Easy Chicken Quesadillas

I think I have about 6000 pictures of food and recipe preparation stored on my hard drive.  We have our desktop looping a slideshow through those pictures, which include about a gazillion family pictures from the last eight years.  So, pictures of me trying to squeeze sausage out of its casing (maybe you don’t want to ask)…….

……end up randomly popping up along with pictures of my family.  (Aren’t we a fabulous bunch?)

When you have your Japanese culture club over for a little luncheon, they love the family pics but the sausage one....it's pretty confusing.

Anyway, I have sat on my bum for half of the afternoon going through albums labeled things like “alfredopumpkinmuffs” and “spicypicklesugarcookies”, trying to clean up my messy family slide show....and I sort of forgot about dinner.  Luckily, I had taken pictures of this easy, family pleasy meal, AND had all the ingredients.

Eons ago, I found this recipe on a chat forum for fitness.  I was trying the low-carb/high protein thing, and these were possibly what I lived on for about 3 months.  I do believe they originally called for whole wheat tortillas and fat free cheese, but blech….who wants to eat that? Not me, and definitely not my kids.  So, I tweaked it and everyone is happy.  You will be happy too, if you make them tonight.

Easy Chicken Quesadillas

 

Ingredients:

·        5oz canned chicken breast

·        4 Tortillas

·        Cheddar cheese

·        Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

·        Pam cooking spray

·        Optional Ingredients : cumin, jalapenos, onion, sour cream, salsa (make mine!) , guacamole…(whatever you like!)

Directions:  Lightly spray two tortillas with Pam cooking spray then sprinkle each with a little bit of the Lawry’s.  (If you like it a little spicier, sprinkle the cumin on in this step. 

Flip the tortillas over so they are seasoned side down.  Next, take the canned chicken and spread it evenly over the two tortillas.  Sprinkle the cheese over the chicken.  (Again if you like, you might want to add some onion or jalapenos here too.)

Place another tortilla on top of the chicken and cheese.  Spray these lightly with pam and sprinkle the Lawry’s.  Put in the oven at 425 degrees.

After about 5 to 6 minutes, take a large spatula and flip the tortillas over.  I usually do this when the tortilla starts to bubble a bit and the edges are slightly brown.  Put them back into the oven for about five minutes more, or until the tops are starting to brown and get crispy.

Cut each tortilla into 4 triangles with a pizza cutter and serve with sour cream, salsa (make sure it’s mine), guacamole, lettuce, etc.

Now if I can only get my husband to clear off all the mouth/skull/surgery pictures he has on the computer, we will be good to go for a nice and normal family slide show.

A Quiet Morning

“Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till he comes and rains righteousness on you. “  Hosea 10:12

I spent half the day bitter and angry yesterday.  Long story short, a best friend’s ex-husband arrived in Japan yesterday.  Since this isn’t a huge Air Force base we live on, it was inevitable that I would be running into him at some point in the next three years.  Lucky for me, about five hours after he landed, my husband and I saw him and his new wife, skipping across the street through our neighborhood.  Awesome.

After waking up this morning and starting to stew a bit more over the situation, I decided I needed to quietly sit down and to do a little bible study. (Something I have been neglecting lately.)

The very first verse in the study I am following was the one above.  Hosea repeatedly uses illustrations about fields and crops.  In this verse he mentions a plowed field that is ready to receive seeds.  The soil is no longer stony and hard, but has been carefully prepared and is ready.

Loud and clear I had to ask myself, “Is your life ready for God to work in it?” 

All too often, my heart is hard and unplowed.  Instead of being ready for God’s guidance, forgiveness, and righteousness, I get selfish (I want my friend to be here in Japan, not some other girl) and angry (Why does life seem so unfair sometimes?).  I forget to let God be in control.

I am still not sure what I will do if I run into this guy and his new wife face to face. Since my husband and I used to be friends with him, it might be a little bit awkward.  What I do know, is that my heart can be ready for God’s guidance in situations that are hard.  This one is really hard.  My friend is now a single mom.  Her boys have a dad that lives half way across the world.  My good friend’s ex, has his own struggles that I cannot even begin to understand.

Fortunately for all of us, God is always there and his righteousness will rain down for us if we let it.  The question is…….Is your heart ready for it?

It Would Be Nice If We Could Read

It is very HOT and HUMID in Japan right now.  It’s the type of weather in which my husband gets brilliant ideas for adventures.  Like going someplace we have never been…….with my mom and aunt who are visiting.....who may rather stay inside the air conditioning playing with grandkids & nieces.  

The other day's adventure was to take us all hiking to find Hinohara waterfall.  Hot and sweaty hiking.  Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

We drove to the starting point easily enough and then decided to just follow the signs…..leaving the ENGLISH directions in the van.  It’s a piece of cake right?  Just look at the map.

Does that say 5.1 kilometers?

We hiked up.  My mom got out her fashionable headband.

My aunt just sat down on the ground.

The spiders freaked me out.

We guessed we might have been going the wrong way.  It was pretty obvious what we needed to do was go back down.

We had to wait around for some other people and watch where they were going, because the signs didn’t help at the bottom of the hill either.

At yet ANOTHER group of signs, we decided to choose the bright orange one.

Fortunately, there were some bathrooms along the way and these signs were much easier to translate. Boys……..

Girls……

FINALLY we found the waterfall!  (Check out the volume my hair still had despite the humidity!)

And my mom and auntie were happy……maybe.

We walked back down the trail still hot and sweaty but lucky for us, there was one more sign and we all could recognize it. 

Thanks Japan, for yet another adventure.



Fourth of July Photography

I have signed up for a photography class in August.  I am pretty excited and obviously in desperate need of some schooling.  At least there are cool photo editing programs out there to play around with, before my pictures can stand alone. 

Enter in, my Fourth of July photograph editing extravaganza!  (Using Pixlr, Picnik, & Photoshop.)

PHOTO #1

Abbey and Allie ran AND finished the Firecracker 5k with me.  Abbey gave this pic a little patriotic flair.

Photo #2

I also had USA spirit with my red, white, and blue scrunchie!

Photo #3

Taken by my husband.  Of himself.  If you have read my blog at all, you already have a glimpse into the strange man I married. 

Photo #4

This picture actually turned out great.  My youngest daughter Amber (age 8), dating a younger man (age 2).  He’s such a cutie.

Photo #5

The best part of any 4^th of July Celebration.  Why would I take a picture of this?

Photo #6

I always get so annoyed when people try and take pictures of the fireworks.  Like they are going to turn out better than the real thing or something?  So why did I think that any amount of Photoshopping could actually make this picture look good?  Nice telephone poles Lynnie.

Photo #7

Last but not least, my favorite photo.  I love the opportunity that our Air Force life has given me, so that I am able to enjoy the beautiful country of Japan.  I look at these flags and am reminded how fortunate and blessed I am!

Oooops……I almost forgot.  Picture #8.

 My husband riding my daughter’s tiny bike home after the fireworks.  He’s so fast.