Mud.

This morning as I was doing my quiet time and reading my Bible, I came across this story in John. A story I'd read many times before, this morning it jumped out at me from the pages and stuck in my mind. I found myself going back and rereading it just for the calm, joy, and reassurance it gave me. 

"As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.'" Jesus proceeds to restore this blind beggar's sight with a little bit of spit and dirt. 

This morning I just want to encourage anyone who feels like they are in a hopeless situation, maybe even as hopeless as being blind from birth and reduced to begging every day to hopefully gain enough from passersby to merely survive. God did not give you that situation as a punishment for some sin or another, for our God is not punitive. He is Love. He gives us trials and challenges as a way for His glory and magnificent work to be displayed in our lives, for His goodness to be revealed and His truth spread to those around us. And the truth is this: if you are still breathing (which I hope is the case if you are reading this right now!) God is not finished with you yet. Trust in His power and His solution might be as simple as some good ol' fashioned spit. For in God's hands, even mud is a powerful thing. Praise God.

Well, I am taking full advantage of this actual-fall weather while we are still in Virginia, snapping a pic of every fall leaf or tree I come across and baking anything that involves pumpkin or cinnamon. And Baby Barnacle is a fan of the fall deliciousness as well. (Side note...I really don't know what I'm going to do when she is born and I can no longer call her Barnacle...it has such a ring to it!) I sense a fellow fall fanatic in the making! Speaking of Barnacle, I just can't help but share this pic. I had a 3D ultrasound the other week and the technology just blew my mind. My favorite picture of all....her sweet little profile between an arm (on the right) and her foot (on the right). I think we may have a dancer on our hands! And considering she engages in some sort of baby tae bo class each night, I'd say that's a safe bet. 

Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his might heavens....

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing....

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Psalm 150

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

From: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/09/22/iced-pumpkin-coffee-cake/

Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup cold unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

Pumpkin Coffee Cake:

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 cup pure pumpkin puree

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup milk

Vanilla Glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1-2 Tbsp pumpkin spice coffee creamer or milk (I used milk)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Make the crumb topping first: In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork. Mix until crumbly and set aside.

3. For the cake: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, oil, maple syrup, and milk until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined (it will be thick!) Pour the batter into the baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly on the top and press gently into the batter. Bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

4. Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar and 1 Tbsp of the creamer or milk until smooth. Add more creamer or milk to thin, if desired. Drizzle over the cake. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Believe me when I say this cake is out-of-this-world! Next time I want to try doing half oil-half applesauce to keep it moist but make the nutritional content *slightly* better. We had it for breakfast the first morning then proceeded to eat it as dessert each night after. Plus some bites in between....like maybe every time someone walked past the dish...

Next pumpkin recipe.....muffins! Baby is all for fall breakfast treats!

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Adapted from: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/pumpkin-cinnamon-streusel-muffins/

*This recipe originally called for a brown sugar-cinnamon filling of 1 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. While I am always a fan of more brown sugar, after reading the recipe I decided to omit this. I am actually glad I did as these muffins are already very sweet and might be a little too sugary with the 

additional filling! Disclaimer over.

Muffins:

1 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp nutmeg 

(I used pumpkin pie spice instead since I'm not a huge nutmeg person)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1/3 cup water

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Streusel topping:

1 1/4 cup oats

1 Tbsp flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

6 Tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with cooking spray or paper liners. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, water, pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and combined.

4. Slowly stir in the flour mixture. Mix until ingredients are combined.

5. For the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix in the butter with your hands until crumbly. 

6. Fill the muffin cups with the batter and top each one with streusel topping.

7. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until the toothpick test comes out clean. Cool muffins on a wire rack. Enjoy!

And last but not least, the Franken-treats. While these do not contain any sort of pumpkin ingredient they are quintessential Halloween-y (anyone else giggle when making the word "Halloween" into an adjective? Just me? Okay cool.) Inspired by Pinterest of course and super easy, although slightly time consuming, these really don't even need detailed step-by-step directions. Here's pretty much the gist of it...

Franken-treats

What you'll need....

Recipe for classic Rice Krispie treats - butter, marshmallows, Rice Krispies, and green food coloring

Melted chocolate chips for the hair, smile, and pupils

White chocolate chips (unmelted) for the eyes

Toothpicks and mini marshmallows for the bolts

Cute paper straws from Target, Michael's, or other craft store

Pretty simple and almost too cute to eat....sorry Frank, I said almost :)

Happy Halloween everybody!

Hello, old friend.

Mark 10:43-45 "Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." What a humbling reminder! I tried to keep this verse present in my mind and centered in my attitude as I went about today. Try adopting this attitude while doing mundane, ordinary tasks, for example while battling the crowds at the grocery store (I speak from experience...). I promise it will change the way you see those around you!

September 4, 2013. The day an old lover walked back into my life. The day I said, "Hello, old friend" as I once again enjoyed this relationship filled with warmth and love. The day Starbucks brought back the Pumpkin Spice Latte. This day signifies the return of Fall Spirit, no matter what the thermometer might read or the weathermen might predict. I happened to be in Austin, TX for this grand annual event where the high that day was a crisp 102 degrees. And yet we sipped on, wiping away those beads of sweat with determination and confidence! We even developed a new term...."sweatering".

sweatering [swet/er/eeng]
verb
1. The act of sweating in a sweater in the beginning of September because you really want it to be fall but it's still 100 degrees.

My fall spirit is out in full blast and I am quickly becoming my obsessive self with anything remotely reminding me of this fresh season. Fall scented Febreze candle? Why yes, I picked one up today. Chai tea latte with breakfast? Fall in a cup, I always say. And since we enjoyed a nice day in the 70's today, albeit 90 degrees is just lurking around the corner for tomorrow, a pumpkin recipe was a must for my day of fall. With "Apples and spice" burning cheerfully away, I whipped up this {healthy} pumpkin bread recipe, dreaming of patterned scarves, riding boots (never to actually be worn on a horse), rotund little pumpkins, and trees with leaves aglow.

**This is the doubled recipe since it originally called for 7 ounces of pumpkin and I didn't want to waste or have to store leftover Libby's so I made two loaves - one plain and one with chocolate chips for the hubby. Oh darn, more bread to eat. How will we ever stand it? :)

Pumpkin Bread

From: http://www.itbakesmehappy.com/2012/07/pumpkin-bread.html

1 can {15 oz} pumpkin

2 eggs

2/3 cup applesauce

1/2 cup water

1 cup honey

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. ginger

Optional:

2/3 cup dried cranberries and/or 1/2  cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two loaf pans with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, applesauce, water, sugar, and honey. In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the cranberries and chocolate chips (if using). Spread batter in the loaf pans and bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Although a tad early, I must say it...

Happy fall, y'all!

What's in a name?

The name of these delectable little muffins instantly drew me in and I just had to try out a batch. As an avid carb lover, the thought of a single item encompassing not one but two carbalicious treats was mind-boggling. Muffins that taste like donuts? Yes, please. Nutritional information? No, thank you. Gym the next morning? Well, if you insist. 

After making these muffins-that-taste-like-donuts, I decided that I would actually change that inspirational name that pulled me in like the classic dance move...you know the one...throwing out an imaginary rope/lasso to rhythmically tug in someone who is flopping like fish to the same rhythm. I'd call these babies muffins-that-taste-like-coffee-cake. Maybe Coffee Cake Muffins would roll off the tongue more smoothly. Although with the delicious cinnamon-sugar topping, you're not going to want these muffins to roll anywhere. Dense, moist, cinnamon-y, sugary, perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning or late-night dessert.

I believe they said these resembled cake donuts, which might be why they seemed more like a coffee cake to me. (There are only two ways to do doughnuts in my humble opinion...chocolate icing with sprinkles or classic glazed, hot out of the oven, all the way). 

P.S. You will die when you see the method to the cinnamon-sugar-topping madness.

Muffins That Taste Like Donuts

From: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/breads/muffins-that-taste-like-donuts/

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 

(I went a little light on the nutmeg. I don't care for strong nutmeg flavor but if you are a fan, go big or go home. Don't go home, you can stay if you want.)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

(Now on the other hand, I am a huge cinnamon fan so I definitely used a heaping teaspoon)

1/3 cup oil

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

For the topping:

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions:

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine oil, sugar, egg, and  milk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir only to combine.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl. Combine the sugar and cinnamon for the topping in another bowl. Shake muffins out while still hot. Dip muffins into the butter then into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Let cool.

Enjoy!

Cobwebs No More

Well, I'm dusting off the cobwebs of this ol' blog o' mine and attempting to once again post every once in a while! Looking back I can't tell you exactly what I've been up to since taking a hiatus from this blog since May, especially since I have more free time now than ever. But apparently I was doing something that kept me too busy to post new anything. Let's pretend it was something spectacular and outrageous and daring. Actually, while I may not have been doing anything of the sort, the Lord has done something pretty spectacular and blessed with what I fondly call Baby Barnacle. Or just Barnacle. Or Bar Nicole, if the barnacle turns out to be a girl, of course. Background on barnacle...the doctor was telling me to lay off running until everything really got attached and the first thing that popped in my mind was a barnacle and *bam* it stuck....no pun intended :) 

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16

So far God has blessed me way beyond I deserve and has spared me the awful morning sickness I have heard in horrific tales spoken in hushed voices...in dark corners and behind closed doors. (I apologize for this dramatic streak, apparently I shouldn't take such a long break from writing for my weirdness is coming out in full force). The only thing that has been a little difficult is dinnertime. Barnacle has caused me to have little appetite other than string cheese, strawberries, and fruit-spinach smoothies. I. CAN'T. GET. ENOUGH. I find myself with a grocery cart that I'm sure screams "toddler" as I pile loads of string cheese. No toddler. Just me. Don't judge. Therefore, dinners have been a little pathetic at our place recently, as for some reason my husband doesn't think that string cheese and strawberries are a complete meal. Fine, pour yourself a bowl of cereal and there we have a gourmet dinner right in front of us. Poor James. Actually, I will only think "poor James" for a couple more months then I will bring on the full wrath of "you did this to me!!!!"

Anyways, last night was one night that real food actually sounded good and the food pics on Pinterest didn't make me gag. I found this recipe for baked sweet and sour chicken from Six Sisters' Stuff and was hoping it would taste exactly like Pei Wei. I added the stir-fried red peppers, onions, and pineapple because that's what my friend Pei Wei does. I even tried to chop them into big pieces like he does because I want to be just like him. I have to say this was absolutely delish! Just crispy enough and the sauce was pretty darn close. Who knew sweet and sour sauce was easy to make yourself? I was slightly nervous about what would constitute the 'sour' part. Don't be alarmed, dear friends, it's just a little vinegar, not sad little sour patch kids. No children were harmed in the making of this dish.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken 

From: http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/03/baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken-recipe.html

For the chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cup cornstarch

(I only used 1/2 cup of cornstarch because I'm really good at checking to make sure I have all the ingredients before I already have the chicken diced and oven preheated and noticed I only had about half a small container. Turns out I had cornstarch left over after I coated 3 chicken breasts in my meager 1/2 cup)

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

For the sweet and sour sauce:

1 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Place cornstarch and beaten eggs in separate bowls. Dip chicken into cornstarch then coat in egg mixture. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until browned. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, ketchup, vinegars, soy sauce, and garlic salt. Pour over chicken and bake for one hour. **I checked mine at 30 minutes and it was cooked all the way through. I had a hungry man on my hands so we didn't wait out the whole hour.**

And now I leave you with one last thought, a sight I see all too often around here. An action he knows is so wrong but if it's wrong, he doesn't want to be right.

Enjoy.

What Would The Pioneer Woman Do...

Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

The other day when I found myself alone and with nothing to do in the middle of the afternoon, I began to wonder WWTPWOPDD....that's right "What Would the Pioneer Woman Or Paula Deen Do". They would make something scrumptious using ingredients they just happened to have fully stocked in their cupboards. Well, lucky for me, I happened to watch a Pioneer Woman episode the other day and saw her make these delicious strawberry oatmeal bars. Side note: I have become slightly obsessed with the Pioneer Woman. The other day I attended a little conference-thingy for military spouses and we were forced to do an exercise that involved meeting strangers and engaging in small talk prompted by different conversation starter questions...in other words, my own personal hell. (As I told James later in a completely un-dramatic way). Anyways, as I awkwardly introduced myself for the twentieth time in a row, "If you could invite anyone in the world as a dinner guest to your house, who would it be?" I began fumbling through my train of thought, out loud unfortunately, "well I feel like I should say someone important like the President or maybe a world-renowned missionary but I'd probably invite the Pioneer Woman. Except if I did that and she came for dinner I'd have to make sure dinner was really good.....and that's a lot of pressure...." I trailed off. A blank stare ensued. On to the next question please!

This recipe is awesome because you most likely already have all of the ingredients on hand and ready to be whipped into a delicious, buttery-brown sugary bar. WWTPWOPDD you ask? Make strawberry oatmeal bars!

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

From: The Pioneer Woman

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/02/strawberry-oatmeal-bars/

1-3/4 stick cold butter, cut into pieces

1-1/2 cup flour

1-1/2 cup oats (quick or regular)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 jar (10-12 oz) strawberry preserves

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 or 8x10 baking dish. (I used an 8x8 so mine came out thicker than the original recipe. I'm not complaining...more to love!)

2. Mix together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter (or in my case, my hands) until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle half of the mixture into the pan and pat lightly to pack it a little tight.

3. Spoon strawberry preserves evenly over the surface, then use a dinner knife to carefully spread it around. Sprinkle the other half of the oat mixture over the top and pat lightly again.

4. Bake until light golden brown on top, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in pan. When cool, cut into squares and serve!

I figured out how to add text and cool effects to pics...this newest skill might replace my recent fabric flower fetish. 

Speaking of fabric flowers, I finally found something else to adorn with these ridiculously-easy yet look-impressive crafts! After making two wreaths and attaching several to random picture frames, I decided our apartment could not take any more floral additions. For some reason, James does not share my opinion that his Marine uniforms would look much better with a fabric flower adorning the lapel, like an everlasting boutonniere. So I turned my lack of sewing skills/craftiness with a hot glue gun toward some precious headbands for a family friend's new baby girl. As soon as James stepped in the door after work I proudly shoved them in his face and declared, "You know if/when we have a little girl she is going to wear something like this. Every. Single. Day." A blank stare ensued....

Let's just say...I have a lot of time on my hands and enough hot glue sticks to last a while... :)

Parking lot of grace

Last week I stopped to fill up my car with gas. Side note: to me, the gas light comes on to tell you it is time to  stop at the nearest gas station and fill up, obviously. To my husband, who never lets it get below a quarter tank, it is a ticking time-bomb just waiting to blow up and put me, on the side of the highway, stranded with no gas and no hope. The fact that I let it get so low drives him crazy, which is partly why I continue to do so (cue evil laugh...muahahaha). Anyways, I stopped to fill up, watched the numbers tick by way too quickly on the price side and way too slowly on the gallon side, and was prompted to decide whether or not I wanted a receipt. Although I always say "yes", they inevitably end up somewhere in the car only to be thrown out with other trash (no..."treasures") that collect in the crevices of the dear Rav4. This time, like many times, the words "Please get receipt from inside" or something along those lines flashed across the screen and this time, like many times, I decided that required way too much effort and instead got in my car and left. How many of us do that?? When a slip of paper requires a short walk across the parking lot rather than being handed directly to us where we stand waiting, we decide it is just not worth it. I had a moment when I pulled out of that parking lot when I realized not only my own laziness but how grateful I am the Lord does not treat us like that receipt! He waited for generations for His people to come back to Him. He was right there. And yet people were difficult. They were rebellious. They were sinful and disobedient. They didn't come right to Him like a receipt shot out of an automated machine. And yet the Lord didn't decide to just leave when it required too much effort. He decided to rescue us the only way possible - by sending His perfect and only Son to the cross where every other person should have hung instead. He not only walked across a parking lot for me, He picked me up, washed me clean, and saved my life. And the best part...He wants that for every single person that lives and breathes on this earth.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8

A couple weeks ago I tried out this recipe from Skinnytaste.com. It was really taste and share-worthy. Plus no matter what comes from that website, since everything is "skinny", I feel the ability...nay, the obligation, to eat twice as much. Does that negate the point? Not in my logical world!! And of course, my versions are never quite as "skinny" due to the fact I have normal ingredients.

Lighter Baked Macaroni and Cheese

From: skinnytaste.com

12 oz high fiber elbows (I used whole wheat penne)

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp light butter (I used 2 Tbsp of regular, good ol' butter)

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup minced onion

2 cups skim milk

1 cup fat free chicken broth

8 oz. cheddar (she used reduced fat...who are we kidding? We eat regular cheese. Amen.)

Salt and Pepper

4 cups baby spinach (I gave mine a rough chop)

1/8 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Cooking spray

1. Cook pasta in salted water according to the package directions. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large skillet, melt butter. Add flour and cook over a low heat, stirring with a whisk. Add onions and cook another 2 minutes. Add milk and chicken broth and continue whisking, raising the heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil and becomes smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Once it becomes thick, remove from heat and add cheese. Mix well until cheese is melted and adjust seasonings if needed. Add cooked macaroni and baby spinach.

4. Pour into baking dish. Top with grated Parmesan and bread crumbs. Spray a little more cooking spray on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for a few to get the topping golden.

Well my attempt at organization with meal planning last week actually paid off! And we actually ate all those meals listed! Although, we did have a leftover night so I moved the tacos to Cinco de Mayo which worked out perfecto...ole! Okay that was really cheesy...moving on. The BBQ Beer Chicken in the crockpot was an instant fave and we will definitely be making that again! The Mexican Stuffed Shells were also awesome as were the Pioneer Woman's meatball sliders. I am going to do the same this week and plan out ahead of time. How many times do you have to do something to make it a habit? Let's hope two.

Monday - Cheesy Tortellini Spinach Bake  (I pinned this then had the sneaky feeling I may have made this before...obviously it's been too long!)

Tuesday - Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Wednesday - Perfect Potato Soup (perfect way to use up some potatoes before they sprout eyes and creep me out)

Thursday - Spicy Bean and Rice Burritos

Organization Attempt: I repeat "attempt"

Alright so I am going to turn over a new leaf, as some say, and I am going to *attempt* to plan out meals. Not that I don't enjoy running to the grocery store or nearest Super Target as the oven preheats to grab those couple ingredients I didn't bother to check on beforehand. I always wonder if the cashier is thinking "Hmm wonder what y'all are having tonight" as my jars of marinara, couple of onions, and loaf of garlic bread  go sliding down the.....conveyer belt? What is the name for that slidey thing - is it really just a mini conveyer belt? If someone knows the name please tell me. Oh dear, I just got the feeling that it is super obvious and everyone knows but it temporarily slipped my mind. Oh well, moving on. I figured if I posted our plan it would keep me slightly more accountable...maybe. Click on the meal below and it will lead you to the original recipe!

Monday: Mini Meatball Sandwiches

Tuesday: Stuffed Mexican Chicken Shells

Wednesday: BBQ Beer Chicken

Thursday: Oven Baked Tacos - these are so good I have to resist making them every single week!

Friday: Hopefully convince my hopefully-not-too-tired husband to go out somewhere! If not, there's always a good PB&J :)

If y'all have a good recipe, pass it along! Happy Monday!

Adventures, Part 2.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 "'Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord." 

So our new life chapter adventures have begun! It all started with a freaky cold front blasting through Bryan, TX on the day my dad, husband, and assorted friends were loading the Uhaul, bringing sheets of rain and 45 degree weather. It was off to a great start! Our first day of driving was accompanied by that same cold, dreary rain aaaalllll the way through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and into Alabama. And obviously with that cold, dreary rain came a flat tire on the Uhaul a couple hours outside of Birmingham where we had plans to join our dear, sweet friend Aimee for dinner. And obviously with that flat Uhaul tire came the wait for the repair guy to show up on the side of the highway, a man we affectionately named "Billy Bob". Take the initial image your mind creates when you hear the name "Billy Bob" and there you have him. But the Lord was teaching me valuable lessons on that side of the highway...be thankful for a seat inside a warm, dry truck, be grateful for time-killing activities such as Pinterest, and don't make time-sensitive plans on a long move.

Fast forward three days and we made it to sunny and cool Virginia! Needless to say the kitties were happy to get out of the truck, although they did do surprisingly well with a dog kennel and a makeshift foil-lasagna-pan-litter-box. There was a slightly tense moment along the way when Mumford began whining, something that sweet special-needs kitty doesn't do often, and was making it clear he needed to use the little boys' room asap. Me, backwards over the seat, setting up that lasagna pan on the truck bench all while moving at 70 mph and being warned not to get any litter on the leather...quite the sight!

It was such a blessing to have my parents with us and we got all unpacked, set up, and settled in just a few days. This left us some time to explore the area, including making a trip to Washington D.C. and seeing some of the monuments! One of my favorite sights had to be the elderly man jamming on a bench wearing nothing but some cut up denim shorts, shorts we had to search for before realizing they were actually there. Unfortunately, I did not get a pic to share the glorious sight. I did manage to snap a few of some other sights, although not quite as colorful...

 

 

   

Speaking of adventures, we decided to go for a run along one of the Civil War battlefields in Fredericksburg. It was an absolutely picturesque day, cool in the shade, warm in the sun, with sunlight streaming through the woods around us. Here's a glimpse of our run...

Pretty nice, right? Well we decided right then and there that we would make a goal to run every single battlefield trail in the area. So we went the very next day to the Battle of Chancellorsville. A bit of a longer run which had me slightly worried since I have put on my running shoes oh let's see.....twice....since we ran our 10K...in February. But the day before had been so beautiful we decided the longer route would definitely be worth it. And so we set off, not realizing that the incredibly strong storm the night before would leave entire trees laying across the badly marked path as well as puddles of black mud which I swear was quick sand (picture the scene in the woods in The Princess Bride). Let's just say it was not the picturesque run of the day before as we picked our way through the woods to get around the completely blocked path, through the prickly things, through the Princess Bride mud, under giant branches which left a gash on my shoulder since apparently I have no depth perception. But in the end, still fun and still amazed at the beauty of God's creation :)

Oh and as for our goal....yeah those are still the only two we have run...

Alright next adventure....fabric flowers! I saw this tutorial on Pinterest forever ago and have been itching to try it out, I just never had time while I was teaching. Well now I've got nothing but time so my dream of fabric flowers finally became a reality! I found some random fabric scraps on sale at Hobby Lobby, picked up a straw wreath (unfortunately not half off but I had no patience to wait another week so I reluctantly paid full price...something I swore I would never do at Hob Lob!) I also found some wide burlap ribbon and, glue gun in hand, attempted to make my own flowers. Turns out they are super easy to make! Just kinda twist and fold to get your center going, secure it with hot glue, then twist/glue in a circle-ish pattern. Now I am obsessed and have to resist the urge to glue a fabric flower to everything in our apartment. One picture frame already fell victim to my obsession...

                                

Here it is on our front door...I love the contrast with the red!

Anyone want one? I got tons of the gray, white/gray and yellow fabrics left and loads of time :)

Here's the link I found that gives you a step-by-step tutorial:

http://www.sasinteriors.net/2011/09/fall-wreath-with-fabric-flowers/

Adventures, Part 1.

Hebrews 13:15 "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." 

Well, needless to say the three weeks after Spring Break were, to put it delicately, insane. Not only were we preparing to move, living among floor-to-ceiling boxes, adjusting to their presence so well that I feel a slight emptiness now that they are all gone, I was also preparing for my last few weeks of work. Throw travels every weekend in the mix, along with two 4-day weeks back to back and an accreditation team scoping out our school and it was...crazy. In all the busyness I neglected this little blog like I neglected doing dishes and making home-cooked meals...

But now that I have some time on my hands I want to show what we had been up to the last couple weeks of school. We were knee-deep in an awesome space unit in Science. The kids had a blast and were soaking up information and facts like nobody's business. Here's a look at some of the space adventures we embarked upon...

We learned all about the moon and made these fun moon facts. The kids used liquid glue to make designs on a gray construction paper moon (they were making craters and mountains like we learned about). After the glue dried they colored over their moons with white and gray crayons. The resulting texture was so cool and each moon was so different! Then they wrote a paragraph with at least 5 moon facts they learned.

We also wrote fiction stories about an adventure in outer space. This was an awesome opportunity for the kids to be creative while applying everything they had learned about complete and descriptive sentences in Grammar. Then we made what has to be my most favorite thing ever....little astronauts with plastic Starbucks lids as helmets! We found a clip art astronaut body on line. Then I took a close-up pic of each kid making an excited face (the first kid opened his mouth as wide as it could go...and each successive pic featured the same look haha). They decorated their astronaut suit then glued their face in the helmet. Our first grade aide hot glued the clear plastic lid on for the final touch. The kids absolutely loved seeing their funny faces beneath a 3-D astronaut helmet. And Starbucks gave us all the lids for free!

After learning all about the sun, we made these little sun craftivities to hang above their cubbies in the hallway. It was pretty simple and they had a lot of fun making them! The kids wrote one fact about the sun on each of their triangular rays, glued them to a paper plate, and covered the plate with squares of red, yellow, and orange tissue paper. 

We also made these cute, quick stars to hang in our classroom. The kids wrote how they could be a "shining star" to others and decorated a little star with glue and glitter. Oh glitter, how I love thee and abhor thee at the same time. You lend such fun to any activity, and yet I find you all over every surface within a 6 foot radius for a month.

Click on the link below for the template:

"I can be a shining star..."

On my very last day of school we learned all about space food that astronauts eat on missions into outer space. I prepared a power point with all kinds of info from NASA's website, including pics of food floating in mid-air, that we read through together. Then each kid transformed into an astronaut ready to sample "space" food. I had prepared three baggies per kid - each with a couple tablespoons of mysterious powder (in actuality it was pink lemonade mix, chocolate pudding mix, and instant oatmeal). They also received Dixie  cups of water to rehydrate their dehydrated space food. On a chart the students had to record the state of matter of each substance in the beginning, their observation, what happened when they added water, and the state of matter of the substance in the end. Then came the best part...eating it! Not many kids ate the oatmeal which I expected...it looked pretty gross all mushed up in a baggie. The pudding and lemonade, though, were huge hits! 

Click on the link below to download the chart!

Space Food Experiment

This sauce is the boss.

Exodus 14:14: "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Sometimes simply being still is more difficult than balancing and juggling the many tasks that each day brings. I can just imagine that our sacrifice of control and time must be such a sweet gift to the Lord. He will fight for us. He has already won our battles for us. All we have to do is be still and relinquish control, to loosen our grip on our own tiny little worlds. My Heavenly Father goes before me and fights for me. And for that I am so grateful.

Sorry for the lack of posting recently. My life has been consumed by first grade to say the least, along with preparing to move. One month from today we will be on day two out of 3 days on a journey to Virginia!  But in the meantime I have three more weeks of life with 6- and 7-year-olds that keep me on my toes! Here's a little peek at how our packing is going....

Apparently we need to be featured on "Hoarding: Buried Alive...Cat Edition". I found their...ahem*treasures* while moving the chair to search for boxes we stashed when we first moved in. Disregard several points that this picture makes....

A. That we have obviously not moved the chair to sweep in a while. 

B. That we have been enjoying Hershey kisses and Starbursts from the wrapper evidence.

So that's where my aquaphor has disappeared to! I paid some good money for that no-ordinary chapstick!

And another peek...

Moving for three days with cats brings up all sorts of things to ponder. For example, litter box. In an enclosed space. Delightful. 

Well, school and life have kept me from trying out new recipes for a while and I have kinda been stuck in a cooking rut. Until this week...Spring Break 2013 baby!!! My exciting week has included...doing school work, packing boxes, laundry, etc. Highlight of the week though, in all seriousness, has to be not getting out of pajamas or putting on makeup for days on end. Poor James. I have also had the time and energy to try out some new recipes, both of which I'd like to share here. 

Queso Smothered Orzo

From: http://www.plainchicken.com/2012/10/queso-smothered-chicken.html

For chicken:

1 bottle Lawry's Baja Chipotle 30 minute marinade

4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness

**The above chicken marinade is from the original recipe. For those of you with a grill...go for it! For those of us in a tiny apartment with a tiny mini-Weber grill and no charcoal (our only bag got soaked when left on the porch in a rainstorm...go figure.) I just cooked up some chicken in a skillet. Still good!

For orzo:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup orzo

2 cups chicken broth

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp chili powder

For queso:

8 oz Velveeta, diced

1 can Rotel

1. Pour Baja Chipotle Marinade over chicken and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Grill chicken  until done. (Or cook up in skillet!)

2. While chicken is grilling, prepare the orzo. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add orzo. Cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned.

3. Stir in chili powder, tomato paste, and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

4. Combine Rotel and Velveeta in a medium bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 30 second intervals until cheese is melted.

5. Place orzo on a plate, top with chicken, smother with queso. Devour!

---------------------------

This next recipe made me never ever want to eat jarred pasta sauce again!!! Who am I kidding...I know I will but I am totally head-over-heals obsessed with this sauce! I was practically licking my bowl after my second helping. A side of bread to completely sponge off the sauce sticking to the side of your bowl is a MUST. Move over Sweet Baby Ray's bbq sauce...this sauce is truly the boss!

Roasted Pepper and Basil Pasta

From: http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/2012/08/butta-la-pasta.html

1 lb. penne pasta (I used whole wheat)

4 cloves garlic

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

1 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained

1 cup fresh basil leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup heavy whipping cream (optional)

Roasted rotisserie chicken (optional)

*I didn't add the heavy cream - the sauce is perfect and creamy without it! I'm telling you I have an obsession with this sauce. It can do no wrong in my book, other than leaving you with some nice garlic breath. Also, I didn't add the chicken and my carnivore of a husband didn't miss it!

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil on medium heat and cook garlic until it is golden and fragrant.

3. In a food processor (or blender), pulse the olive oil and garlic until it makes a paste.

4. Add red peppers, basil leaves, grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Pulse until it makes a thick sauce. 

5. Pour sauce over hot pasta and top with more cheese, if desired.

6. Become obsessed!

Where have you been all my life?

Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." 

I have never been a fan of tomato soup. Despite the fact that I am a fan of all things tomato (just not raw tomatoes themselves...or tomato juice...) the idea of plain tomato soup in theory seemed unappealing. Well, I watched my husband pine for canned tomato soup during the holidays (somehow he had already eaten lunch each time his sister heated up some of this coveted soup for her own meal and resorted to just watching her sip the steaming red liquid. That makes him sound creepy when in actuality it wasn't. Moving on.) After observing his strong desire for tomato soup I decided to take pity on this man and cook him up some homemade tomato soup. I also decided that I too would partake in a bowl. And that bowl has changed my entire perspective on tomato soup. Why did no one tell me what I was missing all these years??? This soup is creamy heaven, in part due to the little touch of heavy whipping cream. It also has just the right hint of heat thanks to a pinch of red pepper flakes. I paired it with a twist on a grilled cheese and did toasted cheesy french bread to sop up some of that deliciousness. Enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Soup

From: Simply Suppers by Jennifer Chandler

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 (28-oz.) cans whole tomatoes with juice

2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

4 cups chicken stock\

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper

1. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, warm the oil until hot. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the whole tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon or fork. Add the oregano, thyme, and sugar, and stir to combine. Pour in the chicken stock and stir to combine. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes.

3. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Whisk in the heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

**If you don't have an immersion blender (that would be me...I need a few more years in the kitchen before I would feel worthy of an immersion blender), puree the soup in a regular blender!

Bon Appetit! Serves 4 to 6.


Here's a look at some little Christmas items I made for my students, teachers, and room mom this season. Each one was very cost-effective and pretty simple to make!

Clear goody bag, red and green M&Ms, ribbon, scrapbook paper for tag

Candy canes, ribbon, scrapbook paper

Plastic jars or containers (I found mine at the Dollar Tree), peppermints, ribbon, scrapbook paper

Starbucks gift card and scrapbook paper = quick and easy room mom gift!