The Salty Exchange

Kendall’s Chicken Enchilada Pie Casserole Recipe

July 15, 2020July 28, 2020by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

Okay, so this isn’t actually my recipe! This gem belongs to my father, Gary. Growing up, Gary didn’t cook a whole lot. He had a few go-to favorites that my sister and I tired of quickly and easily. For example, I am fine NEVER eating hamburger pie again. With that said, my dad makes a mean clam chowder, egg drop soup, and, well, enchilada pie casserole.

This is a wonderful recipe to feed a crowd of people or make and have as leftovers throughout the week. You can totally modify anything below… for example, we grilled the chicken breasts instead of baked them. You can season with different spices you like or use flour tortillas instead of corn! This is super easy and sure to please your friends and fam!

What you need:
4 or 5 boneless chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Chili Powder
Chili Quick (can be hard to find so chili powder is just fine)
1 regular size yellow onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom
2.5 cups of water
1 package of corn tortillas
Shredded cheese (amount is up to you and your preference on cheese)

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 350F
Season your chicken breasts with salt, pepper, paprika and salt
Place in a regular casserole pan, cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour
** For the last ten minutes, remove the foil
Cut chicken breasts into cube size pieces and set aside
Dice up onion
In one large pot, add can of cream of chicken soup and can of cream of mushroom soup and reuse those cans by filling them each up with water and adding that water to the pot.
Heat up and add chicken and diced onions
Add your chili powder or chili quick and add to taste
Let everything heat together in pot for about 4-5 minutes on medium heat
** If the mixture seems too thick, add a little more water as needed and stir
Cut up your package of corn tortillas into fourths (you can use the whole package or less- this is really up to you- I like a whole package for substance)
Layer your casserole dish with the corn tortilla fourths, and then cover with chicken mixture and a handful (or more) of cheddar cheese, repeat this about 3 times
** If you have room for a fourth layer, do it!
Cover with foil and place back into oven to cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes
** For the last ten minutes, remove the foil

Please note, this is not the healthiest of recipes but it’s great for feeding a crowd or enjoying some comfort food. Eat hearty!

Shari on Body Love & Lizzo

July 8, 2020July 20, 2020by thesaltyexchange1 Comment

Not long ago I was in Palm Springs on vacation. My time-of-the-month decided to come a few days early and I felt bloated and HUGE. I was hot, sticky, and trying to figure out what to wear from my limited quick-weekend-trip wardrobe. I stared at myself in the mirror not pleased at the reflection and started some serious negative self talk. Subconsciously, I was tearing apart my body, extra fat, and curves; thinking how I ‘really’ need to snack less and eat more salads. The negative self talk took me down a spiral but somehow I snapped out of it. I acknowledged that I was in fact mentally destroying my body in the mirror. I knew it had to stop.

A few weeks prior I had seen an Instagram post by Lizzo and in the post she is wearing a black top and red shorts looking at herself saying, “First of all, WHO TOLD YOU, YOU COULD BE SO CUTE? WHOOOO? WHO TOLD YOU, YOU COULD BE SO CUTE?!…WHO TOLD YOU?!!! Damn!” Her caption also stating, “Every time u walk by a mirror I want you to hear this.” So in the mirror, wearing a bathing suit top, rolls proudly showing, stomach bloated and unhappy, I turned side to side and kept saying the Lizzo mantra of “Who told you, you could be this cute?” I am not kidding, my confidence skyrocketed in a matter of seconds, I threw on a cute beach wrap and waltzed out of the room. When my friends saw me they all complimented my adorable swimsuit and sheer beach wrap. Their compliments didn’t matter! What mattered was that I knew I was cute. I knew my body was strong, healthy, and beautiful as it was. Thanks to Lizzo my self-deprecation did NOT win.

As women, this seems to be an unfair universal and daily struggle. Lately I have referenced this above mantra in several conversations with my girlfriends (as our conversations tend to veer towards our own body self loathing- which we need to be better about stopping). The unfortunate fact is that it doesn’t matter how overweight or fit we are, it is a societal norm to hate our bodies. Another trick I learned from several people (too many to reference) is talking to you yourself as you would a younger version of yourself. Would you be so harsh? Would you be so mean? The first step is acknowledging that you are not being nice to yourself. The second step is stopping. The third step is apologizing to yourself and then showing yourself some love. Wear something that makes you feel good, talk nicely to that part of you that you dislike, speak with gratitude, don’t make empty promises to yourself about working out more or eating less…just stop and LOVE yourself. It is the single most impactful thing you can do that will change your life moment by moment, daily, and hopefully forever. It’s not too late to LIZZO LOVE on yourself!

WHO TOLD YOU, YOU COULD BE THIS CUTE?!!!!!!! – Lizzo

View this post on Instagram

Every time u walk by a mirror I want u to hear this 😫

A post shared by Lizzo (@lizzobeeating) on May 5, 2020 at 7:36pm PDT

Kendall’s Top 3 Household Must-Haves

July 1, 2020July 20, 2020by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

Vitamix
If you do not own a Vitamix, I have to tell you that you are missing out. I love my Vitamix. From smoothies, salad dressings, to soup this machine is my go-to. I make my homemade almond milk with it multiple times a week. The price can often scare people away and I can’t say I blame them. It IS a big investment. If you can, keep your eye out for them at Costco around the holiday time. The usually have an exclusive deal with them that gives you some great bang for your buck. That’s what ended up happening to us when our old one finally bit the dust last November.

The Vitamix is a great way to get more fruits and veggies in your diet (hello, morning smoothies) and is also a great way to cut down on all of your kitchen gadgets. There is no need for a blender or food processor… we have it all in one machine. We literally use it for EVERYTHING.

CORKCICLE
I use my CORKCICLE every single day. I was actually gifted the sport canteen model by my cousin one year for Christmas and I have never gone back. I love that it keeps my water super cold and my warm liquids warm. I drink upwards of 12 cups of water every day so I am constantly refilling my tumbler up… and I am that super picky person who likes cold water… not lukewarm water… cold water. Thanks to my CORKCICLE tumbler, we no longer run through ice at crazy rates.

My husband and I also use the stemless cups. They are so awesome for wine and cocktails. I love the comfort of holding them and being able to take them outside without worrying about glass breaking. As a chronically clumsy person, this is very important.

Essential Oil Diffuser
I LOVE to diffuse oils. My house always smells fresh and clean. There are a ton of models out there that range from $$$$$ to $. I personally love any model that also has a light of sorts in it. It makes it nice to use as a night light in my daughter’s room. Here are a few of the different kinds I have used over the years:

Young Living
Amazon- InnoGear
Target- Opalhouse

I should note that it goes without saying that I cannot live without both my Nespresso and french press…. Without these things I would not function… so these aren’t must-haves… these are like an extension of me… an essential part of me needed to live… must… have… coffee.

From Super Aunt Shari To Super Stepmom

June 30, 2020October 12, 2020by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

Let’s start with the facts: I am an aunt to 8 kids, 4 boys and 4 girls. I became an aunt at the age of eighteen and like clock work, a child was born every two years after that. My oldest brother has 6 kids and my other brother has 2 kids. At the age of thirty two, my youngest niece was born right around my birthday in October.

But who really cares about me being an aunt? Well, I wasn’t just ANY aunt. In my early years of being “Auntie Shari”, I was the young, fun, and super involved aunt who saw the kids every week. I played with them, had special auntie dates with them, and people often thought they were my kids (they are all blondes like me).

What did spending so much time with them teach me? I learned what it meant to be an aunt and what a special role I played in their lives. I learned that their mom and dad always had the final say. I learned that I couldn’t discipline them but I could let them know what was and wasn’t okay. I learned that it was a privilege to be the fun, funny, and loving aunt and I hope that is how they remember me during those early years. When I was twenty six my oldest brother with the 5 (now 6) kids moved to Ohio. I grieved their move like I was grieving a death. I know it sounds dramatic but Washington to Ohio is a big move for our Pacific Northwest based family. Plus, did I mention I saw them weekly if not more?! Those kids were everything to me. The impact of their move floored me and was an identity shift that I will dig into on another blog post.

Now, nearly 6 years post their move to Ohio (where they still currently live), I just got married and have started a family of my own. Not a conventional family but a blended family. I am lucky enough to be a stepmom to 3 amazing kids. Very quickly after getting introduced as their dad’s “girlfriend” I easily slipped into that ‘fun aunt’ role with them. Similarly to how I respected my brother and sister-in-law as my nieces’ and nephews’ parents, I accept my husband and his ex-wife as my step kids’ parents. I learned so much from being an involved aunt that I can now apply to being a hands-on, loving, and fun stepmom.

Tickle fights, one-on-one dates, slow to anger (which means remembering that they are just kids), building sand castles, watching them play video games, throwing the football, belly laughs, the same movies and music on repeat, and keeping all their favorite snacks stocked…I have been inducted into the stepmom hall of fame and I am here for it. All of it. The good, the bad, the ugly, and all those beautiful moments in between.

Oftentimes I find myself saying “ask your dad” or “what do you normally get to do” which helps differentiate that I am not their mom or dad, I am a special person in their life but not the one biologically responsible. Trust me I love them fiercely but, let’s be real, like any kid they can get on your last nerve… lol. Thankfully, they are also incredibly easy to love and give love in return.

So if you are a stepmom (or stepdad) and having a rough time, I suggest changing your mindset to the fun aunt (or uncle). I also suggest remaining calm and communicating well with your spouse. Give yourself some grace and when all else fails, book a family getaway weekend and make some fun new memories.

Kendall on Mothering A Girl: Part 1

June 30, 2020September 25, 2020by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

When my husband and I found out we were having a baby, we were ecstatic. A few months later, we were told we were having a boy. I am ashamed to admit I breathed a huge sigh of relief. So much of my experience in being a woman (at the time) was super tainted and had made me feel a little jaded. Everything I was always felt underrated; nothing I did ever made me “enough.” Meanwhile, I saw men with less smarts, talent, and drive able to move forward in every aspect of their lives simply because they were given more value and the respect of having the benefit of the doubt. Suffice to say, the relief I felt at having a boy made me feel like I would have less to battle in terms of raising him in a world that is truly set up for him on some level. Please note, I do not mean that men have it made. I know they don’t. Especially men of color. I just felt less dread. Maybe you can understand that and maybe you can’t. Either way, it was what I felt.

Then, a few weeks later, we discovered that little Ben (what we had decided to name the baby) was not little Ben. Ben became Rosemary (named after my mother). Issy was ecstatic to be a dad to a girl. My heart fluttered and I smiled in total bliss. I was also excited because, let’s be honest, baby stuff for girls tends to be a bit more varied and exciting than it is for boys… which is total crap and I will address this in a future post. I knew a little lady would be so much fun to raise. In the car on the way home from the clinic, my stomach started knotting; the dread had set in. A girl. The fight had already started. My mind blew up with the following thoughts:

We live in a world where being a woman is not always valued. We live in a world where women have to fight for basic rights and respect. Being a woman in the world today has never been so complicated. Sure, there are lots of opportunities… but not all of them are available to us. We aren’t paid fairly. Our decision to wear a sexy outfit makes us the target of uneducated men who can’t keep it in their pants. Once we say, “Yes” to sex, we can’t change our minds without conflict. We are held to a higher standard to be nice and polite and “ladylike.” Our success rides on us being aggressive, but not too aggressive. Calling someone out on their shit earns you the title of “bitch.” A woman with smarts is still expected to start at the bottom and earn the right to learn and the right to climb the ladder. But men? Not always. They just need to flirt with HR a little to negotiate their salary and position title… and yes, that’s a true story from a young man growing in his career from intern to young professional. Their strength and confidence are considered just that… strength and confidence. What makes this so impossibly infuriating is that men are always given the benefit of the doubt. Women have to earn that right.

Round and round my mind went analyzing my experiences. And that was just in the past decade… as I thought further back, I cringed. I remember a teacher telling me that the reason I struggled with math is because girls tend to have minds that are meant for literature and history over science and math. I remember being told that “good girls” are quiet by my 4^th grade teacher. And she didn’t mean it in the sense that I was too loud. She truly meant soft spoken… those were the girls she praised in class. On and on my head continued to pull up a lot of buried memories. The next day after my husband went to work, I cried. I cried because I already wanted so badly to run into battle to protect her.

In the midst of everything that is going on in the world, I am aware of how I react to it all will imprint on her. I don’t want to fill her head with the idea that being a woman is hard and create this chip on her shoulder before she is able to navigate and conquer the world on her own. What I want to do is to give her the skills to know herself well, to be articulate, and to not be afraid of a challenge. I think that is what most parents want for their child- girl OR boy. What makes the journey harder for me is that I don’t want to taint her with my own experiences. I don’t want her to see me process my own life as a woman and then carry that on her to own. How do I tell her that? How do I live that?

I am working on it. Rosemary is only 21 months and I am already so in awe of her. She is capable of so much and is learning so much. When thinking about her future, I don’t have the same dread as I did when she was growing in my belly. I still have some dread and a lot of concerns but I know that Issy and I are able to navigate it. It’s going to be a day by day thing. And that’s ok. For now, issues like this aren’t important. What’s important to Rosemary is that I wrap up this blog and help her eat breakfast. For now, that’s all.

Kendall’s Homemade Almond Milk

June 22, 2020July 20, 2020by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

I wish I could say this was my recipe… but it’s not. It belongs to Lisa Bryan over at Downshifology. I cannot sing her enough praises. Lisa makes meal prepping and recipes easy. What I really appreciate about her is that she helps you to realize that being healthy doesn’t require a large bank account or too many gadgets or gizmos. Head over there for some wonderful tips and tricks to maximize your kitchen and try something new (she also focuses on travel and lifestyle).

Okay, so this almond milk recipe has proven to be a huge hit in my home and in my neighborhood. It’s so easy- it’s almost ridiculous. For my family, making almond milk is actually one way to save a little money and keep it clean. You would be surprised what’s actually in your almond milk to keep it on the grocery store shelf… when you make it at home though, you are only looking at a handful of ingredients.

Ingredients and Process

1 cup of almonds (raw and organic- plain ole almonds)

Once you’ve got your cup ready, put it in a glass container and cover the almonds with water. This glass container should have a lid so that you can seal them. I usually put in the refrigerator because I let them soak for 8-12 hours. See Lisa’s site for more tips.

Once they have soaked, rinse them with cold water and put them in a super powerful blender… I personally use a Vitamix (as does Lisa). Now pour in 4 cups of cold, filtered water.

Here is where you can get creative. I put a pinch of salt, 2 dates, and a splash of vanilla extract in. Alternatively, Lisa suggests you could use maple syrup or honey. There are lots of different ideas out there for you to try. I recommend the dates because the milk ends up being super thick and smooth! Once you have put it all together, fire up the blender for 1-2 minutes on high.

Now, to strain… you can use a nut-milk bag (which is a thing…) or if you have a cheesecloth on hand, that works too. Pour the mixture from the blender into the bag or cloth and strain it all out into a bowl of sorts. I use my very handy dandy Pampered Chef measuring glass that is meant for larger liquid things like pancake batter or homemade salad dressing. It’s perfect for a batch of almond milk. Then, I pour it into my glass jug and put the lid on before refrigerating. Voila- I am done!

I have found that my almond milk keeps for 5 days but it is recommended only at 3 days. To be fair, my refrigerator is incredibly cold- which I think helps keep it the extra few days.

If you are wondering what to do with leftover almond pulp, check out Lisa’s site, Downshiftology, for some great ideas.

Shari’s Favorite DIY Hand-Soap

June 15, 2020August 10, 2020by thesaltyexchange1 Comment

There are so many life-hacks that you see on the internet… some work, some don’t but this is an awesome inexpensive do-it-yourself trick that I have used for the past two years. My favorite part is how easy this is to make and how much my family loves it!

First, you will need Castile Soap. I like to buy mine in bulk from the natural food store in town so I always have it on hand (Dr. Bronner’s Unscented). Second, you will need almond oil. I also buy this in bulk from the same store. Lastly you will need any essential oil fragrances you like. My family loves citrus scents and that is what I tend to stick with. I could cite so many different places that you could get this recipe or something similar online but this will be another to add to the mix.

Foaming bottles (I reused one from Bath and Body Works bottles or you can buy them on Amazon)

2 tbsp castile soap

1 tbsp almond oil

10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil (depending on how strong you want the scent to be)

Fill up the rest of the bottle with water (preferably distilled)

Viola – shake and enjoy! Bonus, this DIY saves you money and is made with only clean ingredients.

*Thank you to my best friend, Kristin, for introducing me to this recipe (picture was taken at her DIY party a few years ago).

Why We Are Doing This- Shari POV

June 3, 2020July 20, 2020by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

There is no simple answer to the question “Why Blog?”. The better questions is, “Why not Blog?”

Kendall and I have tossed around the idea of individually blogging for years and recently we discussed the power of collaboration and what taking this adventure together could look like. Everything seems a little easier with a friend by your side. We have a genuine desire to write and discuss a range of topics from everyday life, to mommy guilt, to celebrations, and love. We do not consider ourselves fountains of knowledge, but we do have something special to share.

A little back story… Kendall and I met in college, two Communication majors who ended up in the same classes and social circle. I vaguely remember the first time I met Kendall; she was spunky and shy, smart, and eloquent, and when she spoke, I listened. Some of my favorite college memories include Kendall. I am forever grateful our paths crossed and that I still have the privilege of calling her my friend. Stay tuned for embarrassing throwback photos, I am sure they will surface.

Our goal with this blog is not to win any awards (but if you want to give us one, we accept)! Our goal is to be relatable, helpful, and occasionally funny. We plan on being an inclusive space for collective voices and will call on some of our new and old friends to come collaborate with us. Our weekly (for now) posts will vary from serious topics on guilt and shame to lighthearted topics of gratitude and recipes. We hope on some level our words, thoughts, and posts speak to you, encourage you, and make you realize that you are not alone. We are right here with you, a friend by your side.

Why We Are Doing This- Kendall POV

June 3, 2020July 20, 2020by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

There are a lot of voices on the internet. Voices of authority, rambling, education, miseducation, questions, and pure noise dominate our social media feeds. As such, my goal is to not drown you in too much content. Rather, I hope to share with you (along with Shari) about some things that are currently on our minds and hearts. One thing that I have discovered in recent years is that even though most of us are incredibly different in terms of our interests and identity markers, we still are able to connect through it all. In essence maybe something I am thinking about is something you are interested in or want to hear about. Perhaps not. A great fear I have with blog writing is putting a lot of effort into it to only be considered completely irrelevant. To be fair that could still happen. But why not use my voice and that of another smart, beautiful, and creative woman to try and make some connections with friends both old and to come alike?

When I was living in Spain, I had to redefine most of my life. Some people stayed. Some people left. Things I cared about naturally changed. I was alone… well, alone with my husband. It was there I learned that communicating with people in my life and some of those voices I found online helped me to re-center and structure my core value and belief system of myself. Content in all forms is powerful. It’s connective. My goal in this journey with Shari is to be a safe place to land. Maybe one week you will read about my struggles identifying as a Hispanic woman. The next might be about my super delicious homemade almond milk recipe. One week I will probably cover the resentment AND joy I feel with my decision to be home with my daughter. That is a conflicting journey and one that, I have learned, is super divisive among women.

I don’t have any great words of wisdom or even anything that makes me more special and important than that of those other voices on the Internet. All I have is the desire to get real. With a loyal friend by my side, I know I will be held accountable to keeping it real. I hope we make you laugh. I hope we make you think. I hope we keep you coming back. Even if our friends are the only people that ever read this, I know it will mean something to you all. And that’s enough for me. Though, I would not turn down instant success that is colored by a little bit of cash, book deals, and movie rights… Actually, no movie. No, no, no. I dislike a lot of eyes on me. It makes me nervous and very shy. So I think I will just stick to blogging.

See you next week.