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Quick Enchilada Bake

Who doesn’t love a meal that consists of 5 ingredients and one pan? This girl does! This meal is perfect for those days when you just want a quick meal with low fuss and minimal mess. Sit back, get comfy and see just how easy this meal can be. Enjoy!

4 chicken breasts (about 1 1/2-2 pounds). Sprinkle both sides of chicken
with taco seasoning about a teaspoon per side. Bake in 350 degree oven
for about 35-40 minutes or until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking slice up about 4-5 green onions.

You will need 1 Cup of your favorite cheese. Really, you could use
as much or as little as you like. 1-19oz can of enchilada sauce. This yields
about 2 Cups of sauce. Again use less if you would prefer it less saucy.
We used extra sauce in ours because we served ours with tortillas and
white rice. The extra sauce absorbed into the rice and made it extra yummy!

When chicken is done remove it from the baking pan and dice it up into bite sized pieces. Add the enchilada sauce and mix well. Top with cheese and place back into your 350 degree oven for 20 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the mixture is hot and bubbly.

When it is done baking sprinkle with the green onions.

We served ours with white rice rolled in tortillas topped with
lettuce and tomatoes. Now for the verdict from some tough critics…

Our little man approves and………

Very enthusiastic thums up from the girls. The hubba hubba hubby
also gave it a thumbs up.

Recipe

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1-2 tsp taco seasoning

4-5 green onions thinly sliced

1 C. shredded cheese

1-19oz can enchilada sauce

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in baking pan and sprinkle both sides with taco seasoning. Bake 35-40 minutes or until cooked through. Slice up green onions while chicken is cooking, set aside. Remove chicken from oven and cut into bite sized pieces. Return chicken to baking pan and add the enchilada sauce, mix well. Top with cheese and return it to your 350 degree oven. Cook an additional 20-25 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with green onion.

Serve as is or on top of crisp shredded lettuce (great low carb meal) or as my family did, with tortillas. A little less fussy than traditional enchilada’s. As always, thank you for visiting. I love to hear from you and to see what you’re cookin’. If you have a favorite recipe, please share below or add a link, I would love to see it!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Categories Food

My 13th first Day of School

5 Sep

Well, we made it through another summer vacation. We had a lazy uneventful but fun summer. I’ll admit, I am very sad to see it end. I am gearing up for my 13th first day of school….YIKES!

I was sitting here thinking back 13 (that flew by) years ago, Labor Day. My oldest, Alison, was a precious itty bitty five year old with pink glasses. She was anxious for her first day of kindergarten-I was not! Tuesday came. Even though we could of slept in a bit (because she had the afternoon class), Alison was up early-ready to make it official. Sporting a new outfit, her name tag, and her new pink backpack, that was almost bigger than her-we headed out on a beautiful Colorado day, on our short walk to school. The classroom was buzzing with excitement as the kiddos explored their classroom and made new friends. The teacher gave parents a few minutes to take pictures and give extra hugs. One by one parents started to trickle out until it was just me. I was thinking “They expect me to leave this precious child who hasn’t left my side for more than 5 minutes for almost 6 years, here alone-without her mama?”. I made up my mind right then, that she needed me too much to leave. I was gonna stay. Of course, the kindly teacher assured me that she would be OK and that I would see her in a few hours. I left that classroom and cried my heart out all the way home. Sad, because life as I knew it had changed forever and it changed so suddenly in just one day. No more leisurely afternoon Hundred Acre Wood picnics, no more late night blanket fort sleepovers, and no more little shadow all the time. She was a big girl doing big girl things- without me! Time passed slowly that first day. Time eventually passed and I made my way to pick her up. I remember thinking how upset she must of been all day and how glad she will be when she sees me. I envisioned her plowing through the crowd and jumping into my open arms begging to never go back. When she saw me she was in tears, but not for the reasons I thought…the girl didn’t want to leave school. She really burst my bubble. She had a blast-without me! Here I was mourning and she was having the time of her life. Life did change that day but certainly not for the worse. We just moved into a different season of life and it was still wonderful. Even if she is a high school senior!

Brouke came along and I went through it all again. Now I am sitting in the same place as I was 13 years ago except this time, my baby-my last born, my only son will be starting his journey as a first grader. Yes, I will cry and have a moment but I will look on with joy as I watch my boy learn and grow and I’ll be reminded how very blessed I am.

I know many are here with me. My prayer for you is that God will be near to each of you as you kiss the sweet faces of your babies as you send them out into the world. May he comfort you as you adjust to a new season. For all our babies, may God watch over each of them as they begin a new school year. I pray for safety and protection over each of them. May God Bless each of you!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca

Tags: believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, child, childhood, children, christ, christianity, comfort, cry, easy, education, Encouragement, end of summer, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, first day of school, first grade, food, fourth grade, God, gratitude, growing, growing up, Heavenly Father, highschool, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, housewife, Jesus, Joy, kindergarten, laughter, learning, letting go, Lord, love, marriage, media, memories, motherhood, parenting, picnic, pray, prayer, precious, reflection, sadness, school, seasons of life, senior, serving, sleepovers, summer, summer vacation, teaching, teenagers, transformation, trust, trusting Jesus, Truth, wife, winnie the Pooh, Woman

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Categories Faith, Family, Homeschool

New Mama Chicken Casserole

2 Sep

I love, love, love bringing a meal to a new mama. It is such a nice stress reducer for a new family to not have to worry about dinner or having to spend a lot of money eating out the first few days and I’ll admit I kinda like getting my newborn fix! Blessing someone with a homemade meal can be quick, easy and budget friendly! I love this recipe because it can easily be put together and even easier for the recipient to throw it in an oven and serve. This is also a recipe my family loves and it is so easy to personalize it and make it your own! Keep reading for the printable recipe.

The stars of the show.

mix together the soups, the milk and 1 Cup of cheese. Set aside.

Shred or cut chicken into bite sized pieces.

Add your drained egg noodles to a large bowl.

To the noodles add 1/2 the sauce mixture, the chicken, 1/2 C of cheese, and the peas. Mix well. Add more of the sauce mixture until you get a nice creamy moist consistency. I used all but about 1/8 of a cup of the mixture.

Add to your disposable baking dish and top with the last of the cheese.I brought this dish to the family unbaked so they could eat when they were ready. .

Printable Recipe

Have fun with this recipe! You can add potato chips on top to make a crunchy crust. Try using mixed medley of vegetables or use leftover turkey instead of chicken. I hope you enjoy this simple but yummy recipe. Thanks for stopping by!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Tags: believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, budget, budget friendly meals, busy family, busy mom, casseroles, cheap dinner, cheap meals, chicken casseroles, children, christ, Christian, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, cooking, cooking with kids, dinner, easy, easy recipes, economical, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, food, freezer cooking, freezer meals, God, God's work, gratitude, hat's for dinner, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, housewife, husband, Jesus, Joy, Lord, love, mama, meal, meal ministry, meal plan, media, ministry, motherhood, new baby, new mama chicken casserole, newborn, parenting, prayer, printable recipe, quick dinners, quick meals, scripture, Servant, servants heart, service, serving, simple recipe, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, wife, Woman, women's ministry

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Categories Food

Good Intentions

24 Aug

“We are a culture trained to be a great starter but not a finisher”

-Beth Moore, A Woman’s Heart God’s Dwelling Place. Video session 9.

I am a gal filled with good intentions. I daydream and plan loads of things, good things, and helpful things. The problem is, is that they usually don’t come to pass. I have purchased supplies to create beautiful things, and ingredients to cook delicious things to just have them collect dust and turn rotten. I am by no means a mass collector of stuff, (I actually loathe clutter, even the secret kind) I am just a do it tomorrow person.

When watching the above mentioned video, my heart was deeply convicted. Out of all I have learned and studied the past 10 weeks in this Bible study God decided this is where he wants me to focus a little more intently and seriously.

I seriously made the exasperated sigh generally reserved for teenage parental annoyance. Seriously, of all things to call me out on You are choosing to call out my good intentions?

It brought me to a place that had me looking and praying long and hard as to why God was calling out this seemingly, insignificant part of my life. Here is what I learned. God wants me to make the most of my gifts and abilities. By not following through I am falling prey to laziness. Not just to my good intentions but to the most important parts of my life such as prayer, worship, wife, mother, homemaker, homeschooler, etc… I’ve looked over my life lately and see where my laziness as crept into every facet of my life. Several verses came to mind but the one that really stuck to me was Proverbs 14:23, “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.”

So all my talk and good intentions is stealing my full potential of what God has in store for me. It never ceases to amaze me that God longs for us to strive for righteousness and He uses, sometimes, interesting outlets to bring forth change in us.

I am always a work in progress but I am sure glad to know that God sees the value in me and puts forth the love and time to help me to be all He has created me to be. What an awesome God we serve.

Has the Lord convicted you of anything recently? I would love to know how God is working in your life.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Categories Faith, Family

Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Grocery Store

9 Aug

I found myself alone in the car today. I was feeling a little sorry for myself-Stressed at the first week chaos of homeschooling and all the little things that come up in life. I won’t lie, there were tears. Oh poor me tears. Self consuming tears. Selfish, life isn’t fair tears. But then, something funny happened. God showed up in a song and it changed my heart. A song I’ve heard a hundred times, but today the words came to life.

It got me thinking about how very blessed we are to live in a country where we are free (for now) to share our thoughts and opinions, to disagree, to think freely, to dress as we please, to go where we please, to eat what we please and to worship our God freely and openly without fear. This is normal life to us. We don’t really appreciate these freedoms until we are reminded that life isn’t so everywhere else.

I know many friends who came here seeking a safe place to lay their heads. Coming from places so volatile that all they can mutter about it is that they are blessed to be here. Perspective is the greatest humbler. So I will shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth (Psalm 100:1) and I will do it without fear, for I am a blessed American woman! Here is the song that changed my attitude http://youtu.be/_MbcYyOsF50
A prayer for you:
Thank you God for blessing me with being a woman, wife, and mother here in America. Thank you for the blessing of clean water, abundant food, education, and medicine regardless of money. Thank you God for the freedom to worship you wherever and whenever we choose- free from persecution. Lord, I pray for the people who live oppressed persecuted lives. For the people who live in fear and without hope. Lord, somehow someway touch them and deliver them from the bondage. With praise and thanksgiving to you, my mighty, loving King.

How is God working in your life? I would love to know.
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca

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Tags: American, believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, bondage, burdened, children, christ, Christian, christian music, christianity, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, forgiveness, God, gratitude, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, homeschooling, housewife, humble, humbler, husband, Jesus, Joy, Lord, love, media, mother, motherhood, music, parenting, perspective, praise, prayer, scripture, Servant, serving, sin, songs, stress, stressed, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, weary, wife, Woman

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Categories Faith, Family

Talking to our kids about Boston

9 Jul

This was something I wrote and shared on our MOPS blog right after the Boston bombing. My thoughts on talking to our children about such things–

It seems more and more we are having to be so deliberate to shield our children from never ending bad news. Shooting, war and now a bombing.

I still remember the morning more than a dozen years ago when I turned on the TV just in time to watch live as a plane took out the second tower. It was the first time I knew that I couldn’t hide the bad news from my then five year old, Alison. Minutes later my nightgown wearing barefoot daughter made her way sleepily to the living room. As she snuggled down deep next to me she knew that this morning was different. You don’t necessarily think when you are cradling your baby in your arms that one day you would have to explain evil to them. You are not prepared and I don’t think you can be. It is just one of those jump in head first and pray that what comes out is sufficient enough to be truthful and satisfying without ruining the innocence and wide eyed curiosity that only childhood can yield. How do you remind them the that here and now in my arms or at school or at grandma’s they are safe? I know we need to filter but most of the time it is unavoidable.

Several months ago. Another school shooting. This time it was Brouke’s turn to see what evil looks like. And now, an all American wholesome activity marred by destruction and devastation is plastered everywhere. The horror and destruction is all over the TV and on the lips of every adult.

It is a fine line and letting your kids steer your conversation will generally give you parameters to work with. Kids usually ask great questions and beyond what they ask is most of the time unnecessary. They will clue you in to what is in their heart and how much they can handle. With the little ones be selective, you don’t want to compromise their sense of safety. Older kids will be able to process more but all children will need extra love and reassurance. Speak scripture to them. Remind them not be worry or be anxious (Matthew 6:27) that God will deliver us from our fears (Psalm 34:4). Tell them that God will give them peace and that He is in control (Phillipians4:6-7). Remind them for every bad person their are thousands of good people. Let them get involved in making the world a better place by giving them opportunities to serve others and their community. It helps channel all their fears and gives them a sense of control over their environment. Mostly, trust your instincts. God gave you the children you have for a reason.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Categories Faith, Family

This is not Heaven

1 Jul

“The song of the whippoorwill. Let her sing. Let her sing in the dark. let her sing at the dawn. Let her song remind you that you were not made for this place and that there is a place just for you. But until then, be realistic. Lower your expectations of earth. This is not heaven, so don’t expect it to be.”

~Max Lucado~

I just now read that. I had to stop and read it a dozen times. As I sat quietly looking this over, this thought came to my mind-“Will what you sow now be worth reaping in the future?” In Galatians 6:7-10 it says that “for the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

When we live for worldly things it creates turmoil and misery in our lives, well, actually our soul. When we give in to the lusty appetites of our flesh our only gift is endless disappointment. But, when we live under the influence of the Holy Spirit we reap everlasting life.

It is hard to comprehend sometimes. We are fallen and of the flesh brings immediate gratification. Doing something for eternal value sometimes can be uncomfortable and even painful. I needed the reminder that what I do or don’t do has eternal effects. Is what I’m planting going to have kingdom value for tomorrow and tomorrow’s tomorrow?

Not always, but God reminded tonight to be more mindful of my life and those who pass through it. To plant seeds of truth and life. To look up and remember this is only my temporary home. To find my joy in the Lord and to not make this place heaven because heaven will never let us down.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Categories Faith, Family

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…..and a sprinkle of love

Quick Enchilada Bake

My 13th first Day of School

New Mama Chicken Casserole

Good Intentions

Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Grocery Store

Talking to our kids about Boston

This is not Heaven

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