Peppermint Mocha

I spend a lot of time sitting at a wonderful coffee shop called SteamDot. They have the best coffee I have ever tasted. I am sitting there right this second, drinking a peppermint mocha that kicks Starbucks butt. Since I have spent so much time here, I have had the chance to really spend time reading the bible and just thinking about my life.

When I step back and look at my life, I can’t believe how lucky I am. I am sitting in Anchorage, Alaska living on my own. I wouldn’t be sitting here without the love and support of my parents. It’s a really weird stage of your life right after you graduate. You want to be an adult, but part of you still wishes you were a little kid who needed to be taken care of. I still feel like my house in Sherman is my home, but now it’s my parents’ home. I still feel completely dependent on my parents, but when push comes to shove, I am an adult and I am on my own. Completely on my own. It’s a scary feeling when you are pretty much thrown into it.

I am now in a stage where I just want to know what God wants me to do with my life. I know I want to teach children and help better their lives, but I don’t know where or how. I have been thinking a lot about why I am in Alaska. In all honestly, I 100% believe I am here because God wants me to be. I feel Him everywhere. You can’t look at the mountains or the ocean without seeing His greatness. Proverbs 3:5-6 pretty much sums up why I am here:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path."

We are not in control of our lives. I ended up in Alaska because God wanted me to go FAR out on my own and live. I believe I am here to strengthen my relationship with Him. I have definitely done that. Standing on top of a mountain, listening to the silence, I was dumbfounded by how He has created this whole world, just for us. He loves us more than we can even fathom.

As I sit here listening to good music (Sara Bareilles new cd) and sipping on the best peppermint mocha ever, I am in awe of God’s greatness and perfect plan. I am so blessed to have my friends that I have in my life. Each and every time I talk to them on the phone or ichat, I realize just how great they are. I miss my friends…a lot. This past summer was perfect and I made lifelong friendships with a lot of people who are not in Alaska, which makes it hard. Thank goodness for technology. I just want to thank my friends for putting forth the effort to keep in touch and that I love each and every one of you. I’ll be back in Texas soon enough. :)

All done.

Watching the Food Network 8 hours a day has finally paid off

So my good friend Katie gave me the idea of cooking new things and then posting the recipes on here. Well seeing as there are no sub jobs in Alaska, I've had a lot of time to cook. Here are two new recipes that I have tried out and just absolutely LOVED. Also the pictures aren't the best quality because I didn't feel like lugging out my fancy camera to take pictures so bear with me. You know you love iphone pictures!

This meal was broiled feta chicken with steamed broccoli and roasted potatoes.

For the chicken you need:

• 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tbl. rosemary (fresh is the best)
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Stir yogurt, garlic, rosemary, and pepper in a large shallow dish. Add the chicken, making sure to coat both sides. Marinate in the fridge for 1-3 hours (you can do less, it's just better the longer you wait). Allow chicken to come to room temperature (about 30 mins). Line broiler pan with foil, put chicken on broil for 20 minutes, turn over. Put the feta on top of each breast. Cook until done about 15 more minutes.

For the potatoes you need:

• 5 small potatoes (any kind...I used new potatoes)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbls. fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut potatoes into small cubes. Put in a bowl and add salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary. Mix. Add enough olive oil to coat evenly on all the potatoes. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Stir and cook about 10 minutes.

You should know how to make steamed broccoli. :)

The second meal was lemon chicken stir-fry over brown rice.

For the chicken you will need:

• 1 lemon (3 Tbl. juice & some lemon zest)
• 1/2 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 Tbl. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into small pieces)
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 1/2 cups snap peas
• 1/2 cup onion
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until just cooked through (4 to 5 minutes). Set aside in a bowl. Meanwhile, create sauce in small bowl. Add lemon juice, soy sauce, broth, and cornstarch. Mix well. You might want to double the sauce...i do:) Add onions, peppers, and carrots. Cook until tender. Add snow peas, garlic, and lemon zest. Cook until fragrant. Add sauce to pan; cook until thickened (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add chicken back into pan. Simmer until chicken is heated through. Serve over brown rice.

I hope you all enjoy and try them out! Hugs and kisses from Alaska. :)