Need a cookie?

Isaiah 55:10 "As the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Praise God that He has a desire and a purpose for everything and that nothing can stand against one word He speaks. If you are in need of encouragement, trust in the Lord's goodness toward His children, His sovereign plan for your life, and the love that He is speaking over you today!

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Well, speaking of rain and snow coming down from heaven, we survived the epic ice storm of 2014. The icicles grew to be at least...3.5 inches long. The ice and snow covered at least....a few patches of grass. But as the freezing rain lashed against the windows and the sub-freezing temperatures kept me in my fuzzy pajamas for two days straight {lucky James} one thing remained - I am so very thankful to live in the South.

Last weekend a situation occurred that was even more terrifying than the icy bridges and roads around here. {Even our mailbox was frozen...now that is somethin'}. We ran out of something sweet. In this household, that is a situation in need of immediate rectification. Not a problem, I told my husband, I'll just make some cookies....only to discover a measly handful of chocolate chips remaining in a near-empty bag shoved in the back of the pantry. In this household, cookies need chocolate like the flowers need the rain. Like Sarah needs to change out of her fuzzy pajamas. Not a problem, I told myself, and pulled some unsweetened baker's chocolate out of the cabinet and a recipe for peanut butter cookies and, throwing caution to the wind, decided to {try} to make up my own cookie recipe. Out of the recesses of my mind {yes, it's a scary place sometimes} came these cookies. Double chocolate because I threw in the baker's chocolate and the meager amount of chocolate chips I described earlier. I also decided to throw in some chopped pecans, mainly because they were there. And miracle of miracles they turned out to be yummy! Just the right amount of chewy chocolatey-peanut buttery goodness. If you have peanut butter chips lying around I think they would put these right over the top.

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter

Pecan Cookies

What you need...

2 ounces unsweetened baker's chocolate, melted

1 stick of butter, room temperature

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup chocolate chips {or more if desired}

1/2 cup pecans

What to do....

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter on medium high for 1 minute. Add the melted baker's chocolate and beat until well mixed.

3. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat at medium-high for another minute. Add egg and vanilla and mix until smooth.

4. Add flour, baking soda, and salt on low speed until thoroughly combined. Mix in the chocolate chips and pecans. The batter will be thick but very soft.

5. Drop by small spoonfuls on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown {mine took 12 minutes}. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to cooling rack. Chill dough in the fridge in between baking batches.

Who needs a cookie today?

Stay warm my friends.

Deuteronomy 31:8 "The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." I thought I'd share this worship song that I am currently, slightly, obsessed with. I pray the words offer refreshment and encouragement to you today and that no matter what you may be facing, you stand firm in the awesome promise of our Lord Almighty. Praise and glory to God that He will never leave us or forsake us!

"In Your Presence" by Elevation Worship

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As I sit on the couch and type this I just need you to know....there are icicles hanging off of the truck in the driveway. ICICLES. IN FLORIDA. Now I'm not complaining, lest all northern folk be tempted to roll their eyes, but I'm just in awe. Who knew Florida could even produce such a thing as icicles? The only ice I foresaw in Florida was in my margarita on the rocks. {Obviously I was not nine months preggo in this vision}. 

Also, I hope everyone read that title with the Dos Equis man's Spanish accent.

Anyways, since even the southern states are experiencing their fair share of winter weather, here's a delicious recipe to warm you up! Best enjoyed on the couch with a blanket and something good to watch on TV*.

*Not part of the original recipe, that was my addition. 

I was first drawn to this recipe because it had several ingredients also found in one of our favorite meals, Mexican stuffed sweet potatoes. Never would I have though about putting sweet potatoes in a chili but oh my goodness is it divine. The texture and flavor of this dish is absolutely incredible! So much so that I was pretty much embarrassing myself with the sounds coming out of my mouth as I was shoveling in spoonfuls. Luckily James is a guy so he a.) didn't notice. and b.) was distracted by whatever we were watching on tv. And the best news...the leftovers were just as good the next day! I halved this recipe but kept the original amount of jalapeno - still not super spicy so if you want to kick it up a notch I'd add more jalapenos!

Healthy Jalapeno Sweet Potato Chili

From: pinchofyum.com

What you need...

1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts

5 cups chicken broth

1 onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

2 Tbsp butter or olive oil {I did one tbsp of each}

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 4 cups)

2 14-oz. cans fire roasted tomatoes, undrained

1 14-oz. can black beans, drained

3 Tbsp ground flaxmeal 

{I omitted because I didn't have it...and didn't want to buy it for such a small amount. I thought the chili was thick enough without it!}

Cilantro and cotija cheese for topping 

{we topped ours with shredded Cheddar - I think any cheese will do!}

What to do....

1. Poach the chicken by bringing the chicken broth to a rolling boil and add the raw chicken breasts. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken continue to cook in the broth for another 20 minutes. Remove the chicken, let it cool and shred with forks. Reserve 2 cups of the broth.

2. Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno and saute until tender. Add the chili powder, salt, and sweet potatoes. Saute until the sweet potatoes 

are lightly browned.

3. Add the fire roasted tomatoes, black beans, shredded chicken, and reserved broth. Stir and cover with a tight fitting lid. Keep over medium heat for 45 minutes without stirring {if you have a nonstick pot. If it is not nonstick, then stir it periodically and add some water to prevent sticking}.

4. After 45 minutes, most of the liquid should be gone from the pot. Add two cups of water {or less if needed} and stir to combine. Add the flax {if using} and stir again.

5. Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with cheese. Enjoy and stay warm!

Don't mind if I do!

Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." This verse is such a good reminder of the sovereignty of our awesome God. No matter what stresses, deficits, or unknowns you are facing in your life, whether it be related to your job, your relationships, your future, the Lord will meet your needs. It does not say that He will meet only some of those needs and the rest you just have to figure out on your own, nor does it tack on "if you are good/smart/nice enough" to the end, for that is where grace comes into play. My God will meet ALL of your needs. It might look a little different than the image you had in your mind but I guarantee it will be better than what you could have pictured, for His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts {Isaiah 55:8-9}. What can He who has everything, for He created everything, do with those glorious riches He so abundantly possesses? He graciously blesses His children and meets every need they have, not because we have done anything at all to deserve it, but because we accept that free gift of grace and offer Him our broken little selves. And the Lord redeems us, makes us clean and beautiful in His sight and meets every need so that our lives may bring Him glory and honor. Thank you Lord for the many needs that I have. Thank you for my brokenness and utter dependence on You, for only You can fill up what I lack. For only You can redeem. For only You can save.

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To begin this post, I thought I'd share three reasons why I love my husband {Don't roll your eyes just yet!} Aside from actual, serious reasons why I chose to be with this guy for the rest of my life, here are a couple situations that have arisen recently that remind me just how much I love 'im.

Reason #1

These are the sweet potatoes he picked out for dinner one night last week. How the heck are these puppies ever going to cook at the same rate and be done at the same time? The only response he could give...

was laughter.

Reason #2

A couple days before my birthday this year my husband went to Target to pick out some birthday wrapping paper. He returned successfully and explained that he had gotten some wrapping paper on clearance. Ooh baby now that is speaking my love language right there! Then, as he began to bring out the gifts from the "no go zone" in his study, I realized that the clearance wrapping paper in question was "I <3 One Direction" paper. Which ran out before he had a chance to wrap all of the gifts so he used the leftover Christmas paper. And yes, that is brown packing paper in lieu of tissue paper in the gift bags.

Reason #3

I don't have a picture to accompany this reason just a conversation that took place a couple weeks ago. As we were driving along, ruminating on resolutions for the new year, I mentioned that maybe my resolution should be to wake up and get ready for the day more often {aka put on real pants more frequently and regularly, rather than staying in my oh-so-sexy assorted sweatpants until I absolutely had to, only to put on my "nice" sweatpants - plain black ones that are appropriate to be worn in public.}

His response:

"That sounds like a lot of laundry."

I knew I picked a good one!

Speaking of good ones, I thought I'd share a new recipe we tried, courtesy {again} of Ina Garten from her cookbook Barefoot Contessa at Home. This omelet was absolutely awesome - perfect for dinner on breakfast night or a brunch - and easy! It starts off in the skillet and finishes in the oven. One pan to clean? Sold. No attempting to flip an omelet only to get frustrated and violently "scramble" the eggs instead? Double sold. And no, I don't speak from experience...

Omelet for Two

From: Barefoot Contessa at Home

What you need...

1/4 pound  good thick-cut bacon

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup medium-diced Yukon Gold potato

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1 Tbsp minced jalapeno pepper

5 extra-large eggs

2 Tbsp milk or cream

1 tsp kosher salt

*Far be it from me that I should correct the Contessa but I think next time I'd use less than a teaspoon of salt. James and I both ended up with some bites at the end that were super salty.

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts

4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, diced, plus grated cheese for garnish

What to do...

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut the bacon crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Cook the bacon in an 8-inch ovenproof saute pan over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes until browned. Drain the bacon on paper towels and discard 

the fat from the pan.

3. Add the butter to the pan, then add the potato and yellow onion. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the onion starts to brown and the potato is tender but firm.

4. Add the jalapeno pepper and cook for 30 seconds.

5. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together with a fork. Stir in the scallions and diced Cheddar.

6. When the potato is cooked, add the bacon to the pan and pour over the egg mixture. Place the pan in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the omelet puffs and the eggs are almost cooked in the center. Sprinkle with a handful of grated Cheddar and bake for another minute.

Serve hot directly from the pan and enjoy!

P.S. Does anyone else automatically say "Omelet for two? Don't mind if I do!" in their heads when reading the name of this dish. Preferably in a poorly-imitated French accent. Just me? That's cool.

Finally, this post brought to you by "Kitties Who Will Lay On Anything You Put On The Floor"...

...including mirrors.

This & That

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." For a while now I have considered Jeremiah 29:11-13 to be my "life verse". However, as a new year begins, I really feel a strong call to focus 2014 around this verse in 1 Thessalonians. The Bible can be clear to me at times, while other times I need a much more studied and educated person to explain passages and ideas. However, nothing is more explicit than the phrase "this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" and I need no further explanation of what God would have me do. As 2014 begins and we face a year of many, many changes {hello, parenthood!} I am going to daily remind myself to be full of the joy of knowing the Lord and His great love. I am going to pray constantly, continually, and consistently, not just during my morning quiet times but throughout each day. I am going to pray for the people I meet briefly, for those I have known my whole life, and for those I will never meet. And I am going to give the Father the thanks and praise He deserves for everything, the good and the not-so-good. Because when you thank Him for the hard times and hope in His goodness no matter what, your faith is increased and blessed, simple as that. So here's to a new year and a new "year verse"!

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Hey there. Remember me? The girl that used to post somewhat regularly? The girl that used to try new recipes and share them? That girl turned into this girl...

Husband: What are we having for dinner?

This girl: I don't know. I guess I could just make....{crickets}...ummm...pasta? Oh wait, we're out of milk, cheese, tomatoes, and anything that could vaguely be turned into a sauce. Or we could have a whatever night.

PB&Js all around.

Well with the new year comes a renewed sense of drive to actually cook! And meal plan. For the next 5 weeks or so until baby girl makes her debut in the world. Then it's back to "whatever nights". But in the meantime I am striving to formulate a plan for the upcoming week and trying out some new recipes {and trying out our new camera before she gets here}.

And so I stumbled upon this gem of a cornbread recipe thanks to another great Christmas present...the Barefoot Contessa's cookbook! To anyone starting off the new year with healthy eating habits, this may not be the recipe for you. But in my humble opinion, cornbread was never designed to be "light". If you're gonna do cornbread, you go all the way. And that is exactly what this recipe does.

One more thing...this makes a ton. I originally planned to halve or third it or something, forgot that I had ever made such a plan, and baked the entire batch. Then proceeded to run a gallon baggie full of chunks of cornbread over to my neighbors house {in the cold mind you...who knew Florida could get in the 20s during the day??}. Then proceeded to eat a piece everyday. And still have a normal size batch beckoning me.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

From: Barefoot Contessa at Home

What you need...

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp baking powder

2 tsp kosher salt

2 cups milk

3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 pound {2 sticks} unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan

8 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided

1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish {3 scallions}

3 Tbsp seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers {2 to 3 peppers}

*Side story: After experiencing the excruciating pain of an allergic reaction to fresh jalapeno peppers, I chopped these with baggies sealed awkwardly over my hands. 

Much to the amusement of my husband.

What to do...

1. Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. 

2. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter {let your butter cool so you don't end up with scrambled eggs!}

3. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions, and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13x2-inch baking pan.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and extra scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

You gotta eat these warm - there is just no other way to do it!

Ooh yeah baby...

We served these beauties up with some grilled bbq chicken and baked beans. Worth every buttery bite :) 

So apparently this whole "nesting" thing is a legit problem disease thing. I have become that girl. What did I absolutely have to get done this morning before I could breathe easily? Scrub the laundry room. Never in my life have I ever cared if the room where dirty things go to get clean is actually clean! But this morning, everything about that room was just.so.wrong. How could I possibly bring a child into this world with the shelves piled high with dust and stray cat food on the floor? My husband, after laughing at me of course, asked if there were any pills to make my nesting last even after she is here. 

Another task on my to-do-before-baby-gets-here list: practice with our new camera {still have yet to come up with a good name to christen her with....the camera not the baby}. Perfect test subject - Angelo during a nap.

Just look at that face...who couldn't love a face like that?

To those who say they don't like cats...they haven't met the right one...

Uh oh. I better stop. The cat lady in me is about to get out.

I'm off to go clean something else. And possibly start packing for the hospital aka continue making a list of what to pack. All you pros - what is something you wish you had brought?

Happy Thursday! Show someone God's love today :)