A recipe: Chicken enchiladas

While I'm home cleaning and organizing on this rainy day, I thought I'd share one of our favorite recipes with you! I actually made these last night and we LOVE them. 

My photo editing on this computer isn't the best - sorry!

What you'll need:
— Cooked chicken breast
— Flour tortillas
— Shredded cheese
— 1 can enchilada sauce (we use mild)
— 1 can tomato sauce
— 1 can refried beans (optional)


Make it!
— Mix together the tomato and enchilada sauce in a bowl. This makes it a little less spicy. If you like it hot, I would use either one or two cans of the enchilada sauce. 
— Spoon the sauce (about 2 T.) onto tortillas. 
— I like to add in beans to make the enchiladas a bit more filling and stretch the chicken. I typically just make a line. This step can totally be skipped, however. 
— Sprinkle chicken down the middle. Remember you have to fold the tortilla, so don't go overboard. 
— Fold the tortilla and place in a sprayed 9x13. 
— Continue until all are done. I don't really give quantities because this recipe can totally be changed depending on how much chicken you like, etc. I did a package of eight burrito-sized tortillas and had about two of the large chicken breasts, like you buy frozen in the big bags at Wal Mart. 
— When all enchiladas are folded, pour the remaining sauce on top. Make sure it covers the top, but the enchiladas aren't swimming in sauce. I learned the hard way this just makes them smushy. 
— Sprinkle cheese on top. Again, do this to your family's liking. 
— Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes. Everything has already been cooked, so it just needs to melt together. 


ENJOY! We often pair these with black beans or just chips and salsa. 

Five on Friday

{1} I stepped on the scale this morning and noticed I lost 1 lb. in the past week. Not fabulous, but considering I haven't been the best at eating well nor have we worked out any in the past week, I don't figure I can complain much, either. 


{2} The not eating well may have something to do with not cooking! Sunday we had J's birthday dinner out, and the sniff of Mc D's french friends caught his eye while we left Wally World on Monday. Then we ran up to Cape on Tuesday and it was easier to just grab something. So I've only cooked once all week. Oops. And we've been finishing off birthday cake. We're down to the last of it though, thank goodness.


{3} Even though I haven't been cooking, the fridge is still full. I'm kinda scared to clean it out for fear of what I'll discover. 


{4} I'm sure everyone has already read or heard about the new Zodiac sign dates. But I'm staying an Aquarius, no matter what you say! 
A few of the characteristics I think make me an Aquarius:

• Very opinionated with strong convictions; they fight for what they believe in
• Strong-willed and forceful in their own way
• Quick in mind and quick to respond
• Appreciate opportunities to be alone
• Refined and idealistic, romantic but practical
• They cannot be easily persuaded they are wrong.

Looking at the list of Capricorn characteristics, I guess some of those fit me as well, but I just wanna stay an Aquarius, K?


{5} I cannot believe that January is basically halfway over. Really? Before you know it, Christmas will be here again!

What I'm Loving

I can't believe it's already Wednesday! This week sure is flying by!


{1} I'm LOVING that J had a great birthday weekend. I blogged about it earlier this week if you missed it :)


{2} I'm LOVING that this weekend, his mom is making a birthday dinner, so I get out of cooking! And then, we're going to a friend's little boy's birthday party. 


{3} I'm LOVING that I get a three-day weekend, thanks to Martin Luther King Day on Monday. 


{4} I'm LOVING the pretty snow - but I'm really just ready for some warmth and sunshine. 


{5} I'm LOVING that my birthday is less than a month away — and we're planning to see Blake Shelton, Easton Corbin and the band Perry as part of the celebrations. 


{6} I'm LOVING these country songs:











We actually heard Dirt Road Anthem live at Jason Aldean's concert last fall and love it. So glad it's on the radio now. 


{7} I'm LOVING these pants. They are on my birthday list.

{8} I'm LOVING the book I'm reading right now, Ann Rule's "Smokes, Mirror and Murder and Other True Cases." J and I have been reading about an hour every night. 


{9} I'm LOVING all of my new blog friends. I've decided to do a giveaway once I hit 75 followers! I'm also hoping to get a redesign soon :)


{10} As always, I'm LOVING this man. He makes me smile. 

11 in '11 - Day Eleven

I can't believe this is the last day of the challenge! I think these are so much fun because they not only give me something to write about, but also introduce me to other people in the blog world!


Day 11 - What are you looking forward to in 2011?


What am I not looking forward to? The sky is the limit!


{1} Spending even more time with my great fiance and getting started with the wedding planning :)


{2} Eliminating all debt other than the mortgage (I hope). It's just such a crazy time economically, so I hate to have any more payments than necessary! Plus, we plan to continue paying extra on our mortgage every month. 


{3} Traveling! We are hoping to visit my friend Bel in DC, and would also love to go on a beach trip. 


{4} Trying out new recipes and working toward a healthier me. 


{5} Being a better blogger and forming more relationships with YOU GUYS.


{6} Putting more personal touches on our home. 


{7} All of the surprises that life throws my way! 

Happy Birthday!

Sunday was Jim's birthday. In our house, there is a rule that you stay 25 forever. Jim got the biggest smile on his face when I brought in the cake with these candles - not the ones with the numbers others may say he actually is :)


We had a big weekend - because it's also a rule in our house that you get a birthday week! Friday night J helped me take down the last of the Christmas in the basement and get it cleaned up, then we played pool, chilled and I did some more housework. 


After I got off work on Saturday, I did some last-minute shopping and then went home to finish laundry and cleaning for his party that night! We just had friends and family over and chilled in the basement. 

I got to see some of my girls!

And Jessi brought her little boy. He was such a trooper until about 11 p.m. - when he went in the workout room with Hank (who was gated) and laid down on Hank's bed! Hank wasn't too happy to have some kid taking over his bed!

I let Jim open a couple of his gifts on Saturday - a Disaronno gift pack before ppl came over and his Brew N Go coffeemaker before bed. So after breakfast on Sunday, he got to open the rest. By far, this was the favorite:

Although he has wrenches, they are in a box he totes around in his truck. These are to keep in his new tool box :) And I bought the organizers at Sears because he likes to keep things neat. Jim also got his 3-ton floor jack kit, a shirt and a new book for his birthday!


After we laid around and watched the movie Inside Man on USA, we got cleaned up and headed to Cape Girardeau. There was a Starving Artists art sale that we decided to stop by. We found a ton of great pieces, but sadly, nothing that fits in our house :( I had planned to take Jim to Shoguns, a Japanese grill, but he decided he wasn't in the mood for that, so we ended up going to Buckner's this neat Brewery. After sampling some beers, I had the honey wheat while J stuck with his usual Michelob Ultra.

Like most of the country, it's freezing in these parts, so we decided to just head home, put on our pajamas and cuddle under the covers. All in all, I think it was a great weekend!

Award!

Jenny over at Simply Jenny gave me the Stylish Blogger award! I'm so honored :)

Anyhow, as part of the award, I'm supposed to share seven things about myself. So ...


{1} I don't like cooked green beans. My mom cans them, and I eat them straight out of the jar.
{2} I have "hand feet." In that I can spread my toes really far apart and pick up things with them. Weird, I know. 
{3} I am in love with mashed potatoes. I think they go with every meal. Apparently, mashed potatoes love my hips, too. 
{4} If you follow my blog, you probably can tell that our dog, Hank, is pretty much the love of our life. But I actually didn't like dogs before him, and didn't want J to get a dog!
{5} When I was in fourth grade, I broke my pinkie finger roller-skating. Yes, my name should be Grace.
{6} I think I'm addicted to chocolate. I CRAVE it daily. So I think that's what I'll give up for Lent this year. 
{7} Some of my besties and I have a thing for men whose names begin with J. Four of us are with "J's" and another is single. Coincidence?


I'm also supposed to tag 15 newly-discovered bloggers. But I've found so many new bloggers that I love I couldn't possibly pick just 15! So tag yourself if you want to fill this out :)

11 in '11 - Day Ten

I've been sorta absent from the blogging world over the weekend - I didn't log onto a computer once after leaving work Saturday morning!
But I promise to be back later today with a weekend recap, mostly from J's birthday :)


Now, onto the challenge ...

Favorite GNO activities


As long as I'm with my girls, it really doesn't matter what we do! And since a couple of my besties don't live around here anymore and the others have kids, it is a rare occurrence. 


However, I LOVE mani/pedi time. 


This Christmas, a friend and I had a baking day. Throughout the year, we often will cook dinner and watch a movie at someone's house. 


I'm actually pretty lucky that J and my friends' husbands/boyfriends all seem to get along well, so we are able to do a lot of couples' game nights and things like that. We LOVE to play Apples to Apples and Catchphrase. 


On another note - I am helping with a bachelorette party and shower for one of my friends in a couple of months. The colors are marine (navy), black and ivory. Any suggestions for decorations, food, or what works well at showers? It's been a few years since I last helped with one!