Cheers to Hosting

In our generation I think we have lost the art of entertaining. Hosting people in your home, at your table and cooking for them. It doesn't have to be fancy but it can be so meaningful. Last week I hosted several friends at my house to celebrate a birthday. My disclaimer was, I will feed you well but I can't promise my house will be clean. I have a toddler and the second I put something up it is back out on the floor plus some! But the food and company was great so it doesn't get much better than that! I encourage you to host a couple or friends or family for dinner soon. It will take a little work but I promise the reward is so much greater! I am no expert but here is what I did for our dinner... 

I made my Lasagna, one with noodles and one spinach-zucchini. It was a hit and pretty low-maintenance. We had veggies with hummus and pita chips as an appetizer then my mom's garlic bread with the dinner. Check out dessert below, it was delish! 

As much as I want to decorate for Christmas already here is my fall table. I love my "fancy" chargers but I don't have enough so I just alternate with my gold chargers from Target. And yes, I used my china! A friend said, "why use paper when you can use the good stuff!" I guess that is my new motto. Thankfully I have a pretty fantastic dishwasher aka my hubs. 

Whenever I have people over I try to have my pitchers of water and tea ready with cups. It helps me to do other things and not worry about guests needing a drink or trying to find cups in my cabinets. The tray I put it all on was one of my favorite wedding shower gifts and yes, I think of my friend every time I use it!

My favorite part always, dessert. As I have said before Mix and Match Mama is one of my favorite bloggers and my go-to cakes these days are her bundt cakes. I may not be a pro at icing them but man do they taste good. This one is her Chocolate Chip bundt with cream cheese icing. Her version is without icing but its my favorite part so I just searched for a cream cheese icing. Yummy!

Momma's Sick Day

So this week I have been a little under the weather. Sick days used to be filled with daytime TV parked on the couch and plenty of downtime. Then I became a mom. Now my sick days consist of Dora, Thomas and Veggie Tales on repeat (don't judge, momma's gotta do what a momma's gotta do!). It's funny how a 16 month old doesn't really understand the concept of a sick day. They don't slow down so I've just been trying to keep up this week! Here are a few things getting me through... 

Advocare to the rescue! Spark is already a daily must-have in my world but it especially has helped me keep up with little man this week. It helps me with energy and mental focus, which we all know is necessary when you don't feel well or are just a mom. Two things I've added to my daily routine this fall for immune boosting are CitriZinc and Probiotic. I love their probiotic for many reasons but especially to help with my immune system! 

So the rest of my life didn't stop this week either and I had two events where I pretty much talked all day. My voice did not hold out. Thankfully one of my favorite sore throat treats is green tea with lime and honey. Mmmmmm... 

I forgot to take a picture but I also threw together a soup full of antioxidant rich foods! I probably would have added a few other veggies if I had them on hand but when you're sick you just go with what you have in your fridge. Hubs liked it too. :)

{Sick Day Soup}

1 cup cooked chicken

8 cups chicken broth or stock

1/2 sweet potato cubed

1/2 brown rice

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1 lime

1 cup fresh spinach

In a large pot add first 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce to a low boil. Let cook for 30-45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Layer bottom of bowl with spinach leaves, then add soup to bowl. Add lime juice as desired on top of soup. Allow spinach to soften from heat and enjoy! 

My little man wasn't so sure we would make it this week when anything goes... But no worries we are all on the mend!

"Lord, thank you for our good health and for healing in our family. I pray for those that are battling all kinds of illnesses, that you would be their ultimate Comforter and Healer. We put our weaknesses in Your hands, the great Physician. In Jesus name, Amen"

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV

What's Cooking Y'all {Saturday Treat}

What's Cooking Y'all {Saturday Treat}

I can assure you that this treat is what is cooking in my oven every Saturday morning, until I run out! I can't make a trip to Costco in the fall without buying a box, it's that good. Happy Saturday y'all! 

Recipe {Lasagna}

Today I am sharing one of my all time favorite go to recipes! I think lasagna gets a bad name because it can be complicated. Well give this one a try, it is GOOD and pretty easy. I originally acquired this recipe in college when I made a cookbook for my sorority. It has changed a lot over the years and I think just gotten better!! Depending how healthy you want to be this can be tweaked many different ways. So here it goes... 

Recipe {Lasagna} 

1 lb ground turkey meat (or ground beef but I think it's best with turkey) 

1 med. onion

2- 8 oz cans tomato sauce 

Favorite seasonings (my go-tos: garlic powder, fresh basil, sea salt and red pepper flakes)

2 Zucchini (or substitute with oven ready lasagna noodles) 

1- 16 oz cottage cheese 

1- 16 oz package mozzarella cheese

1 cup parmesan cheese  

1 cup fresh spinach (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Soften onions in a little olive oil, then brown meat. Drain. Add tomato sauce and season to taste. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. 

Layer bottom of your pan with zucchini or noodles and spinach (optional). Next layer with meat sauce. Add cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and then mozzarella as a layer. Repeat.

Cook for 45-60 minutes or until browned. Enjoy! 

I have noticed that I end up with a lot of juice when I cook with zucchini, so you may want to eat with a spoon. But it's so good it won't matter! 

Fall Family Fun

Today I was reminded of how blessed we are to live in the community that we do. Our neighborhood had a fall festival and it was pretty awesome! Here are a few pictures from our fall family fun day!

Best we could do for a family shot! 

With my little man in the pumpkin patch! 

My boys talking about the animals in the petting zoo. 

Picking his pumpkin, such a sweet face. 

"Lord, thank you for our community. We are so thankful to have the people and opportunities all around where we live. I pray that others would be able to find a place to call home with great community surrounding them. It is our prayer that we would be able to serve and minister in our own community. Thank you for this opportunity to glorify You! In Jesus name, Amen."

Phone a friend

One of the best pieces of advice I got as a new mom was to get out and meet other moms. I have tried to take this to heart and make new friends, to step outside of my comfort zone. Y'all, it has been so rewarding to take that step! I decided to join the moms club in our neighborhood and at the first meeting I decided to introduce myself to another mom that was pregnant at the time. She is one of my dearest mommy friends right now! I am truly blessed by our regular walks, double dates (plus kids) and having a companion for neighborhood events. Plus she even surprised me with two of my best friends for a birthday dinner. 

Recently I was going through my Facebook feed and noticed a post about someone I knew moving back to Houston. She has a little boy that is 5 months younger than Doak so I decided to reach out to her. We knew each other in high school but we weren't really friends, just friends with some of the same people. Y'all, I am so thankful that I reached out! We have been having so much fun planning activities for our boys and of course for us to get to just hang out. Our boys even have a hashtag {#adventuresofdoakandmac} how awesome is that!! 

I wanted to share these stories not as a pat on the back for myself but to encourage you to reach out. Pick up the phone and call, text or message a friend or someone you think might need a friend! We all need a new friend or a little "just thinking of you" in our life. I'm sure the person receiving the reach out won't be the only one to be blessed by it! Be bold, let's step out of our box and make some new friends! Disclaimer: I love and cherish my "old" friends just as much, you know who you are. 

"Lord, thank you for friends! Help us to be bold to make new friends or just to reach out to friends that have been around for a while. Thank you for friends that we get to do life with and for sweet times of fellowship! I pray for each one of my amazing friends, that they would know they are loved and pray for blessings over them. In Jesus name, Amen!"

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. -Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NASB

Recipe {Oatmeal Pancakes}

I am working on cleaning up our eating in the Mc house. During my latest Advocare 24 Day Challenge I needed a healthy breakfast option to curb the cravings. I tweaked this recipe a little from one I got from my sister in law (thanks for sharing KC) that she was giving to my one year old niece. She LOVED them so of course we had to try too. Y'all these are a new favorite in our house. I wanted it to have a little more protein and just love the addition of this pumpkin pie spice that I heard on The Chew. I have found they do better flipping if I make them smaller... My first one was very big and a huge fail! 

{Oatmeal Pancakes}

2 bananas

2 cups oatmeal

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Dash sea salt

1 or 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend 

Mix all ingredients and cook in a little coconut oil on a stovetop griddle or skillet. 

Enjoy with peanut butter, honey or just on their own like we do around here! 

"Lord, help us to remember that our bodies are Yours and a vessel to serve You. Give us the strength to make wise choices when it comes to fueling our bodies. Thank you for always providing food for us, I pray we would use it to glorify You. In Jesus name, Amen."

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 1Cor 6:19-20 (NASB)