Tasty Tuesday: Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas

I've had a recent request for good slow cooker recipes... so, here is one I made for tonight's dinner. And let me just tell you, it was REALLY REALLY tasty. I ate um, almost half the crockpot worth! Yeah- great way to keep the weight off, I know! I was good all day though, (other than dinner) I swear! :-)

Slow Cooker Green Chile and Chicken Enchiladas
What you will need:
2-3 chicken breasts (I used 2 very large ones- hormones much? yikes...)
Home-made taco seasoning (1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1 cup of water
-------------------
1 pkg corn tortillas
1 can cream of chicken soup (I used 98% fat free)
1 can chopped green chillies
1 can green enchilada sauce
1/2 sour cream (I used light)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups grated cheese (I used 1.5 cups reduced fat sharp cheddar, and 1/2 cup pepper jack)Most of my crockpot meals are made on Tuesdays, because I like to go straight to the gym after work, and by the time I come home, I'm sweaty, STARVING, and don't feel like cooking. Prep is done in the morning or on my lunch. In this case, both times.

In the morning, place the first three items in the crockpot on high. At lunch time, use two forks to shred the chicken, remove from the crockpot, and set aside. Pour out any remaining liquid.

Next, mix the onion, sour cream, green chilies and chicken soup in a bowl.Then, start layering the ingredients in the following order:
soup mixture
torn tortillas
enchilada sauce
chicken
cheese
...and repeat two more times.

Set your crockpot to low, and cook until dinner time :-) (Do you love how exact I am with times? Honest- not a big deal, I wouldn't lie to ya!)ENJOY!!!*Note: Presentation wise, it's kinda blah- but I promise it's DELICIOUS!

I'm still grossed out.

Tonight, I carefully prepped, chopped, roasted and sauteed until I had created one of my favorite dinners, Pioneer Woman's Pasta with Red Pepper Cream Sauce (I did mine Weight Watcher friendly). I am picky about food, so I always inspect everything super carefully as I am cooking.

If there is a vein or speck of blood on chicken breasts I HAVE to cut it off. If there is a bruise on fruit, I have to cut it out. A speck of peel on a roasted red pepper, I have to remove it. So I know everything I put into the pasta dish was A-ok.

However, something must have happened when I shook the dried parsley on top. I normally use fresh, but I just didn't have any.GOSH I sure wish I HAD had some tonight.

Because THIS is what I ended up chewing on:Yes, I know what you are thinking: "Is that a huge grasshopper leg?" YES. Yes it is. I had to remove it from my mouth on the first bite. A little gnat or something? I'd say "meh, it's protein!" But this thing was like chewing on wood. I'm really struggling not to gag just typing this. It was texture thing.

All I know now, is that I would NEVER do well on Fear Factor.

The whole truth and nothing but the truth.

In February of this year, I felt like crap. Everday, all day. I had headaches, my joints hurt, and I was tired all. of. the. time.

I decided to try to get myself into better shape, and see if it helped. I was SICK of feeling like a blob. I started going to the gym. I'd never taken classes at a gym before, for fear of not knowing what to do and looking stupid in front of others. I decided since I hadn't really worked out in a long time, and I had major pain in my joints, to the point where I couldn't even straighten my left leg- so I signed up for Aqua Cardio classes. I went twice a week at first, then 3 times a week. I started to have a little more energy, but not a ton.

Come March, I decided to try Zumba class. A fellow gym member told me that it was a ton of fun and a great work out and based all around latin dance moves- and I LOVE Latin dance. Whether I'm good at it or not is still out for debate, but I REALLY enjoy it. So, I started taking 1 Zumba class and 2 Aqua classes a week. I would sweat SO much in Zumba- it was crazy. I never sweat like that from a workout- mainly because I never really pushed myself hard enough before because, well, I'd always say "I hate to get all sweaty!". But you know what? Turns out, working out to the point of being drenched is what turned on the "gain energy" switch in my body, and I quickly switched to 2 Zumba and 1 Aqua classes per week, and then 3-4 Zumba classes a week.

In early June, I was feeling much better- my joints weren't stiff anymore, no more pain, no more headaches, I had energy... but I wasn't really losing any weight. I thought I was eating pretty healthy- and for the most part the foods I ate WERE healthy- unfortunately- I ate too large of a quantity OF them. So after seeing HORRIBLE pictures of what I really looked like on a trip with friends, I decided it was time to FULLY commit to losing weight. So, I started using Weight Watchers online.

It was hard to follow the points plan for about the first 3-4 days, then it got easier. I was eating more fruits and vegetables and I gained even more energy. I rarely ate to the point of being stuffed anymore, and that helped me to feel more energetic too (now I HATE the feeling of being stuffed!).

I continued exercising 3-4 days a week, added a weight routine, nothing complicated, just 3 arm machines, and 3 leg machines, two sets of 12 reps per machine each time I did Zumba at the gym. I also got help from my Zumba instructor, who set me on a circuit training plan that KICKED MY BUTT, but WORKED. Rosa, my instructor was SO instrumental in my weightloss. If you would like to find out more about Zumba and where Rosa teaches, check out her website at here!

By October, I had lost 20 of the 30 lbs I'd set out to lose, and had gone from a size 12, feeling like a bump on a log- constantly feeling unattractive and sore to a size 8 with energy, a semblance of self-esteem that came from being able to try on clothes that I actually LIKED on me and knowing I did it myself, the hard- but TRUE way. No cheating. Just eating properly and exercising regularly.

I still have a ways to go, and with the holidays coming, I am a bit nervous- but I REFUSE to go back to where I was before. I am SO much happier now- and I FEEL so much better- that I can't imagine going back to where I was before.

I have been afraid of writing this post for so long- because to be quite honest- I've been so nervous to post the before pictures and allow the world to see how far I let things go- but the truth is, I want other people to know they CAN lose weight and be healthy- and that if I can do it- they CERTAINLY can do it too!

So, yikes, here it goes....
This was taken in February, while visiting my friend Jen in South Carolina. (Jen, if I ever look like this again? Smack me, k? lol) I look so much older despite my attempt at cute clothes, I just feel so frumpy here:This was taken in April, while hosting my friend's baby shower. My face and arms look outta control! I don't even really recognize myself here. My face looks so swollen.
This was taken while on vacation (no, I usually did NOT get whipped cream on my drinks- but we were on vacation) but, in this picture, it looks like I was ALWAYS getting whip!
And this is at my me heading to the high school reunion, with some dignity restored
And this is me, at a Zumba demonstration that I did with my AMAZING and wonderful instructor, Rosa Martinez.

Turkeys before Tanenbaums

Tonight, I had to run into Target to grab three quick things (bacon, sharp cheddar cheese and deodorant, in case you wanted to know) and before I even entered the store, my heart started to race a bit. Not in the usual "Yay! I'm at Target!" kind of way, but in the crap- I'm going to have a panic attack if I don't start breathing normally again kind of way. Why?

Because of snowflakes, that's why!There were hundreds of them. Giant snowflake decals all over the doors. Once inside, there were more. Hanging snowflake clusters, ginormous red, silver and gold ornaments.

Were they pretty? Sure. Did they have that "modern Target commercial feel" yup.

Was I happy to see them? NO.
Seeing the snowflakes made my mind race like this:
"Oh my gosh! It's Christmas time! I LOVE Christmas time!!! Wait, I have to buy lots and lots and lots of gifts and I do NOT have lots and lots and lots of money! How am I going to buy lots and lots of gifts??? The decorations are up. I'm supposed to alREADY be buying lots and lots of gifts! Oh no! I'm behind! I suck! But wait, at least this means Christmas is close.... and I do LOVE Christmas! But wait.... it's only November 4th. Christmas still feels forever away grade school paper-chain wise... awww, now I'm sad again...."

So please, Target, Starbucks, Kohl's, the mall who insists on starting Santa's lap sitting this week... and anyone else who is insisting on thrusting Christmas into my face a solid 50 days before the holiday (did you even wait until Halloween's seat was cold before you moved on in?) PLEASE slow down. If you want to put out the merchandise for those who wish to prepare- please by all means, do that. But do NOT decorate your entire store early- especially in these tough economic times when people are already stressed enough about the basics, not to mention buying gifts. Ease us in. Little snowflakes and ornaments at least. Smaller than my person please.

There, I feel a little better. Phew.

Tasty Tuesday: Sweet and Salty Pumpkin Seeds

I carved pumpkins specifically so that I could retrieve the seeds, to make this recipe I spied in my October Real Simple magazine. Here is the recipe (as it appears on the Real Simple website).

I know Halloween has passed, but you should have no trouble finding pumpkins until at least Thanksgiving. If you can't, please print and save this recipe for next year, you'll be glad you did!
Serves 8 (hahahaha or TWO! lol) Hands-On Time: 15m Total Time: 1hr 30m

• 2 cups fresh pumpkin seeds (from 2 medium pumpkins), rinsed and patted dry
  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 300° F. Spread the seeds on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until dry throughout, 50 to 60 minutes.
2. Increase oven temperature to 350° F. In a large bowl, toss the seeds with the butter, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Return the seeds to the baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Getting the seeds requires a bit of work, but the recipe is super easy, so that makes up for it, right? :-)

How to majorly screw up dinner. And the oven.

Step One:
Purchase the ingredients necessary to create a delicious meal for company consisting of lasagna roll ups, broiled garlic white cheddar filone with butter, and garlic green beans.

Step Two:
Put together lasagna rolls and place in oven safe Pyrex glass baking dish.

Step Three:
Put lasagna rolls in the oven at the correct temperature and go about preparing the sides dishes.

Step Four:
Hear horribly loud bang followed by a crash coming from the oven.

Step Five:

Open the oven, with extreme caution (and terror!) and discover:MY FREAKING PYREX EXPLODED!

When dinner preparation requires a SHOP VAC- things are NOT going well.

It Ain't Norman Rockwell's Halloween.

This year, our Halloween activities included the following:
1. Visiting a pumpkin patch in nearby rural town, Kerman, CA and taking a hayride.
2. Purchasing a dinosaur costume for Keegan on clearance 60% off at Joann's fabric- where I'd gone with intent to buy items to make a costume. No way I could make a good costume for less than 11 bucks- so the dinosaur costume was a CLEAR winner. Plus, it had a big puffy tail. You can't beat that!
3. On Friday, Keegan was invited to trick or treat at his Daddy's office with all of Daddy's co-workers' tiny tots. Keegan learned the "trick or treat" "thank you" speech pattern very quickly. We probably could have taught him the preamble if we reinforced it with candy, come to think of it...Ahhhh, the sites of Halloween: costumed children, co-workers and copy machines... :-) Non traditional, yet cute.Think you can get a better shot of 7 costumed toddlers hyped up on sugar? Be my guest! 4. Driving from Fresno to Union City for our cousin Noah's 1st birthday/costume party. Keegan pee'd his carseat, and had to wear the "back up pants" which were far too warm for the surprisingly toasty bay area weather- thus eliminating the possibility of also wearing the full dinosaur costume, so my son went uncostumed to the costume party. Hey, at least he wasn't wearing the pee pants ;-)
5. The drive to the party was a about 2 hours and 45 minutes each way, so it was 6pm before we made it back to Fresno. Keegan did NOT nap in the car. At ALL. He did however attempt to pull me INTO his car seat with him "sit closer mommy!" and used his badly-in-need-of-a-trim-nails to make his point clear. Ow.
6. Keegan crashed about .234 seconds after arriving home, and slept through until the next day. There was no trick or treating or costume wearing on Halloween, at all.

7. After Keegan was sleeping, I decided to finally carve my pumpking (mainly because I wanted to roast the seeds and eat them...) and Brandon and I ate take out Chinese and watched the original Scream. Less campy, more scary than I remembered it from my high school days!^^Keegan's pumpkin and my own. Yeah, it's a pumpkin of a pumpkin. Or as Brandon called it, a pumpkin of a bell pepper. Whatever.^^

8. We spent today, November 1st, driving to grandparents' houses trick or treating in broad daylight. (Pictures to come, I was such a winner of a mom, I forgot my camera and have to wait for my father in law to email me his pics).

Tune in tomorrow for the story of "Why a shopvac was needed to prepare dinner for our friends"... oh, and I'm attempting to participate in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) and will attempt to blog everyday this month. Fellow bloggers, care to join me?