PANTRY RAID!

"Dinner Block", ever experience it?? Oh I have it allll the time. What should I make for dinner and I so don't want to go to the store. Time to Raid the Pantry!!!

Since I suffer from DBS (Dinner Block Syndrome) frequently, I have learned to come up with a few meals that I always seem to have the ingredients to make. Just normal stuff you are bound to have leftover in the fridge or pantry.

Vik's Tortilla Soup

I don't always have all these ingredients but what I always always have are a leftover store bought rotisserie chicken, because I also suffer from NETS (Not Enough Time Syndrome). Quinoa or some type of noodle, chicken broth or the little chicken bouillon cubes, sour cream, shredded cheese, rotel and tortilla chips. I raid the pantry for canned veggies and just about any will work!!

1-Boil, cover and simmer for 1-1.5 hrs-the leftover chicken in enough broth to cover chicken

2-Scoop out the falling apart chicken onto a baking sheet and use two forks to pull the remaining chicken off the bones. Skim the soup bottom and make sure all bones are accounted for!

3-In a sauce pan take 1 cup of the broth and cook up 1 cup of Quinoa as directed. Super easy and doesn't take long! if you don't like quinoa, cook up some noodles and drain or minute rice!!


4-Return chicken to broth and add the Rotel with juice, drained veggies and cooked quinoa. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Viola!
Just add a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, tortilla chips and if you are feeling fancy, an avocado.

Vik's Turkey Meatballs and Cream Sauce

This one is quick and easy! And always always gets rave reviews from the family!

1-I am lazy when it comes to making meatballs, I don't like handling raw meat and I am not the type to add a bunch of ingredients to the meatball. Basically it is Just a meat ball with a little spice!

I don my plastic sandwich bags and mush them together and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning, or salt and pepper for you "you afraid of spice" folks.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, flip, cover and simmer for 10 more minutes. (Start step 3 simultaneously)

2-In a sauce pan make 2-3 cups of Minute rice, per directions, cover and set aside.

3-In an even smaller sauce pan add 1 cup of sour cream and 1 can of cream of mushroom. I use 2 of each for a family of 5 because we have sauce hounds!! Let this simmer on med/low, stirring occasionally so it doesn't splatter. Add Cajun seasoning (maybe a teaspoon or more) to cream sauce or salt and pepper.

Serve it up!!!

Add a canned veggie or salad on the side if you so feel inclined.

Okay that's it for now! Hope you enjoy!

Vikki

www.etsy.com/shop/BenderBuckles

Heroic Parenting Decisions

Parenting.  A blog about parenting.  It is something I feel strongly about.  Parenting that is…not necessarily blogging…although I am getting into blogging these days.  So far I’m just sharing opinions, not feelings.  When I get really good…I’ll start sharing all my feelings.  Then you’ll be in for a treat! (BAHAHAHA!)

What comes to mind when talking about parenting are some of the things learned while working at a non-profit.  For 9 years I counseled women in unplanned pregnancies.  When a woman finds herself in an unplanned pregnancy, there are only two choices – carry the pregnancy to term or end the pregnancy.

Should a woman choose to carry the pregnancy to term, she now has two additional choices – place the child for adoption or raise the child.  Let me just say…not every woman is ready to be (or capable of being) a good parent.  But every woman that ends up pregnant and chooses to carry to term has to make at least one parenting decision.

Do you realize what a heroic parenting decision adoption is?  HEROIC!  A child gets a loving home, a couple gets a beautiful baby to love and cherish. The first parenting decision made by a mom can be such a heroic one.

I would tend to believe that most of us think adoption is a good thing.  Yes we've all heard horror stories.  But how many wonderful stories have we all heard too?  How many childless adults got to be parents because a woman somewhere thought outside of herself and her needs - put a child’s need for a stable environment above herself and chose to place her child for adoption? How many children were raised in a great home because of adoption?  My good friend was.  She has an adopted brother and two wonderful parents because her biological mom realized she was not ready to be a mom and placed her baby girl for adoption.

But let’s think for a moment about how we TALK about adoption.  What do you think is the most often heard statement about adoption?  I hear it in your head even now…”I could never ‘give’ my child up for adoption.”  “I just don’t know how she could do that.”  “How could anyone ‘give’ their child up for adoption?”

First of all children are not possessions to be given…they are people to be cherished.  Secondly, what is being given is a chance at a complete home, a stable home, a loving home, a home where parents are WAITING for a child as opposed to (possibly) a broken home, a home of unemployment, drugs or abuse.

Let me say it again.  Adoption is a HEROIC parenting decision. 

Adoption is not easy for birth mothers.  Don’t think I don’t know that.  I've grieved beside women who have placed their children for adoption, and celebrated with the same mothers as they see the fruition of their selflessness.  And I've seen how much harder we as society have made choosing adoption for them by the words we speak.

If we truly think adoption is a positive action (and I think we do) we need to start using words that speak positively to adoption, words that edify a woman who is considering adoption (instead of vilifying her).  Words like “Adoption is such a selfless decision.” “I could only hope to be as strong as her, should I ever need to consider adoption.” 

You may or may not know that many women (particularly teenagers) will choose abortion over adoption because if she chooses abortion, many may never know she was pregnant, and any

shame that may be attached to that pregnancy is avoided.  If she chooses adoption everyone will know she was pregnant, and most will have comments. 

Having said all that, I know that some mothers choose single parenting and do a GREAT job.  But let’s just not make it harder for those who NEED to choose adoption, to feel free, accepted and heroic to do so.

Be careful with your words…you never know who you may be influencing, and what her first parenting decision will be.

Debora

P.S.  Do you have a great adoption story?  Share with us in comments.

Fall Fashion Trends

This year is all about funky and cute!

A must have for this year is distressed skinny jeans!!!  All young girls need a pair of distressed skinnies.  Paired with another trend for fall, the ankle boot these are the go outfit for all young ladies. 

Wear your skinny jeans with a flowing blouse and a embossed bag!   Accessories.... you say?
Well... its back to the 90's!  Perfect circle shades!
Turquoise is a huge trend for jewelry this fall.  Pair your outfit with funky bangles and necklaces.

Hand painted anything is a huge trend!! 
All the celebrities are doing it.  They are all over the runways.
Painted dresses, painted shoes, painted handbags, painted jewelry!!  They are all a must.

Young ladies are trying to show their creativity through their clothes.  Getting a painted piece shows what their passion is as you can customize it to whatever you want!
So you can't afford a painted dress.... buy painted accessories.  There are plenty of great accessories that you can buy already painted or have custom made.

Finally plaid... lots of plaid!
Cute little blazers are also a huge trend... so wear two trends in one!  Buy a blazer in plaid and rock both trends!

If you love plaid... remember you can wear more than one plaid pattern, but they must either be the same colors with a different pattern or contrasting colors in the same pattern.

So take the the latest trends and mix and match!
Go rock it ladies!!

Jo,
www.Wasataylor.com