Saturday, October 30, 2010

Italian

That's been the theme of dinner this week.  Full of carbs to be sure, but delicious! Here are just a few of the recipes I tried this week!

Classic Cheese Lasagna (from Martha Stewart)

1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound fresh mozzarella
Marinara
Fresh Lasagna Noodles, cut into 4-by-13-inch strips and cooked, or store-bought dried noodles, cooked
5 ounces coarsely grated Parmesan cheese, (about 1 3/4 cups)

1.Preheat oven to 375. Combine ricotta, egg, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Season with pepper. Coarsely grate 1/2 of the mozzarella, and stir into ricotta mixture. Using your fingers, shred remaining mozzarella into 2-inch strips, and reserve.

2.Spread 1/2 cup marinara in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place a layer of noodles over marinara. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over noodles, and sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan. Place a layer of noodles over the cheese layer. Spread 1 cup marinara over noodles. Repeat layering (noodles, marinara, noodles, ricotta mixture, Parmesan) 2 more times. Spread remaining marinara over cheese layer, then sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.

3.Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.


Triple Chocolate Tiramisu (from Better Homes & Gardens)

2 3-ounce packages ladyfingers, split (I made some...they were easy!)
1/4 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
1 8-ounce carton mascarpone cheese
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ounce white chocolate baking squares or white baking bars, grated
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, grated
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans (optional)

1. Line the bottom of an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with some of the ladyfingers, cutting to fit as necessary. Drizzle half of the espresso over ladyfingers;set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer just until stiff peaks form. Beat in the chocolate liqueur until just combined. Spoon half of the mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers, spreading evenly. Sprinkle white chocolate and bittersweet chocolate over the mascarpone mixture. Top with another layer of ladyfingers (reserve any remaining ladyfingers for another use). Layer with remaining espresso and mascarpone cheese mixture.

3. Cover and chill for 6 to 24 hours. Sift cocoa powder over top of dessert. If desired, garnish with cocoa beans.



Italian Meatloaf (from FoodNetwork)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red pepper, seeded, small diced (I used red pepper flakes)
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons (about 3 cloves) chopped garlic
1 pound ground beef
2 eggs
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat and add the peppers, onions and garlic. Saute until just soft, remove to a plate and cool.

When the peppers and onions are cool, combine all of the remaining ingredients together except for the marinara. Pack the meat mixture into an oiled loaf pan, if you do not have a loaf pan, form the meat mixture into a loaf shape on an oiled oven tray or baking dish. Top with the marinara making sure to spread evenly over the top.

Bake for approximately 50 to 60 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F in the middle of the meatloaf. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

It's a race...

to see who can blog about it. 

That's what it's like sometimes in this house. ;-) With two bloggers under the same roof, doing alot of the same things, how do you decide who blogs about what? That's where it becomes a 'race' to see who will blog about it first. Sometimes you'll see Maggie post about things, sometimes me, and sometimes both of us. As for today...Maggie go to it first.  So head on over to read about our fun afternoon baking with Lilly & Olivia! 

The voice of the Lord...

(from Psalm 29)
...is upon the waters (3)
...is powerful (4)
...is full of majesty (4)
...breaketh the cedars (5)
...divideth the flames of fire (7)
...shaketh the wilderness (8)
...maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests (9)

What an awesome God we serve!

Psalm 29:2 ~ Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Faith

Every year our home church participates in what we call Faith Promise Missions. For those who are not familiar with it, it's where we make a commitment to God by faith that we'll give a certain amount of money per week to missions.  This is a decision that is made between you and God and it a faith-grower as you see God supply the money when you don't necessarily know where it's going to come from. 

I'm truly amazed at what the Lord has allowed me to give over the years, and it's exciting to think of how that money is being used to send men and their families all over the world to share the Gospel in places that I'll never go to.  So while I may not be able to physically go share the Gospel with certain people groups...my money can help send others who are able. It's also because of the same commitment to give in others that we are over here starting a church!

I'm coming up on almost 5 months without a job, and I'm not going to lie...it gets discouraging at times.  My parents have been a huge blessing by taking care of some of my bills during this time. (Put it on my tab...haha)  One thing that was really discouraging to me though was not being able to give my faith promise.  I knew that the Lord knew my heart and that I really desired to give it, but just wasn't able.  One afternoon I expressed such feelings with my mom and so we prayed about it.  Although the Lord hasn't provided a full-time job yet, He has provided the babysitting job...which is turning out to be longer than the anticipated 2 weeks!  It doesn't pay much, BUT it's giving me money to give towards faith promise!  Praise the Lord!  So, as mentioned before it's a faith growing experience, and I look forward to seeing how the Lord will continue to provide for my needs. 

Hebrews 11:1 ~ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.


Philippians 4:19 ~ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Little

little fingers...little toes...little lips...little nose

They're so much cuter when they're little!

Friday, October 22, 2010

It's time...

There have been a couple of things I've been pondering for a while. 

#1 - Start commenting on blogs that I stalk read which are written by people I don't personally know. 
#2 - Have you, my blog stalkers readers, identify yourselves!

I've started commenting on blogs...now it's your turn.  Whether I know you or not...you've been reading for awhile or it's your first visit...please make yourself known!  If you still wish to remain anonymous...it's ok, I forgive you. :) 

Ready, set, comment!!

Monday, October 18, 2010

God Wants To Hear You Sing

Maggie, Chris & I sang this on Sunday.  It's a great song!  There were a few hiccups in the second verse, but I'm posting it anyways because it was requested. ;-)

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Update

I'm still plugging away at looking for a job.  I'm constantly checking worksource and have applied for several position recently, but haven't heard anything back from them.  I know God has a reason for me being out of work this long.  So, I'm just trying to be patient and trust in Him! 

In the meantime...I start babysitting on Monday for a 7-month old little boy (my dad's coworker's grandson).  It'll be Mon-Thur for the next 2 weeks.  Praise the Lord He has allowed me this opportunity to make some cash and be a witness/testimony to this family!  

Saturday, October 9, 2010

How much wood...

Before

During


After

We spent a busy 5 1/2 hours today cutting wood.  Praise the Lord for log splitters!  Much thanks to Brother Otto and Arthur for coming over and letting us use it!!!  We had a great time of fellowship with them and now have plenty of wood to get us through the winter. 
Also...Praise the Lord He held off the rain long enough for us to get it all done!!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Happy Birthday, Dad!


Today is my dad's birthday!  Unfortunately he had to work, but I guess that's what happens when you grow up. =)  We sang to him this morning like we always do, and crawled back in bed while he went off to work. *sheepish grin* 
I made enchiladas for dinner and Maggie made a pineapple upside down cake for dessert...two of his favorite things!  We played a couple rounds of Rummikub and then watched some Cake Boss & Hoarding. (Cake Boss makes me want to decorate cakes....Hoarding makes me want to clean! haha)  Oh, and we also got his weight machine put in our excerise room...completing it for now...until we get a treadmill.  Yay!!  I think the only thing that would have made today better, would have been to have Josh here.  :( 


Joyful
Easy-going
Faithful
Friendly
Reliable
Efficient
Youthful
Happy Birthday, Dad!  I love you very much!!!

Monday, October 4, 2010

My Little Messenger

Brother Majors came over last night so he and my dad could begin watching the last Bible Institute class.  While us girls were upstairs we decided to finish watching Emma.  We had disc 2, but wanted to finish disc 1 first even though we've seen it many times over.  The only problem was disc one was downstairs with the guys and we were *ahem* in our pjs!

We started joking around about sending Max downstairs to retrieve the desired DVD, and I decided to try it out!

I put a bag around his neck with a note attached and sent him downstairs.  At first he tried to eat the note, so I moved the bag around so it was on his back.  He wouldn't go down the stairs all by himself...so I went with him down to the landing and a couple steps more just to get him going.  He went all the way down and turned into the office.  Wrong direction! :)  He quickly realized they weren't in there and went across to the family room this time partly carrying the bag in his mouth as shown by the pictures. Haha...I was cracking up!!!  He walked in and the guys were like, 'Hey Max what you got there?  Oh, it's a note...they want the DVD that was in the laptop.'  By this point I was dying!!  They put the DVD in the bag and sent Max back my way.  I had to call him, but he was more than happy to help. :)  He loves carrying stuff around....it's so funny!!  I wish I had the whole thing on video, but oh well.  I did take pictures afterwards!


 "Please put Emma in the bag.  It was in the laptop."

 
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