This is a recipe I recently made. I wanted chipotle chicken but with veggies and sauce.
I looked online for a recipe, however, there was nothing that fit the bill. I headed to the kitchen and started cooking.
This meal turned out AMAZING.
Chipotle Chicken Thighs
Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Chipotle sauce from a small tin of adobo pepper in chipotle sauce
1 cup salsa
3T. Hot honey
1 medium onion, diced
2 large bell peppers or 3 medium bell peppers, cleaned and sliced into bite-sized pieces
Dash cumin
Dash salt and pepper
Juice of 2 limes
2T. Corn starch
1/3 cup water
Directions:
In a crockpot, combine all ingredients but corn starch and water.
Cook on low for 5 hours, or high for 3 hours.
Strain sauce into a saucepan, and heat over medium until boiling. While sauce is heating, mix water and corn starch and slowly pour into boiling sauce. Stir until thickened, add back into meat and veggies.
Serve with rice, beans, and tortillas.
If you want extra smokiness, chop 1-2 chipotle peppers and add to the sauce while it thickens on the stovetop.
Over Spring Break we had guests. While our house is clean, it was definitely disorganized. I had reorganized the pantry and kitchen drawers not long ago, so it was my mission to organize some of the other areas of our home including the kids’ rooms, the front bathroom, and the living room.
The wallpaper I chose.
I headed over to Dollar Tree to grab some organizational items. If you haven’t checked out Dollar Tree lately, they have a great selection of baskets, totes, and boxes with lids to help with organizing your space.
I picked up a few square frames, removed the artwork, covered it with the peel and stick, and placed it back into the frames. It took less than ten minutes and it was super easy. The best part: they look really cute.
I also bought a small two-drawer container to corral all of my hair ties and for Qtips. I decorated the top with decals meant for a glass jar. I think it turned out great.
I placed a basket on top of the toilet tank and filled it with an extra roll of toilet paper, wipes, and new washcloths. I scrubbed out the shower, placed down a shower mat (from Ross), and restocked the front bathroom shower with shampoo, conditioner, 2 body washes, a new pouf, a new back scrub brush, exfoliating gloves, and my absolute favorite body scrub from Tree Hut: Moroccan Rose (which does not smell like roses). I also spent time organizing the HBA stockpile under the front bathroom sink, condensing boxes, and half-filled bottles, and removing unnecessary packaging to make storage easier. I also went through the first aid kit and discarded all of the old, expired meds, ointments, and bandages that are no longer adhesive.
The kids love to draw and there are pencils and pens all over the house. I picked up a three-pack of small baskets and placed 2 of them on the kitchen tables, filling one with pencils, and the second one with ballpoint pens. Hopefully that will solve the “MOOOOOOM, where are the pencils???” Quandary.
Heading into the kids’ rooms, I reorganized Margaret’s room with a few baskets and plastic boxes with lids. The headband/hairbow situation had gotten out of hand, but it was easily wrangled with a plastic box with a lid. Now everything is all in one place. Same with underwear and socks. Separated into two baskets and stored on top of her dresser, which has been upgraded and moved into her larger closet. Yes, her room has two closets- one is very small, and basically is only used to hold clothes that need to be hung up.
Back in the living room, I needed better storage options for our fidget/stim basket and masks. I upgraded to black woven baskets. We still have masks at home (for use when we go to crowded places or when we are feeling under the weather and need to leave home- Target Drive up, anyone?). These weren’t from Dollar Tree, but Dollar Tree Plus and Family Dollar both sell them. And yes, that’s a plastic shoe box with a lid from Dollar Tree next to them- Full of crayons.
So that’s how I spent the 1st three days of my Spring Break. Getting my home organized- It has made finding things a lot easier.
This recipe is 100% Midwestern hotdish and 0% South of the Border. It is, however, pretty good. My brother recently texted me and asked for this recipe. It was a favorite of my dad.
Ingredients:
1lb ground beef
1 can of refried beans
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 cups Mexican cheese
8-10 taco-sized flour tortillas
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small tub sour cream
Directions:
Cook ground beef per taco package directions, once cooked and seasoned, add beans and combine.
Spread 1/4-1/2 cup of beans/beef inside the tortilla, top with a sprinkle of cheese, roll up and place seam side down in greased baking dish.
Once the dish is full, top with a soup and sour cream mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.
Serve with Spanish Rice and a Salad Kit (I like the Avocado Ranch chopped salad kit from Taylor Ranch)
I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.
I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.
Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2 for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind.
Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch every day, and the little one buys her lunch about half the time. Dinner: I’m making sure to start our meals with lots of veggies. Now that I’m back in the gym and the kids are both in Martial Arts, we need to fuel our bodies properly.
Sunday: Clean out the Fridge Night!
Monday: Dream Dinner, Rice, Roasted Veggies
Tuesday: Fritatta, Fruit Salad, toast
Wednesday: Nuggets, mac n’ cheese, fruit, cheese and crackers
Thursday: Dream Dinner (Steaks), Green Salad, Roasted Veggies
I learned to make this soup originally in High School Food and Nutrition class. The teacher was very big on low fat, low carb (it was the 90’s), so I’ve made a lot of changes from the original recipe to include more vegetables, aromatics, and herbs/spices.
Thankfully our Yasukochi Family Farms CSA box loads us up weekly on locally grown, farm fresh veggies. All the veggies I used in this recipe came from our CSA box!
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (I use 80/20)
1/3 cup uncooked rice (don’t use instant rice. I used jasmine rice)
1 egg
1/4 c plain bread crumbs
1 T. Parsley
1 T. Olive oil
2 T. Minced garlic
2 carrots peeled and chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1/2 yellow or white onion, diced
1 potato, peeled and diced
2 15-ish oz. cans diced, peeled tomatoes
2 green zucchini or calabaza (Mexican Squash), cut into bite size pieces
1 bay leaf
2 T. Penzeys Penzeys Salsa & Pico Seasoning
6 cups chicken or veggie stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, rice, egg, breadcrumbs, and parsley. Form small meatballs, and set aside until all the meat is balled up.
In a large Dutch oven, heat oil and fry meatballs, turning frequently so all sides are browned.
Remove meatballs, and set aside. Keep the drippings in the Dutch oven.
In the Dutch oven, over medium heat, sauté carrots, onions, celery, and potatoes for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
Add in the garlic, continuing to cook over medium heat, until garlic is fragrant.
After garlic is fragrant, turn heat down to low, add in remaining ingredients, including the meatballs that have been patiently waiting. Cover with a tight fitting lid, and allow to simmer for 15-30 minutes, giving time for the ingredients to mingle, and the meatballs will swell slightly, as the rice in them cooks.
This recipes serves 6-8. It freezes well and is so good topped with a little queso fresco, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime and a little hot sauce.
If you don’t eat beef, you can use any other ground meat. I’ve never used faux ground “beef”, so I can’t vouch for it.
We finished up our first week of spring break! Next week we’re hitting up the zoo or Safari Park, maybe a few museums at Balboa Park, and if it stays warm, we may go swimming at our community pool.
I love clothing swaps- If you have read my blog, you know it’s one of my favorite ways to refresh the kid’s wardrobes (and my own).
There are a few upcoming swaps that I recommend. Both are for adult clothes and accessories.
April 8, 2023 Porchlight Community Services, Inc. 8888 Clairemont Mesa Blvd From their site “We invite you to be part of our SWAP PARTY! Bring clothing, accessories, personal hygiene, or toiletries.
There is a $5 fee, however, it goes to offset the cost of their programs, which are incredible.
I always find cute clothes at this swap, and I love it because it’s all plus-size clothes. I always fill my Ikea Bag with clothes, accessories (and usually shoes too).
And if you are looking for more information about clothing swaps, check out my post (with other San Diego, CA area resources) here.
Dream Dinners is one of my favorite ways to save time and get tasty, healthy meals on the table in 45 minutes or less!
If you haven’t tried Dream Dinners yet, now is the perfect time! They have lowered their minimum orders to three meals. And April has some of my favorite meals:
Chicken with Honey, Garlic, and Orange with Oven Roasted Broccoli
Chateau Chicken with Almond Butter Sauce
Sonoma Grilled Steak
Tuscan Chicken Bake
Classic French Dip and Au Jus
I am picking up my Dream Dinners order tomorrow afternoon, and it is definitely coming in the clutch over spring break. We’ll be able to have our usual fun adventures and I’ll be able to get dinner on the table.
If you want to learn more, find your local Dream Dinner location, or place an order, click here.
I don’t know about you, but we’re still using Covid-19 tests on the regular. After visits to busy places, after traveling, and when the kids’ and I have someone in their class test positive.
Running out to the drugstore at the last minute- No Thanks!
With this offer, Request your COVID-19 Tests NOW, and don’t pay last-minute prices at the Store. They verify your insurance, and you receive Covid-19 Test Kits automatically each month at NO COST to you!
I did it this morning, and the test kits are on their way!