Dandelions by Five Iron Frenzy

In a field of yellow flowers,
underneath the sun,
bluest eyes that spark with lightning,
boy with shoes undone.
He is young, so full of hope,
reveling in tiny dreams,
filling up, his arms with flowers,
right for giving any queen.

Running to her beaming bright,
while cradling his prize.
A flickering of yellow light,
within his mother's eyes.
She holds them to her heart,
keeping them where they'll be safe,
clasped within her very marrow,
dandelions in a vase.

She sees love, where anyone else would see weeds.
all hope is found.
Here is everything he needs.

Fathomless your endless mercy,
weight I could not lift.
Where do I fit in this puzzle,
what good are these gifts?
Not a martyr, or a saint,
scarcely can I struggle through.
All that I have ever wanted,
was to give my best to you.

Lord, search my heart,
create in me something clean.
Dandelions
you see flowers in these weeds.

Gently lifting hands to heaven,
softened by the sweetest hush,
a Father sings over his children,
loving them so very much.
More than words could warrant,
deeper than the darkest blue,
more than sacrifice could merit,
Lord, I give my heart to you

This Week

A big stressful week for us! Nick's first ALS graduation by himself. He did an awesome job! I am so proud of my little penguin man. Also first time my Manolo's have left the house they are of course Air Force Blue! Supportin the hubby! LOL!

I attempted my favorite meal from Steamers. Salmon Pesto Sandwich. It was darn good i am sure due to all the butter and cheese i used! But even if it tasted good, i think the real thing tastes better. Maybe it is just plain better than my remake, maybe it is because it comes with wonderful memories of getting 10 cents a piece to place on the train tracks on our way in and watching, waiting for trains to come the whole time we are eating and enjoying trying to find our flattened change at the end of the meal. The whole time with the sea breeze blowing in to ensure the authenticity of our seafood! YUM!

NEW MAC!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgzbhEc6VVo

Now I can start school! YAY US!

A few random things

My new idea for a shoe organizer near our front door. I don't usually like shoes out, but it seems lately that i am the perp when it comes to shoes around the house and then i cannot find them in the morning!

Has anyone noticed that celery stalks look like flowers at the base? God is in everything!

New favorite: Oatmeal with blueberries, almonds and brown sugar, so good!

Also a sad moment: I am a girl and being such i started to cry during "Party Like a Rockstar" the other day just thinking of Daddy. My chin was trembling by T-T-T-T-Totally Dude and at the same beat(which if you think about it is quite cool, even my chin has rhythm.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcELMoRhJ6o

How to Eat a Cupcake...

In Bulk and until they are gone!

I checked out Martha's cupcake book from the library and of course wanted to try 90% of the recipes. They were delicious. I changed a few things, but now i can call them my own right? I made Mocha, Coconut and Sweet Potato. I have to say sweet potato is my new favorite. Coconut took a close second and Mocha was fantastic as well. Good job Martha.

A week of food

So first i tried to copy Kari, no bake cookies sounded great even at 9 a.m. So i headed to the kitchen. Little did i know that i needed 3 cups of oats and had a mere 1/4 cup. I tried to save the delectable batter by throwing in some coconut to beef it up... no that didn't work. Well, the day wasn't lost, i threw it all over some ice cream and enjoyed my wanna be no bake cookies. Then Nick tried the excuse of "It's my 7 year anniversary with the Air Force and my students wanted to celebrate with some brownie bites" of course i gave in, any excuse to get some sweets in my man's stomach. Next we have a picture of the vegetables that i really do use in everyday life. I swear i make more than chocolate covered things. I like healthy foods. AND MORE CARBS. I couldn't help it, i am a girl, sometimes we just crave carbs and cheese, and that is the case here. It was the best lasagna i have ever made. I think the wine and the fresh herbs were the trick. It was good for the next 3 days!

God is good how often? All the time.

John 15:18

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but i have chosen you."

Thank you Lord. I keep wondering what i am doing wrong to feel like i am up against things all the time. But you are God, i am not.

Something Blue

Can you tell i have a smile on my face from this picture? I just got them today, and am the happiest girl right now! Thank you Manolo!

Tex Mex EggRolls

I threw together Spinach, Chicken Breasts (cooked, cut into chunks), corn, black beans, red pepper, green onion, cilantro, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and cheese into a pan and cooked until the mixture was warm and well mixed. I put 2 Tablespoons of each mixture onto a tortilla and rolled it up securing with a toothpick. Freeze over night. Fry in oil (375 degrees) 12-15 minutes. Cut in half diagonally and enjoy!

Believe and Be Satisfied

Everyone longs to give themselves to someone,
To have a deep soul relationship with another,
To be loved thoroughly and exclusively.
But God, to a Christian, says,
‘No, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled and content with living,
loved by Me alone.
I love you, my child, and until you discover that only in Me
is your satisfaction to be found,
You will not be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you.
You will never be united with Me, exclusive of any other desires or longings.
I want you to stop planning, stop wishing,
And allow me to give you the most thrilling plan existing.
One that you can’t imagine. I want you to have the best.
Please allow me to bring it to you.
Just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest thing.
Keep experiencing the satisfaction in knowing that I AM.
Keep learning and listening to the things I tell you… you must wait.
Don’t be anxious. Don’t worry.
Don’t look at the things others have gotten or that I have given them.
Don’t look at the things you think you want.
Just keep looking up to Me, or you’ll miss what I want to show you.
And then, when you’re ready, I’ll surprise you with love far more wonderful than anyone could ever dream.
I am working, even this minute, to have both of you ready at the same time.
You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready, until you are both satisfied exclusively with me and the life I have prepared for you, you won’t be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me… and this is perfect love.
And, dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love.
I want you to see, in the flesh, a picture of your relationship with Me and to enjoy materially and concretely, the everlasting union of beauty, proficient, love that I offer you with myself.
Know that I love you utterly.
I AM GOD ALMIGHTY.
Believe and Be Satisfied.’

Still one of my favorites. The God of Love.

Dinner

Challah & Portabello Chicken

I grilled the portabello mushrooms, zucchini, chicken and turkey. I layered everything with some mozzerella and popped it back on the grill for the cheese to melt. 6 min. and you are good to go!

Deployed Military

Our friend Zach is deployed and a single airman so we decided to send him a care package. We bought a book about learning to have a relationship with God (he is a new believer), Men's Fitness magazine, crosswords, candy, etc. I heard that they have a hard time finding twin sheets down there because that is what everyone needs so they are all sold out. I wanted to buy the CARS ones, or spongebob or something... but Nick wanted to go the cheaper route so we bought plain sheets and tried to spruce them up. HAHA! Yes this is what Nick and I do on our weekend. We are lame. Notice Nick's backwards hand and short leg.

Olive, Pesto & Sundried Tomato Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons milk

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon butter melted

2 Tablespoons mom's butter cut into chunks

2 Tablespoons pesto

2 Tablespoons chopped olives

1 Tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes

1/4 cup mozzerella

Combine, lumps are fine. Fill cupcake liners half full. Bake at 400 degrees 15 minutes.

"Frosting"

1 package cream cheese, softened (i used fat free, but it probably tastes better fat full)

1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

stir together and spread on cupcakes!

Pudding Pastry Hearts

So this was kind of a shot in the dark, but a simple one!

What you will need:

Pastry dough (i used store bought)
1 small can cherry pie filling

2 tsp. almond extract

instant french vanilla pudding

I just cut hearts out of the pastry dough, mixed up the pudding (2 min.) and spread about 2 tsp. on the hearts. Then i mixed the almond into the can of cherry pie filling and dabbed some of that on top. I place another heart on top and baked at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.

They did stick a bit to the foil so i would use parchment paper next time.

YUMMY! My daddy would like these, i wish he were just 3 minutes away like the old days.

Saturday Morning

What a way to start out my Saturday morning. It is 9:36 and i have cleaned my house, and sat down to a devotional and a hot scone. This is something i could get used to!

Pumpkin Scone:

2 cups flour

7 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 Tablespoon freshly ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 Tablespoons half and half

1 large egg

6 Tablespoons cold butter chunks

Preheat oven to 425. Combine dry ingredients in food processor. Add butter chunks and pulse until blended. Combine wet ingredients in a bowl and once mixed fold in dry mixture. Pat out dough on a lightly floured surface, shape into a 9x3 rectangle. Cut into thirds and cut each square in half diagonally. Bake scones on a greased baking sheet for 15 minutes. Once the Scones are cool drizzle the first glaze on top.

1st Glaze

1 cup plus 1 Tablespoons powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

Mix ingredients until smooth. Once this glaze is on the scones prepare the second glaze and drizzle. Serve scones when the second glaze has hardened.

2nd Glaze

1 cup plus 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Overflow

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

This is exactly where i am at. I am praying about this new job possibility, but i know that God has provided me with joy and peace about either. This is a good place to be. Thank you Lord.

Apple Pie

Grandma's Apple Pie

Crust: (This is the recipe Doubled)

4 cups flour

2 cups crisco

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cold water

Mix together with your hands until you have a dough. Divide dough in half, set one half aside. Flour your work surface and roll out into a circle. When you have your circle big enough to cover the pie pan roll onto the rolling pin away from you, pull your pie pan in front of you and unroll the crust off the pin onto the pan.

Pie:

4 cups Apples

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 Tbsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 Tbsp. Brandy

4 Tbsp. Butter

Toss everything except the butter together in a bowl. Pour into Pie pan. Top with dabs of butter. Roll out your second crust and either continue as before or cut into 1" strips and form a lattice on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until bubbly in the middle.

EASY dinner

Crockpot BBQ Chicken & Corn on the cob

2 Chicken breasts

5 large basil leaves

1 bottle BBQ sauce

1 Beer

juice of 1 lime

Toss into the crock pot on low for 4 hours... Nick loved it! Not pictured is the PB&J sandwhich i had! HAHA!

Mom's butter is on top of the corn... mmm...mmm... good!

Hot molten cake

Our favorite Dessert. SO not good for us, but delicious none the less.

Cake:
1 ½ teaspoons unsalted butter plus ¼ pound (1 stick)

2 Tablesspoons cocoa powder

6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons cold heavy cream

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Whipping Cream:

½ cup cold heavy cream

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon nut-flavored liqueur

¼ cup nuts

½ pint fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease and flour 4 (6-ounce) ramekins or baking dishes with the 1 1/2 teaspoons of butter and 1 teaspoon of sweetened cocoa in each, tapping out the excess flour. Set on a baking sheet. Split the ¼ cup of the nuts in the bottom of each ramekin. In a double boiler, or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the remaining 1/4 pound of butter with the chocolate, cream, and powdered sugar, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and salt until thick ribbons form, about 3 minutes. Sift 2 tablespoons flour into the egg mixture and fold together. Fold the chocolate into the egg mixture. Divide among the prepared dishes and bake until the sides of the cake are set and the tops are puffed but still soft, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the ramekins for 2 minutes, then unmold onto dessert plates. Meanwhile, in a bowl whip the cream until beginning to form soft peaks. Add the sugar and nut liqueur and beat until stiff peaks start to form. Spoon a dollop of the whipped cream on each unmolded cake, and garnish each plate with raspberries.

Serves 4

Quitting the cake business

Sorry about the sideways pictures, but i guess it fits the story that they won't post correctly. I decided that making cakes isn't fun anymore. I like doing them when i have time, not squeezing every second i have to make a cake for a birthday party for people i don't know and not make any money on top of it. This was the last straw. No my sharks did not turn out like the ones in the book, not even close. The frosting didn't melt correctly and it wasn't deep enough to dunk the sharks plus the twinkies are way too top heavy, they all fell over while i took a short nap. I was not happy. This also happened when i made the penguins out of this Hello,Cupcake book. Okay Karen Tack and Allen Richardson this is not cool. I think i am pretty handy around the kitchen. I can usually create things like in their book but 3 out of 4 of the things i have tried IN their book did not turn out. I made the puppies, penguins, sharks and sunflower pot. AND come to think of it the Sunflower pot only turned out because i stopped reading the book. I used my own pastry bags and tips instead of the ziploc like they suggested. DISSAPOINTED!

Side note, the banana nut cupcakes that i made for Nick's class (for fun) did turn out. Homemade Cream cheese frosting is good on anything though. Especially when the cupcakes were fresh out of the oven, it was literally better than cinnabon!

Last week we enjoyed a Summer Squash Tart. Inside was Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Tomatoes, Turkey Sausage and cheese, very tasty.

1 Tbsp. EVOO

1 lb. squash (mix zucchini/squash)

2 turkey sausages

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2 tsp. fresh thyme

1 clove chopped garlic

fresh pepper

1 refrigerated pie crust

4 oz. blue cheese

1 roasted red pepper cut into stripps

1 large plum tomato sliced

1 large egg beaten

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add squash, shallots and turkey. Cook 7 minutes or until squash is crisp/tender. Remove from heat, stir in thyme garlic and pepper. Cool to room temp.

Heat oven to 400, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and unroll the pie crust onto the paper. Crumble half the cheese over the crust, arrange filling in the center of the crust to 2in. away from the edge. Fold edge of crust over onto the top of the pie and brush with the egg. Bake 35-40 min. Crumble remaining cheese on top and serve.

Tonight we will have Basil Salmon.My mom's butter recipe on top of the salmon. A side salad of grilled cherry tomatoes, basil and mozzerella and pesto bread sticks. I am looking forward to Nick getting home so i can have a taste!

Mom's Butter:

1 stick butter at room temp.

2 cloves garlic (mom probably uses more)

6 Large Basil Leaves

Mix together and spoon out onto a piece of wax paper. Roll into a log and refrigerate for one hour. Take out and roll into dried Basil. Serve.

Great idea mom!

Comfort food

I took a stab at making Nordstrom's Tomato Soup. I think it was pretty good even if it wasn't Nordstrom's.
1 Can Tomato Soup
1 cup finely shredded carrots
3 Tbsp. Buttermilk/whatever milk you have
4 Whole Basil Leaves
Salt , Pepper and Red Chili Flakes

I Made this soup with a side sandwhich. I used 9 grain bread and laid a few basil leaves on it, then added Mozzerella and topped it with a slice of Tomato (for Nick, mine was tomato less) We both enjoyed the lunch on a rainy saturday!

Adorable baby boy! I got the opportunity to babysit Jakob while his parents and my hubby went snowboarding. He was the best (and best smelling) baby! He just played, ate and slept! It is weird, you would think that this would be bad for my desire for babies! BUT... it really made me miss my mommy. I want mom there for all of the moments! I want to be able to take my baby to my mom's house to babysit, i want mom and day to be able to smell my baby and cherish the first smiles and the spit bubbles and... everything that makes the whole experience so special. Of course right when i say all of this to Nick (like that i am ready to wait 2 years) he decides that he is ready to have babies once i graduate! Why are we off timing? Oh well, we still have time to think and Pray and wonder. For now i am extremely happy to just be married to my best friend.

New additions

Curtains, showpillow, and posters a perfect activity for a rainy day!