Tag: baking

Categories
Let's Get Cooking

Let’s Get Cooking: Southwest Chicken Salad

Hi everyone! Happy Wednesday! I hope your week is off to a good start. As we embark on a new year, it’s time for some new and fresh content. Every year when I work on my blog, I always like to add new pieces and content. The closer I get to living on my own, the more I like to try out new foods and recipes. Get ready for some fun recipes that I plan on making and adapting. 

One of my favorite types of food or meals to make are ones with things I already have at home, not only is it resourceful since you aren’t wasting food but it’s also a creative outlet with cooking. 

This week’s recipe is Southwest Chicken Salad. This is so easy to make. I started with making some barbecue chicken. I just make regular chicken breasts and put barbecue sauce on top and cook them. Pretty simple, right?!

Southwest Chicken Salad

As far as the salad goes I start off with a simple garden salad. I added lettuce, celery, and onions. I then had little bowls for all the sides, but if you like them all you can just put it in the large salad. In smaller bowls I put black beans, corn, cheddar cheese, and taco chips. I also had dressing like Ranch and French available for toppings. 

All the ingredients

For my meal I added salad with black beans, corn, chicken, chips, cheese and dressing. 

This meal was fast and easy to make. I had all the ingredients in my fridge and it was very filling and healthy. I  was even able to have leftovers for other meals. 

This meal will definitely be on rotation for my meal planning. I can’t wait to learn more meals and share them with you too. 

What are some of your favorite go-to meals?!

Categories
Fabulous living

Peace and Joy this Christmas Season

Hi everyone! 

Can you believe Christmas is this week, heck even hours away?! 

Every year, I feel like Christmas always creeps up on me. I started my ordering before Thanksgiving, but I still feel like I got everything done just in time. This Christmas season certainly was different, but it was still special. I still got to do many Christmas traditions and make memories. From listening to Christmas music, enjoying hot coco, seeing Christmas lights, and watching movies. 

My goal was to do all of my shopping by supporting small businesses, in the end I only got about half of my gifts from small businesses, although, I was happy to support what I could, there was certain things on my list that I couldn’t get locally. Although, I wasn’t able to get everything from small businesses, I was glad I could get a lot of my stuff from local spots.

All my gifts wrapped for Christmas

Some of my favorite memories this past month has been the little moments, driving around to see Christmas lights, wrapping presents while watching a Christmas movie, burning a Christmas candle while decorating my spaces for Christmas. I also loved spending extra time with my family and creating memories. I love gift giving too, I love to take time and pick out things I think my friends and family will like or enjoy. Plus, there is no better feeling than seeing someone open the gift you got them. 

Christmas flowers to brighten up the mood

Although, I will be working a lot over the holidays, I still will be able to see my family and celebrate with them, but it will be different. Even with different times, I think it’s so important to cherish family time, since I know there may be a time where I won’t be able to be home for the holidays. 

I will be back next week, to recap 2020, but until then, I hope you enjoy the holiday week, although, this year looks different, I know it will be still be memorable and enjoyable.

I hope you and yours has a very Merry Christmas! 

Categories
Fabulous living

Apple Recipes

Hello everyone! Happy Wednesday! There’s a lot going on in the world and nation right now, from the Election, the pandemic and the holidays approaching, so with that being said, today, we are talking about none of those things and instead we are talking about apple recipes!!! 

Something fun and something new and something you can do this weekend!

Last week I took a trip and went apple picking and for the past week I have been enjoying all the apples and I have been baking a lot too!

Fun day apple picking

Last week, I baked my apple turnovers. They are so easy and tasty, perfect for a dessert, snack or even a sweet breakfast! Here’s the recipe from when I made it in the past.

Apple Turnovers

I then made some oatmeal apple crisp! It was perfect with some cold vanilla ice cream! I love the warm apples, with the oats and crisp topping. 

You can find the recipe here for the one with an oats topping.

If oats is not your thing, you can find an alternative one here.

Apple crisp with Oats

Lastly, I made a new favorite for the fall! I saw this on Pinterest and I wanted to try it. I love the strong apple taste and the crumb cake like topping, plus they are perfect for a breakfast on the or something sweet after a meal. Here’s therecipe I used from Pinterest. 

Apple Muffins

I have loved all the recipes that I made this past week, but there is nothing that beats a fresh apple. Let me know what recipes you try!! Have a sweet week ahead!

Categories
Fabulous living

Quarantine Activities

Hey everyone! Another week, closer to the summer and getting through the pandemic. Although, this past weekend was Easter and it was a little different, it was still nice to celebrate the holiday with family and a nice meal all together. These past few weeks have really showed me how important the little things in life are, like being together, going for a drive or spending time with people in our lives.

Now, I don’t know about you but there is only so much house work or projects you can do at home, which is why we have been getting creative with things at home. On my days off, I like to spend it with my brothers or parents, we have been watching movies, playing games, or even taking out some of our favorite childhood activites out to bring back childhood memories. 

So, of you are looking for some fun games/ ideas for the days at home with children, here you go!

  • Games

Break out your old favorite childhood games, play board games you haven’t played in a while, it’s something fun and it gets you away from screens for a while. 

Jenga games
  • Crafts

Bring out your creative side and get crafty, the other day my siblings and I found out favorite childhood crafts and we did something creative while always enjoying some childhood memories.

Throwback to childhood, shrink-a-dink crafts
  • Competitions

My siblings and I range from 21-13, so there’s an age range, competitions are always fun with siblings whether it’s ping pong, foosball, or video games, it’s always good to bring out a friendly competition with siblings.

Ping Pong Competition
  • Cooking/Baking

One thing I found myself doing through this time home has been looking to try new recipes, I’ve gone through old cookbooks to find new things to try and make, it changes up your meals and once again you are doing something creative with a good and tasty product. 

These are just a few ideas or helpful hints to help you pass the time while being at home. Netflix and reading are also up there with things to do. (Hello Tiger King!!!)

How are you coping with being at home? What things are you doing to pass the time? Stay strong and stay safe! Sending love and positive vibes!

Categories
Fabulous living

Fall Bucket List 2019

Happy Fall Y’all!!

What is something on your fall bucket list?!

Full disclosure, I have seen that phrase everywhere and wanted to try it for myself. I love fall and everything that goes with it. I love all the seasons for a variety of reasons, but there is something special about fall. Whether it’s the crisp, crunchy leaves under your feet while walking to class, hot apple cider in a mug to start off your day, or heading to a pumpkin patch. 

Since October is well underway, I am sharing my fall bucket list of things I have done or things I plan to do. 

  • Enjoy a warm mug of apple cider
  • Take a walk in the leaves 
  • Make an apple recipe
  • Indulge in candy corn
  • Head to a Fall Festival 
I kicked off fall break with a fall fest
  • Decorate Pumpkins
  • Enjoy homemade apple crisp
My mom’s homemade apple crisp…so delicious
  • Do window shopping for new fall décor
Some beautiful fall decor while out and about
  • Enjoy a new book by the fire with a fall candle going
  • Decorate for fall/ Halloween
  • Pass out Halloween candy
  • Watch a Halloween movie
  • Celebrate Halloween and get dressed up 

A lot of these are simple activities that I can do with family or friends. I am wrapping up my time at home for fall break. I got some much needed family time, some yummy home cooked meals, and a lot of things accomplished on my to do list. I also got some time to enjoy the beautiful weather at home. I still have a few weeks left to enjoy October and I’m hoping to check the rest of these fall activities off my bucket list. 

What are some things that you have on your fall bucket list?!

Categories
Fabulous living

December To Do’s

Hi All!

I hope you all had enjoyable Thanksgiving’s at home with your families. I know for me it was so nice to be home for a few days, relax, see family and enjoy the holidays. I always love Thanksgiving, from the food, to the family, and the relaxing day.

I also had some fun getting a start on the holiday baking. I had a few events that I had to bake for at school for Christmas and I was happy to make some for family too. I made some double chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter kiss cookies.

My favorite recipe for everyone’s favorite cookies

Peanut butter kiss cookies

The finished product

Now, that Thanksgiving is over, I can finally get into the Christmas season. I know December is going to fly by, so today I’m sharing the things I hope to accomplish this month.

  • Finals 

All college students can agree that once we make it through finals, we can truly enjoy the holidays. My finals week doesn’t look too bad, it will mostly be papers, portfolios and a test thrown in the mix. Hopefully it shouldn’t be too painful. Thanksgiving break definitely gave me the rest I needed to get through the next few weeks.

It may look empty now, but this finals week will fill up fast

  • Christmas Shopping

I have to give myself a pat on the back. I have been killing it at the Christmas gift game this year. I have done a lot of shopping online with the help of Amazon. It has been so easy to browse when I am free and add things to my shopping list (for others) or wish list (for myself) when I see something that interests me. Next week I’ll be doing a more extensive post all about Christmas gift system, but for now I hope to get all my shopping and wrapping done early on, so I can enjoy the Christmas season.

A look into my Amazon wish list, you know you are an adult when your list consists mostly of books…no shame!

  • Enjoy the Christmas Season

This is something I want to work on both at home and at school. I really want to enjoy the Christmas season and not rush it, I’m hoping to get in some gift giving nights with my friends at school, I have gifts for all my friends, and I am involved in some gift exchanges too. I want to also take it slow after the semester is over, that means watching Christmas movies (the classic and the Hallmark ones), making Christmas cookies (YUM), and listening to Christmas music (not going to lie, I have already started to listen to Christmas music. Haha)!

I already got some Christmas spirit in with Light Up Night a few weeks ago

My Go-To Christmas Playlist

I really want to be more present this Christmas season, that means trying to take it slower, be more intentional and fit as much Christmas stuff in as possible. What are some of your Christmas or December goals? Enjoy the last few days of November and bring on the Christmas jolly and joy!