tasty thursday

Crockpot Jumbalaya

{chicken shrimp and sausage} 

*This dish is semi-pricey because it has chicken shrimp and sausage in it.  But it makes a TON so you can freeze or share with neighbors (which is what I did)! It is absolutely worth every penny & so easy!

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 lb smoked sausage (cut into 2 inch slices) 

1 large onion; chopped

1 large green bell pepper; seeded/chopped

3 stalks celery; chopped

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice

3 cloves garlic; chopped

2 cups chicken broth 

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp oregano

1 lb extra large shrimp (peeled/deveined) 

1 3/4 cup long-grain rice

parsley (to top dish with)

Combine chicken, sausage, onion, green bell pepper, celery, tomatoes, garlic, chicken broth, thyme and oregano in a crock pot (slow cooker).  Cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours.  Add shrimp and rice; and cook on HIGH for 1 additional hour.  (You may cook rice before putting in and cook on high for 30 additional minutes instead of an addition hour to speed up the process).  Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve!

Enjoy!

Thanks for walking with us,

JL

tasty thursday

Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken

2 cups panko crumbs

2 cups pretzel crumbs

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup dijon mustard

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons red wine vineyard

salt/pepper

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup flour 

Preheat Oven to 400.  Lightly grease with oil a large non stick baking sheet.  

In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the panko crumbs until lightly golden (stirring constantly).  Remove from pan and allow to cool.

In a food processor (or blender), pulse the pretzels until coarsely ground (small crumbs with some small pretzel pieces) then add them to a medium bowl and mix with the toasted panko crumbs.  Wipe any excess crumbs out of the food processor.  

Add the oil, mustard, honey, water, and vinegar to the food processor and pulse until smooth.  Season with salt/pepper.  Taste and adjust the flavor to suit your own tastes by adding more mustard or honey.  

Pound your chicken breasts to an even thickness using a mallet.  Season with salt/pepper.

Set up your dredging station: 

Pour half of the dressing into a large (but shallow) bowl/dish, and put your flour on a large plate.  Add half the pretzel mixture to a large shallow bowl/dish (and add the remaining half pretzel crumbs to the dish as needed).  

Working one a time (and using tongs), dredge the chicken in the flour then into the dressing allowing excess to drip off before rolling/dipping it into the pretzel crumbs (patting them on if needed).  

Place chicken on greased baking sheet and baked 16-25 minutes (depending on thickness/size) or until cooked through.  Internal temp should be 165-174 degrees.  

Let chicken sit 5 minutes before serving (and drizzle the remaining honey mustard dressing overtop).  

Amazing dish; Enjoy!

Thanks for walking with us,

JL

the glory in generosity

Don't you love when you go to church (bible study, small group, fellowship with friends, etc) and God just speaks RIGHT to your heart?  You know...the type of message that you suddenly look around the room wondering if you, in fact, are the only one sitting there and God is speaking straight to you.  I LOVE when that happens.  It's just incredible that He knows whats on our hearts at all times without us even having to say a word.

I was on call this past weekend (I work for a family with 2 doctors; who were both on call - thus making me on call).  I ended up having to go in early on Sunday morning, which meant John was going to go to church alone.  (I'm only on call every 2 months or so, so this rarely happens).  Around 8:30am, my boss called to tell me she was already done and headed home.  Shocked and super excited to be done by 9am, I called John to let him know I'd be able to make the early service with him at 9!  We showed up about 5 minutes late, but we were there nonetheless...and together.

Let me just give you a (somewhat personal) preface to our week.  It's been on my heart to write this post, though a bit personal.  John and I have recently just joined our church, Chapelgate Presbyterian.  Over the past few months while attending but not yet members, John and I have just done our tithing when we have cash or a check at church.  We hadn't yet declared giving regularly, what, etc.  Once we joined last month, John and I were talking about it at home and there was really not a whole lot of "discussing" to it.  He said that we needed to figure out what our total joint-salary income was between the two of us (which we did while sitting there) and then figured out what 10% of that was; for the word calls of this from us.  After calculating the total amount,  I hate to admit it, but I selfishly, automatically said something along the lines of that is far too much for us right now.  With our mortgage, bills, trying to save as a young married couple, etc etc etc.  HOW SELFISH.  I only wish I had realized how completely terrible this was at that time.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I did but tried to justify my thoughts with excuses.  John was quick to point out that "Jackie-Lane, none of this is ours in the first place.  God is letting us keep 90%. 90%!"

At that time, we went online and booked our weekly pledge to our church.  10%.  Though, I must say I was still feeling financially stressed to have another major "bill" added to our monthly expenses.

For the word says in Psalm 24:1, "the Earth is the Lord's and its fullness; the world and those who dwell therein."  Truth.  Everything we have is Gods.  Our home, our finances, it's all His.  He has blessed us GREATLY and complaining about just giving back 10% of what is His? Talk about disappointed in yourself for feeling so greedy and selfish.

On Sunday, while we were sitting at church, Mike (our pastor) began preaching on this VERY topic that has been fresh in our conversations at home recently.  It was as if God was looking straight at me the entire time and speaking into only my ear (though I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way - or at least I hope!)  In the sermon, our pastor referred to 2 Corinthians 9:7, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly, or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."  I was initially giving under reluctance.  I didn't feel "cheerful" as I gave.  How selfish. again.  As I walked away inspired from the message, inspired to give more!, and inspired to give generously and cheerfully, I smiled.  Lord Jesus, thank you for what you've given me and please do what you want with the finances you've blessed us with.  May you take it and do your will with it and richly bless our church.  I pray that you will continue to melt my heart with generosity, for I know you love a cheerful giver.

Friends, I inspire you to do some soul-searching as I have done and will continue to do.  Where are our priorities?  Where is your heart?

After all, none of it is ours to begin with.

Thanks for walking with us,
JL

tasty thursday

Pork Chops 

{with Country Gravy}

1/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage

4 (4 ounce) boneless center cut loin pork chops

1 tablespoon butter

1.5 cups milk

Place flour, salt, dried marjoram, dried thyme, and dried rubbed sage in a shallow dish.  Mix well.  

Dredge pork in flour mixture, turning to coat; shake off excess and reserve remaining flour mixture for later.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add pork to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side (until browned).  Reduce heat, and cook for 10 more minutes (or until done) turning pork once during that time frame.  Remove pork from pan; keep warm.  

Combine reserved flour mixture and milk in a small bowl; stirring with a whisk until blended.  Add milk mixture to pan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Serve with chops.

Enjoy!

Thanks for walking with us,

JL

Yates & Kara's Engagement

He Asked, She said YES!

Renee Sprink Photography

Yesterday, my brother proposed to the love of his life, Kara, at our family farm.  Yates thought of every last detail including lanterns hanging from trees, polaroid pictures strung with burlap string to hang between trees, candles, a new Bible engraved with "Kara E. Creech", hired Renee Sprink Photography,  and did I forget a ginormous rock? It was all SO perfect.  

Both Kara's family and our family were all hiding in different places around the farm and watched the entire thing take place (she had no clue!) At the end, we all came running out and have a big love-fest. Renee was there to capture the entire thing with her amazing talent and work.  

We celebrated with a big family cookout afterwards (shout out to mom and dad for having us all at the farm and feeding us!) It was great fun.

Since my brother Yates hired Renee Sprink Photography to capture the special highlights, moments and details of his proposal to Kara yesterday, it saves me all the work! Please click the link below to see ALL of the photos from start to finish (all taken by RS Photography).  Also - see Yates and Kara featured on the Renee Sprink Photography blog today!

The amazing Photographer, Renee Sprink

RSPhotography Blog Post: http://www.reneesprinkphotography.com/raleigh-proposal-story-yates-kara/

RSPhotography Photo Collection from the Day: http://reneesprink.pass.us/reneesprinkphotography/

CONGRATULATIONS YATES & KARA! So happy to be gaining a BEAUTIFUL sister-in-law, inside and out! XOOXOX

Thanks for walking with us,
JL

june the second - one year anniversary

June the Second.

What a special day this will always be.

6.2.2012 :: The day I became one with my soul mater, my lover, and my best friend.  The day we exchanged vows before God and our family and friends to love each other all the days of our lives.  The day I realized I will never be alone again.  The day I danced so hard our guests thought I may pass out, the day I sang 'brick house' on the microphone with our band SO loud our guests probably thought I was wasted (yet, had not a lick of alcohol except the champagne toast at our cake cutting, and the day that we drove away my uncle's bentley and arrived at our honeymoon night destination that we.....well. You know; that too. ;)

6.2.2013 :: We celebrated our first year of marriage! Wow how the time flew by.  I became extremely sentimental and emotional on our first anniversary; which came to a surprise for me.  I wasn't expecting it yet every time we looked at the clock, we would say "at this time last year we were......" and reminisced on our entire wedding day that way.  How fun it was to look back through wedding pictures (heck we do that everyday anyways) - and talk about all of our fun times and memories.  I love finding out little things that happened on that day that I was either blind to or was strictly kept hidden from me in order to maintain my cool composure.  SUCH AS, my precious brother in law, Brian, who traveled with my sister and their 4 children from Asheville for the wedding.  Their family just recently 'came clean' and confessed that somehow, his pants to his groomsmen suit got left behind at their home (4 hours away).  Oh, and did I mention he realized this roughly 1.5 hours before he was supposed to be at the church for pictures?  AND the suits were navy, which is very hard to match and can show up different shades in pictures!   Well, he and Andrea made an emergency trip to Belk and found a pair of pants that were so perfect, I would've never known.  Oh, how this story made me laugh (but would've made me cry had I known that day!) Oh yeah....and they instructed their four children that "Aunt Jackene will NEVER know about this incident...okay?" And every single one of them kept their secret ;)

In order to celebrate our one year anniversary, John planned a surprise overnight getaway to The Jefferson hotel in Richmond, Virginia.  It was about 2.5 hours away which was just far enough to feel like we were getting away, but not too bad of a drive (we are driving pros, btw, after dating long distance for 2 years, and having ALL of our family 5-10 hours away).  So 2.5 hours? Pssh....that's just like driving to the grocery store for us!

This. hotel. was. amazing.  It is rated one of the top 5-star hotels in the country.  Once you pull up, you see why immediately.  It was founded in 1895 and is very historic.  The architecture, building, layout, and artwork is stunning.  Not to mention the dining experience we had at the hotel restaurant.  To. die. for. The experience start to finish was better than any one year celebration I could've imagined.  So nice to get away. So romantic. So relaxing.  What a good man I have.  (Shout out to Aunt Ruthie and Uncle Jeff for watching Noe while we were gone!)

On Sunday night, once we returned from our trip, we pulled out the top tier of our wedding cake from the freezer and did a cake tasting - one year later.  It was actually still very good! Our cake was almond amaretto (SO good) and was still very m-o-i-s-t (you all know I have to spell that).  Not dry at all (though it did have a tiny bit of refrigerated taste).  We toasted with a bottle of wine (that was given to me with a collection of other "firsts" to celebrate by my Meredith girlfriends (shout out to Syd, Cash, Kathryn, Jodi, Katie, Ashley, and Hannah!) It was labeled our "first anniversary" bottle (among others were, first fight, first dinner party, wedding night, first christmas, etc).  It has been SUCH a fun gift that just goes on and on! Though I am sad to say we are down to ONE bottle left....The baby bottle.  So that one is safely tucked away in the cabinet for a while longer :)

Overall, it was a fun and joyous day to celebrate.  We are so blessed - beyond measure.

Thanks for walking with us,
JL