Recipe Review: Coconut Lime Chicken Skillet

I've been working on trying to remember to cook with my cast iron skillet more often, so when I saw this recipe I decided to give it a go.

It was pretty good! I didn't use the red chili pepper flakes (because I was out), and it definitely needed it. I used the optional turmeric, which is why the color goes a little funky part way through cooking. I didn't taste the turmeric very much, but it has a lot of good medicinal properties, so I use it in a lot of things.

You are supposed to pound out the chicken breasts and cook them most of the way through.

Then you set the chicken breasts aside and cook up the onions.

Then you add the coconut milk, broth and seasonings. Then you simmer for a while to reduce it, add some cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Add the chicken back in and cook for a few more minutes.

After it is all reduced and coked through, serve it over rice.

The only big change I would make to this recipe is to cook the chicken in chunks for time issues and ease of eating.

Get the full recipe here.

Motivational Monday: Sunshine

Have you ever met someone who just makes you feel better? Someone who is resilient in the face of all life's obstacles? Someone who is eager to see the good even when they are faced with the bad?

Think of that person in your life and send a little gratitude their way. A text, a call, a card. Something to tell them how much you appreciate the energy they put into the world. Because everyone, even the ones who bring sunshine to others, need encouragement, affirmation and appreciation even if they don't seek it out.

Happy Monday Everyone!

Housewife Life: Nighttime Routine Struggle

As you may have noticed from my post last yesterday, I struggle with cleaning my kitchen at night. I also struggle with a nighttime routine. When my husband gets home at night, I lose all motivation to do anything except hang out with him.

I realized this was a happiness stumbling block for me. See, a happiness stumbling block, according to Gretchen Rubin, is something internally or externally that gets in the way of your happiness and is fixable with some thought and action.

I recently admitted to this stumbling block and have made it a goal to figure out what I want out of a nighttime routine and begin implementing it.

Why do I want a nighttime routine?

My morning routine helps me start my day with a good attitude and sets me up to be incredibly productive. When I execute my morning routine, I am ready for the rest of my day by 9:30 and I have checked off about 6 goals for the day by 9:30. So I need a nighttime routine.

What do you do to set yourself up for success at night? What is an essential part of your nighttime routine?

Kitchen Tip: Go to Bed with a Clean Kitchen

It's not a new concept, but it something I struggle with a lot. As a morning person, my motivation tanks after dinner. Some nights its all I can do to wash my face and brush my teeth...and I'm supposed to clean the kitchen...I hate it.

But, when I wake up with a clean kitchen, it makes a WORLD of difference in my mood and motivation and it helps me to keep the kitchen clean all day.

So I challenge you to clean your kitchen before bed tonight and see if it helps you tomorrow. I will do it too.

Who's in?

Motivational Monday (Almost): Get Out of Your Own Way

Get out of your own way is particularly a good sentiment for me this week. I can't even relay what caused me to FORGET I was in the middle of this post and abandon it yesterday. I think the phone rang...

Insecurity is something that has held me back for years. Thinking I'm not good enough, or smart enough, or funny enough, or fun enough, or pretty enough, or Christian enough has stopped me in my tracks over and over and over. 

Over the past months, I have really worked on stepping outside of my comfort zone, forgetting my insecurities and going for it. And its working. I got my dream job, my bathroom is almost completely remodeled and I have a blog. 

So, get out of your own way. Stop holding yourself back. You will only regret the things you didn't try to do. 

Are you struggling with insecurities? Do you hold yourself back? Let's talk about it in the comments.

Housewife Life: 3 Facebook Etiquette Rules

Here it is. Just because Facebook is virtual, does not mean that what you do does not affect other people. It does. But Facebook seems to give people a license to be inconsiderate and I just don't understand it.

Facebook Etiquette Rule #1

If you hear that someone has died, lets say your uncle, DO NOT POST about that death until someone from your uncle's immediate family has posted or until the obituary has been published. 

If the immediate family hasn't posted...there is a reason.

A) They may still be notifying family.

B) They may just be too overwhelmed to deal with an onslaught of condolences. 

C) They may just want a quiet evening with their grief.

Facebook Etiquette Rule #2

When you see that a person you know has been in town because they were tagged by a person you do not know, this is not a place to start a conversation about how the person you know did not see them while they were in town.

As someone who lives away from where I grew up, I try very hard to see as many people as I can when I am home for any reason. Sometimes...often times...I can't see everyone. If I am home for a wedding, I will fit in breakfast, late night drinks, lunch, whatever with whomever I can, but that wedding is the most important thing I need to do. I'm very sorry if you are hurt I couldn't see you, but know that if I had anymore open slots that I could fit you in, I would have contacted you and you are at the top of my list for my next trip.

And someone else's Facebook post is not a place to air your discontent.

Facebook Etiquette Rule #3

No one else needs to know what is on your feed. I have had so many conversations about what people read on Facebook. And not the important things...the mundane things. So and so posted a meme about mornings. So and so had KFC for dinner. So and so went running again today. This is not a topic of conversation.

The only exceptions to this rule are marriages, births, deaths and big life news. That is totally acceptable to draw to other people's attentions. But no one else needs to know what you read while you were scrolling through the mundane. 

What makes you crazy about Facebook etiquette? Share below.

Motivational Monday: Show Up Anyways

No one is perfect.

That is hard to admit. I know I am not perfect, but through my year I have been striving toward perfection. I need to be the perfect wife, perfect friend, perfect daughter, perfect human.

I found a quote from Glennon Melton Doyle. She said " Be messy and complicated and afraid and show up anyways." This made me think about my striving for perfection.

During this time of transformation for myself, I realized I have been showing up. And you know what...showing up, with my imperfections flying, makes me a better person already.

No one is comfortable around someone who has it all together, but when you share an imperfection or an insecurity with the right people, it creates the strongest bond and the craziest memories.

Over the weekend, I took my mother-in-law to visit with her sisters-in law (is that grammatically correct???). We were sitting around the table and because she can never remember what things are called, I had to relay to the sisters-in-law (I'm going with it...confidence ;) ) what her issue is and they...in unison...all replied "I've got that". And we all giggled and hooted and it made the brother-in-law at the table BLUSH.

Sharing that intimate (and I mean intimate) fact, she created a bond with women she has known most of her life but has not felt connected to.

While that isn't my connection to my aunts-in-law, I will forever remember that laughing with those incredible women and my uncle-in-law blushing at the admission of all four of the women at the table (except me) admitting to that intimate detail

So, I urge you to join me and countless other women in showing up. We need you. And we need to stop faking perfection. No one is perfect, least of all me.

Happy Monday! What is a way you can show up for the women around you?

Housewife Life: Time Zone Craziness

One thing I did not anticipate in all of this travel was being so messed up by the time zone changes.

Two weeks ago, we were in Destin, which was on Central time zone, but since it was vacation, we stayed up late and got up late. Last week, I was in Las Vegas, which is two hours behind my home time zone, but because of vacation, it did not affect us in any way...until we came home.

We are in bed by 10 every night if we are at home. During the week, we get up at 5. On weekends, we sleep until we feel like getting up. After two weeks of travel, we could not go to bed until 11:30 at the earliest...which had us sleeping until after 9 AM...which perpetuated the cycle.

Sigh. The problems of a traveler.

To make matters even more crazy, as soon as I started to readjust to my home time zone, I left again and am currently in Eastern time, which is one hour ahead of Central. Going to bed last night was SO HARD.

But I know that tonight will be easier...I hope anyway...

What's in my Carry-On?

I find it so interesting to see what other people consider necessary to pack in their carry-on when they are flying, so I wanted to share my list with you.

When I fly, my carry-ons are a laptop backpack and a Travelon underseater roller bag.

In my backpack, I pack my laptop and the things I anticipate needing to be able to reach on the flight or before the flight.

In my Travelon bag, I pack things I must have when I arrive at my location if my checked bag does not arrive with me.

My Backpack
1. My liquids bag (deodorant, difficult to replace makeup items, a small bottle of lotion, a Tide pen, chapstick and eye drops)
2. A gallon sized bag with my in-flight entertainment and snacks (my tablet, my Kindle, headphones, snacks, mints)
3. My wallet
4. My phone
5. Appropriate chargers
6. An empty water bottle to fill on the other side of security
7. Sunglasses

My Travelon Bag
1. A change of clothes, including bra and underwear (and PJs if there is room)
2. Flatiron and Hairbrush
3. Glasses
4. My journal and devotional
5. Sandals (so I can change into them before I get on the plane)
6. Swimsuit, if necessary
7. Jewelry Roll

My suitcase is an American Tourister carry-on size with spinner wheels.

What do you pack in your carry-on? Do you check luggage? Share in the comments!