Homemade Chicken Soup

I'm not feeling so hot today and it made me think about my own homemade chicken soup because, I must admit, it's pretty delicious.  This all happened by accident almost 4 years ago. I had just started dating and he came over my house but wasn't feeling very well.  So I told him to relax and I would take care of him.  Anyway I got a wild hair and decided to make some homemade chicken soup.  Now I'd never made chicken soup before, nor did I know the ingredients so I was flying blind.  I was determined it was gonna be a fun creation though lol.  He didn't know it at the time, but he was gonna be my sick guinea pig ha!  Hey, don't judge me he's still alive lol!  ANYWAY...here we go:

What you'll need:
5-6 boneless chicken thigh pieces *you can also use breast, I'm just not a fan*
1-2 stalks (or bunches) of celery
3 carrots *you can have more I'm just not a fan of cooked carrots*
1 yellow squash *optional*
1 zucchini *optional*  
Chicken Stock - 2 cups
Package of noodles *I use the swirly egg noodles, but it's really dealers choice*
Salt 
Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Onion Powder 
Chili Powder *optional* 
Olive Oil

Step 1: Prep

• Dice the chicken into medium sized pieces
• Dice the celery into medium-small pieces
• Peel and slice carrots, squash & zucchini
• Season the meat with salt, pepper & onion powder

 Step 2:

• Put the chicken in a pot on high and let it start to brown make sure it's being frequently stirred so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot
• Before it browns completely, pour in the chicken stock and continue to stir
• Toss in the veggies and mix them in 
• Fill the pot the rest of the way with hot water until its about 3/4 full
• Mix in a teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• Put the top on and reduce heat to medium (on the high side)
• Let it cook for about 30 minutes
• Check on it and stir occasionally 

Step 3:

• After 30 minutes remove the lid and stir
• Mix in 1tsp pepper
• Mix in 1TBS salt
• Mix in 1TBS onion powder
• Add a dash a chili powder *optional*
• Place lid back on the pot and reduce heat to medium-low
• Let it cook for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally

Step 4:

• While the soup is cooking put on a pot of water to boil for your noodles
• Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the water (helps the noodles not stick)
• Once the water begins to boil add your noodles and stir
• Let them cook for about 10 minutes on high stirring occasionally 
• Drain the noodles and put them aside

Step 5:

• After 20  minutes, remove the lid from soup and stir
• Add drained noodles to the soup and mix them in well
• Reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 5 minutes.  
• Remove from heat 
• Enjoy :)

*Notes: You can use chicken on the bone, but if you do - do not use chicken stock.  Chicken on the bone makes its own broth.  However, it does make for a "greasy" broth

Please share, Pin, Tweet or whatever if you like this recipe.  And drop me a note if you try it.  Hope you enjoy :).

Confessions of a Chubby Chick: Entry 4 **The getting dressed workout**

Sooooo...(In the tune of "My Favorite Things - Sound of Music) Control tops and plus size and slimmers a plenty; tight shaper panties oh gosh there's so many; tucking and squeezing; breath holding and pleading...these are a few of my favortie things!  Yeah that is my chubby chick getting dressed theme song. 
So I bought a new slimmer yesterday.  I have one that is like a tank top thingy and it gives my bust a lift - not that I need more attention on my watermelons - and it slims my waist a little and tucks my tummy in a bit.  You know tightening up the squishy parts.  Well I decided to get a pair of the slimmer shorts that tighten the booty and firm the thighs a bit - although I must say I do have pretty toned thighs.  Anyway, I got home yesterday and was changing because I had a meeting to go to at church.  So I decided to give this new slimmer a try, no harm in that right?  Wrong!
So I start putting it on and no problem legs slip in and okay cool...well as I start pulling that sucker up it gets stuck at my butt!  It was like the slimmer put on its proverbial breaks and the fight was on (geesh it's getting hot in here)! I tugged and pulled and jumped and screamed and finally...moved an inch. Wash rinse repeat for about 15 minutes and finally SUCCESS (Geesh it's really hot in here I'm sweating like crazy)! So I walk and pull my jeans out of the dryer and wouldn't you know it the jeans shrunk! (It's really getting hotter by the minute) I hate it when that happens! So I pull my jeans up and proceeded to try and button them up...and then the fight happened. So I hopped on one foot, barked like a dog...just kidding. I sucked in all the air I could possibly suck in, said a chubby girl prayer and VOILA! Put on a cute top and I was ready to go (is the air even on? I'm melting).
So I go check the air because it has to be about 90 degrees in the house. Yeah it's 72 in the house and normally I have a blanket over me at 73 so what's the deal? Anyway, I turned the air down to 69 degrees because clearly the air wasn't working correctly or something. I swear I needed another shower by the time I finished getting dressed, but I settled for trying to cool down with the air lower and me sitting still. Uh oh, I forgot all about sitting down.  After about 10 minutes of trying to find a way to comfortably sit, I was hotter than Texas in the Summer time! Still, I finally found a comfortable position (yeah good luck driving) and was trying to relax before I left.
 I figured I must have done something really mean to the universe because just as I'm getting settled I have to pee! Um I'm sorry what? You want me to peel this stuff off and start all over again? Maybe I can just hold it...nope won't work for long. Okay here we go. By the time I finished I didn't have it in me to do the spanks dance and I took em off. Whatev! I stuck to my bust booster slimmer and put on me jeans and called it a night. Yeah not trying that one again. Move over Zumba...That was a freakin work out!

Pork Loin Chops & Cheesy Potato Bake

I'm always up for a new recipe.  I found a great deal at Stater Bros. on some pork loin chops yesterday so I grabbed them to cook for dinner last night.  Ask me if I knew what to do with them....Go on I'll wait - yeah sooo No.  Anyway, I found a killer recipe online - well not literally killer let's change that to yummy.  I found a yummy looking recipe online and decided to give it a shot.  In true 'Me" - I have trouble following directions - fashion I had to tweak it to make it my own.  I like seasoned stuff so when something doesn't appear to have enough seasoning, I do my own thang :).  It came out pretty good and 'M' had seconds so I was happy and full!  Here we go...

What you'll need:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
salt
pepper
onion powder (optional)
cayenne pepper (optional)
garlic powder (optional)
5 - 6 boneless pork loin chops *you can alter depending on how many folks your cooking for*
6 medium sized potatoes sliced
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter *okay to use a little over 1/2 cup*
Shredded Cheese
Vegetable oil

Step 1: Prep

• Pre-heat the oven to 350
• Mix the flour, salt, pepper and other seasonings in a small bowl and set aside.  *Note: I didn't put a specific amount for the seasonings because you can do it to taste.  for the flour mix I suggest about 3 TBS of salt and 1 1/2 TBS of pepper.  If you use the other seasonings use about 2 tsp of each.* 
• 
• Use the salt, pepper & other seasonings to season the chops to taste and set them aside in a container. 
• 
• Slice the potatoes *Note: I add a little pepper and salt to the potatoes as well since they absorb salt.*
• 

Step 2:

• Brown the chops in a skillet...don't cook all the way through, just brown them on the outside
• 
• Heat the milk up until it's steaming and melt the butter - put them in a container together
• Place the chops in an oven safe pan/dish
• Add a layer of the potatoes and then sprinkle some the flour mix over the first layer
• Add another layer of potatoes and sprinkle the remaining flour mix over the top
• 
• Pour the hot milk and butter mixture over the meat and potatoes making sure everything is submerged as much as possible
• 

Step 3:

• Place in the oven for 45 minutes - uncovered
• Check it a few times to make sure the flour is thickening and the liquid will start to boil a bit.

Step 4:

• After 45 minutes open the oven and sprinkle shredded cheese over the top.  We love cheese in my house so I use a lot, but it's at your discretion of course.
• Close the oven and cook for another 15 minutes
• It's okay if it gets a little brown around the edges...it's still yumm!

Step 5:

• Remove from the oven let it stand for about 5 minutes
• Enjoy :)
• 

Please be sure to pin, tweet, comment, follow and all that good stuff if you like and/or try this recipe.  Let me know how it works for you and if you did anything to tweak it and make it your own.  Hope y'all enjoy it :)

Confessions of a Chubby Chick: Entry 2 **Fat Girl Friday**

Yeah you heard it here first folks!  Fat girl Friday is in full effect.  Here's the way I see things, if I deprive myself of foods that I really want all I'm going to do is focus more on the fact that I can't have them.  Kinda like when you don't have to pee and then you find out the bathroom is closed for cleaning and now all of a sudden you have to go...yeah its like that lol.  ANYWAY, I dubbed my Friday's "Fat Girl Friday" because that is my veg out day and I eat what I wanna :).  I generally still eat in moderation of course (a little junk food at a time every hour on the hour) but I enjoy every pound of it.  So far I'm about 5lbs down...I'm not sure about the inches, but I do know my jean capris are hugging me nicely today (oh yeah I said it)!  And the tights that I wear - because I often hate having to wear real pants - are not so tight anymore.  I'm getting fat girl slim.  You know that awkward stage between "Oh wow you're really fat" and "Oh wow you're still chunky but it's toning out" yeah I'm there. 
I was in the break room the other day and a co-worker/friend of mine was talking about the weight that I lost.  I said to her that I was looking at a few old pics of myself and it was nice to see a difference.  She said "yeah girl I know...you were fat!  I mean your stomach was really big..." okay you  can stop now.  Gotta love friends...she means well and we know eachother enough for me not to want to bit her head off for that...so it was funny to me. 
Seriously though, I love having friends around me that will tell me the truth.  If you are a chubby girl you know for a fact you should wear certain things and so do your friends.  Like if I try to go out on a mid drift, I want my friends to clothes line stop me and ask me what the heck I'm thinking lol.  It's cool to have confidence, but please have some sense along with that confidence honey! 
So all I basically wanted to say in this post is that it's important not to start and completely deprive yourself of things because it is a sure fire set up for failure, in my opinion.  Do it in moderation, don't go overboard but enjoy life even as you work towards getting healthy.  Life will go on if you have a bit of that snickers.  Even in my quest to drink nothing but water, I'll take a sip of 'M's' punch or Kool-Aid every now and then so that I'm not tempted to go crazy with it.  Mine is pasta and ice cream.  What is your guilty pleasure?  Happy dieting lifesyle changing and Happy Friday Friends :)

Tell Me a Secret Thursday: Round 1

Got this idea from Rasha.

This is a chance to anonymously share some secrets you've been keeping to yourself. They can be small secrets, big secrets, scary secrets, juicy secrets, depressing secrets...There's no judging, anything and everything is valid.

In case your new around here, or just simply forgot the rules here's how it works:

1) This is open to anyone who wants to participate, from regular follower to casual visitor.

2) Post a secret anonymously, no names please.

3) I don't plan to censor content or language. However I do reserve the right to remove anything which appears to be posted with the sole intent of offending.

4) I am doing this because I know we all have secrets to hide, we all need someone to listen, and we all need to know that someone is going through something similar.

5) and remember... one of these secrets, will be mine.

So leave your secret below... for everyone knows, we all have one.

Grown Women Vs Girls



Girls leave their schedule wide-open and wait for a guy to call and make plans.

Grown women make their own plans and nicely tell the guy to get in where he fits

Girls want to control the man in their life.

Grown women know that if he’s truly hers, he doesn’t need controlling.

Girls check you for not calling them.

Grown women are too busy to realize you hadn’t.

Girls are afraid to be alone.

Grown women revel in it-using it as a time for personal growth.

Girls ignore the good guys.

Grown women ignore the bad guys.

Girls make you come home.

Grown women make you want to come home.

Girls worry about not being pretty and/or good enough for their man.

Grown women know that they are pretty and/or good enough for any man.

Girls try to monopolize all their man’s time (i.e., don’t want him hanging with his friends).

Grown women realize that a lil’ bit of space makes the ‘together time’ even more special-and goes to kick it with her own friends!

Girls think a guy crying is weak.

Grown women offer their shoulder and a tissue.

Girls want to be spoiled and ‘tell’ their man so.

Grown women ‘show’ him and make him comfortable enough to reciprocate without fear of losing his ‘manhood’.

Girls get hurt by one man and make all men pay for it.

Grown women know that that was just one man.

Girls fall in love and chase aimlessly after the object of their affection, ignoring all ‘signs’.

Grown women know that sometimes the one you love, doesn’t always love you back-and move on, without bitterness.

Girls will read this and get an attitude.

Grown women will read this and pass it on to other Grown women and their male friends”. Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

I've seen this a few times and I love it everytime I read it.  In a perfect world a woman wouldn't trip about any of this stuff.  As perfect as we like to apprear ladies, let's be real; we're not!  Nonetheless, this is a good outline to follow.  Don't sweat the small stuff.  Don't try to make your man do something...make him want to do it. 

Now, my grandma used to say "a closed mouth won't get fed!" So let's be clear; I'm not saying don't speak up and tell your man (or anyone else for that matter) what you want, desire, demand, etc.  I am saying don't try to force or guilt him into it.  This was one of my favorite things to do.  I'll admit I was a big brat!  If you ask 'M' I'm sure he'll tell you I still can be at times.  We're females and allowed to be sometimes right ;).  ANYWAY...I felt so out of control if I wasn't getting my way or things weren't going exactly as I planned them.  If I didn't want to do something I would pout and ruin everyone elses time etc.  It's time to get out of that mentality. 

Every female out there is always so quick to talk about being grown, and putting on big girl panties and being a woman and blah blah blah.  Ladies age doesn't make you grown nor does experience.  Menatlity makes you grown, decisions make you grown and lessons you take away from life's experiences make you grown.  I pray that every female reading this grown or not...has a woman or two in her life or has had a woman or two in her life that has guided her with love and non-judgemental advice.

Every self proclaimed grown woman out there - make sure you take on a mentee.  Shining your grown nose down on someone makes you juvenile and you should probably re-think what it means to be grown.  Guide and love one another...don't judge. 

Southern Cabbage and Rice

Sooooo I LOVE cabbage!  It has always been one of my favorite dishes.  When I was little my grandparents would always make my my favorite foods for my birthday and I would ask for Cabbage & Rice (can't nobody do it like my grandma) and these loaded potatoes (can't nobody do it like my grandpa).  Well since I'm grown and I have a man that I like to cook for (when he lets me because he's a chef lol).  I've been working on new dishes to make that I know he'll love.  He's a southern man to the bone.  Country boy all day...even when he tries to hide it.  I love that about him...he's truly a gentleman and proves that chivalry is NOT dead - well not for me since I'm with him.  But that's another blog soon to come.

Back to the food!  So I made some cabbage and rice a while back and it turned out to be a big hit.  Everyone makes it a little different and has their quirks.  I'll give you the basics of what I did and my little tweaks to make it perfect for 'M' but feel free to tweak it however you see fit.

Here's what you'll need:
Cabbage (2 Heads serves about 4-6 people)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Pepper
Salt
Butter
Chicken Broth
Bacon or a smoked meat for seasoning
Rice

Step 1: 

• Cut the cabbage in quarters and then cut it into about 4 or so sections from there.  Cut the hard white center out and toss it.  Put the cut cabbage in a strainer rinse it and let it sit for a minute. 
• Cut about a pound of bacon into 1" pieces.  *I use applewood and pepper bacon because 'M' loves those but you can use salt pork, pig feet or whatever you'd like to use.*
• Put the bacon in a fairly large pot to brown it. Stir it and make sure all of it browns and you can see some of the juices running out in the pot.  This will help for flavor. 

Step 2:

• Once the bacon has browned start adding the cabbage to the pot.  It will fill the pot upand may stick out a little.  That's fine as long as you can press the lid down over it. 
• Add about 3/4 can of chicken broth per 2 heads of lettuce you use.  Then add about a 1/2 cup of water.  Cover and let it simmer for about 10 minutes minutes on medium high.

Step 3: 

• Once it's simmered for about 5 minutes remove the lid and start seasoning the cabbage.  There's no right or wrong (unless you over do it lol) way to season.  You do it to taste.  Start with about about a tablespoon of all the dry seasons and 2 tablespoons of butter.  
• Stir the cabbage (as much as possible...the pot is still looking full) and try to mix some of the bacon into the cabbage.  Cover the pot again and let it simmer another 10 minutes still on medium high.

Step 4:

• Check on the cabbage and throw some more dry season in the mix.  I do about another tablespoon of everything except pepper (maybe a dash here and there of pepper, but don't over do it). 
• Stir it up some more and get the bacon mixed in more.  
• At this point the cabbage should be getting more limp and easier to stir and mix all the goodness together.  
• Turn the fire down to medium and cover the pot. 
• Let the cabbage simmer about another 15 minutes stirring occasionally.  
• Once it's nice and limp turn the fire down to low and add more seasoning if you like.

Step 5: 

• Cook your rice and serve the cabbage over the rice.  
• Regular white rice or Jasmine rice is the best with this.  *I'm old school and I like to make my rice on the stove...but a rice cooker is cool too :)
• Enjoy :)

Please pin, tweet, FB or share somewhere if you liked this recipe :).  Comment and let me know if you try it, plan to try it, tweak it or have any questions.  Feedback is much appreciated :)

Pay it Forward

{x}

Have you heard of this little blog project?

Domestically Unemployed introduced me to the concept over on her blog, + I decided to join.

You should too.

Here’s how it works:

The first three people to comment on this post will receive a gift, a little something from me to you.

The fine print:

– I’ll create something special to share with the first three people to comment on this post.

– In order to receive your present you have to play along.

Spread the love on your own blog promising to send a little special something to the first three

people who comment on your post.

– You get 72 hours to re-post, or I’ll have to move on to the next person.

So lets keep this love chain going ok?

-K

Confessions of a Chubby Chick: Entry 1 **I'm chubby**

So at the beginning of the year I started an amazing lifestyle change and I lost a significant amout of weight.  The second week of January I weighed 285 pounds (OMG no she didn't just put her business all out there like that!) and by my 30th birthday (weight and age what is her problem) I weighed 250 pounds!  I still had a long way to go because that is still chubby y'all.  I'm only saying chubby because 'M' hated to hear me call myself fat and he loves the way I look and you know all the wonderful things your man is programmed to tell you when he really loves you lol.  Granted I'm pretty confident that he means it because he treats me like a queen and spoils me with affection and attention.  But the fact of the matter is, as my waist line formed - because this fat chubby chick didn't have one for a while - my confidence resurfaced.  A couple chins disappeared and I could fit into some of my old work clothes.  Then the compliments came in...granted hearing a compliment from another guy isn't really flattering for me because my baby loves me and I'm straight on any other dudes trying to mac (wow who says that anymore!).  But when females compliment you and it's genuine, you know you're dong something right.  Lets face it ladies, we do NOT waste compliments on other women.  Especially if there's a chance they're looking better than you.  Listen honey, I said I'm chubby not ugly...I know I'm fly (she is so full of herself OMG!)! 
So fast forward a few months, my asthma and allergies started acting up again and I had to go back on some steroids for my lungs and along came pounds.  More belly fat than anything - I look like I'm 12 months pregnant - and it was a bit deflating.  Like I have semi regular chick legs and dunlap syndrome.  Time to bust out the spanks for a while lol.  Anyway, I've made a decision to go back to maintaing the lifestyle change that was working so well for me and lose the weight I re gained and get down to my target size.  I haven't decided entirely what that is yet.  I don't want to be skinny, my man is a big guy and I like it that way.  What would he look like dating a chick who looks like she could use a sandwich or two lol.  I want to be thick enough but tone, firm and fit.  I've come to the realization that my boobs really aren't going anywhere.  I had to go get fitted for a bra and while the back strap got a little smaller I'm busting out of the biggest size that Lane Bryant carried (Double H here I come UGH).  While guys may not see this as a problem, ladies I'm sure you can respect having to lug 30lb boulders around on your chest all day! Anyway, I digress...
So yesterday I went back to drinking nothing but water with every meal.  For me, when I drink something flavored with a meal it encourages me to eat more.  Water brings a little blandness, even to the best meals, and gives me the little extra I need to stop when I'm satisfied.  Then I don't feel bad for overeating and I'm not all super bloated and wobbling around for the rest of the day.  I also started counting calories again.  Not really hard, I have a profile on this website called My Fitness Pal and I just plug in what I ate for the day and it tells me how I did.  It tells me how much I will weigh in 5 weeks if I stay at that daily rate and so on and so forth.  I love it.  I've been absent from it for a couple months, but I'm getting back on track now.  I've made a lot of friends, you can find work out buddies and there's never a lack of encouragement.  If anyone sets up a profile look for me.  My screen name is FaithfulSmiles82.  I will be happy to be an encouragement! 
Since I'm not in enough shape to start playing soccer again, I love to Zumba and dance.  I have an Xbox Kinect at home and I love to do it in my living room because I don't have to watch all the experienced Zumba chicks show off while I'm on my last breath to keep up in the first 15 minutes.  I do like to hit the class in the gym once in a while though because the right instructor really pumps you up.  I'll be ready again soon. 
Any other ideas that anyone has to contribute would be greatly appreciated.  Or if you have questions I would be happy to share more tips and such.  I'll keep you updated with the Chubby Chick Chronicles :)