Author: Lois Houston

I'm a sweet tea drinkin' southern gal who loves to cook, bake, crochet, and read. Check out my blog for posts about parenting, faith, books, crafts, planning, baking, cooking, and life in general.

Five on Friday: Things I’m Loving Right Now

I thought I’d share a few of my favorite things with you – things that just make me happy these days.

  1. My Tervis Tumblers –image

    I’m loving them – loving the fact that they keep hot things hot (like my mocha protein shakes in the mornings) and cold things cold (like my fruit smoothies and “sweet” tea)

    I love the happy patterns I have, the durability, the “sippy cup” tops for when I’m mobile (or the kids have one to drink in)

    They’re not cheap, but I use mine enough that I think I’m getting more than my money’s worth.  I use them every.single.day.

  2. Dry-roasted Edamame image

    Oh, my. Have you tried these?
    Sooo, sooo, good.

    It’s like a cross between popcorn and roasted peanuts in terms of flavor (and addictive qualities)

    They have 13g of protein per 1/4 cup serving – and it is hard to eat only 1/4 cup, trust me!

    It helps satisfy my salty-snack cravings while getting some protein in my day.

  3. Beatrice
    But you already know I love her.  I spend so much time these days with her. I take her everywhere I go.  She’s become my bestest friend.
    But don’t tell her I’m trying to figure out how I can sneak one of these into my budget this summer: image  I wouldn’t want her to find out and get jealous of her cousin’s hold on my heart.
  4. The Daily Digi’s monthly membership

    What a great deal!  You get over $50 worth of digital scrapbooking products for a monthly membership fee of $7.50. That is awesome.  But they don’t usually stop there… almost every month I’ve gotten an email with some type of members-only special. (love that!)

    And all of the products are beautiful, top-quality originals. I am hardly ever disappointed and I use almost every single kit I receive.imageAdditionally, members get this kit, just for signing up. How cool is that?

  5. My calendar

    Well, actually, it’s called “My Book” and is an adaptable planner.
    imageI love it because of two things… the fact that it’s tiny enough to fit in my purse (and not too heavy – I have the small size) but mostly I love it because I can customize it to my tastes.  I decorated the slip-in cover with scrapbook papers that made me happy and then added 4×6 photos in the page protectors (there is a page protector/photo page at the beginning of each month) so I am carrying around all my favorite pictures of my family.

    When I get tired of the photos, or the decorations on the cover, it’s a simple task to swap them out and put new things in. Us short-attention-span girls LOVE that.
    image
    There’s also plenty of room for me to track our family activities and even put a little note about the day if I choose.

What about you?

What things are you loving these days? 

Anything you want to share with us?

Another Tortilla Soup Recipe for you

I made Chicken Tortilla soup for lunch on Monday. It was a cold, rainy, Winnie-the-Pooh kind of blustery day.  SuperMan was rained out for work and I was freezing cold all day. Seemed like a good time to make soup to me.

I made a modified version of a recipe I received from a friend.  It was super-yummy.

And one of the things I was proud of was the fact that I didn’t over-cook. For once, I don’t have a vat of soup to eat through.  It was just enough for us to have lunch, dinner, and one lunch leftover container. Perfect.

That is rare for me, but I managed it this time. 🙂

Anyway, thought I’d share the recipe with you.

I have another tortilla soup recipe already on the recipe list, but one can never have too many recipes to try, right?

This one is super-easy and mixes up quickly.IMGP3415

Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 lb chicken breast
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 c frozen corn kernels
1/2 c frozen diced onion(or fresh)
1/2 c frozen diced bell pepper (or fresh)
~ 1 c Velveeta
1 box chicken broth (~32 oz)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dressing seasoning (dry mix)
olive oil

  1. Sauté chicken in large stock pot in olive oil. Season with House Seasoning.
  2. While chicken is cooking, put broth and Velveeta (cut into cubes) in a large bowl and microwave in 2 minute intervals, stirring in between, until cheese is melted and incorporated into broth.
  3. Remove chicken from pot and cut in bite-sized pieces.
  4. Sauté onion & bell pepper, adding a little more olive oil if needed.
  5. Add chicken back to pot.
  6. Pour in broth mixture.
  7. Add corn, beans, seasoning packets.
  8. Bring to a boil & then reduce heat & simmer for about 20 minutes.

 

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This is what happens, boys and girls…

… when you don’t watch your taco shells as they warm in the toaster oven.

IMGP3411 Good thing Big Girl is so observant!

She was helping SuperMan get dinner on the table Friday night – we were having tacos and fajitas and he was busy finishing up dinner on the stove.

All of a sudden, Big Girl shouts, “Flames, Daddy, flames!!”

I came running and threw open the front door. (not to run away, mind you)

SuperMan carried the (burning) toaster oven out to the front porch.

The shells were toast – literally.

As was the toaster oven.

Thankfully, nothing else was harmed, the fire was contained to the inside of the toaster oven, and we had more taco shells (I know you wondered) for dinner.

Never a dull moment around here, I tell you.

What I’m Reading Right Now

What I'm reading right nowI told you I’ve been reading a lot lately!

I have pretty much given up TV completely. I don’t miss it at all. And, when I do sit down to watch something, I get bored pretty quickly and turn the TV off to go do something else.  It just doesn’t hold much appeal for me these days.

But I have really been enjoying reading.

So much so that I’m running my batteries down on Beatrice pretty quickly – she’s supposed to have 8-10 hours reading time per charge. I’m having to charge her every day or so. I just plug her in at night before I go to bed to be sure she doesn’t lose her charge. I had the experience one day of (trying to) turn her on in carpool to find she was dead, Jim.  Dead. Horrors! I don’t let that happen anymore, no-sirree-bob.

Anyway.

image

I read this book in about 36.5 hours.  Not really, but I know that I read it pretty quickly.  I just couldn’t put it down once I started.  I spent most of Saturday reading – partly because I wasn’t feeling good and partly because the book was just so darn good.

I don’t want to spoil the plot for you, but it’s full of mystery, a little forbidden romance, history, plot twists and turns, evil villains (or are they?) and a lot of magic.

I loved it. Every.single.page.

I can’t wait for her to write another book. As a matter of fact, I went downstairs to the computer (around midnight) when I finished the book to see if there was another one to download.

There isn’t.

Boo.

So, I must wait for her to write another. (Get busy!)

I’ve picked these two as my next choices for reading:

image

The first one I read just a little bit of the sample and was hooked – It’s about a girl living near Niagara Falls around the time of WWI.  She’s from a privileged family who has to make some major adjustments as the father is fired from his job.  I really liked the writing and think it will be a good read. I’m only on the first 20-30 pages, though, so I don't know too much more yet.

The second one is Sarah Addison Allen’s newest. I just love her and all of her books, so I was anxiously waiting for the release of this new book. I think I may save it to read next week while I’m on vacation. Her books are like sweet confections you want to savor…

So, what are you reading these days?

Menu Plan Monday ~ 28 March

Counting down this week to Spring Break. I’m not sure who is more excited, me or the girls. Or SuperMan, actually. He is going on an all-guys fishing trip this weekend. It’ll be the first time in I don’t know how long he’s done something like that. I’m so excited for him and hope it becomes a regular occurrence – I think everyone needs a little getaway now and then.

The girls and I will be hanging out with my mom for part of the week, and at home for the remainder.  We’re looking forward to shopping, crafting and just relaxing. It’s been a busy past few weeks and no break since our snow days in January. It’ll be nice to just wake up without an alarm clock for a change.

I’m hoping I may actually get to scrapbook a little next week, too. Who knows? I may have something to share with you…

IMGP1340 Rainy, rainy weekend this past weekend. It feels like wintertime again, although the trees and flowers are going nuts with new growth.  It was amazing on Saturday to look outside and it felt as if you could actually see the leaves popping out! Every time I’d look out, there were more leaves than just a few hours prior.

Of course, with all the new growth comes allergies – and we’ve all been suffering this year.  The rain was welcome on that account, although I know the pollen counts will be even higher once the rain stops. It’s a necessary evil to endure in the spring and I’ll take it if it means warmer weather and spring flowers.

Because of the rain, I’m planning something soupy for dinner tonight. And maybe some cornbread.

The rest of the week will be about preparing foods SuperMan can eat while we’re gone so he won’t have to worry with cooking. He likes to cook, but his busy work schedule right now means cooking is not high on the priority list. I’d rather have things ready for him to heat and eat so he can focus on other things.

mealplanmonday_v2So, here’s what I have planned for the week’s cooking:

What about you? Anything good planned in your kitchen this week?

Sunny Springtime ~ Sunshine Cake

Springtime makes most of us instinctively want to clear things out – out with the old, in with the new. Out with the clutter, out with the dark tones of winter, out with the heavier foods and in with the light. Lighter colors, lighter clothes, lighter foods.

This is one of my favorite things to make in the springtime.

Mom stumbled across this recipe years ago. It’s been one of our standbys ever since. It is so easy and quick to make, yet it is from scratch and feels wholesome to prepare. 

IMGP3410

I love the light texture of the cake – it’s technically a pound cake, but it is in no way heavy like some pound cakes are. This cake bakes up light and airy.

The flavor is light as well – it sings of springtime, with its hints of orange, lemon, and apricot.

There is a glaze in the recipe, although I never make it. My kids are anti-glaze, anti-icing, and prefer their cakes and cookies au naturel.

Works for me. Less sugar to consume.

Anyway, I hope you will give this a try.  The first time I made it, I thought, “Apricot? Really? Huh.”

But, I am so glad I tried it. It is one of the family favorites – and one that is requested often by our friends as well.

I would imagine you could substitute the apricot juice with some orange juice or even lemon juice, but I love it just as it is and have never felt the need to swap it out. I buy the six pack of the little bitty apricot juice cans in the grocery store, so I always have one on hand for the cake.  It takes about half of one of those cans in the cake and I use the rest in the glaze if I make the cake for friends.

IMGP3407

Sunshine Cake

3 cups sugar (I use 1 1/2 cups splenda sugar blend)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup apricot juice/nectar (or you can use apricot brandy)
1 cup sour cream (do not use low fat sour cream, it won’t work here)
1 cup butter, softened
6 eggs
1 tsp orange extract
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 c (apprx) apricot nectar

*if you have them on hand, you can zest a lemon and/or orange into the batter and glaze. It just amps up the flavor.

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Grease and flour Bundt pan or tube pan.
  3. In large mixing bowl, cream butter & sugar.
  4. Add in the apricot juice.
  5. Add the sour cream, extracts and eggs, making sure they are incorporated thoroughly.
  6. Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt)
  7. Pour into baking pan.
  8. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  9. Cool for 20 minutes before inverting onto cake plate.
  10. Continue to cool for approx. 30 minutes more or until cake is completely cool.
  11. Drizzle with glaze, if desired.

 

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You are not your past

I saw a tip on Jillian Michael’s Facebook page the other day:

The past doesn’t define you, your present does. It’s ok to create a vision of the future because it affects your behavior in the “now”. But, don’t dwell on past mistakes, learn from them and focus those lessons in the moment. That’s where change can really happen. Remember that transformation is a present activity.

It really struck me.

I thought about how many decisions I make based on my own view of myself, which is based on my past.  Who I used to be – overweight, unfit, unhealthy – is not who I want to be in the future.  Why do I do things based on that image of myself?

If I don’t want to be that girl anymore, I should be behaving as if I were the girl I want to become – not the girl I was.

Living life as if I were already, fit, healthy, happy, etc.  – whatever the characteristics are of who I want to become.

As someone once told me – “Fake it ‘till you make it.”

Why wouldn’t this apply here as well?

Why wouldn’t we behave as if we were already who we wish to be, thereby manifesting that in our lives, rather than sentencing ourselves to continue to live the patterns of our lives which we no longer desire?

Some days, I think the universe is trying to send me a message.  I’m wondering if this is the one I need to learn right now.

Especially because this FB post was followed in a couple days by this in my inbox:

It came from these wonderful ladies…

Have you read any of their stuff? If you haven’t, I’d encourage you to do so.

And then challenge yourself today –

What are you doing based on an old definition of yourself?

Is that who you want to be in the future or do you want to be somebody different?

And, if you’d like a little reminder. You can download this:

PostCards - Page 004 I’ve got mine posted on the wall above my monitor so I see it all day long.

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Totally Awesome Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa

I made the most awesome salsa the other day.

It was inspired by some salsa I had YEARS ago (before Big Girl was born) that I absolutely loved.  There is this little  hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant in downtown Atlanta (I wonder if it is still there?) called Mama Ninfa’s. 

I used to go there two or three times a week if I could find someone at work that I could convince to go with me.  Some days, I’d go by myself and read my book while I pigged out on this salsa.  Some days, that was all I’d have for lunch. Chips & salsa.

THIS salsa.

Or something very close to it, anyway.

Since I quit working downtown, I haven’t found this salsa anywhere.

Until the other day.

We went out for lunch after church – another hole-in-the-wall Mexican place.  A Moe’s knock-off.  The food wasn’t that great… BUT… they had the salsa!

I was in heaven. Didn’t care if I got my protein or not or how many carbs I had. I was in heaven simply because I had my salsa.  It was like a walk down memory lane, remembering all those lunches I had with my friend Justin – all those days he’d put up with my pregnant self (I was pregnant with Little Bit) as I had crazy cravings for Mama Ninfa’s salsa and he’d walk down to the restaurant with me.

I asked the very nice girl who worked behind the counter (this new restaurant’s counter, that is) if they made the salsa themselves or bought it. I was secretly hoping they made it themselves. It would somehow take the charm out of the experience to find it was mass-produced and dropped off in vats from Sysco, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, she said they made it in-house and told me the basic ingredients and process.

I came home and started looking for similar recipes online. I couldn’t find any.

SO…

You know what I did?

Yep. I made it up on my own.

And boy, is it good.

Especially with those new whole-grain chips that are out. They really seem to compliment the flavors well.

And I don’t even LIKE avocado!  But I LOVE this salsa.

I whipped up a big batch this weekend so I could share with some friends.  We were having a taco/nacho night and I thought it would be a good accompaniment to the other foods we made.

Give it a try if you have a little time one day. You won’t be sorry you did.

Hey, have I steered you wrong yet?

Lois’ Totally-Awesome Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa

8-10 small-medium tomatillos IMG_0278
1 medium onion, quartered
1 avocado
1 jalapeño (more if you like it spicy) (seeded, ribs removed)
1/4 – 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of cilantro (fresh)
~1 tsp kosher salt

  1. In a stock pot, boil the tomatillos (husks removed) for about 5-10 minutes.
  2. Remove from water & let cool.
  3. In your food processor, combine all ingredients(see note in #5 about the sour cream)
  4. Process on low until all ingredients are combined and the salsa is well mixed.
  5. I usually add the sour cream last, using it to get the salsa to the consistency I want (which is a thick, slightly chunky consistency)
  6. Store refrigerated until serving.
  7. Makes about 1 quart.

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What I’m Reading Right Now

I’ll start this installment with what I have already read (recently) and then share with you what I’m currently reading… all have been good reads.

I started with this book – it was a Friday Freebie (I think) on Barnes & Noble’s website (for Nook readers)

It’s a mystery – fairly light reading. The main character is an unemployed former journalist who makes her way through life rowing and doing odd jobs to make ends meet. She’s kind of headed nowhere and likes it that way.  She stumbles into a murder mystery when one of her rowing buddies is accused of murder, which she knows he couldn’t possibly have committed (could he?) and ends up being hired by his lawyer as a pseudo-investigator to help uncover facts which could lead to her friend’s case being dropped.

I have to admit, while I was often yawning and wishing the plot would move along more quickly, I still enjoyed the story.  The characters are well written and not boilerplate – they have sass and vitality.

I enjoyed it enough that I picked up the next one in the series immediately after finishing the first – that’s one of the nice things about an e-Reader – no waiting to go to the bookstore!

This one was good as well, although not as good as the first. I’m not sure if I was just getting tired of the type of writing, or what.  In this story, Tess, the main character, is still dabbling in maybe becoming a full-fledged investigator, although she is working full time now. 

This story involves her “uncle” who is badly beaten and for most of the book is in a coma, a greyhound who is “rescued” from the tracks, and another murder mystery Tess investigates.

The characters weren’t as well developed, but the story was pretty good. After finishing it, though, I decided to take break from the Tess stories and pick up some other things to read. I’m sure I’ll go back and read more of them, though. They are good, light reading and perfect when I don’t want to think too hard. 😉

Moving right along…

I am also reading through this book, although it’s not a constant thing, I am reading when I’m in the mood.  It’s a very interesting book and has given me some great perspective, given that I have a pre-teen daughter and I’m hoping that we’re doing the right things in terms of the building blocks in her life. 

The conversations revolve around the following:

  1. You are more than the sum of your parts
  2. Don’t be in such a hurry to grow up
  3. Sex is great and worth the wait
  4. It’s OK to dream about marriage and motherhood
  5. Girls gone wild are a dime a dozen—dare to be virtuous

There are biblical references, but also plenty of practical advice.  I’m finding nuggets of wisdom throughout.

And then, finally, I’m reading this:

It was part of another promotion on B&N and I am hooked. It is so engrossing and the main character is mysterious, wounded, powerful and captivating.

She is an “informationist” – a mercenary of sorts, who is hired by various countries, organizations and wealthy individuals to acquire information. And she does, through whatever means necessary.

However, as you follow her on her various “missions” in the opener of the book, you begin to realize that she is a wounded soul, running from memories at the same time she is completing her assignments.

She is hired by a wealthy oil magnate to try to find information related to the disappearance of his daughter four years earlier.  Finding people is not what she normally does, but she takes the assignment, intrigued and challenged by the seeming dead-end trails.

She’s given one mandate from the magnate – a “keeper” of sorts who is tasked with traveling with her and keeping her safe (which she feels is unnecessary and insulting, yet unavoidable).

I’m about 150 pages in and I can’t wait to find some free time to sit down and keep reading. I want to know more about her, more about the missing girl, and see what happens with the two main characters’ relationship – how it develops and what becomes of it.

I’d strongly recommend it to anyone.

So, your turn… what are you reading these days?