Yesterday was my birthday....
An inconvenient day, what with the Christmas season,
the New Year's parties and then,
Oh, jeez...it's her birthday, already??!
This year, I hoped to let it slip past quietly....
Maybe no one would notice that ever increasing number...
I might not be over the hill yet,
but I sure have a great view!
35...
That might be the age I will stop at...
At 35, I still had a lot of energy,
nothing really hurt yet and I could go into a room to retrieve something
and get it without wondering,
"Now what did I come in here for?!"
Now that I have survived the boot camp of babies,
diapers and sleepless nights,
I'd like to get 35 back as a reward...
Can't they figure out booster shots,
kind of like cortisone shots that will surge youth
and energy back into my system?
I think that's fair payment after the years of cleaning up two a.m. throw up on the carpet,
running lunches to school,
mediating arguments and sorting piles of socks...
I am now at the age where I am jealous of women
with tight jaws and supple necks...
And where the heck did these wrinkly spots come from?!
So, Tom decided that he would make the day special
and arranged for the kids to have play dates
so I could do as I pleased...
A man planning ahead?
What?!
That, in itself, was such a gift...
So, I spent it shopping with my mom,
having a ladies lunch at Noodles
and enjoying an uninterrupted conversation
for a full 30 minutes...
I know, can you believe it ?!
What is it about a gift card that turns me into a miser?
All of a sudden I am thrust into the league of those
who have money to spend
and I can't pull the trigger...
It's like I will be wasting this delicious card
if I don't find something so outrageously wonderful
at a ridiculously low price...
I can't just blow the whole thing, say, on a pair of khaki pants...
I must LOVE LOVE LOVE it or the card is wasted...
Silly, I know...
So, I bought a black sweater and a white dress shirt....
So typical and boring of me....
Sigh....
Tom and the kids then took me out for sushi at a local favorite...
Jack is a big sushi lover, slurping up the miso soup in a mad rush...
The birthday cake was a cute little morsel via Jewel Food Stores...
Grocery store cake is a guilty pleasure...
The cake is dark and moist and the sugary frosting just screams Crisco..
I love it...
So, middle age has snuck in through the back door...
grew older gracefully, so why can't we, huh?
and she is still modeling for Marc Jacobs....
Maybe older is the new black.... hah!
And now, as a gift to you, a recipe for a most soul soothing soup for these chilly days...
This soup is awesome, topped with fresh avocado,
sliced green onion, chopped cilantro and a sprinkling of cheddar cheese....
Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup courtesy of Skinnytaste.com
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 1-2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or more to taste)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 8 oz skinless chicken breasts (16 oz total)
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions, for topping
- 3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
- fat free sour cream (optional)
Directions:
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil. Add cilantro and remove from heat. Pour into crock pot.
To the crockpot, add drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.
Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with fat free sour cream, cheese, scallions and cilantro. You can also top with avocado or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy!
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