Simple Supper Suggestions #9
Simple Supper Suggestions #9
Wow! I was overwhelmed with the response on the meal planning! I had no idea how much people really liked it. Which is odd because before I started doing mine I was just like you watching other moms and using their recipes and their technique’s on planning. I remember thinking to myself one day, “I can do that! I know how to cook and I plan at the begining of the week, why don’t I do this for my readers?” So I started back in the spring and here I am back at it thanks to you guys…..AND I LOVE IT TOO! Nothing makes my heart swell more than knowing I am helping someone! So if you are that someone, thank you for fulfilling my dream of helping people’s lives become better, easier, or more fulfilled!
So back to what today is all about....Today I would like to try throwing out simple supper suggestions for you all. You can take what you like and leave the rest. I promise I will not get my feelings hurt. Point is every Saturday, Trey and I along with the boys sit down, or text if I am being honest, ideas for supper the following week. What this does it is helps me to plan, shop, and be ready for whatever comes at me. Does it always work out? Heavens no! But, as I always say....Progress not Perfection and every step in the right direction is a step in the right direction!
So without futher talk....let's get this party started!!!!!!
Spaghetti Sunday! It is a staple in our house and super easy for Sunday night! We LITERALLY do this most Sundays!
Healthy Chicken Feta! A winner for a Monday night!
Sausage Stuffed French Loaf is perfect on a busy Tuesday night!
Blueberry Salmon is so delicious and so nutrious and since Trey is in charge of the grill it gives me a night off which is sooooo GREAT!
Easy and Quick Carbonara! Perfect on Thursday night game night!
Friday and Saturday this girl’s kitchen is closed for business! So I always double up so we have plenty of left overs for the nights I like to kick my heels up and chill!
Kitchen is closed and mama is writing!
Here is to hoping these suggestions will get your week started off right and help you get everyone fed! After all isn't that what it is about? Keeping it simple in the kitchen so everyone is fed and it is at home and not going through a drive through!!!!!
Until next time!
XO,
Amy
What is Juuling? And How Bad Is It?-A Mom's Persepective
Do you know what a Juul is? Have you heard of an e-cigarette? If you have not heard of this and you are a parent you need to get educated. Honestly if you are a parent and you have not heard of this you might be living under a rock and I am coming at you hard with REAL TALK to get you out from under the rock. There is an epidemic and it is killing our children. You heard me, killing them. And it is time to bring light to it. The media has started and I am here to join forces because I am scared. I am a parent of two teens and an eight year old and I am in fear for them and their friends.
If you are a parent and you have heard of this, you need to get to talking to your kiddo. I am not kidding when I tell you this. Education is key and communication is crucial. Why? Because the makers behind these devices and the liquids going into them are out to get every kid in the world! All to fill their pocket books for life. Our children, yours, mine, your neighbors kids- kids, every kid is who they want!
Why? Because they have discovered kids are easy to market too. They are gullible, and our kids believe it if it is in writing (ie. false advertising) that it claims to be safer than a good ole fashion cigarette then that is just what it is. They are risk takers and their poor frontal lobes are not developed enough to tell them otherwise.
Something to keep in mind….how easy these are too hide. I honestly thought it was a gadget for the computer! NO LIE! Education is important.
Want to know what happens when they try it? They get a buzz they can’t resist and they love. The odds are stacked against them immediately and more than likely they will get addicted to the Juul and the people selling it, the people making it, the people investing in it because they are excellent marketers and excellent at telling our kids what they want to hear and when they do right…..well, they will have a client for life. They want your money and your childs brain. You think I am kidding? Consider this.
In December 2018 it was announced that each Juule employee would receive an average of $1.3 million in bonuses because Altria, the parent company of Marlboro, invested $12.8 BILLION in Juul, giving the tobacco giant a direct line to millions of youth e-cigarette users. Now if that does not get your attention I don’t know what will. I find that very scary and downright disturbing.
What can we do about it? Well, I am a firm believer and always have been that it has to start at home. This is hard when you are dealing with a teenager. Trust me. I can 100 percent say I know and understand. I have two at home right now as I type this and YES hands down they think I am the biggest idiot on the face of this earth and honestly probably do not like me. Not always, but most of the time. My job however is to say, “Hey, that is ok, I am not interested in being your friend, nor am I interested in being your friends friend, or your friends parents friend! I am interested in being your parent and keeping you alive so YOU and I can see what your amazingly, wonderful, future has in store for you!”
I believe whole heartedly that opening up the communication on this is crucial. I want to educate you a little bit about what they are dong so maybe you can get the courage, the gumption, the guts, the whatever it is you need to begin the conversation. You never know, maybe they want you too because they don’t know where to go. They are scared if they come to you! They are fearful of any kind of negative reaction. What they don’t understand and maybe you don’t understand is that you are the most influential person in your kids life. Yep! You are! Even on the days they think you are just plain dumb! You can influence your child. You just have to be ready to listen first, try to understand your child and why or how it started, and THEN you can try to help them understand you and the facts. But, if you miss the first part of listening you lose the entire battle before you even begin.
Facts to kids are not as important as their feelings. WE need to be listening to their feelings and trying to understand where they are coming from. Ask questions that do not require a yes or no. Ask, “Why?” And then listen. Ask , “How come?” And then listen. Ask, “Tell me more about that.” And then listen. Ask, “Help me understand.” And then listen!
Get curious. Show them compassion and THEN share your concerns and facts.
But in order to be able to do this you need to understand vaping. Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the heated nicotine liquid (or other liquids) by means of a vape pen or e-cigarette (aka:Juul). Also known as JUULing.
So now that you know what vaping is….Did you know that most kids start by vaping an innocent flavor? A delicious flavor too I might add! They have everything from mint, to cucumber mint, to fruity pebbles to who knows what else. It is not nicotine it is a simple liquid flavor. My first reaction to this was “WHY!?” Why on earth would you vape and inhale a heated liquid for its flavor! Chew gum for crying outloud! Well here are some of the reasons:
“It’s cool”-there is no negative stigma amongst young people associated with vaping
It’s easy to hide
Flavors are delicious (cherry, peppermint, cucumber, fruity pebbles)
Easy to acquire
Aggressive marketing campaign
Highly addictive
Provides a means to smoking tobacco or marijuana
I have to be honest when I see all this I still scratch my head. I keep thinking why would anyone want to inhale heat? So I asked my own son why kids do this and his response was, “You get a good buzz”. That buzz is hard to compete with friends. I am hear to tell ya it is a battle and a battle that will destroy your homelife and your child. It is a battle that will drive you insane! Trust me. We are living it and it is hard to type that but we are. My heart hurts and my heart is in fear, but what can I do?
I will tell you. First thing Trey and I can do is open up conversation. Before we could do this though, we had to get educated. I am hoping this little blog post will be cliff notes for you all so you can start talking now because I see this epidemic getting out of control. Did you know there has already been one confirmed death of a child from the Juul and there are many kids in hospitals across the country with a “mysterious” upper respitory virus that presents like walking pnemonia that they are thinking it is tracing back to the Juul? Are you aware of this? It is seriously worse I think then they thought 3 months ago and the longer the makers of Juul are allowed to market it our kids are at risk! So get educated…Let me see if I can help you get started:
STATISTICS:
At least 38% of high schoolers and 13% of middle schoolers have tried vaping and the percentage is seriously low because it is based on self report. Personally what kid is going to admit this?!!!! (My money says it is 80-90% of both middle and high schoolers….but that is my opinion)
Legal age for buying a vape pen juuls is 18 years of age
Twice as many high-school students vape as smoke
Over the past 5 years e-cigarette use has not dropped
Teens who vape are three times more likely to later smoke cigarettes
Along with educating yourself, you and your partner need to come up with boundaries and consequences that you both agree on in the event that you discover your child is involved with juuling. You need to know what they are and you need to be prepared to stick to them. This is hard, but it is key. If you don’t have this discussion with your parnter your child will come between you both and he or she will have the upper hand. So know what your consequence and boundaries are together as a united front.
So here is the deal plain and simple: YOU HAVE TO TALK TO YOUR KIDS. Your are the biggest social influence in your child’s life contrary to belief. You can be a huge influence in your child’s decision on whether to vape or not. BUT YOU HAVE TO TALK TO THEM.
This is hard. I KNOW! TRUST ME I KNOW. Reasoning with a teen or preteen is almost impossible and aruguments almost always break out. They just do. What is something you can do to help. Start by catching them doing something RIGHT! Start there….then when the timing is right open the conversation. For instance you see someone using an e-cigarette in person or on TV or in the movies….or you pass an e-cigarette shop while driving or see an advertisment. These opportunities will help the conversation be more natural if you will….but be prepared to ask questions and then listen. Listening to their answers will give you more information on why they are doing it. Maybe it is to feel “cool”, maybe it is due to stress from a relationship, maybe it is simple “peer pressure”, maybe it is a way to escape, or maybe it truly has become an addiction. Whatever the case is continue to be curious. The more curious you are and the more questions you ask will help them in communicating back to you what they are thinking and maybe even their why.
You also need to be prepared to answer their questions. Here is a slide as to how to answer some of their questions.
Once you get through this process it is WAY ok to share your concerns. Just remember to stay calm. Especially when you are discussing the rules of your home and the consequences if your child decides to partake in this behavior.
IF you are highly suspicious of this behavior already, did you know you can test them? There are nicotine test on the market and yes it is ok to test your child! Does it send the message that you don’t trust them? NO! Actually I really wish I would have been testing my boys since middle school. True story! We told them in middle school we would be drug testing randomly for their safety. We explained it was our right and that it would allow them an out should they ever be pressured. Did we do it? God’s truth no and I am so sad we did not. WE waited until it was necessary and that is never fun.
Here is what testing them actually does though. It opens up communication. If they are negative you approach it with “YES! I am so proud of you as this stuff is no joke!” And you feed them the facts. IF they are positive, well, now you know and you can have even more to talk about.
This is hard and never fun. I know. Raising kids today is scary, but you know what’s even scarier? Losing your child to something that could have been prevented if we just knew the facts. As God as my witness, just today a dear childhood friend called and I discovered her son is in the hospital right now for a respitory condition they think is a result of Juuling! When I got that call I told her that she was a sign from God I needed to get this post out. I have been sitting on it for months for fear of backlash or people saying I am over reacting. Well, I am not sitting anymore nor should you!
Here is some information about that Juul that I find very disturbing hence this blog post.
Ok if that does not scare you listen to this! Autopsies were performed on indivdiuals who had passed away (not of juuling) and they were aware that had used the juul. These individuals had the sores that people get in their mouths from juuling and they went all the way down their mouth, trachea, esophagus, and into their lungs! These sores are the sores that the doctors cannot figure out how to get rid of them. Why? Because they are finding that the metal that the juul makers use is cheap and toxic. When the metal and the toxic chemicals heat up they have no idea what is happening when it turns into a gaseous form. That is stupid scary and these people are marketing this to our kids! And our kids are falling into the trap and becoming addicted. It is a problem friends and one that I hope you all will join me in fighting. Our kids are depending on us too.
Remember this: “The hardest part of parenting is raising children.”-Anonymous
Until Next Time,
XO,
Amy
I would like to thank our church Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas for hosting our amazing School District, Highland Park ISD, and their Parent Education Committee in a discussion on vaping in the spring. I would also like to thank Sparrow House Counseling and EnterHealth Addiction Treatment Center for the slides used in this blog post
PS. If you suspect your teen is juuling and you need help here are a few resources:
https://www.sparrowhousecounseling.com/
http://www.mend-counseling.com/ -Jennifer Blazek. LPC-S
http://www.harbergcounseling.com/
Is The Heart Ever Ready?
WHOO HOO! OR BOO HOO? I am not really sure! All I know is I have major mixed emotions! I need the kids back in school for some kind of routine, but if they go back to school that means my oldest son will be starting his senior year and after that is college. I know he is ready and that is not the point. The point is my heart is not. I cannot believe he is already a senior! It feels like just yesterday I was living in Dallas, pregnant and sick, waiting for Trey to return from being away for 6 months in the war. Seriously! And it was 18 years ago! Man when they say time flies…..they mean it! Especially when you have kids!
So today starts a new chapter. The chapter of getting Will ready to leave the nest and getting my heart ready for my Will to leave…..NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! I am so not ready! I am so fearful he will pack his bags and just never look back!
Why? Well, I have to tell you life has been tough with us lately. This is REAL TALK now and if you are not a mama you might not understand this. BUT….I really think something happens psychologically when a son is preparing to go to college. I can’t speak for girls other than I am one, but honestly it was a different time when I was going to school. For starters I didn’t even think about what college I would attend until January of my Senior Year where now a days they start preparing these kids their sophmore year of high school. It really is ridiculous as far as I am concerned, but hey, nobody is asking me! I digress! Point is Will and I have had somewhat of a push and pull. One minute we are talking like normal people the next minute I have said something to really upset him and before you know it we are not talking.
He is becoming extremely independent, which I know is a good thing and what I want, but he does not really need me anymore. He could survive without me. That hurts. Part of me says, “Amy, this is good. This means he is capable.” The other part of me says, “I know he is capable! The point is he does not need you!” (Knife to the heart!) Man, it feels like just yesterday he was telling me he loved me more and he would never leave me and that he would always live in our blue house with me. Sweet memories.
So as we embark on this new school year I need to remember to stay present. To focus on the good and not go to crazy when I need to be a parent, but to remember we have three great young men who are kind, sensitive, compassionate, talented, respectful, and extremely capable. I need to remember I too was a teen once and how exciting that was……so exciting that sometimes I did not make the best decisions, but I always learned from my choices and grew. I hope the same is true for my boys. We all have to learn through choices and next year Will will be on his own and I have to rest in the peace of knowing we have raised him to know God, to understand consequences, to work hard, to be a leader not a follower, to follow his dreams, and to never quit.
So as our new chapter begins I will ask that you pray for us. Pray that all three boys have an amazing school year, pray that my heart is ok and understands this is good, and pray all three of them, but especially Will at this time knows:
I love them no matter what
I believe in them more than they believe in themselves
I want them to follow their hearts and their dream
If they do that all will be well in the world
Until Next Time,
Amy
My July Book Review
Again! Better late than never!!!!! I mean who made the rule that I had to tell you what I read each month and post it by the first of the next month! ME!!!!! Geez!!!! Well, at least I am getting it to you before the double digits! Maybe once the kids are back in school I will flow a little better, but I cannot apologize for taking time with them. I really have enjoyed my family this summer and hey that is pretty important in my book!
Speaking of books, I read some great stuff in July! I think you will like most if not all of them! Especially the first one I read. I think I read this little bad boy in 2 days it was so good! Before We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate. You guys this book was amazing. It was so good that I could not put it down. After reading it I realized that it was based on true events which oh man that rocked my world even more because while I was reading it I kept thinking this is so “real” the way it is written. It was that good. Not to give too much a way, but to give you an idea of what the book is about, the book is based on true stories of children being stolen from their famililes and families being lied to that their children were dead. The children then were sold off to very wealthy families and their biological families never found them. This story is a story about one family’s fight to stay together. Heart wrenching story that will have you talking and thinking about it long after you finish.
Next I decided to read Hum If You Don’t Know the Words by, Bianca Marias. Now I honestly would not have picked this book, but it was given to me by my dear friend Lyndsy. Come to think of it so was Before We Were Yours, but honestly this is not a book I would have picked for myself, however, I am SO glad Lyndsy did! You guys this book was just as moving and just as deep! I am not sure it was based on true events like Before We Were Yours, but it would not surprise me if it was. It is based out of South Africa in the 70’s during the Apartheid regime. It is a story of two characters. One is white, one is black. One is a mom and one is a little girl who lost her mom. This might be my second favorite book and really it is a toss up between this and Before We Were Yours to be the best. I mean as I sit here and type all I want to say is go get this book and take a journey with Beauty and Robin. It is a beautiful journey, one of making the most out of life and your circumstances no matter what they are. And while you are doing that, Hum……because you will never know all the words to in this world….only the ones in your world.
After reading those two I needed a bit of a break from the heavy stuff and decided to change it up a bit and grab a book for self improvement. I grabbed a little book I have been hearing about and yall this book is short, but mighty!!!! It is so good and so easy to read and FULL of good stuff! It is You2: A High Velocity Formula for Multiplying Your Personal Effectiveness in Quantum Leaps, by Price Pritchett. You guys you can literally read this sucker in 30 minutes, but if you are like me you will read and re read it a dozen times!!! If you have dreams and you need some motivation along the way this book is for you! It is short and to the point. You could literally read this book everyday and get something new from it. Now some might argue this book is just an agenda for this guy to get you to sign up for his course, and maybe it is, which honestly is brilliant, but I am not signing up for the course and I am still getting good stuff! So if you like your motivation to be short, direct, thought provoking, and to the point….get this book! It will do you good!
Now for our cruise I need fluff and I chose the perfect book! It was an easy light read that had some twist, some turns, some curves, and even a loopty loop! The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews is in my opinon the perfect vacation or weekend read. If you have teens or pre teens, you might relate to this book even more, because let me tell you the little teenage brat in this book has attitude. But, hey, they all do right? The story in general is about an upper class family and their relationships and their life. Their struggles and how just when you think you know someone, even a family member, well….think again….Great read, especially if you are going on vacation and all you want to do is take your mind off your life and enjoy your time away. Why not get into someone else’s drama with this book? Easy, fun read. Go get it!
So that wraps up July can’t wait to see what August brings….it has already started off good I have to say!
Until next time!
XO,
Amy
Tell Them....
As I sit here writing this Sunday, I actually started out trying to finish my July book review, but I just cannot. After learning about the news of not one but two mass shootings, my heart is crushed. If you can think of a word worse than crushed, defeated, broke, shattered, you get the picture, that is my heart, mind, and soul, and I am sure most of you, if not all of you feel the same pain. If you are like me you are asking yourself and God, “What is happening? What is going on? Why are these YOUNG people feeling the need to kill? What is going on in their brains and why is it happening? Is it drugs? Is it influence? But from what? Video games? Social media? Why?” OR an even bigger question, “Where are you God? Where are you in this?” Yes, I find myself asking that and if you are too I don’t blame you. There are families out there who have lost a loved one to a senseless act. All for what? Who knows.
There is so much hatred in this world. So much! I just don’t understand. And trust me, I know life is hard. I know bad things happen. But gosh dang it, I feel like it is out of control. I can’t help but start wondering as a parent with teens is it the substances and the drugs these kids get into? Look I know kids are gonna be kids. I was one once. I did dumb things, made dumb choices, tried things, but now a days I feel like the stuff our kids experiment with really changes them if they get bad stuff. And honestly that is another blog all by itself. Point is I am so sad and I know you are too. I just needed a minute to vent. That is all. Maybe me admiting I am wondering where God is will bring someone else comfort and know they are not alone in this.
As I sit here I will voice that I am in the valley of the unknown and I know God knows me and loves me. He understands me and is listening to my every tear and He will help my unbelief. He will do the same for you. So if you are like me and thinking, ‘That could have been me grocery shopping at Walmart or my son out on the town, that could have been me shot and I would never see my family again or worse my child could have been shot and killed.” As you think that and as I think that, remember this, tell your loved ones what they mean to you. Tell them how much you believe in them and how much you love them. Tell them how proud you are of them and how lucky you are to have them. Tell them. Because you may never get a chance to again. Satan is alive and he is attacking America. Evil is on the rise and we need to rebuke it through prayer and through love. So tell them you love them……
Until Next Time,
XO,
Amy
The art above was done by my son Will. To say I am so proud is not even enough. So proud.
Long Time No Write....
It has been a while since I sat down to really write something. I decided at the beginning of the summer I was going to focus on my family knowing when school started back I could pick right up where I left off. What has changed? Well a number of things. First and foremost I love it when I receive a DM on the gram or a DM on the book of face that says, “I miss your writing”, “I miss your inspiration”, or “I miss your recipes”. You guys have no idea what that does for me! But, trust me, I have been working on content and ideas here and there and I have hired a phenomenal coach who is helping me and I am hoping to blow this blog UP!!!! But, the other thing that has changed is I realized how much I personally need this blog. It is so healing for me and so cleansing and I need it!
How do I know this? Well, today is my sweet Mama’s birthday. She would have been 83…..and for those of you new here, she passed away in December of 2016. It still hurts. It hurts so bad sometimes that I can’t breathe. As I sit here writing this I wonder if some people get sick of hearing about it? Honestly, it does not matter because I know there is someone else reading this who is still missing their person as much as I am missing my mom and they need to hear it right here right now that, that is ok. My mom and I had such a neat relationship and we had great talks….everyday at 3 to be exact….and I miss that. And it is ok.
So today I decided to sit down and write because writing is cleansing. And honest to God yesterday in my “special journal”, the question was: Reflect upon your family. It could be a parent, sibling, grandparent, or someone else. How do they help shape your life? YALL!!!!!!! It is my mom!!!!!! I am going to take a picture and show you what I wrote!
My mom was AMAZING! Still is in my eyes and I truly believe my mom’s spirit is in me. She is in my heart and she is in my soul and that makes me so happy. Because anyone who knew that little red headed firecracker knows there was not a more pure spirit in this world. My mom loved ALMOST everybody. I can name one person, which I will not, who my mother did not have compassion or love for. Other than that, my mom never spoke ill of anyone. She loved the weak, the strong, the poor, the rich, the dumb, the smart, the homosexual, the hetrosexual, the Christian, the Jew, the Buddhist, the non Christian, the addict, the black, the white, and the brown. My mom was the epitome of love. Was she perfect? No, but in my eyes she came close. Did she have faults? Yes, but her strengths sure out weighed her faults. And her love was pure and real. Her love allowed me to be free to be who I am and I really think her love is part of the reason I march to my own beat. I will forever be grateful to my mom for this gift. My mom is part of the reason I know deeply that I am worthy of love and goodness in my life. She gave me so much love, support, and compassion, in the 46 years of life I spent with her that I truly believe she is the reason I am able to survive whatever comes at me. So today, on her 83 birthday I would like to say, “Thank you Mom! Thank you for loving me for me and for passing on the gifts of love, compassion, and forgiveness.'“
Happy Birthday Mom!
Love Always,
Amy
This journal is amazing! If you are really looking for growth, healing, or reflection, this journal is it. It gives you a prompt and the prompts are very good and very powerful!
June Book Review
Better late than never I guess! This summer I have decided to slow down and boy have I! I am realizing my kids are growing up and will be gone before I know it so I have taken some time to enjoy them, or if I am being honest my little guy as my teens really don’t want to hang with me! I get it, but if I get a chance the phone goes down and the computer goes off so the blog has slown down tremendously and so has the reading. For a good cause though!
I did get two books read this June and I have to say they were both awesome! Probably not a beach or pool read, but awesome!
The first book I chose was my monthly personal development pick. Intentional Living (Choosing a Life That Matters) by John C. Maxwell. I LOVED this book! What I loved most about reading this book was it felt as if my father was speaking to me! It was almost everything my dad taught me growing up as a kid and it was AMAZING! This guy and my father think so much alike and it really gave me comfort. Having a dad with memory issues is hard sometimes. There are times when the man I am talking to in my father, but most of the time the spark and fire that I remember my father having is missing so reading this book not only grew me as an individual it truly brought me comfort. I would imagine my father’s voice reading it to me and every once in awhile there would be a line my dad use to say and I would get chills! If you are wanting to make a difference in this world, I know most of us are, then this book is for you! Grab it! Grab a pen and take some notes and together we can all make this world a better place!
For my “light” read I chose Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb. This book was so interesting to me! It is basically about a therapist, her therapist, and life. While I think it is fiction there is alot of real life talk in here and it really had me thinking, but at the same time cracking up! So it was not the light read I thought it would be. It was light and fluffy at times and deep and thought provoking at others. Really quite interesting! I am a firm believer in therapy! If you are you will love this book. IF you are on the fence about therapy I think you will love this book. If you think therapy is a load of crap, well this book will have you laughing! So yes I think this book is a great read for anyone…..just maybe not for the beach as I kept expecting a love story and that just never came! Ah well! Such is life!!!!! Get it though! Great read that will have you looking at yourself in a different light! One that is realizing not to take life too seriously and to just enjoy it! Enjoy the ups and the downs, the twists, the turns, the beginnings, and the endings! Great Read!!!!!
So thanks to these two books this gal is slowing down and living life intentionally and fully this summer! Who’s with me?
Until next time!
XO,
Amy
The Upside of the Side Hustle
You might be asking yourself, “Why on earth is Amy selling this coffee?” Trust me, I asked myself that for about 29 days after I signed on to do it, then I got paid! That day changed everything! Truly! But I guess I should start at the beginning for you to truly understand that.
It all started back in college when my bestfriend Ginger and I signed up to do Amway! Yep! I sure did! And NOPE I did not make any money! Then it was after college while I was at Buzz Print and my mentor and dear friend Lori Clark talked me into signing up to do Advocare! Yep! Back in the 90’s I sold advocare….well….not really! I did not do anything but take the products myself, however, looking back as I type this I realize now I was sitting on a gold mine! The 90’s people! That program is still around, or at least kind of. I just heard they are going retail, but not real sure what that means for its distributors. Next I was in the military and I was talked into selling Southern Living. I did one party, got all the goods I wanted for my house and was done! Then I did Once Upon a Family and while I did make money, the problem with that company was I had to do inventory and that drove my husband me crazy! I am not organized enough for that! So after that I hung up MLM and swore I would NEVER do it again! How does the saying go? “Never say Never!” Well it is true! Never say Never….
Side note: When I married Trey he was a pilot in the Navy and he would be gone for 6-9 months at a time on a ship so when we got married he said, “We will NEVER go on a cruise!” He meant it too people….guess what….we have been on 5 since we have been married!!!!!
Funny how that works! Now back to the story. In December, I was approached by my sweet student and friend Beth Hall about this coffee she wanted me to try AND she threw in with her little southern drawl, “And if you want you could sell it on your blog and make some extra money…” I laughed and said, “Ya no, I don’t like selling to my friends. I have done that mulitple times and it just did not work out for me. Tell me to sell to a company and I can do it….ask me to sell to a friend and I am not your girl.” She just smiled and nodded very elegantly like she does.
GIRLS TRIP!
Fast forward to February and it was her third follow up with me and I said, “You know, I have not tried it yet, but I am going on a girls trip this weekend and I am happy to bring some and give it to my friends to try and I will get back to you.” Well, guess what! I didn’t give the samples to the girls, nor did I try it myself.
In March I got pneumonia and I was down for the count and when I started healing and coming back to life I started reading alot. I came across a quote by Forbes that went something like this: “There is no downside to a side hustle. There are only benefits to building more than one source of income. A side hustle is the new job security.” That really reasonated with me for a number of reasons. Reasons I will not go into detail now, but they are real and they are worthy.
So I decide to give Beth a call. I think she probably fell off her chair when she heard why I was calling, not to mention I had lost EVERY sample she gave me and NEVER tried it for myself! No lie! But I knew it intrigued me because it was coffee and coffee is the most popular beverage in the world with more than 400 billion cups consumed each year with 450 million cups of coffee being consumed in the US DAILY! Yep! That is right. How do I know this? Well some of you know I am obsessed with Bullet Proof coffee so I have kind of studied weird things about coffee and the fact that Reviatlu was selling coffee that is healthy, well that intrgued me more.
I liked what it could do and I liked that she was giving it to me for free to try!
So what do you do when you have never tried a product but you know the benefits of the ingredients and you know that tons of coffee is consumed daily and the product is coffee….well if you are Amy Berry you say, “Hey can I sign up to sell this stuff and could you give me some samples to try it while I wait for mine to come in?!” Yep that is pretty much how it went down and the rest is history. I have been with the company since April 19 and I have made back my initial investment times 2! Not bad! Considering my history with MLM and the one I did make money with I saw no money for the first 9 months. So I consider this a win!
It is a win because the money potential is GREAT! It is a win because the product is AMAZING and does what it says it will do! It is a win because all I have to do is hand out samples and the samples sell themselves! It is a win because I can do it from the comfort of my couch, my bed, the park, on vacation, whenever and wherever I want! It is a win beause I am meeting some amazing people! And it is a win because it is taking me out of my comfort zone and I am getting past the fear of “what will my friends think and say.” So I am growing and my family is benefiting! So can you say, “Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!” And it is a win because it means more income for my family which in turn means more options! So everybody wins!!!!! So bottom line….even if it was just $500 a month I was earning I have to ask myself what else would I be doing with that time that could have earned me that…..just some food for thought……
So, if you are like I was and wanting to earn some extra money for your family and yourself, let’s talk. This company might intrigue you like it did me and it might not, but it is a win either way because we will have had some time together! If you want to sample any or all of the products, message me! I promise you will love all the benefits it can and will give you! Besides what do you have to lose? It’s free!
Until next time!
XO,
Amy
Wendy's Frosty for Breakfast
Who does not want a Wendy’s Frosty for breakfast? I know I would LOVE to be able to eat/drink one Eeeriday!!!!!
The beauty behind this recipe!
Guess what friends! I have cracked the code to a healthy one thanks for my dear friend Rachael! I owe ya big girlfriend!!!!!! This smoothie is DELISH! And it has soooooo many benefits i can’t even believe it!!!
Let me tell you what the benefits are and then you can decide for yourself if you want to try it!
Surpress your appetitie
Boost your energy
Stay focused
It tastes like a Wendy’s frosty!
That’s right! It is absolutley amazing! It is delicious! It is great for weight management and it can help boost your energy and increase your focus! Who wouldn’t want to start their day drinking this amazing drink!?
Check it out and try it for yourself! Let me know what you think and if you have any morning smoothies that you love, please send me the recipe! I would love to try them and share them!
Wendy’s Frosty Only Healthy
Blend:
Ice Cubes
70g of Frozen Mango
1/2 cup of almond milk
Scoop of cakepop protein powder by PEScinece protein powder (Or whatever protein powder you have)
1 Scoop of my Revitalu cocoa (ask me for free samples! I have them!)
Top with dark chocolate sea salt Granola
Can you say “GET INTO MY BELLY!”
Oh the chocolately goodness!!!!!
So if you are looking for a healthy alternative to start your day I promise this is one way and you will be so happy!
Enjoy!
Amy
Hawaiian Rolls for Breakfast
If you have a house full of boys I have a little tip for you. Hawaiian Rolls are your friend! Always have them on hand! Trust me! You can’t go wrong with these little babies! I make sandwiches with them, use them as rolls with dinner, breakfast, snacks, whatever you want! My boys take them by the fistfuls and eat them as a snack! So word to the wise, with summer coming on, get these and keep them on hand. Trust me on this!
By now, most of you know my family loves B for D! Breakfast for dinner. So this past week I tried something and it was a hit and it was super easy! You could do these for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They are packed with protein, but I will admit not so healthy! But when you have a house filled with growing, active, kids, I think it is ok. Just my opinion. If you don’t agree that is way ok. We can still be friends! Ha! I titled these babies, Hawaiian Breakfast Rolls. Hope your family enjoys them as much as mine did.
Hawaiian Breakfast Rolls
3 tablespoons Butter, divided
8 large eggs, beaten
1-2 tablespoons milk
1 12 oz package of Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, Split in half
12 slices of cheddar cheese maybe more if your family likes a lot of cheese
12 slices of lunch meat (I used honey ham)
Salt and Pepper for taste
Preperation:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat and add eggs and milk. Scramble and cook the eggs and add salt and pepper to your liking.
Place bottom part of roll in a lightly sprayed 9 x 12 baking dish. Layer cheese, ham, eggs, and more cheese if you like. Cover with the top of the rolls.
Melt the rest of the butter and brush on top of the rolls and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Cover pan with foil and bake for 15 minutes covered. Uncover and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is nice and melted and your buns are crisp. Cut into little sandwiches before serving.
That is it! Super Easy and Super Good!
Bon Appetit!
Amy
May Book Review
It is one of my favorite post! My book review! Man how I love to get lost in a good book and this month did not disappoint! I only read three, but they were all amazing! The last one I tear up still thinking about it! WOW!!!!! So I just want to jump in because they were all so amazing!!!!!
My first read this month was Blackout: Remembering The Things I Drank To Forget by Sarah Hepola. This book was fascinating to me! Why? Well, first because it is a true story. A scary story, but a very courageous story that ends with hope. I chose this book because I was asked to attend a fundraiser/banquet at which Sarah would be speaking. So in true Amy form, I googled her and found out she wrote a book and decided I wanted to read it to get to know her. Man am I glad I did. To see and hear Sarah speak after reading her story was truly a blessing and one that I will always be thankful for. Sarah’s story is literally a story of her coming undone at the seams from the horrible disease of alcohol and finding strength, peace, love, and life in a sober life…..a life she faught against and one she did not want, but she has now and she is alive and she is amazing! Everyone who has been effected by this disease, whether personally, or through a friend or family member should get this book if nothing else, but to understand the hold this disease can have on a loved one, the lies this disease feeds a loved one, and the hope that a loved one can beat it.
After reading such a heavy story I decided I needed a light chic lit, love story, adventure. I chose My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan. Great book! Easy read and fun read! Especially if you are like me and dream of adventures in Europe. This is the kind of book that you want to just curl up on the couch with a blanket and get lost in it. You do not want the story to end. It is fun, it is exciting, it is romantic, and at times it is sad. It is an adventure with all kinds of take away lessons if you look for them. My biggest lesson was that life does not always take you where you think you want to be or should be. Sometimes life has bigger and better plans for you. Plans you could never imagine. Great read! Especially for a summer vacation!
The last book I chose this month was INCREDIBLE! Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. EVERYONE should get this book! I am actually tearing up writing about it and remembering the main character Kya. Kya means Diamond in the Sky and let me tell you, this Kya in this story is a diamond in the rough, not in the sky. A true gem. One who is indestructible like a diamond. A powerful force and one not to be messed with. There were so many things about Kya that I did not indentified with, but Kya was a survivor and her will to survive really reasonated with me. I felt her on every page and I felt for her. This book was truly amazing and it is a story I will treasure always and one I am so grateful to have read. Everyone should pick this one up too. Not necessarily a light fluffy read for the beach, but a must read for sure!!!!!
So there you have it! Three great books to bring you into summer! Happy reading!
Until next time,
XO,
Amy
Freeze and Freak...an Internal Struggle!
Ever have one of those days that you just are in a funk? No real reason or maybe there is one, but you know there is nothing you can do about it and that you should just stay present, but your mind keeps going. Ya, I am having one of those days.
I find for me as a mom these kind of days happen more when change is coming. It is an anticipation to the, “what will it be like?” I have shared with you before that I suffer from depression. It is under control, but it is under control because I choose to take my meds daily and I go to counseling and seek help-a minumim of once a month. I am not afraid to ask for help or go more often if I need, and I do not shy away from calling a friend or mentor when I need talk. However, there are times when I feel it coming on strong…..like right now.
Friday, the boys will be getting out of school. This overwhelms me more than I can even begin to explain. My head starts spinning, I start breathing and I shut down. It is almost like I become frozen. Anyone else have this? It is crazy! I have friends sending me dates their kids will be in camps, other friends sending me flight itineraries to camps the boys will be attending with them, and still other friends literally asking me to their summer homes on specific dates and I can’t function. I have calendar. I have a pen. I have a computer. But for some reason I freeze and freak out internally!
It is really quite ridiculous and being aware of this is not enough. Then it gets compounded with a three day holiday weekend which always is hard for me and end of year school activities. This year has been worse for me and I think it is because I have an incoming Senior and we are already having deadlines and meetings about next school year. I want to shout at the top of my lungs, “I can’t even schedule a trip that the dates have been laid out for me perfectly and you want me to schedule next year!” This is real people and I know I am not alone.
Ok…if you are like me and you freak out…this journal will do you good! It is my Daily Deposit Journal and you can get one at www.macymcneely.com
So how am I going to tackle this? Well I could break it down to very simple: start with one day at a time…..maybe even one hour at a time. This is hard for me. ESPECIALLY if I forget one thing…. I have to wake up with God. No lie. If I miss this, then I might as well hang it up, UNTIL… I realize that was the step I missed and I start over right there in that moment and go to God. Then I breath. Then I write down 5 things I must do that day. ONLY that day. And sometimes I have to really prioritize this.
Example: Yesterday was Friday, May 24. I still did not have JP’s plane ticket for June 22. Well we all know if I did not jump on that the price was eventually going to go up so this definitely had to be on the list. Here is a list of other things that were possibilities….Will’s passport to the church. Get June calendar written down (JP summer school schedule, JP is gone, Will is gone, VBS), figure out when JP back in July. Decide when the family trip can happen because June is shot with both boys gone and summer school and JP starts Phantom rehearsal on August 5. Decide sleep away camp for Graeme. Decide day camps for Graeme. Teacher gifts. End of year Party. Baseball game schedule this weekend. Work schedule when I need subs. Will’s add for yearbook NEXT YEAR (NUTS). Will’s senior calendar activities prioritized (this has me so frozen). You get the point….I know I am only capable of 5 things and I have all that AND all the while I am thinking I suck because I don’t have Graeme signed up for ANYTHING but VBS and his other friends moms have spreadsheets of what their kid is doing this summer. JP’s friends are getting headshots and auditioning in things I have never heard of. Will’s friends parents are planning their Senior Trip for next March (I am talking 2020 people) and all their parties and I have yet to even get a gift for his friends that are graduating THIS Friday! You see what I am doing here….I am comparing myself and my family and do you see what it does! It freezes me! It freaks me out! And when you have depression it is not good because it shuts you down and it makes you want to run and hide!
It is real people and yes it affects someone as outgoing as me! Someone who is alive can die a slow death by choking on fear and suffocating on comaprison. Someone who is perfectly capable of prioritizing, making lists, and making things happen, can shut down. Happens to me all the time! Happening right now as I type. And if you are someone like me, know you are not alone. Also know there is hope! You can do this! I can do this! We can do this! And we will! One day at a time! One prayer at a time! One list at a time! One task at a time!
So this summer is coming in hot and it will happen. The kids will get to their camps. They will get a vacation and August will hit and I will freeze again just like I do every August. When that happens I will read this and I will remember to start my day with God. Breath. Make a list. One foot in front of the other. One step in the right direction is a step in the right direction. AND I AM NOT ALONE!
Until next time,
XO,
Amy
Simple Supper Suggestions #8
This week you will see alot of repeat recipes. Reason being it is the last week of school and I have let each kid in the family choose what they would like. I did this last year and it is just a way to provide comfort during exams and all the hustle and bustle. Truthfully speaking it is easier on me too because it is normally a meal that I make often so I know exactly what to do. Win, win if you ask me! They are happy and I am happy!
Monday-With it being Memorial Day I asked Trey what he would like. I figure he did serve in the Military for 20 years, it is the least I could do. He chose Steaks on the grill which is a huge win for me! The grill is his domain! Ha! So Monday I am off the clock, but we will have grilled steaks, simple green salad, and baked potatoes. Easy Peasy lemon squeezy.
My Handsome fly boy…..
Tuesday-Will’s pick of Steak Burrito Bowls. These are the perfect meal to double and eat on during the week for lunch or whatever.
I can’t believe this one will be a Senior next year!!!!!
Wedneday-JP’s pick of Chicken Feta. Again super easy and you can even make it super duper easy by going to the grocery and getting their whole chickens that are already roasted if you are crazy busy with end of year activities.
My sweet JP! No lie he requests this recipe EVERY week!
Thursday-Graeme’s pick. Spaghetti! And yes we will do it again! Everyone get’s a pick so it is only fair! And besides everyone loves spaghetti!
This one loves his daddy so much!
Friday-Saturday I am off!
Sunday-Spaghetti Sunday because hey we like to keep it consistent!
What will you be eating this week and do you have any traditions you do with your kids on the last week of school? I would love to know them!
Until next time!
Bon Appetit!
Amy
Chicken with Blackberry Salsa
It is summer time and I am always looking for quick, easy, healthy, and able to grill kind of things. Today’s recipe is just that. I cannot take the credit for it as I found it on Mix and Match Mama and it is so good. I did add a few things from Shay’s but I definitely used 90% of her reciepe and my entire family was very pleased. It is fresh and it is light and it is oh so good! I honestly think you could top any meat from the grill with this amazing salsa! All summer long!!!!!
Chicken with Blackberry Salsa
Chicken (Or honestly whatever meat you choose from beef, to fish, pork, whatever you are in the mood for) I used thighs this time.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Lemon Pepper seasoning
1 red onion chopped
2-3 tablespoon chopped jar garlic
2 pints of blackberries
1 jalapeno, chopped and seeded….unless of course you like the heat
1 large tomato, chopped
a handful of cilantro, chopped
I got a gallon bag and put my chicken in it. I then threw in some olive oil, lemon pepper, pinch or two of salt, black pepper, and chopped garlic. Shook it up real good and let it sit in the refrigerator all day.
The salsa I made earlier in the day as well so it had some time to marinate and get good and juicy. For the salsa you will need a mixing bowl. In your mixing bowl combine your red onion, blackberries, chopped jalapeno, chopped tomato and cilantro. Add some salt and pepper and lightly stir with a fork. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
When you are ready preheat your grill and cook your meat to your desired temperature. For chicken we usually do about 8 minutes or so on each side.
Once chicken is grilled to your liking, plate and top with your salsa and serve with a side of my lemon rice and broccoli. This dish is so good and so easy.
Bon Appetit!
Amy
Simple Supper Suggestions #7
It’s a weird week here in the Berry Casa. We have banquets, end of year awards ceremonies, exams to study for, and life is just plain crazy! So I have to keep it simple this week with lots of grilling and a few basic recipes that will get my family fed and happy! Does anyone else have a crazy schedule this week?
Monday-With it being a busy week I will start Monday off with soup and sandwiches just so we have something to nibble on all week should the schedule go haywire! My kids love My Spicy Tomato Basil Soup! And they especially love it with grilled cheese sandwiches!
This boy loves tomato soup and grilled cheese
Tuesday-We have a banquet and I will have a sitter for Graeme as both boys will be busy so I will make my mother in law’s pizza bread! So easy and ALWAYS a crowd pleaser! The babysitter always thanks me! Pro Tip: make sure you have Ranch for dipping!
This stuff is silly good!!!!!! Not so good for ya, but silly good!
Wednesday: Perfect night to grill! Flank steak and wasabi mashed potatoes! Oh my, my mouth is watering just thinking about them!!!!! I will marinate the flank steak all day and Trey will grill the flank steak while I cook the mashed potatoes and everyone in the Berry House will be happy, happy, happy! Try it at your house!
Thursday: I know I will be tired by Thursday so I need a recipe that is healthy and simple, yet mouthwatering and I have it! Blueberry Salmon! This recipe is super easy, super good, and super healthy!!!!!
Friday and Saturday this girl will be off the clock!
Sunday-You know the drill by now! Spaghetti Sunday!
Everyone can relax on Sunday because we all know what to expect! Delish food, lots of kids, lots of laughter, and lots of love!
What will you be cooking this week? And summer is right around the corner! Have any recipes I can try? Would love to see them and give them a go!
Until next time!
Bon Appetit!
Amy
Simple Supper Suggestions #6
I just love all the feedback I am getting on my weekly supper suggestions that I think I will officially make it a “thing”! How does that sound to you guys?
My promise is this….MOST of the recipes will be simple. I will TRY to post it weekly, but if something comes up with my family, my health, or I just need a moment, then I will listen to that and know that it is ok. So look for it weekly for the most part! Hey….I am just being real like I always am!
This week I haveincluded my new dish I posted last week that is so good I have been dreaming about it, plus a repeat due to my kids constantly requesting it and some other good stuff! So take a look and see if you like what the Berrys will be eating this week and if you have any recipes you would love to share, I am all ears! I love trying new stuff and I would love to share your reciepes with the people! So send them on!
Monday-Amy’s Tortillia Soup This delicious recipe I got from my amazing neighbor Amy, I like to call her Pei Wei, and it is so good! I love making it on a Monday night for the family and eating on the left overs all week with a side of avocado! So good!
Tuesday-Chicken Feta This seriously is the number one request I get in my home! Every week I ask the boys, including Trey, what they want to eat. And as God is my witness this one is on it every week! Which drives Trey crazy because he is not the biggest spinach fan! But the kids LOVE this one!!!!!
Wednesday-Lemon Chicken and Rice I was inspired by another blogger on this little ditty! It is so good that I am still dreaming about it and cannot wait to eat it again! You really should give it a go! It is one of those recipes that is not super simple, but it is so good and so worth the effort.
Thursday-Red Beans and Rice I love whipping this up on a Thursday because when I double it we can eat on it all weekend! Fun fact….Red beans and rice is so good as a left over after it has marinaded in all the things!!!!!
Friday and Saturday-Kitchen is closed!
Sunday-Spaghetti Sunday I get more fun and positive feedback on this one! I just love it! And your family will love this recipe! Trust me!
My heart is so full when nights like this happens!
So there we have it! Another week of Simple Suggestions! What will you be cooking? I would love to know!
Bon Appetite!
Amy
Mommy and Me Time
Dear Mom,
Mother’s Day number 3 without you is going down in the books. Time does make this easier for sure, but I still get those sudden surges of grief where this rush of sadness overcomes me and I just want to crumble. I still wonder “what if”….
What if we had moved you to Dallas? What if we had forced you out of your house into assisted living? What if I had come home more? All the “what if’s” give me is pain. Real pain. I imagine things going differently. I imagine you still here IF we had only done things differently.
It is selfish of me actually. I want you here because this year has been hard and I could have used my mom. So selfishly I sit here saying, “What if we had moved you to Dallas?” Well, here is the what if….If we had moved you to Dallas you might be dead anyways due to loneliness. All of your friends and your entire life was in Graham. You LOVED that town. You LOVED your friends. You LOVED your church. So even if you were here in Dallas, you might not have been able to be there for me like I wanted, like I needed. The “what if” we had made you move to assisted living….well, I am not going to lie. I personally think you would of thrived there. You LOVED people! You loved being around people. You loved serving people. I think you would have been the Mayorette of the assisted living in Graham, but the point is that is not what you wanted. I wanted it. For selfish reasons! So you would still be here!
I have learned alot through all my counseling since you have been gone. One big thing is everyone has a right to feel how they want. Be who they want. Live THEIR life how they want. That is what you did. No it is not what I wanted and no it did not end how I wanted it to, but I am proud to say you got to do it your way. You lived your life your way up until the very end and you did it with strength and you did it with grace.
I still remember having the conversation with you in the ICU at Presbyterian Hospital about dying. You were not scared at all. I told you I was and your response to me was a very quiet response I remember. You simply said very quietly, “Everybody has to do it.” I remember crying and asking you if were you scared. I was so concerned about you being scared. You held my hand and said, “No.”
We both knew your day was coming and it was coming fast. Funny thing is you surprised us all and got out of the hospital! I remember thinking we were dodging a bullet. Only to have that bullet hit two weeks later and I never saw it coming. I still remember “Your day.” I remember what I was wearing. My perfume. My hair. All of it! I got up early and went to Starbucks, which is so unlike me. I got to the hospital before all my siblings! I remember thinking we were going to have some “Mommy and me time”. I literally thought that. Boy was I mistaken.
I knew they had intubated you the night before, but they made it sound like it was to make it easier on you so you could heal from the sepsis. I remember calling my girlfriend Leigh who is a nurse and saying, “Is this prolonging death?” I remember Leigh gently saying it would keep you calm and peaceful. It would breathe for you, but if you did not want extraordinary measures I needed to listen to your wishes. I remember going to bed relieved that the tube would calm you Mom and that you could heal. So basically I decided you were going to live! And I told my brain it was going to be ok and I firmly believed it!
I decided I would get to the hospital early to cheer you on in that endeavor! When I arrived the door was shut to your room and I remember the minute I opened it there were two nurses and a doctor in the room. A very kind nurse asked me if I was family. I nodded because I could tell something was not right. My gut knew it. You were asleep….so I thought, but you were really unconcious. Your organs were shutting down and I was the first one on the scene so I was the one who got the news. I crumbled to the ground and they got me a chair. I kept saying I was suppose to get to talk to you agian. I remember asking the nurse this question, “Will I hear my moms voice again?” She shook her head no very slowly and help me while I cried.
She was a good nurse and I never got her name because that day from that moment on is a blur to me. If I did get it I forgot it. Funny how it is nurses week and here is a prime example of someone who was my hero that day and I don’t even know her name so I will never be able to thank her for the strength she brought me so I could call each sibling and tell them to come the hospital. My sister actually got there while this was all happening so that was one less phone call. And my sister in true “get things done fashion” started asking all the questions of “What if we do this”, “What if we do that”. I remember just being numb and holding your hand begging for you to squeeze mine……that did not happen and later that afternoon your time came and you slowly and peacefully left us.
I miss you so much Mom and as I said in the beginning of this letter….time does heal…..but I do miss you so. Some days more than others, but this I know for sure, there is NEVER a day that goes by that I don’t think about you. Mom you were the best mom I could ever have and I love you so much and I miss you so much. I am proud of you Mom and I am proud that you were my mom!
Happy Mother’s Day Mom!
All my love,
Amy
Lemon Chicken and Rice
So I decided to try a new recipe. One that I got from another blogger, Turtle Creek Lane, but I changed a few things to fit my family’s taste buds, however, you guys, you should really check Jennifer out. She makes every holiday magical. I swear her house comes to life! She has a gift and she is super sweet and kind!!!! So go give her a looksie if you do not know her! I promise you will fall in love.
Back to the chicken. So this recipe was a little more involved than most of mine, but you guys, don’t let that stop you because the end result was mouth watering! I promise! So give it a try and let me know what you think.
Ingredients:
Chicken thighs or breasts (I used 8 boneless, skinless, thighs because Trey prefers thighs over breasts)
salt and pepper
2 cups chicken broth
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped garlic from the jar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup diced shallots
4 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Extra lemons sliced
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Prep:
Preheat oven to 375
Using a mallet, pound your chicken down. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper, not a lot of salt, but we do like our pepper. This is for taste.
In a small mixing bowl, combine your broth, freshly squeezed lemon juice, garlic, pepper flakes, and wine. Set aside.
Heat your olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add your chicken and cook for about 3 minutes each side. When finished (and your chicken will not be cooked all the way through) remove your chicken form the skillet and place it in a 9 x 13 greased cooking pan.
Reduce your heat to medium and add the shallots along with the broth mixture. Whisk that and cook it down for about 15 minutes. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the pan so all the brown bits are loosened which will enhance your flavoring. Once this is cooked down (about 15 minutes) remove from the heat and add your butter. Once butter is melted add your cream.
Pour this over your chicken and place some of your sliced lemons on top. Cook on 375 for about 8-10 minutes or until your chicken is cooked through.
You don’t have to put a slice of lemon on every piece of chicken, but sprinkled through out.
Rice:
This rice is so easy to make. All it requires is 2 cups of white rice. Put that in a medium sauce pan. Add 4 cups of chicken broth. Bring that to a boil. Once it is boiling turn it to simmer and place a few lemon slices on top and sprinkle with Lawrys Season Salt. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. DO NOT STIR! Just let it fluff! Remove the lemons before plating.
The lemons give it a nice fresh flavor. It compliments the chicken very nicely.
Serve your Lemon Chicken with Lemon Rice and some brocolili and watch the entire family salivate! So good!
Until Next Time!
Bon Appetite!
Amy
I use this amazing tool to cut parsley, cilantro, any herb! I LOVE IT!
Simple Supper Suggestions #5
It’s May and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! I can taste summer!!!!! Can you? Or are you bogged down with all of the end of school activities. We have a little of that going on as well so I really need the next couple of weeks to be super easy when it comes to feeding the kids. I hope I can help alleviate some of your stress with the following meals. They are all very easy and very delicious!
Monday-Marinated Cole Slaw-After a week of mexican food I think we will go a little all american on Monday. Here at the Berry house I will have Trey grill some hamburgers and I will make my delicious Marinated Cole Slaw and pair it with some grilled corn on the cob. Super easy and everyone is happy!
I tried broccoli in it last time and my kids were not fans….but I was! So if you like broccoli try it!
Tuesday-Primal Mom’s Tomato Mozzarella Salad This little salad is so good and easy. I really like it when I am coming off of a big week of heavy mexican food or out of the holiday food coma because it is super light and healthy.
Wednesday-This week our B for D will be super easy. We will have eggs however the kids want them which means some will want scrambled with cheese and others will want over easy. I will pair it with bacon, toast, and maybe some bisquick pancakes. For my bacon, I like to heat my oven 375 and get a cookie sheet. Line it wth foil and spray it good. I fill that sheet with bacon and cook it for 30-45 minutes depending on how you like your bacon. It is so easy and clean up is quick and your hair does not smell of bacon! I am telling you, kids LOVE B for D! It is so funny too because it is so easy!
Thursday-Chicken Basil Pasta This dish is amazing and if you want to make it healthy you can use zoodle noodles, or spaghetti squash and you can use regular noodles for those who do not care for zoodles. My kids prefer regular so believe it or not I do it both ways and it is still easy. It is a very light and refreshing pasta and one we love.
Friday and Saturday I am off the clock!
Sunday-Spaghetti Sunday If you are new here then you do not know that Sunday Nights here are for friends and family! My house is always open for friends and family and I make spaghetti for whoever wants it. Why? Because it fills my heart and because my husband Trey and I have been doing Spaghetti Sunday since 1992! True story! Check it out and maybe you and your family will start your tradition!
So there are some simple ideas to get ya through the week!
What will be on your dinner table this week? I would love to have some new recipes to share!
Until Next Time!
Bon Appetit!
Amy
