What's On My Plate

Paula Dean's Cherry Cream Cheese Tarts

2010-07-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

What can I say other than, who doesn't love mini cheesecakes?! This recipe is the perfect finger food for parties and pitch-ins and the dessert is just as yummy as it is attractive.

The only suggestions I have for this recipe are:

1. Make a day ahead and allow them to refridgerate for atleast 12 or so hours - the longer these sit in the fridge, the creamier and denser they get, mm!

2. Try doing these with a graham cracker crust instead of the vanilla wafers. I like it either way, but the homemade graham cracker crust puts this over the top and the extra ten minutes really pays off =)

Paula Dean's Cherry Cream Cheese Tarts

Ingredients

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
12 vanilla wafers
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling or other pie filling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place a paper cupcake liner in each cup of muffin pan. Beat cream cheese with a handheld electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, beating well. Add eggs, 1at a time, beating well after each addition. Lay a vanilla wafer, flat side down, in each muffin cup. Spoon cream cheese mixture over wafers. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow tarts to cool completely. Serve with cherry filling on top, or pie filling of your choice.

Leftover Fajita Nachos

2010-07-02T19:23:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you always make too much... I hate to even admit there is such a thing... and whenever I make fajitas, I love them so much, I always make enough for the next day. Well this last time I made fajitas, I was staring at our leftovers and decided to try something new - Fajita Nachos! It was SUPER easy, and dinner only took 15 minutes to throw together. With just a few extra minutes - you have an equally delicious meal, but in a fourth of the time. Not only is this the perfect meal, but it also makes for a great snack or party appetizer. Next time you make fajitas, you've gotta try these!

Ingredients

6 soft flour tortillas (fajita size)
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
Left over marinated and grilled fajita beef or chicken (I used beef)
Pico de gallo (mixture of chopped tomato, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro & lime juice)
Sauteed green bell pepper & onions
Freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream
Salt

Directions

Light and Crispy Tortilla Chips:
In a small round saute pan, bring oil up to temperature over medium-low heat. You'll know the oil is ready if it sizzles when you flick a few drops of water on the surface of the oil. While the oil is heating, cut flour tortillas in half and then cut each half into thirds - each tortilla should yield 6 chips. Carefully place tortilla chips into the pan (I usually do 6 at a time) and watch them closely. These chips will brown very quickly. Allow them to cook for about 30 seconds - 1 minute and then flip them over in the hot oil once the underside is golden brown. Repeat for the other side and then place the hot chips onto a paper lined cookie sheet. Spread them out and sprinkle with salt. Continue this process until all your chips are cooked.

Assembling the Nachos:
Once all your ingredients are ready to go you can begin to assemble your nachos! (Because I pulled everything straight from the fridge, on a cookie sheet, I placed my left over fajita beef on one side and my peppers and onions on the other. I put them under the broiler for only about a minute and then pulled them out once they were warmed through.)

(Just before topping with pico and sour cream..... can you say, "yum?!")

On a clean cookie sheet, lay out tortilla chips and spread them out in a single even layer (this ensures each bite gets a little bit of goodness!) Next, layer warm beef evenly over chips. Repeat this same step with peppers and onions being sure to get a little on each chip. Top with a generous helping of shredded Jack cheese and place under the broiler for about 1-2 minutes or until cheese is completely melted and bubbly! Remove the nachos from the oven and sprinkle with fresh pico and then dollop generously with sour cream. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

*TIP: I prefer as few dishes as possible, so whenever I use a cookie sheet, I line it with foil. This way you can re-use the same sheet for your chips, beef/pepper/onions & nachos - just replace with new foil in between each step ;)

Ina Garten's Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

2010-07-02T16:50:00.000-07:00

I recently made these cupcakes for a cookout and the ganache put these cupcakes over the top! The cupcakes themselves are good, but just be aware, they're not like a typical box mix cupcake. This recipe makes for a more dense cupcake and it almost reminded me of a Texas sheet cake. If you like chocolate, you'll like these!

Ingredients

1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
11 fluid ounces Hershey's chocolate syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

For the ganache:

1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and coffee granules and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat, or the cupcakes will be tough.

Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't overbake! Let cool thoroughly in the muffin pan.

For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.

Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the ganache. Do not refrigerate.

Makes about 18 cupcakes

Summer Berry Crepes

2010-05-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

I got this crepe batter recipe off of Alton Brown's "Good Eats" and have loved it ever since. There are so many fun fillings and flavors you can combine with the crepes which make this recipe great for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert =) I will say, "practice makes perfect". I had to ruin a few crepes before I figured out how to make them just right, so don't give up if you don't get it your first try. The more I make them, the easier it gets.

Also, I would suggest using a large saucepan so you have plenty of area around the outside of the crepe to work with. When I first starting makes crepes, I was using a small 12" saucepan with high sides, and trying the get a spatula underneath the crepe, and then attempt flipping it without tearing it, was nearly impossible unless I had the batter cooked just right. So start off with a bigger pan - you'll thank yourself in the long run.

Summer Berry Crepes

*Crepe batter - Sweet Variation (recipe below)

Butter to coat pan

1 lb. strawberries, sliced

6 oz. blueberries

3 bananas, sliced

2 cups vanilla yogurt

2 cups granola

ground cinnamon

For an even more decadent crepe add:

2 cups chopped pecans

maple syrup (drizzled over top finished crepe just before serving)

Directions

Once you've made your fresh crepes, begin layering: 3-4 Tbsp of yogurt, fresh fruit, granola & then sprinkle cinnamon in the center of each crepe. Gently fold over each side so that they overlap in the middle. Top off Crepe with more fresh fruit or drizzle lightly with more whipped yogurt and granola.

Crepes - Alton Brown

Ingredients

2 large eggs

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup milk

1 cup flour

3 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

Heat a small non-stick pan (**I prefer a large one - Jamie) . Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

*Savory Variation Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, spinach or sun-dried tomatoes to the egg mixture.

*Sweet Variation Add 21/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur to the egg mixture.

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

2010-05-28T19:11:00.001-07:00

Tonight, I have to say, this salad turned out to be the best salad I have ever made - the vote was unanimous! I originally got the idea for this salad when I had an almost identical salad at BJ's Brewhouse and it was de-lish!! I was hesitant to make it at first, afraid that it wouldn't compare, but much to my surprise, not only did this salad make the cut, but I would venture to say it was almost better!

I will say this, one small tip that will make a world of difference, is make sure everything is chopped to about the same size. May not sound like a big deal, but taking the extra few minutes to complete this step, will ensure that this salad is well balanced and that each bite has a little bit of every flavor!

Hope you enjoy this crisp, hearty, mouth watering BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad!

Ingredients

2 *Grilled Baja chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" pieces (recipe below)

1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, rinsed & chopped into 1/2" pieces

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 ears corn on the cob, steamed, salted & kernels removed

1 large tomato, diced

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

ranch dressing

head country BBQ sauce (or whatever your favorite is =)

1 cup *crispy tortilla strips (recipe to follow)

4 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro (optional for garnish)

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

On two large plates, layer ingredients in this order:

1. chopped lettuce, 2. black beans, 3. fresh corn off the cob, 4. chopped red onion, 5. diced tomatoes, 6. shredded mozzarella, 7. chopped chicken breast, 8. drizzled ranch in one direction, 9. drizzled BBQ sauce in the opposite direction, 10. crispy tortilla strips

Grilled Baja Chicken Breast

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 packet of Grill Mates "Baja Citrus Marinade" seasoning

1/4 cup of vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Place chicken, seasoning, olive oil and vinegar in a sealable ziploc bag. Seal and carefully rub marinade over chicken, being sure to coat both pieces evenly. Lay the bag of marinated chicken in a shallow dish and refrigerate for 2-4 hours. The longer the better =)

Remove from the fridge and allow it to rest for 30 minutes before placing on the grill. Place chicken on a medium heat grill for 4-5 minutes per side or until just cooked through, only flipping once. If the chicken immediately bounces back when gently pressing on the thickest part of the breast, then it's done and ready to take off the heat. Allow the chicken breast to rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting.

Crispy Tortilla Strips

Ingredients

2 soft flour tortillas (fajita size)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

pinch of salt

pinch of chili powder

Directions

Cut soft tortillas into long thin strips, about 1/4" thick and about 2" long. Heat vegetable oil in a small, non-stick skillet on medium heat. Place all of the strips into the hot skillet, turning constantly. (Be sure to keep these strips moving because they will brown quickly). As soon as the strips are just golden, remove them immediately from the stove top and place them on a paper towel-lined plate, spreading them out so they can dry evenly. While they're still hot, immediately season with salt and chili powder.

Serves 2 X-large salads or 4 medium salads

Adobo Chicken and Rice

2010-03-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

This recipe is a nice change from your everyday chicken recipes. Not only is it a cinch to throw together, but it only takes 30 minutes in all to prepare. This is recipe is simple, rich and delicious. Once you try this Puerto Rican twist on chicken, you'll want to prepare it again and again!

Key ingredients you'll need:

*Sofrito (recipe to follow)

Sazón seasoning (made by Goya; found in the spices or ethnic section)

Adobo seasoning (can also be found with spices or ethnic section of grocery store)

Other Ingredients you'll need:

4 large boneless or bone-in chicken breasts, rinsed

2 bay leaves

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (optional)

4 cups water

2 cups long grain white rice

olive oil

salt and pepper

*Sofrito:

2 yellow onions, peeled

1 green bell pepper, seeded

1 bunch of cilantro

2 whole bulbs of garlic, peeled

olive oil

dusting of adobo or bijol seasoning

Directions

In a food processor or blender, coat the bottom of the blender with some olive oil. Add all of the above ingredients and blend until mixture becomes a puree. If the blades of the blender stick, add a bit more olive oil, stir and blend again. This will make a lot of sofrito, so set 1 cup aside for the recipe and then place the rest in a freezer container and reserve for later cooking =) (I divided mine out into an ice cube tray (thanks for the idea Ryan!), that way I can thaw out a little at a time as I'm ready to use it).

Adobo Chicken and Rice

Directions

In a large stock pot, combine chicken breasts, sofrito, adobo, sazón, bay leaves, potatoes, salt, pepper and water and bring to a boil. Once chicken comes to a boil, lower heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Turn chicken over, cover and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through. (In this recipe, the sole purpose of the potatoes is for the natural starch of the potatoes to thicken the chicken stock as they cook. If you don't have potatoes, once the chicken is finished cooking, you can thicken the stock by simply reserving 1/2 cup of hot stock - allow it to cool slightly. Whisk in 2 Tbsp. of corn starch and then pour the mixture back into the stock pot. Stir everything together, and chicken stock should thicken slightly.)

Meanwhile, in an aluminum nonstick pot, drizzle about 3 Tbsp of olive oil. Heat olive oil and add 2 cups of rice. Season with salt. Stir rice until it's evenly coated with olive oil and warmed through. Add water to pot and bring water to a boil. Once it's to a boil, lower it to a simmer and stir every few minutes. Once the water is completely absorbed, continue stirring until the rice is barely moist and begins to stick together. *If the rice isn't completely tender, gradually add more water (about 1/4 of a cup at a time) and stir continuously until water is fully absorbed and rice is sticky.

Plate a generous portion of rice and top it off with cooked chicken breast and spoon over sauce.

Enjoy this Puerto Rican dish - your taste buds will definitely thank you =)

Serves: 4-6

Figure Friendly Berry Parfait

2010-01-16T16:32:00.000-08:00

I was trying to think of a light and healthy breakfast dish, and for some reason quiche and french toast just didn't seem to fit the bill =) Then I remembered how much we used to love eating yogurt with granola, and with a few fruits and finishing touches thrown in, I ended up with a delicious dish that's just as appealing to look at as it is to eat, and you don't have to feel guilty afterward which only makes it that much better! Here's a dish you can make not only for breakfast, but you could make it in a large dish as I did, and have it as a quick snack or even as a light dessert. You can have fun with this dish and add your own favorite fruits=) The best part of all, this is a cinch to make, it only takes 5 minutes and it's great any time of year.

Figure Friendly Berry Parfait

Ingredients

3 lb. low-fat vanilla yogurt

2-3 cups low-fat granola of your choice

1 tsp. water

1 29oz. can sliced peaches (in their own 100% juice, drained)

1/2 lb. fresh strawberries, sliced

6 oz. fresh blackberries

Cinnamon

Directions

In a large pyrex, layer about 1" of yogurt (keep about 1/2 cup of yogurt on reserve for garnish). Next layer granola, completely covering the yogurt, then layer peaches, strawberries, and then blackberries. Place reserved yogurt in a cup with a pouring spout and add to it no more than 1 tsp. of water. Whip it until it's thin and just runny. Lightly drizzle over the top of the dish and then dust it lightly with ground cinnamon.

Amy Deas' Sweet Potato Bake

2010-01-03T19:55:00.000-08:00

My girlfriend, Amy, made this dish for our Thanksgiving get together, and these potatoes were definitely a highlight of the night. These smooth and creamy potatoes, topped off with a sweet and crispy topping, is sure to satisfy any home-cooking craving you might have. Try this recipe for a new take on veggie's with Amy's Sweet Potato Bake =)

Sweet Potato Bake

Ingredients:
-4 c. sweet potatoes cubed (5 lrg potatoes baked @375 for 1 1/2 hours.
Boil or bake potatoes and scoop pulp out for a smooth creamy dish.)
-1/2 c. sugar
-2 eggs beaten
-1 tsp.vanilla
-1/2 c. milk
-4 tbs. butter softened
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/2 c. packed brown sugar
-1/3 c. all purpose flour
-3 tbs. butter chilled/slightly softened
-1/2 c. chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, mix sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk, butter, and salt until smooth. Transfer to baking dish. (9x13)In medium bowl, mix brown sugar, and flour. Cut in the butter until the mix is course. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mix. Bake for 30 minutes or until topping is lightly brown.

Serves 8-10 as a side

Classic Tomato Bruschetta

2010-01-02T20:49:00.000-08:00

Wow, it has definitely been some time since my last blog post. Oh, how the holidays come and go and leave the winter months feeling like a blur =) Well, I have not forgotten one of my first loves, even in the midst of this crazy season. In fact, even though I have forgotten to write about it, I have been storing them up for when I finally have time to write to you again - and here we are =)

So here is a new addition to my recipe book, and it's actually an original. Well not an original thought =) just an original compilation of measurements, I guess you could say. That's right, I've finally come up with one all on my own. After watching the movie, "Julie & Julia", and seeing her eat a variation of this classic Italian antipasti, I could help but wonder if I could make it look just as good - and of coarse, make it taste as good as it looked. Well, I hate to toot my own horn, but this one came out pretty good ;)

Hope you enjoy this rich, rustic Italian side or appetizer: Tomato Bruschetta... Here's to you Julia =)

Tomato Bruschetta

3 Tbsp. Olive oil

4 Tbsp. butter

1 Can diced tomatoes

1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

**Handful of fresh basil, chiffonade

1 tsp. sugar

salt and pepper

French baguette, sliced diagonally in 3/4" slices

Olive oil

**If you don't have fresh basil, then you can use an organic basil paste in it's place. I've used it before, and it packs a huge amount of flavor! I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND NOT using dried basil. For this recipe, because there are so few ingredients, it's imperative that what you do use is fresh for the best possible flavor.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Add olive oil & butter to a medium saute pan & heat on medium heat until butter is melted. To it, add onions and saute until they become tender and translucent. Add garlic and saute for another minute or two or until the garlic becomes aromatic and tender. Add tomatoes, basil, sugar, pepper and season generously with salt. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Continue heating for about 10-15 minutes, allowing all of the flavors to marry and the sauce to thicken slightly. Remove from heat and allow to rest for at least 5-10 minutes (this will allow the sauce to thicken slightly as well.) Meanwhile, lay the slices of bread on a cookie sheet and using a brush, coat them evenly on both sides with olive oil. Bake them in the 375 degree oven for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown on both sides. The finished result should be a firm & crunchy toast, almost like a giant crouton, mmm! Top off each slice of bread with a generous helping of the tomato topping and serve as an antipasti or as the perfect side to any Italian dish.

Hope you enjoy this simple and super easy recipe..... oh, and "bon appetit"

Serves 4 as an appetizer or side

Fried Sweet Potato Chips

2009-10-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

Six words: easy, yummy, crispy, kid friendly & delicious!! Looking for a fun side to serve alongside your favorite BBQ, burgers or brats? Well here's a simple solution =)

Fried Sweet Potato Chips

Ingredients

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and washed

vegetable or canola oil

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions

In a small bowl, combine dry spices. Set aside.

Using a mandolin or vegetable peeler, slice potatoes thinly creating thin round discs. (If you have a five sided grater, you may have a side for thinly slicing cheeses. I use this to slice my potatoes and it works out great! You can also use it for making au gratin potatoes. You gotta put a little elbow grease into it, but it's much cheaper than buying a mandolin =)

In a medium to large pot, fill it about 5" up the side with oil. Heat oil on medium high heat until it reaches about 360 degrees. Add potatoes to hot oil, working in small batches, being sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry potatoes for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet to drain. (Spread them out evenly to ensure they get an even amount of seasoning). While they're still hot, immediately season generously with dry spice mixture - you should use up about 3/4 of your spices by the time you're finished. Continue this process until all of your potatoes are fried to crispy perfection and then munch away!! These are hard to stop eating once you start =) Enjoy!

Serves about 4 people as a side

Guy Fieri's Bacon Tomato Pasta

2009-10-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

If you like bacon, and you like pasta, you're going to love this dish! One of the reason's I love watching Guy's show on the Food Network is because everything he makes is always a little bit on the naughty side, and always rich and full of flavor. Try out this recipe, and I promise you'll love it =) Now I do make a few small adjustments to this recipe when I make it, so I made some small side notes if you want to try it my way. Either way, this dish is de-lish!

Bacon Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

2 tablespoons kosher salt

16 ounces spaghetti pasta

1 pound thick-cut bacon or pancetta, chopped

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

*3 tablespoons butter (I like to add it for extra richness!)

1 cup red onion, diced

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

3 tablespoons garlic, minced

2 cups Roma tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup red wine (*I just leave it out b/c I don't keep any on hand & it tastes great w/o it)

4 tablespoons basil, chiffonade (*if you use dried basil, I would definitely use much less, maybe only 1 Tbsp... but I don't know why you'd want to do that ;)

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large stock pot, boil 3 quarts of water, when boiling add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente.In a large saute pan over medium heat, add bacon and saute until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate and remove 3/4 of the bacon fat from the pan.

Add extra-virgin olive oil, *butter, onions, and red chili flakes. Cook until onions are translucent, add garlic, cook for 2 minutes then add tomatoes. Saute for 5 minutes, then deglaze with wine.

Drain pasta and add to the tomato mixture pan. Add basil and bacon. Toss with Parmesan, and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Serves 4-5 as an entree

Ina's Potato Salad

2009-10-17T20:13:00.000-07:00

I scribbled down this recipe while watching Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, one day on the foodnetwork. She is one of my favorites! A lot of her recipes are made with classic, every day ingredients and this potato salad is the perfect example of just that.
This potato salad is like no other I've ever tried. When I think potato salad, I usually think of mushy potatoes drowning in mayo and mustard - which is why I usually would say I don't like it. But this recipe is one I'll make as a side any time of year. This warm potato salad is simple, with few ingredients, giving it a classic potato taste you'll love. If you like potatoes, you've got to try:

Ina's Potato Salad

Ingredients

3 pounds small white potatoes ( I prefer/use Yukon Gold as they are much waxier and hold together very well when cooked)
Kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion

Directions

Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in quarters or in half, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Libby's Pumpkin Roll

2009-10-17T20:07:00.000-07:00

I made this recipe to the tea. Although, I'm certainly not a master baker, this recipe couldn't have come out better. The moistness of the pumpkin cake was perfect to keep it looking neat and fancy. This looked like a bought it at the store when I was finished making it - and for me, that's NOT normal! =) So here it is.

Libby's Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients

1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.
COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
BEAT cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-10-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

This recipe is so easy, it's almost embarrassing to admit! If you know how to open a can, then here's the recipe for you =) Even though this soup takes 5 minutes to throw together, the flavor tastes like it took hours. This is the perfect substitute to chili when you're looking for a hearty winter stew! Enjoy this rich and delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup all winter long.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

2 cans black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 cans golden corn (drained)
2 lg. cans white chunk chicken breast
1 lg. jar of your favorite salsa
5 cups chicken stock
1 taco seasoning packet

Garnish
sour cream
shredded co-jack cheese
tortilla chips

Directions

Throw everything in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to low. Allow it to simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve in bowls with a generous dollop of sour cream, a handful of shredded cheese, and serve with chips for non-stop dipping! mmm!

Serves 6-8 as an entree

Easy Puffy Tacos

2009-10-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

This is so easy you're not going to believe how easy it is, but it is so delicious, I'm sure you'll make it again and again! These puffy taco shells are not only a nice change from traditional plain, boring, flat tortillas, but the crisp and flaky texture is so buttery and delicious, you and the kids will love these! Here it is:

Puffy Taco Shells

Ingredients

Plain flour tortillas - fajita size (I use "mission". They crisp up nicely!)
Vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Directions

Fill a medium to large skillet with about 3/4" of vegetable oil. Heat on medium and wait until oil is nice and hot. (You'll know it's ready when you start to see little bubbles forming) Loosely fold the tortillas gently in half and grab the top, where the sides meet, with tongs. Gently lay the tortilla in the oil and brown all sides (It will brown fairly quick, within seconds so be sure to rotate the tortilla from side to side to avoid burning.) Once the tortilla is golden on either side, lay it upside down, as shown below and allow to drain on a paper towel. Immediately dust with salt and serve with your favorite fillings! Enjoy!

Sausage & White Bean Cassoulet

2009-10-05T19:13:00.001-07:00

This chilly weather is the perfect time to practice making all your favorite soups and stews. If you like rustic, hearty soups, you'll love the Sausage & White Bean Cassoulet. This slow simmered soup is so rich and full of flavor, you'll look forward to the left overs =)

Sausage & White Bean Cassoulet

Ingredients

Sausage:
5-6 Sweet Italian Sausage links
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Vegetables:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 medium carrots, thinly sliced (about 1/4")
4 stalks of celery, also thinly sliced
6 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 large yukon gold potatoes, cut about 3/4" pieces
2 cans white cannelini beans (drained)
4 quarts good chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 sprigs fresh oregano
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 large bay leaf
salt and pepper

Directions

In a large stock pot, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil on medium heat. Remove sausage from casings and saute it in oil, breaking it up into small pieces. Cook until there is no more pink left. Using a spoon, scoop out sausage and set aside. In same pot with heat still on, add remaining 1/4 cup of oil and to it add carrot, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Saute mirepoix until golden around the edges. Add garlic and continue cooking for about 2 minutes or until the garlic becomes aromatic. Add chicken stock, scraping up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, and then continue to add the remaining ingredients one at a time and season generously with salt and pepper (be careful if you use chicken stock that may be high in sodium. If so, you won't want to add as much salt. I recommend cooking with low sodium chicken stock, so you can better regulate the saltiness of your soup). Let soup come to a boil, and then lower heat to medium low and allow the soup to simmer for about an hour or until potatoes are tender. Add sausage back into pot, stir together and cook for another 10 minutes to heat sausage through. Serve along side a fresh french baguette and enjoy.

Serves 8 - 10 as an entree

Ham & Cheese My Way

2009-10-03T10:46:00.001-07:00

I don't know about you, but I constantly get bored with the same old sandwiches every day for lunch. This afternoon, I was sifting through the fridge and suddenly became inspired =) No this isn't the most crazy sandwhich ever, but it's definitely a nice new twist on a traditional ham and cheese. With crunchy layers of toasted bread, iceberg lettuce and fresh tomato to the creamy layers of honey dijon and creamed cheese, you're going to love eating ham and cheese this way - I promise =)

Jamie's Ham & Cheese

Ingredients

toasted wheat sandwich bread

sliced honey ham

creamed cheese

sliced oven roasted turkey breast

vine ripe tomato

iceberg lettuce

honey dijon mustard

Directions

Layer ingredients in the above order and enjoy this yummy sandwich!

Crispy Roasted Rosemary Potatoes - recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence

2009-10-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite chefs on the Food Network is Tyler Florence. Not only is he easy to learn from, but everything he makes is always so rich and delicious. He's one of the few chefs that I can honestly say, every one of his recipes has come out great!

We actually had these potatoes last night as a side to some steak I made, and the ease of this dish was not evident in it's creamy and crispy texture. With only 4 ingredients in the entire dish, these potatoes cook up with little effort, and they lightly crisp up on the outside and leave a smooth, creamy potato on the inside leaving you wanting more. My husband and Jace both loved these potatoes which means I will definitely be making these again! =)

Crispy Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

Ingredients

4 medium yukon gold potatoes

2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary

extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

Directions

Wash and scrub the outside of your potatoes well, and then slice each one in half.

Place potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Remove rosemary from stems, tear and sprinkle evenly over potatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper and then toss with hands to evenly coat. Lay each potato face down and place in a preheated 400 degree oven. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, turn potatoes over (so they're face up) coat again with olive oil, dust lightly with salt and return to oven for another 25-30 minutes or until tender. When done, the potato's skin should be golden and crispy, and the inside should be tender. Serve beside your favorite dish and enjoy!

Serves 2-3 as a side

Basil Chicken Scallopine - Inspired by Giada De Laurentis (picture from foodnetwork.com)

2009-09-25T14:25:00.000-07:00

Due to the crazy season, it's been a couple weeks since my last post - sorry! But believe me, this recipe is worth the wait. In spite of it's complex sounding title, it's fairly simple to make and tastes oh SO yummy =)

I originally saw a recipe similar to this one on the food network. One of the things I love most about this recipe is the simplicity and the freshness of the sauce. Served over warm pasta, it is the perfect example of a simple & classic tomato sauce. With chunks of tomato in every bite, and the fresh flavor from the basil, this dish is a great way for a pauper to eat with the palate of a prince ;)

Giada made a Sage & Fontina Chicken Scallopine - which I've also made and it's just as good as this one, but last night, I didn't have those ingredients on hand, not mention, I don't cook with sage very often, so buying it seems to always be somewhat of a waste. If you'd like to check her recipe out, here's is the link for her version:www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chicken-scallopine-with-sage-and-fontina-cheese-recipe/index.html

And here is my version =) I hope you enjoy this rich and rustic Italian dish.

Basil Chicken Scallopine

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, pounded thin (to about 1/4")
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to season chx.)
8 basil leaves
6 Tbsp. finely shredded Italian blend cheese (I like to use a mixture of Romano, Parmesan & Mozzarella)
4 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, halved and smashed
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (with juice)
8-10 chiffonade basil leaves
1/2 cup diced sweet yellow onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Special Equipment: toothpicks

Directions

Place the chicken breasts on a clean work surface, narrow end facing you. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place 4 basil leaves crosswise on each of the pieces of chicken. Sprinkle each of the pieces of chicken with about 3 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Roll up the chicken tightly carefully making sure to keep cheese and basil tucked in, and seal with one or two toothpicks.(I usually use 2 or 3 just to be sure it's sealed nice and tight)

Warm the olive oil, onions and halved garlic cloves in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and remove and discard the garlic. Add butter and simmer for about a minute while scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Once butter is melted and onions are evenly coated, add canned tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan. Simmer the chicken in the tomato sauce for about 10 - 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the pan. Spoon the tomato sauce onto serving plates or a serving platter. Remove the toothpicks. Place the chicken over the sauce and serve immediately with your favorite pasta! (There should be plenty of sauce to go around =)

Serves 2 as an entree

Monthly Meal Planning Tips

2009-09-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

After so many people asking me what I do to plan meals for the month, I thought it might be worth while to share what my process is in planning out our meals, and if it's helpful to anyone out there, then great =)

So Here Goes =)

1. I try to stay under $250/month. (this includes all of Jace's needs - diapers, wipes, etc)

2. Because of our busy schedule we certainly don't eat every night, but we also try not to eat out more than 2-3 a month (this includes fast food)

3. For each month I try to plan 5 cheap/quick meals, and about 12 normal, but hopefully quick =) meals (I'll give you some examples in a second)

4. I limit myself to trying only 2 new/more extensive recipes a month. I do that because many times, new recipes always require a few ingredients that I don't typically keep on hand = extra cost.

5. Once I have all my favorite cookbooks/recipes in front of me, I sit down and go through them, and based off of what I already have in my pantry, I try to pick recipes that won't require me having to buy ALL of the ingredients needed. Now this obviously takes some time, but I try to mentally get myself geared up on my day off, and then knock it out during one of Jace's naps. Once it's done, it's such a relief because then throughout the month I'm not scrambling to figure out the night before what to make the next day. The one day of planning really pays off=)

6. I list out each of my meals for the month and post it on the fridge for quick reference.

7. As I select meals I'm going to make that month, I have a separate list I'm compiling of all the ingredients I'll need to purchase, hopefully some of them I already have on hand =)

8. Once I've finished my meal list - my separate list is now my grocery list for the month =)

9. I always have a paper on the fridge for ingredients I run out of throughout the month. I take this list and my new grocery list and put them together, just to be sure I don't forget anything.

10. To stay organized, I like to type up my grocery list in a word document and then separate ingredients by category. For instance: Dairy, Meat, Frozen, Produce, etc. It's an extra step, but again, when I'm getting groceries for the entire month, it really helps me to take the extra 10 minutes & helps make my grocery trip go much faster when I can get everything from one section of the store all at once.

11. Once I have all my groceries and I'm making making meals, I try to be mindful of my most perishable ingredients and incorporate those meals into the beginning of the month. One of the biggest wastes of money, in my opinion, is buying tons of yummy produce and then throwing it away before you can even use it :/

12. Try to go under budget because even though you'll be able to get most of your groceries for the month, there are a few things you'll want to pick up throughout the month as well, i.e. fruit, milk, and anything extra you either forgot or run short on. Its a nice thought to think you can get absolutely everything for the month all at once, but milk just doesn't stay good for that long =) a long with a few other things :P

13. Here are some examples of what I meant when I said, "cheap/quick" meals:
a. Taco's (using the $3 taco kits from the store)
b. Chicken Ceasar Salads (I buy the $3 salad kits then add my own grilled chicken)
c. Sausage Jambalaya (entire meal costs around $7. all you need: Zataran's jambalaya box rice mix and Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage. So easy and Chris loves it!)
d. Breakfast for dinner (i.e. Biscuits and sausage gravy. Usually costs me around $5. or you can do Pancakes and bacon, again only about $5-7 for the meal)
e. We do a lot of grilled chicken with different marinades. I usually serve it with a side of veggies. (Takes 15 - 20 minutes to make and usually only costs about $8 for the chx and veggies put together)
f. Frozen Pizza - definitely low on glam =), but on a Wednesday night after a long day and youth service, who wants to cook?! Spend $6 on a more expensive brand that you really like, and you've got a quick, cheap, and tasty dinner for two =)

14. Here's one last tip, once I've got my grocery list in hand, I shop at Aldi's first. They don't have a huge selection, but what they do have is much cheaper than even Walmart's prices. I get whatever I can from there, and whatever else I can't get, I either get from Sam's or Walmart.

15. Don't be opposed to going to a few stores. Convenience doesn't always = savings. I always do Aldi's first, and then Walmart, but many times I'll also go to Target. I'm not a fan of going to Target for groceries because I feel like they're mostly over priced, but their diapers are my favorite. They're only $13 a box and they fit Jace just as good as Huggies, w/o paying $20 a box.

16. Finally, of coarse, without a doubt, cut coupons. Be mindful of what coupons you have when planning your meals. BE CAREFUL though. A lot of people make the mistake of cutting coupons and buying those items simply because they have a coupon for it. Here's a helpful hint: ONLY CUT IT, IF YOU NEED IT =)

Hope this helps =)

Chicken Paprika

2009-09-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

This recipe is straight from one of my Paula Dean cookbooks. I made a few variations, like I use boneless breasts and she uses bone in, and my cook time is much shorter because of using the boneless chicken, but the taste is nothing shy of Paula's rich flavorful style! I hope you enjoy this simply savory recipe!

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Paprika

1 medium onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup water

3/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. all purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saute pan, heat olive oil on medium heat and cook onion until just golden. Add garlic and cook for about 2-3 minutes more or until you can begin to smell the aroma cooking off. To the skillet add the chicken breasts, and season generously on each side with salt, pepper and paprika. Cook each side for about 3-4 minutes, or until the skin turns from pink to white, turning only once. Add water to skillet and cook covered for an additional 10 minutes or so, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and in a small bowl combine sour cream, flour, and one cup of liquid from the pan. Whisk until completely combined and transfer back into skillet. Heat it through and it should be the consistency of a light gravy. Pour over top of cooked chicken and serve over rice, noodles, or with dumplings! Enjoy!

Serves 2 as an entree

Cheesy Penne Pasta

2009-08-24T14:01:00.001-07:00

I got a variation of this recipe from Claire Robinson's show, "5 ingredients or less". For the most part the recipe is very close to her version, with just a little twist of my own. This dish is a combination of cheesy, rich and creamy all rolled into one. The Vermont cheddar makes this dish. It's sharp and pungent, yet it melts to perfect creaminess! This recipe is one I'll definitely make again, and again. I hope you enjoy the simplicity and richness of this dish =)
For another variation of this dish, try it with chicken!

Cheesy Penne Pasta

Ingredients

3 cups penne pasta cooked to al dente
1 1/2 cups milk (divided)
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tsp. dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. flour
8 ounces grated or finely shredded aged Vermont white cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
While pasta is cooking, in a small saucepan melt butter completely and then add flour and whisk to make a rue. Once the flour mixture is thick, smooth and golden, slowly begin adding milk the rue while constantly whisking out any lumps at the same time. To ensure you get out all the lumps, add just bit's of milk at a time. Continue adding milk until you've added a full cup. Continue to heat and whisk until the mixture become a nice light cream sauce. (If you want to skip this step, in the original recipe, she just uses heavy cream. I didn't have any, so I opted to make the rue and do it that way instead. It's totally your preference. The heavy cream would definitely be a time saver.) Once the sauce is at the appropriate consistency remove it from the heat and set aside.

With remaining 1/2 cup of milk, whisk it and dijon mustard together and set aside as well.

Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain it and then add it back into the large saucepan. To it add cream sauce, dijon mixture, salt, pepper and shredded cheddar cheese. Place on medium low heat and continually stir until all the cheese is melted and the pasta is thick and creamy. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and enjoy.

Indulge yourself in this delicious, cheesy dish!

Serves 2-3 as an entree

Homemade Mac & Cheese

2009-08-23T20:29:00.001-07:00

This is one of the best side dish recipe's my mom passed down to me. It's great anytime of year, it's a little heartier than traditional mac and cheese, not to mention, once you make this once, it's so easy, you'll definitely want to make it again and again. If you're like me, you might even make it an entree once in a while to save yourself a bit of extra work ;) I hope you enjoy my mom's twist on mac and cheese.

Homemade Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

1 lb. box of medium sized shell pasta
3 cups milk (divided)
1 stick unsalted butter
1 tsp. salt (I don't measure, so this is totally a guess. I may use a little more or less, that's where your taste testing skills come in =)
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp corn starch
3 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese (divided)
2 cups shredded milk cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil

Directions

Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water. To it add oil and salt generously. (Some people avoid salt, but when cooking pasta, this is one step you don't want to cheat through. In fact I usually add about 3 Tbsp. Adding salt to your water is your only opportunity to directly flavor the pasta itself. This is one step that adds a lot of flavor in the end and can make all the difference in the world.)
Place on the stove top on high and bring the water to a rolling boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook for approximately 10 - 12 minutes or until al dente. (It's very important that you don't overcook the pasta because your going to continue cooking it later in the oven. If you over cook it, it won't hold up as well, and may become mushy.)

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter on medium low heat. Once melted, add 2 1/2 cups of milk (reserving 1/2 cup), salt, and pepper. Cook until it comes to a light simmer, stirring constantly. In a seperate measuring cup whisk together remaining 1/2 cup of milk and corn starch. It will be thick but should come together pretty quickly once you begin whisking. Once it's completely dissolved, add cornstarch mixture to warmed milk and continue stirring constantly. (Once you add the cornstarch, the milk should thicken in a matter of minutes. Don't raise the heat unless it doesn't thicken until after 5 minutes or so and don't walk away!!!! I've experienced on a number of occasions, the milk will come to a simmer and then boil over if I don't constantly watch and stir - be patient =) Once it comes to a nice thick cream sauce, remove from heat and set aside. (A good test of whether or not it's thickening properly is by dipping the back of a silver spoon in the cream and then pulling it out. As the cream drips off, it should leave a nice thick coat on the back of the spoon. If it doesn't and simply drips right off, keep cooking and keep stirring=)

Place cooked pasta in a large pyrex dish. Pour hot sauce all over the top and mix it into noodles so that noodles are evenly coated. Next spread 2 cups of both cheeses (reserving one cup of the chedd/jack) over noodles and mix well. Spread out mixture evenly with spoon and then sprinkle remaining cup of cheese over the top.

Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and cook for about 30 minutes or until cheese is completely melted and bubbly around the edges. Serve warm and enjoy!

Serves 6 as an entree; 10 as a side

Mango Iced Tea

2009-08-19T10:29:00.001-07:00

I received a variation of this recipe from Amy Deas (she makes a yummy Apple Cinnamon Iced Tea) and I decided I had to share it. Chris and I drink this practically every day. It's so crisp and refreshing with a touch of Mango - it's just a great change from everyday Sweet Tea. Hope you enjoy this cool summer beverage!

Mango Iced Tea

Ingredients

4 Liters of water
2 Lipton Iced Tea Brew tea bags
4 Celestial Seasons - Acai Mango tea bags (for single cup brewing)
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
*1 cup lemon juice (optional) - sometimes I like to add it for an extra zing, but I prefer it most of the time without it.
1 4 Liter Iced Tea Pitcher

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups and tea bags to a light boil. As soon as it begins to boil, remove the pan from the heat and allow it to steep for 5 to 10 minutes.

Carefully pour the tea into your iced tea pitcher and add sugar. Stir until all of the sugar is completely dissolved (about one minute). Add water to the top of the pitcher and chill. (If you don't want to wait for it to chill - which I never do! - once you dissolve the sugar, add about 4 cups of ice and stir until the ice has dissolved. Continue alternating ice and water, stirring between each time, and once the ice stops dissolving top it off with a bit more water and enjoy it iced cold! =)

Serve Iced cold and enjoy!

Chili's Fajita Marinade

2009-08-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

I made this yesterday for dinner and it came out amazing! The trick is to whip it up in the morning and give it all day to marinate. The chicken is loaded with flavor and super tender! I also included the recipe for their sauteed peppers and onions. This recipe is also from one of my favorite cookbooks, "A Treasury of Top Secret Recipes". Hope you enjoy!

Chili's Fajita Marinade

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup water
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large garlic clove, pressed
3 tsp vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Dash onion powder
2 large boneless chicken breasts (or 4 small)

Directions

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together all of the above ingredients. Place your chicken in a large Ziploc bag and pour marinade over the top. Using your hands, rub the outside of the bag, ensuring all of the chicken is evenly coated. Place the bag in a flat shallow dish and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours.

(You can grill as you like, but I like to grill the chicken on medium heat for about 6 minutes on each side. Allow them to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.)

Chili's Sauteed Peppers and Onions

Ingredients

2 medium green bell peppers sliced
1 large Spanish onion sliced
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp. lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat a skillet over medium/high heat. Saute the onion and pepper slices in the oil for 5 minutes. Combine the soy sauce, water and lime juice in a small bowl and pour it over the pepper/onion mixture. Add the salt and black pepper and continue to saute until the peppers are tender and have lightened in color and the onions are translucent and dark on the edges.

When finished, served sliced grilled fajita chicken over the bed of peppers and onions and serve right out of the hot skillet. yum!

Serves 3-4 as an entree

Roasted Italian Sausage, Peppers and Potatoes

2009-08-12T10:15:00.001-07:00

I got this recipe from a friend of ours, April Domine. She is definitely a great cook and quite the hostess. We used to make regular trips to her house after church and somehow, even if she'd only been home for a half hour, she would always come up with something absolutely amazing for us to try. Well this recipe is one that she made for us and it was so good I just had to try making it myself. Not only is it easy to make, but we enjoy it time and time again. It's a classic example of how sometimes less is more. The basic ingrediants in this dish merry together to make a rich and hearty meal that's good anytime of year.

Roasted Italian Sausage, Peppers and Potatoes

Ingredients
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, cut into 1" pieces
4 big russet potatoes, skin on, washed and cut into 1" pieces
2 green bell peppers, cute into strips (about 1/2")
1 large, or 2 medium onions, cut into strips (about 1/2")
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine sausage, potatoes, peppers and onions. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss together with hands so that each piece is evenly coated with oil and seasoning. Place mixture onto a large cookie sheet and spread out ingredients evenly with hands. (I always line my cookie sheets with AL foil, that way the clean up is much easier!) Top it off by sprinkling oregano evenly over the top and drizzle a little more olive oil over the top to finish. Bake for approximately one hour or until sausage is cooked through and potatoes are tender. (*I always like to stir everything after the first 30 minutes of cooking. That helps prevent the potatoes from sticking to the cookie sheet and then falling apart when you try to serve it.) Serve hot and enjoy =)

Serves 4-5 as an entree

Buttermilk Pecan Chicken - "5 ingredients or less"

2009-08-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

So our computer at home is temporarily out of commission so I'm sorry to say that I don't have any pictures just yet, but I just had to share this recipe with you all because it was surprisingly so simple and delicious I just couldn't keep it to myself.

I recently found this recipe off the Food Network (big surprise!) and it's from a show called "5 ingredients or less". That alone was enough to grab my attention. At first I was hesitant to try it, simply because I tend to like complex, rich flavors. Knowing there were only five ingredients didn't really scream flavor to me, but last night when I served this dish to my husband, he and I both loved it. It was simple, moist and shockingly very flavorful.

If you're looking for a quick, easy, yummy meal, here's one for the recipe book:

Buttermilk Pecan Chicken

Ingredients

-2 boneless chicken breasts
-1 cup buttermilk
-1 cup pecans
-1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
-1/3 cup vegetable oil
-salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Between two pieces of saran wrap, pound out your chicken to about 1/3 of an inch thick.

In a large ziploc bag combine your chicken and buttermilk. Allow it to marinate in the refrigerator for one hour (you definitely want to give it the full hour because it allows the buttermilk to better adhere to the chicken, giving you a much better crust!).

In a food processor, pulse the pecans until they are the consistency of a coarse bread crumb. In a shallow dish, combine the pecan crumbs and panko crumbs. Remove chicken breasts from bag and season liberally with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in pecan mixture and then shallow fry in a large pan on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. (Because the breading has brown pecans in it, the color will be a darker brown. Don't worry, that doesn't mean they're burnt =)

Remove chicken from the oil and place on a paper towel. Allow it to rest for atleast 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Serves 2 as an entree

California Pizza Kitchen's "Thai Chicken Pizza"

2009-08-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe out of a cookbook called, "A Treasury of Top Secret Recipes". This cookbook has anything from how to make a "snickers" bar to Cheesecake Factory's "Cajun Chicken Pasta". In fact, I got my Alfredo recipe from this cookbook and I have yet to find a recipe that doesn't taste just like the restaurant's pick.

Now this recipe does have a few Asian ingredients that I may not use that often, but what's great is if you keep them in the fridge, they keep for months, and they're all relatively very inexpensive.

I hope you take a break from traditional dishes and try this spin on Chicken Pizza that will make your taste buds smile!

Thai Chicken Pizza

Ingredients

Peanut Sauce:
-1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
-2 Tablespoons Teriyaki sauce
-2 Tablespoons Hoisin
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
-1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
-1 Tablespoon brown sugar
-2 Tablespoons water
-2 teaspoons sesame oil
-1 teaspoon soy sauce
-1 1/2 teaspoons minced onion
-1 teaspoon minced gingerroot

The Crust:
* I like to buy frozen bread dough from the grocery store and use it instead of making it from scratch; I could go the extra mile, but what's nice is how quick this recipe is without it ;)

Toppings:
-1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
-1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half, cut into bite sized pieces and cooked in peanut sauce (recipe listed below)
-1 cup shredded mozzarella
-2 green onions, julienne
-1/2 cup bean sprouts (I actually left these off just because I know Chris wouldn't like them, and he's totally a visual eater; if it doesn't look good, he probably won't like it =)
-1/4 cup of carrot, julienne
-1/4 cup mozzarella (placed just around the center)
-2 teaspoons minced cilantro (placed just around the center)
-1 Tablespoon chopped peanuts (placed just around the center)

Directions
Mix together the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a small, microwave safe bowl. Pour this mixture into a food processor or blender and blend for about 15 seconds or until all the garlic, onion and ginger are reduced to small particles. Place in the microwave and heat for just about a minute. The sauce should be slightly darker in color now.

In a small ziploc bag, combine chicken and 1/3 of the peanut sauce. Seal and place in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 2 hours.

Roll out and shape pizza dough and place on a non-stick baking sheet. Brush the edges lightly with olive oil or butter.

Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Cook the marinated chicken for about 4 minutes in the pan, or until just cooked through.

Using the remaining 2/3's of the peanut sauce, spread a thin layer on the pizza dough. Next layer your toppings in the same order as listed above starting with cooked chicken breast.

Place in a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and center is cooked through.

Let rest for 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Serves 2-3 as an entree

Chicken Fried Steak - courtesy Tyler Florence

2009-07-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

Tonight I decided to be adventurous and try something new. Thank goodness for the Food Network website for whenever I'm stuck and unsure of what to try next.

Just recently, I bought some steaks in bulk and it just so happened that there were 9. Well with just me and my hubby to eat steak, I wasn't sure what to do with the "odd-ball" steak. Not only was it extra, but it was odd shaped, and way too big for one, but too small for two. At first I thought maybe I'd grill it up and use it for fajitas, but then something inside me said, "why not try something new?" And so I did =) Not only was this an easy recipe, but both my husband and I loved it. I will definitely be making this one again.

The only difference between the ingredients below, and the original Tyler Florence recipe is that I omitted the hot sauce. He actually puts some in his dredging liquid and his gravy.
If you're in the mood for some southern cooking, you've gotta try this chicken fried steak!

Chicken Fried Steak

Ingredients

2 pounds beef bottom round, trimmed of excess fat
2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 whole eggs, beaten
2 cups buttermilk or whole milk
Vegetable oil
3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup whole milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium flat dish add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt and pepper, to taste, and combine well. In another flat dish stir together the eggs, buttermilk and hot sauce, to taste, and season well with salt and pepper, to taste. Cut beef into 4 (1/2-inch) thick slices then pound out using the teeth side of a meat mallet. This tenderizes the meat. Dredge each piece of meat in the seasoned flour, then in the seasoned buttermilk and back into the flour, allowing excess to drip off. Set out on a rack fitted over a baking sheet and allow to rest in the refrigerator for 20 to 25 minutes before cooking.

Add about 2 inches vegetable oil to a large cast iron pan and heat over medium-high heat to 365 degrees F. (It takes a few minutes, but your patience will be rewarded. Waiting for it to reach 365 ensures you get that crispy southern crunch!) Once heated and working in batches, fry steaks 2 to 3 at a time until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove steaks and drain on a paper towels.

Carefully remove some the fat from the cast iron pan, reserving 1/4 cup. With the pan over medium heat, sprinkle in 3 tablespoons of flour and whisk to make a roux, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Once the flour has been fully incorporated slowly add the buttermilk and milk and continue to whisk until the gravy is nice and thick. Season well with salt and plenty ground black pepper, then whisk in hot sauce, to taste. Place the steaks on a serving platter, top with gravy and serve

Tip!: Iced Coffee Lovers only =)

2009-07-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

I was watching the Rachel Ray show this morning, and just as I turned it on, I picked up a great tip that I thought I would share with all of you!

Do you ever have a pot of fresh hot coffee, but as soon as you get ready to pour it, you think about the warm weather outside and think to yourself, "Boy, I'd love an iced coffee right about now". Well if you're like me, you load up a tall glass full of ice, pour the hot coffee over the top and mix in all the good stuff (a little sugar and vanilla cream for me please ;). The only problem is, as soon as you start pouring the hot coffee in your glass, all the ice melts, and the end result is a watery iced coffee which is not so much what I was originally going for!

Here's the solution: Take your left over morning coffee and pour it evenly into an ice cube tray. Keep it in the freezer and then whenever you're in the mood for a rich, delicious iced coffee, just pour your hot coffee over the top of your coffee cubes, and as they melt, you don't miss out on any of that robust, coffee flavor! What a novel idea ;)

Banana Nut Muffins

2009-07-15T13:15:00.001-07:00

Don't you hate how fast bananas go bad? It seems nowadays I can't eat them up fast enough before they ripen. Well one great thing I've discovered that comes from over ripe bananas are these muffins. This is one time you definitely want your bananas to be ripe!

I've made these time and time again, and my husband can't seem to get enough of them. Many times I've resorted to making a bread, but it seems like muffins are not only more convenient for an "on the go" breakfast, and not only do they cook up much faster, but they store nicely in a freezer bag, so all in all, I probably prefer making my bananas into muffins.

If you like bananas, and you like muffins, you'll love these =)

Banana Nut Muffins

Ingredients
-2 medium or 3 small ripe bananas
-1 tsp. baking soda
-2 eggs
-1 stick of butter (melted)
-1 cup sugar
-1 tsp. baking powder
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mash together bananas and baking soda. (You want to mash them thoroughly so they're fairly smooth, but it's good to leave some bits of banana for moisture.) Set aside.

In another small bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl beat together eggs, butter and sugar, but don't cream. (The more you beat the mixture, the dryer your muffins will turn out so try to mix everything just enough ;) Carefully fold in half of the flour mixture and then half of the banana mixture, stirring well in between each time. Repeat until all of the flour and banana mixture is completely incorporated. Add 1 cup chopped Pecans and stir.

Using an ice cream scoop (I like to use one to ensure all of my muffins are exactly the same size and it also helps ensure they cook evenly), scoop banana mixture into a greased muffin tin or you could use muffin wrappers. Rap the tin on the counter a few times, causing any air bubbles to rise to the top. Finally, top each muffin with a whole pecan and then bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool, remove the muffins from the tin and enjoy for breakfast, dessert, or a mid-day snack =)

*Makes 18 muffins

Nani's Spinach Lasagna

2009-07-14T19:06:00.000-07:00

When visiting Chris's grandparents in France, back when I was still pregnant with Jace, one thing I made sure to do was to get some of Chris's Nani's recipe's from her old cookbooks. One of the recipe's I stumbled across was this one. Not only is this a simple recipe that she used to always make for her family, but if you like spinach, the fresh, crisp flavor of spinach shines in this dish. Of coarse I made a few adjustments and if you know exactly what you like, hopefully you will too. If you love Italian and spinach, you'll love this dish!

Nani's Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients
-16 oz. frozen chopped spinach (thawed and thoroughly drained)
-1 egg
-3/4 tsp. salt
-1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
-1 tsp. dried oregano
-1/4 grated Parmesan
-1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella (divided)
-16 oz. small curd cottage or ricotta cheese (I used cottage)
-1 lb. lasagna noodles
-1 3/4 cups homemade marinara sauce (or you could use your favorite spaghetti sauce; I like to make my own in big batches and jar it for future use.)

In a large bowl combine spinach, 1 cup of Mozzarella, Parmesan, cottage cheese, egg, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well. (The mixture should be thick. If for any reason it's runny, you probably just didn't drain the spinach well enough. I like to place my thawed spinach into a hand towel and squeeze out the access moisture that way. It works great!)

In a large stock pot, bring salted water to a boil and add lasagna noodles. Cook to al dente or just under done and drain pasta into a colander.

In a 9x9 glass Pyrex dish, begin layering sauce, then noodles, then spinach and cheese mixture. Continue layering in this order until pan is full. (I like to make my sauce and spinach layers thin, that way I can have more layers. Seems the more layers of noodles I have, the sturdier my lasagna holds up when serving.) Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 15 minutes or until melty and bubbly. Let lasagna rest for 20 minutes and serve. (Letting the lasanga rest is mostly a cosmetic step. Not only does it allow the cooking process to continue, but it ensures that when you serve the lasagna, it won't fall apart into a sloppy mess - in other words, it makes it look pretty =) In the words of Chris's Nani, "Bon Appetit!"

Serves 4 as an entree

Baked Chicken Pastina

2009-07-13T19:53:00.000-07:00

Every month I like to try out at least 1 new recipe, and this month one recipe I decided to try, was this dish, "Baked Chicken Pastina". I got this recipe while watching Giada De Laurentis on the Food Network, and I knew as soon as I saw the ingredients: pasta and tomatoes, this was a dish for me =) Not only did it come out right, but it was delicious. Even better, it only took me a little over a half hour to make! .... And I did get a picture ;) Now I did add a little here and there, but for the most part, I didn't go far from the original, so here it is. Yum!

Baked Chicken Pastina

Ingredients

1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes) ... (or 2 boneless breasts)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 Tsp. dried flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped oregano (I added this ingredient, simply because I love fresh oregano)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I used a little more =)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 8-9 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter (I like to cut it into small cubes and then evenly layer it on top). Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Garnish with another sprinkle of fresh oregano and enjoy.

Serves 4 as an entree

Mom's French Toast

2009-07-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, I don't want to make a huge mess in the kitchen, and I don't want to spend a whole lot of time cooking, well that's how I felt tonight and so I decided to serve my family breakfast for dinner. It's not only a nice change from the norm, but it's also almost always relatively inexpensive. Most of the time, whether I'm making pancakes, biscuits and gravy or mom's french toast, I can feed my family dinner for about $5 - now that's nice!

So here's a "toast" to my mom. This is a simple and delectable version of french toast that my mom always used to make for me when I was a little girl. Enjoy and I hope it makes you full and smile the way it does me =)

Mom's French Toast

Ingredients

-8 slices of sandwich bread (your choice, I use honey-wheat, but sour dough or even just white bread would be fine)
-3 large eggs
-1/4 cup milk (the thicker the better; I use vitamin D)
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
-pinch of salt
-2 Tbsp. butter
-1/4 cup powdered sugar
-maple syrup

In a shallow dish, beat eggs and then add milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Mix well.

Heat up a medium sized saute pan on medium heat and grease pan with butter.

Dip bread in egg mixture, evenly coating both sides of bread and allowing the access to drip off. Place bread in hot pan and cook until golden brown on under side and then flip. Cook other side until golden brown as well (should take only a couple minutes per side). Continue this process until all of bread is cooked (be careful not to overcrowd the pan=)

Place on a serving dish and dust with powdered sugar. Drizzle with maple syrup or eat as is =) Mmmm!

Serves 8 slices of cooked French Toast

Nine Layer Dip

2009-07-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

This recipe is based off of T.G.I.Friday's nine layer dip with just a few alterations ;)

I actually just made this dish last night for our community group "fajita" night. This is not only the perfect side dish to bring to a party or pitch-in, but if you're looking for something to munch on during a movie or while playing cards, this is a great option. It has a fresh taste, with a complex flavor profile that will make your taste buds smile. This fresh dip is the perfect summer treat =)

Nine Layer Dip

Ingredients
-1 1/3 cup sour cream
-1/4 teaspoon cumin
-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-1/4 teaspoon paprika
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-1 16 oz. can refried beans
-1 3/4 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese
-1 cup guacamole (*If you don't want to make it fresh, I recommend trying "wholly guacamole" from the grocery store)
-1/2 cup sliced black olives
-4 green onions chopped (1/2 cup)
-2 medium tomatoes, chopped and drained
-2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a small bowl, mix together sour cream, cayenne, paprika, cumin and salt. Set aside.

In a 9 x 9 glass pyrex, layer ingredients and spread evenly in the following order:

1. refried beans
2. 1/2 of shredded cheese
3. guacamole
4. sliced olives
5. seasoned sour cream
6. green onions
7. tomatoes
8. rest of shredded cheese
9. cilantro

Serve immediately at room temperature with tortilla chips for dipping, or chill and serve later =)

Serves 6 - 8 as a side

Classic, Savory and Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn

2009-07-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

One of my husband's favorite late night snacks is popcorn. So just within the last few months, I decided to stop spending money on quick, stale, powdery popcorn and invest a few minutes in making my own fresh, light and crispy popcorn, and what's so great is it's still really quick and easy to make! Now I'll be honest, this process included quite a bit of trial and error, but now that I've got it figured out, it's a cinch! Each person likes their popcorn a certain way, so if my way isn't exactly what you were hoping for, change it up and make it so it is =)
Below I included not only how I do my classic popcorn, but I also included a sweet and a savory version, all of which are scrumptious!!!!

Classic Popcorn:

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup corn kernels
-1/4 cup canola oil
-4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
-1/2 tsp. salt

In a large pot, heat oil, salt and kernels on medium heat. Cover and watch closely. (Once the pot begins to let off the aroma of popped corn, and the kernels lighten in color, the kernels should start popping shortly thereafter) As soon as the kernels begin to pop, using two pot holders, shake the pot in a circular motion and place pot back onto the stove. Repeat this every 3-5 seconds. (Swirling the pot in circles will help bring the popped popcorn to the top so it doesn't burn and the un-popped kernels closer to the bottom.) Once there is about a 2 second pause between the pops, remove the pot from the heat and immediately pour popcorn into a serving bowl.
In a glass liquid measuring cup, melt butter in microwave for about 30 seconds. Pour melted butter evenly over popcorn and stir until all the popcorn is evenly coated. Serve and enjoy!!

Savory Popcorn

-same as above, plus...
-dried oregano
-grated Parmesan cheese
-garlic powder

Follow all the steps listed above, and once you've topped your popcorn with butter, give it a generous dusting of grated Parmesan cheese, and a light dusting of garlic powder and dried oregano. Mmm!

Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn (Courtesy of Alton Brown: Food Network)

(I recommend reading the entire recipe before making this popcorn.)

Ingredients
-1/2 cup corn kernels
-1/2 cup granulated sugar (if you like a lighter flavor you could do 1/3 cup)
-1/3 cup vegetable oil
-2 Tbsp. butter flavored shortening or Margarine *See tip below
-1 tsp. salt

Now this took me a few tries before I got it right. My biggest mistake was either I had my heat too high, added my sugar too soon, or I didn't pull the popcorn off the stove fast enough. Hopefully you'll get it on your first try ;)

Using a large covered pot, heat all of the above ingredients except for the sugar on medium-high heat (If you have a gas stove, you may want to try just medium heat, that's what I do and it works just fine.) Once the kernels begin to lighten in color and give off the smell of popped popcorn, add the sugar and mix well. Place the cover back on the pot and repeat the same steps as above, watching for the popcorn to pop and constantly, vigorously shaking the pot in a circular motion every 2 or so seconds. (I begin swirling the pot as soon as I add the sugar. Even though the kernels may not be popping yet, it helps ensure the sugar coats every single kernel and it helps keep the sugar from sticking.) As soon as the kernels pause between pops, take off the top, pour immediately into a serving bowl and let the popcorn cool. CAUTION!: the popcorn will be extremely hot when it first comes out of the pot. (If I'm not too impatient, I like to pour the popcorn out onto a cookie sheet instead. That way, not only does it cool down faster, but then I can pick out any burnt kernels... yes there are usually still a few ;)... and break up the rest that may stick together in small bunches.)

I know it sounds like its easy to screw up, but once you get it right and try it, this kettle corn will knock your socks off =)

*Sugar combined with high heat burns very easily. That's why I recommend waiting until right before you think the kernels are getting ready to pop to add the sugar to the pot.

*Also, using margarine or shortening can minimize burning as well as oppose to using butter. Margarine and shortening have a higher melting point, thus taking longer to burn. If you don't have either, I don't recommend trying out this recipe. Chances are, your popcorn will definitely burn if you use butter.

Guacamole Served With Warm Tortilla Chips

2009-07-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

I came up with this guacamole recipe after trying Chipotle's guacamole, which I personally think is absolutely delicious! Every ingredient is inspired from their guacamole with the exception of the fact that I leave out the Serano chili peppers - I'm sort of a woose and can't tolerate a whole lot when it comes to heat.

Now every time I make this, I forget to measure and I totally do it by eye, so none of these measurements are exact, but hopefully this recipe will give you an idea.... I can't give away all my secrets! ;)
Warm & Flaky Tortilla Chips:

Ingredients
-4 8" soft flour tortillas -3/4 cup canola oil
-salt to taste

Directions

Using a sharp knife, cut each tortilla in half, then cut each semi-circle in 1/4's. (Each tortilla should yeild 8 tortilla chips.) Continue this same process until all tortillas are cut into 1/8's and then set aside. In a medium saute pan, heat up canola oil over medium heat. Once oil is up to temperature, place 6 or so chips (be careful not to over-crowd pan) in the oil and watch closely as chips will brown very quickly. After about 15-30 seconds, or until underside is golden, flip each chip over and cook opposite side. Once chips are golden on either side, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel and sprinkle immediately with salt. (If you have any extra brown grocery bags sitting around, you can also use those instead of paper towels.) Serve warm with fresh guacamole (recipe to follow). Fresh Guacamole Ingredients 4 avacados
4 medium sized cloves of garlic
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 lime
1/2 lemon
3 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
salt to taste
*1-2 Serano peppers seeded-*optional

Directions

Cut each avocado in half and scoop out the meat of the avocado and place into a medium sized bowl. To that, add the juice of 1 lime and 1/2 a lemon. Season with salt (I use about a tsp., maybe more) and using the teeth of a fork, mash the avocado mixture until all of it is smashed into small pieces. (Something else I discovered works great for mashing, if you don't already have a masher :), is use two beaters from an electric mixer. Hold them side by side and mash the avocado that way. It works wonders!) Once mashed, add chopped onion, cilantro, and minced garlic and stir until all the ingredients are equally incorporated. Chill for at least an hour. Serve with chips and dip away!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies: Courtesy Alton Brown (Food Network)

2009-07-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

Alton calls this recipe "The Chewy" (for all the foodnetwork.com lovers out there =) This recipe is the yummiest chocolate cookie recipe I've ever made. I have made these cookies time and time again, and without fail, the moment they hit the table, they're gone! This is a definite crowd pleaser and after all the requests I've had for this recipe, I figured I would share it with everyone at once. If you're a nestle cookie kind of a girl (or boy) then you don't know what you're missing! This is a whole new level of cookie ;) My only tip: follow this recipe to a tee and you can't go wrong - Happy Eating!

"The Chewy" courtesy Alton Brown

Ingrediants:

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Hardware:

Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
Parchment paper
Baking sheets
Mixer

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. (or if you have a crazy hot oven like mine, I preheat it to 350)

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. (Make sure they're creamed, not just mixed. You'll know when it's creamed because it should grow in volume, lighten in color, and form soft peaks.) Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. (Again, my oven is super hot so I only need to cook mine for about 8 or 9 minutes.) Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Alfredo Pasta

2009-07-07T12:53:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe out of a cookbook my mom passed down to me, and in it, they claim to have "the" Olive Garden Alfredo sauce recipe. Not so sure if this is exactly what you get at Olive Garden, but it sure tastes like it! The only variation I like to make is I add a little more garlic powder and salt then what is shown in the book. You may like it just the way it is though. This makes the perfect side with any Italian dish or the perfect main coarse with some fresh grilled chicken (You could even throw in some steamed broccoli - yum!) Hope you like it as much as we do!

Alfredo Pasta

-1 box of Fettuccine pasta
-1 stick of unsalted butter
-2 cups heavy cream
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan
-1/8 tsp. ground pepper
-1/4 tsp. garlic powder
-1/4 salt

In a large pot, bring salted water to a rolling boil and cook pasta to al dente. *Generously salting your water can add great flavor to your pasta since this is the only opportunity you get to infuse flavor directly into the pasta. When I cook a box of pasta, I generally add about 1-2 Tbsp. of salt to the pot.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cream, garlic powder, salt and pepper and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes or until thick. (Depending on the strength of your stove top, this can be a time consuming process - be patient, it will thicken and it will pay off =) If you absolutely have to speed things up, combine 1/4 cup of milk and 1 Tbsp. of corn starch. Stir until smooth and add it to the cream. Just be careful because once you add the corn starch mixture, the cream should thicken up fairly quickly. Keep a close eye on it!)
When the Alfredo sauce has reached your desired consistency, stir in the Parmesan cheese.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it. Serve the pasta on plates with Alredo sauce poured over the top and lightly garnish with freshly grated Parmesan. YUM!

*Serves 3-4 as an entree

Sharon's Banana Pudding

2009-07-04T07:31:00.000-07:00

For 4th of July, I decided I wanted to make a dessert special for my family and perfect for the warm weather. I came to the conclusion that this recipe was the perfect fit!

If the title didn't already give it away, I definitely can't take any credit for this one. This recipe was given to me by Mrs. Sharon Johnson and it is by far THE BEST banana pudding I've ever tasted. This is so simple and so delicious and it's the perfect dessert for the summer. Hope you mark this one in your recipe book because you won't be able to eat it just once =)

Sharon's Banana Pudding:

Ingredients:
4 - 3.4 oz. pkg.'s instant French Vanilla pudding mix
1 - 8 oz. canister Cool Whip (frozen)
1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
14 oz. water (use milk can when empty)
4 medium bananas (sliced into 1/2" pieces)
2 bags of Jackson's Vanilla Wafers
Milk to taste

In a 9 x 13 pan, make a layer of vanilla wafers to cover bottom of pan in a single layer, then layer a single layer of sliced bananas (or more if desired). In a large mixing bowl, mix condensed milk, water, and dry pudding mix until well blended and smooth. To mixture, add cool whip and beat until well blended - the consistency of the pudding will be very thick (that's what you want). Slowly add milk until the mixture comes to a smooth pudding texture. Should be somewhat thick and fluffy - not runny (pull the blender arms up and the pudding should resemble a ribbon when running back into bowl). Pour pudding over the wafer/banana layers in pan and spread evenly. Top with a single layer of wafers and chill for at least 4 hours.

*Serves 10 - 12 (8oz. each)

Chicken Parmigiana

2009-07-03T06:24:00.000-07:00

So I have the family in town tonight, and it just wouldn't be right to have my mom (also a lover of cooking) in town, and not treat her to probably one of my best dishes.... according to Chris that is =) so on the menu for tonight I'll be treating the family to Homemade Chicken Parmigiana with Alfredo Pasta. I have to first say, and this won't be the last time for sure, all of the measurements listed below are not exact. I mostly cook by eye and taste (mm!), but I'll do my best to "guesstimate" the proper measurements for your culinary enjoyment =) Here is the recipe for the chicken and tomorrow I'll follow it up with an Alfredo sauce that is out of this world! Bon Appetit!

Chicken Parmigiana

Breading:
-4 boneless chicken breasts pounding to about 1/2" thin
-1 cup of Italian breadcrumbs
-1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
-3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
-2 Tbsp. fresh chopped Oregano
-salt and pepper to taste
-2 eggs
-2 Tbsp. water
-4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
-3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
*1 1/4 cup marinara sauce

*because this is only a tiny part of the recipe, I prefer to use Prego traditional sauce. I have a homemade recipe I like to use for spaghetti and bruschettas but it's much more complex and you're not going to want to wait too long to dive into this chicken... trust me! =)

-In a 9 x 13 glass dish, spoon 2 Tbsp. of marinara and spread evenly to just coat the bottom of the pan (this will prevent the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the pan).
-In a shallow dish, combine eggs and water and whisk together until little air bubbles appear at the surface - set aside. In a separate dish, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan and oregano.
(*I like to use the panko breadcrumbs because their larger and more coarse than traditional breadcrumbs. This makes for a lighter, crispier breading. If you prefer a thinner more dense breading, just substitute the panko crumbs for more italian breadcrumbs.) Mix evenly and set aside. Salt and pepper each chicken breast on both sides then dip both sides in egg wash and then dredge thoroughly in breadcrumb mixture.
-In a large saute pan, coat the bottom evenly with olive oil and place on medium heat. (*It's important that the pan is up to temperature when you place the chicken in the pan. The chicken should sizzle once it hits the pan, but be careful not to let the oil heat up for too long or the olive oil will burn. The best way to judge if the oil is ready is when you look at the surface of the oil it should almost look as though it's rippling.)
-Place the chicken breasts in the hot oil but be careful not to overcrowd the pan. For larger chicken breasts, you may only want to cook two at a time. Cook each breast about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Breasts should have a nice dark golden appearance. (Also be careful not to poke or turn breasts too much as this may dry out the chicken.) Place the cooked chicken into the 9 x 13 pan and layer evenly. Top the chicken with remaining marinara and then top with shredded mozzarella. Place chicken in broiler until mozzarella is golden and bubbly. Serve along side your favorite pasta or vegetable and enjoy!

*Serves 4 (1 breast each)

Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad

2009-06-30T20:25:00.000-07:00

I realize some of you have probably assumed I've fallen off the face of the earth because my poor blog has been terribly neglected the past few months. After thinking and thinking about things to write, I've decided instead of trying to make my blog a story of my life and thoughts (which aren't very interesting anyways), I might as well make it about one of the hobbies I enjoy most: Cooking!

So from here on out, no longer will this be a diary of my life, but rather a diary of all my favorite recipes. Recipes that I not only love, but that I want you to be able to share with your families as well. If there's one thing that makes me smile, it's knowing I can serve my family a satisfying meal and make someone else's tummy happy =). So for all you who have asked me for recipes in the past, and you're still waiting... wait no longer. Hope you all enjoy and to start off my new blog, here is a great summer recipe that Chris loves. The measurements aren't very precise because I kinda eye ball some of it, but it should be pretty close ;) Enjoy all!

* This recipe courtesy of Southern at Home Living

Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad:

-8 oz. cooked fiore pasta - cooked, drained and cooled. (You could also use wagon wheels. I like fiore because of the fun honey comb shape, and also the ridges on the outside really help the dressing adhere to the pasta.)
-8 oz. boneless fajita chicken breast roughly chopped (recipe for fajita marinade below)
-4 oz. grape tomatoes (halved)
-1 can golden whole kernal corn (drained)
-1 can seasoned black beans (rinsed)
-4 Tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro

*Put all the ingrediants into a large serving bowl and stir so all ingrediants are evenly mixed.

Dressing:

-1/2 cup canola oil
-1/3 cup pure honey
-1/4 cup fresh lime juice
-2 1/4 tsp. chili powder
-About 1 Tbsp. salt (you may use less depending on how much you like)

*Whisk together oil, honey, lime, chili powder and salt. Drizzle over salad and mix well. Top with reserved fresh cilantro to garnish. Chill and serve cold or serve immediately at room temperature if you just can't wait =) Enjoy!

Fajita Marinade:

-1/4 cup of water
-2 Tbsp. of vinegar
-2 Tbsp. sofrito (I usually find this in the taco or ethnic aisle. It's a Goya product)
-2 tsp. minced garlic
-3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
-2 tsp. soy sauce
-2 tsp. onion powder
-1 Tbsp. ground cumin
-1 Tbsp. chili powder
-2 Tbsp. liquid smoke (usually in the bbq sauce aisle)
-1 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

*Place chicken in a large ziploc bag and add all the marinade ingrediants to the bag. Place in a glass dish and put it into the fridge to marinate for atleast 8 hours. For even better flavor, I like to mix and make my marinade the night before and that way the chicken has a whole day to tenderize and soak in all those yummy flavors!

*Serves 5-6 as an entree

My Big Boy

2009-03-15T18:37:00.000-07:00

Well, good news: Jace is starting his first day of day care tomorrow, and I am really excited. We've had our names on a wait list for quite a while now, at a church day care. It was the only one we visited that we had a 100% complete peace about, and we're finally in! Yay!
It's kinda crazy to think that our little man will be in a class with a teacher and little classmates. It makes me feel like he's getting so big so fast. Seems like just yesterday I was propping him up on our bed, making silly faces at him, and noises I've never made before, just to try to get him to giggle. Now, he's so fast and always a step ahead of me, and always into everything. Funny how what everyone said is true: they grow up SO fast =)
It's nice though. Every stage has its moments. When he was first born, he was so dependent on me for everything and it was nice to be needed. He was so tiny, and at times I would just hold him and marvel at how amazingly beautiful he was. It was nice to know I always had someone to cuddle and love. Now he's so big and independent, and getting him to hold still for even a minute is a challenge. Yet, even though he's beyond the cooing and cuddling, he's so much more interesting now. Whether it be his facial expressions or his words... well if you could call them words, he's such a little person. It's so fun to interact with him and see the boy he's becoming.
There's no doubt, I love being a mom. Tomorrow is just another one of those moments that I'll lock away in my heart forever.

New Weight Goal

2009-02-26T06:49:00.000-08:00

Okay so with the weather starting to warm up a bit, I've been thinking lately that I need to up my goal. I reached my first goal which was 130. It was about 15 pounds I was going for then, and I reached it which is great, but I'm thinking I can push for just a bit more. Honestly, I have cut back on a lot of the bad stuff I was eating, but since reaching 130 I've started to figure out ways to cheat and stay at 130 which isn't good! I don't want to be thin, I want to be healthy! And that is the hard part. Unfortunately, I love a juicy burger now and again, and I LOVE chocolate, and I even enjoy a vanilla coke once in a while, but if continue to substitute bad foods for all the good ones, then my cholesterol and my long-term health is what's going to suffer. SO, I think that if I can crack down a bit more on my fast food and sweets, and up my exercise, maybe go walking with Jace more, I think I can make it to 125 by the summer. I know it's only 5 pounds, but I have a feeling those last 5 are going to be the hardest. Especially since the lightest I've ever weighed (since being out of middle school that is!) is 127. We'll see, but I think I can do it.... with some help of coarse. Some help from the Lord to give me strength when I'm being tempted by all the yummy, delicious foods I want to eat. Help from Chris who is still keeping his weight off and looking great! And help from friends. From today til summer, it's time to get back into being healthy! .... and a tiny bit thinner would be nice too =)

OKC photos

2009-02-26T06:26:00.000-08:00

I unfortunately forgot to bring the camera, but my girl Rachel took a couple on her phone. Here are two from the OKC Star competition. Thanks again everyone!

Me and Rachel Williams

This is me being my normal CHEESY self. (Also evidence that I have officially lost my baby weight!!!! Thank You Jesus!)

"We're Family!!!"

2009-02-22T20:12:00.000-08:00

So the results are in, and I didn't place as well as I had hoped, but I can't say I'm disappointed. It was a fun night. I sang my best and can't say I would have done anything differently, the competition was just really tough.
The fact that I even made it as far as I did is something to be happy about, but what topped it all off, and made the night better than ever was the crowd. In the crowd, there were about 30 people from Peoples Church there to support me! I felt so special and SO loved! It's funny because since being out here, I've always told people that the only down side is that we're far from family, but after this past weekend, I realize that couldn't be farther from the truth. The second they announced my name, everyone from our church stood to their feet, screaming, waving dozens of posters, and blowing into kazoos... yes kazoos! I mean.... really, they were the best! Even though I'm sure there were many other things they could have all been doing with their time, they chose to come out and support me. I have to say, I am definitely feeling the love! Thanks guys so much. I'm so glad we're here, living life and doing ministry with such amazing, loving people. We are family! ... and I love you guys!

A living testimony of youth ministry

2009-02-13T18:44:00.000-08:00

The other day in the office, I overheard Mandi talking to a volunteer about a recent video we showed in service. It was our Crazy Generations video, and during the video there were clips of Chris and Mandi where they shared basically their heart for ministry. It's a powerful video, that highlights the importance of youth & kids ministry and how relevant it is that we have an impact on the youth of the next generation. Mandi was sharing how she's so thankful that just as she is able to invest in youth, she was also invested in when she was younger. As I heard her talking about it, it just really resonated with my heart. Truthfully, if it were not for my youth pastors and spiritual mentors that God put in my life, I really don't know for sure what my life would be like today. It's eye opening to think that every week Chris and I have the chance to impact youth's lives for eternity. Some people may disagree about the importance of youth ministry, but the truth for me is I am a product of youth ministry and so is my husband Chris. When I think about it, it makes youth ministry that much more real to me.
I just wanted to take a minute and say thank you to all those people that have taken the time, made the sacrifices they've made, and invested in me because they saw my worth. Thank you so much. It's not a gratitude that words could ever really express. I want to say a special thanks to Pastor Tim and Kristina Martin, and Pastor Paul and Debbie Hinzman. They were my youth pastors. They were a part of my life when I needed someone most. They loved me unconditionally, accepted me for who I was, and saw something special in me that at that time I didn't even see. Because of all they did, they helped lead me down a path that has lead me to where I am today: serving in ministry and serving my family. I'm so glad God put them in my life. It's something I'll forever be thankful for. To them, and to anyone else who ever took the time to invest in me, thanks.

the offizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

2009-02-09T19:29:00.000-08:00

So I did it... I gave it a shot. A fair shot too. I watched 4 or 5 episodes in a row, and much to my dismay, "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz". I know. Right now, I have friends that disagree with me and probably don't like me very much for saying what I just said, but I'm sorry. I guess British comedy just isn't for me! I have to say, it had a few giggle moments, I'll give it that, but for the most part, everyone talked it up so much that maybe my expectations started off way too high. On a scale of 1-10 on the laugh'ometer, it was barely a 6 for me. Could it be that I make myself laugh so much that nothing else is really ever "that" funny?.... NAH!
Well, like I said, my deepest apologies to all those out there who revolve your entire week around "the office", but from this day forward, I think I'll have to stick to my favorites. The shows that never dissapoint me: 24, LOST, Heroes, Survivor.... ahhh. I'm smiling. I didn't even say it, I only typed it and I'm smiling.
Sorry Dwight =(

"The Office"

2009-02-08T17:39:00.000-08:00

Everyone out here seems to watch the office. After much convincing from almost all of our friends, we're giving into the peer pressure. So tonight the journey begins with season 2 of "the office". As I prepare to hit the play button, many questions are bombarding my mind: "Will I love it just as ALL my friends do? Could I possibly commit to one more show when I'm already spread so thin? Will I be able to handle the pressure of following "the office" with Survivor getting ready to start back up as well?" As these are all equally important questions, one question sticks out in my mind the most, and may haunt me for years to come: "Will watching all these shows turn me into a T.V. junkie???!!!"....... NAH!

Love Lockdown

2009-02-05T10:44:00.001-08:00

Well last night was fun. As some of you probably already know, I love to sing, but when it comes to speaking, that's my husbands area of expertise =). But last night, I had the opportunity, for the first time, to speak to our female students and it was so much fun!!! A little scary, but fun =)

We just started a new sermon series called, "Love Lockdown" and it's all about dating and relationships. When Chris first asked me to speak, my first reaction in my head was, "me? are you kidding?!" But once he explained to me that I would be talking to our girls about modesty, I instantly was excited about getting to share my heart on this issue. I'm not going to lie, I was definitely nervous, but I'm pretty sure that was inevitable. All in all, I'm pretty happy with how I did, and the best part is last night, several students gave their hearts to Christ. That never gets old. Looking back, I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to speak into the lives of our girls. I think it's important for them to hear from someone who knows what it's like to be a teenage girl and to struggle with the same things they struggle with. I hope they all heard my heart, but more importantly I hope they were all challenged to be godly young women.

I'm Really Excited!!

2009-01-31T18:00:00.000-08:00

So not very many people know, but just recently I entered a local singing competition called the OKC Star. It's basically for anyone in OK. Totally open auditions and the top 3 overall get a cash prize. I had never heard of it, but a girlfriend of mine, Hilary, told me about it, and basically told me that I WAS going to try out. Well thanks to her, I'm glad I did. After making it through 3 rounds, I just found out tonight that I'm going to be competed in the final round with the top ten singers. Pretty nerve recking, but so exciting!!! When I first went into this, I tried not to get my hopes up too much. Not because I don't think I can sing, but because I've done stuff sort of like this in the past, and have never really done too well. But this has been great so far! I'm so glad because even though it's taken me a while, and even though I still get nervous, I feel like time has helped me develop into a better singer/performer. I've come a long way, and definitely still have a long way to go, but if you think of me, say a little prayer because I want to do my best.... and hopefully impress the judges too, and i'm going to need all the prayers I can get ;)

Catching up!!....part 2 =)

2009-01-29T20:22:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it's definitely been a while since my last post. All I can say is.... so I'm not so good at this sometimes! lol. A lot has been going on over here, that's for sure! Work is great, Jace is growing like a bean sprout, weather is chilly (finally), been doing a lot of singing lately (love it!), and I have really been enjoying life. Life is good =)
I saw a video Chris had posted on Facebook of Jace, and it made me think of how many of my friends get to read my blog, but don't get to see us. Then I thought, I need to do better at putting up videos and pictures. One of these days, we're going to run into old friends and Jace will be all grown up! So sorry to all my friends (especially stacy :) who are waiting on pictures, and I have not been keeping them coming! I figured I could post a few recent ones of my cutie pie and that can hopefully catch us somewhat up to speed! So here they are:

This is Jace and daddy relaxing and watching ESPN - daddy's favorite =)

Jace LOVES his bath!

This is Jace's favorite chair; his elmo chair =)

....and this.... well I'm not sure what this is. I think it's, "mommy, I'm done!"

kinda nervous....

2009-01-01T18:33:00.000-08:00

it's here. tomorrow i'm getting all four of my wisdom teeth removed, and i have to say, not only am i not looking forward to the soreness afterward, or the lack of yummy food i'll be able to eat, but i'm kinda scared of the "going under" part. i've never been "asleep" before and it's kinda creepy to think about. not only that, but of coarse i keep thinking of an old episode of "The View" that i saw once. the entire show featured guests who had surgeries, and while they were "under" they could still hear and feel everything - ahhh!!! so if you think of me, say a little prayer. okay, actually say a big prayer. i feel silly to be nervous about something so routine, but hey, everyone is entitled to be chicken once in a while.

Worst Blogger Ever

2008-12-30T20:02:00.000-08:00

Just want to take a moment to admit that I've been a blog "slacker". =) The holidays are still upon us, and so, I'm not making any promises. Just want you all to know I haven't forgotten you, and will be blogging again soon... I think. =)

Picture Time

2008-12-20T21:27:00.000-08:00

This is the Smith family Christmas photo for this year. We're a little behind schedule, but hopefully family and friends will receive them before Christmas rather than after!

Being a leader others want to follow - Part 1

2008-12-11T13:29:00.000-08:00

Boy is this something I'm definitely learning and working on. Before being at People's Church, I had always taken worship seriously, but now, I realize that there's so much more to it than just worshiping. I want the Lord to make me an extravagant worshiper, without a doubt. But even more than that, I desire for Him to make me a great worship "leader". Someone who others can look at and follow my example, not only in worship, but also in my everyday lifestyle. I want others to look at me and say, "Lord, show me how to worship You with the same passion and love that she worships you with. Help me to love my family and others that way. Help me to truly love and care about the interests of others like Jamie does." As of right now - I can confidently say, I have NOT arrived to this point. In fact, I can already see many areas where I need to grow, especially when it comes to investing in others and leading by example, but there's no reason why I can't get there someday, and it's one of my goals. I want to be able to look at my life and know I'm doing everything I can to lead others well. The reality of it is, for me and for anyone who is on stage worshiping for that matter, you're position has already been chosen for you. You're a leader whether you like it or not. People will be looking to you to set an example. The kind of example you set, well that choice is up to you and me.

I know this can sound like a broad area - being a leader. So I would like to share with you, over the next few blogs, just a few things that were shared with me that I'm working on right now. Here's the first area:

1. People knowing that you truly care. - If I'm not careful, I could definitely be misunderstood in this area. I definitely DO care about people. Ask anyone, and they would tell you I'm a people person, but I'm also a perfectionist. So when it comes to practices and services, I'm always thinking about the technical things: Who's late? Who may not show? How are the transitions between songs? What songs should we sing next week? Where should the podium be?..... all of these ?'s are decent ?'s I think. There's no doubt that they're all effect the worship service too, but other than just the technical side of worship, I need to be thinking about the personal side of worship. Maybe by thinking of things like these: (all the following names are made up) "Tim wasn't here for practice, I wonder how he's doing? Mary mentioned her mom was sick, I should call and ask how she's handling it? Bill has been playing for 6 weeks straight, I should tell him how much I appreciate him. Ed mentioned money is tight, is there some way the team can help?" These ?'s are the ones that so many times I think of, but fail to actually act out. It's funny too because personally, I really need that. I need to know people care and that I'm appreciated, yet it's not something I've been great at showing others. I really hope that I grow a lot in this area, and more than that, I hope that anyone I lead, will always have the confidence that I'm more than a team leader, but that I'm a friend who truly cares about them. Whether it be by an encouraging word, a quick phone call, or even just a pat on the back to say "good job", I hope that I can communicate to our team and to anyone else that I may lead, that I care.

In my next blog, I'll share part two of "being a leader others want to follow: People knowing they can trust You."

Worship Leading: Taking your audience on a journey WITH you.

2008-12-07T19:37:00.000-08:00

Just recently I've been given the privilege of helping lead worship on Sunday mornings - so far, this has been an amazing experience, and it's only just begun.
I would like to share with you what I'm learning on this journey of becoming a well-rounded worship leader:

1. Taking your audience on a journey "with" you:
One area I've really had to grow in (and still have room to grow in) is opening my eyes and connecting with the audience. Before People's Church, I'd never even thought about this, and it's definitely not something that came natural at first. Not at all. In fact, I've always been the type to get really nervous just before singing. So for me, there's nothing more comforting than to just close my eyes, close everyone else out, and just pretend like it's just me and God. That usually always helps - unfortunately, the second I close my eyes, and decide to make it my worship time, I'm closing everyone else off and sending the message, "Here. Watch me worship and watch me on my journey with the Lord". Rather, the message I need to be sending is, "Here. Come with me and let's take this journey together." Brian Rush, the Programming Director at our church, is the one who gave me this nugget of wisdom, and it's something that has not only challenged me in the ways that I lead, but also in the way that I perceive my audience. They're not just spectators, and they're definitely not there to listen to me sing. They're my brothers, my sisters, my friends, and they're there because they're seeking. Seeking more of God and more of His presence. I pray that as I grow, I can learn to "lead" others into His presence in such a way that they know we're all in this journey together.

In my next blog, I'll share how I'm learning to be "a leader others would want to follow".

Drop that cookie!

2008-12-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

I made a discovery this morning.... my jeans are a little snugger than they were before Thanksgiving. That could mean only one thing - I've eaten way too much over the holiday =). I can't say that I'm surprised, because I'm not. I almost expected to gain some weight simply because I love eating, and I love Turkey and all the fixings!!!! That's okay. I'm 3 pounds up from where I was, but now that Thanksgiving is over, I'm going to get back down to business. I have to. I'd much rather do it now than wait and have 5 or even 10 pounds to lose. Right now I'm at 132. 129 here I come. And once I get there, I may even tag on an extra 4 pounds and try to get to 125. That would be amazing! Hard, but amazing! Wish me luck! =)

There's no place like home =)

2008-12-03T20:46:00.000-08:00

well vacation is definitely over, but it's so good to be home. the phrase, "there's no place like home" is so true. i don't know why, but there's just something about being in your own living room or your own bed, that beats being anywhere else.
with vacation being over, i'm back to work, and jace is getting back into his routine. this is definitely a good thing. for me it's good because i missed being at work. i have to say, i'm one of few people that can probably say i love where i work and all of the people i work with. being at people's church has completely revoluntionized my way of thinking in so many ways, and all in good ways. it's a place where i have great relationships, great leadership, and great rewards. i'm so glad to be back in OK, and back in the swing of things!
for jace it's a good thing because being on vacation really took a toll on his schedule. he's a pretty routined kid, and while on vacation, the word "routine" really didn't exist for us. each day was something like this: hop in the car. hug some necks. pass jace around. eat. say goodbyes. hop back in the car. hug more necks. pass jace around.... i think you get the picture. toward the end of the week, jace was definitely losing his patience with us, and it's no wonder. once we arrived in OK, i took jace to the pediatrician for a check up and not only was he exhausted from the busy travel, but he had a double ear infection! =( atleast now that we're home, and he's got some antibiotics, the both of us can get back to life like normal. ahh! home sweet home!

Things I'm Thankful For:

2008-11-26T14:30:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading my husband's blog, and in it he included some things he was thankful for. Well I thought, in light of tomorrow being Thanksgiving, I'll share with you all a few things I'm thankful for as well.

1. Faithfulness: The Lord has been so faithful to Chris and I. From the day we were married, we've always looked to Him for direction, and as long as we've been faithful in the small areas of our lives, He's been more than faithful in all the big areas. It's amazing how just by placing our trust in Him, everything just always seems to fall into place. Thank You Lord for reminding us daily, that our lives are in Your hands, and that You'll always meet our needs.

2. Health: With all the sickness that's attacked some of our family and friends in the past year, I can't help but be thankful to God for his protection over me and my family. Yeah, we've had little colds here and there, (mostly Chris), but for the most part, He's kept us healthy and strong. Especially our little guy Jace. With as many germs as he comes in contact with, it's amazing to me that he's only been sick once since he was born. Each and every day I pray over him and his health, and God has been faithful every step of the way. Thank you Lord for your hand of protection over me and my family.

3. Family: Being home for Thanksgiving has been a real blessing. It's always great for Chris and I to get to see our parents and our brother, sisters, and so forth. But even moreso, I'm so thankful to have a loving husband and an adorable son. From the time Chris and I started dating, I always knew I could turn to him for love, protection, and honesty. He's my best friend and an amazing companion. I am so glad that the Lord brought us together. I truly am a very lucky lady!
Jace, well I could write a book on how he's changed my life! Not only has he shown me that I can love in a way I never thought possible, but he's made me a more loving, patient, and kind person. Seeing the joy in his eyes always lights up my day, and every day I get off work, I'm always looking forward to picking him up and getting a big hug from my little man! He's such a charmer, and he's definitely won me over!... and he knows it! I love that little guy so much. Thank you Lord for giving me the privilage of being a mom!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Don't forget to take a moment to be thankful for all God has given you. =)

Why I love vacations:

2008-11-25T13:00:00.001-08:00

So right now I'm sitting with my feet up, reclined on the couch, Jace is upstairs snoozing, and there's nothing in the air but peace and quiet. No dinner to cook, no house to clean, no work to do, just simply sit here and do nothing! I love it! In fact, this morning I slept in..... actually almost every morning I've slept in =) and it's been wonderful!
Now being on vacation, isn't necessarily always this relaxing for us, especially when we decide to spend it here in Indy where all of our family live. If we're not careful, instead of relaxing, we can spend the entire visit driving from one person's house to the next. It's such an easy mistake to make, and we've made it many times before. All of our families live here, and of coarse, they all want to see Jace - who wouldn't! So knowing that, we planned ahead. This time home, we made it appoint to spend one night all to ourselves, and that night was last night. In fact, we didn't even bring Jace. We left him with Nina (grandma) for the night, and Chris and I hopped in the car and escaped all the hustle and bustle of being home for the holidays. It was great! We went out for dinner at this nice place called, "Rick's Boatyard and Cafe" where we had the most amazing goat cheese and french bread for an appetizer. And then for our main coarse, Chris selected these yummy pork chops and I chose the pan seared Tilapia and Shrimp. It was DE-LISHOUS!! =) Afterward, we spent some time together at our hotel and then decided to cheat on our diet and go out for late night hot fudge "sippable sundaes" from Steak n' Shake! Those were pretty good too! Then we relaxed, watched a late night movie and snoozed off into wonderful, un-interrupted sleep! It was awesome! The only downside is that we didn't plan to stay for two nights instead of one =)
So for the rest of our stay here, I don't think we'll be doing much, but that's okay. I think I like vacations better that way.

I'm such a kid!

2008-11-18T10:45:00.001-08:00

So we just started our "Secret Santa" at work this week between all of us office ladies and the kid in me is so excited. I don't know what's more fun. Walking in the office to find a neatly, wrapped gift with MY name on it, or placing one somewhere for someone else, and them having no clue it's from me! I know I'm 24, but really I'm 100% kid at heart - just ask my husband!
It's funny. Yesterday I needed some pretty, red ribbon for my special gift, and the only place I could think of having any was in the attic with all the rest of our Christmas decorations. So of coarse, I didn't see this as an obstacle. No this was an opportunity to get the Christmas tree down and all of the wonderful stuff that goes along with it. Excited I ran to Chris and said, "OOoo. I need to get ribbon, but it's with all the Christmas stuff.... wanna help me take down the tree?!" He looked at me with a sheepish smile and said, "Are you serious? It's not even Thanksgiving. Babe, if we get that tree down, you're going to put it up in the next couple of days, even though, you know we're going to be super busy before we go vacation. Somehow you'll find a way and put it up. You're so impulsive." I replied, "YUP! So can you help me?!!" ha ha ha. Needless to say, my wonderful hubby gave into my pleas, and now our Christmas tree is patiently awaiting me to take it out of the box and dress it all up! Who knows. Maybe I'll surprise Chris and not even bother with it at all. We'll see because just thinking about it makes me get the warm and fuzzies!

4 days and counting!!!

2008-11-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

It's almost time! Yes, I can't wait! In four days, (Thursday afternoon to be exact) we're flying home to Indy to visit family, and we're so excited. Being away from family makes you miss them so much, but it's also nice because you appreciate the time when you do see them so much more. I can think of a million reason's I love going home for the holidays, but here are just a few:

1. Mom's cooking - Hello?!! Yes, that's who I get my interest in food from, and if anyone can throw down, it's my mom! For thanksgiving she's making a roast, as oppose to the traditional turkey, and I can't wait! yum!!!

2. Turkey! Yeah, mom's not making turkey, but Chris's dad is! That's the benefit of having several families to visit - more food =)

3. Jace - Everyone is busting at the seems to see Jace. They can hardly wait, and neither can we. It will be so great to see Jace love on his grandparents, especially since he loves giving hugs right now =)

4. Memories - Even though I wasn't born in Indy, I spent all of middle school and high school there and needless to say, I have many wonderful memories there. I love going back and feeling like I'm back in my old home town.

5. Shopping - The day after Thanksgiving is always one of my favorite days to spend with my mom. We hit the stores running at around 5 am.... SO FUN! I can't wait!

6. Friends and Family - My dad, mom, brothers, in laws, nieces, nephews, all of them. I can't wait to see them and give them all a big hug and a kiss!

7. Thanksgiving - it's one of my favorite holidays and so far Chris and I have been lucky enough to always be home to spend it with family.

8. The cold - Even though I'm enjoying the mild weather here in OK, it will be nice to get out into the crisp air and be reminded of what winter really feels like.

9. Date Night! - The nice thing about going home, is everyone wants to see Jace, which is great. It gives Chris and I the perfect opportunity to go out just the two of us... and that doesn't happen often! =)

10. Christmas Tree - Yes I'm like a kid at heart when it comes to putting up the Christmas Tree - I can hardly wait. And I know, once we get back to OK, it's officially time to put it up!!! So the sooner we leave, the sooner we get to come back, and I get to put up the tree!! =) ... Even though I already threw Christmas lights up all over our house and yard! lol

Saturday Nerves

2008-11-15T18:32:00.000-08:00

it's funny. it's saturday night, i'm winding down, reflecting on what i did for the day, and what i'll be doing tomorrow, and suddenly it hits..... again. my saturday night nerves, or maybe i should say, my sunday morning nerves =)
i don't know why or when it will ever go away, but for whatever reason, every saturday night on the weekends i'm scheduled to lead worship in church, i get the jitters. i hate it. i'm such a dork. i've been singing since i was like 7. in fact, i think i could even prove it if i had to. somewhere, in an old dusty box, my mom has a vhs of me singing. i was the star of david in our christmas play about the birth of jesus. it was my big debut, me singing the lord's prayer, which might i add, that was when sandi patti was cool, so um yeah, shouldn't i be bigger than jitters by now? =)
sometimes, even though the nerves have my stomach all in knots, i think it's a good thing. mostly because as long as i'm nervous, i'm always praying! mostly saying, "dear god, please don't let me screw this up!" ha ha ha, but it's good. i'm relying on him with everything i have, and i'm sure that's probably right where he wants me. so there. i just taught myself something. i'm not a total dork, i'm just learning to rely on God. okay so maybe it's not so bad after all =)

Random Thoughts

2008-11-12T20:51:00.000-08:00

- Why is everyone sick? My husband, my son, my babysitter, my friends, me..... we're all sick or are just getting over being sick. I wonder what it is with this time of year that makes everyone so "under the weather"?? I don't know, but I hope it passes soon!

-Tomorrow is my day off and I can't wait! I'm exhausted. Wednesday's tend to do that though. Thursdays.... well those days are wonderful =) Maybe I'll even get in a nap!

- The healthy eating is still going pretty good. Chris is doing especially well. 4 months and still going strong. I'm so proud of him. Great job Babe!

- New recipe, DE-LISH! Paula Dean's pumpkin bars! I know, not so healthy, but SO good! mmmm!

- Bought my first pair of skinny jeans the other week, and I finally brought myself to wear them the other day. At first, I have to say, I was a little nervous. I was afraid that maybe I would look like a dork, but after getting several compliments from some of my girlfriends, I think this skinny jeans thing might be better than I thought!

- Thanksgiving is so close, and for us, vacation is only 9 days away! I miss my family in Indy alot so I can't wait to go home! Not to mention my mom's cooking is amazing and I'm really looking forward to a yummy Thanksgiving lunch!.... and Dinner!

- Jace gives hugs now - It's definitely my new favorite thing. I squat down near the floor, spread open my arms and say, "JACE!", and every time he runs right at me, squeezes my shoulders, lays his cute little head on my arms and says, "Ahhhh". IT'S TOO CUTE!!!

- Oklahoma weather is really different. It's mid November and I'm still only wearing a sweater! I could get used to this!

- I just got my hair cut, well trimmed and I love it. Now that I've had my hair semi-short for a little while, I'm not sure when I'll grow my hair out again. Short is much easier!

- Christmas is already almost here! Crazy! I'm already thinking about lights, trees, shopping, but more importantly I've been trying to think of what I want. Hm? Maybe some new cookware? I'll have to think on this one.

Taking a Moment

2008-11-08T13:36:00.000-08:00

These past few weeks have flown by, pretty much slipping right through my fingers. Every day seems to be shorter than the last! - well today is Saturday, and I pretty much decided when I woke up this morning, that I was going to slow things down for a change! =)
The plan: relax! Right now I'm sitting in my slippers and watching my favorite T.V. station, Food Network of coarse =). Jace is peacefully sleeping and should be asleep for probably the next hour - nice! Chris is at the gym working out which means one thing.... I get the T.V. (he he)
Times like these are nice, no not just because I get the T.V.! But because it gives me time to breathe and clear my head. So many days go by where I'm just like a little energizer bunny, going and going. Unfortunately, half the time I'm so busy getting things done, I don't even stop to enjoy what I'm doing. So today, I've decided to just relax and enjoy the slow pace.
It's so easy when you're busy to go through life, and not realize how many great things you've been given. Well right now, I have to say, I'm a pretty lucky lady. When I actually take a moment to think about my life right now, there's not much to complain about. I have an amazing, loving and patient husband, a beautiful, happy and healthy baby boy, and a job I love. God has been so good to me and our family. I just hope I can take more moments like this to thank him for it.

Weekend Recap

2008-10-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

Oh what a Monday! Ever have one of those days where you sit back and ask yourself, "Wait? What just happened?" Ha, ha, well that's me every Monday! Mostly because it's our busy day at the office, trying to catch up from the weekend, and everyone is still pooped from our four services Sunday. Athough today, I am a little more pooped than my norm because this past Sunday, I was given the opportunity to lead worship. It was awesome! Leading for that many people was definitely scary, don't get me wrong, but simply having the opportunity to be stretched and being able to use my gift, doing what I love, it was great. One thing I never realized though was how exhausted I'd be by the end of the 4th service! By the end of the afternoon, I felt like I had just ran a marathon! Definitely makes you appreciate what Brian and Herbert do EVERY Sunday! =) So as soon as church had ended, I had a game plan: Grab lunch. Go home. Get into my P.J.'s, and take a nap! .... And I did!.... And it was wonderful!!! Not something I get to do much anymore, but when I do, I definitely try to take full advantage.

Rewinding back to Saturday, Chris and I went to our Ignite Cookout which was great. We love any opportunity we can get to spend time just hanging with friends. Later that night, I decided to go to the movies with some girl friends - FUN! We were going to see something called, "the secret life of Bee" or something like that =P. Well we were all excited to see it because we had heard it was supposed to be really good, but much to our dismay, once we were all there, we realized the movie had already started!... 20 minutes ago! No worries =) We hopped in our cars, drove to the nearest Starbucks, and just sat, talked, laughed, and enjoyed one another's company. I had a great time. There's just something about being with friends that's so refreshing!

So that was my weekend. All in all, it was great, but boy did it fly by! Hopefully this week will fly by too so I can enjoy the weekend again!

A Great Day

2008-10-24T20:47:00.000-07:00

Today was a wonderful day. After having a great day at work, I swung by the babysitter's and picked up my little peanut ( that would be Jace ;). It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and even though I knew he was probably due for a nap, I decided we needed some outside play time. We spent an hour or so just chasing each other around the backyard, sliding down the slide, picking up dirt clumps and trying to eat them... you know the usual ;) Then we went for a walk, and even though the air was crisp, the sun was warm, and it was the perfect time of day to be outside. The kind that makes you wish you had a sweater, a cup of hot chocolate, and a comfy chair. After our walk, I put Jace down for a late nap, and knocked out some housework I've had on my list for like three days. Wasn't necessarily fun, but knowing it was finally done was so refreshing! There's nothing like a clean home! It's the only time I'm really able to relax. So once I finished up my house work, Jace and I went to Sam's and picked up some food for our fall cookout tomorrow.... I can't wait! Fall, Football, Food.... Fun!!! So we shopped til we dropped, and I don't know why, but there's just something so fun about shopping when you've got the cutest baby in the world sitting in the front of your cart, smiling at you the whole time =) What a cutie!! Once we were finished, we came home and relaxed. Luckily I decided tonight's dinner was going to be made by the crock pot, so instead of coming home after work and having to make dinner on top of all my housework, I was able to come home from shopping and simply relax! What a wonderful way to end out the day. Even though it wasn't anything exciting, today was still a great day, and tomorrow is Saturday so it can only get better =)

Random Ramblings

2008-10-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

So I haven't done so good at keeping my word and staying on top of this blog lately! Funny. I always think I'm going to be able to get everything done, and yet somehow I never do! The story of my life =)
I find that when I've been blogging on a consistent basis, I always know exactly what I want to say. Yet when I haven't written anything in a while, like tonight (=)), I just sit here, speechless, thinking, "What should I say? Something profound maybe?" ha. Not tonight. I'm too tired to even spell words longer than my name, let alone actually think about what I want to say. I've just decided, it's time for some random rambling. So here goes:
-Got back from our retreat yesterday. It was a looooooong drive, but it was an excuse to spend some great time with our kids. It's funny, and I don't know why, but it's always on trips like that, that I realize how much I love doing what we do. I just love being with the kids and getting to know them. ...And when you're stuck in a van for about 6 hours, you've got plenty of time to get know one another =)
-Our trip to MO. also brought me back to memories I have from the many times Chris and I made trips just like that when we were in youth group with our youth pastors, Paul and Debbie Hinzman. Not sure if they'll get to read this, but in case they do, just want to say thanks guys. Not only did they invest in us then, but even now, they're still investing in us. From being our youth pastors back then to being some of our dearest friends today, they've played a huge part in the people we've become, and I'm so thankful that God's allowed our paths to meet. Thanks guys and we love you!
-When I arrived at the church for work today, I saw the progress that's been made with our new auditorium, and I literally squeeled! ha ha. I am so grateful to be a part of this exciting time at Peoples Church. What a blessing it's been to our family, and what a blessing it's going to be to so many others! We're reaching the lost, and it never gets old! I can't wait to see where God is going to take us!
-Jace is getting cuter by the day. He's just started saying, "Hi", and it's impossible to hear it and not grin. His vocabulary is almost large enough to count on two hands! ha ha. He's now saying, "Momma", "Dadda", "Hi" and "All done". That kid's a genius =)
-It's been pretty busy lately, and with the recent traveling, I actually had french fries for the first time in three months last weekend. It's was good going down, but once it reached my tummy, it wasn't good for long =( I forgot how heavy fast food can be on your stomache when you haven't been eating it. I'm hoping I'll eat extra good this week to make up for being bad over the weekend =[] I'm not trying to gain weight back after all that hard work!
-I'm starting to get into a routine: Get up, go to work, get Jace, go home, stay up way too late! ha ha. Not sure when it started, but I've been going to bed later lately, and my body is mad at me for it. I'm hoping to be a little more disciplined in the next upcoming weeks, but it's going to be hard. Hopefully I can make myself go to bed..... you know a lack of sleep speeds up aging - YIKES!!!!
-Speaking of, "Goodnight" - I'll hopefully talk to you sooner than later =)

EASY Chicken Tortilla Soup

2008-10-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

I was talking to some friends today about what I was making for lunch, and after 3 different people asked me for the recipe, I just figured I would post it that way I can share it with all my friends =) This is literally the easiest/simplest recipe known to man - In fact, when it was first passed onto me, I was a bit in disbelief because it doesn't even require salt or pepper! I don't know about you, but I put salt on everything! So don't knock it til' you try it. Take it from someone who usually likes to make everything from scratch, you may be leery, but you will love this recipe. Mom's, it's fast, easy, and I've yet to meat someone who didn't like it. So jot it down, print it out... enjoy =)

Chicken Tortilla Soup:
(serves about 6)

2 cans golden corn (drained)
2 cans black beans (rinsed/drained)
1 large jar of chunky salsa (mild, medium, or hot - whatever you prefer =)
1 packet of taco seasoning
2 large cans of boneless (all white meat) chunked chicken breast (drained)
4-6 cups chicken stock (depending on how thick you want your soup. I like mine thick enough to scoop up with chips, almost like chili, so I only use 4)

1 small canister sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar-jack cheese
1 bag tostitos "scoops" tortilla chips

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine corn, beans, salsa, seasoning mix, chicken, and chicken stock. Cook and let simmer on medium to medium low heat for about 45 minutes.

Serve in bowls topped with a generous dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with cheddar-jack cheese. Serve with chips for your dipping pleasure and enjoy!!!

... Really! It's that easy!! =D

Random Thoughts

2008-10-07T20:34:00.000-07:00

- So I've decided I need to start going to bed at a decent time. For me that's around 10, 10:30.... Oh look what time it is! 10:34 - I'm already breaking my new rule =(

- This losing weight thing is good and bad. Good because I feel better than ever. Bad because I finally feel like shopping.... every day!

- Starbucks has become a part of my morning routine. I think I've had it everyday for almost the last two weeks! I better slow down or I'm not going to have a money left over to do that shopping I want to do!

- Jace is cuter than ever! Dropping him off at the baby sitter's every day only makes me appreciate our time together more. Today we spent an hour, after I got home from work, just playing in the backyard. I love that little guy so much!

- Chris is thinner than ever! He's changing weight almost as often as I change my socks. He's almost down to 210 - Great job babe. I'm so proud of you!

- I discovered a great new recipe. Paula Dean's Spinach and Gruyere Pinwheels. Tiny little pinwheels made from warm, flaky puff pastry, wrapped around a mixture of sauteed mushrooms, warm spinach, and melted Gruyere cheese! If you like any of those things, you've gotta check this recipe out on foodnetwork.com. It's the perfect finger food for anytime, any occasion.

- Finally, it feels like Autumn and I love it! I actually wore a turtle neck today! YAY! =)

- I think we may be getting rid or our Dog. If you know anyone who may be interested in a Yellow Lab, let us know. He's cute as can be, just too much work for a family that's not home very much =(

- I have a big day tomorrow - work and church with not much time in between... on that note, I'm going to bed =) Night.

Catching up!!

2008-10-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I've been really bad this past week and a half keeping everyone in the loop! Sorry, let's just say the past two weeks have been a blur. So here's the quick run down of my life the past two weeks =)

-Jace had two birthday parties!! His first party was on the day of his birth date (Sept. 25, 4:15pm to be exact =) and we celebrated with family. It was great to have Chris' family in town. His mom, Carolyn, Stepdad, Guy, and little brother, Benjamin, were all here to help us sing "Happy Birthday". We had a great time catching up with eachother and soaking in the moments we had together. We also had a great time observing Jace and his very first adventure with cake! YUM! He was so funny, at first he wasn't so sure, but within a matter of 2 minutes, he was shoving the cake faster than I could snap a picture! =) Here are a few pictures of our cutie pie on his very first birthday! :

-The second party we had for Jace, we decided to do on a Saturday at the park, that way some of our friends could come and join in the birthday fun. We enjoyed cake, yet again, which was good to my mouth, but not so good to my diet! All in all, we had a great time though, and Jace, even though he basically had no clue it was all for him, he was of coarse cute as ever eating his cake and greeting his guests =) Here are a few pics of his party :

(I'm picking the icing out of his hair.... Yeah he got it everywhere! =)

-Before Chris' family left town, we decided to take them to bricktown where we ate at this cute New Orleans Cafe called the Bourbon Street Cafe??? I think? Anyways, whatever it was called, it was good.... not to mention I finally got to try crawfish. It was pretty tasty, although everyone else wasn't so pleased with the aroma coming off my plate! Oh well, that only made it more fun to eat :P Here are a few family pics from our last night with the Magana family :

(I thought this was funny because when I leaned over to take a picture with him, he just nonchalantly put his arm around me like such a little man!)

- During this past week, I've started working part time at our church which I love! It's been such a blessing to join the team and help out with whatever I can. I am so blessed to be doing what I'm doing right now, and even though I'm a little more tired at the end of the day, I feel like I'm actually getting something accomplished, which I didn't feel as much when I was home all the time.
Even though the amount of time I spend at home as changed, one thing will never change.... my silly boy! This past week he made a discovery, "Hey! I can take this diaper off! Being naked is great!!!" ha ha ha. Yeah, pretty much. I have to watch him too because he's got quick hands! One minute he's acting like he's checking out his belly button, the next he's streaking through the house! ha ha ha. It's so funny though! It's kinda hard to tell say, "no Jace" with a straight face, when he's smiling at you butt naked! So yes, you get to share in the fun. Here are a few pics of our crazy little man! :

-Thursday was Chris' day off and it was a busy day. We both had doctors appointments in the morning, which are never fun =( but the upside is, I haven't weighed myself since I was in the hospital from having Jace, so when I stepped on the scale and it read, "129" I looked at the nurse and said, "did that say '129'?" and she looked at me like, "oh stop gloating." But I just couldn't help but smile! ... and smile! ha ha ha. That reading was such a great sight! I haven't been this weight since Highschool, so you better believe I'm going to soak it in as much as I can! =)
After our doctor's appt., Chris, Jace, and I decided to go and have breakfast together, and that was great. It's not often we get to go out for breakfast, so that for a change, was so much fun.
Later, at 2, Jace had a doctor's appt. where he got his 1 year shots!!! NO FUN!!! I always hate those appointments, but I know it's only to make him big and strong some day.... and he already forgot what happened so that's comforting! =)

-This past weekend was Amy Deas baby shower! I had the honor of helping host, and of coarse I love doing that sorta stuff! Anything I can cook for is fun for me! Not only did we have a great turn out, but I think Amy got a pretty good Asst. of gifts which is always nice. I hope she enjoyed it and it was everything she had hoped for. Amy is not only a great youth leader, but a loving friend and I wished her and Vernon the best wishes for their little bundle!! Here are a few pics from her baby shower:

(Amy and the "Hostesses": Nicole, Dorynda, (Amy), Me, and Nicole =)

-Tonight is our "BigNite" and I can't wait! Food and fellowship, what's not to like?! Plus, I'm really excited to lead worship tonight. There's just something about getting the opportunity to pour my heart out to God in a song, that's just hard to replace. I'm so thankful I'm at a place where he's allowing me to help others do the same. It's such a privilage and I'm so undeserving, but He allows me to be used anyway. I truly am so blessed!

-Well I think that pretty much catches me up to speed. Until Monday! .... oh stink! That's tomorrow! I'll be in touch soon =)

Reasons to Smile

2008-09-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

Today when my husband came out of our bedroom, he was wearing a pink polo that he's had for over a year and has never wore it until today. He never felt comfortable in it, but since he's lost all his weight, not only does it fit him, but he looked fine this morning! ha ha. I'm so stinking proud of all his hard work. Keep it up babe! I just might start chasing you around the house! (If you heard pastor Herbert's sermon, you know what I'm talking about. If not, you need to check it out!)
Yesterday, pastor preached an amazing sermon. It really hit my heart, and made me think long and hard about protecting my marriage. Everything he said was right on point for people who are married, and I am so thankful to be at a church where they tell it like it is. Thank you God for bringing Chris and I to people's church. It's so great to know that every Sunday we're going to be challenged by God's word, and it's also so great to be on staff with such amazing people. What an experience it is to know you're somewhere where you're making a difference in the lives of others. We are so blessed!

**If you'd like to hear this sermon, just follow the link below =)

"How To Have An Affair"

http://sermonplayer.com/senttofriend.php?clientid=2031&sermonid=130158

Today is the first day of Autumn!!! I've been counting down the days it seems, and it's finally here! Now I just need the weather to get chilly so I can finally break my hoodies back in! =)

My son Jace is turning one THIS Thursday!!!! I can't believe how fast this past year has flown! It's been so fun and exciting watching him grow and turn into our little man. He's such a great kid, and I'm really looking forward to all the developmental changes to come in the next year. This time next year we'll actually be able to have somewhat of a conversation!! Yay!

Our Ignite service was last night, and I always look forward to going. Being around other young adults is so refreshing. It's definitely a great way to make new relationships. I'm really looking forward to all God is going to do through this Sunday night experience!

Two of our very dear friends, Bart and Melissa Shadle, and Marc and Stacy Petty, had babies this past week! Melissa gave birth to little baby Noah. He's their first baby and I just know they're going to be amazing parents. Stacy gave birth to baby Brady (no connection to the N.E. Patriots, just in case you were wondering ;) and he is as cute as pie. I'm so excited for both of our friends!! Congratulations and we love you guys very much!

Baby Petty: "Brady"

Baby Shadle: "Noah"

My coffee tastes exceptionally good this morning! I love it when that happens!

Jace is taking a nap at this very moment. That means mommy time =) That's definitely a reason to smile =)

Yay for New Jeans!!!

2008-09-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited! I went shopping today for jeans, and for the first time in I don't know how long, I actually enjoyed it. I tried on only a few pairs and instantly fell in love. Before losing my baby weight, I probably would have tried on at least 10 pairs and then I still would have left with none, but I'm finally at my goal size. I'm finally at the place where I feel good in most of the things I put on where as before, it was definitely the opposite.

Thank you Jesus so much for giving me the self control and discipline I needed to lose that baby weight! I feel so happy and good about myself again.

Thanks also to my husband who not only has helped me by setting an amazing example, but for always holding me accountable..... well except for maybe at the fair! ;) I couldn't have done it without you, your love, and your support.

Just wanted to share my exciting news! Here's to keeping it off!!!

OK FAIR!

2008-09-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

We went to the fair last night with the Jackson family, and we had a great time. The smells, the lights, the crowd... it was definitely exactly what I had imagined it would be before we had arrived.
Shortly after we got there, it didn't take us long to decide we were hungry. Then again, how can you not be hungry when around every corner there's another stand with big painted signs advertising "Hot Funnel Cake" and "Fried Cheese"!!! YUM!!! So I decided I wanted an "Indian taco", (which my friend Umo promised me I would love=)), and Chris and Jace went looking for some "Chicken on a stick". After standing in line for probably a good 20 minutes, and then buying this "Indian taco" which by the way, they should rename it the "mountain taco" because it was so huge, I was sadly dissapointed when I realized that the "Indian taco" actually wasn't very Indian at all! =( I thought it was going to be authentic Indian food, like from India! Little did I realize that all an "Indian taco" is, is some pinto beans on a yummy taco shell with about two handfuls of shredded lettuce and cheddar cheese! Bummer! It was still good though.
After eating, we decided to do some walking, and hopefully burn off half of what we'd already consumed! =) We took Jace around pretty much the entire fairgrounds until finally we decided to take him to the Petting Zoo. This was my favorite part I think! Watching him trying to touch the animals was SO cute! He definitely knew which ones he like, disliked, or just had no interest in at all. He definitely like the chicks, the hens, the sheep, and the swine. The big dairy cow, he wasn't so sure =) He definitely looked at those big beety eyes and took a step back like, "Wait a minute mom. I don't think I want to touch that one!" It was pretty cute.
Finally, when we were done meeting and petting all the animals, and after Jace had decided he was done showing US where to go, we figured we'd better get something sweet before we left. So we walked around in search of the infamous chocolate covered cheesecake and after looking, for quite a bit I might add, we finally found it - and it was SO worth it! It was so good! I definitely knew that was my "cheat quota" for the week though!
All in all, we had a great time, and the best part of all is we were able to have some good quality family time together. =)

Mornings like these =)

2008-09-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

Not much to write about today. I just woke up, felt the chilly breeze blowing through our bedroom window, and suddenly became really happy =) Yes, right now at this very moment, I'm sitting on my love-seat, in my comfy flannel P.J.s, sipping a delicious cup of french pressed coffee, wearing my soft slippers, and slouching.... Oh how I love mornings like these. Jace is napping, Dungy is passed out in our room somewhere, the dishes are done, the house is caught up, and I for once have nothing that I really HAVE to do. Well, atleast not for the next hour ;) So I'm probably going to sit here, watch an episode of SVU perhaps, and enjoy every second of this time. I probably should do that more. Just soak in the present moments I do have, instead of fretting about what I have going on later. So bye for now, I'll be relaxing if you need anything. Thank you Lord for mornings like these =)

Being a Mom

2008-09-12T06:19:00.000-07:00

So this is a day late, but yesterday I was tied up pretty
much all day, and today, well hopefully it will involve a lot of relaxing =)
Just the other night, we had our cram night at epic. The theme of the night was "craziest fan", and of coarse me and Jace had to participate =)

I was trying to figure out what I should dress him in because he really doesn't have any sports jerseys, and the one colts outfit he did have, well it's in a box in the attic with the rest of his newborn clothes. So being the crafty person I am, we decided (as in I decided) to make Jace a shirt!

Yeah, yeah, it was more so I could have fun - I love doing stuff like that, but it turned out pretty good actually. And the best part was we matched=) We both had our royal blue on in support of our team. And I have to say, Jace looked stinking adorable, but then again I think he looks stinking adorable in everything!

After we were all dressed for church we still had a few minutes until it was time to go, so we went out in the backyard and played for a little bit, and standing there watching my little man, walking around everywhere, just made me smile and feel so overwhelmed with love. It's so funny how simply being near someone can make you feel so much. This little guy has changed my life! And it's all for the good =) Being a mom is one of the greatest gifts I've ever recieved.

So here's to all the fun things you get to do when you're a mom. Making t-shirts, baking cupcakes, or going to play dates... being a mom sure is great!

Pandora!!!!

2008-09-10T07:54:00.001-07:00

I just have to share this with anyone who reads this because this website has completely revolutionized my music listening experience!!! The website is absolutely free, and it has all your favorite music organized by genre, author, song title, whatever you want! Just type in one of your favorite tunes and it automatically plays songs from that author and all other music that's similar. So I typed in Ella Fitzgerald, love her, and now I'm listening to Billie Holiday, Etta James, Julie London..... I love this website! You've gotta check it out =) Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Just go to www.pandora.com

More Lime Mommy!

2008-09-08T18:27:00.000-07:00

So I just had to blog twice in one day because these pictures were too funny to skip out on. This is how I like to torture Jace in my spare time.... not really but this was fun!

Take a Good Look

2008-09-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

Every day Chris seems to be slimming down more and more. Man am I proud of him. He's been working really hard, and it's definitely paying off. Just this past weekend, we decided to go to the mall to exchange a pair of jeans he had, and when asked by the sales associate what size we needed Chris immediately responded with "size 38", but knowing he's been working his booty off.... literally, I butted in and said, "size 36" with a smile. Chris looked at me as if not so sure, but I was feeling confident that he would be happy with the result. Sure enough, he stepped out of the dressing room, and well as I would say when I was in college, he was "looking mighty fine in those jeans". Ha ha ha ha. No but really, he looked great, and more importantly, it was evident that he felt great.

I have to say losing weight is definitely not fun, but when I think about the years we're adding to our lives by making better choices, and I see the confidence it gives me and Chris both, that's when I know it's well worth the hard work and sacrifice.

I said all that to say, take a good look because from here on out, we're never going to live the same.... and hopefully never look the same too =).

Oh How I Miss the Fall

2008-09-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

I rolled out of bed this morning, standing in my P.J.'s thinking, "Feed Jace. Get dog." .... Well maybe you think in better complete sentences first thing in the morning, but I do not =)
I stumbled over to the dog kennel, let Dungy out, who almost knocked me over because he had to pee so bad, and then somehow found my way to the back door. Our back fence is down at the moment (long story), so instead of just letting him run around, I figured I oughta go out there and make sure he did what he needed to do (pretty badly too! he he). I stepped my bare foot onto our cement back porch, and the most wonderful feeling came over me. The porch was cold, and the breeze was chilly! Instantly thoughts of a fuzzy blanket, a steamy cup of hot chocolate, and being snuggled between the couch cushions filled my head. This is what fall feels like! I had almost forgot with all the heat we've had. I was standing in a daze, probably with a really awkward smile on my face, when suddenly the bubble over my head popped! For one because my crazy dog jumped on me with his wet paws, but also because reality is, it's only the beginning of September =( Oh what I would do to make it October =) Well I guess I'll just have to wait a little while longer. All the best things in life are worth waiting for..... but atleast for now I get to wear a sweatshirt!!!!

A Self Discovery

2008-09-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

I've always thought that I knew myself pretty well. In fact, I've always been the type to think that I'm pretty honest with myself, but for some reason, I've made a discovery recently. Something I where I just never made the connection. One thing I did know, I'm a perfectionist - In every way, my hair, my cooking, my house, the way the DVD's sit on the rack..... yes everything. What I discovered though, is that because I'm such a perfectionist, one area that drives me absolutely bonkers, is being a perfectionist of my time. Not sure why I didn't realize it sooner, but I really think that my number one pet-peave is wasting time! Lately, the time I spent at hom0is a little less than it used to be. I've been working part time at Starbucks, and I've also been helping out with a few things at church. Both of which, I love, but with me having less time at home, I'm noticing that the time I have is precious. There are clothes to be washed, dishes to be done, and a baby that's always hungry =)
Before, when the only thing I had to do was stay home, I found myself never worrying too much if things didn't get done, because I knew there was always "tomorrow". Well now, it seems as though, if I don't stay focused, I end getting everything done, but feeling like I got nothing done. Does that make sense? =) For instance, the other day, I was looking around the house and feeling a bit overwhelmed. There was a basket full of laundry, dishes in the sink, toys spread all over the living room, the couch pillows were tossed every which way, the carpet needed to be swept, .... I think you get the point. I started with the laundry. I started two loads, and then before I could even move onto to my next task, Jace was waking up from his nap and he was ready to eat. So I got him fed, changed, all that good stuff, and after that I just started getting caught up with other things. It was almost time for Chris to be home, dinner needed to be started, and the clothes... oh yeah the clothes.... well that's what I'm getting to. The days flew by and so did the night, and then again, so did the next day, when suddenly it dawned on me..."oh that's right, I have to be at work tonight, and my clothes are in the dryer". So I go over to the dryer, to realize, "oh I never pushed start!" So now, not only were my clothes not fresh and fluffy. On the contrary, they were damp and smelled like sewage! oh yeah! So not only did that strike my nerves because they smelled horrible, and I was going to be going to work soon, but the fact that in the midst of trying to get lots done, and thinking "well atleast I got the laundry done", and then realizing that I didn't even get that done. Well, that's when I lost it! I went crazy! (Chris may have been thinking, "who is this woman, and where is my wife?!) I was ranting and raving going on and on, and I just kept saying, "what a waste of time! I hate wasting time! Like I don't have enough laundry to do, now I get to do it all twice!".... yeah, doesn't sound too pretty.
Luckily, I'm not always that way =) and now that I know myself a little better hopefully I can plan out my days better. In fact, I even went out and bought a planner. I'm hoping that if I can stay on some sort of a schedule, I'll be able to keep the hairy scary side of me from coming out again! ..... and now I'll always double check that when I put laundry in the dryer, I hit the "start" button =)

My New Favorite Chip!

2008-08-26T13:37:00.001-07:00

I can't really talk about eating better without sharing some of what I've discovered! These chips are my new favorite for whenever I'm in the mood for some fresh salsa or home made guacamole. There's only 1 gram of fat per serving and no saturated or trans fat!!! This is seriously the ONLY chip I've been able to find with NO SAT FAT! So try them out. They don't even taste healthy =) and I love 'em!

Bittersweet Cheat

2008-08-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

So last night Chris and I decided to have a little date/cheat night. Yes, I said "cheat". I say that because he and I have been working very hard this past month at eating healthy and staying far, far away from fried, starchy, sugary foods. You're probably thinking, "well Gee Wizz! What else is there?!" Well for the first few days, my stomach was grumbling the same thing. But as I've been sticking to this new way of eating, not only have I found that my taste buds are smiling again, but so are my jeans! ha ha ha! No seriously, at first I felt like I couldn't eat anything, but the more and more I've forced myself to eat fruit for a snack as oppose to chocolate, or a handful of almonds as oppose to a handful of chips, I've definitely noted a change in my cravings. In fact, not only do I not crave most of the junk food I used to, but I'm not even nearly as hungry. Maybe its in part because Jace is no longer breastfeeding. All I know is I used to eat all day! And you know what I ate too! Sonic tater tots, cherry limeades, M&M's, chocolate chip cookies..... NO MORE! In fact, I haven't had french fries in over a month!!!! I know! I'm crazy, but I sure do feel a lot better about myself, and I find that even if I do want to eat that way again, I'm going to definitely pay the price.

Last night on our date we decided to go to Chili's (which is one of our favorites!) We both were good and ordered waters, but we figured that since we were cheating we'd get an appetizer and then split the entree.... maybe even get a dessert.... or so we thought. We started with some chips and salsa, we split a house salad and then shared a burger that shouldn't even be legal! I'm talking a big juicy all beef patty, topped off with fried onions, thick applewood smoked bacon, melted cheddar cheese, lettuce, dill pickles, a thick slice of tomato, mayonaise, and of coarse you've got to finish it off with some ancho chile barbeque sauce!!! Oh my heavens! Can you please call me in to the doctor so they can check my cholesterol! It's getting higher just reading this! Hmm-hm! =) Normally, when we used to go to Chili's we would both get our own burger and we'd both eat most of it, if not all of it. Well last night, we split it and even then, neither of us could even finish our halves without feeling stuffed! So much for dessert! And so much for having fun cheating. The moment we finished, we both looked at each other, sighed, and smiled because both of our stomaches were miserable. It felt like I swallowed a tub of lard! Gross I know, but that's how I was feeling. It's just funny. All night I was looking forward to sinking my teeth into something bad, but then after I did, I wished I hadn't. I guess this new eating habit is going to take some of my old fun away... but that's okay I guess. As long as I keep fitting into my clothes, and feeling better about myself, it's definitely all worth it. Besides, I'm definitely not giving up everything..... like Starbucks for instance ;)

Ignite

2008-08-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

So this is a late night blog =) ... usually I'm settling down under the covers by now, but tonight was an exciting night, so I just wanted to share some thoughts before I turn over and finally say "goodnight".

Tonight was our first worship practice for Ignite, our new experience time on Sunday nights, and it was awesome! I am so excited for this Sunday! I've always loved singing, but being a part of the worship at this church is such an amazing experience. The musicians are so extremely talented. Singing with them is even better than I had hoped. The feeling of knowing you're a part of something great is irreplaceable. I know God is going to use us to help lead people into His presence and I'm just so humbled to be a part of this team.

I can't wait to see what God does! Whatever it is.... it's going to be GOOD! =)

Would You like Room for Cream?

2008-08-14T11:19:00.001-07:00

So many of you may not know this, but just recently I started working at Starbucks! Yep! That's right, and I am LOVING it! Being home with Jace is so great, but just recently, I really start to itch to get out of the house and be around adults again =)

Starbucks is not a new thing for me by any means. If anything, it's one of those common denominators you'll find throughout the last few years of my life. I worked there for about two years through high school and some of college when I was living in Indy. Then, when Chris and I were living in Ohio, I worked there for a few months, and now here I am, once again..... a dedicated Barista =)

Going back after being our of work seemed a little scary. I was afraid I was going to have to learn everything all over again, but luckily, after only an hour, I felt like I had never even left. I love my store, and so far everyone I work with is so nice.

What a blessing! I wanted to go back to work, but I didn't really feel like putting the effort into something new. Low and behold, God is just that good. =) He gave me a job, and I already know what to do! Yay and what a relief! Not only that, but the free coffee doesn't hurt ;D

Jace's many faces!

2008-08-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

I was messing with our web cam and Jace, of coarse, being the curious little man that he is, decided to check out what was going on. Well like usual, I started taking pictures, and I ended up with these! They turned out so cute that I wanted to share them with all of you!

Diet Update

2008-08-06T20:36:00.000-07:00

So I've been doing pretty good. I've been watching my saturated fats, been cooking with mostly olive oil, instead of butter, and it's been about a week and a half. It hasn't been very long yet, but I am already starting to feel so much better about myself. Chris has especially been doing a great job eating healthy. Here and there, I've nibbled on a little something, but for the most part, he's been super disciplined. I'm so proud of him. Knowing he's not eating junk makes me want to do good too, and I feel like all in all, I have done pretty good. In fact, I can already feel a little more room in some of my pre-pregnancy jeans, and that is definitely a great thing! So keep your fingers crossed and wish me luck. Hopefully I'll be back to my old self soon! Or should I say my old size soon! =)

Fudge Catastrophe!

2008-08-05T07:06:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I attempted a fudge recipe I found online, and despite my reservations, I thought, "maybe this time it will turn out right." Not only did it not turn out right the first, or the second time, but not even the third time! Yes I tried the same recipe three times yesterday! So frustrating! Not sure why, but it's the one thing I've never been able to successfully make. I wasted three hours on fudge! GGRRR! So, if you know a good recipe (that hopefully doesn't involve a candy thermometer because I almost broke mine yesterday!) please send it my way. Maybe next time I should stick to the Paula Dean "Dummy Fudge".... that's really what its called =)

A Fab Friday

2008-08-02T06:38:00.000-07:00

So last night we went to Cameron and Karmen's wedding, and it was absolutely beautiful. Not to mention the reception was incredible. It was like out of a magazine! Between the lights, decorations, ice sculptures.... yes, I said ice sculptures, and the photo booth ( cool huh?!), it was the nicest reception I've ever been to. It was fun too because we got to hang out with friends, which I love, and Jace stayed home with Stephen, so all in all, it was a very relaxing, enjoyable evening =)

Before the wedding, I made dinner, and it turned out just as I had hoped - don't you love it when that happens? I got the recipe off the food network website and so I just thought I'd share it with all of you. Hope you enjoy. It requires some effort, but in the end, it's definitely worth it!

So here are a few pics from the wedding and the recipe that I hope you all can try sometime.

Thick Pork Chops with Spiced Apples and Raisins
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Pork Chops:
1 gallon water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sea salt
1 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
2 fresh thyme sprigs
4 double-cut bone-in loin pork chops, 1 pound each
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

Spiced Apples and Raisins:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced in 1/2-inch-thick wedges
Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch dry mustard
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl combine the water, brown sugar, sea salt, apple juice concentrate, peppercorns, and thyme. Give it a good stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Transfer the mixture to an extra-large re-sealable plastic bag. Submerge the pork chops in the brine, seal up the bag, and put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours to tenderize the meat. Do not brine longer than that or the meat will break down too much and get mushy.

Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides of the meat with salt and pepper. Put a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add a 3-count drizzle of olive oil and get it hot. Lay 2 pork chops in the pan (most likely only 2 of these massive pork chops will fit comfortably) and brown 4 minutes per side. Remove the pork chops to a large baking pan; brown the remaining 2 chops and add them to the others in the pan. Put the baking pan in the oven and roast the chops for 30 minutes. The pork is done when the center is still rosy and the internal temperature reads 140 to 145 degrees F when tested with an instant-read thermometer.

While the chops cook, melt the butter in a clean skillet over medium-low heat. Add the apples and thyme and coat in the butter; cook and stir for 8 minutes to give them some color. Toss in the raisins and add the apple juice, stirring to scrape up the brown bits. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and dry mustard; season with salt and pepper. Squeeze in the juice from the lemon to wake up the flavor and simmer for 10 minutes or until the apples break down and soften. Spoon the spiced apples over the pork chops.

Movie Reviews: "Fool's Gold" & "Dan in Real Life"

2008-07-31T09:55:00.000-07:00

"Fool's Gold": Two thumbs way down. I didn't even finish it if that says anything. I'm normally a McConaughey and Kate Hudson fan. I loved their performance in "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days", but this movie was slow, cheesy, and distasteful.

Matthew, I'm disappointed in you!

I'd give this movie 1 1/2 out of 5 stars.

"Dan in Real Life": I really enjoyed this movie. It didn't have me hooked from the very beginning, but after just a little while I really started to love Steve Carell's character, "Dan". He was goofy and charming all at the same time. It's a comedy that more than just laughs, but it makes you feel good after watching it. I'd watch this movie again.

I'd give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.

One of my favorite things

2008-07-31T09:44:00.000-07:00

So this morning I was able to do one of my favorite things.

Chris's brother Stephen is in town and visiting for the week, and his friend Andy from college is also in town for just a day. So this morning, for the first time in I don't even know how long, I woke up and made breakfast for everyone. May not sound very exciting to anyone else, but for me, cooking and entertaining is what I love, and there's just something about sitting around the table, like a big family, and starting off the day together. Not to mention the fact that eating tops it off just right =)

With Jace being so small, and Chris not being much of a "breakfast eater" this opportunity doesn't come around very often. Not only that, but till just about a month ago, we didn't have a dining room table. So this morning was perfect. Waking up to a hot meal, conversation, and the aroma of fresh coffee, crisp bacon, and warm maple syrup. Okay, I think I'm drooling.

It kinda makes me want a big family.... but I'm sure that'll wear off =)

.... kind of like the drooling. Jace just came over to say hello, and I can tell he's got a surprise in his diaper! So much for the pleasant aroma! ha ha ha ha

I'm doing what??!!

2008-07-30T12:27:00.000-07:00

So I just want to inform everyone that my husband and I are undergoing a major transformation. No really. It's true. We've decided to change our faces and get plastic surgery!! Crazy I know, but if you had our noses you'd understand.

If you even for an instant believed what I just typed, you are so gullible! =) Actually we are making a big change, but it involves our waistline instead of our face. Chris recently had a physical. He had his cholesterol, sugar, and all that good stuff checked. Unfortunately he's not exactly where he needs to be, and like him, I eat all the same foods that he eats. Basically, I'm thinking my cholesterol probably isn't looking too good right now either, so! We've decided to start eating healthier. Not just watch our portions, but really watch our sugar, carbs, and sat/trans fats. Now you might be thinking, that sounds hard. And, oh my, it is! Everything has saturated fat! It's so discouraging! I went grocery shopping the other afternoon, and for the first time, I actually read the nutrition facts, and it wasn't pretty let me just say that! But after a lot of perusing, I finally left feeling like I had enough food to make it through the week, and it actually didn't look all THAT bad =) Sure there weren't any cookies or chips in my grocery cart, but hey I've decided that living longer means more to me than eating what I want. So I'm doing my research and trying to find some new healthy recipes and if I find any good ones, I'll be sure to share them with all of you! Wish us luck!

Thank You COFFEE =[]

2008-07-28T18:06:00.001-07:00

Now for an actual blog where I type and you read =)

So today has been a wonderful day. It started off rough when Jace decided to wake up at 5 this morning. Not sure what's going on with that, but its now been three days in a row that he's decided to wake up extra early - this is not a good thing. So like any good, sweet, and sincere mom would do, the moment I heard his sweet little voice..... I turned off the baby monitor and rolled over!! So sorry Jace but momma needs to sleep!! After tossing and turning for the next hour because all I could hear was Jace talking through the walls, I finally decided to roll my booty outta bed and low and behold, there was Jace. Standing in his crib greeting me with a beautiful, big..... scream! Yes I said scream. He was mad at me! And rightfully so. The bad thing was I couldn't get him to calm down. He was mad and he was going to make sure I knew it. Well finally after feeding him, with a some what content tummy, he started playing and stopped crying. Every body says "Hallelujah!"
At that moment I knew my destiny. It was calling out to me like only that savory, sweet, and creamy indulgence can. It was time for that morning cup of sweet surrender... or also known as COFFEE! mm. There's just something about a cup of coffee that completely makes me forget how much I wish I were still in bed! That's when it all changed. My world was a better place. I had my coffee, Jace fell asleep. He took a two hour nap, can I get a witness?! I made some strawberry cream pie for the Coopers. Then I went to Janet's and we hung out while the kiddos played. We talked, laughed, cried.... okay, well, maybe all that, but I did have a really good time =) After that, we came home, Jace proceeded to take another nap, which was 2 and a half hours long.... is it my birthday or something=) that was really nice! While he napped, I whipped together some chicken parmigiana and some fettuccine Alfredo with some homemade garlic bread, also for the Coopers, and it smelled so good it almost didn't make it out of the pan! Are you drooling right now? Just curious because I had to stop typing for a second to wipe the slobber from my chin =) Lucky for them I had just had some water which was enough to satisfy the intense craving..... yeah right! Although I really was drinking water .... BO-Ring! Why is everything that's good for you so bland? That's a rabbit trail maybe i'll blog about another night. After all the cooking was done, we stopped by to see little Case Cooper, and he is a doll. After we came home, I then cooked our dinner, which is below, and yes that is a lot of cooking for one day. Luckily I didn't have to work today though so I had plenty of time.... oh wait! I never have to work =) After a delicious meal, we went and took Dungy for a walk, or should I say he took me for a walk. Then we came home, I plopped on the couch and now here I am talking to you =)

All in all, it was a fun-filled day. Nothing too exciting, but that's only because I'm saving all the fun stuff for tomorrow so I something else to blog about! Til then! Au Revoir! ... or however you spell it.

Grilled Chicken with Garlic-Herb Dressing and Grilled Lemon

2008-07-28T18:01:00.000-07:00

So I tried this recipe out tonight and it was de-lish-ussss!!! So I just thought I'd share it will all my girlfriends out there that love trying out new recipes. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!! (Although I didn't make the radicchio, but I'm sure it's equally delicious=)

2 heads garlic, cut in 1/2 horizontally
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 whole fresh thyme sprigs, plus leaves from 6 sprigs
2 lemons, juiced, plus 2 lemons, halved
About 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
1 (4 to 4 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into 10 pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
2 heads radicchio, preferably Treviso, cut into quarters
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut a piece of aluminium foil about 12 inches long.

Put the garlic on 1/2 of the foil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle in some olive oil, and add 2 sprigs of thyme. Fold the foil enclosing the garlic, making a pouch, and add a couple teaspoons of water. Fold the foil over the garlic to enclose and fold in the edges 2 or 3 times to seal. Put the package in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or longer, until the garlic is soft. Open the package and let the garlic cool a bit, then squeeze out the cloves into a food processor or blender. Add 1/2 cup olive oil, the lemon juice, parsley, and thyme leaves and puree to make a thick vinaigrette.

Preheat an outdoor gas or charcoal grill to medium heat.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Put the pieces in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil; toss to coat with the seasonings and then refrigerate while you get everything else together.

Put the radicchio in another bowl, drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss; set aside.

When you're ready to cook, take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick surface.

Season with salt and pepper and place the radicchio quarters on the preheated grill. Cook the radicchio for about 2 minutes per side until it has a nice char; pull it off the grill, place into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to steam and finish cooking.

Then put the chicken on the grill, skin side down, and grill. Grill the chicken for about 20 minutes, turning once, then baste with about half of the vinaigrette and keep cooking until an instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160 degrees F and the chicken is nice and caramelised all over, 15 to 20 more minutes. During the last few minutes, throw the lemon halves on the grill, cut sides down, and cook until just marked and smoky.

To serve, separate the radicchio into individual leaves in a big bowl. Add the chicken and the rest of the dressing and toss well. Serve with grilled lemon halves, squeeze the lemon over the chicken, and top with reserved dressing.

A Week in Texas

2008-07-27T19:56:00.000-07:00

This past Friday evening we returned from camp, and all in all, it was an awesome week. We all had so much fun.
Personally, it was of one the first opportunities I've had to spend one on one time with a lot of our kids and to get to know them on a deeper level. It only proved to me once again that we have an amazing group of kids. I was also able to hang out with some of our leaders: Brooke, Natasha, Derek, and Daniel.... and of coarse my hubby as well, and having them there was awesome. They are so great with the kids. Not only were they great at hanging with the students and getting them involved with the daily activities, but they were also great spiritual examples. Watching them pray for the students around the altar was such a powerful experience. My appreciation is so great for everything they do, and Chris and I are so lucky to have them on our team. Our kids are truly blessed to have leaders who genuinely care about them so much.
Because it was such an eventful week, I could probably write forever about it. Instead, I figured I would share some photos of our week at camp in Texas and I hope you enjoy them =)

Chris, Amber, and Jace... Jace was pooped! He slept half the way there, but I wasn't complaining! =)

Daniel, Austin, Dalton, and Dorian. Daniel definitely gets the award for "most excited to take a picture" and Austin gets the award for the "worst sunglasses ever" (ha ha ha)

Jordan and Danielle, say cheese!

Brook and Jordan... yeah, I know Brook looks weird, but it's kinda an inside joke =)

Me and Bobby. He put up with me the whole ride there. Poor kid!

Jada and Christian. What a great pic!

Derek, and yes, he was the only one on the bus that got to sit in two seats. So not fair =)

Sydney and Jace. We dressed him up like a little pink warrior. That's what team all the girls were on. He was so stinking cute!

Courtney. Now if she's not happy, I need counseling... What can I say? I tend to have that effect on people.

And this is all the girls. We had such a blast! Ahh, the memories =)

T. Y. M. N. K. A. M. - Part 3

2008-07-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

My favorite actor of all time is Mel Gibson, and that of coarse means that my favorite movie of all time is Braveheart..... I have to be in the mood to be sad though because it makes me cry every time!! =(

I'm addicted to salt. I add it to everything I eat. I know, I know that's bad. But what can I say? I can't be perfect in every way! Ha, not! =)

If I could visit anywhere in the world, Italy would definitely be on the top of my list.

My favorite Christian band growing up was Third Day. The love the rough sound of Mac Powell's voice even though my husband thinks he stinks!

I do like thrills. Back when we lived in MO, I had the opportunity to go sky diving with a group of work friends, and I SO wanted to do it. Unfortunately at the time, Chris and I were engaged and my "fiance" didn't want me to take the chance of going and not coming back alive... What chance?!

Everyone has a fetish. Here are some of mine... just to list a few =)
- The toilet seat should always, and I repeat always, be down.
- The shower curtain should always be shut. It just looks so much more tidy.
- When referring to laundry, if it's on the floor, its dirty. I sometimes get in trouble for that one.
- Getting dressed. If I'm wearing a belt, my shoes have to match.
- Let's talk. When I need to talk about something, I want undivided attention. Otherwise, I'll either take it really personal or probably start crying.
- Just pick a place. Sometimes I really am in the mood for whatever, and all I want is someone to make the decision for me =)
- Losing things. Yes, I know this is definitely not good, but it's a habit of mine and it drives me crazy!
- Facial care. Contrary to most women, I don't use all the facial cleansers and make up removers, and all that other great stuff, but without fail, every single day I have to use Nivea skin cream. I've been using if for years and its probably the only good thing I'm doing for my skin!
- International Delight French Vanilla Creamer. A cup of coffee can't be complete without it.
- Clutter. I get really annoyed if I look around the house and I feel like there's just "stuff" everywhere. I can't sit still until I feel like everything is in just the right place.
- People who drive slow in the fast lane... Ay Ca rumba! (or however you spell that!) I'm not a lead foot. 7 - 10 Miles over the speed limit is usually just right for me =)
- Walmart. How come they never have more than 3 people for their 20 registers?!

... I could keep going but for the sake of everyone reading, I'll take a break there =) What are some of your fetish's I wonder???

T. Y. M. N. K. A. M. - Part 2

2008-07-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

A huge passion of mine is cooking and the Food Network =) I love to cook! If you ever come to my house, don't be surprised if I spend most of my time in the kitchen. I'd love to go to culinary school to learn more, but it would mostly be for fun, not really a career.

I've been to Paris once. Chris and I decided to take a vacation there before little Jace made his debut appearance, and I'm so glad we did. It was out of this world!!

Although I'm staying at home right now, I'd like to manage a Starbucks someday. I mean, it's only my favorite place to go, so how great would it be if I could get paid to be there and sip coffee. yum=)

I'm a middle child. I have an older brother named Josh who is 27, and a younger brother named Jeremiah who is about to turn 18..... I'm definitely the cutest one though! (hehehe)

I attended Central Bible College and never finished. I originally went for music, changed it to a bible degree, and then left in the middle of my Junior year after Chris and I were married. We ended up moving out of state, and I never enrolled online. I don't know if I'll ever finish, but if I do, it probably won't be any time in the near future =)

My favorite food is anything Italian and my favorite ice cream is Graeter's Mocha Chip. It's to die for!!!

I've lived in 5 different states.... and Chris wonders why I get lost so easily! I was born in MA, then moved to IN when I was in the 5th grade. Went to college in MO, then moved to OH. We lived there for three years, and now me and my hubby are here in good ole' OK!

T. Y. M. N. K. A. M. - Part 1

2008-07-17T06:29:00.000-07:00

Everyone else is doing it, so why not! =) Here are some "things you may not know about me".

-I'm a huge musical fan. My all time favorite is West Side Story. Dorky? Maybe. But if it's possible to be dorky and cool I'm sure I've gotta be it! (not!)

-I was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts..... far, far away. I guess I am a Northerner! at heart that is.

-I always wanted my first child to be a baby boy, and I definitely got more than I could have ever wished for =)

-I sing all day. No, it's no joke. In the shower, in the car, whenever I'm cooking. In fact, at almost every job I've ever worked at, someone has never failed to make the comment, "You sing alot!" ...... what can I say? I only work with the sharpest people.

-I'm a coffee-holic and a chocoholic! For now and forever.

-I'm a sappy romantic. I always try to get Chris to rent chick flicks, but he's just too manly. Let's just say it doesn't happen very often. But that's okay, because he knows me. So I'm just waiting for the day when he'll be outside our bedroom window, standing in the rain, serenading me with a love song. Oh and he'll have roses =)..... Wait a minute! There's a fence outside our window!

-I love animals. I hate bugs and insects. If you've ever wanted to see me jump, just stick one in my face. On second thought, please don't!

-I'm 24, and yes, I'm still afraid of the dark and can't watch scary movies.

-I've always wanted to try out for American Idol, but probably never will. Mostly because now that I have Jace, I can't imagine leaving him to do something that's mostly for me. He's my world now! And he's a pretty cute one if I do say so myself!

Tiny People

2008-07-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

So I watched the little Cooper kiddos today and they were so stinking adorable! We had a great time watching Disney and "wow, wow, wubsy"..... eerrrrr something like that! Cale knows what I'm talking about! =) I got chased around by a snapping crocodile (thanks to Cale), and growling circus bear (thanks to Cade), and then there's Caris, who just stared and smiled the whole time. On the outside she's as sweet as can be, but in her mind I think she was probably thinking, "this lady seriously is way too easily entertained"! ha!
Watching three kids was different from my everyday 1, but it was fun. Not only did it open my eyes to how out of shape I am =0 but it was so interesting to see what Jace will be like in 1,2, and maybe even 3 years from now. What I found the most amusing is how they're all like little adults! I'm used to slobbering and babbling...... reasoning? Not so sure I'm ready for that one yet! One thing that made me chuckle was, while I was playing with Cale I noticed him counting. So I said, "wow Cale, you are such a great counter! How high can you count?" and without even a hesitation, he shrugged his shoulders, waved his hand around and very nonchalantly said, "oh, you know. Ten. Eleven or so." OF COARSE! How silly am I for asking! =) I immediately started laughing. One, because of how grown up he sounded, but also because when he said it, he was a spitting image of his dad! It was so weird and yet so neat to see such a grown person in such a tiny frame.
It makes we wonder what Jace is going to be like. I've been thinking about it all day actually. Will he talk like his dad? Will he crack corny jokes like his mom? - for all our sakes lets hope not! ha! I don't know, but it sure is fun to think about! .... I bet he'll be like me! ;)