Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Sandra Lee Wanna-Be


When I got married, I knew how to cook one thing: Chicken Enchiladas; unfortunately, we were SO poor that I only made them about twice a year. Early in my marriage, I set a goal that I would become a GREAT cook - I'm still not great, but I do have a good recipe or two up my sleeve and I LOVE trying new recipes. When my four muskateers were little, it was harder to be a creative cook but I still tried new recipes. This year I set a goal to make one new thing a week and if it ends up being something good, I'm going to post the recipe on my blog.
As I mentioned, I began my life as a cook learning to make Chicken Enchiladas - it was a basic recipe using sour cream, chilies, cream of chicken soup and chicken. I recently made "Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas" and they were so good that I'll probably never go back to my old hum-drum recipe. They got raves from the whole family and have become an instant favorite. So this week, my recipe to share is Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas. Enjoy!
Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas
6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 small chicken breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream (to lighten them up, I have substituted sour cream with good results)

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Happy Sweet 16 to "P"


Well, our own version of March madness has come to an end - the last of our 3 March birthdays was celebrated this weekend and it was a big one. "P" had her 16th birthday and the irony that she went on her first real group date on her birthday was not lost on any of us.
The birthday celebration began on Friday when she got a very sassy new hairstyle thanks to our own amazing personal stylist, Coryne! Saturday morning we opened presents and I'm pretty sure her birthday wish came true. In the afternoon, she and her BFF "R" headed down to the beach where they met up with a group of great kids from the area and spent the day enjoying the California sunshine. You'd think that would have been enough of a celebration, but by the evening they were ready to get their groove thing on and boogie the night away so they went to the Stake Dance where the DJ gave her a "Happy Birthday" greeting over the intercom. It sounds like her sixteenth year is off to a great start!
I have to finish by listing 16 of my favorite things about her:
16. She loves to watch The Gilmore Girls every day
15. Her enthusiasm is catching
14. She adores her big brothers and misses them to death
13. She is a GREAT teenager: when she was about 12, she started coming into my room every night and say "Just making sure that you and I are okay"
12. She has an amazing voice we all love to hear her sing
11. She is an extremely loyal friend
10. She has always been kind to her little sister
9. She works harder than almost anybody I know to achieve her goals
8. She is one of the kindest people I know
7. She isn't afraid to laugh at herself
6. She borrows my makeup and usually asks me afterward
5. She heard the Taylor Swift song ("The Best Day") and said it reminded her of us
4. She can't wait for "E and S" to get married
3. She goes through my clothes and tells me what is still in fashion
2. She has the cutest laugh
1. She knows that she's a daughter of God and that great things are in store for her

HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY, SWEET GIRL!!!!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Happy Birthday, Big Man...


I remember holding my beautiful second son for the first time; like my other babies, he was born with a covering of light brown fuzzy hair and in his case, it eventually turned the lightest color of blonde that made him almost look bald. I can't believe that he's going to be 20 this week!
I have found myself thinking about this milestone in his life and realizing that he'll be celebrating it may miles away with people that I don't even know but people that he loves; as strange as this may sound, I know he's exactly where he's supposed to be.
Here are just a few things that have brought a smile to my face as I've thought about his 20 years of life:
*When he was little, he couldn't say his "l's" and I remember him saying, "I want to sit on your yap and watch the Yion King."
*He drinks all his milk in one gulp - no matter how big the glass - because he doesn't really like it
*He always used to touch the back of my hair - and I never thought I'd miss that...but I was wrong
*He used to stand at my bedroom door and then run a take a leap onto my bed
*When he was about little, Mark and "S" started calling him "Rappa". When he was about 11, he decided he was going to open a Mexican Restaurant and feature a "Rappa-rito"
*He came home from middle school one day and told us he was trying out for the basketball team - he played basketball every season for the next 7 years
*He did his homework everyday without being asked
*He used to sit at the counter in his boxers...and got "caught" time and time again by his sister's friends who just opened the door and walked in
*When it came to sports, he has a lot of natural ability and isn't afraid to try anything - including skim boarding at the beach - and then came home with no skin on his knees
*He was a determined toddler, but the easiest teenager in the world
*When he was 4, he cried because he couldn't play on the soccer team with "S"

Have a great 20th Birthday, Big Man...we couldn't love you more!

Monday, March 8, 2010

A Week Of Little Things.....


I have long been a believer of the saying, "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." One of my favorite blogs (www.thelittlethingsmemorymixer)has encouraged us to think about our favorite "little thing".
Last week was full of so many great little things. Here is a synposis of my top six (I was going to do five, but there were just too many fun little things to choose from):
6. Having "J" dig under the fence, crawl under a car and come back covered in oil
5. Reading "Shemily's" new blog: http://centralmeetspacific.blogspot.com/
4. Throwing "B's" 13th birthday party and watching her have so much fun with her friends
3. Picking up "E's" wedding dress
2. Letter Day - love to get those e-mails from Argentina
1. "P" telling me all about her "fantastic" YW lesson...her excitement is contagious!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Another Terrific Teen....


Well...I can hardly believe it, but my baby is turning 13! In honor of her 13th birthday, here are 13 of the things I adore about her:
13. I love it when she laughs so hard that she can't finish her sentence.
12. I loved it when she and "P" used to play "babies" and for some funny reason, they called each other "Biddia".
11. I love that when she is REALLY sad, she wants to be with "P".
10. I love that she writes to "R" every week and tells him everything she's doing.
9. I love that she thinks she's part of the Griffiths family. :)
8. I love that she makes lists and leaves them around the house.
7. I love that she wanted a dog for at least 5 years and she never quit asking for one.
6. I love that one of her BBF's is her cousin and they call each other every week.
5. I love that she loves to make cookies.
4. I love that she always encourages the "underdog".
3. I love that she puts together great FHE lessons.
2. I love that she leaves notes for everybody in the family.
1. I love that she tries so hard to follow Jesus and be a good example.