Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

We tried this recipe tonight and it was really good. It will be used a lot, I believe this Summer - it's that easy and inexpensive. An added bonus, it's a Weight Watcher's recipe - only 6 points per serving. While looking for some new light cooking recipes, I came across this WW Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken recipe posted by Stella B's Kitchen. It looked so good and loved that it was an easy crock pot meal, I can use on these nice Spring/Summer days.

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 2 inch strips
1/2 cup soy sauce (I used the 50% less sodium)
1/2 cup honey (I used local honey)
3 garlic cloves, whole
hot chili sauce (optional)  - I used 1 Tbsp. and 1 dash of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

Instructions:

• Place chicken breasts in crock pot along with soy sauce, honey, garlic cloves and hot chili sauce.  
• Set crock pot to low and cover. 
• Stir once 2 hours into the cooking and then cook an additional 2 hours.  Add a little additional time, if chicken is frozen.  I used frozen breasts, so I added an additional 30 minutes and it was perfect.  
• Remove the garlic cloves.

I served this chicken with baby spinach salad (baby spinach, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, cut cucumbers).

The house smelled so GOOD!  No hot kitchen, supper was ready within 4 1/2 hours and I got to spend time with my children.  It was so delicious and the hot chili sauce gave it a great flavor and no heat.  I just LOVE crock pot meals in the Spring and Summer time.

I'm trying my best to get back on our regular healthy diet.  It would be a good opportunity for us right  now because we like to eat light meals during the warm months.  I've always loved baby spinach in my salad instead of iceberg lettuce.  I know that spinach is very healthy for you.  I read an article the other day and it said not only is spinach good for you, but to try kale to switch things up.  Well, I'm a little nervous trying kale.  I've never been good on eating greens (collards, turnip).  I blame my childhood.  My parents made me eat collards and turnip greens during the Winter months.  The leaves were not washed good because I always tasted the grit (sand/dirt) from our outside garden.  It would turn my stomach every time.  When I first got married, I would hold my nose and quickly swallow the greens during New Years Day.  It's tradition, everyone that wants lots of money in the coming year has to eat lots of greens and blackeye peas.  My sweet sweet mother-in-law found out through my husband my hatred for greens, so to this day she makes me a pot of cabbage instead.  I did try creamy collards at a barbecue restaurant this past Winter.  They were good!  I couldn't eat a whole lot, but it reminded me of creamy spinach dip.  I'll eat spinach dip, so good.  I know I'm strange.  I love spinach (raw) and cabbage, but can't handle turnip or regular collard greens.  Saying this, I'm a little nervous to try kale.  Do you think I'll like it?  Does it taste more like spinach or turnip greens?  On Pinterest, I found a few recipes that sounded good.  One was a Gruyere Cheese and Kale Quiche and the other was kale cooked with white beans.  Do you have a good kale recipe that I should try? Please let me know.  Thanks!
 

How Great Thou Art

If you turn on the news or keep up with your local newspaper, you read or see terrible events all the time. With the horrific shootings in Texas, the high magnitude earthquake in Chile to our own troubles at home. The world is filled with pain and suffering. Some environmentalist claim that we are living in the time of global warming and that is why we've had such a crazy Winter (blizzards, frigid cold temperatures, severe storms, and mudslides). Our planet is out of balance due to human abuse to our planet. Well, I agree to a certain extent. Our planet is out of balance that is for sure. When God created the heavens and the earth, He made it perfect. We allowed sin to enter into this perfection and destroy it as well as us. We are out of balance because of sin, we can not have a close and personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. The world is pushing the Only God out as fast as possible because He doesn't fit in the evil and selfish lifestyle that we desire. We choose our passions and desires. Whether it is our career, family life, craft, etc. The list goes on and on, unending. It's okay because we all do it. As long as we realize it and turn to God with forgiveness and thanksgiving. We are not perfect and never will, but God desires a relationship with his children. The environmentalist say that we need to create more regulations and restrictions to reverse this action to more positive end results. They claim that we are living in time of global warming. I believe we are living in the ENDS OF DAYS. I believe we are living the days of Revelations, we have for many many years. Instead of more regulations, we need repentance to God Almighty. Instead of more restrictions, we need to embrace God and all his wonders. Because He is Still In Control, whether we want to admit it or not. It might feel better if we say that WE ARE IN CONTROL, but we are not. Never have! GOD IS IN CONTROL and what is, will be.

With all the craziness that is going on all around us - earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires, mudslides, murders, tornadoes, hurricanes, severe storms, terrorism, bad health plans that are forced on us and other evil acts. Be assured the God is with you. Just go to him and he will give you rest. He will give you peace during the worst of times and joy during the best of times.

I receive emails from one of my favorite bands "The Piano Guys" whenever they release a new album or song. I just love these guys. This morning while watching Fox News regarding the latest events, the shooting at Fort Hood, TX. As I shake my head, so sorrowful for the victims' families and those that are wounded. My heart is so heavy with more bad news of the world. I think to myself how much this country alone needs God and a good ole' revival to bring our spirits back up and give praise to God for what he has done for us. I opened up my emails to clean out mostly the junk messages, when I noticed that The Piano Guys have released yet another masterpiece "The Mission: How Great Thou Art". How fitting to what has been going on for several days, months and years. The Piano Guys are strictly instrumental, but growing up in a country church I remembered most of the lyrics. If you don't know the lyrics to "How Great Thou Art", here they are:

How Great Thou Art

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think of God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

You know, even as I read these lyrics once again.  I always get choked up during the part of "he bled and died to take away my sin."  Of course, I'm in tears of joy at the last verse in the song.  How encouraging to know, no matter what happens to me, Jesus is coming back for me and taking me to a place of no pain, no suffering, no tears - EVER!  How great is this and how powerful my God truly is.    Y'all he is coming back and the signs are all around us.  Will it happen tomorrow?  I don't know, but I do know that it is coming and Jesus will come to embrace His children and take us home.  Nonbelievers can call it global warming, but I know what it is.  Time is slowly coming to an end and I will be with my Heavenly Father FOREVER AND FOREVER!  Praise God for all his grace on my soul.  I pray that if you are not a believer that God will touch your heart, so you might let him in.  He will give you peace, love and rest from all your troubles.  HE LOVES YOU!!  Please ask him to come into your heart and soul today.  God is LOVE and a world without LOVE is very grim and gloomy.

I encourage you to watch the musical video of The Piano Guys and their version of "How Great Thou Art".  It is taken place in Iguaza Falls, absolutely beautiful.  I don't think they could have picked a better place to produce this video.  Just breathe taking.  

If there is anything that I can give you is Hope and Peace.  Hope that God is coming back for his children and he will give us peace to all the tragedy around us.  In Exodus, Moses had the opportunity to have a one on one conversation with God Almighty.  Jehovah told Moses, "My presence will go with you and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:14.  It's that simple.  Today, I hope you embrace God's rest that he is offering you without cost.


 

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!