Cooking with Jake :: Sauteed Spinach and Tomatoes

My husband, Jake, loves to cook. I've talked about how great his cooking is in a previous post. I've always asked him, "Why not be a Chef?" He continually shrugs his shoulders and says, "I love to cook for you and if I cooked all the time, I wouldn't at home; I wouldn't enjoy it anymore." My response: Sorry world! He's all mine, but I'll share with friends and family (sometimes).

While making lamb chops earlier in the week, he threw together a great side dish of sauteed baby spinach and tomatoes topped with Feta cheese.

Take approximately 28 cherub tomatoes and saute them in about a tablespoon of olive oil, a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt, 1/2 teaspoon of thyme, and pepper to taste.

Then add a large handful of fresh baby spinach leaves. Jake isn't much for cooking with measurements, so adjust your seasoning by taste. Allow the baby spinach to saute until slightly wilted. Do not overcook. Then add a handful of Feta cheese. Stir gently until melted. Serve immediately.

This made approximately 4 servings. I've already had it 3 times this week. In fact, I'd love some right now! It's 6:39 am and he's out fishing, so I may have to wait a while! Enjoy!

April's Treat Yourself Right Challenge :: Day 4 & 5

Treat Yourself Right!

Yesterday's goal was to read a few chapters of a favorite book.

Choosing a favorite book is no easy affair. It has taken me years to make my final selection, but I think I've made a good choice. Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles is my one go-to book. It is filled with life's prettiness and ugliness; and I adore Hardy's writing style. I think I finishing re-reading this classic over the weekend!

Today, I'm suppose to do something unexpected. I'm not sure what that entails, but I will give it my best! I'll let you know how the day goes!

Update:: Last night, my sis-in-law, my husband, and I went to a FFA and 4H County Animal Sale. I even got a bidding paddle. As much as I wanted to bid, I'm not one to buy rabbits for $1,300! I was hoping to bid on the cakes as they came across the stage, but they wouldn't sell until later in the evening. I will, however, being making an add-on for a special girl's steer!

Wild Weather :: Tornadoes in Texas!

If you live in Texas, chances are you experienced the tornado filled cold front of yesterday. From what I read this morning, it stretched from San Antonio all the way to Missouri.

The reports coming out of Dallas were quite scary. I know of several people whom found themselves hunkered down in restrooms or stairwells while these tornadoes ripped through the city. A family we know had their flight delayed out of Denver and were re-routed to Lubbock because DFW cancelled flights.

In Longview, the emergency sirens wailed as my phone rang to update our weather status: tornado warning! My husband and I went outside to look at the approaching weather and this is what we saw.

 

About a half-hour into the storm, we noticed visible rotation in the clouds. I have never seen anything like it; especially when the clouds starting separating in opposite directions. I readied for a funnel, but to my relief, none appeared.

Thank goodness!

Friends on Facebook from all around East Texas, noted pea sized hail, tree strikes, and lots of wind - luckily though, no tornadoes or severe damage.

The Longview News-Journal publisheded an article  by Mike Elswick highlighting last night's storm and explaining the differences between warning and watches.

My friend, Amy McCarty, has a free emergency preparedness class on April 12th for those of you wanting to learn more about being prepared.

How did you fare in last night's storms? Any damage? Any sitings? 

An Easter Project :: Making Chocolate Bunnies & Hollow Treat Eggs

Chocolate bunnies are synonymous with Easter. Children’s baskets will be filled with these adorable little hoppers come Easter morning. By lunchtime, they may be missing their ears! So, why not make your own?

Today, I had some of my favorite ladies over for some adult play-time in the kitchen. We made bunnies, medallions, eggs, owls, frogs, and fireflies. We all have boys, so chocolate frogs and flies seemed like the perfect addition. I even made my specialty Passion Tea Lemonade and some mini quiches to add a little flair to the afternoon.

For the bunnies, you’ll need a rabbit candy mold, 1 package of candy melts (in your favorite flavor or color), cellophane bags with ties, and either a Wilton Chocolate Pro Melting pot or a handful of icing bags.

Let’s begin:

1. Melt the candy melts. There are several ways to do this. You can melt them in a low-temperature candy melting pot, like the Wilton Chocolate Pro Melt; or you can use and icing bag filled with 8 to 10 melts and heated in the microwave (on defrost) according to the candy melt directions. I have used both ways and prefer the melting pot.

2. Once melted, either gently pour from the melting pot into your mold or snip the tip of the bag and lightly squeeze the chocolate into the mold. Fill your mold to the brim and ensure overall even distribution of chocolate throughout you mold. Clean off any excess chocolate on the mold.

3. Place in the fridge or freezer for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on which works best for you. My freezer did the trick this afternoon.  Be careful not to leave the chocolate in the cold too long as it will begin to condense. You can tell the chocolate has set when it is firm to the touch and the chocolate appears to have pulled away from the mold. The cavity will also appear slightly grey.

4. Gently turn the mold over and lightly press down. Slowly! The chocolate bunny should release. If it does not, return the mold to the fridge for a few more minutes.

5. Take the chocolate bunny and place it into a cellophane bag. Then make a place for it in the Easter basket! Make sure the chocolate bunny is not exposed to direct sunlight or heat, as it will melt.

{To make a hollow chocolate egg that you can fill with candies or trinkets, simply fill both sides of a small egg mold to the brim. Allow them to cool for approximately one minute. Then promptly remove them and “dump” the softer chocolate back into the melting pot.  Then return the molds into the fridge to completely cool. Gently remove the chocolate shells from the molds. Fill with whatever you please. Take a royal icing, in any color, and seal the two halves together. You can decorate them any way you choose! }





Your little ones (and even big ones) will love knowing YOU made their chocolate bunny this year! Happy Easter!



A decorated chocolate medallion by one of my friends!



Note: Don’t wash your candy molds in soapy water. Simply rinse them out and let them dry. Otherwise, the soap will adhere to your molds and make your future chocolate creations taste odd. Also, if you make any other sugar art (like sugar eggs), do not use these molds for that purpose, as sugar scratches your molds and will change the chocolate texture.

I get my candy molds from Wine & Cake Hobbies in Norfolk, Virginia.

MomLife Boot Camp Recap :: Part 2 - Pouring the Water

Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. John 2:7 

One of my favorite speakers from the MomLife Boot Camp was Tracey Eyster. Tracey is the creator and editor of MomLife Today and was our hostess throughout the weekend. She is a vibrant, funny, and engaging woman. She has her first book, Be The Mom, due out later this year. While speaking with us, she emphasized the importance of "pouring the water" in John 2.

Tracey opened with the first miracle of Jesus - turning water into wine. While Jesus and the miracle are both important, the focus of Tracey's message turned to the water pourers. They had no idea why they were filling vessels to the brim with water, yet they humbly obeyed and performed the task at hand. Tracey related the work of the water pourers to that of a Mom.

As Moms, we are asked to do things for our children daily - some mundane, some life impacting, and some the basic fundamentals. All the while, being wary of what we impart upon our children. Just like the water pourers filled the vessels; Moms are also filling their children. Moms are the water pourers; and we must fill our children according to the Lord's will.

Tracey made an important point I'd like to share. If we are not filling our children to the brim or 100% each day, then someone or something else will fill them up. She went so far as to say that when filled with negative things, the negative aspects can displace the positive; thus undoing all we have previously poured. Continual pouring is vital!

So why is it important to pour the water as the water pourers did? Because, like the water pourers, we don't yet know what will become of the water. However, as his first miracle, Jesus turned the water into the finest wine. As our children are constantly poured into, they too will become the finest of their kind.

At the end of Tracey's speech, the ladies from MomLife and FamilyLife shared another gift with us. The oddly adorable clip we received in our Mom Survival Kit, now had a purpose. It was a stand for our Character Shines! Prayer Cards. Each card displays one character trait, its description, a scripture verse, and a prayer taken from While They are Sleeping by Ann Arkins. Some of the twelve traits included are discernment, forgiveness, and  humility. Thank you ladies for such a wonderful family gift!

As previously noted, the Character Shines! Prayer Cards were a gift from the company, FamilyLife, whom sells them for $9.99 a set.

April's Treat Yourself Right Challenge :: Day 2 & 3

Treat Yourself Right!

Yesterday's Treat Yourself Right goal was to plant something to become beautiful.

A month ago, my friend's daughter was fundraising for a mission trip. She was selling bulbs and plants. I purchased Begonias and a Bleeding Heart. They arrived last week and I took the time yesterday to put them in the ground.

Today's goal is to enjoy time with friends.

I have two special ladies coming over later this afternoon. I'm going to show them how simple it is to make chocolate bunnies for Easter baskets. And if I remember to put my SD card back into my camera, I'll share that with you all too!

Longview World of Wonders :: Online Fundraiser for the Month of April



As many of you know, I am a Board Member and the Fundraising Chairwoman for Longview World of Wonders. Throughout the month of April, LongviewWOW is having an online fundraiser via Global Giving in order to raise funds for an amazing upcoming program for the children of the East Texas region. I wanted to share a bit of the summary from LongviewWOW's fundraising page with my readers.

Summary

In September, LongviewWOW will host the Traveling Space Museum as our largest event to date. Our event, named Out of this World - a Children's Hands-On Science Expo, will feature 12 large-scale and fully functional simulators and other exhibits from The Traveling Space Museum. LongviewWOW is inviting local businesses and organizations to provide additional hands-on activities for youth, highlighting science, engineering, and technology. We are seeking your help to make this event possible!

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

LongviewWOW is a dedicated all-volunteer non-profit organization making an impact on our East Texas community through children's educational programming. Currently, there is a shortfall of science programming geared towards youth of all ages in our community.

How will this project solve this problem?

LongviewWOW hopes to inspire a life-long love of learning by giving children the opportunity to create and explore in a hands-on educational environment. Through Out of This World, LongviewWOW can further its mission. By offering this science and technology program, children will have first hand knowledge of scientific principles, space exploration, flight, forensics, and more.

Potential Long Term Impact

Currently, LongviewWOW is operating our Without Walls initiative as we raise funds to build and support our children's discovery facility. With the continued support of the community, LongviewWOW's first Brick and Mortar Capital Campaign will kick-off next year to make this facility become a reality.

Project Message

It has been so wonderful to see what happens at our events, from LEGO workshops, to activities based around literature and science - kids are engaged, laughing, having a good time, while learning.
- Jo Lee Ferguson, Board Member, Vice-President for LongviewWOW

Experimental Recipes :: Veggie Bites

While perusing my newest issue of KIWI magazine, I came upon a recipe called Zucchini Bites. We made them for dinner and our boys loved them! What a wonderful way to get in 2 servings of veggies they may not otherwise eat.

With some modifications to the original, these Veggie Bites are sure to be hit at dinnertime. Add crab or chicken (cooked) and they become lovely hors d’oeuvres at a bridal shower or weekend party.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter, melted.

2 large eggs

2 c. grated vegetable (zucchini, carrots, or butternut squash; you could also use chopped mushrooms.)

½ c. white onion, finely chopped

½ c. grated cheddar cheese (or any other hard cheese)

1 c. plain breadcrumbs

½ c. finely chopped Italian parsley

¼ tsp. kosher salt

Pinch of freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Coat 2 mini-muffin tines with butter using a silicon brush.

2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Add the grated veggie, onion, cheese, breadcrumbs, Italian parsley, salt and pepper; fold together using a spatula.

3. With your hands or a melon baller, fill each muffin tin ½ way to full, depending on the desired size. Clean excess mixture off of tin prior to baking.

4. Bake the bites for 15 minutes, or until the tops are slightly browned. Transfer the bites to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Repeat with remaining mixture. Enjoy!

Makes approximately 3 dozen.

What veggie/cheese combinations did you come up with? Please share them!

Weekly Goals :: 4/1 - 4/7/2012

Goals for 3/25 - 3/31
Home
1. Get house back in order from the boys' weekend!
2. Weekly chores
3. Help youngest organize his room, again... He and his brother worked together on this!
4. Redo my reading nook
Kids
1. Help with this week's memory verse
2. Take Duchess to be spayed - Bob Barker would be proud!
3. Begin getting items made for Easter baskets4. Make a new sensory tub for Easter I'll be working on this today!
5. Finish reading the story of Odysseus. We have a little more to read : )

Volunteering
1. Bylaw committee meeting
2. Board meeting
3. 4H Fundraising Car Wash
4. Work on grants
5. Help with Wednesday night's children's program at church
Personal
1. Finish reading For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn
2. Make sure I am working at my friendships - playdates for Moms : )
3. Pilates and running
4. Improve my scheduling for my time5. Head to Ulta's Brow Bar On the list for today!

Goals for 4/1 - 4/7/2012

Home
1. Contact the auto collision shop to make an appointment for my car.
2. Hang remaining art work and bulletin boards.
3. Refill bird feeders and hang hummingbird feeder.
4. Groom roses and make a caterpillar repellent.
5. Clean out fridge, again.

Kids
1. Help with memory verse and teach about Easter each day this week.
2. 4H Round-Up Competition; register for District Entomology
3. Finish gathering/making Easter Basket Goodies
4. Family Night: Disc Golf
5. Finish Easter sensory tub
6. Finish the Odyssey.

Volunteering
1. Wednesday night Church kids class
2. Meeting with LeTourneau University
3. Junior Master Gardening - plants for garden and set up a time to go out to
    garden plot

Personal
1. Chocolate bunnies with friends!
2. Bake for Easter weekend
3. The April Treat Yourself Right daily challenge
4. Pilates class
5. Head to the Brow Bar today!

This is a "short" week for me, as it is Easter week. After Thursday afternoon, this time will be spent with friends and family, so I'm going to work a little harder at getting this list completed.

Treat Yourself Right :: A Fun Challenge for the Month of April

Treat Yourself Right!

As homemakers, we can sometimes forget home to treat ourselves right, so this month I’ve set a challenge for myself and you!  Below are challenges for each day in April; see how many you can accomplish! Let me know what you’ve done to Treat Yourself Right and I’ll share what I’ve done as well! Have fun!

1.       Indulge in a favorite beverage

2.       Plant something to become beautiful

3.       Enjoy time with friends

4.       Read a few chapters of a favorite book

5.       Do something unexpected

6.       Be as unproductive as possible

7.       Say “yes” to most of the day

8.       Enjoy time with the family

9.       Take a candle lit bubble bath

10.   Be spontaneous

11.   Free write for 10 minutes and share with the world

12.   Turn on the music and dance

13.   Bake your favorite dessert

14.   Act like a kid

15.   Be creative and make something for you

16.   Put your best face forward

17.   Watch a movie – one that you will like

18.   Plan an evening with your significant other

19.   Do something for your community (b/c when you do you do something for yourself)

20.   Make a bucket list

21.   Buy something that you like

22.   Pamper yourself

23.   Make a random person smile – keep count

24.   Get dirty : )

25.   Be kind to someone else

26.   Chocolate! need I say more?

27.   Spend the day outside – meals, chores, schoolwork, etc.

28.    Promote your favorite non-profit

29.   Try something new

30.   Indulge in a favorite beverage – you are awesome!

Since today is April 1^st, I’ve already completed my first challenge – I made a chai tea latte this morning! Hope your month starts off great!