Summer Recap!

August?! How is it already August? Summer has just been one big, awesome, fun-filled blur this year! From our cousins, Cadyn, Lance, and Megan's graduations (we were able to make 2 of their ceremonies)...

to our anniversary trip to Arlington for a Ranger's vs. Astros game...

...to family reunions, to baby showers, to successful antique shopping with the girls...

(you'll notice they can't move for all the furniture in their laps!)

...to keeping these two out of trouble while they're looking for trouble...

(this did end okay by the way...nothing was underneath the boat, but I was worried for awhile!)

...to my old roommate, Jennifer's, sweet wedding in beautiful Alpine...

...we have barely had time to take a breath! But even amidst all the craziness, I have found some time to get some craft projects completed! :-) I'll try to share them with you over the next few weeks. Here's the first one...

for my youngest cousin, Cadyn's graduation, I made her photo coasters! They're super simple and easy to make! First, buy some plain white tiles (about 12 cents at Home Depot) or find a cheap coaster set on clearance (I found this set at Wal-Mart).

Then, use spray adhesive (I used Elmer's) to attach the photos to the coasters.

Then top with several coats of ModPodge (allow drying time) and spray with several coats of high-gloss acrylic sealant (I used Krylon Triple-Thick Crystal Clear Glaze). Be sure to let the glaze dry overnight before spraying again!

And there you have it! :-) For the final touch, tie the tiles together with some pretty ribbon and gift wrap 'em! Hope you have a blessed week! I'll be back soon with more craft projects!

Meat, Potatoes, and a new Home!

Wow! Life has been crazy lately. Not the usual everyday craziness, but the usual everyday craziness times one hundred. The reason for my husband and I running around like Energizer bunnies during the day and crashing like marathon runners at night is because...drum roll please...we bought a house! :-) A very sweet first-time home-owners house with good bones that just needed a little cosmetic TLC. I'm talking painting 8 hours in one day 'til 1 a.m. cosmetic TLC. Finishing-the-tile-underneath-the-stove-and-refrigerator-that-the-previous-owner-forgot-or-chose-not-to-do-so TLC. And the list goes on...but we do like the house and are anxious to get to move inside!

....that's just a taste of how crazy our life has been for the past several months! So crazy in fact that the first part of the post is one that I actually started on January 23rd...and the post that I'm just now finishing up on May 8th! So here's a bit of an update...after much cosmetic renovation (and all of our spare time spent) we are finally moved into our new house and it's finally starting to feel like home!

 It's amazing how good our God is and how quick we lose sight of it when times get busy(which unfortunately I have been extremely guilty of lately)! God has blessed my sweet husband and I in some amazing ways during the first part of 2012, and we can't wait to see what he has in store for us in the coming months!

After an almost 4-month hiatus from posting recipes and craft projects ...here are a couple of our new favorite recipes!

Simple Salisbury Steak (tweaked from an original recipe found here)
1 can (10.75 oz.) mushroom soup (I used Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup)
1 lb. ground meat
1/3 c. Panko Bread Crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 c. chopped onion

Mix 1/4 c. of the soup, beef, bread crubs, egg, spices, and onion. Shape into 6 firm patties. Cook patties over medium/high heat until brown. Drain any excess fat. Stir in remaining soup. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes

Aaaaannnddddd....what is salisbury steak without some form of mashed potatoes?

Restaurant Style Smashed Potatoes (tweaked only slightly from the Pioneer Woman's recipe)
5 whole large red potatoes
1 stick butter, softened and cut into pieces (I used a little less)
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 whole green oniones, sliced
3/4 c. Plain Yogurt (or sour cream)
salt to taste (add plenty)
black pepper (ditto)
3/4 c. french fried onions (and more for topping)

Bake potatoes in oven until fork-tender. Add to a large bowl and smash with potato masher. Immediately add softened butter, green onions, bacon, and sour cream and stir with rubber spatula. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add french fried onions and fold in. Serve hot, sprinkling on extra french fried onions and green onions.

Sorry I don't have any pictures of these recipes either, but trust me...they are incredible and are both now permanent residents in our family recipe file! :-D

May God bless you in everything you do this week!

Overdue Sweet Treats!

  What a wonderfully crazy-busy holiday season we've had! Our first Christmas as Mr. and Mrs. flew by and we got the chance to make a lot of wonderful memories with both of our families! From gag gifts with my husband's family (next year should be interesting!) to catching up with my mom's family, to successful hunting trips on my dad's place, we've had a very exciting week and a half!
    Celebrating the new year and my birthday last night as a married couple was also so much sweeter this year! We were so blessed in 2011 and we have many exciting things to look forward to in 2012!

But on to the recipes! As promised, here is the hot pink zebra cookie recipe! These were perfect for my sister-in-laws bachelorette party, and I was so excited when I first spotted them on Pintrest!

1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. shortening (I used regular Crisco)
1/4 c. butter, softened
2 Tbsp. milk
1 egg
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. milk
about 6 drops of hot pink food gel coloring (I actually used more)
pink sugar sprinkles
Hershey's Hugs


Cream together butter, shortening, and peanut butter. Mix in sugars, egg, and milk. Add the remaining ingredients (except for sugar sprinkles and Hershey's Hugs). Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 to 2-inch balls and dredge through pink sugar until fully coated (for one batch of cookies, this took an entire container of the sprinkles). Place on an ungreased cookie sheet at least 3 inches apart. Bake 9-10 minutes. After the cookies are finished baking, immediately place a Hershey Hug in the middle of the cookie, pressing it down half-way. The hug will keep it's shape as long as it isn't touched. Once the cookie and chocolate cool completely, the hug will become solid again and the cookies can be transfered to the airtight container of your choice. If you move them too soon, the Hug will droop to one side.


I also have another recipe to share with you! This one is another of my father-in-law's favorites! I found the original recipe on allrecipes.com where it was called "Lemon Lover's Pound Cake," but I've adaptaed it to be a little more digestive system friendly for the lactose-challenged like me! (I am still able to eat butter in dishes, so I'm not sure how well margarine or another butter-substitute would do with this recipe, especially since the recipe said "no substitutes" on butter. The yogurt worked great in place of the sour cream through!).

 Lemon Pound Cake

1 c. butter (no substitutes), softened

3 c. sugar

6 eggs

5 Tbsp. lemon juice (I used between 7-9 small lemons)

1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel

1 tsp. lemon extract

3 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. plain yogurt

Icing:

1/4 c. plain yogurt

2 Tbsp. butter, softened

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. grated lemon peel

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in lemon juice, peel and extract. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Beat until combined. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for at least an hour before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. For icing, in a small bowl, beat the sour cream and butter until blended. Gradually stir in powdered sugar. Beat in lemond juice and peel. Drizzle over cake (you definitely won't need all of the icing!)

I pray many blessings for you and your family in 2012 and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas season!