I've known my entire life that there was something very special about the world I lived in. I've always felt happy and fortunate and thankfully I had parents who taught me that those feelings were what BLESSED people felt.
I've always had a love for words and colors and imagination and I feel like after years of traveling through life I have finally reached my gold pot!
My parents make everything so much easier for me than it should be. They also put an infinite amount of love into everything they do. I'm always so amazed by them. Being a young mother (I say young but 23 really isn't that young...), a new wife, and a full time college student, should scare me but it doesn't. My parents have taught me to have faith in everything and to NOT WORRY because God takes care of everything in the end. I am so fortunate to have had that kind of wisdom drilled into my head at such an early age.
But they haven't only blessed me with wisdom. I've lived like a princess my whole life and I get more and more thankful everyday.
Just this weekend they have blessed my husband and me with a new bed, couch, and tools for our new house! I'm so blessed. Can I say that too much?!
Just sharing the love I have for life. I really can't help but express it!!!!!
PS
And just when life can't get any more happier, I look down and see my gorgeous son sleeping next to me. Ahhhhhh I love it :)
Monday, July 4, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
My husband is my new carpenter
A few months ago my husband brought home a ton of random wood pieces and told me he was going to build baby Connor a toy chest. Well, today he did it!!!! Him and my Papa worked on it for about 6 hours! Wow I have never seen this side of him before. Yeah yeah he's a great electrician and yeah yeah he makes delicious steaks... But he is an outstanding carpenter!!!!! I have so many projects lined up for him now. I'm not saying I ever doubted his abilities, I just never knew so many talents could be compiled in one person. He does it all...
I've been reading this book about becoming a perfect help meet for my husband (by Debi Pearl) and I've learned so much. I have learned that times when our marriage seemed hard and bad were the times that I was sinning against God. I have learned that once I truly opened my heart our love would grow so fast. I'm blessed to have a husband who would stick by me through so much. We never have and never will have a problem with lying or cheating, but things such as getting mad at him for leaving a doritos bag in the living room is still a sin.
This book is changing my life. If any wives are reading this and want to learn how to become a better helper for your husband, read this book!!! It brings the bible into the content. It's real!
Off to bed! With my family by my side :) Sooo blessed!
PB&J ice cream sundae
I looooooove the show Cooking for Real with Sunny Anderson. The other day she made a PB&J ice cream sundae. I know.... WOW why have I never thought of that?!?! Well, I recreated it, and let me just say that the "Oos" and "Mmmms" that she did on the show were NOT an exaggeration. I literally couldn't speak! Here are the ingredients you will need (or the ingredients I used):
Ice cream part:
1/2 big jar of grape/strawberry/whatever kind of jelly you like
1 pint of vanilla ice cream
Sauce part:
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark
Hefty scoop of peanut butter (I used creamy, Sunny used crunchy)
Sandwich part:
2-4 pieces old bread, the stale-er the better
3 tbsp of butter
White sugar, as much as you like
Here's whatcha do...
1. FIRST (do this HOURS) ahead of time..
Take all of the ice cream out of the pint container and put in large mixing bowl.
2. Mix your jelly into the ice cream. Your ice cream will get really runny and melty but that's okay.
3. Once your jelly is mixed in WELL, pour mixture back into pint container.
4. Freeze ice cream mixture until completely frozen again. This is so beautiful when finished!!!!
Once the ice cream is in the freezer...
1. Combine the heavy cream and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat.
2. Bring to a rolling boil.
3. Once boiling, remove from heat and add your peanut butter. The heated mix will melt the peanut butter perfectly.
Okay, while the brown sugar and heavy cream are getting to that boiling point....
1. Put your butter in a medium skillet.
2. While butter is melting, cut your bread into little cubes, about the size of a crouton.
3. Ad bread to buttered skillet and cook until golden brown on all sides. This took a little while.
4. Once golden brown, remove from skillet and sprinkle with that delicious white sugar :)!!!!
You're done!!! Get a pretty bowl and scoop out some of your jelly ice cream and top with the peanut butter sauce!!! Then add as many croutons as you want! Yummmmo!!!
The sauce will stay in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks if jarred properly :) Makes a great gift! Also makes a great addition to chocolate cake and plain toast!
Ice cream part:
1/2 big jar of grape/strawberry/whatever kind of jelly you like
1 pint of vanilla ice cream
Sauce part:
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark
Hefty scoop of peanut butter (I used creamy, Sunny used crunchy)
Sandwich part:
2-4 pieces old bread, the stale-er the better
3 tbsp of butter
White sugar, as much as you like
Here's whatcha do...
1. FIRST (do this HOURS) ahead of time..
Take all of the ice cream out of the pint container and put in large mixing bowl.
2. Mix your jelly into the ice cream. Your ice cream will get really runny and melty but that's okay.
3. Once your jelly is mixed in WELL, pour mixture back into pint container.
4. Freeze ice cream mixture until completely frozen again. This is so beautiful when finished!!!!
Once the ice cream is in the freezer...
1. Combine the heavy cream and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat.
2. Bring to a rolling boil.
3. Once boiling, remove from heat and add your peanut butter. The heated mix will melt the peanut butter perfectly.
Okay, while the brown sugar and heavy cream are getting to that boiling point....
1. Put your butter in a medium skillet.
2. While butter is melting, cut your bread into little cubes, about the size of a crouton.
3. Ad bread to buttered skillet and cook until golden brown on all sides. This took a little while.
4. Once golden brown, remove from skillet and sprinkle with that delicious white sugar :)!!!!
You're done!!! Get a pretty bowl and scoop out some of your jelly ice cream and top with the peanut butter sauce!!! Then add as many croutons as you want! Yummmmo!!!
The sauce will stay in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks if jarred properly :) Makes a great gift! Also makes a great addition to chocolate cake and plain toast!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
My finished rose cake....
GeoTagged, [N31.67825, E98.95800]
I think it looks okay???
The idea came from:
http://iammommy.typepad.com :) try it!
Pork and root beer. Yum!
This is THE easiest most amazing meat I have ever tasted in my life. Pork tenderloins are amazing pretty much any way, but this way.... Wow. So easy and so delicious!
Ingredients:
1 (2 lb) pork tenderloin (plain)
1 (12 oz) can of your favorite root beer
*NOTHING else is needed for this! Not even salt and pepper!!!*
Put the pork tenderloin into a medium to big crock pot. Pour the root beer over the top of the pork loin. Cover, turn on medium, and cook 5/6 hours. I checked on the pork every hour or so and kept flipping it to help it absorb all the juices of the root beer!
Once completely tender, drain the root beer and be creative with the pork!!! Pulled pork sandwiches are a great way to use the pork, just add a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce. Pulled pork tacos are also quite yummy! But my favorite way to eat it is right out of the crock pot!!!!! :)
Ingredients:
1 (2 lb) pork tenderloin (plain)
1 (12 oz) can of your favorite root beer
*NOTHING else is needed for this! Not even salt and pepper!!!*
Put the pork tenderloin into a medium to big crock pot. Pour the root beer over the top of the pork loin. Cover, turn on medium, and cook 5/6 hours. I checked on the pork every hour or so and kept flipping it to help it absorb all the juices of the root beer!
Once completely tender, drain the root beer and be creative with the pork!!! Pulled pork sandwiches are a great way to use the pork, just add a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce. Pulled pork tacos are also quite yummy! But my favorite way to eat it is right out of the crock pot!!!!! :)
Friday, July 1, 2011
Simple additions to boring foods
I love ways to spice up food without adding tons of sugar and fat!!! Here are some of my favorite ingredients to add to boring and bland foods...
1. Dijon mustard
Dijon mustard is good in almost anything!!! My favorite foods to add it to are scrambled eggs and fish, such as red snapper and tilapia. Adding 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard to scrambled eggs is amazing! I have no idea why! Here's a simple recipe that serves 2:
4 eggs
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Splash of low fat milk
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Mix eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard in a bowl. Pour into heated and buttered skillet. Scramble. Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Ahhh it's amazing!
2. Minced garlic (from the jar)
This stuff is so easy. Ad it to toast and you'll swear you put butter on it too. Put on meats instead of lots of salt.
3. Pancetta
Pancetta is similar to bacon, except it's WAY stronger in flavor. Substitute it in recipes that call for a lot of bacon and you'll save a lot of calories! I love it in pastas and I love using the grease it creates to cook vegetables in. Here's a good way to make a more updated BLT:
What you'll need:
Whole wheat bread
Fresh baby spinach
One tomato
Pancetta
Mayonnaise
Cayenne pepper
Heat a medium skillet and add pancetta. Once the pancetta is crispy like bacon, remove pancetta. Add a few slices of tomatoes and cook them in the pancetta grease for about 2 minutes on each side. Put the tomatoes on whole wheat bread with a little spicy mayo and some fresh spinach and you'll never know the bacon isn't there!!!
Spicy mayo recipe:
2 tablespoons mayo
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1. Dijon mustard
Dijon mustard is good in almost anything!!! My favorite foods to add it to are scrambled eggs and fish, such as red snapper and tilapia. Adding 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard to scrambled eggs is amazing! I have no idea why! Here's a simple recipe that serves 2:
4 eggs
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Splash of low fat milk
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Mix eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard in a bowl. Pour into heated and buttered skillet. Scramble. Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Ahhh it's amazing!
2. Minced garlic (from the jar)
This stuff is so easy. Ad it to toast and you'll swear you put butter on it too. Put on meats instead of lots of salt.
3. Pancetta
Pancetta is similar to bacon, except it's WAY stronger in flavor. Substitute it in recipes that call for a lot of bacon and you'll save a lot of calories! I love it in pastas and I love using the grease it creates to cook vegetables in. Here's a good way to make a more updated BLT:
What you'll need:
Whole wheat bread
Fresh baby spinach
One tomato
Pancetta
Mayonnaise
Cayenne pepper
Heat a medium skillet and add pancetta. Once the pancetta is crispy like bacon, remove pancetta. Add a few slices of tomatoes and cook them in the pancetta grease for about 2 minutes on each side. Put the tomatoes on whole wheat bread with a little spicy mayo and some fresh spinach and you'll never know the bacon isn't there!!!
Spicy mayo recipe:
2 tablespoons mayo
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Butter almond wedding cake! Wow
This cake is absolutely amazing!!!!! The texture is awesome. It's so fluffy and SOOO moist. Here is the recipe:
1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon Almond Extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
Makes: About 7 1/2 cups cake batter.
Instructions:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray pans with vegetable pan spray, or use Cake Release.
Step 2
In mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and almond flavor. Mix flour with baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, starting with the flour; mix well. Pour into prepared pans. *WARNING* only fill pans 1/4 inch because they expand!!!!
Step 3
Refer to baking chart, for baking times and temperatures for specific pans.
Step 4
Cool 10 minutes in pan. Loosen sides and remove. Cool completely before decorating.
1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon Almond Extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
Makes: About 7 1/2 cups cake batter.
Instructions:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray pans with vegetable pan spray, or use Cake Release.
Step 2
In mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and almond flavor. Mix flour with baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, starting with the flour; mix well. Pour into prepared pans. *WARNING* only fill pans 1/4 inch because they expand!!!!
Step 3
Refer to baking chart, for baking times and temperatures for specific pans.
Step 4
Cool 10 minutes in pan. Loosen sides and remove. Cool completely before decorating.
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