Southwest Chopped Chicken Salad

This salad was a little like one I make at home all the time! I love mine but the dressing on this one was quite a bit different so I decided to make it for lunch today.

Verdict?

It was good.  It was missing cheese which I love but it made it healthier and was lighter tasting than the one I make!
I would make it again.  I added mushrooms to the recipe because I wanted them.  I also made only half a batch.  I changed it a little here and there because that is what I do.  I am not sure where it is from though. I printed it months ago and just finally got around to making it and had no reference to the origin.  Not very original though so I am not concerned! Thank you to whomever made up this dressing!!

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 TBSP ranch salad dressing mix

1/2 TBSP taco seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

Then in a mixing bowl add:

Lettuce

Chopped up chicken

(I buy a rotisserie chicken once a week and shred it on the first day.  Then I have chicken to use all week.  Especially nice when Husband is gone and I am cooking for myself)

Stop for a sip of coffee

Have I mentioned the greatest coffee ever!!!!!! Even Husband is drinking it.  Amazing...

Chopped mushrooms, red pepper, black beans, corn and cilantro.

Pour on dressing and toss.

Add some crunched up tortilla chips and some diced avocado and lightly toss again

Enjoy! This is a really nice light salad.  Some sweet and some salty.  I did finish this whole bowl because I am a pig.  Yup.  I did.  And enjoyed every last bite! Come on.  It is mainly lettuce!

Today was a pretty good day.  I had one meeting and a list of stuff that I have been putting off all week that I started doing.  Actually? Other than one thing I got it done! All the important stuff is history and that is what matters.

Husband is gone again.  He left Sunday.  I miss him.  It feels like he has been gone forever! He is home though on Sunday night for sure so I will be OK.  Last week with him home was one of the best weeks that we have had in years.  No joke.  We just clicked.  We spent all our time together, did tons of dreaming and celebrating and planning for the future.  I love doing that stuff.

My birthday is next week.  I am old.  This year I am not struggling as much as some years.  I am glad to age this year for some reason.

I should go to bed.  This has been my first week without sleep aids in months and it has been incredibly hard.  I don't naturally fall asleep till around 2 am and then wake up early.  Not a good schedule for a girl that is trying to work all day!

Wig needed

Ok.  I keep promising to be less cryptic but until I get a magic phone call with an answer, I can't tell you what is going on.  It is awesome though.  I will say that.

But I need prayer! I am seriously stressing out about this! Husband thinks it is no biggie and that it will all work and yet my hair is now falling out and I am getting stress bumps on my whole body.  Can we say STRESS MUCH!!! You know you want something really badly when it does this to your body.  The bank is saying we will have an answer later today.  Hopefully.  They said the same thing about Friday.  I have now had to wait even longer to find out!

I promise as soon as I know, you will.

Thanks!

Half of my life and going strong!!!

Today is a pretty cool day for Husband and I.  Today marks the half way mark.  I have now spent half of my life with him! 15 years 360 days before and 15 years 360 days with.  Isn't that crazy?

We went out for an amazing romantic dinner last night to celebrate.  It was so much fun.  We talked about all that we have done and how much we have changed in the last 16 years.  What an incredible conversation! Compared to when we were 16, what dreams we had, what we had actually done and what we have done that we could not have imagined.  I will share some with you in case you are curious! Keep in mind that we started dating just before we turned 16, so we were brilliant and smart and mature.  Really.  We were.

At 16: What our dreams were for ourselves and where we wanted to be in 16 years

• Husband: aviation mechanic
• Me: stay at home mom 
• Have 4 kids
• Own a home
• Own a business of some sort maybe hopefully
• Have taken at least one trip somewhere cool
• Live near our parents and siblings and raise our kids together
• Still be madly in love

16 years later: What has actually happened

• Husband: heavy duty equipment operator
• Me: run a business
• Can't have kids but have a dog.  One thing we said we would never do!
• Have owned 3 homes and hopefully a fourth one soon
• Have owned 2 different businesses.  Bought my first one at 28
• Have travelled all over the world! Spain, USA (multiple times), all over Canada, Bahamas
• Live INSANELY far from everyone! Husbands parents are 2 hours away but everyone else is at least 8! And no kids!
• Are still madly in love.

What we want for the next 16:

• become extremely successful
• be the best aunt and uncle ever
• own a home where we live now
• still own a business but with us both working it
• travel at least 4 times a year out of country
• live closer to our family or have the means to see them often
• still be madly in love

So yeah.  A pretty neat day.  I am so proud of us! That we have done this at such a young age.   I can't wait to sit down in 16 years and look this over and see what has changed.  Love that guy!

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Ready for an insane amount of pictures of me baking? If not? Too bad! They are here.  I had Husband take a "few" pictures of me baking the other night.  I deleted over half.  You get the rest!

The recipe will be posted at the bottom.

Mix your wet ingredients

Mix your dry ingredients

The original recipe is from Cat Can Cook but I made a few changes

My awesome company while baking

Like the sweater I got for $1? It is so comfy

Seriously? Stop taking so many pictures!!!

Mix it all together and then add the chocolate chips

I replaced my regular blade for this one and love it! It has a scraper on one side so keeps it all cleaner and mixed better

Spray all your tins with something.  I use PAM.  I also use my mini muffin tins because they are way more fun!!

I like how skinny I look in this picture!

This recipe will make 6 dozen of these little guys.  Kinda like bite size brownies but so much better!

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

7 bananas, mashed

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 slightly beaten eggs

2/3 cup melted butter or margarine

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 cups flour

1 cup chocolate chips

Mix your banana, sugar, egg and margarine together.  Set aside.  Mix all your dry ingredients together other than the chocolate chips.  Mix wet and dry ingredients together.  Don't over mix.  Just before done, add the chocolate chips.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes if doing the mini ones.  20-25 for regular sizes.

Enjoy!

Seriously???

Not quite what you are all thinking.

Please pray.

Huge decisions being made this week in regards to some life and business stuff.

We feel good about it all but are not sharing any news until things are finalized.

With anyone.

Not even parents and siblings!

Sorry peeps.

I promise to be less cryptic soon and to tell you what is happening.

I will know more in the next three days!!!!

But it is good.

And super amazing exciting cool.

Muttart Conservatory is my dreamland...

Be prepared for a total photo bomb.  There are no words.  Just pictures of my favorite place.  I love it there.  Oh, and these were all taken with my phone.  Sorry for the quality :)

All done.