Homemade Chicken Salad

Summer is the perfect time for salads: spring salad, fruit salad, tuna salad, and chicken salad (my favorite!).  I could go on and on, but you get the idea! With so many fresh fruits and veggies available at the local grocery stores, plus all the farmer's markets open - your choices are endless!  J and I personally are HUGE fans of making chicken or tuna salad during the summer.  The chicken salad is my favorite of all just because it is SUCH a good blend of so many different flavors!  It's great because you can use all that left over chicken from last nights' dinner, use a Rotisserie chicken, OR the canned chicken/salmon/tuna is always an option as well! Right from the start there are SO many options, and that's exactly what I love about this recipe!

I'm going to be totally honest (let's face it - I usually am!): This is actually MY recipe that I came up with.  It's actually inspired by Folk's (aka Po'folks back in the day). It's not quite the Folk's recipe, and it's actually taken on a life of its own (and kind of moved away from the Folk's recipe).

Close up of the yumminess that is chicken salad!

Ingredients:
Chicken (Duh! The amount is totally dependent on how much you want to make.  We generally use left over rotisserie chicken - all of it)
Mayo (this is also not measured as it is to your personal taste)
1/8 tsp Garlic
1/4-1/2 Cup grapes, sliced in half
1/4-1/2 Cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1/8 tsp cracked black pepper

Directions:
1. Take 2 forks and shred the chicken REALLY well - no chunks in this chicken salad!
2. Add mayo to taste (Again - no real measurement as this is totally based on personal preference).

How can you NOT fall in love with
that cheesy goodness???

3. Toss in garlic and pepper.  Mix well.
4. Add in grapes and shredded cheese.  Mix well.

Now, you can enjoy that deliciousness with a fork (which if it's your first time, I highly recommend).  OR if you want to take it a step further, you can eat it on crackers.  If you're a connoisseur, like me, then you may want to take it to the last step: Chicken. Salad. Melt. Yes, you read that right, my friends!

After you make the chicken salad, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Take 2 slices of bread, add mayo to one side of each piece.  Top one slice with shredded cheese (or a slice of cheese) of your choice, and on the other slice, pile on the chicken salad. Yes - pile it on.

Place in the oven for 10 minutes.  Put slices together as a sandwich and put back in the oven for another 3-5 minutes (depends on how toasted you like your bread!).  Flip the sandwich over, and put back in the oven another 2-3 minutes.  Take out of the oven and enjoy! J likes his with Wickles, but I just like my chicken salad piled on with no other flavors added. :)

J's favorite way to eat his chicken salad melt!

DIY Day!

Today was an incredibly busy day for me! I was in what my mother calls a "Suzy Homemaker" mode. I had a to-do list a mile long.  It wasn't really things that NEEDED to be done, but rather things that I wanted to get done.  I called it my "big girl" to-do list, as it really pertained more to making the patio/outdoor living space look exactly like I wanted. If I'm going to have an outdoor "living space" (sounds so much fancier than "patio" right?!), I want it to be a space I am going to enjoy!  I mean, is that so crazy?! So, today (for whatever reason), I decided it was the day.  I went to Lowe's and picked out garden supplies (more on that in a minute); went to Home Depot and got some outdoor spray paint; and went to Target and got some outdoor lighting and rubber gloves.

SO, first thing I wanted to do was plant a pot of flowers.  Just one, yes.  There isn't a lot of room on my patio, so I decided on one.  My philosophy is that you can always add more, but it is more difficult to take away.  I got enough potting soil (or what the Lowe's employee recommended I get) for my one pot, got a "decorative pot" (kind of an essential), flowers, gardening gloves, and a lantern stake.  I staked the lantern pole into the ground first, and (obviously) put the lantern on the hook!  Next, I planted my creeping jenny, begonias, and coleus into the pot! Adorable! LOVE how it turned out!

See my adorable plant pot and lantern on the right?

Now, if you notice the table is a hideous shade of rusted cream.  Yeah - can't have that.  So I made a trip to Home Depot and got this amazing 2x UltraCover spray paint in Espresso.  Now, this table was so nasty, so I went after it with a large amount of 409, rubber gloves, and PILES of paper towels.  I should have taken a before and after picture, but the rusted cream color was already too much to handle. I couldn't take a close up of the mildewed, rusted cream color - gross.  This spray paint (pictured at right) is amazing.  It took me ONE can to paint four coats on the table.  After the table was scrubbed down and cleaned up, I laid it upside down.  I did 2 coats (waiting 20 minutes in between) on the table.  I waited 30 minutes before waiting to flip it right-side-up.  I then did another 2 coats on the table, with it sitting right side up, waiting 20 minutes between coats. I waited about 30-40 minutes before I even attempted to move the table back to the patio.  (Side Note: Rust-Oleum brand lid is actually very true to the actual color of the paint once it dries. I got my patio chairs from Home Depot, so I took 2 colors that I thought would work well with the chairs I already had and compared the spray paint lids with the actual chairs I purchased! Would HIGHLY recommend if you are OCD like me and want things to match as closely as possible! It's worth the little extra time to make things look spectacular!)  Proof is in the picture!

I don't think I could have matched this any more perfectly!

My final pit stop was at Target was for rubber gloves (used to spray paint the table. Yes, I'm a priss - can't have paint on my fingers) and a solar-powered strand of lights (How awesome is that?!). So I strung them up along the fence.  They are even connected to their own little solar panel, which is on a stake to place in the ground.  I love them! I had already surrounded the patio with little lanterns, placed a lantern on the lantern stake, and then these little solar-powered lights on the fence just added the perfect touch! Check it all out before and after it got dark!

Day time! So cute!

Night Time: So romantic!

I hope that my DIY day has inspired you to have one of your own! Thanks for stopping by!

The Evolution of Buffalo Chicken Pizza

The "Original" (taken from http://allrecipes.com/Cook/
grumpys_honeybunch/Photo.aspx?photoID=419038)  

I found this recipe on Pinterest when J and I started dating about 2 years ago.  It was actually the second recipe that we cooked together (Cue chorus of "Awwwww"s).  Our first meal we made together was curry, which I am hoping to share the recipe soon as it has become a staple in our household! Moving on...I found the original recipe for Buffalo Chicken Pizza on Pinterest and felt like I HAD to make it.  I mean, I am a connoisseur of Buffalo Chicken Dip (well, all things Buffalo chicken for that matter).  I may not like the "tongue torch" heat (I actually lean more towards the mild side - don't hate), but I do like a slight kick with mine! This pizza recipe provides the perfect blend of pizza and buffalo chicken!

I must admit we started eating this on a rather regular basis - probably once, if not twice, a month. So we decided to have a little fun with it. Certain things I'm a stickler for the "original is best" or "oldie but goodie."  Not this! And I am SO glad I haven't followed my usual mindset.  First, we threw on a little bit of chopped bacon (No - not bacon bits. Don't cheat!).  That was a HUGE step towards perfection with this recipe (not that it wasn't already stellar!).  Our next step was (after we went gluten free) buffalo chicken pizza with bacon and extra blue cheese crumbles (I believe we used ranch dressing as the base this time, rather than blue cheese) on a gluten free pizza crust (Pilsbury actually makes a decent one!).  How delicious does this look?

Courtesy of my Instagram!

Recently, our newest addition was diced tomatoes.  SO - we had "Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Pizza with chopped bacon and diced tomatoes."  It gets even better - can you believe it?! While eating this:

Mouth-watering twist on a classic Buffalo
Chicken Pizza!

we were discussing further updates or modifications we could make to the recipe: chopped mushrooms, diced celery...the possibilities are endless! I love recipes like this - where you can add so many different things, and it has such good roots that it continues to be amazing!  So while you ponder what YOU would add to YOUR Buffalo Chicken Pizza, I will leave you with a few mouth-watering, thought-provoking images!  I really encourage you to give it a shot! It is definitely a crowd-pleaser, and will certainly lead to you making it often! 

Did you try it? What did YOU think?! Leave a comment below! :)

My New Favorite Snack (Or Dessert)

My dessert the other night - YUM!

In my recent quest to eat more healthy and exercise in attempts to lose weight for my upcoming wedding, I found a new love.  I mean we've all heard of apples and peanut butter right?! Well...I like peanut butter, but not enough to eat it outright.  So I've found a new semi-source of protein (And sweetness!)....Drumroll please....Nutella! Yes, I have become slightly addicted to the sweet, hazelnutty flavor that is Nutella.  So, what have I tried it on?

• Bananas - ok, but not as good as the ole' bananas and peanut butter.  You can't beat an oldie but goodie!
• Bread - again, just ok...but straight up Nutella on gluten-free bread ain't all that hot.
• Apples - good (better than bananas), but still not what I was searching for. 
• Strawberries - yes ma'am! This was by far the BEST combination I tried! Just think: sweet, wonderful strawberries and thick, hazelnut Nutella.  It's a match literally made in heaven.

I've gotten so bad about eating it for an after-work snack and then again for dessert! J laughs at me constantly because we have started going through Nutella like some people go through water! But, seriously, look at the picture below and tell me that doesn't look good! Now, run out to the store and get you some strawberries and Nutella (and wine...always some wine!).  Start enjoying!

What's In Your Bag?

The following post is written by guest blogger, Maisy...I met Maisy in a group for people obsessed with Erin Condren (a life planner we both happen to have and love to decorate).  When I started asking for volunteers for my first "What's In Your Bag" post, Maisy generously volunteered.  She is a fellow blogger, but she blogs on sexual wellness.  Her blog is The Momfia.  I will warn you - I was a little surprised at what I saw at first, BUT it IS a sexual health and wellness blog, so keep your mind open. Maisy was kind enough to open up her life-on-the-go (aka her purse!) to us. So everyone, say hello to Maisy...and her bag!!!

1: My bag. I got it on sale from Target for $12.99. I'm very thrifty.

2: My May monthly overview of my Erin Condren LP. I think the Erin Condren company is very shady, but they make a product that can't be competed with. So I'm kinda stuck.

3: How I use it: errands, water intake, Bible study, tracking meds (I have lupus). I'm very organized, and I'd be lost without my Erin Condren Life Planner. Even just decorating it calms my anxiety.

4: Inside the purple bag (which I got from Etsy): Lupus medications that I often need while on the go, Garnier hand lotion, my reading glasses (Guess), and my wallet clutch. And yes, I really DO carry redbull everywhere - it's an addiction.

5: Inside the pink bag is all my makeup, tissues, and hand sanitizer. I'm a mother, so a First Aid Kit is always a necessity! Ear plugs because my better half lives 500 miles away, and I fly to him a lot. A prayer journal and my current read (The Christian Homemakers Handbook by Pat Ennis). The small phone: I've found, personally, it's worth the $10 a month to have a burner line that I can keep my main cell number to myself. So business calls or calls from my gym all go to the one in the photos

6: The blue small bag is full of feminine products of all types. The pink bag is full of random things you never know you may need (toothbrush, floss, inhaler, liquid bandaid, and a Schick on the go razor!).

7: My tablet (it's very very very old - 2011. If anyone is selling a cheap one, feel free to holla), notepad, and ear buds.

Maisy was also kind enough to show how she utilizes her Erin Condren Life Planner in more detail!

Below are her journal dashboards.

Below are the clear zip pouches that come with EC Life Planners and Take Note! Notebooks. Look how Maisy has utilized them to store her various planner accessories!

So - now that you've seen Maisy's bag. What's in YOUR bag?!

Throw Something Together

My "thrown together" meal: made on the fly
with convenience in mind, and turned out
DELICIOUS! Bon appétit!

You know those nights when nothing you have on your menu plan sounds appealing? Or when you have several things that you need to get out of your fridge or freezer? What to do when confronted with this dilemma?! Combine them and make them one amazing dinner, of course!  Obviously, this doesn't work for everything.  However, we were lucky enough the other evening that this combination did work together - and amazingly so! You know those nights that you had something planned for dinner but ended up meeting friends for dinner that night instead? Yeah...we had a few of those nights recently.  We had a meal planned for Monday night, but went to my parents' home for dinner instead.  Naturally, dinner for Tuesday was already planned, as well...what to do now?! Because Italian-marinaded grilled chicken sounds great...but so does organic spinach and cheese ravioli with homemade marinara sauce!

Remember making marinara sauce with me in one of my original blog posts? No? I'll pause while you check it out.  It's amazing, if I do say so myself!  Remember when I bought the spinach ravioli at Sam's? I highly suggest you run out and buy some if you live near one, too!  We originally planned to make spinach ravioli with marinara sauce for dinner one night, but ended up eating at my parent's that evening instead, so we postponed this particular meal. We had dropped chicken thighs into a plastic bag and drenched them with Italian dressing (easiest, best, and fairly low fat marinade!), allowing them to marinate about 48 hours before in preparation for grilling some marinated chicken thighs.

Now what's a girl to do? Because both those sounded amazing to me! Well, we just combined them into one fabulous dinner!  We boiled the ravioli up, and we thawed out some of the frozen marinara sauce in a small pot on top of the stove.  Meanwhile, J went outside and dropped the marinated chicken onto the grill.  We put one thigh in a bowl, accompanied with 4 ravioli (which were topped with the marinara sauce).  Dinner, completely ready, in less than a half hour!

I mean, doesn't this look amazing?!

On your left, you will see Spinach ravioli with
marinara sauce. On your right - grilled chicken
marinated in Italian dressing! Can you say Yum?!

Stocking Up! (Making the Most Out of Your Warehouse Membership)

Costco? Sam's? BJ's? You know - those HUGE warehouse stores that make your budget-spidey-senses tingle and the electric thrill go up your spine! Where ELSE can you get a flat-screen TV at an unbeatable rate (oftentimes with an additional concierge service for minimal to no charge) AND filets of fresh tilapia or prime cuts of steak??  Places like these can be extremely overwhelming if you charge in without a plan! Trust me, I walked out with things I didn't even KNOW existed or that I needed...which turned into things that I never used and eventually gave away. So...I learned my lesson a LONG time ago, and I hope to pass on some tips, wisdom, and advice that will help you minimize your trips to your local warehouse store, but also that will help you make the most out of your trips!

1. RESEARCH:  Sometimes, the membership cost isn't worth it! I have a Sam's membership.  Sam's is literally 15 minutes MAX down the road from me.  Costco is 30 minutes (minimum) away from me, and subsequently, I never go there.  Even the least expensive membership of $50 isn't worth it if I never go!  Find which warehouse stores are closest to you, and which ones you will use the most!

2. PLAN AHEAD: I look in my freezer and fridge before I leave - like any normal grocery store trip.  Why buy what you already have, right?! I make a master list of things I am running low on or out of.  We generally eat a LOT of chicken, so purchasing it in bulk is cheaper for me than buying it at my local supermarket. BUT if the local supermarket has chicken on Manager's Special - you best believe I am buying them out instead! It's much cheaper that way! But I rarely get lucky enough to find enough chicken and subsequently buy from Sam's instead.  Plus, there's so much that it lasts forever!!!

3. That Includes a Menu Plan: Well, sort of....I know that if I buy one "pack" of Italian Sausage at Sam's it will last me close to a year if I freeze it.  You know those packs of Italian Sausage at the grocery store? Double it - that's one layer.  2 layers are included in one Sam's "pack" of this sausage. Chicken breasts are conveniently pre-packaged into packages of 2 breasts (boneless, skinless).  Chicken thighs - don't hold your breath.  I am WAY off topic. My apologies.  I know about how much meat we go through per month...LOTS of chicken, 1-2 steaks, 1-2 packs of stew beef, LOTS of bacon, 4-6 pounds of ground beef (spaghetti, burgers, etc.), 4-8 fish filets...You get the drift.  Write down how much you use per meal (And document if there are any left overs you can freeze/take for lunch/etc. It may cut down on what you buy for lunch!) for one month. Then use that as your gauge.  We have enough meat in our fridge for probably close to 6 months (yes - you read that right). Just this past weekend, we bought 3 pounds of ground bison (I'm a ground meat snob, sorry!), 1 fillet of salmon (it was the entire body in a "fillet"), 1 "pack" Italian sausage, 1 pack of 8-10 tilapia filets, 1 pack chicken breasts, 1 pack chicken thighs, 1 package (which equals 3 grocery store packs) of bacon....you see?! We took a fairly big hit to our budget, BUT it will help us keep things in line for the next 6-8 months!

4. Take Time to Browse But Be Careful: We found organic spinach & cheese ravioli...uh, yes please! Was it on our "official" list?! Nope.  But it is delicious (my mom used to serve this 1-2 times per month!), and you can add your own sauce or eat it plain - it's great either way.  What else did we get?! A family pack of greek yogurt.  J loves the stuff, and it cost us a LOT less to buy it there than at Publix, Kroger, OR Ingle's! Pesto - we found a huge jar (triple the size of the grocery store jars) for only $4-5 more. We use pesto a lot, so it made sense for us to get it. My point?! Stick to your list but be open minded! Just not TOO opened minded.  When I find something that I want to get, I just try to remember how often I actually eat/use said item...is it fairly frequently?! Then I might buy it for a trial run. I eat it or use it once a month? Put it back.

5. Know Your Limits: We go through fruit by the pound-ful, particularly in the summer. J can put away fruit like a garbage disposal. So purchasing fruit at Sam's is totally worth my while.  Keeping that in mind, I know that we aren't going to go through 6 heads of Romaine lettuce in a reasonable amount of time...so it would go bad more than likely.  So, to me, the few extra dollars I might save aren't worth it to watch the lettuce rot in the fridge.

6. Have Fun! I love going to Sam's! It's so amazing to see all the incredible new wonders there. I could spend hours in there...sometimes, J and I do! Expect to find plenty of what you need, and then some things you didn't know you wanted/needed! Enjoy some samples (particularly on Saturdays) or a $1 slice of pizza. It's even great for lunch time when you have little munchkins with you! Enough of the samples equals lunch for them!