Tattooed Martha

One-Pot Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Clearly the weather is all over the place here in the Midwest because yesterday I was outside digging the beginnings of my garden in a lightweight flannel and now it’s in the 30’s and we’re anticipating snow over the next few days! Regardless of the weather I find myself always craving this soup, but it’s really perfect for those extra chilly days! This was an adaptation of my slow cooker chicken tortilla soup, but a much speedier version at just 30 minutes. It’s hearty, robust, and full of color with fresh vegetables, juicy chicken, and fragrant cilantro. I kept it lightened up (calorie wise) by using milk and only a small amount of heavy cream for the cream base and it makes a huge batch which is great for having leftovers for lunch the next day!

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Daily Life

After a five day battle with a nasty cold I’m happy to report that with the help of a steady stream of Dayquil, NyQuil, and Sudafed.. I’m back to good health!

The last time I checked in, we were talking about some of the goals that I’m working on for this year, like getting out of debt, horseback riding, and being more active in general so here’s a quick update on them:

I’m still horseback riding once a week, learning new skills, patterns, and techniques, and I’ll actually be even more involved with them this spring volunteering for an adult special needs program and trail rides. I’ll admit that I felt a little silly when a young girl, about 7 years old and half my size, came walking into the barn for her lesson after me and she was going to be riding the same horse I was on. I’m guessing she’s a far more advanced rider than I am, but the feeling of fulfillment I get after riding and being around horses far overshadows any embarrassment I have about being “too old” for horseback riding lessons.

My financial goals: I didn’t quite reach my savings goal, but I did make it at least halfway there by setting aside $500 and I have a mere $150 left to pay towards my last debt, but credit cards are completely paid off! I haven’t had more than just a few dollars in my savings account since about six years ago, so while $500 seems minimal to some, this is HUGE for me. Now that I’m not tossing money at pointless interest, I can actual save large chunks of it each paycheck. I’ve set some lofty financial goals for 2018 that involve two major vacations AND buying a home. It’s going to require discipline, hard work, and getting some additional streams of revenue rolling, but it at least feels attainable now that I’m out of the hole.

I feel that I have a solid grip on those goals so I’m about to circle 4-5 more off of my 2017 list and I can’t wait to share them with you!

Oh and as you can see, Punk is also working away on her one goal of living the best life ever.

In between tackling my list I’ve been working a lot and trying to keep balance by spending time with friends and family, which hasn’t left a lot of room for blogging. I kept beating myself up over the fact that I wasn’t following my regular schedule of recipes, drinks, and projects, but then I realized that my life schedule looks nothing like it used to. I needed to forgive myself and allow some time for the blog to evolve and grow as well. I’m still trying to work out a schedule that allows me a bit more personal time to share more content because this is a big part of me too. It deserves time and attention just like any other area of my life.

What do you struggle to balance in your life and how are you overcoming it? What’s next on your goal list for 2017?




Honey Lemon Thyme Champagne Cocktail at DALB

I must be dreaming of summer already because I made this summery sweet cocktail using homemade infused lemon thyme vodka, honey, and a bit of bubbly champagne! Head to Dream A Little Bigger for the recipe!




Habanero Lemon-Ginger Rum Fizz

While grocery shopping the other day I realized two things: 1. I needed a drink. 2. I needed a vacation. Seeing as that a vacation requires a bit more planning and money, I opted for the drink instead. I was torn between making a mojito or a moscow mule, so I sort of combined the two!

I started by infusing the silver rum with a habanero for some heat and used a Habanero Mango Spice Rub from Salt Lake Spice Co. to line the rim which really brought out that pepper flavor. Muddled mint and fresh squeezed lemon juice added a refreshing and almost summery twist, and finally some bold spicy flavors from Sailor Jerry Rum and ginger beer brought it all together for this crisp mojito-mule fusion.

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Brownie Dessert Cups with Whipped Cream and Raspberry Sauce

I’m going to begin by saying that Valentine’s Day is not really my favorite. I’d much rather celebrate Galentine’s Day or a Treat Yo Self Day (can you tell I still marathon Parks & Rec on a regular basis?), but I suppose I can get behind the whole chocolate and dessert splurging that comes along with the day. Since I rarely celebrate it I decided this year I would go all out just for you guys to let you know that I consider YOU ALL my Valentines.. Yes I know, very cheesy, but I mean it. You’re all awesome so here’s a from-scratch, sweet treat for you.. fluffy cake-like brownies, airy whipped cream, and a sweet and tart raspberry sauce to top it all off. Make this dish for your sweetheart or just devour it all to yourself!

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Cuban Inspired Mojito (Non-Alcoholic)

Ahhhhh, the Mojito!  Hemingway’s gift to world, via Habana Cuba!

I just returned from Habana.  While there, one of our scheduled visits was the El Floridita – one of Hemingway’s most popular haunts, and where he helped create and perfect what the world now calls the “daiquiri.”  

But our visit was to try the mojitos, and I walked away having had the hands down BEST mojito that’s ever crossed my lips.  NO LIE.  This mojito was THE BOMB.

So, back stateside, and trying to rehab my liver, I offer to you a version of the El Floridita mojito sin alcohol (without alcohol, en español).

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Zesty Avocado Crab Dip

This week my Instagram and Pinterest feeds are full of things about the Super Bowl and recipes for game day, but while most are excited for the big game, I’m going to be totally honest with you.. I only get excited over the opportunity to snack and drink beer all day!

Whatever your motivation is on Sunday, a good dip recipe is always essential to the party. I love crab dip, but what I don’t love is the excess amounts of mayo, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese that most recipes have added to them. I came up with a lightened up version that cuts out a lot of that fat without sacrificing flavor. Creamy avocados, Greek yogurt, and light cream cheese are the base of this dip, while jalapeno, fresh herbs, and lemon juice lend some bold and zesty flavors to the mix. I recommend buying double ingredients so after your guests devour it all you can make another batch to enjoy all to yourself!

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Daily Life + 2017 Goals

After the last “heavy” Daily Life.. it’s time to talk about some of the awesome things finally unfolding in my life, some 2017 goals, and how to tackle them more successfully than last year.

A few days after New Years, I filled up a piece of paper with all of the things I would like to accomplish in 2017 in no particular order. I circled 5 of them and wrote out a brief game plan on how I was going to make those goals happen in the next month. Some of these might be common goals for you too, so I hope that this helps motivate and inspire you to accomplishing yours as well!

First up was horseback riding. I know it sounds completely random, but I actually used to take lessons back when I was a kid. Of course I stopped at age 13 when I became too “punk-rock” for it all and thought smoking cigarettes and skipping school was a far “cooler” hobby. I missed it all the time and after spending a day at a stable while working a gig in Oregon, I realized it was time to quite literally get back in the saddle! This was an easy one to accomplish as all I had to do was research a few stables, find one nearby, call and set up my first lesson. My favorite boots are caked with mud and dust and my thighs and bum have never been more sore! Haha really.. this might be the best butt workout I’ve ever done!

While this may not be on a lot of people’s list, taking time for YOURSELF might be and that’s exactly what I’m doing. At least once a week commit to making time for yourself, a passion, or discovering that passion. You’ll be happier, more relaxed, and confident knowing you’re doing something just for YOU!

My next goal was to start working out and doing yoga on a daily basis again. This seemed like a daunting one at first, but after I started horseback riding I realized I needed some strong legs and lots of stretching so that I’m able to walk the next day! I’m motivated to work out more knowing that it benefits me in accomplishing my other goal. Finding ways to sync up goals like this will increase your success rate in accomplishing them, so look for those benefits any way you can! I don’t commit to a specific amount of time or reps, I just do what feels good for my body and this type of no-pressure approach works well for me. Others do better with a strict routine, so if you need that structure, commit yourself to 15 minutes every day, working up to lengthier workouts.

Another big one I circled that might be on your goal list too: Become debt-free! This is actually a goal I accomplished at the beginning of 2016, but of course a job change, divorce, cross-country move, another job change, and another move put me right back into debt! I had little savings and relied on my credit cards and help from family to float me through, putting me $3,475 in debt. In just a few months I’ve already paid half of that off and estimate that by the end of February I’ll not only be debt-free but ALSO have $1,000 saved.

I had to first get organized, swallow my pride and say, “I need help,” and make some big changes to get my finances back on track. I use the app Debts Break to keep track of my debts, estimate payoff dates, and it even shows me just how much money is going to principal and interest. It’s a huge motivator to plug the numbers in and realize you can save hundreds of dollars that otherwise would have just gone to interest. I also use the app Pennies to create budgets for things like gas, groceries, and extra spending money to keep me mindful of my spending habits and how much I have left. I make coffee at home, take my lunch to work almost every day, and try not to spend money on myself for things I can do at home, e.g., dye my own hair, do my own nails, workout, etc. I’m no expert so I can only offer up what works for me, but I recommend listening to podcasts, reading books, or finding information online from debt-free pros like Dave Ramsey and Clark Howard to keep you on track!

I’ll share more of the goals I’m working on currently as well as progress on the ones mentioned above with you all in the next Daily Life or perhaps a separate feature altogether if you found this post helpful.

What do you hope to accomplish this year? What steps have you already taken to make those goals happen? I’d love to chat with you more so leave your comments below!




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