Fruit Smoothie and Essential Oils

My friend, Kristi introduced me to Essential Oils.  Before I knew it I was rubbing oil on my children's feet and trying to convince my husband that this oil would work for that headache, stress, stomach ache, etc.  Awesome, huh? :)

Lately we have been hooked on making fruit smoothies with Wild Orange oil.  I'm telling you - it's delicious!  Caley said it tastes like Jamba Juice.  You should try it and find out.  And if you don't have any essential oils - check out Kristi's website.  The citrus oils are some of the less expensive oils and they are all delicious in fruit smoothies. 

Fruit Smoothie

3 ice cubes

1/2 of a banana

2 peaches

5 strawberries

1 drop of Wild Orange essential oil

(*This recipe is one large serving.  I use the Magic Bullet - perfect for personalized servings!)

Pile all of your fruit into the blender.  Be sure the ice is on the bottom.  It takes forever if it's not!  I used fresh fruit but frozen fruit is just as yummy.  If you use frozen, you don't need to add ice.  Just add a few tablespoons of water.  Also this is what my family likes best in our fruit smoothies.  But add whatever fruit you like!  Blueberries, mangoes, etc.  Drop ONE drop of oil into the mixture.  I promise - it adds so much yummy flavor!

Blend! 

Enjoy :)

BBQ Chicken Salad

It's Monday...how about a really easy dinner to start off the week?  

It doesn't take a whole lot of prep and it comes together in 30 minutes - I promise.  

So if it's Monday morning and you want to make this, hurry and pull out 2-3 chicken breasts 

from the freezer.  If it's Monday afternoon, start microwaving those frozen chicken breasts :)

Barbecue Chicken Salad
2-3 chicken breasts
1/4 cup diced onions
2 T. olive oil
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
 1/4 cup barbeque sauce
1 can of black beans
1 roma tomato
romaine lettuce
a bunch of cilantro
Ranch dressing
tortilla chips
(*you can also add olives, mushrooms, corn, etc.)

Heat oil in a large pan on medium heat. Throw in diced onions. Saute onions for 4-5 minutes. 

Cut chicken breasts into bite size chunks.  Throw in with already sauteed onions.

  Cook on medium heat until thoroughly cooked. 

(while the chicken is cooking, this is when you get everything else ready - rinse black beans and corn.  Dice tomatoes and any other ingredients.  Shred cheese.  Wash and cut lettuce.  Set it all out along with dressing and chips - ready to make your salad when the chicken is done.)

Turn heat to low.  Add *barbeque sauce and let chicken simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat when chicken is glazed with barbeque sauce.
*I'm cheap - I love the Kraft Honey BBQ sauce.  You choose your flavor.

It's time to make your salad! 
1. Fill the plate with chopped romaine lettuce.
2. Pile on beans, corn, tomatoes, and any other yummy ingredients you want.
3. Put a heaping scoop of barbeque chicken on.
4. Sprinkle cheese on. (I like my cheese to melt!)
5. Top of crumbled tortilla chips and cilantro
6. AND cover in Ranch dressing.

ENJOY!  Like I said...30 minutes.  You can do it...go!

 *My kids eat everything separate.  And I usually make a cheese quesadilla for them :)



Follower Friday: Pork Chops, String Beans, and Red Potatoes

It's the second Follower Friday!
 

Today, my oldest sister, Adrienne is going to share a recipe.  

As the oldest of six children and mother of five, she has learned to be an awesome multi-tasker.  Every time I talk to her she's helping one of her kids with homework while folding laundry and vacuuming.  (It's true I tell you!) We're 11 years apart but we couldn't be closer.  She's constantly looking out for me by trying to find ways to encourage and support me.  And she is an amazing cook!  She subscribed to Rachel Ray's magazine for a year and always has a new recipe to share with me from Pinterest.  So she knows what's up!

Big sis, it's all yours!
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My goal is to be able to grow food and use it!  I freeze, can, and cut coupons as much as possible to feed my large family of mostly boys.  So this meal is made up of several items from my garden.

What You Need:

8 Pork chops

Lawry's Santa Fe Chili Marinade

1 lb of green beans (from my garden!) 

1 T of crushed garlic

3 T olive oil

handful of diced almonds

10-15 lg red potatoes (from my garden too!)

3-4 T butter

2-3 T parsley

salt and pepper to taste

 Marinade defrosted pork chops for 30 minutes.  (I threw them into a big pan and covered them with the 30 minute marinade.)  Then my husband grilled them until they were done! (not sure about time, my hubby does all the grilling!  Maybe 15-20 minutes?)

Cut red potatoes into bite size chunks.  Boil until fork tender.  Drain.  Add butter, parsley, salt and pepper.

In a cast iron pan, heat oil and crushed garlic.  Once garlic begins to smell, add green beans.  Saute beans for 5 minutes.  Throw in a handful of diced almonds.  Remove from heat, cover, and set aside.

Put it all together and you have yourself a delicious home cooked meal!

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See!  Told ya she's good.  Enjoy!
And I hope you're following this blog - I know you want to share one of your favorite recipes too!

a little variety

As much as I love food and cooking, sometimes I'm at a complete loss for what to prepare for dinner.  Ever had that feeling?  It usually happens on a day where I didn't shower until after lunch, gave my children anything they wanted to keep everyone happy, and then realized I had an hour until dinner.  On days like those, I usually make something like this:

I open my fridge/freezer, piece together 4-5 items and call it dinner.  And actually, it turns out to be one of my favorite meals of the week.  I have this obsession with variety.  I like having as much food on hand as possible.  What if my husband is craving cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting?  Or what if I want chicken tacos with all the flavorful toppings?  See...it's important I have all those ingredients on hand.

You should try it.  Don't stress about having a recipe followed, menu planned meal.  Make dinner in an hour with random food from your kitchen.  It's actually really fun...

Monday Night Surprise
Baked chicken breast smothered in barbeque sauce and onions (350 for an hour)
Yellow squash from a good friend sauteed in butter and salt
Grilled cheese quesadilla

Cut up strawberries (my kids favorite! We eat them with every meal)

Chopped romaine lettuce with mozarella and cheddar cheese, tossed in Ranch dressing.

De-FREAKING-licious

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Happy Monday!  Did you have a good weekend?  Did you try Caley's cashew chicken?  I hope so!

For today, I have a yummy recipe that my Mom taught me how to make.  It's insanely delicious and whenever I make it my husband comments that we're having Panda Express for dinner!  Yeah we like cheap Chinese.  But I promise this tastes BETTER than cheap Chinese :)

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Two medium size chicken breasts
2 chicken bouillon cubes
6 T. ketchup
6 T. water
1 C. Sugar
4 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
2 T. cornstarch
1/2 C. vinegar
2 eggs
oil
And more cornstarch

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine chicken bouillon cubes, ketchup, water, sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and vinegar in one bowl. Set aside.  Crack two eggs into bowl and mix. Pour a hefty amount of cornstarch into another bowl.

Cut chicken breasts into small pieces (strips, chunks, w/e). Dip chicken into egg, then corn starch and put into pan with oil already heated. Cook each piece of chicken until light brown on each side. Place cooked chicken into large casserole dish. Repeat until all chicken is deliciously cooked! Pour the sauce over the chicken. Put casserole dish into oven and bake for 30 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, prepare your ham fried rice!

Ham Fried Rice
1 cup of chunked ham
 (I use leftover from a ham roast.  You don't HAVE to put in ham. 
I make fried rice more without the ham.)
1 cup rice
2 cups of water
2 T. of diced onions
2 T. of oil
2 eggs
1 T. soy sauce

Combine water and rice in saucepan over medium heat.  Once it comes to a boil, lower temperature, cover and set timer for 20 minutes.  Heat oil, onions and ham in a frying pan over medium heat until light brown.  Move ingredients to the side of the pan.  Crack two eggs onto opposite side of the pan and scramble the eggs until thoroughly cooked.  Mix eggs in with the other ingredients.  Turn off heat.  Pour fully cooked rice into the pan.  Add soy sauce and stir together.

Enjoy your chicken and rice.
(I forgot to take a picture of the finished project!  Next time...)