This picture sucks, but our only full-length mirror is inside our closet.
Jeans - GAP, Cardigan - Banana Republic, Tank - Target, Glitter Shoe - Kohls
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Outfitting Myself
When I was working, I would always dress up....nice clothes, dress pants, skirts, dresses, heels, etc. But the moment I would come home, I would change into some version of my ridiculously comfortable but hideous uniform, consisting of some combination of an oversized long-sleeved t-shirt and ginormous scrub pants I permanently borrowed from B. Now that I stay at home, it seems like getting dressed is a chore, or maybe more like wasted effort? I am not sure, but these days I consider getting dressed to be when I put on a bra, especially in the winter. Seriously. I am thisclose to becoming your stereotypical north woods housewife. I am a slave to comfort. This is definitely something I feel I should work on. Now that the kids are a little older, they have things like gymnastics classes and Pre-school to go to, so I have more reasons to leave the house, thus more reasons for me to look human. Here is an example of a typical outfit for me. I wore this to take the kids to gymnastics, we run short on time so i have zero make up on and needed something quick. Fashion forward? Notsomuch. But a bra? Check. Real pants? Check. Brushed hair? Barely. I still consider this a victory.
This picture sucks, but our only full-length mirror is inside our closet.
Jeans - GAP, Cardigan - Banana Republic, Tank - Target, Glitter Shoe - Kohls
This picture sucks, but our only full-length mirror is inside our closet.
Jeans - GAP, Cardigan - Banana Republic, Tank - Target, Glitter Shoe - Kohls
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Family Dinner: Chicken Enchilada Casserole
I have seen several versions of these all over the Internet, but this is mine. I think I need to be upfront and let you know that our kids are not picky....or really, they try to be, but I am not having that crap. And they also enjoy a little spice, so this recipe has a little heat, but you can adjust that easily to your own preference. I love casseroles, especially as the weather gets cooler. A simple one dish meal, a little effort to get all the ingredients together, and then you can chuck it in the oven and get to whatever you need to get done, which in my case is some driveway chalk drawings and soaking up the last bit of sun and warmth before we are forced indoors for the winter (ughhhhh).
I make my own enchilada sauce, but you can easily buy cans of sauce or the seasoning packet and save a few minutes. Another note, often I will cook a big batch of chicken breasts in the crock pot to shred and use in a couple of recipes throughout the week. I didn't do that here, because I didn't plan ahead, but if you do, then this is reallllllly quick to throw together.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (or this amount already cooked shredded)
3 cups chicken broth (if you have your chicken cooked already, you just need 1 cup)
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely minced
1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup cilantro (a small handful), minced
1 can black beans, rinsed
6 fat-free flour tortillas, cut into 1/8ths
1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
6 green onions, sliced
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
First, if you need to cook your chicken, cut off all the fat and gross vein-ey looking things, place your chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with chicken broth. Cook over medium-low heat until done, about 20-25 minutes. Shred with forks, and set aside. Reserve 1 cup of the broth for the enchilada sauce, and give the pan a quick rinse and wipe.
Next, you will need a large frying pan and your sauce pan. Spray each pan with cooking spray, then I like to mince all my garlic at once. Split the garlic between the two pans. Next I like to make the sauce: turn the saucepan on to medium, and sautee the garlic, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the garlic is cooking, mince up your chipotle peppers. Add those to the pan, cook for another minute or so, then add tomato sauce, 1 cup of chicken broth, chipotle chile powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes.
Next, while the sauce is cooking, I dice my onion and add it to the frying pan with the garlic. Begin to cook these over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. While the onions are cooking, I dice up my green pepper, then add it to the pan, and cook an additional 3 minutes or so. While this is cooking, I rinse my beans and dice my tomato and cilantro. After the pepper starts to soften, I add the diced tomatoes, beans, and cilantro, mix and cook for another minute or 2, then stir in the shredded chicken.
Pre-heat the oven to 400, and spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Cover the bottom with half the cut up tortillas, then top with half the enchilada sauce. Add the chicken mixture, the cover with the remaining tortilla strips. Top with the remaing sauce, sprinkle with cheese, sliced green onions, and olives. Cover with foil and bake until hot, 25-30 minutes.
I make my own enchilada sauce, but you can easily buy cans of sauce or the seasoning packet and save a few minutes. Another note, often I will cook a big batch of chicken breasts in the crock pot to shred and use in a couple of recipes throughout the week. I didn't do that here, because I didn't plan ahead, but if you do, then this is reallllllly quick to throw together.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (or this amount already cooked shredded)
3 cups chicken broth (if you have your chicken cooked already, you just need 1 cup)
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely minced
1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup cilantro (a small handful), minced
1 can black beans, rinsed
6 fat-free flour tortillas, cut into 1/8ths
1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
6 green onions, sliced
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
First, if you need to cook your chicken, cut off all the fat and gross vein-ey looking things, place your chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with chicken broth. Cook over medium-low heat until done, about 20-25 minutes. Shred with forks, and set aside. Reserve 1 cup of the broth for the enchilada sauce, and give the pan a quick rinse and wipe.
Next, you will need a large frying pan and your sauce pan. Spray each pan with cooking spray, then I like to mince all my garlic at once. Split the garlic between the two pans. Next I like to make the sauce: turn the saucepan on to medium, and sautee the garlic, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the garlic is cooking, mince up your chipotle peppers. Add those to the pan, cook for another minute or so, then add tomato sauce, 1 cup of chicken broth, chipotle chile powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes.
Next, while the sauce is cooking, I dice my onion and add it to the frying pan with the garlic. Begin to cook these over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. While the onions are cooking, I dice up my green pepper, then add it to the pan, and cook an additional 3 minutes or so. While this is cooking, I rinse my beans and dice my tomato and cilantro. After the pepper starts to soften, I add the diced tomatoes, beans, and cilantro, mix and cook for another minute or 2, then stir in the shredded chicken.
Pre-heat the oven to 400, and spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Cover the bottom with half the cut up tortillas, then top with half the enchilada sauce. Add the chicken mixture, the cover with the remaining tortilla strips. Top with the remaing sauce, sprinkle with cheese, sliced green onions, and olives. Cover with foil and bake until hot, 25-30 minutes.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Beginnings
I decided to try out this blog thing....so, as a beginning, here is a bit about me. My name is Ashli, I am a suburban 34 year-old former working mom turned stay-at-home mom to 3 year-old twins. I have been married to my soulmate, B, for 6 years. I enjoy cooking, internet shopping, watching tv, spending time with my family, and wasting time on the Internet reading. I struggle with my weight a little, and go in an out of workout and diet phases, but I am not seriously into fitness. Maybe one day i will find that inspiration/motivation I need to get to the next level, but for now, I am happy where I am at.
For this blog, I do plan on including a few outfit posts. Most days I do try not to look like a hideous swamp beast, but I am in no way whatsoever a fashion or beauty expert. In fact, I consider brushing my hair and putting on pants without an elastic waistband an accomplishment. I also plan to include some recipes and meal ideas. I am a die-hard fan of Weight Watchers (more on that in the future), so the majority of my meals and recipes will be low-fat and somewhat healthy, but family friendly. And of course expect some antics from the kiddos, because having two 3 year olds can get a little crazy! Thanks for stopping by!
For this blog, I do plan on including a few outfit posts. Most days I do try not to look like a hideous swamp beast, but I am in no way whatsoever a fashion or beauty expert. In fact, I consider brushing my hair and putting on pants without an elastic waistband an accomplishment. I also plan to include some recipes and meal ideas. I am a die-hard fan of Weight Watchers (more on that in the future), so the majority of my meals and recipes will be low-fat and somewhat healthy, but family friendly. And of course expect some antics from the kiddos, because having two 3 year olds can get a little crazy! Thanks for stopping by!
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