Homemade Chipotle Bowl!

Outside of my typical topic of articulation, I've decided to create a post on food! I am a new wife and have been trying to broaden my cooking horizon. As a result, I have mastered (in my husband's opinion) a recipe to make your very own chipotle-styled bowls in the comfort of your own home. Yum.

Here we go!

LB's Homemade Chipotle Bowls

Ingredients:

2 Tbs - Olive oil
4 chicken cutlets

Favorite chicken seasonings

1 can of diced tomatoes (prefer can with garlic and onions)

1 can of black beans (prefer reduced sodium. you can also replace with different beans if you prefer)

Shredded cheese

Spinach

Rice (prefer brown, regular or instant is fine)

Lime (optional)

[REMEMBER: this recipe is completely flexible to make into your own! Personalize the ingredients according to what you love to add.]

Step#1: Make your favorite recipe of guacamole. Set aside for later. 

(I have a really yummy recipe I use. I'll be sure to have a follow-up post with that recipe too!) 

Step#2: Make rice! Depending on time, I'll sometimes use instant rice. You can use whatever you prefer, I always choose brown rice. (I put this step early on so you can plan the timing accordingly, whether you use instant or regular rice.)

Step#3: Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet, add chicken cutlets, pour in liquid from diced tomato can, sprinkle in your favorite seasonings, cover and cook over low-medium heat until cooked through. 

(For an extra splash of yum, I keep the limes I used for my guacamole and squeeze any leftover juice over the chicken. You can just leave the remaining peels in the skillet.)

Step#4: Cut up your chicken into cubes and set aside.

(For a fun & fancy way to display your finished product, you can also cut a fresh 

slice of lime and set aside.)

Step#5: This step is where you can start personalizing your own bowl. Add topping ingredients to your liking and in any order you prefer! (Personally, I first put down a bed of spinach, followed by rice and black beans, then chicken, cheese, and then top it off with guacamole. I also like adding the slice of lime to the top for presentation.)

FINAL PRODUCT!

Enjoy!

~LB

Well geeze.

So here's an update in the world of Lindsey: I'm a procrastinator in every sense of the word.

Thankfully I have friends who put me in my place.

So in December I put together some lovely goals. Let's recap...

Full-length album to be written and recorded.

Learn to play keys, xylo, and the uke.

My progress is not as I had hoped.

I don't have ten songs written.

I don't have them all recorded.

What have I done? I promise I haven't completely squandered my life away.

I have finished writing almost all the songs I had in "the works".

I have recorded demos for 3 of the 5 songs written.

I have also learned a lot more and have been playing the keys for some worship services.

Oh, and I can play the uke pretty well. I even recorded a cover song on it.

I'd say I've earned about a 70%.

Being the perfectionist that I am...I am not okay with this. (Oh the turmoil and tension of the perfectionist and procrastinator warring within me!) :)

So let's revisit and rework these goals... Oh, what to do? What to do?

1) Finish recording demos of ALL songs currently written by the end of August.

2) Set up a tentative recording date by the end of August.

3) Record the 5 songs as "Lady Wisdom [EP]" by November 2011.

4) Set up a live studio recording for the "War Ship [EP]" by the end of August.

5) Release both Lady Wisdom & War Ship before 2012 on iTunes & PROMTE!

6) 2012 is when I'll have lots of goals to play my music around town.

Alrighty, it's a done deal. Hold me accountable, my wonderful friends!

Tomorrow's Song (in reply to Jon Foreman's group songwriting endeavor.)

Tomorrow's Song

Verse 1//

I don't know you

Do I even want to?

Certainly stumbling upon

The uncertainties you bring along

Chorus 1//

To tomorrow, tomorrow

Verse 2//

I don't know you

Am I 'sposed to?

Currently cordial, you and I

Not quite sure yet how to reply

Chorus 2//

To tomorrow, tomorrow

Verse 3//

I don't know you

But I'll pretend to

Quietly waltzes along

And strangely I'll sing the song

Chorus 3//

Of tomorrow to tomorrow

Tomorrow to tomorrow

And strangely I'll sing the song

Of tomorrow to tomorrow

Bridge//

A song of hope, a song of fear, a song of strength when love disappears

A song of joy, a song of loss, a song of love that paid the cost

Chorus 4//

For tomorrow to tomorrow

Tomorrow to tomorrow

the next three sixty-five.

here comes the next year. ready or not.
in my attempt to be more ready than not, i thought i'd share some of my goals.
writing them out, putting them in front of more than just myself, will hopefully motivate completion.
crossing my fingers on that one.
ok, enough of that. it makes typing a tad bit more complex.

goals. (i have decided to just share my individual music goals since i have lots of goals for the different portions of my life):

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

solo music goals--

album//
write, write, and write some 'mo.
as mentioned, i'm writing for my first full-length album.
i want 10-12 songs on it.
i currently have 5.
i'm weighing the possibility of reworking a couple of my older songs that were never recorded.
just a thought, not sure though.
i have the place i'm recording semi-solidified.
it's a studio in asheville, nc.
before i decide to record all of my songs there, i'm planning on going up there to record a few of them and see how they turn out.
end of january/beginning of february is the target for these recordings.
oh, &...
this album will also include an EP of some of the worship songs i've written.
it'll be an acoustic 3-song, live studio recording of them.
super chill, super easy, and hopefully a wonderful time with Jesus.

spring 2011 is my hope to have the whole thing done & ready to share with you.
be looking out for "Lady Wisdom" (the full-length) & "War Ship [EP]" (the worship EP) coming soon! :)


instrumentation//
so i play an acoustic guitar and sing diddys.
whoop.
not really.
i want to expand the instruments i play and write with.
i know the technical aspects of the keyboard, but not well enough to play and write fluidly.
i guess other than trying to teach myself, i'm going to look into getting lessons.
i just really want them to be practical and easily applicable. (let me know if you know anyone good)
my hope is that it will open a new type of writing for me.
the xylophone is splendid.
i want to be able to experiment some with that too.
the ukulele would also be a good addition.
so before i get overzealous, i'm settling on: the keys, the xylo, & the uke.

lastly, i have this wonderful boss loop pedal that i haven't used.
the culprit: the unfortunate fact that i don't know how.
i want to start practicing with it & be able to implement it in live performances. (mostly for vocal looping/harmonizing purposes)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

okee dokee.
that's all for now.
let's get 'er done!
(if you have any input on any of these, i'd graciously welcome it.)

Lady Wisdom. Part I.

Meet Lady Wisdom.
Who is she?
She is not a goddess.
She is not God or an aspect of Him.
Who is she?

{Ok, before I get into the nitty-gritty... (drum roll, please)... Lady Wisdom is the title of my upcoming album! Yay! ...(i'll let the applause die down)...Alright that's it. I'll let you get back to meeting her. Sorry I spoiled your introduction. How rude! (said in the voice of Stephanie Tanner) Be sure to check below for an excerpt of a song from the album!}

So seriously, if I'm writing an entire album around her, I'm sure you are wondering...
Who is Lady Wisdom?

In Proverbs 1-9, Solomon personifies wisdom as "Lady Wisdom". In these chapters, Solomon teaches us many things about her through this introduction—giving her speeches to deliver and by relating her characteristics to various kinds of women his readers could identify with, like wives, mother, etc.
{Point #1: Lady Wisdom is not a person}

Ok, this is where it gets kinda confusing...so please stick with me.

However, the fact that Lady Wisdom is not an actual person, does not exclude the fact that she is portrayed as an example of femininity. Entities that are not actual people can still embody genders. For example, the Bible refers to the Church, in its totality, to be The Bride of Christ. While the Church is not an actual person, it remains feminine. In the same way, we find Lady Wisdom.
{Point #2: Lady Wisdom embodies femininity}

Proverbs 8:22-31 (scripture reference found below), describes wisdom as God's first creation. She, Lady Wisdom, was created, and then God proceeded to create everything else. This just blows my mind, that even in the process of creation itself, God follows this beautiful pattern which is exemplified time and time again in His universe—masculinity + femininity working alongside one another to bring forth fruit that reflects characteristics of both. In this story, Lady Wisdom was His beloved companion—“constantly at His side”—and “was filled with delight day after day.” She was His biggest fan—rejoicing in Him and all His works, especially in His creation of man.
{Point #3: Lady Wisdom is the ultimate example of God's intent in creation of genders working alongside one another for His glory}

Welllll...I think I've given you enough to chew on for today... :)
The next few blogs, I'll get into more specifics about her characteristics as found in Proverbs 1-9.
Coolio?

Also, back to the album talk, "Lady Wisdom" will not only be the album title, but also the title track. Wanna get a sneak peek of the song that's still in the process of being written?! Check out a sample of some of the lyrics:

{Go find her, Take hold,
Tie her 'round your neck + don't let go
Better than kings' rubies + gold
Nothing quite compares
When it's she you behold...
Lady Wisdom, Lady Wisdom}
© 2010 Lindsey A. Carter


Here's the scripture I was referring to earlier...
PROVERBS 8:22-31
²² “The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
²³ I was formed long ages ago,
at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
²⁴ When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
when there were no springs overflowing with water;
²⁵ before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
²⁶ before he made the world or its fields
or any of the dust of the earth.
²⁷ I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
²⁸ when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
²⁹ when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
³⁰ Then I was constantly at His side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
³¹ rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.

11:10

11:10pm.12.19.10.

i have weird tendencies.
i always look at the clock at 11:10.
am and/or pm.
the significance?
11/10 is the anniversary of my birth.
other than that, i have no idea.
why am i telling you this?
once again, i don't know.
i just happened to decide to blog, and looked down at the clock at...
you guessed it!
eleven:ten

ok now on to the actual blog...
so in my last blog i told you that i'm writing lots.
i'm currently writing for my first full-length album.
in the next few blogs, i think i'll begin sharing the direction of the album.
i've been really attempting to approach it from a "project perspective".
not just a haphazard conglomeration of songs written here and there.
i'm writing with a vision in place beforehand for each song + for the album as a whole.
i'm writing songs that unify somewhat topically.
i'm writing with a certain spectrum of sounds in mind.
it's definitely weird for me.
but then again, as aforementioned, i have weird tendencies.
so we will see how it comes together.
hopefully it'll be yumminess for your ears.

goodnight all. it took me far too long to write this. i get distracted easily.
until we...your eyes + my written word...meet again,
~LC

la dee da

so my fingers are typing away.
my soul is a-stirring.
i'm not sure quite why.
but i'm welcoming myself back into the world of blogging.
don't get too excited, because to be honest, it's really not for you.
you see...
God, my God, is always with me.
i wouldn't know what to do without Him.
and when He is stirring something in me, i simply respond.
as previously mentioned: i'm not sure what's stirring and why.
however it's translating to writing, and writing lots.
so here is my outlet.
here i'll write.
maybe you'll read.
but mostly i hope He'll use this stirring to bring change in me.
glorified is what i want Him to be.