Friday Favorites

Well y'all - it's the last day of September and I don't know if I can wrap my head around that! Tomorrow will be October and that means just one month until our wedding! Time is flying - so let me share some favorites with you and then I'm going to enjoy my busy weekend!

 

Monterey White Chicken Chili - I have finally found the perfect chicken chili recipe and I should have known that Plain Chicken would be the best place to find it! She always has the best recipes and this one did NOT disappoint! It was so tasty and delicious and I've added the recipe to my box!

Monterey White Chicken Chili 

• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup half & half
• 2 cans white meat chicken; drained
• 1 11 ounce can of white corn
• 1 9 ounce can of frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
• 1 cup French Fried onions
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In your cooking pot, melt the butter and stir in the flour, cooking for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and half & half. Bring to a boil and cook about 2 minutes, until thickened. 

Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with your favorite chili toppers: sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips...

The Four Seasons - Please feast your eyes on one of my favorite wedding gifts! This little treasure is the epitome of the phrase "good things come in small packages" because these little spice jars came in quite the small package but man, they bring me such joy!

I found a set that were meant to be a salt & pepper shaker... which led me to these little guys and I added them to our registry! I've got them filled with parsley (Spring), cumin (Summer), paprika (Autumn) and salt (Winter). They are completely functional and just add some flair to our above stove shelf - I love them!

Autumn Colors - Tomorrow is October 1st and the weather has certainly taken a turn toward Autumn! The temperatures have been hovering around the low-60's during the day with Autumn breezes and I have worn long sleeves all week long! I love it!

My drive to work (when I don't take the interstate) takes me through the Virginia countryside and I love it - I get to see apples on the trees in orchards that stretch out into the distance. I especially love the canola fields that I pass because they turn the most stunning goldenrod color - as you can see in my less than impressive picture! 

Forty Years - My sweet parents are celebrating a milestone anniversary on Sunday, October 2nd! They have been married for FORTY years; such a testament to commitment, especially in an age when so many people take their wedding vows with a grain of salt. 

They have been such a perfect example of what marriage is meant to be - sticking together through thick and thin, handling life's ups and down together and knowing that they are stronger together! I am so glad I've had the blessing of watching them - since I'll be starting on my own marriage journey in just forty-three short days! 

So - a very happy anniversary to my parents! Here's hoping you have another forty more! 

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I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! It looks like we will be having a very rainy weekend here in Northern Virginia, courtesy of Hurricane Ian - but man, we will take that rain as opposed to the horrors that Floridians are now dealing with. Bless them - what a situation this storm has created.