Week 2

                   Male Mail: Week 2 of Awesomeness!Another week flies by, almost as fast as the soap box cars we saw a little over a week ago!  Kyle & I are quickly learning how to live the more affordable and yet fun lifestyle while he continues his job search.  We spent one weekend watching the Marble Falls Soap Box Derby.  Kyle took it upon himself during the races to dream up his own soap box car team.  Here are some of the key players:
·         Chris Marks (Kyle’s friend) as the engineer...this man could probably draw up one mean soap box car.
·         John Nachman (my bro-in-law) as the car mechanic….let’s just say this man is genius under the hood of any vehicle.
·         Braden Kass (this man needs no introduction) as the driver of the vehicle….I bet everyone just got a sweet image of this in their head!
·         Mark Peluse & JP Kuhlman (once again no need for an introduction) as Kyle’s fellow drinker and pit crew guy….I know sweet title. 

Either way no matter who partakes in this process it sounds like Kyle has some pretty incredible dreams of being a soap box car champ!

Last Tuesday night we enjoyed a games night at some friends’ in Austin.  It is always nice to get away from the mundane life of repetition and change it up with some good company, good food & good laughs.  We also spent an evening celebrating the 1 year anniversary of a brewpub we like a lot, Double Horn Brewery.  I got to try delicious Belgium Amber…boy, was that a smooth drink!  Thursday night, Kyle, myself and my roommate Lindsay all went to check out a summer camp activity call Torch Light.  Something everyone should know, my job has nothing to do with the summer camp.  This was my first summer camp experience EVER in my adult life;  AND it was awesome, we got to see some great and some mediocre skits, but the coolest part of all was watching the fireworks show.  Who knew I’d get to see fireworks on a day that isn’t the 4th of July???  What a treat! 
Kyle began his part time job this week as well.  He is currently working for Great Harvest Bread Co.   He enjoys the job and gets off work mid-day; granted he also starts his day at 4:30 am every day.  I thank God though that he at least as something that he enjoys and it will help bring in a little income as he continues his incredible job search of 2012.  Please, keep him in your prayers, once again.  He is working hard and one of these days his luck will catch up with him and God will bless him with a wonderful work life J  I could use a few thoughts as well.  This was a fantastic week, but my Iphone sort of had a mean encounter with the pavement the other day and I am now dealing with a mega-cracked screen.  Not to mention my car is having a few difficulties…nothing major, it just won’t start J.  Ahhhh such is life.   Just keep us in your thoughts and prayers and please let us know how you are all doing!!!   We miss you all and almost every day we have to talk about things going on back home! 
Fave recipe from this 2nd week is at the end of this letter!
xx
Madeline    

Weight Watchers Recipe - Chicken Fajitas
7PointsPlus Value Prep time:  20 min
Cook time:  15 min
Serves: 4
Fajitas are a fun meal — just set out the ingredients and let everyone make their own. We made a fantastic fresh salsa but your favorite jarred salsa is fine, too.
Ingredients
1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), peeled and smashed   
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes   
1 tsp chili powder   
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice   
1/8 tsp table salt   
1/8 tsp black pepper   
  1 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s), cut lengthwise into thick strips
To make the salsa:   
  2 cup(s) fresh cherry tomato(es), coarsely chopped   
  1/2 cup(s) uncooked scallion(s), chopped, green and white parts   
  1 small jalapeño pepper(s), cored, seeded and minced (don't touch seeds with bare hands)   
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional (see note below)   
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice   
1/8 tsp table salt   
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
To finish the fajitas:   
1 spray(s) cooking spray   
  1 medium uncooked red onion(s), thinly sliced   
  1/2 medium sweet red pepper(s), thinly sliced   
  1/2 medium green pepper(s), thinly sliced   
1 tsp canola oil   
4 medium whole wheat tortilla(s)   
Instructions
·         In a medium-size glass bowl, combine garlic, red pepper flakes, chili powder, lime juice, salt and pepper; add chicken to bowl and stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
·         Meanhwhile, to make salsa, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno, red pepper flakes, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside to allow flavors to blend.
·         Coat a large, heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add onion and peppers, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes; spoon vegetables into a small serving bowl and cover to keep warm.
·         Add oil to same skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken and any marinade remaining in bowl, but discard garlic (juices will sizzle so be careful of splattering liquid). Cook chicken until well-browned on bottom, about 3 minutes; flip chicken and cook until browned on second side, about 3 minutes more. If chicken is not cooked through, reduce heat to low and cook an additional 2 or 3 minutes.
·         To serve, place 3 ounces of chicken strips on each tortilla; top with about 1/2 cup of vegetables and 1/2 cup of salsa. Yields 1 fajita per serving.
Notes
·         If you’re short on time, substitute 1 cup of store-bought salsa for the fresh salsa (could affect PointsPlus values).

Week 1

Male Mail (mads + kyle = male??)

Not digging the name for our newsletter?  TOUGH.  I like saying it, “Male Mail.  Male Mail.”  Try it, Braden…you know you want to J  Sort of like naf naf but different. 

I want to say thank you to everyone that made Kyle's transition from Illinois to Texas so smooth.  The support and love from everyone is so wonderful to see! 

Here are the highlights on our 21-ish hour car ride:

·         BAD storm just outside of St. Louis

·         St. Louis Arch….AWESOME!  Weather lifted enough for it to be a great view! 

·         Played “where am I now?” with a few people…Braden won…shocker.

·         Spent the night at Aunt Emmy’s and Uncle Gene’s (Mr. Burnsides aunt and uncle)….beautiful people and home!!!

·         Discovered that Arkansas, at least the northwest portion, is absolutely gorgeous.  Everyone should experience it!

·         BAD storm right around Dallas…bad meaning, winds surpassed 60mph and we thought we might blow away in the car. 

·         Celebratory delicious beer from a local Marble Falls brewery once we got into town!!

These last few days have been zooming by already.  Kyle has spent the majority of the last few days job searching.  In fact he went into Austin today to inquire and apply for jobs in person.  Keep him in your prayers and cross your fingers!

On a more fun note, Kyle and I did watch Game 2 of the NBA finals in Austin last night with one of my good friends.  Good company and a good evening. 

I am not sure when I will write up a little update next.  I was thinking once a week, but that might be annoying for the recipients.  However, this will be in blog form as well….so start checking that out once a week! 

xx

P.S.

Here is the recipe for our favorite meal we had this week!

Twice-Baked Tex-Mex Potato
Serves 1
All of your favorite Tex-Mex flavors are here: cumin, fresh salsa and refried beans. Make this versatile recipe for one, or for a crowd. It's big on flavor, yet easy on the budget at about $2.50 per serving. Ingredients with an asterisk (*) are available as Whole Foods Market Brands.
Nutrition
Per serving (about 17oz/473g-wt.): 430 calories (90 from fat), 10g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 30mg cholesterol, 940mg sodium, 73g total carbohydrate (11g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 17g protein
Ingredients
1 (10- to 12-ounce) Russet potato
1 tablespoon sour cream
1/2 cup canned refried pinto beans*, warm
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 to 3 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese
Fresh salsa
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Prick potato all over with a fork and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake until just tender, about 1 hour; set aside until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, preheat broiler.

Cut open potato and scoop about 1/2 cup of the cooked flesh into a medium bowl. Add sour cream, beans, salt and cumin and mash with a fork to combine. Use bean mixture to refill potato, then top with cheese and return to baking sheet or place in a small baking dish. Broil until cheese is melted and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Top with salsa and green onions and serve.