The Mothership

I would categorize this meal as easy enough. From beginning to prep ingredients to eat in 45 minutes the meal was ready to eat. It was one pot and a chopping board and a knife. Prep ingredients before cooking or it will take longer. I didn’t do many measurements of ingredients. Definitely a meal I will make again.  Ingredients: 4 salmon steaks, patted dry Salt Pepper Paprika Sugar Paprika Garlic powder 1/2 yellow onion, chopped 3-5 garlic cloves, peeled & minced 1/2 container Cherry tomatoes, halved Olive oil/avocado oil 1 Tbsp butter 1 cup dry orzo 1tsp dried thyme 3 cups chicken broth 5oz of baby spinach Juice from 1/2 lemon 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Red chili flakes Recipe: Prep fish by patting dry. I laid the steaks on wax paper and then sprinkled with all the spices one at a time. I only gave a very small sprinkle of sugar.  Chop the onion and garlic and set aside. If you are adding tomatoes also set that aside.  Heat oil and butter in a large pan or skillet...

    Psalm 19:7,14 “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul…May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you. O Lord my rock and my redeemer.”   If my lord were to look on the meditations of my heart would they be pleasing to him? Or would they be festering with hurt and distraction, and selfish ambition? Would they be words that would please him or words that would bring him pain?  Likely a concoction of the fore mentioned. When I look at the world or myself for affirmation instead of the Lord, I’m missing information and instructions. But most of all I’m missing the beat of his heart. I leave myself no opportunity to revitalize my soul because I’m only looking to things and people which already draw up empty. So much hurt and suffering are from letting someone else speak into instructions that were never meant to be revealed to them. The lord has specific instructions for each of us. If we are not careful, w...

This is a great dish if you ever have somewhere to go and then are having company over right quick. It takes very little effort and tastes amazing. I make a good amount of this because these humans eat a lot.  Ingredients: 6-8 chicken breasts 2 ranch dressing packets 1 taco seasoning packet 2 cans black beans, rinsed  2 cans of 10.5oz Rotel 1 pack of frozen corn or 2 cans 1 block of cream cheese 4 fresh limes  Optional ingredients: rice, cilantro, chips, avocado, shredded cheese, Cotija cheese, red onion Recipe: Put chicken into crockpot. Add all the ingredients except the cream cheese and limes.  Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 7. If it looks dry you can add a bit of water and a splash of cooking oil. Shred the chicken in the crockpot. Add the juice from the limes and the cream cheese.  Cook for 30 more minutes on high. This would be a good time to make rice if you are making bowls.  Serve over rice or inside tortillas or with chips, along with whateve...

I have been heavy on the vegetarian or healthier sides of my recipes. However, this cold weather makes me think of my mom’s pressure cooker pot roast and my mouth waters. We don’t do a lot of red meat in the house but when we do, we like it to fall apart and be super tender. I used to make mine in the crockpot and I just don’t like it that way - it seems to dry out. So I tried a few different recipes. And this is what I combined. DON’T be intimidated by the 3 hour cook time. It takes very little preparation and you can do many other things while it does it’s beautiful thing in the pot!  Ingredients : Cooking oil Carrots (2 cups) chopped into chunks 1/2 red Onion, chopped into bite size 3 celery stalks, rough chopped  Salt Pepper Garlic cloves (2-3) minced 3-5 lb chuck roast Red wine (1 cup) Beef broth (enough to cover chuck halfway) about 2- 15oz. Cans 1 can of diced tomatoes Oregano Rosemary Thyme Directions :  Pour some oil into a pot and heat o...

  You can prepare this fan favorite in under an hour by baking the chicken or you can cook it all day in the crockpot. The recipe below is if you bake the chicken and I will add a note at the bottom of what to do for the crockpot. Super easy midweek meal that can be versatile for leftovers. Ingredients: 3-5 lbs. chicken breast  Olive oil Salt & pepper 1 bottle of buffalo sauce 1 packet Ranch dip mix (in a spice envelope) 1 block of cream cheese 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese Romaine lettuce heads or leafy lettuce to hold the chicken mixture Sliced onions - if desired Recipe: Turn oven to bake at 400. Then place breast on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Then drizzle some olive oil on top of the chicken and then salt & pepper.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.  Take chicken out and shred it. I put my in a mixing bowl and let the mixer do the work.  In a 13x9 pan - I lined mine with foil for easy cleanup - put half the brick of cream cheese sliced into tabs...

  I don’t usually fold this laundry. I’m folding it out of love for an overwhelmed teenager. As I’m folding, I’m thinking about how the laundry pieces used to be tiny and the amount I used to fold was mountainous. Thoughts flood of how quickly that season of doing everything for them has passed. How now its even harder to change my survial responses to more of a listening response. While I was in that season of tininess, it took a daily dose of grace to remind myself that the moments are fleeting.  I find a shirt and of course, it is littered with words of empowerment, but most boldly stands the word PERSPECTIVE . As I have parented as of late, I don’t think I’d be winning any awards of compassion or understanding. Infact I hear quite regularly "I don't know...you don't understand." I’ve never done this teenager thing of raising semi-adults while I myself am headed through my own emotional roller coaster. I feel like I could wallow in self-pity for all the times I cou...

This dish is so easy. It took a total of less than 1 hour to put together, bake, and cool off so you can eat it. If you use regular pasta - I would bake it for an extra 5 minutes. My mom passed this recipe on to me and I doctored it a bit.  Ingredients: 1 - 16oz box of pasta (I used Chickpea pasta) 3 cups of water 5 oz. Spinach 16 oz. Of frozen meatballs (I used meatless) Sprinkle of salt 1 - 24 oz jar of pasta sauce 1/4 red onion, chopped Parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese or both - a couple handfuls. 2 cups of mozzarella  Fresh Basil or parsley for the top of the dish Recipe : Turn oven to 450.  Spray a 13x9 dish.  Place noodles, water, spinach, meatballs, salt, pasta sauce, spinach and just a handful or two of Parmesan or cheddar cheese into the dish. Give it a good toss to make sure everything is incorporated.  Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Be sure to give a good stir about every 10 minutes.  Take out and sprinkle on the two cups of mozz...

I'm always looking for a way to make something a little more festive, a little heartier.  I don't really care for just a plain hot dog and salsa is good, but it's always better with avocado.  I also generally eat a salad for lunch, but a lot of times, I don't have the time to chop everything right there on the spot.  So I make this salsa/topper (and I usually make a lot of it) and I can use it for various things during the week.  Preparation is key to me eating well during the week when things get so hectic.  Here are the various ways I eat this: on top of a hot dog/brat/sausage on top of a bed of lettuce as a salsa with chips (or just a fork) on tacos on top of a burrito Recipe for goodness: 2 avocados, sliced and cut into bit sized pieces 1 can of corn, drained OR 1/2 bag frozen corn 1 large tomato 1 red/orange/yellow pepper, chopped (just one, not one of each) 1/2 red onion, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tsp. of Cumin Powder 1 tablespoo...

  I love it when recipes take me less than an hour from start, combining or chopping, to finish - my plate. This recipe was a crowd pleaser AND it was easy cleanup AND tasty. In this recipe I made the chicken the night before in a crockpot, so that is how I am writing the recipe. You could always bake the chicken ahead and shred ahead or pan fry and make right before you combine everything. I just wanted to make things easy for me - hence the crockpot. Ingredients: For the Chicken 4 chicken breasts 1 cup broth 1 cup water 1 tbsp. oil salt & pepper sprinkles of spices like cumin, garlic, onion, paprika  For the Quesadilla 4 cups chicken breasts (you might have a little extra leftover) 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 tbsp. lime juice  2 tsp. chili powder 2 tsp cumin  1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 of a red bell pepper, diced 1/2 of a yellow onion, diced 4 cups Mexican cheese blend  1 cup shredded mozarella 1...

Standing in a line, with family and friends, waiting for ashes to be placed upon her forehead, stands a girl who wants to be part of what everyone is doing, but has no idea why she waits. She recognizes that this time is solemn and not a celebration; a very different season than the Christmas season just a few weeks ago. Among other lessons, one she learns, “ you must give up your treats until Easter morning when you’ll wake up to a full basket of treats! ” 10 years later, the lesson learned is relinquishing the desire for whatever it is that has been “given up” and promised for 40 days. Then, regrettably, 10 days into the practice she’s forgotten what the practice was or at least the zeal behind it. It’s now a fleeting memory of a desire that she thought had strong conviction, but must have lost its luster.   This may have been a similar experience as yours or maybe this seems foreign. You might have a well disciplined practice throughout your life already and don’t feel ...

  We eat a lot of chicken. So pairing it with other things makes me feel versatile. Make it in a crockpot and I’m all in! Ingredients: 5-6 chicken breasts, skinless Salt & pepper Cooking oil - I used avocado oil 1.5 cups broth (chicken or vegetable) 3 Tbsp. Cornstarch  1 cup heavy cream or milk  2 tbsp garlic powder 2 tsp oregano 1tsp dried thyme Red pepper flakes - optional 1/2 jar of sun dried tomatoes, chopped 2 Tbsp. Butter More salt & pepper Favorite pasta Spinach Basil or parsley Grated Parmesan cheese Recipe: Drizzle a tiny bit of coooking oil on the bottom of the slow cooker. Then, place the chicken breast in the bottom of the slow cooker. Drizzle a tad more oil on top. Then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper over the chicken. In a bowl whisk together the cornstarch and chicken broth with a whisk. Add in all the seasonings and Parmesan. If you use red pepper flakes, just be careful as it can be spicy. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Then place the...

  Favorite. Cookies. Ever.  INGREDIENTS:  3 eggs 2 cups of sugar 3/4 cup softened butter 1 tsp vanilla  2.5 cups flour 12oz fresh cranberries (either frozen or cool from the fridge work well) 1 cup white chocolate chips 2 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and more if needed Recipe: Preheat oven to 350 With a mixer beat eggs and sugar for 5-7 minutes - should double in size, be thickened, light in color, and form a ribbon when you lift the paddle out of the bowl. DONT SKIP THAT STEP! Add the butter and vanilla. Beat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the flour till JUST combined.  With a silicone spatula or spoon, mix in the cranberries and white chocolate chips.  Using a 2 tablespoon scoop, portion the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet about 6-8 to a regular sheet (these cookies are large and spread!) Bake for 18 minutes or a few minutes more. They will have golden brown edges. The tops might look undercooked.  Remove from the oven a...

  My kids love ginger and the kick in these make them feel a little more adult - so it's ok to eat :) This recipe came from a friend, Gabi, who knows how to throw down a beautiful dessert. Ingredients: 2.5 cups (320g) flour  1.5 tsp. (8g) baking soda 3/4 tsp. (4g) cinnamon 1 tsp. (4g) ground ginger 1/2 tsp (2g) ground cloves 1/2 tsp. (5g) salt 1/2 tsp. (2g) cayenne pepper 1/2 cup (113g) softened butter 1/2 cup (112g) sugar 1 cup (209g) packed brown sugar 1/3 cup (110g) molasses 1/4 cup (70g) of egg whites extra sugar in a bowl for rolling 1/3 cup softened butter 3 cups of powdered sugar  3 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tbsp. lemon zest  Recipe: Heat oven to 375. Combine the first 7 ingredients and set aside.  In another bowl, cream the softened butter. Then add in the sugars, molasses, and egg whites. Stir until combined.  Add the flour and spices mixture into the butter and sugar mixture. Mix till all incorporated.  Take the dough and make small 1-2inch round b...

My 90’s kids know what hamburger helper is. This is a version of it minus pasta that makes me feel a bit better about the food going in my body. And it MOSTLY has all pantry ingredients give or take one. This also takes 30 minutes.    This makes enough for my family of five and leftovers for tomorrow.  Ingredients: 2 tsp. Olive oil or saute oil 2 lbs. ground beef 1/2 onion, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped More olive oil 2 lbs. small gold potatoes (they come in a 1 lb bag at the grocer) Salt & pepper 3 tsp. Garlic powder 3 tsp. Onion powder 2 tsp. Smoked paprika 1/2 cup of water 2 Tbsp. Yellow Mustard 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup of ketchup - or more if you’d like 1.5 cups of sharp cheddar cheese Green onions, sliced Recipe: In a large saute pan heat the oil on medium. Add in your onion, green pepper and saute for a minute.  Add the ground beef and separate all the beef as it cooks into small pieces. Cook for about 8 minutes total. Then take out of the pan...

The cold weather has kicked in and I really was craving some wonton soup. I like my soups to have a of stuff, not just broth. I am a big fan of utilizing Whole Foods ingredients and halfway with prepared foods. Hence the frozen wontons because I don’t have time to make the pork put in a wonton and then cook the wontons. Also, cost effective is essential with the way these teenagers eat up in here. I feel like canned soup has gotten more expensive, higher in sodium, low in quality and quantity. And buying at a restaurant for the whole family would not be cost effective. I will double this next time for the size of their stomachs. Also - you can make this VEGETARIAN if you purchase veggie dumplings/wontons and use bacon bits that are actually soy. This took me 30 minutes from gathering items, to chopping, to my belly.     Ingredients: 2Tbsp. Sesame oil 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2-3 tsp. Of grated ginger (don’t skimp on this it makes the recipe) 6  cups chicken broth or veg...

Here I am, beginning  in the land of the teenagers and loving it. These people are the ones I wanted and prayed for when I was in high school. I love littles, so this comes a a huge surprise to me. These are truly some of the sweetest and yet unnerving years in parenting yet. And I’ve only approached the edge.  Each parenting season is harder than others in their own unique ways and each season is easier than another. I would give ANYTHING for the slower pace we had when the kids were tiny. Watching them learn things for the first time - it’s so much more concrete than watching your teen figure out their hormones. At the same time, my kids all know how to tie their own shoes and can prepare themselves accordingly to leave the house at a specific time- varied obviously by emotions, but they can do it. The sleeping schedule from the season of littles is least desired and yet - I could use a nap and a cuddle midday myself. The rocking to sleep and the little games that k...

These are so easy to make, especially if you have small amounts of time to gather steps throughout the day. Also - this is great for a range of palates because it’s easy to keep items separate instead of it all cooking together.  This makes enough for leftovers for the week.  Ingredients: 3 lbs chicken breasts 1/2cup olive oil 4 limes 5 cloves of garlic, minced 4 tsp. Honey 1 1/2 Tbsp. Ground Cumin 2 tsp. Coriander  Salt & Pepper 1 pineapple, trimmed and diced into bite size  1/2 cup cilantro, tightly packed then chopped 1 tablespoon diced jalapeño  1/2 red onion 1 lime 1/4 tsp ground cumin  Sliced avocado 2 cups vegetable broth - or a bit more 2 cups rice Dash olive oil & salt Cilantro lime salad dressing Recipe: Cut chicken breasts in half to make smaller pieces. Place in large plastic bag for marinade. Set aside. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, zest of 2 limes, 1/2 cup lime juice, minced garlic, honey, cumin, coriander, and 1 tsp each ...

“God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens…Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it. He set it in place and examined it thoroughly. And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭28‬:‭23‬-‭24‬, ‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬ We seem to be searching for truths. In some cases we find it and in others we find a masquerade of truths.  In the verses above it’s says “He set it in place and examined it thoroughly.” Why do you think God examined it thoroughly? I would venture to guess, because he knew it would be something very valuable, a marker of true fear of the lord and sought after. Everyone would want it and yet everyone would not have access to it . God would need to make sure it was untouchable, unmoved, and pure. It would need to be something we can’t finagle and change as we see fit.  What is w...

This recipe feeds the five of us and gives enough for maybe two servings of leftovers. Before you begin, PRESS THE TOFU for at least a few hours. To press tofu: Take tofu out of packing and drain the liquid.  Place paper towels around the tofu (I usually two-ply it).  Then place wrapped tofu on a plate or in a bowl and place a cutting board and something else heavy on top to apply pressure. You are trying to extract all the water. The more extracted the crispier. You might repeat that process one more time. Sometime I press it in the fridge overnight and change it again in the morning. Then it’s ready for baking in the afternoon. Ingredients : 2 - 14oz blocks of extra-firm tofu Olive oil 2 Tbspns Cornstarch 2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. Garlic powder 1/2 tsp black pepper Recipe :  Heat oven to 400 Slice pressed tofu in two or three even slabs. Pat dry. Slice tofu into desire rectangles or cubes for eating. The smaller the cube the crispier but it takes more time to turn them. So I u...

  These are easy enough to double for a large crowd. Keep it refrigerated and if making ahead, I would make the crust and custard and make the whipped cream fresh the day of so it doesn’t separate. Ingredients: 2.5 sleeves of graham crackers crushed 1 stick of melted butter (1/2 cup) 3 cans of sweetened  condensed  milk 1 cup of Key lime juice 1 cup of vanilla Greek Yogurt Zest from limes (will need 2, but used at different parts of the recipe) 2 egg yolks 2 cups of heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup powdered sugar RECIPE: Crust Preheat oven to 350 Crush graham crackers in a blender or food processor. Pour into a bowl and add 1 stick of melted butter. Combine until in sticks together and fully incorporates.  Press crust into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake crust for 8-10 minutes. Filling : Pour into large bowl cans of condensed milk, and key lime juice. Using a whisk combine until fully combined and no longer liquidy.  Add the Greek yogurt and zest of 1 lime to the bowl and ...