Oven-Baked Chicken Fajitas

On Wednesday, I made the most delicious chicken fajitas! I believe it was my first time making them. If it wasn't my first time, then the other times I've attempted them weren't very memorable. Lol ;)

I used a recipe from http://www.budgetbytes.com/

These were so easy to make, and I loved that I could just throw them in an oven and walk away without having to stand over them. 

I forgot to take pictures before I had already dug into them, but these are the pictures I did get. They tasted just like my mom's, which was another accomplishment in and of itself. 

Oven-Baked Fajitas:

Seasoning: 

• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/8 cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp corn starch (I omitted this because I didn't have any and didn't want to buy any for one recipe)

Fajitas:

• 2 small or 1 large onion
• 2 medium green bell peppers 
• 1 medium red pepper
• 1 lb. chicken tenderloins
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium lime
• low-carb tortillas
• low-fat sour cream
• cilantro

For full instructions, see: Oven Fajitas by Budget Bytes

I made a few modifications to the recipe. For example, I omitted the corn starch and used an orange, red, and green bell pepper instead of 2 green and 1 red. I also used olive oil instead of vegetable oil, but I don't think any of that matters. Tweak them as you see fit. You seriously won't regret making this recipe.

~Haley

A little throwback...

This picture pretty much sums up my sentiment of last semester entirely. I took this picture the day my GRE study book arrived from Amazon. As I've mentioned, we were all petrified of not getting into graduate school, and for some of the people in our program, that nightmare unfortunately became a reality. 

"I'll order a GRE study book early." "I'll spend a little bit of time everyday studying for the GRE." "I'll be prepared." "I won't wait until the last minute to cram for the test." "I won't wait until the last minute to TAKE the test." Little did I know, waiting until the last semester before applications were do WAS waiting until the last second. Silly, silly Haley. All of these things I told myself at the beginning of the semester, but the followthrough was lacking because I can assure you…THAT didn't happen. One of my biggest worries was paying for the darn thing. It is one expensive test. I've been able to pay for most everything on my own through my scholarships, grants, and student loans, but a large expense like that is not easy to just drop nearly $300 on when you're a college student. That isn't to say that my mom didn't help me because she's definitely bailed me out plenty of times, but it wasn't something she was able to do all of the time because she is a single mother of three children and I truly respect that.

Needless to say, I was able to pay for it in the end and signed up for it pretty close to the date I needed in order to get my scores back and sent by my graduate schools' deadlines as possible. Stressful, right? I looked at the book every once in a blue moon, and I attended a workshop one Sunday for a couple hours that was put on by the Multicultural Center (which by the way is fabulous on our campus). About a week before my testing date, my anxiety multiplied tenfold. When they say "hindsight is 20/20," they aren't lying! Oh how I wished I had spent the entire semester studying instead of waiting until the last minute. Not only the entire semester, but perhaps the last couple years! 

I decided to not get bogged down in the "could have, should have, would have" of the situation and make the most out of what time I had left. I flew through that book, highlighting everything I thought I possibly could need to know. I took practice test after practice test, and come test day I was exhausted, and barely had any stamina left to even take the test. I felt like I knew nothing of what would be on there. I did a lot of praying that last week before the test to say the least. I should mention that timed, standardized tests aren't my strong suit. In fact, I don't think they are hardly anyone's strong suit. 

All of this to say that if you're reading this, and your schools may require a GRE score or you're planning on taking it…make sure you do the exact opposite of what I did. ;)

Love,

Haley

Springfield, Here I Come!

It's funny how things work out…am-I-right?

I am a strong believer in fate/destiny/what's meant to happen will always find a way, but I was extremely validated in that belief last week. I applied to four different graduate schools, and we began hearing back from them at the middle of last month. We all anxiously anticipated hearing good news from our "choice" school, but secretly hoped that we could get into even just one.

I received my first letter in the mail. I was wait listed. I had a mix of emotions upon this news. Part of me was excited because, well, it wasn't a rejection. However, part of me was disappointed because it wasn't an acceptance either. I just told myself to calm down because I still had 3 more schools to hear from, and some people DID get rejected from there. After all, I still at least had a chance of getting in.

The next school I heard from was an acceptance! I was so excited!!! With this news, I knew that I would at least be going to graduate school, but it wasn't the school I was secretly hoping for. I had heard great things about the program, mind you, but it just wasn't where my heart was pulling me.

I got my next letter. My undergraduate alma mater had accepted me. This was my most exciting news yet because for the past few years, our instructors and professors had done nothing short of scare us to death about not getting in at their school, much less getting in anywhere else. My advisor even told me to not get my hopes set on getting into a "big" school (which I took to mean a "good" school). He also encouraged me to apply at a school no one had even heard of. Ha. No thanks.

My last letter, and the highest ranked school of my choices, finally reached me. I was, again, placed on an "alternative list." Bummer.

I decided to go ahead and accept the offer at the U of A because it was the best option I had from the schools I'd gotten accepted to, and I also interviewed for a position as a graduate assistant because I knew I was about to be out a LOT of money. You should know, I interviewed for one of only two positions being offered to over 20 applicants. I knew that the odds weren't in my favor, but I decided to give it a try and put it in God's hands.

About a week later, I received the news that I had not gotten the assistantship. I was disappointed to say the least. All I could think was, "student loan debt, here I come!" The very next day I got an email from my top pick, asking me if I wanted to remain on their wait list in the event that a spot should come open, and that she could let me know by the end of the day. Well, of course I did! Later that afternoon, I was offered a spot in their program. Ecstatic doesn't even begin to describe!!! Immediately, I felt a wave of heat rush over my body, and I swear my body temperature went up about 10 degrees in a matter of seconds.

I immediately started calling all of my "people," telling them the good news and asking them what in the world I should do. I knew that ultimately it was my decision, but I still needed advice because that's just how I am. Everyone was very encouraging, which was exactly what I needed. I thought about it for about 15 minutes, and promptly emailed the department head back to accept the position. If you know me at all, you know that's probably one of the fastest decisions I've ever made in my life, a life changing one at that. It takes me about that long to decide what kind of bread I'm going to buy at the store.

All of this is to say, that I will proudly begin my graduate studies this June at Missouri State University. I'm excited to see what the future holds, and I appreciate the support from my family and friends more than I can put into words.

Let the apartment hunt begin!

Haley