The Perry's Eat! Our Favorite Garlic Chicken Pizza

Some foods fill your brain (and your mouth) with memories. The smell, the texture, the taste take you right back to a certain season of life. This pizza is one of those.

I was first taught how to make it by my sweet friend Crystal. During my last year of grad school we were two of the last of our college 'gang' to still be in town and we had a Friday night ritual of cooking dinner at my apartment and watching Friday night TV. I particularly remember Joan of Arcadia.... One night we made Chipotle copy cat (Before we had one in our college town), other nights fish tacos, and.... this pizza. I believe the recipe first came from our friend Letty (thanks Letty!). And after I got married the following fall it became a regular in our rotation. Last night as we were eating it my husband said all he could think of were our first few years of marriage in our first apartment, then our first house and lots of episodes of Smallville and Gilmore Girls. Ha! Apparently we watch TV when we eat this pizza :)

Well it was just as much of a hit last night as it was in those first few years and will definitely be making it's way back into my regular rotation!

I even found a decent crust that was easy and quick to throw together! Win! Win! I found the recipe for the crust here.

Ingredients: 

Crust

2 cups of unbleached self-rising flour*

2 Tbsp olive oil

6 Tbsp water

*Substitute 2 c. all-purpose flour + 1 tbsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp salt and increase water to 1/2 c. 

Toppings

1/2 red onion

2 cloves garlic, pressed or 2 3 tsp. of minced garlic

Olive oil

2 chicken breasts sliced in thin strips

3 Tbsp parsley

2 c. mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425°F 

2. Mix the flour, oil, and water together. The mixture will be flakey, so use your hands to form it together and shape into a ball. 

3. Cover with saran wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes.

4. While the dough is sitting heat a good dosing (3-4 Tbsp.) of olive oil in a frying pan. Sauté the onion and pressed garlic until the onion is soft and sweetened. Add the chicken and cook through. 

5. Grease 2 pieces of parchment paper and roll the dough out between the two. I ended up finishing the rolling without the parchment paper to get it thin enough. 

6. In a separate bowl combine the chicken/garlic/onion mixture with the parsley and half of the cheese. Spread on the crust distributing evenly over the entire surface. Top with the remaining cheese.

7. Cook in oven for 10-13 minutes or until crust is cooked through and cheese is bubbly. 

And Eat!

<a data-pin-do="buttonFollow" href="http://www.pinterest.com/pinterest/">Pinterest</a>

Seriously, it's fantastic! Enjoy! 

Things I'm reading and Loving!

Here are a few links to things I've been reading over the last week that have caught my attention....


1. I've been concerned about healthy food for awhile. When I was pregnant with my first I started reading more and more about food, and while I've always enjoyed a pretty healthy diet, I became a bit more passionate about it, both for myself, as well as for the rest of the family. Sugar is something I still battle with finding a balance in.... and I think these sugar rules might be a good idea.

2. Even when life presents some struggles, and let's face it, every day has them, I've been learning over the last several years to enjoy the ride. We've been walking through some passages in Eccelesiastes lately and talking about the 'portion' that God gives us. Everything we have materially, and even just our circumstances are our portion from God. And He wants us to enjoy it. We see in Romans 8 that through all of it He is growing us into the image of His son, Jesus Christ. This little statement reminded me of all that today.

Credit: http://hellopetersen.bigcartel.com/product/petersen-poster-enjoy-it

3. I can't agree more with Trevin Wax, that we shouldn't give our kids trophies for losing. I stand on the sidelines even at my 4 year olds t-ball games wondering why on earth we don't keep track of the score. I want to be able to congratulate my boy on his hard work.... but it never comes....  It seems so silly and I don't think it teaches them to work hard for success. They feel like everyone is successful, which isn't at all the case in real life. Good read.

4. Do you ever fall prey to the mommy wars? The comparison games of mom vs. mom? The ultra fit mom vs. the crunchy mom vs. the cloth diapering mom vs. the crafty mom..... I want to be all of those on any given day and it's so easy to compare myself against all of these other women. This response points moms to the right place.... Christ... to find their sense of identity so that we don't have to compare ourselves against each other.

5. I thought Tim Challies did a great job here of pointing out some of the ways that women tend to take a second glance.

6. I love this curtained idea for covering a closet, especially in a little girl's room.

7. This coat has me swooning!


Enjoy!

The Little Lady's 3rd Birthday

Call us weird but we probably won't throw huge birthday parties for our kids every year. So far we've done parties on their 1st and 3rd Birthdays, but just a simple family gathering for their 2nd and 4th.

Families have different traditions and I for one love birthdays. It's a day to celebrate the entrance into this world of the ones I love. And my children are some of my favorite people to celebrate. So their birthdays are a big deal. But I also know the depths of depravity in my heart and my own desire for others to celebrate ME.... and I want my children to be loved and celebrated.... but not expect it as my own heart can sometimes do.

How on earth do you find that balance in teaching your kids?!

We're working through that. But not having HUGE parties every year is one way we're trying to flesh that out.

This year though was the 3rd Birthday for our little lady and we wanted to throw her a little shebang. She has literally been talking about her party since at least March (when her big brother had his last Birthday) and she had pretty high hopes for a 3 year old. We tried to make it a fun time for her and even got to spread out the celebration over two days since her actual birthday was on Friday and her party was on Saturday.

So I left work a little early and we did some running around. She wore her new tutu from Grandma Perry and I'm pretty sure she felt very dressed up. Look at that grin!

Daddy treated her to her first rose and a little balloon. That was the icing on her cake. Pretty special stuff.

Then we spent the evening at Aunt Brittany and Uncle Matt's house to eat a pizza dinner, sing her Happy Birthday (she sang along!), open 1 present (a special outfit for her party from Aunt Britt) and watch the much anticipated Jake the Pirate MOVIE that Brittany DVR'd for the kids.

Obviously they were entranced. And I think it was a good day for her.

However Saturday was her PaRtY! (And let's face it.... that's what she's been waiting for all these months).

Chris had to leave to go out of town on Saturday morning for the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors Conference in Alabama and the decision to go was a bit last minute, so I was left to party prep by myself. Thank you Connor for coming over and helping out. I never would have gotten it all done without you! As I was going through my phone I found this lovely little creation that the Birthday Girl made! Ha! Love it! 

My sister found some pretty Martha Stewart party decorations on a recent trip to the JC Penny Home store. I had no idea they carried that line and their sale prices weren't bad. The Birthday Girl requested Strawberry Cupcakes for her party so I made the same recipe I used for her 1st Birthday party from Sprinkles Cupcakes. They always turn out so good! 

I got Instagram pictures of the little lady printed up at Walgreens (did you know they print them in 4x4?!) and made this big '3' on the wall. Afterwards I took them down and made a heart on her bedroom wall with them. I love looking back at all the fun photos from her 3 years of life! So many good memories for both her and I. It amazes me what she remembers! 

Next check out these grins. She is so hard to photograph. The girl won't sit still. But she was SO happy! 

And of course present time. Her friends were so kind and each brought a sweet gift for her. Lots of new coloring books and 3 baby dolls! Look at the open mouth. She was pretty excited to have her very own Tangled dress and doll. (it's been a favorite movie for awhile)

Bad picture (girl doesn't stop moving!), but she was pretty pleased. 

All in all I think her party was a success! I did forget to get a group picture. I just realized that. Bummer. Wish I had one of all her friends. 

That evening I took the kids (by myself!) to see the new Monster's University movie at our little discount theater. We barely squeezed in... nabbing two of the last seats in the house. The little lady sat on my lap the whole time (squeezing her Boo doll I might add that she had just opened!) and had such fun. 

They've only been to 2 other movies.... both with their aunt Britt, so it was a fun new experience for me taking them. And my little man said to me on the way out, 'Mom, that was fun!' So it was a good night in my book. 

All in all, we got to celebrate our favorite little girl and the 3 years God has blessed us with allowing her to be a part of our family. It still blows me away sometimes when I consider the privilege it is to be her mom and the grace God shows us in allowing us these relationships. I'm tearing up even now just thinking about it, the light in her eyes, her fierce little spirit, her spunk and song in her step. It all blows me away, that God allows me to be a part of her life and loans her to us with the responsibility of raising her for His glory..... it's big stuff and my heart is so full. 

We love you our Little Lady! 

Things I'm Reading and Loving

Well hello there Tuesday. It's nice to see you. The kids and I have been enjoying the beautiful fall weather this weekend. We enjoyed the little lady's 3rd Birthday and her party, we played tennis outside and rode bikes yesterday and even got a little park time in today. October is my favorite month of the year! The cool crisp air adds energy to my day and I have a few favorite streets in town that I go out of my way to drive down just to watch the leaves turn each week. God's beauty in the seasons astounds me every year and every fall I fall head over heals in love with autumn fresh and anew.

Enough basking in the cool weather and on with some of my fave links for the week!



1. I've not been very present on Twitter recently. Not sure why. It hasn't captured my attention like Instagram. Facebook even bores lately. But apparently I missed some funny stuff the other day. Challies filled me in on the whole #addawordruinachristianbook hashtag and I was sitting on the couch last night LOLing (laughing out loud). This is some pretty funny stuff.

2. This simple little Pinterest pin and the C.S. Lewis quote on it really got me thinking.

"Since it is so likely that children will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage."

 I really hate the way my kids play sometimes. Our little boy loves everything about sword fights and gun shooting. And I really want him to properly understand violence. We live in a world that has become so violent. And for a long time his play has made me a bit uneasy. BUT.... I don't know, maybe it's not all bad. Because the reality is, evil is alive and present in the world. Satan hasn't left yet. And man alone has enough evil in his own heart. I want to be creative and active in giving Landon brave heroes that he can model himself after so that he can have heard of 'brave knights and heroic courage.'

3. Have you seen that Target is now carrying Nespresso brand espresso makers? I'm pretty excited. My sister has one and I stop by a few mornings a week to make my coffee at her house, because it's just that good (and my sister lives in my neighborhood. It's cheaper and faster than a Starbucks!).

4. One of my favorite restaurants in town is Flame. My company used to take us there for Christmas every year and it was always a highlight of the holiday season for me. Not only do they have fabulous steaks, but really my favorite thing is their Lobster Macaroni and Cheese. The girls of A BEAUTIFUL MESS have recreated the recipe and I'm dying to try it!

5. Carolyn McCulley always has a nice perspective and I apprecaite her article on Boundless about Spiritual Gifts.

'Make love your aim, and you never have to be self-conscious about your efforts. Love never fails.'  

she says. 

5. And finally...........

Source Unknown

Aren't you?!!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

One of my favorite soups to throw together is Chicken Tortilla soup. It takes just a few simple ingredients that I usually have around the house and it's the perfect warm punch of flavor on a cool day.  I love finding ways to feed my family fresh, tasty food on a budget. It's one small way I can be a Godly wife, mother, and homemaker, fulfilling my Biblical roles while loving every bite!

Ingredients:

Soup

• 4-6 cups of Chicken Broth (I like to make mine at home and freeze it)
• 1-2 cups of chunky salsa (Our local grocery stores have a $1 section that has the perfect salsa for this. I've found the cheapest ones work best in this soup)
• 1 cup of corn (Frozen or canned)
• Precooked chicken (I love to use leftovers from a roasted whole chicken, or I'll bake it in the oven right before making the soup)
• Black Beans (optional)
• Leftover Rice (optional)

Garnish:

• Mexian Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Avacado
• Tortilla Chips or Corn Bread

Put all the soup ingredients together in a Stock pot and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve!

It's Friday, It's Friday, It's Friday

Weeks with a holiday to start off always feel like they take forever to go by. Anyone else ever feel that way. They should feel shorter, but they feel longer. Craziness.

1. I was thumbing through some old pics and found this sweet little prophetic gem. Just 2.5 years later we were getting married. We had NO idea that would happen when we were on this 'court'. Crazy wonderful how God works life out.

2. Chris set the pool up for the kiddos and they had a ball splashing around. We're finally having 'summer' around here with warmer temps and I'm ready to put on corduroys and chambray shirts. Isn't that how it always works :) 

 3. Saturday we got my sis and her hubby all moved into their new house. Slowly they're getting settled! And we're right down the street from each other now. 

4. Labor Day was a wonderful and much needed day off and family day. We started the day with a little Play-Doh time, took a 2.5 mile bike ride, I ran back to our car, and we topped it off with some ice cream at a local place. The kids had chocolate all over themselves by the time we were done, so I'm pretty sure it was a success! 

5. Cool mornings have meant breakfast on the patio for me! Love. Love. Love.

6. Chris took the kids to Jump Mania for the first time this week. They had SUCH a good time. Pretty sure we'll be making this a more regular activity.

7. Anyone else feed their kids moldy yogurt. Whoops. Thankful they figured out the issue and are getting it resolved. My kids love this yogurt! 

How has your week been? 

 

Things I'm Reading and Loving!

1. Stop washing your chicken! I've honestly always wondered about this. Now I know. Now you do too.

2. I'm so excited to make a variation of these later this week!

3. My husband mentioned that we may be getting a dresser than he thinks has a similar shape to this.... how fun would this paint job be on it?

4. Nicole Balch of Making it Lovely recently purchased a Victorian House in the burbs of Chicago. I can't wait to see what she does with it. I've always loved her mid century style and I'm seriously curious to watch her transform this house into something more up to date, while I'm sure she'll retain much of the original charm!

It's FRIDAY! (Plus a 3 day weekend!)

Something about this weekend has me slightly giddy inside. With my hubs being around the house all day right now (he is SUCH a good dad!) I seriously miss not hanging out with my 3 fave people all day. So I think I'm just excited for a three day weekend! Plus, my heart is just full lately. God has been stretching and growing me and my heart is trusting Him, which is a wonderful place to be in.

I'm hooking up with The Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for Friday and Darci of The Good Life Blog!

1. I've been really working at running over the last few months (this night I think I ran/walked 2.75 miles) and I've been fortunate to have had a cool summer. But I'm seriously itching for fall right about now (the hottest weeks of the summer) and this little pile of leaves a few streets over from mine got me more than a little excited!

2. We've been having a great time working with the college students and singles at our church recently. They are a great group that love the Lord and love life and I love that we're getting to know them! Saturday night we hung out with a few at Pineapple Whip. 

3. As you can see we don't give the kids donuts very often. For some reason Chris decided to buy them each one at Casey's. 

A. gas. station.

Whatever.

They loved it. 

4. Um...... this one's just because she's growing up way too fast on me. 

All of a sudden she's 2 going on 22. 

5. Chris attended the plantMIDWEST conference on Tuesday that focuses on church planting throughout the midwest and this one particular in the Ozarks. It was a refreshing time for him to interact with area church planters and a few local pastors. In the mean time our kids got to hang at their favorite babysitters house and Kelli snapped this pic of the Little Lady with Greg. Too cute.

What have you been up to lately? Tell me about it! 

Fish and Chips!

Fish and Chips (or fish sticks and french fries) is one of my family's favorite meals. My kids eat it well. It's pretty healthy. And it's budget friendly. My recipe is a variation of Rachel Ray's found here.

Basic Ingredients

Ingredients: 

Fish

-3-4 pieces of tilapia cut into strips (we love the Market Pantry brand from Target) 

-1/2 c. flour

-1 egg, beaten

-salt and pepper

-4-6 pieces of whole wheat bread

-2 tbsp of olive oil

Dip

-1/3 c. mayonnaise

-1 tbsp. mustard (dijon or regular)

-1 tbsp lemon juice

-2 tbsp pickle relish

Fries

-We love Alexia Sweet Potato Fries

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. I start with regular whole wheat toast. Spread the slices out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 3-5 minutes. Blend the toasted bread in a food processor pulsing until you have bread crumbs. Spread the crumbs back on the same baking sheet. Pour olive oil over crumbs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Bake the bread crumbs for 2-3 minutes, until crispy. Keep a close eye on them. It doesn't take long before they'll start to burn!

2. Put your fries in the oven and set the timer for 12 minutes. I like to cook my fries on the bottom rack to help them get a little crispier.

3. Cut each piece of tilapia into 3 pieces. Coat each piece with flour. Then dip in beaten egg. Then dip in bread crumbs and place on a baking sheet sprayed with oil.

4. After your timer goes off for the fries, flip them over and put them back in the oven. Also place your fish in the oven. Cook for 12 minutes.

5. Mix the ingredients for the dip.

6. Pull everything out of the oven and give them a few minutes to cool before serving. Enjoy!! 

We enjoyed ours outside last week! 

Dipping Sauce

Even the kids eat this one up! I hope yours do too! 

High Five for Friday!

Fridays are quickly becoming my favorite day of the week this summer! Due to summer scheduling at the college where my office is I get to work from home on Fridays, which basically means stay close to the internet and get your stuff done. For me, that means I can hang out pool side with my kiddos at my sister's apartment. I can answer my phone and I'm close enough to the internet that it's all good, and in-between, I'm working on my tan and hanging out with my kiddos, all while (actually!) getting my work done. It's a total win win for everyone! Did I say that I LOVE Fridays?! Here's a few other segments of my week....

1. Blueberry Pancakes on a Friday morning

2. Fridays. Need I say more?

    

3. Visits from friends are the best

    

4. Running through the rain! 

5. The hard part of the week

1. I made blueberry pancakes for breakfast last week. They were utterly delicious with the fresh, farmer's market, pure maple syrup my step-dad sent me home with last month. Weird thing was the little lady took one bite and spit them out. Crazy girl! Everyone else thoroughly enjoyed them.

2. A picture of our typical Friday's this summer. Utter perfection in my book. I plan on being there today too.

3. Last weekend a young lady who was in the youth group my husband was youth pastor of in Tulsa visited us. She just graduated from college (gulp.... time goes too fast!) and had a few weeks before taking off for a fun summer job (teaching Theater at a posh summer camp in Massachusetts!). I was so glad she came to visit. It's such a joy to interact with people God has allowed your life to intersect with. She was just a young Jr. Higher when I first met her and seeing the lovely young lady that God has grown her into is just a joy. I really can't wait to see where God takes her next! (Springfield, MO?! Springfield, MO?!) Love you girl!

4. Saturday morning we headed into town to go grocery shopping and needed to let the kids run off some energy beforehand. It was pouring, so the mall was our best bet. Our kids love the play area. Heading in we were all in our rain jackets running through the rain. Running through the rain with two toddlers is an adventure all it's own, but I adore it.

5. Chris had his 2nd eye surgery on Wednesday. You can find my blog post about it here and my blog post about his first surgery here. Things came out well. The doctor was able to repair the retina and didn't have to do cataracts. He chose to remove the oil he put in last time and put a gas bubble in his eye. Now he's in a one week period where he has 'face down recovery.' Like his face is down all the time, allowing this bubble to rise to the back of his eye, holding the retina in place. This is probably the most annoying part of it all. I've been reminding him all day to put his head down. It should be an interesting week!

Lots of ups and downs this week, but God if faithful through it all and we are thankful for what He has accomplished!