White Chocolate Blondies

Oh my goodness these are so yummy! I will give you a heads up... They are not a healthy treat.
They are bad for you, but in the best way possible.

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 of a small can of sweetened condensed milk
1 stick of butter
1 egg
1 cup white chocolate chips
Sprinkles

1.) Preheat your oven to 350. Mix the cake mix, butter and egg together. This will make a thick dough.
2.) Mix in the sprinkles.
3.) Grease a 2.2 quart pyrex dish and press 2/3 of the cake mixture into the bottom of the pan.
4.) Sprinkle the white chocolate chips on top of the cake mixture, then drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the chocolate chips. I usually use about 1/2 of a small can. Too much can make the blondies too sweet and too mushy.
5.) Take the rest of the cake mixture and put it on top of the rest of the blondies. I typically make small ball shapes, and then mush them flat. It is OK if they don't touch. As the cake bakes the dough will expand.
6.) Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, depending on your oven. You want the top to be a nice light golden brown color.
7.) Cut and serve!

Enjoy!

Fasting and Quinoa

How do these two things go together? Well I will tell you...

This past week our family and the Hicks family decided to fast while we wait for word about a location for the new church. We are kind of at a stand still until we know where we are going to be. So as a way to focus our prayers we all decided to fast. 

For the first 3 days (Monday - Wednesday) we all fasted different things. I can't speak for what the Hicks fasted, but Matthew fasted all food - just juice for 3 days. (He is way more hardcore then I am!) I chose to fast diet coke. 

If you know me, then you know this is a big deal! I don't start my day without a diet coke in hand! The first day went fine, but by the end of the night I could feel myself starting to go into caffeine withdrawal.  Tuesday was the worst day, I was agitated all day and had a headache. I also felt very tired all day. Wednesday was better. But all I could think about was how I got to break the fast at dinner that night with a diet coke (enter time to pray - whenever you feel the urge for whatever you are fasting you are suppose to replace that with prayer.) Then starting last night our family is doing a no meat and no dairy fast. So basically we are becoming vegans for an undetermined amount of time. Which is hard then you think! I have been looking up recipes to try and all though most don't have meat, they do have cheese or milk or cream. 

I am kind of excited for this challenge. We sometimes get in a food-rut and I start making the same 7 things over and over. So this will push us outside of our comfort zone to try new things. And for me, it will push me to try new stuff. 

I would consider myself a meat-a-tarian. I like meat. I eat meat with just about every meal. Meat is yummy. 

I do not like a ton of veggies. I don't eat salad, or pretty much anything leafy. I have a hand full of veggies that I will eat and that is about it. So this should be fun!

So what does this have to do with Quinoa? 

Well last night for dinner that was one of the things we ate to break our fast. I got some last summer on a whim, just trying to add something different into a meals. Matthew was a bit iffy about trying it, but now he loves it! So does Finley! That is usually the first thing she eats and then cries because it is all gone. I love hearing her say "I want more qui-noa!" I have a texture issue, so although I think it tastes good the texture will start to get to me after a little while. 

If you have not tried quinoa before, I would recommend you getting some and trying it out. It is really good for you and is tasty! Go look it up - quinoa is all the rage! 

So here is how I make my quinoa.

Lime and Cilantro Quinoa

2 cups stock (veggie or chicken - I usually use chicken, but if you are a vegetarian you can use veggie)
1 cup quinoa
Handful of cilantro - chopped
1 lime zest and juice
Salt and pepper

1) Add the stock and quinoa to a small pot and bring to a boil. You cook it just like you would rice. So as the liquid gets absorbed make sure you are watching it, because it can burn and stick fast.
2) Once the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked, move it to a bowl.
3) Chop the cilantro and add to the quinoa. Then add the lime zest and juice. Depending on how much you like the lime taste, you can squeeze more or less juice. I usually use the whole lime, especially if it is small.
4) Add salt and pepper to taste. Then serve!

I hope you enjoy it! I know my family does!

Happy Monday!

Well it is another yucky rainy day here in Chattanooga, TN.

My sister made the joke back at Christmas that she was wondering if the people in Chattanooga would realize that I was going to be bringing the rain with me... I guess she was right....

This weekend was full of just hanging out and trying a few new things.

For breakfast on Saturday I tried something I saw on pinterest. I couldn't find the recipe so I sort of winged it.

What you will need:

* 1 package canned biscuits. I just used what I had on hand and mine were the butter-tastin' kind and they still turned out yummy.

* Enough  veggie oil to allow the biscuits to float once they start frying. If you use too much oil, the biscuits will sink.

* Cinnamon and sugar. I just eyeballed the amount to use, but remember you need less cinnamon then sugar!

1. First you want to quarter your biscuits and then set aside.

2. Next pour your oil into a small pan and start to warm it up. Keep your heat on a lower setting, like 3 or 4. I tried to turn the heat up, but it just burned the outside and didn't cook the inside. Also, you want the pan to be big enough to put 3 or 4 pieces in at a time, but not so big that you have to use a ton or oil or that will take a long time to heat up.

3. Once your oil is warm enough, drop 3 to 4 pieces into the oil to cook. You will want to watch them closely because they are easy to burn! When you notice one side has a golden brown color, flip them to the other side to cook. 

4. Place the cooked bites on a paper towel to drain for a second and then roll them in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

5. Finally, eat and enjoy! They were super yummy and Finley loved them! I think she ate like 6 or 7 pieces!

I have also been seeing Valentines Day banners all over Pinterest and I love them! So I decided to try and make one!

You will need:

* Some felt. I ended up using 1 sheet of felt for each color I wanted on the banner.

* A cookie cutter or trace the shape.

* A pen, string, scissors and your hotgule gun.

1. Fist I traced the heart shape onto the felt. I ended up using 5 hearts of each color.

2. Once they were all cut out I put them in the pattern I wanted to make it easier to hot glue the string to them.

3. Next I glued the string onto the back of the hearts. You could see the pen marks on some of them from where I traced them, so I made sure to make that the back. I also cut my string super long on the ends because I wasn't sure where I wanted to put it and wanted to make sure I had enough string.

4. Once I was finished I hung it up over my sink! It looks super cute and Finley loves it!

Please ignore the command hooks, we can't damage the walls and I didn't know how else to hang it up. If you have a better solution, please tell me! The hooks are not very pretty.

Sunday we had a great time visiting a local church and then the Hick's family came over for lunch and to watch the Atlanta Falcons win! After they left, I ended up falling asleep for like an hour! It was a good weekend!

I am now going to try and find something for Finley and I to do on this yucky day... Have a good week!

Homemade vs Store Bought

I recently read an article in one of the parenting magazines that I get that talked about the amount of sugar a child should be getting a day vs. the amount that they are getting. I was shocked to realize that a toddler should only be getting 5 teaspoons of sugar a day, but they are actually getting 36! 

This got me thinking.... and looking. I went to the refrigerator and started looking at the things I was feed Finley. I was shocked to learn that there is more sugar in one individual cup of applesauce then there was in her popsicle! So I started looking around for things I could make for her to eat that is better for her and that I know what is going into. 

This has lead to us making better choices as a family. We are starting to use fresh foods and veggies, rather then canned. We tried quinoa for the first time the other night and really enjoyed it. We are trying to cut out the amount of sugar and processed food we are eating.

I have started small with snack and breakfast items and few dinner items. My hopes are to eventually be eating everything fresh or homemade as much as possible.

The first thing I made was applesauce. It was super easy! 

What you will need:

* 1 or more bags of apples. Any type will work, so pick which ever you like. You can also use a variety of apples. I just used 1 bag, which had 9 average sized apples in it.

* 1 lemon

* 5 teaspoons brown sugar

* 1   3 inch cinnamon stick

* Crock pot

* Food processor

First wash, core, and peel the apples. Then cut the apples into 1 inch pieces.

Place the cut apples into the crock pot.

Add the brown sugar, 1 piece of lemon peel, the juice of the lemon and the cinnamon stick.

Turn the crock pot on low and let everything cook for 6 hours and stir occasionally. 

I noticed the apples did not turn into an applesauce consistency, so I placed the apples into the food processor and was able to get it the consistency I was looking for.

This applesauce is good for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

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I have also made the Hubs breakfast burritos for him to take to work in the morning. 

What you will need:

* 10 - 12 eggs

* 1 package sausage

* 1 Green bell pepper

* Hash-browns

* 1/4 cup milk

* Salt and pepper

* Cheddar Cheese

* 2 packages of tortillas (They are usually 10 per package and this mixture can make 20 depending on how big you make them.)

First brown your sausage. Once that is cooked drain the grease and set the meat aside.

Cook the hash-browns in the same pan according to the directions.

While the hash-browns cook, in a separate bowl mix the eggs, salt, pepper, green pepper, and milk.

Once the hash-browns are cooked add the sausage, hash-browns and egg mixture to a large pan and cook until the eggs are cooked through.

Fill the tortillas with the mixture and top with cheese. 

Roll into a burrito and then wrap in plastic wrap. I then placed the burritos into a sandwich bag and then a larger gallon ziplock bag and place in the freezer.

To reheat: Just place in the microwave for 1 minute on each side.

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I also recently made on-the-go oatmeal and smoothies for Finley for breakfast on school days. I will get that recipe together and get that posted soon!

Have a great weekend!

Oreo Lollipops

So I have been making these Oreo Lollipops quite a bit lately. I first made them for Finley's birthday party and they were a HUGE hit. So I made some more to add in with her end of the year teacher gifts and for a surprise baby shower we threw for a friend the other weekend. Here is how I made them...

What you will need:
* 1 - 2 packages DOUBLE stuffed Oreo's. You have to use double stuffed. I tried to use the regular kind the last time I made them, but there wasn't enough cream to hold the sticks. Also, I got about 20 pops out of 1 package of Oreo's.
* Lollipop sticks. I usually get a 25 package. Obviously if you are making 40 lollipops you will need 2 packages.
* 1 - 2 bags of melting chocolate.
* Sprinkles, if desired.
* Cookie sheets
* Parchment paper
* Lollipop bags
* Ribbon

1. First you want to pull your Oreo's apart very carefully. Try not to break the cookie. You also want to keep the cream on one side. This is why you only get about 20 lollies out of one package.

2. Next, you want to melt a small portion of your melting chocolate. Dip the tip in the chocolate.

3. Then gently press the stick into the cream. You will feel the cream split. That is fine, just make sure it doesn't go off the sides. If it feels like it might, just gently push it back on the cookie. Again, try not to crack the bottom cookie.

4. Then put the top cookie back on while trying not to break the cookie. If it does break, it is not a super big deal, there is a way you can still use it. Check the bottom of the post for a how-to.

5. Let the chocolate set for a few minutes so the cookie is stuck together.

6. Next, cover one side of the cookie with chocolate. In the picture below I covered one side and the rims, but I found that if you cover just one side and let it sit, then cover the other side and the rims it actually works better. While the chocolate is wet, add your sprinkles. Place the lolly on the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and let the chocolate harden. This will take about 20 minutes, give or take a few.

7. Repeat adding the chocolate and sprinkles.

8. Allow cookies to sit and harden. (I used aluminum foil this time because I was out of parchment paper. Both work just fine, but I prefer parchment paper.)

Once the cookies are set you can put the lollipop bags on them and use the ribbon to tie them and make them look pretty.

*** How to fix the top cookie if it breaks: Just take a lollipop stick with a small amount of melted chocolate and smear it on the broken piece. Line one of the broken pieces up on the cookie, then match the other piece up with the other one. I would also make sure to add the chocolate coating to the broken side first. I would be too worried that if I put the chocolate on the non-broken side first, that could cause the whole thing to break.***

Chocolate Brownie Trifle

Are you looking for a yummy and easy to make desert for a family get together? 

We all know what the next big holiday is that is coming up..... MOTHER'S DAY! And if your family is like my family, they look for any reason to get together. This year we are having a cook out here at our house and having members from all sides coming. This is a pretty big deal since my husbands parents are divorced and both remarried. We are very lucky that they are able to get along and come to events and be in the same room. There aren't a lot of divorced couples that are able to do that. We do split most holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, but some of the smaller ones we sometimes do together. 

So here is a easy to make desert that will be a BIG hit! It has pretty much become a staple at all our family functions. I found it in a Southern Living Cookbook, and it is sooooooo easy to make!

Chocolate Brownie Trifle

Ingeredents:

* 1 box of brownie mix. (Make sure you get the mix made for a 13x9 pan)

* 2 tubs of whip cream or 1 big tub

* 1 - 2 boxes of chocolate pudding

* 1 bag of chopped up Heath Bars (you can find this in the baking section. There is the chocolate covered kind and then the plain kind. I prefer to use the chocolate covered, but if you can't find it you can use the other. Or you could get 5 of the candy bars and chop them yourself, but that and kind of be expensive.)

You will want to make this the day before. It needs time to set in the fridge.

1. Bake the brownies according to the package and let cool completely.

2. Make the pudding according to the directions and stick it in the fridge to set. This is good to do while the brownies are cooking and cooling.

3. Once everything is cooled and set, you can start to put it together. You will layer is brownie first, then pudding, then the heath bars bits, finally the whipped cream. Continue to layer until the bowl is full. 

4. Top the last layer of whip cream with some heath bar to make it look pretty and then cover and stick in the fridge. I recommend keeping it in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.

It is super yummy and super easy! I hope you enjoy!

Homemade Yogurt

My sister has been telling me for a really long time that she makes homemade yogurt. She said it was super easy and tasty. My husband and I are not big fans of yogurt, but our daughter is. So I finally decided to go online and figure out how to make it. I came across this recipe on Pinterest and it turned out fantastic, to bad my little one doesn't like it! Not that it tastes bad, it is just a bit tangier then normal store bought yogurt and can take some time to get use to. I have been told it is similar to Greek Yogurt. So I've been trying to give her some here and there and mix it in with some store bought yogurt until she begins to like the taste. I also use it in smoothies and she doesn't even notice a difference.

I also used vanilla yogurt instead of plan. I thought it would help the taste and Finley would like it more, since vanilla yogurt is her favorite anyways.

So here is the website that I used....

http://www.olymomma.com/2011/06/homemade-yogurt-say-what.html

It takes all day to make this and you can't really go anywhere for more then a few hours at a time. Also, you cannot use your oven. Your oven has to be cold, but you can use your stove top. The day I made my first batch I did not plan for dinner very well and we ended up eating Kraft Mac & Cheese.