Crock Pot: White Chicken Chili

This was an amazing easy recipe, and perfect for the rainy crappy weather we have been having. I adapted this recipe from a blog I follow: a mom and her twin little girls, and she understands the need to make quick and yummy recipes!

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

3 (15oz) cans white northern beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (15oz) can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
1 lb chicken (fresh or frozen)
2 (4oz) cans mild green diced chilies
1 (15oz) can chicken stock
2-3 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 packet dry ranch seasoning
3-4 cloves garlic minced

Throw all in crock pot, stir, cook on low for 7-8 hours. Come home, stir and shred chicken. Serve with sour cream, cheese and/or avocado.

Side note: Make sure the crock pot is plugged IN before leaving the house!!! This was my pregnancy brain forgetful day.
Thankfully I have an amazing husband who came back home (on bicycle) to plug it in.

My adaptations: I like a variety of beans, you can probably even use white kidney beans or cannellini beans. I used only 2 teaspoons of the ranch packet, but I figured next time I will dump the whole packet in. I also added the chicken stock. If you are like me and buy the giant stock cartons when they are BOGO just fill an empty bean can with stock and dump in. I eyeballed it this time, because I only had a little left in the carton and dumped it all in.

Pregnant Woman Thought Ramblings

I know I have long missed my 24 week update. Hopefully you will get 2 in a row coming up.

I just wanted to take a minute and jot down some things that have been swirling around in my head.
I have had a relatively easy pregnancy, I am very grateful for that. However that being said: I do NOT enjoy being pregnant! I am so NOT glowing and I am not loving this "growing a human being" time period. At this point, little L may be an only child. I had always thought I'd have 3-5 kids! I wanted kids. I would also like the have opposite gender siblings. We will see how the next 4 months go, and how labor/delivery go, how newborndom goes. Maybe I'll have rose colored glasses on by the end of it, and think about another one down the road. I understand newborndom is hard, but I am so ready for it. I am 25 weeks and already at the point of "get this thing out of me!!" 1 day past my official due date my butt is marching in there and getting induced, little L is NOT going to sit in there and stew and get larger and larger!
I think it's a combination not only of the delicate process that is growing a human child, but also the diabetes factor. The huge major added stress of keeping that under control! My body is going though a lot of changes and the handle on diabetes is getting more stressful and cumbersome. I become insulin resistant as the placenta grows, which that takes more of the insulin than my body, so that causes higher blood sugars. 4 weeks ago if I ate a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast I would give 4.0 units of insulin, now for that same bowl of oatmeal I am up to 7.0 or 8.0 units, depending on what my blood is before eating.
The insulin resistance is a "good" thing in theory, because that means there is a healthy placenta. If we start going the other way, less insulin and lower sugars, that means the placenta is breaking down.
Also not enjoying my high risk OB. I unfortunately did not have the luxury of interviewing and finding a high risk OB I liked. My old OB, was less than useless in helping with a referral. I had to go with basically who I found. And FYI there are not a lot of options for high risk in south FL.
He has unrealistic expectations about where my bloods should be kept (ie: between 120-140). He talked about putting my on shots last time I was there. Um.... NO! H-E-double hockey sticks NO! I have a great relationship with my endo, we will figure out to do on HIS end.
I am not the type of pregnant mom who is over the moon, and gushing and touching, and poking and prodding my belly. Any Dr appointments with the ultrasound I am more just staring at the screen watching what they are doing. I am not all smiles and giggle and "ohhh's" and "ahhhh's". I am grateful little L is moving and jiving in there, I am grateful when I hear the heartbeat, but that's it.
Josh has finally felt it move and he has been ecstatic ever since.

I am uncomfortable, my clothes don't fit (obviously). I have finally broken out the maternity jeans, which are not as bad as I originally thought, still not the biggest fan. I can't do anything/not allowed to do anything. Mom and Josh won't let me ride my bike. Mom won't let me pick up and carry a bag of potatoes. I can't climb on a ladder or chair, I can't pick up Whiskey (I do, too bad!!!). I get starving, eat 2 bits and I'm full and uncomfortable.

I am very glad and thankful I have some friends who have done this before me. I can confide in them and ask those weird silly questions and don't get judged!

I am also in complete and utter denial about Whiskey and our kitten Mackie, they are my babies. I know that when L comes, they will just be a dog and a cat, they will be second class citizens, but I can not wrap my head around that. I am going kicking and screaming that will happen. I will not get rid of them, I will not stick them outside, I will not! They are as much as part of the family as little L will be.

I will over the moon once little L is here and we are both healthy and safe, until then I will continue to worry and be stressed and not enjoy being pregnant. Just counting down the days until February.

22 Weeks

Whiskey photobomb

How far along? 22 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 13-ish pounds (I would assume)
Maternity clothes? I wear the shirts and tanks. No pants yet. Old Navy also had a sale on baby and maternity clothes. I got a few more cute tops
Stretch marks? Not yet, I did finally buy Palmer's Coco Butter and try to use it once a night. Side note: I'm not a fan of the smell or the feel of it, but to be fair, I don't really like the feel of lotion anyways. I always "wipe my hands clean" after putting some on.
Sleep: Tired in the afternoons, but kind of feel a little more like myself
Best moment this week: Got some cute baby clothes from the Old Navy sale, and it's all gender neutral. 

Have you told family and friends: Yes
Miss Anything?  A beer, and getting our Halloween costumes ready (I had them picked out for this year, but it doesn't work with a belly. I'll have to bookmark them for later years)
Movement: I still think so, I can notice them more while sitting at work, but still have to focus for the most part.
Food cravings: Been sweet stuff lately, like rice krispie treats, oreos, pumpkin anything, monkey bread
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not anymore
Have you started to show yet: A little "bump". Had the first stranger mention something today, (AFTER Josh said we were expecting) but she was nice and didn't want to say anything before to offend me, but she thought so. Guessed the month right on the head too; 5-6 months.
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? In, but I can feel it getting "flatter"
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Moody and cranky
Looking forward to: Gathering stuff for the nursery! I have picked up a few small things

**The side not on the bottom of the chalkboard says "Maybe not as big as gramps grows them" He grow newborn size papayas. Also My mom will be called "Grammie", she's been Grammie to Whiskey since we got her. My dad we haven't figured it out yet, mom and Josh like "Grumps". At this point it'll be whatever Little Bit calls him.

Today we had a very nice visit with my cousin Micheal, his wife, Nicole and their 2 boys, Brayden and Drew. Can't wait to see them again and more family in November for Thanksgiving!

I also made monkey bread to take over with us for lunch. It was very tasty and simple to make. YUM!

Chicken Taco Chili

I follow a variety of other blogs, one is a momma to adorable twin girls, but she also shares a lot of awesome recipes.
With fall right around the corner she posted a crock pot recipe. I was ALL over this one! Not to mention it would go nicely with the avocados from our tree.
She calls it a soup. I would call it more like a chili/soup/stew. But whatever you want to classify it as it is DELICIOUS!

bowl Pottery Barn-Emma collection

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili - from/adapted 3 Ladies and their Gent

1 LB boneless skinless chicken
1 (15oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15oz) can corn, drained and rinsed

2 (15oz) can diced tomatoes (this I had 1 Italian variety on hand, the other was plain)

1 (10oz) can RoTel (again you can get creative with the variety)

1 (15oz) can chicken broth

1 packet dry ranch salad seasoning mix

1 packet taco seasoning

Toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado (all optional, but HIGHLY recommended) 

1. Throw EVERYTHING in the crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours. When you get home take folks or tongs to shred the chicken.

2. Serve and enjoy with accouterments from above

SO SO SO Good! It will be on the regular menu rotation from now on. 

I threw my chicken breast in there from the freezer and it was perfect.  Like I noted with the diced tomatoes, there are a lot of varieties out there with flavor on these, so get creative. Also the ranch seasoning packet had a "spicy" version I may try next time. Same with the beans, throw any of our 3 favorite together, she has originally done pinto beans, I swapped them out.