annoyed at the off-key singer behind him.  The devil knows our weaknesses and will do anything to break us.  And when a tragedy hits close to home, he'll do anything to use it to his advantage.  

When something bad happens, I picture it like a railroad track that's about to split into 2 routes (can you tell I'm around train talk a lot?).  There is a point in the track where there are 4 steel rails instead of 2, and they slowly split off into 2 separate tracks.  Grief can sorta be that way.  There is a bit of time where you can sometimes feel like there are 2 paths in one - you feel angry and alone.  You push God away, insisting that he is not welcome anymore.  But at the same time, you hold onto him and pray fervently that he will get you through this mess.  Eventually, you must choose whether you will allow the anger to boil over and envelope your life.  Or whether you will embrace his love, accept his grace, and trust that he has a perfect plan for you.  I hope and pray that I can experience each day to the fullest in the spirit of our daughter's memory.  She represents what life is really all about - sharing eternity with our Father in heaven.

Happy Easter.

In the Kitchen

Today was a rainy day, and after playing in the puddles for a bit, I decided to make a couple of batches of this rice craft. It is so incredibly easy, and although it can make a mess (albeit a very easy one to clean up), Jack has such a great time that I like to do it for him while I'm doing the dishes or cooking dinner. He loves to push his matchbox cars around in it, spoon it into cups, and pour it into other containers (or all over the floor).

I absolutely love to cook. I am (very) far from a gourmet chef and I'm not very creative when it comes to designing my own recipes. But I love to try new things. The best online source I have found thus far is www.recipezaar.com. I have been using it for several years now, and some of my tried-and-true recipes are on there. I'm going to try to post some of my favorites on a regular basis. I don't know the rules in terms of copyright, so I will just post a link whenever possible.

Last night, I made Paula Dean's Asian Orzo Pasta Chicken Salad for the first time. I thought it was a clever way to get some vegetables into my family's mouth. Jack didn't care for it, but John Mark and I ate it up. It would be great for a potluck or a picnic. I thought it was a tad bland, so I added more soy sauce and a dash of salt. Chilling it overnight made it more flavorful, too. I have a hard time finding a big chunk of time to devote to dinner, so I always see what I can do the night before after Jack is asleep. I chopped up the veggies, thawed a whole chicken, and cooked the orzo pasta. The next day, I steamed the chicken using the method found at my other favorite website, Hillbilly Housewife. Pulled the chicken off, mixed all the ingredients together, and tossed the bowl in the fridge for later. So much less stressful!

Today, I made Cincinnati Chili, one of our favorites. I also cooked this for my whole family while we were at our family reunion in Pennsylvania. It's a great comfort food! And it's very easy to double or triple, which I did this time around to give to a family we know who just had a baby and another friend of ours who just underwent surgery. The recipe is below. I guess it would serve about 4 people, but I almost always double it (and in this case did x4), and whatever I have left we eat for lunch or I freeze. It freezes very well!

Cincinnati Chili

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (~1/2 tsp)
1 T chili powder (edited to add this - I can't believe I forgot it!)

1 tsp all spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne (I use 1/4 tsp to reduce the heat)
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 Tbsp cocoa (the powder stuff)
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 C water
16 oz box of spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained
1-2 C cheddar cheese

1. Saute onion, beef, garlic, and chili powder until beef is slightly cooked. (I usually fully cook the beef and it's still great.)

2. Add remaining ingredients besides the spaghetti noodles and cheese.

3. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1.5 hrs.

4. Serve over noodles and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Yum! I like to serve this with a simple salad on the side.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope.
When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you.
When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me with you, says the LORD ...

Someone posted this passage on a forum I am on, and although I have heard it a million times, it hit me more than ever this time. I need to tattoo this verse onto my hand, place it on my dashboard in the car, and write it in big fat letters on my refrigerator door to drill it into my head that I am taken care of. That God has a plan for me. Sometimes I feel like I am really making strides in my healing, but then something random will trigger a setback (or is it really a setback at all? Maybe it's just part of the process.). I have been really struggling with letting go of my desires for that perfect family. OK, my definition of a perfect family probably doesn't equal many people's. But for me, it means children. Lots of children that make lots of noise. Chaotic love. Sometimes I feel like I am failing Jack because I know how much he enjoys other kids. I imagine that great bond between siblings and worry that it will be a while before he ever gets to have that (if at all).

But then I scold myself because I know just how foolish I am. I have two beautiful children, even though only one is walking this earth with us. I have a wonderful husband who works hard so that I can stay at home. We have a roof over our head, food in our fridge, and a brand new swing set to boot, lol. (thanks Mom and Dad!) Yes, we have a cross to bear - losing a child isn't something that one ever really gets over. But many people aren't able to have children at all, and some families don't have enough money to put food on the table. Wow, do I have it good!

So, I offer up my grief and frustrations for those who struggle with infertility, for those who have lost children, those who are without employment or have trouble making ends meet, and those who are struggling to understand God's plans for them. Live for today and relax about tomorrow. He hears our cries and knows what's best for us.

Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6