Creamy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

I love Mexican food. It's an addiction of mine. It's a combination of doing mission trips in Mexico when I was in High School, one of my best friends being Mexican, and having an undying love for Tequila. Okay, maybe not so much the last one. But I love that sting in your mouth after eating spicy food. Yum! I used medium salsa and taco sauce, but you can easily use mild or omit the hot sauce.

Tonight, I made enchiladas. I prepped everything except for putting cheese on top beforehand, so I could just pop them in the oven when I got home from Marching Band.

3 cooked chicken breast, cubed
1 packet of taco flavoring
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (I used a half cup more, but I'm obsessed with cheese)
1 jar of medium salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup taco sauce
1 can cream of chicken condensed soup
onion powder to taste (or chop up some real onion - I'm lazy though)
hot sauce to taste
Tortillas (I use 6")

Grease a 9 x 12 baking pan. Preheat over to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, mix the chicken and taco flavoring.
Add 1/2 can of soup, 1/2 jar of salsa, 1/2 cup of sour cream, and 1/2 cup of cheese.
Heat until well blended and cheese is melted.
Add onion powder and hot sauce to taste (though, not QUITE as spicy as you think it should be - you'll have more heat in the sauce)

In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the soup and salsa and the 1/4 cup of taco sauce.
Mix well, add hot sauce to taste.

Warm tortillas.
Spoon chicken mixture onto the center of each tortilla (not too much!). Roll and place into baking dish, seam down. Continue with rest of chicken mixture. Place enchiladas so that they are touching each other, so they don't unroll while baking.
Pour taco sauce mixture over top, using a spoon to spread it.
Top with remaining shredded cheese (I COVER mine, but if you prefer less cheese, use less)

Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling.

Mizzou Homecoming!!

Our Homecoming game was this week!!

We found out at the beginning of last season (yea, homecoming games are scheduled early) that we were playing Texas. Texas is a great team, but we weren't expecting them to be slotted the #3 team in the nation.  Nor were we expecting ourselves to be unranked. *sigh* Oh Mizzou. Thankfully, Texas fans came knowing they were going to win, and they didn't rub it our faces. They were very classy. Likewise, we knew going in the chances of us winning were zero to none. If fact, we went in just hoping to get on the board. The game finally ended with a score of 41-7, but it was okay. It was a decent night, and we had a lot of fun. However, the spirit of homecoming didn't start on October 24. Homecoming is big deal at Mizzou, because we invented it. Literally. Besides, with spirit week, Homecoming started (for us) on the Tuesday before.

I mentioned that we invented Homecoming. It's true, according to the NCAA and Jeopardy! In 1911, the University of Missouri was playing our biggest rival (still to this date), the kansas Jayhawks (note: kansas is not worthy of a capital letter when referring to the school). The athletic director invited alumni back for a "home-coming"- though it was mostly to ensure a sold-out game and intimidation of the other team. The Mizzou-kansas rivalry is the oldest rivalry West of the Mississippi - it's a REALLY big deal.

(First Homecoming Football game)

(source)

Did I mention that we're also the largest student-run Homecoming in the nation?

Now that I've bragged, I'll move on to Spirit Week. Guard took it upon themselves (okay, well, Ashley did) to win the Spirit Award in band, and we went all out. We had a theme each day. Tuesday was Black-Out, Wednesday was Gold Rush, Thursday was Deck the Guard (all Mizzou stuff - even though this day of practice was rained out), and Friday was Spirit Day (completely with Tie--Dye). Half of our girls wore face paint everyday. Unfortunately I had class each day before band, so I couldn't do face paint. However, we all had a blast. I have yet to bombard my blog with game day photos, but this is the post that will. I stole some pics from the girls! :)

                   My Awesome Blackout Shirt        Ashley and Sohae being adorable

Gold Rush!!

Allie, Brandi, and Stephanie

(Brandi wore this all day around campus!)

We got rained out on Deck the Guard, but we were still spirited!!

First College Friends!!!

And now Captains! <3 these girls

Lyndsey, Allie, Me, and Jayme

                           Allie and Lyndsey on Friday            Even Chris (our Grad Ass)

                           Check out those glasses!                  joined in on the fun

Guard on Friday!!

We lost the Spirit Award to drumline, but they were classy and gave it to us!

Chris rocking the Spirit Award and a Flag!

We <3 this guy!

Like I said, we lost the Spirit Award, even though drumline didn't do a single thing. But they were classy  (don't pass up an opportunity to make the Spirit Chairs look like jerks), and gave it to us. It's strange, because drumline has their own dynamic, and this definitely isn't it. They're a section that people hate on principle. But, maybe things are changing.

All in all, it was a good time. Sure, we lost the game. But winning isn't everything. Though, we did get to see our 2nd/3rd string (our 2nd string got kicked off the team for a DUI) quarterback on the field. And he's a WALK ON. Crazy. Gabbert has a sprained ankle.

Have I mentioned how much I love Marching Mizzou?!

Mizzou vs. OSU

This weekend was the away game for Marching Mizzou. Every year we take one away trip, and usually it's just a drive up, perform/watch the game, and drive back. But THIS year, we got to stay two nights. We were all really excited for the down time.

After a 7 hour drive to get to Tulsa (we didn't actually stay in Stillwater, where OSU is), we got to our hotel around 12:30 in the morning. All of us were exhausted. Some of the band went out and partied, but us old seniors kinda crashed. We're rapidly reaching the end of our college band careers, and I'm ready lol.

The game was cold. Freaking cold. We were teased by the nice 60 degree weather during the day, walking around in t-shirts and shorts (and laughing at the Oklahomians who were in coats and hats). However, by the time the game started, the sun had set and the temperatures had dropped. We could see our breath by the end of the game. And unfortunately, our new, nifty, LONG-SLEEVED uniforms don't come in until THIS week. We perform in sleeveless uniforms too, unfortunately. The girls (+Kayden) were NOT happy with us.

We actually held our own in the first half. OSU is ranked #16, and we're not ranked at all, so we were quite surprised. At the half, we were tied, 17-17. And then we Romeo-d. Hardcore. We rolled over, and died. Two turnovers and countless interceptions later, the game mercilessly ended at 33-17. And we lost. *sigh* Lost #2 for the Tigers. We're now 4-2. And we'll undoubtedly be killed this weekend when we take on the #3 team in the nation, the Texas Longhorns. It's our homecoming too, which will really suck.

However, I haven't uploaded my pictures from the game, and since I'm at school, I can't really upload them now. I will later though!! :)

Cold.

My apartment has no heat still. But we will tomorrow!!! Who's excited for that?

For now though, I will bundle up and eat warm potato soup. Be jealous.

Centerpieces.

Centerpieces are a project I'm really excited about, yet dreading at the same time. I have so many ideas, and I really don't want to end up with a clusterfuck of, well, centerpiece. 

In centerpiece land, there are always two obvious routes: the flower route and the candle route. Other, less traditional routes, include pine-cones, fruit, ornaments, and even fish. They can be stand alone pieces or arranged into bowls. I've seen little mini cakes on every table for dessert and everything else in between in my wedding planning experience. Unfortunately, the common sense part of me always wonders two things: how much will they cost, and what will I do with the damn things when I'm done?!

The second part is almost more important to me...I just have flashbacks of people trying to find homes for their centerpieces after a wedding, only to, at a last resort and not wanting to waste them, decorate their house with them. Ugh. I have no desire to have my wedding plastered all over my house after the big day (one of the reasons I'm so against fake flowers - they last forever!), except for maybe in the sense of a framed photo and a few albums. MAYBE a shadow box. 

I've always wanted candles. Always. I grew up with allergies, and while flowers are pretty and I always like flowers in small quantities, I do not want 32+ tables with flower centerpieces on them. Not to mention the cost, seeing as my wedding is in January. I think candles lead to the perfect, romantic atmosphere, and make everything seem warm and cozy. If I could, THIS would be in the center of every one of my tables. 

However, my bank account says this is not possible. Also, I'm pretty sure the city fire marshall would have a heart attack. 

So then I decided I'd love something more like this:

Except, without the cranberry wreath. I'd rather have it on a black plate/bowl, with ivory candles, and green river rocks. I'm trying to avoid an overly Christmasy feel with the whole thing. I love this style - it's simple and elegant, and not gawdy. And let's face it, candles are pretty easy to give away. And they do *go* away eventually. 

Then. We found a reception hall. I fell in LOVE with Trigg. The dance floor is huge and nice, it has an opening hall, I would be the only reception there, and there's a little overhang for parking if the weather is particularly nasty. With one giant drawback: No open flame. 

Seriously? No candles? What am I gonna do?!? Actually, correction. I can have open flame if I use their centerpieces. However, THEIR centerpieces are hurricane vases inside of fishbowls. Hurricane vases just scream '90s to me - I'm very against them. I think they're hideous. I toyed with the idea of just doing those nice, flameless candles, like this:

Except those candles are like, $5 a PIECE. For at LEAST 32 tables. *cue me stomping around*

Anyways. I have a good idea of what I want to do now, but I don't have a picture to use as an example to show you. I know, that was SERIOUSLY anti-climatic. But you'll have to wait.  

Wedding Binder

I've been meaning to do this for a long time. Ever since I became engaged, actually. I wanted to make a wedding binder.

I am a notoriously cluttered person. I love to be organized, but I can never seem to find the time. It's awful, and it causes serious unrest. No joke. I hate being disorganized and not knowing exactly where everything is. So tonight seemed like the perfect opportunity to start one. I actually finished most of my homework even, before I started it! Usually projects like these are used to avoid homework *sheepish grin* Anyways.

I started with my supplies (and a trip to Wal-Mart, which included a 20 minute conversation with Andrew Wallace...). Right now, I just have a binder, dividers, and a folder in the back for micellaneous things. After all, I know that I won't be able to file EVERYTHING right away. I was hoping to get folders for each section, little clear ones, but they happened to be sold out in ALL FIVE SECTIONS that they were supposed to be in. Needless to say, I don't have them. Yet.

Then, I labeled the hell out of my little divider tabs. I have: Important info (contacts, calendars, budget, etc), Guest List, Rehearsal Dinner, Stationary, Wedding Party, Ceremony Venue, Reception Venue, Photography, Florist, Bakery, Transportation, Registry, Gift List, and Honeymoon. If I end up planning any of my own showers, that will probably end up in there too - I left two extra tabs. Surprisingly, I didn't even put them in an overly-particular order. I figured I'll get use to where they are regardless.

Check out that neat handwriting and pretty colors!

I found several templates that I'm going to use, from Russel+Hazel. I don't need all of them, and instead of printing each one out from the site, I'm actually recreating each one in word. Many of the things are different, or I want them to be laid out in a certain way. However, I did make a few pages on my own:

Payment Tracker

Calendar

I only used a payment tracker, rather than a budget, because we don't really have a budget. We have the things that we feel are most important, and we'll add and subtract other things to make the important things happen. Also, I didn't fill it out yet, mostly because I don't want to have to flip several pages to get to a payment I'm making now. Hopefully it'll work for me.

And I'll admit, the calendar is just a screen shot from iCal. The last month is broken up by week, and the last 2 days are broken up by hour. I figure I'll be the most busy then. I plan on printing the calendars, along with the rest of my pages that I've made, out tomorrow at the library. Why waste my own ink and paper when the library charges just 5 cents a page? I've got to put that $35 quota to use somewhere!

Overall, I'm quite pleased with my binder. It's bright and colorful, and hopefully it'll keep me organized. And I have so much to do in the next week that I'm sure it will get filled out of sheer procrastination from everything else. I just hope I don't get overzealous with it. I'd rather not lose the "joy of wedding planning"

Right.

Ring Update!

Saturday Sean and I took a much anticipated trip to the jeweler. We're using Randy's for a couple of reasons. First, he's the jeweler that does all of Sean's mom's jewelry. Second, he does custom work. And when I say custom, I mean custom. Not just taking diamonds from an old ring and putting them in a new one. We're talking cutting apart two rings to make one, or even hand designing a ring in wax and creating it from scratch. Luckily, we'll be able to use two rings soldered together. 

This is grandma's ring: 

Gorgeous, right? The center stone is .52 cts, and each of the tiny stones is .2 ct. The stones are of a pretty good quality. I'd keep the original ring even, except that it's about 3 sizes too big, and most of the stones are missing their prongs. Grandma wore the ring every day, and you can tell.

Anyways. I've always loved the split shank design. Always. This is the inspiration picture I took to Randy's with us, just to give him a better idea of what I/we (Sean's pretty much letting me design it) were looking for. 

I fell in love with it. The little tiny sparkling diamonds, the split shank (ie, the gap in the middle of the ring), everything. The ring, unfortunately, retails for about $6000 however, which is WAY out of any price range we might have. So Randy started talking and drawing, and I started watching and listening.

At first, Randy pulled out books. He wanted to find something close to what I wanted with as little work possible, which would be best for us, cause that means less labor cost. Unfortunately, nothing really stood out. After looking through 4 or 5 books, and over 900 pictures of rings, they all started looking the same, and I was starting to get discouraged. I KNEW that we could get a ring like this, it was just a matter of how. 

Then, Randy pulled out another book. This time, the book only had top settings of rings, no diamonds even in the pictures. He said he could take the top setting and attach it to any other ring. This opened up thousands more possibilities. We found a setting that had a center diamond mount (that my tiny diamond would fit into - did you know 1/2 a carat was small in engagement ring land?), and then on either side it had a triangle of 3 small diamonds - that my other diamonds would fit into as well! Success! We have the top of the ring. Randy said that it shouldn't be a problem to find the split shank design I want for the rest of the ring, but that he was going to take the week to do it so that he could get the best possible design. 

We're probably going to end up buying 16-20 small diamond chips for the shank of the ring, but they don't cost much, so it won't be too big of a deal. We'll also be trading in the gold on grandma's ring (which is 18k, because she was allergic to less), so our cost will be offset even more. We're hoping to get the ring for around $600, but not more than $1000. 

Next Saturday we're going back, and hopefully he'll have a final design ready. Yes, I know this is happening super early, but since we're moving to who-knows-where, we want to have the small stuff like this settled. 

While we're on the the topic of rings/diamonds, I want to address the difference of thought between Columbia and St. Louis. In St. Louis, my rings are considered "small," almost to the point of "embarrassingly small" to some people. Yet, in Columbia, I have huge diamonds. Strange, isn't it? I wouldn't want anything bigger by all means. I just find it to be an interesting phenomenon. 

The prospect of the ring has me positively giddy though. 

Catching Up.

I just realized how far behind I am in posting. So let's play a little catch up, eh?

Moni had her baby. A beautiful boy, Omar Miguel Lopez. He was born on September 21st - and I was one of the first to see him! Moni was exhausted, but looked really good for having given birth 20 minutes prior. Here's a couple photos!

The Happy New Family

Baby Mug shot!!!

      Right after he was born

Isn't he just adorable? And look at all that hair!! Moni and Miguel did good. I love the pouty face he has in his mug shot - he looks so obstinate already! Even though he was technically a week early, he weighed in at 8 lbs, 14 oz.

Anyways. My dress for Moni's wedding is in too, and I'm going to pick it up this Saturday, cause she wanted to come with me. I don't want her to get left out of wedding stuff because of the baby, so we're making it work.

I'm really stressed out about school. I have a lot to do in a very short amount of time. Take my online class for example. I have to have it done by December 1st, and I'm barely 1/3 of the way through - yikes! I'm getting it done though. I've set deadlines, and I'm going to stick with them. I need to work on my Case Studies folder for my Persuasion class (plus my test on Thursday), I have a paper for my Poli Comm class, and I have to take a test in my online class. Whew! Luckily, my capstone, while slightly stressful, actually isn't that labor intensive - yet.

The first Thursday night football game for Mizzou in 17 years is happening this Thursday - against Nebraska. It's going to be a huge game - I just hope we can win. I'll have to remember to bring my camera for this one.

My family is getting pictures taken for the first time in 4 years. Some people are still surprised that we get family photos taken, but my sister is only 8. We got a family picture taken when she was only 2 weeks old, and it's really cool. Most families stop taking professional photos once their kids are older, and I love that we still get them taken. I need to go to Kohl's in the next two days, and make use of the 30% off coupon my mom gave me in order to buy picture clothes. And maybe some club clothes while I'm there...it is a pretty sweet coupon, after all. It's a pretty big deal that we're getting pictures taken. This will probably be the last time I'm in a professional family photo. While I'm not leaving the family, once Sean and I get married we'll have our own family - even if it is just the two of us. While it'll be strange to not be in the family photos anymore, it's not like it hasn't happened before. After all, there are years of pictures without the older siblings in them in my parents' families. It's almost like a rite of passage.

I have wedding stuff to post, but I think I'm actually going to do all of that in a separate post - it makes labels easier. I love the labels function on blogger. I just need to remember to not get too vague with them.