Cilantro Lime Chicken Rice Bake

So, I don’t really know what to call this dish but it. is. delicious. This has become one of our family favorites. I’m not going to lie, it’s not a quick easy meal, but it’s worth it. It’s not difficult, just takes some time. My sister is the best cook and finds all the best recipes. Not sure where she got this one but it’s fabulous.


Start with marinating your chicken. It has lime zest & juice, garlic, oil, & cilantro. Yum. I start this the night before so it can marinate all night & the next day. Plus, it’s one less thing to do for dinner.

The morning you’ll be eating the dinner I make creamy tomatillo ranch so it will thicken up by dinner time. I think it only needs a couple hours in the fridge but for me it’s easier to just get it out of the way.



Then you start the layering. On the bottom goes your cilantro lime rice:

Then you put your shredded grilled chicken down and spread sour cream on top:

I don’t have a picture of the next step but you then layer mango salsa on top of the sour cream and cover it with shredded pepper jack cheese.
And this is the end result…DElish.


Now for the recipes:
Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade (for 4 chicken breasts)
-3/4 c vegtable oil
-Juice and zest of 2 limes
-2 cloves garlic -2 tsp sugar
-1/2 tsp salt -1/4 tsp black pepper
-1/2 C finely chopped cilantro
*I put everything in blender and have it mix and chop it 

  Cilantro Lime Rice
-1 cup uncooked rice
-1 can chicken broth
-1 cup water
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 Tbls freshly squeezed lime juice
-2 tsp sugar
-3 Tbls finely chopped cilantro
* I throw the rice, broth, water, garlic & some lime juice into a rice cooker and let it cook. While it’s cooking I mix the sugar, lime juice & cilantro in a bowl. When rice is finished fluff the rice while mixing the sugar mixture into the rice.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
-1 batch prepared Ranch Buttermilk Dressing
-3-5 tomatillos (quartered)
-1 handful of cilantro
-1 jalepeno (optional)
-juice of 1 lime
-salt & pepper to taste
*Blend all ingredients in blender and chill for 2 hours before serving.
*This ranch is for drizzling on top of each slice of casserole after it's been cooked right before serving.

-Sour cream for 3rd layer (I use almost a whole small container of sour cream)



**To create your bake: Layer cilantro lime rice, then grilled chicken, then sour cream, mango salsa (we buy prepared from deli), cover the top with shredded pepperjack cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until heated through, about 20 min. Then turn on broil until the cheese crisps a little. When serving, drizzle tomatillo dressing on top and ENJOY!

My Memories Giveaway + Free Printable

Hey everyone hope you had a fun weekend! We went up to pinetop and I have to say I will miss seeing 70 degrees on the thermostat...Coming back to 115 wasn't the greatest feeling. But to cheer everyone up I have a giveaway from My Memories!! I've been playing around with this software and it's been so much fun! It's so easy to use and I love that they have pages already made up that you can just plug pictures in and you're done! I made some pages for a baby book for Reesey (only 2 years late, no biggie) and it only took like 10 minutes to finish. Love that. I also made some thank you cards that I've been meaning to make for awhile now. Those were finished in just a couple minutes. I haven't taken the time to figure out photoshop yet and this is an easy alternative that has no learning curve whatsoever.




Now would you like to win your own download of the My Memories software!?

*If you don't really want to take your chances on winning go here to get the software. Use code STMMMS34143 to receive $10 off the software PLUS $10 to spend at the store!!

Enter in the Rafflecopter widget below :) Easy Peasy! I also have a Free Printable of the thank you cards I made. So go enter the giveaway and then print off some thank you cards to keep handy! There are 3 colors to choose from, Mustard, Coral, & Seafoam green... {When printing just choose to print 2 on a page and they should automatically print the perfect size.}

Download Mustard HERE

Download Coral HERE

Download Seafoam HERE




ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Our Farmhouse Table

Guys I have been waiting to show you our table until the chairs are finished but seeing as it’s 500 degrees in AZ right now I have a feeling they won’t be getting done any time soon. I painted 2 and thought I was going to die..  I also can’t figure out how to get a good picture of the color. No matter what time of day I’m taking these pictures they don’t turn out right. So, here it goes anyways!  Thank heavens I have a nice hubby who will build me a table. Love him and love his wood working skills! We got the plans here. I love Ana White’s website and all of her plans. I show the hubster plans every night and tell him how easy it would be to build me furniture all day long. For some reason he doesn’t believe me..
My Instagram pics documenting the project…I’m pretty sure the lady at Home Depot hated my guts and Vanilla Coke kept me going through this whole process.

In the process of framing the table out. I love Ana White and her easy to follow instructions!!

Finished at last!! My cute girlies were some pretty good helpers. They loved sanding this thing. We were up way past our bedtime ;)

This is after I finished weathering my wood.
Then, I whitewashed & glazed. To find out how I did it go here.

And here it is in all it’s glory! I love it so so much! I think I’ll love it even more once we have our chairs finished and we don’t eat on half broken folding chairs. Maybe not…who knows? (I sealed it with Miniwax Polyurethane. It was way easy to apply and so far has held up good. I need all the help I can get with two toddlers running around..)


Here are the chairs!! I can’t wait til they’re finished…anyone feel like painting 4 chairs and reupholstering 6?? Come on…any takers?! There’s cat hair all over the cushions. SO fun!!

Famous Footwear & Back to School

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Famous Footwear for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you ready for back to school!? We went to the mall yesterday to go back to school shopping with my 4 year old, Miss B. Let me tell you, it. was. a. nightmare. She found some leggings she refused to take off. Then when it came to shoes she wanted to try every pair on and then wanted them all. We finally decided on a pair and the second we left the store (she was already wearing them, tags off) she started crying and said they hurt her toes. Really?? Looks like we will be heading out to find some more. And what better place to look than Famous Footwear!? They have their awesome BOGO  half off sale going on PLUS an extra 15% off! Woot Woot! I love getting a good deal. Especially when it's on quality stuff! I've picked out some of my favorite shoes for my girls, and since we're getting such a good deal I might have to get myself a pair...

These Roxy shoes are so so cute!

But I'm pretty sure my girls would die if they got these pink sparkle shoes...adorable.

I have these Sperrys in gold. But maybe I need the pewter too??

 

 

Use this coupon to get yourself and extra 15% off on top of the BOGO sale!! The coupon is good from 8/2-8/18. I love that it's a buy one get one so I can get all of our school shopping done at the same place and get a great deal on brands I love.

BOGO + 15% off Famous Footwear Coupon

 

Famous Footwear also has a Rewards program I just found out about and you can earn 1 point for every dollar you spend! You can earn certificates up to $100 a year. Score! Also they give you a discount offer just for signing up! 

Have you done your school shopping yet? Where are your favorite stores to go?!

Tip for Tuesday

Hey everyone! How’s your Tuesday looking?? I decided to share a tip for you I recently have been using & loving. If this is nothing new, can you all pretend you’ve never heard it before?? k thanks. Since I’ve been baking a lot I thought I’d share this little tidbit! I don’t know about you but my brown sugar can get rock hard. It’s the worst because you usually don’t notice until it’s too late. And going to the store isn’t an option for me unless it’s dire. Going to the store with 3 littles is normally out of control…So next time you find you’re brown sugar is impossible to break up, put it in the microwave (I put the lid on diagonal so it’s covered but has a couple holes) with a little bowl of water. Microwave for 30-50 seconds at a time. It will soften right up!! It’s magical people ;)  It usually takes me 2-3 times before it’s soft enough to use for cookies FYI.  And just so you know it hardens right back up again so you might want to pick up new brown sugar next time you’re at the store…

Pinned!

Am I the only one who pins about a million pins a day and doesn’t ever follow through to make them?? I decided I’ll tell you which ones I’ve tried and if they’re a no or a go. mkay? Here goes:
I have made these snickerdoodles twice in the last week. They are DElicious. Granted the first time we gave some away…But I highly suggest you make a double batch. A single batch doesn’t seem like near enough...



I also tried this lemonade cake. To be honest it didn’t turn out as heavenly as I had hoped. However, it could have been my fault, I tend to over mix things. The frosting was amazing though. I’m thinking I might just make a batch of frosting just to eat by the spoonful. Just kidding. But really…

Did you know about this cute website?? They have TONS of free backgrounds for your iphone or ipad. SO so cute.


I tried this recipe to make your house smell ah-mazing. And oh boy, it did! Love love love. I might have to do this once a week…

Have you tried any of your pins?? Have any favorites to share?!

Friday Faves {no. 13}

1. Ah I’m loving the Olympics this week guys! Gymnastics and swimming are my favorites but something about watching the Olympics makes me all patriotic and proud of our country! Can I complain for a second? Why does the news keep ruining the surprises?? I turned it on this morning and found out everyone who won gold…which we weren’t supposed to see til tonight. Lame.

2. I’m loving this mini sock bun on Miss B. Seriously, tooooo cute! (Maybe I’m just happy she’ll actually let me tame her wild locks) Also I can’t get enough of her poses. HIlarious. Find out how to make a pencil skirt here.


3. This fabric. I just bought a remnant and can’t decide what to use it for! Am I the only one that has a hard time cutting up pretty fabric??

4. Jimmy Johns. YUM. We went last night for dinner and even the girls gobbled up their sandwiches. I promise I do cook…sometimes.

Happy Weekend Everyone!!

*click pictures for sources*

How to Weather & Age Wood

with Steel Wool & vinegar.

What you need:

-wood you want to age ;)

-vinegar

-steel wool (you can find steel wool in the paint section in any hardware store by the stain)

-glass jar

 

Start the day before you start you project. Put a small amount of steel wool grade 000 into your jar of vinegar.  Let it sit overnight, or for up to 2 days. I didn’t get to my project when I was expecting to and had to start over. Bummer! This is what it should not look like:

Now, if it doesn’t look like this it’s time to start. Filter your steel wool out of your vinegar. You could use a coffee filter, or if you don’t have one I just used a paper towel, because going to the store was just not worth it.  I just brushed mine on with a cheapo synthetic brush and it worked great! Harbor Freight is the best place to get cheap brushes. If you catch them while they’re on sale, you can get them for 50 cents! Brush on your “stain” and your wood will start changing. It’s actually really fun to watch. Now, if I were to do it all over again I would have watered my vinegar down. This picture was taken right after I brushed it on, but by the next morning it was darker. I think if you water it down it would stay a lighter gray so FYI. If you are going for almost black though Leave your vinegar in for 2 full days and brush it on real thick you will get BLACK.

Now, I sanded the entire area and wanted to do a whitewash on top to lighten it up. To do a white wash pour some paint into a container. I used old tupperware :) Mix your paint and water. I did 1 part paint to 2 parts water. Brush your whitewash on and then wipe off the excess. Then, after that dried I wanted it to be a little warmer so I added some Ralph Lauren glaze in Smoke. This is my absolute favorite glaze it antiques just right and warms up your furniture!

Let’s just pretend my floors were mopped & that sippy cup wasn’t there mmkay?? But here is the sneak peak to our new Farmhouse Table!! I am in. love. I’ll post some more pictures soon!

So that is how I got my “barn wood” look for my table. I’ve heard you can add tea to the concoction. Maybe I’ll try that next time. Have you tried this?? Do you have any tips to add?

Tips on Welcoming Your Baby

Hey everyone! I'm excited to have Katie Moore here to guest post today to give us some tips on how to prepare to welcome your baby. I know after reading this, I probably should have been a little more prepared for my 3 little one's :) I hope you all find this informative and helpful! Thanks Katie!

Preparing to Welcome Baby

There is a lot to do during a woman's pregnancy before she gives birth to her baby. Regular prenatal appointments, getting the home ready for the baby, and learning about what will be needed for daily care of a newborn are all important aspects of preparation for motherhood.  In addition there are many preparations that can be made concerning the actual delivery day – here are just a few.

Birthing Classes
Birthing classes can help mothers feel more prepared for labor and delivery, particularly with first-time mothers. The information given by birthing instructors can help prepare mothers for what will happen to their bodies on delivery day, and give them tools and techniques to get through delivery. The birthing classes at hospitals also give mothers information about the hospital's maternity ward and its procedures. The literature given by the hospital can further help prepare mothers for delivery day.

Create a Birth Plan
A birth plan is a written outline of what a mother does and does not want during labor and delivery. Birth plans can be as loose or detailed as a mother wants, and they include information such as what interventions a mother is comfortable with having or whether or not she wants nurses to give her baby a bottle or pacifier. Remember that many unexpected things can happen during delivery that may cause you and your doctor to have to deviate from your birth plan. Keep in mind that holding your healthy baby in your arms is the ultimate goal of everyone so stay flexible when it comes to your birth plan.

Other Considerations
Speak with your doctor ahead of time to understand what sort of treatments and options you think will be best for you and your newborn baby. Considerations such as breastfeeding or using formula, natural or planned delivery are some important options to talk about before your delivery day. Another option to consider is cord blood banking, a process where the umbilical cord blood is collected after your baby is delivered and sent to a cord blood bank to be saved as a potential medical resource for your family.

Organize at Home
To help things go more smoothly, preparing as much as possible at home ahead of time can be a big stress reliever. Making a list of what needs to be taken care of before leaving for the hospital will help make sure everything is organized in plenty of time. This list can include things like arranging for child and pet care, making food ahead of time for after the baby is born, and packing a bag to take to the hospital. Mothers can also have an informal phone tree to make sure that friends and family know when she goes into labor without needing to call everyone on her own.

Getting ready to bring baby home can be an exciting time for mothers. Part of that preparation should be getting ready for the actual labor and delivery. Welcoming a baby into the world begins with his or her first moments of life, and preparing for labor and delivery will help mothers make sure those first moments are joyous ones.

This article was written by Katie Moore. Katie is an active writer within the blogging community who discusses maternity, motherhood, prenatal health, childbirth and other topics within this niche.  If you have any questions or would like to connect with Katie please contact by visiting her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter @moorekm26.

Friday Faves {no. 12}

1. I want add this cutting board holder to my cabinets. Such a great idea! I have a tiny kitchen and I need all the extra storage I can get!

2. Oh I love love the bubble necklaces from J-Crew but can’t bring myself to spend $150  for one. I absolutely love these from Cheerfully Charmed . The cobalt blue is now officially on my wishlist. Hint hint for the hubby ;) JK he just built me a table (pictures to come) & brought me flowers last week. I think he’s off the hook for awhile!

3. What would a friday faves be without some sort of unhealthy food?? I love Chik-Fil-A because my kids love it and I secretly do too. We may or may not go once a week…don’t judge. Plus, their mints are amazing and so is the chik-fil-a sauce.


4. I am really wanting to chop all of my hair off. I’m so sick of it and really needing a post baby hair do. I really like this haircut with different color, because I’m not feeling that bold.

5. I love this article on Real Simple Cutting x’s in a box is a genius idea for carrying cupcakes. Why didn’t I think of that??

Easiest Taco Soup Recipe

Hey everyone! Do you want the recipe for the easiest/yummiest dinner ever?? Of course you do ;) Honestly we have this at least once a month because you can throw it in the crockpot in the morning and dinner is done! AND you literally just dump everything in! Couldn’t get any easier…Plus it makes a ton, so it’s great for large groups! When I’m feeding another family, I add a couple more cans of beans instead of having to double it. YUM!
 I'm also going to post this at my best friends blog she started called Basic Bites. It's a blog for a whole bunch of yummy recipes!



-1-2 large cans diced tomatoes
-1 can kidney beans
-1 can black bleans
-1 can zesty chili beans (s&w are the best)
-1 can corn
-1 onion (chopped)
-1 packet ranch dressing mix (I buy the big one at Costco and use about 3 Tbl)
-3 Tbls Taco Seasoning
*Throw it all in the crockpot & cook for 7-8 hours on low.
*Top with cheese, sour cream, & Avocado. Eat with an entire bag of tortilla chips ;)

Yay!

Hey guys... I can not believe I'm being featured over at UCREATE today!! Kari's blog was my very first and favorite blog I followed! Thank you Kari for featuring my Maxi skirt today!! And Welcome to all her readers :)