January Playlist(S)

I got 2 coming your way this month! One to welcome in the new year. It's a feel good playlist and the other a playlist for the gym.
I will give you my disclaimer for the gym playlist though. I like me some gangsta rap, and it gets me going on the machines. With that being said, if you are easily offended, the HELLO GYM playlist is NOT rated G.

Enjoy and Happy New Year. Happy goal setting and happy gyming!

Juicing Jumpstart

Quick drop in. I hope everyone's holidays were enjoyable.

I can't remember if I've mentioned this before, but I wake up on the daily and go around and head to head with Lyme Disease. I have another blog that I've actually neglected for nearly a year that is dedicated to my battle. If you care to follow my journey you can read more about that HERE.

One of my posts from last year was over juicing and the benefits. I revisit the plan when I need to give my gut a rest or just reset my eating habits. With the new year approaching and goals and resolutions being set, I wanted to share it with all of you!

This plan has been a wonderful tool in helping me reach my overall goal weight. (Key word is tool.)
I finally hit it this year! #GOALS  (insert embarrassing photo below)

Here is the plan to help you get started.
Drinking Your Calories (Juicing and Liquid Diets)

Be sure to stay tuned to find out how I hit my overall combined goal.

November Playlist-Fav Platform

I'm a playlist junkie. I have one for just about everything. Every mood. It's the "mix tape" of our time and with the technology it is easier than ever. Gone are the days saving my baby sitting money to be able to record the top 40 these bad boys.

Now, I just title search and add. I have lists for my treadmill speed, weightlifting, sauna sesh, Friday night cooking with my hunny, river trip, when I just need to cry.....you get the idea. I am a Spotify subscriber. I tried them for free. I paid for them. I tried to not pay for them. I made it 3 months before I had to pay for I gave in again. They are hands down my favorite music platform. So there you have it and here you have my November Playlist. 

While building my lists I sometimes stumble across new artist or songs I've never heard before.  This time is was Louisa Wendorff.  Her mellow acoustic songbird voice made me long for a cozy cafe corner and some rain. I fell in LOVE with her song that I added to the end of my play list. After I did some more digging on her, I realized she is the one responsible for this YouTube viral video mash-up:  

Yeah. I quickly remembered because I helped her out with her over 32 million views. I watched this over and over!

In other news, my oldest daughter is already streaming Christmas music.

It's All About The Housewife Today And The Sandwich?

Today we celebrate all housewives across America! It's a job that too often gets taken for granted, but it is a never ending job. This full-time employment for no pay has to be one of the most rewarding things I've ever been blessed with the opportunity to do. I wasn't always a stay at home, but I always remember wanting to be. My mother was always there for my brother and me while growing up and I have no doubt she probably wanted to run away at times. As do I. But I thank her for not. 

Sure, I often retreat to the farthest corner of my house while on the verge of a breakdown where my husband will sometimes come home from work and wonder why I'm sitting in the closet.  I see the terror in his face when our eyes meet and that single tear streams down my cheek.  He wants to immediately abandon ship. I can tell, but he springs into action and figures out a plan. Sometimes that plan is our local taqueria and margaritas or promptly making sure the wine club shipment is on it's way. Sometimes he just stands there fear-stricken and will literally say, "I don't know what to do." 

One thing is always certain. This job is always rewarding. As I spend time reflecting this morning on celebrating myself and other women as myself, I realize that I spend a lot and I mean A LOT of time complaining and sweating the small stuff. It can all turn around though in an instant. A thank you, a "dinner was good, mom." A proud mom moment.  A "I couldn't have done it without you." Or just watching them laugh and enjoy the HOME I've helped build.  It makes it all worth it.

Oh, and the fact that National Housewives Day and National Sandwich Day are on the same day has me like.......

Some post-world series humor for you. Congratulations Cubbies. You made baseball exciting for me again.

Eggs So Good They're Evil (National Deviled Egg Day)

It's National Deviled Egg Day. I'm going to knock out 2 birds with one stone this morning. (See what I did there?)  I have quail eggs and chicken eggs on my stove cooling. 

Background on the quail eggs. We have a Texas-sized gas station here in our lone star state called Buc-ees. If you are familiar, you know it's a must  when you are traveling. If you are passing through Texas, it's a must. From free samples of fudge to beaver nuggets to the cleanest restrooms you'll find on any interstate, this iconic stop has become a tourist destination. Our local Buc-ees is where I discovered jalapeno pickled quail eggs. Now, I have never had a pickled egg of any sorts before in my life until eating one of these. I still have not had any other type of pickled egg. I just do not want to ruin what I have experienced. The quail egg is so delectable. It is the perfect sized accompaniment on-top of a burger.  This tiny morsel makes it the perfect portion of protein. I was so excited when I finally located them fresh in Houston at the Asian market. I bought 2 dozen and will attempt today to pickle the quail eggs. The chicken eggs are getting deviled.

Although the first recipes for deviled eggs first dates back to the late 1700's there have never been any real rules to what all you can use. Bacon, guacamole, tobiko, jalapeno, paprika, mayo, siracha, mustard, pickles, anything goes. Making it one of the perfect brunch to hor d'oeuvres foods.

How do you take yours? Are you adventurous or traditional?

10 Best Pickled Quail Egg Recipes
10 Super Creative and Incredibly Delicious Deviled Egg Recipes

Hello November

I just thought I was happy that October was here. I cannot believe how fast it came and went. I managed to do some traveling to north Texas down to the south Texas coast and back home all in one week. My son made it home from the Navy, finally.  My daughter was bitter-sweetly released on her own to start driving alone, and I already caught myself a seasonal upper respiratory infection. The husband's honey-do list grew smaller and we enjoyed our first cool front by celebrating with a hike, pizza, pumpkin patch, caramel apples, and pumpkin carving. 

Now we can move onto November. It's a full one already. Travels are in the near future for me. Travels that include a plane ride. I don't fly well.  I'm already praying for the stranger that will have the blessing of sitting next to me. 

I will say, National Housewife Day has me pretty dern excited. 

I welcome you, November. I celebrate you and your colors. May you reciprocate with cozy weather and crisp fall air. 

Chicken Pomodoro

It's National Pasta Day and I'm pretty excited about it.

THIS is the dish the husband often gets mixed up with the picatta. I think by now he just doesn't even ask. He just eats what is put in front of him. This never makes leftovers either. No matter how much I fix. So, in true big family fashion, I make a lot.



What's more annoying than sitting at the table waiting for mom to finally sit so everyone can eat?
I know!
Everyone sitting at the table waiting for mom to finish taking her blog pictures. I had 10 eyeballs staring me down as I completed the last of my photos for this entry. Please enjoy.

INGREDIENTS
3 large chicken breast sliced long ways
1 package of linguine
seasoning (salt n pepper, garlic salt, watevs you like to season yo poultry with!)
olive oil
5-6 crushed garlic cloves
3 large roma tomatoes
1 bunch of FRESH basil
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Get your water boiling for your linguine noodles and prepare your pasta while you are doing the following:

Get your pan going with 2-3 tbsp of olive oil. Heat it up on medium heat.
While that's heating, wash and slice longways your chicken breast.
Put into the pan once it's ready and sprinkle your seasoning on them. Cook them all the way.

While the chicken is cooking, chop up your tomatoes, mince the garlic (a press helps for this or you can use minced garlic from a jar, just make sure it's fresh. None of the dried stuff and no canned tomatoes.)

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and place on a plate to rest. Add your garlic, tomatoes and about 2 more tbsp of olive oil. Cook this down.

Slice the chicken breast up and cut your basil into ribbons.

Once your noodles are cooked and strained return them to the pot. Do not let them get cold. Add your sliced chicken, the tomato-garlic mixture and the fresh basil and toss.

Garnish with the Parmesan cheese!

Creamy Fish Picatta

This has got to be one of my favorite dishes to prepare. I normally, well I've always made this with chicken. This was the first time I ever made it with fish. It was delicious. When I make it with chicken, it is usually referred to by my husband as Chicken Pomodoro. Which is a different meal for a different day. My youngest refers to it as the chicken with yummy peas. As she is making reference to the capers. I never cook with peas (yuck) unless I am making Belizean potato salad. So yes, they are the yummy peas.

This was accompanied by garlic mash and feta dill tomato roasted asparagus.

I used tilapia. Like I said, this dish can be used with chicken as well. I understand that tilapia is a junk fish and fish snobs all over are gasping right now reading this. So, feel free to dismiss my blog while sipping your coca-cola and eating your trans-fat fries and big mac or deep fried "closed on Sunday" chicken sandwich that is just so healthy for you. The way I look at it, eating junk fish is better than eating no fish at all. Don't judge.



Ingredients for fish/chicken coating:
Adobo seasoning
Tony's Herb seasoning
flour
white wine
olive oil

Ingredients for creamy picatta sauce:
1/2 qt heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
juice of one large lemon
1/2 cup capers
6 thinly sliced mushrooms

Here is the holy grail to getting your seasonings to stick to your meat. PUT THEM ON FIRST BEFORE THE FLOUR.

In a large skillet pour enough olive oil to coat the pan and place on medium heat.
Put your fish in a glass dish after rinsing and patting dry. Next drizzle with olive oil and white wine.
Seasonings are next. Just enough to cover the fish. Easy does it. Fish absorb seasoning quickly. Dredge in flour.




When pan is ready, place in the pan and lets get going!

***To keep your fish from falling apart you want to always make sure you give it enough time to cook on each side. Approximately 5 minutes on each side, and always use a flat spatula to flip.



Once fish is cooked, take out of the pan and place in an oven safe pan and keep warm...in the oven...on warm setting.



Picatta Cream
Turn down the temperature of your pan to low now.
Using the crispy bits left over in your skillet, add a tablespoon of butter and melt. While this is melting add the lemon juice, capers, and, mushrooms. Slowly add the cream. Stir this till it slightly thickens. Place on top of fish and eat up!



This is enough for about 8 fish.

The potatoes I boiled with the skin on because there are a lot of vitamins in the skin. Once boiled I then peeled the skin. Added butter, skim milk, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Mashed up.

 

The asparagus was tossed with tomato, dill, garlic salt, feta cheese, and olive oil and placed in the oven on the broiler setting for about 10 minutes.

If you try this, let me know how yours turns out!

Falling Back Into The Groove

Well, hello October and hello there reader. Autumn is not only my favorite season, but it also felt like the right time of year to celebrate the renewal of my blogging adventure.

I originally started blogging here over half a decade ago, and then other things took precedence and I lost the time to keep up with it. I always had all intentions of getting back to it, I just always seemed to have other things get in the way, but here I am now.
A clean slate. Just like the trees in the fall. They shed their leaves, shaking loose of all that is dead and then the sweet wait for renewed growth.
October is going to be a good month. Here is just a small list of what will be happening under my roof this month.