creamy chicken and wild rice soup

November 20, 2014

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Alright, I have a confession to make.  Christmas decorations have left storage and are officially up at the Maxey house, which is usually strictly forbidden until after Thanksgiving.  I’m not sure if it’s the snow, or the temperature, or just maybe the fact that I am needing Christmas cheer early this year.

I know that it’s not December yet, and I probably shouldn’t even be talking about Christmas yet but seriously I can’t help myself!  I love this time of year for all of the kindness it brings out in people.  In the last few years it has become so important to our family to make Christmas about others.  Facebook has been flooded with opportunities to get involved in the community and help others, you truly don’t have to look far to find things you can do and feel good about.  Even if you can not afford to donate, remember that sometimes the gift of time, or fresh baked cookies, or a hot pot of soup can be the miracle that someone needs.

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This soup has been on repeat in our kitchen for the last few months.  It is by far one of my favorite soups ever, and it doesn’t take long to whip up- and I bet your neighbor would love a pot, too.

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creamy chicken and wild rice soup
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend (I use Rice Select Royal Blend with Flaxseed)
  • 1 chopped yellow onion
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 7 tbsp butter, divided
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 4½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ¼ tsp rosemary
  • ¼ tsp sage
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1½ cups milk
  • 3 drops of pure grade essential lemon oil
Instructions
  1. Cook rice according to directions on package.
  2. In a large stockpot, saute the onion, celery and carrots in 1 tbsp of butter. Once tender, add the garlic and saute for one minute. Add in spices, salt and pepper, chicken broth and chicken. Cover pot and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and shred. (I use my stand mixer for this! So simple!)
  3. Return the chicken to the soup, and also add the rice.
  4. In a separate saucepan, melt the remaining butter, and whisk in flour, alternatively with the milk to make a cream. Add this to the soup as well, followed by the drops of lemon oil and stir well.
  5. Enjoy!

XO,

shansig

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(edible) hostess gifts

November 19, 2014

If your job next Thursday is just to “show up” consider yourself lucky, and then consider spoiling the hostess of whatever Thanksgiving dinner you are attending with something sweet.  (After all, it’s the least you can do!)  Here are a few simple gifts you can throw together to show your bellies appreciation!

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1. Sweet Orange Berry Butter   2. A Caramel Apple Cider Kit  3. Crimson Cranberry Chutney  4. Salted Caramel Sauce (with a printable label!) 5. Mini Apple Cranberry Pies  6. Spiced Pecans 

XO,

shansig

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beauty gift guide holiday 2014

November 18, 2014

Yesterday we returned home to cold temps and glistening snow.  Beautiful, yes.  Calming, not so much.  Almost instantly I felt suffocated by “the list” that haunts me every holiday season.  You know, the one that you swear you will get an earlier start on because who wants to put themselves through this kind of torture year after year…yeah, that one.

One nice thing about all this snow is that at the very least it puts you in the holiday mood.  Even a strict  “no Christmas decor before Thanksgiving” person, such as myself, can’t help but jam to Bing Crosby and break out the twinkling lights.  So let’s fill our mugs with hot cocoa and do a little of Santa’s work.  Here is a gift guide that will make any of the beauty lovers on your list very happy:

beauty_gift_guide_holiday_20141skin GLAMGLOW Gift Sexy 2lips Smashbox On the Rocks Be Legendary Lipstick Trio 3nails Michael Kors Holiday Nail Lacquer Set 4gift within a gift Stila Best of Kitten 5perfume Philosophy Wishing You Love and Grace Fragrance Coffret 6brushes Sephora Collection 24 Karat Gold Mine Brush Set

Which beauty set would you love to see under your tree?

xo,

brandyjsig

 

 

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hats on savannah

November 17, 2014

We laughed, we played, we ate, and we ate, and we ate…

A weekend away in gorgeous Savannah could not have came at a more perfect time for us. We started with a long, lazy drive down South. Followed by three days with friends who are simply easy to be with. We took our first carriage ride, visited the place where we were married, made several stops at the candy store and learned that caramel vodka was missing from our lives (okay, maybe just my life). It was one of those trips where nothing was planned yet everything flowed as if it was. I guess that happens when you’re in such a good city and even better company.

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It’s no secret that hats are a favorite chilly weather accessory of mine. As you can tell above I wore my wide brimmed fedoras for everything but sleeping during our stay. While these type of hats have been on trend for some time it wasn’t until recently I had the courage to rock them. Sort of like the caramel vodka I’m not sure what the heck I’ve been holding out for. If you have yet to own one of these amazing hats here are a few stylish and economical options:

hats_winter_20141Necessary Clothing emma fall hat 2Aldo hat 3H&M wool hat with studs 4Charlotte Russe wide brim floppy hat 5Forever 21 colorblock wool fedora hat 6Nine West felt trench coat hat

Goodbye to an enchanted city…and onto to the magic of snow (yes, I’m going to play the positive attitude card when it comes to snow before Thanksgiving).

xo,

brandyjsig

 

 

 

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sunshine and waves

November 14, 2014

There is nothing quite like the ocean to calm a troubled heart.  Its more than the water and the tide, the color of the light and the size of the horizon.  For me it is a sacred place that I have come to treasure.

 “You only need to stand near the ocean to feel the presence of the One who created it”

The story of Josh and I began at the ocean, a long time ago when the powdery sand and turquoise waters were healing my heart for entirely different reasons.  We returned to that ocean a few years later and got engaged.. and last month when we lost our precious Locke I knew that we needed to pay our dear old friend another visit.

Honestly, I thought that getting away from home would be easier.  I thought it would be a time to clear our minds and heal our hearts and it was.. but the healing never comes easy.

We wanted some time to spend together as a family, and to focus on Adelynn and her healing heart, too. Our first stop was Disney for a quick day at the Magic Kingdom, and magical it was.

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After soaking up some magic we headed to the gulf coast for a few days at the beach and there came the first blow that grief had in store for me.  We stopped at Target for a few things and as Adelynn and I popped into the baby isles in search of a cup for her I saw it.  His blanket.  The grey blanket that he was always wrapped in… the blanket that we buried him in, the blanket that I handed him over to a stranger in.  In an instant it was like the floor fell out beneath my feet.  “Mommy?  Why do you have your tears out?…”  

It’s crazy to me that in an instant loss can feel so raw, even when you think you’ve got a handle on it.  I’ve told myself so many times that the hardest days are over.. but are they really?  Will they ever really end or will my arms ache for him indefinitely?  That sweet blanket ripped the band-aid over my heart off so swiftly that it left me gasping for air.

That night as I stepped out onto the beach for the first time,  I felt God’s mighty arms wrap right around me and he silenced every fear.  Josh found a shell with a perfect little heart on it and we knew that it was a message of love, meant just for us.

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These little moments remind us that joy can walk right beside grief.  Happiness can accompany heartbreak and with every tear comes a small amount of healing.. and we are getting there.

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XO,
shansig

Posted in Baby Maxey Updates | Tagged | 5 Comments