FRIDAY FARE - Healthy Recipe... Chicken Nachos

Here's another scrumptious recipe sent in by guest blogger, Shannon Stahura...

"This recipe is great to make when you don't have time to make anything and it's a crowd pleaser!"

Chicken Nachos

Ingredients:

Whole Roasted chicken from deli (precooked and you shred it )
1 15 oz can of corn
1 15 oz can black beans
2 cups fresh salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 bag tortilla chips (baked are optional)

Directions :

1. Spray skillet with Pam and heat shredded chicken corn, beans, salsa and tomatoes to desired temperature.

2. Spread chips out on serving plate and top with chicken mixture .

3. Sprinkle cheese over chicken mixture and top with sour cream and serve it up!

(I made the Chicken Tortilla Soup, that Shannon posted last Friday, for dinner last Sunday - it was a HIT! Yum!)

Thanks, Shannon.
-Kara

THURSDAY THOUGHTS - Excited!!!!!

I feel like a kid on Christmas day - but, this is WAY better than Santa Claus.

Tonight - just a few short hours from now - is our "Share the Journey" Kick-off for Sister Survivors. We set up last night, and today is going to be a busy, trying-to-get-last-minute-things-done kind of day.

With that said, I'd better get moving! See you tonight!

(See Tuesday's post for the time/address/etc.)

-Kara

WORDLESS (almost) WEDNESDAY - Recnac Monsters...

A little bit of an explanation on the picture for this week... I recently interviewed a 2 time Breast Cancer survivor - Lynn Woodard. She told me that when she was diagnosed the first time, she and her kids decided to call Cancer, Recnac (Cancer spelled backwards). It sounded less scary! I agree. ;-)

Their family now makes Recnac monsters for children going through chemo. They are absolutely adorable! That's enough words for our "Wordless Wednesday", right? Here they are...

TUESDAY TIDINGS - Sister Survivors Kick Off!

THIS WEEK IS THE WEEK!!! Our Sister Survivors Kick Off is on Thursday, October 28, at 7:00 pm.

Show up right at 7:00, because we'll be holding a silent auction for 1/2 hour before the program starts. There's LOTS of great auction items, so don't forget your wallet! ;-) There are several things I'm so excited to bid on. I just hope I get one of them! I think the thing I want the most is the beautiful beaded watch. Or, the designer fabric apron. Or, maybe, the ridiculously CUTE 3 foot snowman! I can't decide!

At 7:30, we'll start the program, which will include a beautiful song written by Bethanie Newby - one of our Sister Survivors, and the keynote speaker (it's a surprise). We'll also have a slideshow, with pictures of our Sister Survivors, and the doctors and nurses who helped them. (I'm just SO excited for you to see pictures of me bald! Yeah.)

Then, after the program, there will be 15 more minutes to check your bids, and/or bid some more. And then, the auction will be over!

Add some super YUMMY desserts, a 300 piece art gallery, a witch's cottage, a castle, and a german village - oh, and some elephants, giraffes, and a gorilla - and it's going to be a FUN night!

Bring your family and friends (12 years and older), and join us. If you haven't RSVP'd yet, please email sistersurvivors@gmail.com, or call Dr. Bishop's office at (801) 802-0120, and let us know how many you are coming with.

The address is: 110 South Main, Lindon UT - It's just off of State Street - near Wallaby's Smokehouse and the China Lilly restaurant.

See you there!!!!

-Kara

MONDAY MEMOIRS - Becoming Real...

I just read a great post on Writing Through Cancer. I was looking for ideas for writing prompts, and this is a site I sometimes go to for inspiration. The post for this week is absolutely beautiful. In fact, it has to do with just that - beauty. The author, who I believe is Sharon Bray, talks about the struggle cancer survivors sometimes have with their new bodies. It made me think about my body, and the changes it has been through...

I would be lying if I said that it has been easy - getting used to this new body I have. It hasn't. In fact, I'll never, ever forget that moment when the bandages came off - after my bi-lateral mastectomy. I was with my best friend, Lori. The doctor took the bandages off, and then stepped out of the office for a minute. I stood up - scared to death to look in the mirror and see what wasn't there. Lori and I stood side by side staring into that mirror. It took my breath away. I remember the feeling of loss - wishing I wouldn't have gone through with it. Wishing I could go back and make a different decision, even though I knew my decision was the right one for me. I would never look the same again. I took me quite a long time to come to terms with my new look. I was nervous (understatement of a lifetime!) to show my husband. I don't know why - I should have known that he'd love me, no matter what. But, it wasn't easy. I've gradually become used to the way I look, and I'm grateful for the work my doctor has done. It's made me "whole" again.

Sharon Bray talks about the Velveteen Rabbit - how he wants to become real. I love the quote from the Skin Horse. The Velveteen Rabbit wonders how long it takes to become real... "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

When I was newly married, I was healthy, thin, and pretty - no wrinkles, no scars, no evidence of a life lived. Now - 25 years later - I'm not thin anymore, I'm starting to lose my tight skin and find the wrinkles, and I've definitely got scars - some from childbirth, some from surgeries, and some from illness. "But these things don't matter" because I'm REAL - I'm BECOMING.

Some of us have had surgeries. Some have had chemo. Some have had radiation.

Whatever the "stops" were on your cancer journey - you've changed. You've become a little more real.

Take a few minutes to write about the changes your body has gone through during your cancer journey.

-Kara

FRIDAY FARE - Healthy Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sorry for the lack of posting this week. We've had a CRAZY few days getting ready for our Kick-Off next Thursday. I hope you are all planning on attending. We've got a great keynote speaker, and a silent auction with a TON of cool stuff.

Anyway, guest blogger, Shannon Stahura, sent me this recipe LAST Friday (when I was super sick), and I didn't post it. It looks SO yummy. I think I'll make it when my son comes home with his girlfriend to visit on Sunday. Here is her recipe for you...

"With the chill in the air, I am still focused on soups. So... here is another soup recipe. It just seems like a great way to stay warm, get comfort and of course get those veggie servings. Not to mention, when you stick with the broth-based soups they tend to be low in calories and fat, so that is always a plus. This week's soup is one of my favorites. I make it probably once a month and its something that everyone loves. I get a lot of recipe requests for this one!"

Chicken Tortilla Soup
(prep time 30 minutes/ serves 8-10)

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cooked and shredded or diced
2 cups of fresh salsa
6-8 cups of chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup onion
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp seasoned pepper
2 cups canned black beans
2 cups corn
juice of one lime

Directions

1. Bake or boil chicken breasts, then shred or dice chicken and set aside.
2. In a large stock pot, melt butter and sautee onion until soft. Add chicken broth, then add everything else. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes and serve.

*Optional
Top with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheddar, sour cream and diced avacado and serve with a wedge of lime.

ENJOY!!!

MONDAY MEMOIRS - Sick Days...

I've dragged myself to this computer for a second, because I've got to figure out what to post today, and I've got the flu! I don't really feel like posting anything, if you want to know the truth. In fact, the way I'm feeling has me thinking about all the days I was sick during chemo. And maybe that's a good thing to write about - what do you think?

Open up your journal and record how it feels to go through chemo - try to describe your worst day. Hopefully it will help to write it down - get it out of your mind - and share it with someone else. As I'm going through this flu, there are things about it that are very much like the affects of chemo. But, there is a lot that is different too. Record one of your sick days, and then be grateful that you aren't there anymore. And if you are still there - it won't last forever, I promise. You'll get through it. :-)
-Kara

15th of the Month Reminder

Today is SELF CHECK day!

On the 15th of each month, remember to do your breast self-exam.

Go to Cancer.org to find a self-check guide.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY... Take a PINK ride!

TUESDAY TIDINGS - An Breast Cancer Survivor... an Incredible Woman!

I thought I'd let you know about an interview I'm doing over on my Incredible Women blog this week...

Lynn is a 2 time Breast Cancer survivor - and someone I've waited a year to interview. She is quite a unique woman - just like each of you. A year ago, when the Incredible Women blog went PINK for the month of October, I sent out questions to a bunch of Breast Cancer survivors. Lynn was one of them. She had actually seen the blog, and contacted me earlier. That's when I was introduced to her and her cancer blog...

www.learningfromlynn.blogspot.com

Lynn has written almost 700 posts on her blog in the last 2 1/2 years! It is one of the most helpful, inspiring blogs I've ever read. I love it. One thing that Lynn includes at the end of her posts is quotes. I loved the quote from a post a few days ago - I've added it to our right sidebar - go have a look! Her cancer story is amazing, her blog is wonderful... what more can I say? If you have a few minutes each day this week, I encourage you to visit Incredible Women and read about Lynn - each day there are 2 questions/answers for the whole week. And, don't forget to visit her blog - Learning From Lynn. You really will learn lots.

BTW - I've added Lynn's blog to our Sister Survivor's blog list. Just look near the bottom of the left sidebar.

Have a great day!

-Kara

MONDAY MEMOIRS - Service...