Comfort Zones.

I feel like my mind is always running on warp speed. I rarely sit down just to listen. I have noticed a pattern that is forming. One that i'm not 100 % proud off. Instead of always reaching out, and or turning to my savior I just do it in a rush, at a time of need.

How much better what our weeks be if every morning started out with a plea to our father in heaven or even just a talk? Though, he isn't one to judge, he is one who will always be there. I often take that for granted. While sitting here at the end of this hard week I feel at a loss. I feel like i'm just at a stand still. I decided to take this time while my hubby is away to enjoy the silence, to take time to just listen.

While putting preparing my primary lesson I came across a quote that was much needed:
"Are we prepared to leave our comfort zone to reach a better place"- Elder Godoy.

How many things in our lives have become routine, merely because we don't want to get out of our comfort zone? How many of those things, though maybe good things are ruining even better things? With conference coming up I found this so fitting. The talks given aren't just for the fun of it, but are being shared because they are needed. Are we willing to heed the council and change things? Are we willing to step out of the comfort zone to allow something better to come along, to find a better place?

 I am not all knowing, but do truly believe this to be so important. I didn't realize how "comfortable" I was in my life until now, being newly married. There has to be so much give and take. As we have worked together, stepping out of our comfort zone its amazing the better things that have come. I know when we come to a point where options are given, satan isn't going to want us to change. He is going to tear us down. He wants us to stay comfortable. That's where he can get us. He wants us to believe we don't need to change for anyone. We become selfish. Completely engulfed in ourselves.

However, I do have a strong testimony when it comes to change. I know as we step out of our comfort zones our Father in Heaven's hand will be right there, leading us to something even greater. He literally takes us to a whole new place spiritually. I do believe change to be an amazing thing, because with it we grow. I challenge you all to look at your life and all the things you have become comfortable with. Are you willing to change them, to come to a better place? I am eternally grateful for Heavenly Parents who know so much more than I ever will. They know exactly what we need at any given time. Nothing just happens. There is a reason behind everything. When I left my comfort zone last year, I truly did reach a better place.

Start fresh this week. Take a step. I'm going too.

Love always,
K

Tofu Tostadas.

So the first time I had these was when I first moved to Florida. It was also the first time I had tofu. If you aren't a tofu lover do not run away from this recipe. My husband and I absolutely love these! They are super light, yummy and very filling. They are also even better the second day.

Tofu:

2 TBSP olive oil
1 container tofu ( I prefer the extra firm that is already cubed, I get mine at Walmart )
1 med. red bell pepper
Half a yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tsp. chili powder
1 Tsp. ground cumin
Juice of 1 lime ( about 3 tbsp )

Add all the ingredient into the oil once hot. Cook until peppers and onions become tender and the tofu starts to brown.


Salsa:

1 can yellow corn (drained)
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can hotel & green chilis ( I liked to add fresh tomatoes and green chilis from my garden )
1 bunch of cilantro
1/2 red onion
1 red bell pepper
2-3 Tbsp Lime Juice
Avocado ( I leave mine to the side )
1/2 Tsp. Minced Garlic
dash of cumin

Mix and enjoy :)

Tortilla:
I just buy the small white corn tortillas.

Spray the pan with coconut oil ( or pam if you prefer )

Bake 5 min each side at 400 degrees ( or until crispy )

California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza

so here is the original recipe. i ended up making it completely my own way in order to save tons of time :) 

ingredients

for the thin crust pizza
• (makes 2 14" pizzas)
• 1 teaspoon dry active yeast
• 1 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
• 2 1/2-3 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon salt (i usually half this)
• olive oil

I made my own whole wheat crust that took about 1/2 the time. definitely recommend that if you are in a time crunch 

for the sauce
• bbq sauce (if you don't want to make your own i suggest using a good bbq sauce like sweet baby ray's)
• 24 oz ketchup
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 worcestershire sauce
• a teensy drop of liquid smoke (if you want)

i just bought my own jar of bbq sauce from the store. hickory smoked honey or something along those lines. it was still super yummy 

blackened chicken
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• a pinch of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• a pinch ground white pepper
• a pinch of onion powder
for the pizza
• 1/3 cup smoked gouda ( loved this it made the pizza 10x better ) 
• 1- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella
• 2 pieces turkey bacon (or regular), cooked and chopped
• 1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (see recipe above)
• 1/4 red onion sliced ridiculously thin
• 1/4 bunch of cilantro, chopped

instructions

for the crust
1. add yeast to warm water & allow to sit for 10 min. in a large bowl, combine flours and salt. add the yeast mixture & stir to form a soft dough. turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed. coat a bowl with olive oil. place the dough in the bowl, turning it once to coat with oil. cover and let rise in a warm place. the dough should double in volume (1-1 1/2 hours). flatten the dough and divide in half. shape each piece into a ball & let raise for another hour. add toppings and bake at 425 for 15-20 min.
for the blackened chicken
2. mix together the paprika, salt, cayenne, cumin, thyme, white pepper, and onion powder. oil the chicken breast with cooking spray on both sides, then coat the chicken breast evenly with the spice mixture.
3. cook in a med-high skillet one minute on each side and finish in a 350 degree oven about 20-30 min.
for the pizza
4. after rolling out the crust place a layer of bbq sauce on the dough. sprinkle the chicken, onion and bacon and top with cheeses.
5. bake at 425 for 10-20 min depending on the size you made your pizza. just watch until the cheesy is bubbly and beginning to brown. remove from oven and sprinkle with cilantro.

from: oh, sweet basil. 

BBQ Wing Chicken Ring.

I have definitely been a slacker. Prepare for the recipe overload. It was my goal to blog a little about the day and add the recipe at the end.. Well with work and prepping for Brody's surgery that just hasn't happened. I also decided I would be better about adding pictures with each recipe. Forgive me, that hasn't really happened either. So here you go one of our all time favorites

INGREDIENTS

8 

ounces cream cheese, softened

1 

packet ranch dressing mix

1/2 

cup celery, finely diced (I omit this) 

1/2 

cup onions, finely diced (I omit this)

1/2 

cup Buffalo sauce

2 

packets (6 ounce) cooked chicken, very finely diced

2 

tubes crescent rolls

1/2 

cup ranch dressing (for dipping), optional 

1/4 

cup scallions, cilantro, or fresh herbs, finely chopped  ( I omit this) 

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, ranch dressing mix, celery, onions, Buffalo sauce, and chicken. (Or, if you'd rather, mix it all together in a food processor.)
• Open the tubes of crescent rolls and separate each roll into four rectangles. Lay the rectangles on a parchment lined or nonstick baking sheet to form a large circle.
• Spoon chicken mixture into the center of the crescent dough ring. Fold the top of each crescent dough rectangle over the chicken filling, pressing into place to secure the dough all the way around the filling.
• Bake in preheated oven at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Garnish with chopped scallions, cilantro, or other herbs, if desired.

Quinoa Chili

This is the first time i've tried this recipe. I almost prefer it over the meat chili! I did adjust the recipe a little bit. Enjoy :)

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa ( I only did one cup ) 
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (1 3/4 cup)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes ( I cut up two medium sized tomatoes from my garden ) 
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups water (or chicken broth if not making vegetarian) ( I used vegetable broth) 
• 1 (7 oz) can diced green chiles
• 2 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I used one dark red, one light red)
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn ( I would use two cans of corn ) 
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a large enameled cast iron pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot add onion and saute until tender, about 4 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of sauteing. Add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cooked quinoa, water (start with 1 1/2 cups then add more later if desired), green chiles, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, paprika, sugar, coriander, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot and allow to simmer 30 minutes. 
• Add in all beans, corn, cilantro and lime and cook until heated through. Serve warm with optional toppings and sides (cheddar, sour cream, diced avocados, saltine crackers or tortilla chips).

Recipe adjust from: http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/07/quinoa-chili/

Love always,

K 

Our God loves broken things.

Though life seems to be full of uncertainty, heart break and disappointment I am so grateful for a savior that knows far more than we do. At our lowest moments we often don't know where to began but luckily we have someone who knows exactly where to start. We don't know what the outcome will be but are given the calming reassurance that it will be okay. Our hearts won't hurt forever. Eventually our eyes will be open to what he sees. We might still feel pain but we will begin to realize that it's all part of his plan, it all happens for a reason. I am eternally grateful for a place on earth that gives us the glimpse of heaven, a glimpse of the bigger picture. As I sit here and struggle and try to place the pieces of the puzzle together I feel reassured that it's in his hands. I absolutely love the temple and the peace it brought as I sat there tonight. It truly is a beacon of hope.

Love always,
K

Cajun Fajita Pasta

I absolutely love pasta and this has to be one of my favorites now. You can make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken and substituting chicken broth for vegetable broth. Enjoy!!

Try me!

Love always,
K

Easy Navajo Tacos and Lemon Pepper Corn on the Cob.

The first time I had these Navajos Tacos was at my in laws. They were so easy but so yummy. 

1 Can Chili ( I like to use the hot kind)

Pita Bread

Cheese

Lettuce 

Tomatoes 

Yep that's all. I love this dinner for busy nights. It beats ramen noodles or mac and cheese and probably takes just as long.

Lemon Peppered Corn on the Cob:

While living in Florida I had the luxury of fresh fruits and veggies everywhere. One night we had some corn that needed to be cooked up. I wanted to do something new with it. I slathered it in some butter and sprinkled lemon pepper on it.. Yep thats it. Super yummy grilled or just thrown in the oven.

Orange Cauliflower.

Sorry I guess the link isn't working for some of you so here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized cauliflower broken into florets (made approx. 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup diced bell peppers (Mixed colors)
• 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp corn starch
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup water (to make a batter)
• Oil for frying + 1 tbsp
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp Sriracha (Or any other red chili paste/sauce)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp green onion, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Heat oil for frying
2. In another pan, heat half tbsp. oil and add the diced peppers. Sauté them for a min or 2 until they turn golden. Make sure that you are not overcooking the peppers. Set aside once they are done.
3. Mix the corn starch and all-purpose flour with a pinch of salt and water to make a thick batter. 
4. The batter should be thick enough to coat the cauliflower florets evenly.
5. Dip each cauliflower floret into the batter and add them into hot oil for frying. 
6. Fry them in batches so as to not overcrowd the pan. 
7. Once the batter covering the florets turns crisp, drain them out of the oil and place them on paper towels.
8. Once you are done frying all the florets, you have to keep them crisp until you are ready to toss them in the sauce. You can do this either by keeping them warm in a pre-heated oven or re-frying them in hot oil for just a min before adding them into the sauce.
9. For the sauce, heat 1/2 tbsp oil in the pan you roasted the peppers in. Add minced ginger and garlic.
10. Sauté them for a min until they turn golden. Add the orange zest in.
11. Add the broth, orange juice, sriracha, soy sauce, sugar and mix well. 
12. Meanwhile, mix 2 tbsp of corn starch in water to make a thin paste.
13. Once the broth-orange mixture begins to boil, lower the heat. Add the crushed black pepper and salt (if required only)
14. Add the corn starch paste into the boiling mixture in a slow steady stream. Make sure you are constantly stirring the simmering mixture with your other hand while adding the corn flour paste.
15. Once the mixture thickens, toss in the fried cauliflower and the sautéed bell peppers.
16. Mix well and increase the heat up a notch. Heat for a min or 2.
17. Transfer it to a serving dish and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

From: Yummily Yours

Orange Cauliflower

Rainy weather always sets off a craving for a yummy comfort food. Tonight I decided to try Cauliflower Chicken. It's a vegetarian version of Orange Chicken and it was actually pretty yummy.

Recipe can be found at: http://yummilyyours.com/orange-cauliflower/

A year ago....

A year ago today my journey in paradise started. This journey changed my life for the better. I left home, scared, depressed and un sure of what I was to do next. Up until three months before I had my life completely planned out. I was one hundred percent sure I was going to marry B and life was going to be amazing. Things changed quick. My Father in Heaven had something else in store for me. I left for Florida looking for a fresh start. A place where I knew four people, and they were the only ones who knew me. I was heart broken and honestly very lost. Florida will forever hold a huge place in my heart. I owe who I am to the people I met there, the spirit I felt there, and the amazing example of my cousins. I was able to discover who I was and what I wanted in life. I felt the spirit differently than I ever had before. I was at complete peace with where my life was and knew no matter what everything would work out. It was hard leaving home, leaving someone I loved, but it was the absolute best. I owe a lot of where B and I are now to trusting the lord and walking away. Florida will always be my home away from home. There was something magical about that place. Maybe it was just getting away, being alone, and having to completely rely on my savior. Whatever it was it changed me for the better.

Always and Forever,
K

Million Dollar Spaghetti.

I have noticed lately when my husband and I can't decide on what to make for dinner we pick out of our three go too meals. Spaghetti being the number one. We were definitely getting bored of the same old spaghetti recipe so we sought to shake it up a bit. We loved this new Million Dollar Recipe we tried. I would cut down on the cream cheese filling and or add more spaghetti sauce. You could also cut out the second layer of butter it definitely is not needed.

Recipe came from: http://www.madefrompinterest.net/million-dollar-spaghetti/

Here we go with the ingredients lineup:

*1 lb of ground beef

*1 jar of spaghetti sauce

*8 oz of cream cheese

*1/4 cup sour cream

*1/2 lb cottage cheese  (equals 1 cup)

*1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

*1 pkg spaghetti 16 oz

*Grated cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350°. Boil your spaghetti noodles until al dente (firm).  Drain and set aside until ready to assemble.

Combine the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese until well blended.

Brown  your hamburger and when done, drain well.  Combine the hamburger with your spaghetti sauce.

Ready for assembly?

1.  Put a few slices of butter into a 9×13 pan then pour half of your spaghetti noodles on top.

2.  Take your cream cheese mixture and pour on top of the noodles. Spread well over noodles.

3. Pour the rest of the noodles on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Put a few more slices of butter on top of the noodles.

Now it is ready to put into the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, pour the desired amount of grated cheese on top and return to the oven for 15 minutes to allow cheese to melt.

Burrito Bowls

Burrito bowls have become one of my go too meals. The prep time is short and they are really yummy.  I am all for cheap and easy meals. Here is your no go to meal on a night when you just don't have time to make something, but don't want to pay to go out.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup uncooked rice 
• 1 cup salsa, homemade or store-bought 
• 3 cups chopped Romaine lettuce 
• 1 (15.25-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained 
• 1 (15-ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed 
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced 
• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves 
FOR THE CHIPOTLE CREAM SAUCE 
• 1 cup sour cream 
• 1 tablespoon chipotle paste* 
• 1 clove garlic, pressed 
• Juice of 1 lime 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more, to taste 

Try Fortify Probiotics. Get $5 off.

 

I aso have substituted spicy ranch for the chipotle cream sauce. 

INSTRUCTIONS

• To make the chipotle cream sauce, whisk together sour cream, chipotle paste, garlic, lime juice and salt; set aside. 
• In a large saucepan of 1 1/2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; let cool and stir in salsa; set aside. 
• To assemble the bowls, divide rice mixture into serving bowls; top with lettuce, corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado and cilantro. 
• Serve immediately, drizzled with chipotle cream sauce.

Recipe from: http://damndelicious.net/2014/09/10/easy-burrito-bowls/

The Power of Fasting.

     Have you ever felt that church is just becoming a routine? You know without a shadow of a doubt that the gospel is true. However, it has been a very long time since something really hit home. You go each week wanting to renew your covenants and wanting to surround yourself with the feelings there. Let's be honest, just walking into sacrament meeting makes you feel so good, it's like taking a long deep breath. You go to classes, listen, participate, and you go home. Nothing super exciting happened. You feel good and ready to take on the week. You than however, begin to reflect. When was the last time I truly felt the spirit. The overwhelming, heart beating out your chest kind of feeling? What am I doing to make it so i'm not always feeling that. This week I made a valiant effort to be prepared for Sunday. I got my primary lesson all planned out and actually woke up and got ready. I was going today and I was staying all three hours. To some of you this might sound silly but for me Satan tries his very hardest to keep me from all three meetings. I walked into primary ready to sub wherever they needed us ( we are permanent subs ) to find out the teachers showed up. I didn't think anything of it and we headed to Sunday School.
     Bro E started his lesson and scriptures i've read a dozen times stood out to me. I was understanding and pulling things out I hadn't before. Wow this was pretty cool I thought, or maybe I was actually just more awake this week from the sugar the night before. Relief society started as I sat in the front row ( which is huge for me ) I read over the hand out and my body started to feel all tingly and warm. I hadn't prayed for any answers to questions, what was going on? We started to talk about fasting and its purposes and it's blessings. We were asked to share any experiences we had from paying fasts and or fasting. My heart started beating so hard, my whole body felt like it went numb and than I started talking. I shared how grateful I was to those in the ward who paid fast offerings because my family has tremendously been blessed. We had food on our table that would not have been there if it weren't for faithful members. The lesson ended with this scripture " And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up. " My Father in Heaven was completely aware of my spiritual needs. He knew that this lesson would be one to prick my heart. It was exactly what I needed to be re-converted. I am grateful that though this world continues to get darker there is still hope. Our savior lives he is fully aware of the things we need. As we strive to keep or covenants he will bless us with the means necessary to press on and keep fighting.

Love always,

K

That moment when...

One word to describe how I'm feeling today is happy. While driving home jamming to music, I turned to look at Brody and I just melted. You know that moment when you realize that person is your forever. He's your rock, the one who will be there no matter. I am seriously the luckiest. I am so in love with him and so happy he's mine. I don't know how I got so lucky. I can't imagine taking on this crazy world with anyone else.

Love always,

K

The inevitable cough.

Let me start out by saying I absolutely love working with kids. They boost your self esteem and teach you so much everyday. If you ever need to feel loved walk into my classroom of two year olds. Working with kids brings about germs.. Crazy amounts of germs. You catch everything no matter how many times you wash your hands, toys, walls basically everything in reach. Each time your sick you have this lingering cough. Each time your sick this cough seems to last longer and sound worse. I have come to the conclusion and somewhat diagnosis of this nasty thing. Initiation. Yes that's right. It must be initiation into the day care scene. Something everyone will know you by. You're walking through the grocery store and hear a nasty barking cough and know they are one of you. The doctor automatically knows you or your child is at this day care because of this cough. So on the flip side, you are not alone. You and all the millions of children and teachers involved in child care share this same characteristic... The inevitable cough.

Its been awhile.

Hello.

I'm not sure if anyone is still reading this. Things have been nothing shy of CRAZY the last little bit. Highs, lows and all the in betweens. Today as I have been reflecting on different lessons and classes I have attended my mind repeatedly is drawn to one thing. You cannot help others unless you, yourself are on higher ground. We all have our struggles, our imperfections. I will be the first to admit I am far from perfect. However, we aren't going to get any better by tearing others down. It is so crucial in this cold world that we find the positive. I learned in a PDD course that when talking with the more challenging students in my class, I need to sandwich the negatives with a positive. As an adult I feel this is so important to do with those we surround ourselves with. It's time to spread positivity. I am taking on the challenge to find the positive in each situation, to look at things as a child would. I challenge you to do this as well. Lets see how beautiful this world becomes.

Happy Monday Ya'll! Tomorrow is B's surgery day. Wish us luck :)

Love always,
K

The plague.

Have you ever felt like a prisoner? Or someone with a nasty disease? That person who sits in a room and someone hurries and shoves their meals under the door and runs away? Currently my feeling. My Monday started out with a post about being positive. It ended with a doctors note saying I was out for a week. Yep you heard me right SEVEN days no pay. Most people would jump up and down with excitement to get out of work that long. I would be excited if I weren't planning a wedding and if it wasn't Influenza A. I spend my days in a super hot doctors mask, leggings, baggy t-shirt, carrying around my giant water bottle. Though it's super attractive i'm ready to be better. Brody's convinced i'm turning into a zombie. Maybe it's true. Gotta run i'm being chased by clorox wipes.

Love always,
K

The norm.

This week my eyes have definitely been opened. I'm a write it all down and check it all off kind of girl. I set my mind to something and that's what I go for. I am now learning that nothing ever goes as planned. I cannot control anything except how I re-act. It's my goal for this week to find the positive in EVERY situation. To let go of the things I can't control. Most often when something strays from our norm we begin to question the things we believe in so much. Sometimes we just bite off more than we can chew. May we all remember the wise words of Alexander. " we've gotta have the bad days so we can enjoy the good." I am nowhere near perfect. I am trying. I do fail, but getting back up is what matters most. Happy Monday folks.

Love always,
K