Just a place for me to share my many random thoughts. Maybe I'll have less crazy dreams at night since I'm getting these all out and maybe you'll laugh a little bit or think a little differently than you did before! Enjoy!
So I've always loved cooking/baking, etc. but I've realized lately how much I really love it. So I created a Facebook Community group called "Recipe Round Up"-haha don't ask me how I got the name-I was trying to think of one and that came to mind, and I couldn't really think of another one, so I was like, "Ehh, that'll do." It's just a place for people to share recipes and sounds silly, but I'm excited about it. I know it's nothing revolutionary-there are probably thousands if not more blogs and sites that do the exact same thing.
And I've mentioned this before, but I think cooking/baking/sharing recipes, as simple as those things are, can create community and bonds with people that you may not have had otherwise. It's a fun way to connect with old friends and new friends. And it's just plain fun for me because I think it'll keep me trying out new recipes and it's fun to connect other people to good recipes and to teach younger girls how to cook/bake. I got to do that quite a bit at Trevecca, and I really loved that.
I think when you look at my love for cooking/baking/recipes it all actually comes down to the fact that I LOVE entertaining. I love hosting things. I love creating a space where people can relax, enjoy themselves, and make memories. Way back several years ago, I took a spiritual gifts test and it said one of mine was "hospitality". I think that's pretty right on. SO-I want to use that gift to glorify God. And although it sounds a little funny, I think I can do that through this whole thing-I'm connecting with people already that I don't know well or haven't connected with in years, so who knows what opportunities God will open up through this. Sometimes I think, you just need a common denominator to begin a connection with someone that God can use for his glory-maybe he'll choose to use this. I'm ready God, and in the meantime I'll be on the look out for yummy recipes!
These are two yummy recipes that I've discovered lately and thought I'd share! I love that you can find recipes online so easily and also love that you can find substitutes for ingredients that you may have run out of or don't have in the house: eggs, brown sugar, etc. Enchilada Casserole Compliments of the back of a cheese package (haha seriously) & some changes/additions by me
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (could use chicken or ground turkey) 1 package of taco seasoning 2 cans of rotel (go for the mild version if you don't like hot) 1 can drained corn 1/2 container of salsa (approx 13 ounces) 8 oz light sour cream (could use no fat) 3/4 bag of shredded colby jack cheese (could use low fat) 1 package of white corn tortillas cut into pieces
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9 x 13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Cook meat till browned-drain. Mix the next 6 ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Add meat and mix all together. Layer corn tortilla pieces and mixture in a 9 x 13 sprayed pan. Top with cheese. Cook covered on 350 for about 30-45 minutes or until everything is hot!
I also added some Taco Bell hot sauce to it afterward-how ghetto am I, but it was really good!
You could also prob make them vegetarian by taking out the meat, and adding black beans, spinach, and some other veggies!
You can also make in two 9 x 9 pans and freeze one and cook the other. Make sure to dethaw the frozen before you try to cook it-that'll save you a lot of cooking time. You can put it in the fridge the night before you are going to bake it.
Chocolate Bread a Paula Deen recipe
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups milk 1 cup vegetable oil 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (I didn't use these)
Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray (2) 9 by 5-inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla at medium-low speed with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in the chocolate morsels and pecans. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
*Make sure to only fill pans 1/2 to 3/4 full-if you don't, it will likely overflow AND becomes very hard to cook evenly and all the way through.
So on the plane ride home from the AMAZING and RELAXING and REFRESHING weekend, I was thinking randomly of how much I love certain things. So this post will be a tribute to some inventions/products that I have tested and approved and would like to kiss the inventor of. These are in no particular order:
1. Bobby pins. Yeah random I know, but if you are a girl, you will understand. Bobby pins are a girls best friend. They are small, fit in your pocket, but have strength to hold up just about any up-do you could think possible AND are gentle on your hair. Oh yes, and they are very cheap. Dear Bobby Pinsworth-much appreciated. Glad your wife needed to hold that stray hair back.
2. Nalgene bottles. Nalgene bottles are the reason I love water today and the reason I drink so much water. Aside from this fact, the indestructibility (I'm sure that's not a word) of them is AMAZING. AMAZING. So the Nalgene company says that if your Nalgene breaks, they will replace it, for free, no questions asked. Well, I took it upon myself to see how strong they are. RIGHT after purchasing one, I jammed the Nalgene right up under my back tire (of a Jeep) and proceeded to back over the Nalgene. AND it didn't break. A few scratches from the gravel, but no breakage. AMAZING. Mr. Nalgene maker-you are a genious. Thank you Nalg Nunc. International. See, the 90s DID contribute some useful things to society!
3. Glitter. Glitter just makes everything better. Ok, maybe not everything, but a lot of things. Kids projects, nail polish, lotion, shoes, ugly Christmas sweaters, make-up, etc. etc. etc. Not feeling so hot about your art project, throw some glitter on it! TOMS the shoemaker has recently made me happy and a bit envious of their sweet new GLITTERY TOMS.
4. Discount clothing/home goods stores such as Ross, Burlington Coat Factory, TJ Maxx, etc. WHO doesn't love a good deal? WHY pay $50 for something, when you can get it for $5? It's the thrill of the good find/deal that keeps me going at these stores. YES, they have lots of random things, YES, it takes some patience, but YES, you are often rewarded with a great AND cheap find!
5. Frozen yogurt places. SO good. SO good. What a brilliant idea to have self-serve frozen yogurt in a variety of delicious flavors PLUS topping bars.This is completely besides the point, but these businesses are making a killing because they charge by the weight & people are ridiculous in how much they load up in their bowls-PLUS the ingredients are so straightforward and simple. 6. Coupon books-especially the Entertainment Books-do people not realize how much they save with these? You buy one for about $25 and if you use 3-4 coupons, you've already made your money back! You seriously pay usually about HALF of what you would've normally paid at most places. . .why would you not use a coupon?
7. E-Readers. I am by no means someone who cares to have the newests and coolest electronic, but E-Readers are so cool. I love mine and have read so much more since I got one that I have for a long time. It's light, easy to bring with you, and books are very affordable. 8. Skype-I got to talk to my best friend who I haven't seen in OVER a year tonight on Skype. It was SO good and so nice to feel like we were in the same room just having a conversation. We even vowed to start Skyping monthly which I'm so excited about because although we love each other dearly, we just haven't made regular time to keep up with each other's lifes and what a cool way to do it. I got to talk with her, see her baby girl, and talk with her husband, one of my best guy friends. WHY have I never thought before to Skype with my sweet college friends that I miss so much? Thank you Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis. You've connected friends and family in a very cool way!
9. Cookbooks. I absolutely love cooking and baking and love even looking at new recipes. Cookbooks whether hard copy, recipe cards, or online-I just love. I love old family recipes. I love my Mom's recipes. I love trying out new things and finding new favorites. I love the community that comes with sharing recipes. I know that may sound ridiculous to some, but for those who love cooking, it's a huge compliment when someone asks you for your recipe because they loved something you made. If I could make a living out of trying out new recipes and cooking for people, I'd be a pretty happy woman. I love the creativity that comes with cooking/baking and love making something that people will enjoy.
AND for my last tribute, although if I thought longer, I'm sure I could think of many more. . .
10. Cream cheese. Yes, random I know, but if you like to cook/bake, you will understand. Cream cheese makes every recipe better. It makes delicious homemade frosting, dips, oreo truffles, spreads, creamy soups, cucumber sandwiches, etc. If I were to list my top 10 favorite recipes, probably 8 out of 10 would have cream cheese as an ingredient. So, thank you Cream Cheese inventor William Lawrence, your accident has been making tastebuds happy since 1872.
So I've always loved cooking/baking, etc. but I've realized lately how much I really love it. So I created a Facebook Community group called "Recipe Round Up"-haha don't ask me how I got the name-I was trying to think of one and that came to mind, and I couldn't really think of another one, so I was like, "Ehh, that'll do." It's just a place for people to share recipes and sounds silly, but I'm excited about it. I know it's nothing revolutionary-there are probably thousands if not more blogs and sites that do the exact same thing.
