Thumbs Up 2 Green Chicken Enchiladas

It's Thumbs Up 2 Thursday! In a prior post I shared my love of quick food. Quick food, as opposed to fast food, is made at home from ingredients on hand when you're short on time. Often my go-to quick food is Tex~Mex. I usually have sour cream, my favorite fresh salsa from the deli (Jack's Special by Garden Fresh Gourmet - medium hot), grated cheese, enchilada sauce and ground beef or chicken breast in the freezer.

Pollo Verde Enchiladas out of the oven...

Some boiled, shredded chicken breast, some sour cream, some grated cheddar cheese, chopped green chiles, 1/3 can of green enchilada sauce, s & p...

My secret step...dip each tortilla in the broth from the chicken...

(At least, I think it's my secret...maybe you do it, too! Let me know if you do.)

Add the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla, roll tightly and place seam side down in a greased 9 x 13 . Pour the remaining green sauce over the enchiladas and top w/cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for about 25 minutes...more or less...(Hey, I didn't measure...do you think I timed it?)

La Cena en mi casa (Dinner at my house)

Serve with salad, chips, and sour cream & salsa...Muy delicioso!
What is your go-to quick food? I'd love to know. Do Tell!

Thumbs Up 2 - Get-a-ways, Coffee & Conversation with a Pal!

(House Blend and Mocha Frappy)

In the spring of this year, I met my long-time pal from college days in Charleston, SC, for a weekend get-a-way. What fun we had eating, talking, drinking coffee, and eating and talking and drinking more coffee.
Oh yeah...there was a plantation and a walking tour in there, too!

We have a lot in common - our faith, same number of kids, both PK's, singers, and stories from our younger years that only the two of us know about (I hope!). Both of us have degrees in Communications and were in many of the same classes together at Lee University. Once we even traded pants with one another! Now, that's a friend. I liked her black pants better than mine and she preferred my pair! So we switched then and there! She was also an enabler to my addiction to TWIX. (I'm over that now-really I am.)

Though we have much in common, we also have pursued different interests. She is an actor and is in Real Estate. She and her husband visit NY where they enjoy jazz, and comedy & East Coast beach trips w/the kids.

I am a teacher and a speaker. My husband and I (our kids, too) enjoy winter ski trips in Colorado and white water rafting in the summer.

But on our get-a-way our most obvious difference was our choice of coffee.
She is a Starbucks afficionado who orders those frappy, carmy, mochy things while I always order a house blend 2 creams on the side, please!

Hey Mocha~Frappy Friend, if you are reading this, I'm up for another spring weekend, how 'bout you?

Love & Coffee,

From your House Blend Friend.

What about you? Do you and your friends ever take get-a-way weekends, or a girls' night out? Do Tell, preferably over coffee!

Wings To Soar

Perhaps you've noticed and maybe even wondered about the wings in my sidebar. At first I even had the wings in my header but it made it hard to read my quote Thoughts Soar with Words for Wings...

For many years, I have had an affinity for the symbolism of wings. A friend reminded me a few years ago that when I was a pageant contestant in our college days, my personal question from the emcee was, "If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?" I had totally forgotten all about the question much less my response. But my friend didn't forget. She said my answer was, "I would be a bird because then I could soar." Now while I don't care much for airline travel, I do enjoy those flying dreams I have on occasion. Right above the tree tops! And for home school science, I enjoyed the study of birds way more than my 3 students.
Recently I bought some framed bird prints for my bedroom and I have a few cool bird figurines I enjoy using for tablescapes.

But the reason I am drawn to wings is because it speaks to how Jesus freed me. He broke chains, bonds, and the gravity of sin and fear and set me free to soar! Even higher than the tree tops! While sometimes the dictates of culture and religiosity would clip the wings of women, it is Jesus who says, spread your wings and soar!
You see, when the wings of a bird in flight are widely outstretched, it circles round, rising without a single wingbeat, as if lifted by some invisible hand, higher and higher until it disappears from view. The beautiful dance it seems to be performing is known as soaring.

WINGS is an acronym that God gave me on a little walk and talk we shared one afternoon. I am a Woman In God's Shadow who soars high not in my own power but on the current of His love which sets me free to soar!

The beautiful photo above is by my friend, L~C, who has graciously offered me the use of her photographs. Many of her pieces of art have a spiritual connotation that draws my heart to the heart of God. I especially love this photograph because of the wings...do you see them?

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles...

I'd love to hear how Jesus has given you wings to soar! Do tell.

Thumbs Up 2 - Mac & My Trash to Treasure

Today's Thumbs Up 2 goes to Mac.

This is Mac. He works at Crispers. Mac has to be one of the friendliest and happiest people I have come across in a while! When my friend, Vikki, and I went out to lunch on Halloween, he took our order and continued to check on us throughout our meal. Always with a smile.

Maybe he was smiling because of the hilarity of his Halloween costume. Mac came as trash. But under that disguise, Mac's true personality shone clean through. With his friendliness, helpfulness and good humor on display, Mac is a real treasure!

Now I don't claim to know anything about Mac's heart or what his relationship is with God.

But what I do know is this. A long time ago I went from digging through the trash heap of life to seeking the treasure in God's Word. Perhaps you, too, have experienced digging around in less than the best...looking for acceptance, affection and value in a pile of trash. As for me, God's grace picked me up, dusted me off and took me on a treasure hunt. The hunt takes me through His Word where I often find nuggets and, at times, chests overflowing with treasure! God's Word is a treasure trove. Follow it and you will live a rich life. One of depth and Holy destiny.

Listen to this:

Good friend, take to heart what I'm telling you; collect my counsels and guard them with your life. Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding, That's right-if you make Insight your priority, and won't take no for an answer, Searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt, Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours; you'll have come upon the Knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:1-5).

Every Thursday I do a Thumbs Up 2 post. Of course, Mac didn't know that. The ironic thing about Mac's pose in this photo is his "thumbs-up" gesture. See it up there?

So, Mac, (even in your "trick-or-treat" trash costume) YOU are a treasure and my thumbs-up 2 you!

What treasure have you found in God's Word lately? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

My friend, Vikki, and me. Out to lunch (literally, not figuratively!)

And if you knew me well, then you'd know I like to take pictures of food. So just for grins, here is what I had at Crispers (Mac-endorsed of course!) The description is below just in case you are menu-challenged like I am...ah...but that's another post for another day.Bistro Vegetable Sandwich 5.49
Crisp lettuce, tomato, red pepper, red onion rings, crunchy cucumbers, fresh basil and spinach artichoke spread followed by smooth red pepper pesto and topped with the nutty flavor of avocado served on our hearty multigrain.

Thumbs Up 2 - Ya Gotta Have Friends!

It's Thursday's Thumbs Up 2 Friends! Women are relational creatures. Can I get an "Amen"? One of my very best friends relocated a few years ago and man (or should I say woman) do I miss her! One of the things we really enjoyed doing together was hosting parties. She is a decorator extraordinaire so usually we held the party in her home. Together we planned our theme, guest list and the menu.

Our menus often included gourmet dishes we had never prepared before! That might seem scary but it always turned out delicious. A delicious adventure! We have served standing rib roast, cream of tomatoe bisque, asparagus au gratin, and decadent desserts. Did I mention she is a wonderful decorator? See some of her work and ideas here. This summer she and her Prince Charming and the princes returned to sunny Florida for vacation. While they were in town I invited our past party guests to my home so we could all visit and catch up together. We had a Fiesta theme and everyone brought a Tex-Mex dish. As the noche (night) drew to a close, we said Adios amigos!

Friends...ya gotta have 'em...ya gotta love 'em...ya gotta feed 'em!

My friend, Alisa, and me.

I'd love to hear what kinds of adventures you share with your girl-friends. Do tell!

Thumbs Up 2

One Fine Man and Bella~Mella give a thumbs up to the Magnolia Pancake Haus in San Antonio, TX. While on vacation this summer, we found this delectably, delicious eatery! We had blueberry pancakes, bacon pancakes, Oatmeal Cookie pancakes, Banana Bread French Toast, BelgianWaffles, eggs, grits and bacon! We had all of this because our family of 5 ate breakfast here 2 mornings in a row. It is that good. In order to partake of and truly enjoy the deliciousness, I had to forgo all thoughts of calories, low carb, low fat and points. In fact, I coined a new phrase in honor of the Magnolia Pancake Haus. Ready? See it below the 2 satisfied partakers of pancakes (his-blueberry; mine-bacon oh baby):

WORTH THE WADDLE