Wowzas.

How about that General Conference? Crazy right? It's kind of rocking my world to tell you the truth. A mission can either be an answer to all of my problems or simply a way that I'm trying to escape all of my problems. I sincerely wish to serve a mission and want to for all of the right reasons, but
at the same time, I think that I might want to be serving for wrong reasons as well. It still doesn't change the fact that I want to go though. And a temple in Arequipa, Peru! I can't even tell you how excited I am about this, my roommate and neighbors must have thought I was crazy. It might be because I just got a letter from a friend in Arequipa who legitimately just told me that they desperately needed a temple as the Lima, Peru one was an 18 hour drive away. How awesome is that?? I was seriously soo happy. It's amazing how prayers and blessings work. So happy.
Also, I hate to be that person, but it's driving me crazy, seeing all these girls post on facebook about how they are so excited and how it was an answer just for them. It gives me a feeling that they're all going just because of the hype surrounding it and not for reasons they have searched out for themselves. I'm not saying it's not an answer to prayers for many girls, obviously it is, but seriously? You have to post on facebook your self-righteousness? I guess I'm just not up to par in society and how facebook works though.
Anyway, it's something I'm going to have to be thinking and praying about now. Really thinking and praying about.
At General Conference, I was told once to treat it like New Years, as in a time to create new resolutions and  set yourself straight. Having it be twice a year also makes it a little more easier on yourself. It also provides real soul-searching questions and guidelines to help you reset your course. So I figured why not, it's as good as time as any to pick myself up and be a better member of the church, student, daughter, sister, aunt, lead crew supervisor, friend and much more. Just something to think about. Does anybody else like to do the same thing? I feel like it should be pretty common and it totally makes sense as we are given so much advice and many answers to prayers and questions we had been struggling with. So, if you've never done it, try it. If you have done it, cool.

On lazy weekends, I love to find time to cook. I love cooking. Turning on some music and creating something to look forward to. Good stuff. Today I made Cafe Rio's Creamy Tomatillo Dressing. So good. I substituted sour cream for the mayo though (mayo grosses me out, and mine had expired anyway).
Another pet peeve of mine: food ingredient pictures on a blog. Really though, you don't think anybody knows what sugar or vegetable oil looks like? I understand the finished result, or some obscure ingredient, or something you find aesthetically pleasing, but having to scroll through all of your pictures just to simply get your recipe is a little annoying. (Sorry for being so critical again, I really am a nice person. Promise.)

I loved all the greens in this picture, just had to post. 

Looks so good right?

Also, I made some of my moms famous Chicken Tortilla Casserole today as well. It never ceases to please. I don't have any pictures though, It's always eaten too fast. But here's the recipe. It's a little different from my moms (I'm proud to say I've tweaked it to my liking and it has turned out successful!)

Chicken Tortilla Casserole:

4 chicken breasts

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

2 cans of el pato tomato or jalapeno sauce (I use one of each, the jalapeno is just spicier, good either way)

1 cup milk

1-2 peppers

1/2-1 onion

12 corn tortillas

About 2 lbs of cheese

Start by cooking your chicken however you wish. For me it just depends on the day and how long I want to spend cooking, you can bake it at 400 for 1 hour or cook it on the stove with some butter, takes about 15 minutes, either way it's good. Just get it cooked. 

If you cook it on the stove, add in your veggies. If not, cook veggies alone. Once cooked, set aside.

In a large saucepan, cook your soup, el pato sauce, and milk until boiling. Sometimes I add in some canned tomatoes or crushed red pepper, it's really whatever you like, this recipe is pretty easy to mess around with and still turn out successful. Once mixed and boiled, take off heat.

Now cut up your tortillas into 1 inch squares.

Take a 9x13 casserole dish and grease it (I use butter) and find some kind of broth/liquid to put in the bottom (chicken broth, juice from your cooked chicken, I improvise a lot), just enough to lightly cover it. 

Now layer your ingredients, starting with your tortillas (completely cover the bottom), followed by chicken and veggies, then your sauce, and a handful of cheese. Repeat until you run out of ingredients.

Cover in foil and bake at 300 for 1 and 1/2 hours.

Enjoy.

Sorry it's so scrambled, that's kind of how I cook though. And go through life. Hmm. 

Anyway, those are my thoughts and food for the first part of my conference weekend. Gotta love it.

Soundtrack to my life:

 Big Jet Plane by Angus and Julia Stone

 Back to You feat. Elizabeth Ziman by Greg Laswell 

 Landline feat. Ingrid Michaelson by Greg Laswell

*Please don't be offended by anything I say, it's basically just meaningless word vomit. 

Stay great.