Less Behind in 2009

I was watching Fox and Friends one morning last week and they had Richard Simmons on (yes, he is still alive and STILL making videos - how old is that man???). "Less Behind in 2009" was his mantra. For some reason that just cracked me up!!

Now, it didn't lead me to make a New Year's resolution - I gave those up many years ago, but it did make me think. I do want "Less Behind in 2009", but there are soom things I need to do before I can make that commitment. I'm not procrastinating, but I know that I can't do it on my own, and that my first and formost help must be from the Lord. So my first commitment is to get things in line with my relationship with the Lord. I HAVE to have consistent time in prayer and Bible study with Him. This has been a HUGE struggle for me in the last year. I've been off and on all throughout the year. I've had absolutely no consistent time spent praying and reading God's word. So, that is going to be my first and formost commitment - to be consistently obedient to God by spending time with Him in prayer and in reading His Holy Word.

I'd love your prayers and encouragement as I take on this commitment. I started today with prayer and time spent in the Word - I'm going through a devotional written by John MacArthur.

Part of the scripture reading was Ephesians 2:10,
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

It was so neat to be reminded that I am God's workmanship and that God already has in place what he wants me to do.

Becky

Wow...It's Been a Long Time...New Recipe

Won't even go in to why I haven't posted since October 11!!! To make up for it I'm posting a new recipe. These are THE.BEST.COOKIES.EVER. Enjoy!!

Molasses Cookies (yes, Molasses, don't be afraid, they are fantastic!!)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) margarine or butter
1/4 cup light (mild) molasses
1 1/4 cups sugar (1 cup for recipe, 1/4 cup to roll cookies in)
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (you can use allspice if you don't have cloves)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In 3-quart saucepan, melt margarine or butter over low heat. Remove saucepan from heat and, with wire whisk, beat in molasses and 1 cup sugar until blended, whisk in egg. With spoon, stir in flour and remaining ingredients until mixed.
2. Transfer dough to medium bowl and freeze 15 minutes or until firm enough to handle (don't leave out this step). Spread remaining 1/4 cup sugar on waxed paper. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, roll balls in sugar to coat.
3. Place balls, 2 1/2 inches apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies spread and darken. Let cookies remain on cookie sheet on wire rack 1 minute to cool slightly. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Store cookies in tightly covered container up to 2 weeks.
*Makes 2 dozen

Cake, Cake, Cake...

I made an awesome King Cake for a Cajun themed catering event last weekend. It's made with a yeast dough and has a cream cheese filling. It was soooo good. Here's the link to the recipe - King Cake . This is a cake that has to rise twice, so give yourself some time to make it. The picture isn't the one I made, just an example.

Speaking of cakes, I will take this opportunity to shamelessly plug Southern Comfort Catering. We can do any of your holiday, birthday, or special occasion baking. We don't really do decorated cakes unless it's something very, very simple - we just don't have the time. However, we do make some awesome "Yummy" cakes. Flavors include: Butter Pecan, Strawberry with Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing, Red Velvet, German Chocolate, Chocolate with Sour Cream Chocolate Icing or Cappucino Icing, Coconut, White Almond Sour Cream, Old Fashioned Chocolate Sheet Cake, Carrot Cake, and Pumpkin Rolls, just to name a few. Cakes can be made into any size - including cupcakes. A two-layer 9 in cake or a 9x13 cake or 2 dozen cupcakes are between $25 and $32. We also do other desserts like pies and cobblers. We can help with any other cooking needs as well - from full meals to extra sides for that Holiday Family Get Together. Call either Lynn or I to place an order or get a quote.

Becky - 425-6731 or Lynn - 504-7689 or email

Butter Pecan Cake

Guess What Joshua Wants for Christmas...

We visited friends in East Tennessee over Labor Day and Joshua got to ride the "Warrior". He loved it of course and now wants one. What he really wants is a dirt bike - so he can do jumps and tricks!! Anyone know of a good, used dirt bike out there for sale?

It's Soup Season - Recipe (and a Friday Foto)

The Friday Foto First...My Babies

Now the recipe:

Here is a recipe for an awesome Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice soup - very much like the one at Panera's. I found a recipe on AllRecipes and then messed around with it until I got what I wanted. Enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cooked chicken breasts, cut up
½ onion, diced (about ¼ cup or so)
2 celery stalks, diced (about ¼ cup or so)
2 carrots, diced (about ¼ cup or so)
1 package (6 oz, I believe) Uncle Ben’s long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
2 cups ½ and ½ (or 1 cup ½ and ½ and 1 cup milk)

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot sauté onion, celery, and carrots in a small amount of butter or oil for 5 mins.
2. Add broth, water and chicken to pot. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.
3. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux. Whisk in ½ and ½ , a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.
4. Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. If soup becomes too thick then add milk until it is the desired consistency.

Bunco's in Season...

My Bunco group's "season" just started. We break for the summer and start back up in September each year. I'd forgotten how much fun we have until that first game night of the season!! The best things about my Bunco group are the fellowship and the food. The game really doesn't have much to do with it at all - except that it's really nice when you win a prize - yes, we play for prizes not cash - cash evidently would be against the law and the will of our pastor!! We all know that now because at this season's first game someone suggested not giving prizes, but cash instead. I thought a couple of the ladies were going to fall out on the floor!!! We did decide that gift cards would be okay, but no cash (we each bet, oops-I mean give, $5 to the month's hostess to buy the gifts and/or gift cards).

The first game night of the season is always a bit crazy and this year's fell right into step. For some reason the main topic of the night seemed to be "boobs" - this is not a usual topic of conversation, we are all very well mannered women - as attested to by our NOT playing bunco for cash. It just so happened that everytime "boobs" were mentioned one of the hostess' sons or her husband - a pastor at our church - happened to have snuck into the kitchen for food!! First of all, the hostess misinterpreted T's comment "I've had them sized once, so I can't do it again" as refering to her "boobs", when in reality T was refering to her rings. So, as "boobs" were being mentioned here and there we notice the hostess' youngest son standing in the kitchen taking it all in. Needless to say there were red faces all around!! Later in the evening the hostess' oldest son comes into the kitchen. Luckily he is spotted and we are careful not to let "boobs" out. However, he states that the younger brother came up stairs and ratted us out, letting it be known that "those ladies are talking about boobs downstairs!!!" Busted!! And, that wasn't the last of it. We were having a conversation about when our PJ bunco night is going to be when the hostess' husband comes down for food. The conversation is safe until T, who has her back to the kitchen and doesn't see Pastor Husband, announces "Well, I won't be wearing my lingerie (pronounced ling-er-ee) because I have no boobs!!" (NOTE: this is the second time T has been caught in the "boob" talk, T may need some therapy!!) Several people point to the kitchen. T turns slowly, sinks in her chair, and turns 15 shades of red. We all bust - no pun inteded - out in laughter. We are, of course, laughing with her, not at her. Yeah right, who am I kidding...we were laughing at her!!!

I love my "bunco buds" and look forward to getting together with them all each month!! It's always great fun, and sometimes quite "uplifting" - pun intended!!!

Four Layer Delight

When I was putting together a menu for a catering gig I came across this dessert recipe. My mom used to make it all the time and it is one of my absolute favorites - and it's easy to make.
Enjoy!!

It calls for chocolate pudding, but you can use vanilla or butterscotch or any flavor you like. You can also make it with blueberry pie filling instead of the pudding - it's absolutely YUMMY!!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup margarine
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/8 cups chopped pecans
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed (I use the next bigger size of Cool Whip)
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
3 cups milk

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In a bowl, cream together margarine with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar. Mix in flour and 1 cup pecans. Press into bottom of prepared dish.

Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes, until very lightly browned. Cool completely.

In a bowl, cream together cream cheese with remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Fold in half the whipped topping. Spread over cooled crust.

Stir together pudding mix and milk and allow to set up slightly. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping and sprinkle with remaining nuts. Keep refrigerated.

Becky