One Heck of a Month! Plus, a yummy sandwich recipe.

It’s been a little while since my last post.  For some reason, I can be super creative when I’m supposed to be listening at church.  Literally dozens of ideas were rattling around in my brain until I told myself to pay attention!!! The last month has been bursting with new experiences; bear with me as I try to narrow my topic down.

Tulum Ruins

My husband and I celebrated our 20^th wedding anniversary early and we went to Cancun, Mexico.  It was the first time I’ve been away from my kids for that long.  Ever! We were gone for 5 days. I didn’t worry since my parents came down and stayed with them, it helped knowing they were in awesome hands. We also had neighbors that pitched in to give my mom a break. Lucas did wind up calling a few nights to prolong bedtime, but for the most part my kids held it together and kept the sibling rivalry to a minimum.

One of my favorite memories of the trip was when my husband turned to me and asked, “You’re a world traveler now; where do you want to go next?”

We packed a lot into our time there.  We swam with dolphins and snorkeled in the ocean. We explored the ruins of Tulum and even jumped off a 14 foot cliff.  The camera malfunctioned and didn’t record my leap, so you’ll have to take my word for it.

I'm at the top of the cliff.

When we got back home we took my oldest son to his week long summer mission trip to Camden, SC, called Salkehatchie (http://www.salkehatchie.org/home/) and it’s sponsored through the United Methodist Church.  This was Will’s fourth year attending and he looks forward to it every year.  Teens from all over the state of South Carolina (And some from Arkansas, North Carolina, and Wisconsin) come together and rehabilitate homes for those in need. The teens, under adult supervision (Will is editing this and can say adult supervision was not the case), hang siding, rip up and then lay new floors, as well as many other home repairs.  It’s a beautiful thing. 

I am so proud of who Will is growing up to be.  I try to leave him out of these posts to respect his privacy , but I want to share the feelings I’ve had lately of watching him grow away from me and into an adult. That’s the whole point of being a parent, isn’t it? Raising them to be productive, kind people? He’s fiercely independent and more than a little stubborn.  He’s shown great choices in the people he chooses to hang out with. It’s just a little sad to think that he won’t always be here cracking jokes with me.  It’s an adjustment to go from being the center of someone’s world to watching from the sidelines. 

Maybe that’s why Mary treasured all the things up in her heart when Jesus was little. (Luke 2:19) She knew He was special and for a little while she was his center. What a responsibility we all have as mothers to train these little people in a way that we don’t diminish the specialness God places in each of them. Holding them close to us, kissing their boo boo’s and at the same time not worrying when your son drives off to run errands in his new (used) SUV.

Mary was there through a lot of Jesus’ ministry. She was there for his first miracle (John 2:1-5).  She was there as he hung from the cross. (John 19:26-27) I look to Mary as a godly example of motherhood. 

How do I love with open hands that encourage my child to become who God knows them to be?  It’s a challenge not to hold them so closely to me that they don’t or can’t leave. My second son told me the other day that he’s going to Afghanistan as a missionary. What do you say to that? No? Don’t go?

Will and Nana.

It’s difficult to think ahead and think of a time when we won’t all be together under the same roof; yet, it’s exciting and rewarding to see Will (and the rest of them) grow into who God knows them to be. But, today is not this day! This day my son is still with me.  Ok, technically, he’s working at Chick-fil-A a lot of the time, but I think you get the picture. 

I know my time with him is limited so I’m a little more willing to cater to him.  I want him to come back home after all. With that in mind, I like to make some dinners he likes.  (I was wondering when I started this blog how I’d get a recipe in here.) One of his favorites is “Roast Beef to the Rescue”. Cute, right? It’s a roast beef sandwich on crusty bread with a spread made of cream cheese and sun dried tomato pesto. It was another recipe I had entered in Paula Deen’s recipe contest with Philadelphia Cream Cheese back in 2010. Here’s the link to the YouTube video and the recipe follows:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH5hjGiblG4&t=128s

Roast Beef to the Rescue

Ingredients:

6 ciabatta rolls

1 pound shaved roast beef

8oz shredded mozzarella cheese

1 sweet Vidalia onion, sliced thin

1 sweet colored pepper, sliced thin

1 8oz block cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp sundried tomato pesto

 Lettuce leaves/sliced tomato (optional)

1.       Preheat oven to 350

2.       In a small bowl combine the softened cream cheese and sundried tomato pesto

3.       In a small sauce pan, cook the onion and peppers until softened. Add a pinch of salt and pepper

4.       Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, lay the bottom of the buns and layer with the roast beef, onions and peppers. Top with mozzarella cheese.  On the top bun, slather it generously with the cream cheese spread and sprinkle on some more mozzarella cheese.

5.       Bake the sandwiches for 5-10, until the cheese is melted and gooey.

6.       Top with the lettuce and tomato slices and serve with carrot sticks and maybe a fruit salad.

Enjoy your babies. Learn about what makes them special, teach them about Jesus and love them with open hands.

I’ll leave you with Proverbs 15:20: A wise son brings joy to his mother.

Mexican Lasagna with a side of me.

Facebook has a “time hop” feature that shows you posts that you made on that day “x” years ago.  A year ago I posted about dreaming big dreams.  I had wanted to audition for the Next Food Network Star in Atlanta.  I never went. 

I have a husband who’s supportive and kids who want me do to it; not to mention extended family and friends encouraging me to “Just Do It”!  I chickened out.  I tell my kids not to live with regret, and I’m showing them hesitation. 

This past year I’ve been stepping out more.  While on vacation, I entered an “Iron Chef” competition.  Not realizing people would have their children judge, my Grilled Bbq Shrimp didn’t go over the greatest; or, it could be that my presentation was covered in nerves.  The winner was Philly Chili and the guy who presented could sell ice to an Eskimo and apparently beans to kids (except mine).



Love this girl!

My sweet friend, Shannon and I had the opportunity to do a Skype interview to be on a new show underdevelopment on Food Network.  It was a church cooking competition.  We never did hear back from them, even after multiple calls and emails.  That will not dampen my dream.

I entered a BBQ and Dessert Cook Off.  I made a lemon cheese cake.  That won second place.  Local restaurant owners judged the event.  I heard one say that he would put my dessert on his menu.  

Lemon Cheesecake!

I finally took platters of my pumpkin rolls up to the school for the teachers, in the hopes of drumming up baking orders.  I had only been thinking about doing it for two years.  I froze a little when asked what they were, but managed to describe the delicate, moist pumpkin spice cake rolled with homemade cream cheese filling. 

Ok, I’ll stop talking about myself.  My point in all this is that I’m ready to start moving towards my outrageous, God sized goal.  I finally completed the online application for Food Network Star.   One of the recipes I talked about in my application was for the Mexican Lasagna I talked about on Facebook last week.  I promised a few friends that I would write it down for them.   



Red Sauce with sour cream mixture

Mexican Lasagna:

You will need:
1 box oven ready Lasagna noodles
1 pkt taco seasoning
½ cup diced onion
1 # ground pork
8 oz shredded Colby Jack cheese

Layering the tortilla chips on the sour cream.

8 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
½ cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 large can of red enchilada sauce
12 oz crushed tomatoes
2c crushed tortilla chips
 



And now the cheese!

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.       Brown the pork over medium heat making sure to break it up well. Add the onion and cook until the onion is tender.
3.       Add the enchilada sauce and crushed tomatoes. Remove            from heat.  
4.       In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and cream of chicken soup
5.       In a 13x9 pan take two ladles of red sauce and spread on bottom.  Add a layer of noodles.


Finished product!

6.       Next spread the cream mixture on the noodles and    sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips and mozzarella cheese
7.       Top that with the red sauce. Repeat two more times. 
8.       The top layer use all the reaming sauce, then smother with     the Colby Jack cheese. 
9.       Loosely tent foil over the top and cook at 350 for 45-50 minutes.  When a knife can be   inserted cleanly through the noodles, remove the foil and cook for 10 minutes more to brown the cheese
10.   Remove from the oven and let stand for 10-15 minutes so the sauce can be absorbed, otherwise, when you cut a slice the sauce will be too loose.

I topped mine with chopped avocado, home made pico de gallo and taco sauce.  I hope you enjoy it, it's perfect for this time of year as the days are getting cooler.  Happy Fall Y'All!



Comfort Food for a Manic Monday

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Monday, y’all!  Don’t you love those mornings that start early?  Like 2am?  Yeah, I’m pretty much over them myself.  Needless to say, by the time 6am came around, I was pretty groggy.  I’m still groggy and it’s 6:24 pm. 

***Ok, I’ll be honest…it’s now Wednesday.  I had every intention of getting this up on Monday, then I got tired, there was a field trip, my son needed to use my laptop for homework, and well, I’m sure you get the picture. 

I did manage to muster my motivation to plan dinner for the week.  Then I grocery shopped, came home and made two dinners!  I have a bit of a busy week ahead, and wanted to be prepared.  My family is like an army, their success depends on how hungry (or not) they are. 

I tried out a new recipe tonight.  I got the idea from a Pillsbury commercial during my Real Housewives.  They took Grands Biscuits, set them in a cupcake pan and filled with some mixture of cream of chicken soup and chicken.   What most got my attention was the biscuit cup.  Cream of chicken soup in a can kinda turns my stomach. 

So, my little spin on that dish was to make beef stew.  Yum.  I had some diced beef in the freezer that needed to get used up.  I tossed it lightly in flour and seasoning, then browned it in oil.  Removing it from the pan, I cooked some onion, celery and carrots.  Some potatoes from a can got diced up and added.  (I know, can’t stand cream of chicken soup, yet enjoy canned potatoes, go figure).  Once the veggies are cooked, I sprinkled on a few tablespoons of flour.  That cooked down a little and some beef stock got stirred in.  Bay leaves and some butter added more flavor; oh, and don’t forget the salt, pepper or worchestershire. 

Once my stew was thickened and had cooked for a half hour or so, I added some half and half creamer.  I then took it off the heat.  It was time to pat out my biscuits and line the cupcake tin.  A quarter cup of filling goes in each cup.  Sprinkle cheese on top…always need cheese in comfort food. 

I baked these beauties at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes.  They were gorgeous and delicious.

My Beef Stew

Here’s the recipe:

1.5# beef stew meat

¼ cup ap flour

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 tsp powdered garlic

Lining the muffin tin with the biscuit dough.

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp paprikia

So, toss all these in a gallon zip bag until the meat is coated

Let that sit for a few minutes while you dice:

2 large carrots

1 small onion

1 large rib of celery

1 can precooked potatoes, diced

My biscuit cup runneth over.

32oz beef stock

2tbsp butter

½ cup half n half creamer

2 bay leaves

More salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cans Grands buttermilk biscuits

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large pan heat up 3 tbsp oil over med high heat brown the meat in batches.  Draining and removing from pan when browned.  When the meat has all been cooked and drained, add veggies and cook.  Cook them until they are about 75% soft.  Return the meat back to the pan and sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons of flour and add the butter.  Stir it all together and let cook for two minutes.  Add Beef stock, bay leaves and Worcestershire sauce.  Let the mixture simmer for a half hour or so..then add the half n half

So, that’s the stew part.  Now take your Grands biscuits, or their generic counterpart, and flatten them out.  Place them in a the cupcake pan, like a cup..Fill with ¼ cup of the beef stew and sprinkle cheese on top.  Place in oven preheated to 375 and bake for 12-14 minutes. 

I spooned remaining stew over the top when I served them. 

It makes 16 Beef Stew Biscuit Bowls..I served each person two (my teenager may have had four).