Happy Halloween

It's been a tradition since JW and I got married to carve a pumkin for Halloween.  This year has been busy, and I wasn't very enthused about the project.  But, last week Joey got our carving kit out and said it was a tradition, so he was taking a break from studying and we were going to make it happen. 

This little guy is called a Bugaboo in the book of patterns.  I think he turned out pretty cute.

Our front porch is ready for trick-or-treaters.  I just need to stop by the store today to stock up on candy.  I plan to buy the good stuff because last year we didn't have that many kids come by, so we were stuck with all of the leftover candy for a month... darn! :) 

Happy Halloween!

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Today marked the last class day of PC 1 & 2 for JW!  It's not over yet.  He will have a final this Saturday, and then two next week, on Tuesday and on Friday.  But around here we are celebrating that the evenings of reading and briefing an intimidating number of cases and rules to prepare for class the next day are over.  Don't get me wrong, school will by no means be a walk in the park for the remaining two quarters Joey has left, but from what we understand, the worst is behind us when this quarter is over next Friday. 

Joey came home today and put his last tally mark on the refrigerator.  He has been counting down, making a tally mark on our refrigerator for each day of PC this quarter that he accomplished.  I am proud, and I know he is, of those 47 tally marks.  Time after time I am reminded of my husband's character as I watch him through this challenging part of law school.  He is not interested in just getting by, simply passing, or not fully preparing for class with the hope that he just won't get called on.  He gives it his all, the same way he strives to do most things in life.  I am ready to have my hubby back though.  JW has done a great job trying to balance things, but I know it has been a challenge.  School has been all-consuming this quarter.  I think we can do anything for a season, but are certainly thankful this one is nearing its end.  Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and recognizing that in six more months JW will graduate is motivation for that final push. 

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
James 1: 2-4

Home Cooked Sunday: Fall Themed

Tonight our menu is fall inspired.  We had a couple of days this week that were pretty cool.  We even turned our air conditioning off for a few days, and it made me want to make a something warm that tastes like fall.  When I think about fall food, I picture stew slow cooking all day and filling the house with a delicious aroma, maybe a warm apple or pear cobbler, chili, root vegetables, squash, pumpkin, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.  So, it's probably not quite cold enough to keep the air off and bundle up, but tonight we are going to crank up the air and enjoy some warm soup and a pumpkin infused dessert.  Fall will get here, even if it's just a few days between now and winter. :)

Menu
Dinner: Taco Soup and Corn Bread
Dessert: Pumpkin Cheesecake

Taco Soup

recipe adapted from one by Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• half of an onion, diced
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can pinto beans, drained
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can pink kidney beans
• 2 (15.25 oz.) cans whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 1-2 (14.5 oz.) cans tomatoes with green chiles (depending on how much spice you like.  I stuck with 1.)
• 1 (1.25 oz.) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (1 oz.) package ranch salad dressing mix
• beef broth, to add moisture if needed
• Corn chips for serving
• Sour cream for garnish
• Grated cheese for garnish
• Chopped green onions for garnish

Directions

Brown the ground beef and onion in a large dutch oven, drain excess fat, then transfer back to pot or slow cooker.  Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook for 6-8 hours in a slow cooker or simmer for 1 hour in pot on the stove.  If the soup needs more moisture throughout cooking, add beef broth for desired consistency.  To serve, place a few corn chips in a bowl and ladle soup on top.  Top with desired garnishes. 

I also made corn bread to go with the soup.  This one is perfect for dunking!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
• 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch spring form pan. Set aside.

For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Happy Fall... even if we have to pretend it's cold outside and our leaves are changing colors!  This is the last week of law school classes before finals start, so prayers for JW and our other law school friends to finish strong are appreciated.

Blast from the Past

Joey turned 26 last Friday, but this week I was thinking... we have been in a relationship for 10 years!  This is going to be embarrassing, so prepare to laugh.

Emily lived down the street from Joey, so for his 16th birthday, we made JW a birthday cake at her house with a little car on it, and walked it down to his house.

Me, JW, Emily, Jennifer

This is also before we taught Joey how to smile in pictures. :)

I know... my hair was bad.  This was in the high school cafeteria.  I was a freshman and Joey was a sophomore, but had just transferred to Dulles from a private school.

Homecoming 2001

This Homecoming marked the official start of us becoming boyfriend and girlfriend.  Joey actually went to the dance with one of my friends, but dropped her off at home after the dance and came over to my house where my parents were cooking breakfast for a big group of us.  We started liking each other after we both had other dates to Homecoming, so it was a little complicated. :)

Homecoming 2002

Sadie Hawkins Dance 2002

Homecoming 2003

Prom 2003

Sadie Hawkins 2004

Momma Hance, JW, Me, Mom

Go Vikings!

December 2003

Joey holding my little brother, Hunter, after he was born.

2005

After a year of not dating during Joey's freshman year in college and my senior year of high school, the Baylor v. A&M Game my freshman year was the start of our relationship again... and the rest is history! 

I hope you got a kick out of this walk down memory lane.  I have made a big scrapbook of me and Joey's dating relationship through high school and college, so next time you're over, ask to see it.  If you thought this was funny, you'll be pretty entertained by it.

Hot Digity Dog

Waco got a dog park!  It is called the HOT Dog Park (Heart of Texas), and is actually not very close to us, but worth the drive to get some of our pup's energy out a couple times a week.  We have been wishing Waco had a dog park for some time now, so we are happy campers!  A vet close by donated the land, and a group of community members went through a pretty long process to get it going.  We are so thankful!   It's a beautiful fenced in park with lots of hills and trees, but there are Jurassic Park sized mosquitoes.  Being from Houston, we know skeeters, but I have never seen blood suckers this big!  We learned fast that bug spray was a necessity if we weren't going to be eaten alive.  It opened on Saturday, and tonight was our second visit.  Forgive the bad phone pictures...

Harley found a chocolate lab mix that reminded her of Tegan I think... they were buddies the whole time we were there. :)

Yea for new friends!

This water bucket was in the far corner of the park, but our pup found it.  And instead of getting a drink like all the other dogs, she jumped right in. 

She was a mess.... surprise, surprise.  But, at least she was a tired mess and very thankful we drove 20 minutes to let her play.

Home Cooked Sunday

Next week Joey and Dana have been assigned to go against each other in a mini trial exercise for school.  So, the strategies for each one of their sides of the case was a big topic of conversation at dinner tonight.  Everyone was pretty into it, and I think it helped them both to talk it out, but it was just another affirmation to me that the right spouse is in law school. :)  I'm not a huge fan of arguing, (unless it's with Joey and I know I'm right).  I was pretty tense throughout dinner, but everyone liked the meal and seemed to be enjoying their heated discussion, so I was happy to stay out of it.  The menu this Sunday was:

Dinner: Turkey Enchiladas with Guacamole and Chips
Dessert: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Turkey Enchiladas

recipe courtesy of Mom

Ingredients:

• 10 flour tortillas
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 1 poblano pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 cups cooked turkey, chopped (Thanksgiving leftovers are the best, but otherwise I use ground turkey cooked in a skillet with salt, pepper, and cumin)
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees and wrap tortillas in foil and put them in oven to warm for 10 minutes.

For sauce: Heat next eight ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. 

Combine half of the sauce with the turkey, cream cheese, and half of the cheddar.  Place mixture in tortillas, roll, and place in a 13"x9" baking dish- seam side down.  Pour sauce and remaining cheese on top and cover with foil.  Bake covered for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.

This dish is my brother, Taylor's, favorite thing my mom makes.  So, it's tradition for her to make it for his birthday in July and the day after Thanksgiving with leftover turkey.  It is a good one that was a hit tonight and any other time I have made it.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

recipe adapted from one by Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:

• 1 can sliced pineapple, drained
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• pecan halves
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbs. rum

Directions:

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a 12 inch iron skillet, over medium heat.  Add the brown sugar and stir to combine.  Increase the heat to medium high and cook until the sugar mixture is bubbly, about 2 minutes.  Add 1 tablespoon of rum.  Arrange pineapple slices in the skillet in a pleasing pattern and continue to cook for 2 minutes.  Turn the pineapple slices over and remove the pan from the heat.  (The mixture will continue to cook event though the heat is off.)  Arrange the pecan halves in the middle of the pineapple rings.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the remaining 1/2 cup of butter and the granulated sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time.  Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture at a low speed.  Stir in the vanilla and the remaining tablespoon of rum. 

Spoon the batter evenly over the pineapple slices in the skillet.  Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.

Cool the cake in the skillet for only 4 minutes.  Then, invert the cake onto a cake plate and replace any fruit that gets misplaced or stuck to skillet.  I served the cake warm with whipped cream.  It was delicious and a great evening with friends... legal debate and all!  Hopefully JW and Dana are still friends after this week. :)

Happy Birthday Joey!- part 2

On Fridays, Joey has an hour and a half break in class for lunch, so there is usually a group of law students that goes out to eat together.  I had a lunch meeting, so couldn't join them for lunch, but was able to swing by Vitek's where they were eating to bring by cupcakes.  It was fun to see him with some of his school friends and to make sure they all knew it was his birthday.  They headed back to the law school for afternoon class, and I went to finish up work for the week. 

When Joey got home around 4:00 he found a box on our front step that was his birthday present from my family.  They gave him a Houston Texans party in a box complete with a t-shirt, Lids gift card to get a new Texans hat, game towel, and tickets to a game of his choice next season when he won't have to worry about school on the weekends anymore.  It was a very cute gift and he loved it! 

JW with all his new Texans gear

For dinner we headed to Olive Garden, one of Joey's favorites, and then to the HOT (Heart of Texas) Fair & Rodeo.  The fair and rodeo is a pretty big deal here in Waco every year and something we had never done together... a Waco Bucket List item for us.  It was a lot of fun!

No, this is not the zoo... there was a wildlife exhibit with three tigers, monkeys, a horse, snake, and more.  This exhibit did shows throughout the night and we made it just in time for one.  Pretty cheesy, but cool to see all these animals so close up.

This momma tiger was huge!  The guy doing the shows got in there and pet these huge tigers like they were house cats.  Pretty amazing!

We watched the rodeo events- horse riding, calf roping (Which I hate! It is so sad to see those baby cows run out of the shoot, get roped, and pulled to the ground.), barrel racing, and bull riding.  Joey liked the bull riding most, and I found that game where they put 20 kids in the arena with 10 calfs and let them keep the calf they catch hillarious!

We walked around the fair after the rodeo ended.  They had a lot of rides that kids were having a blast on.  Joey calls them death traps since they travel around, set up in parking lots, and can't possibly be safe. :)

We still had Joey's birthday cake that I made the night before to eat when we got home.  This cake... oh this cake!  Every year I make a different kind of cake for Joey on his birthday.  This year, he said he wanted a lemon cake.  I got online to look for a recipe and found a Paula Deen one that looked great.  You know how I love Paula.  So, I went to the store and got all the ingredients I needed and began the baking process.  Only things kept going wrong.  I needed three 9 inch baking pans, and I only had two.  I zested my finger while zesting lemons.  I needed a hand mixer to make the icing over a double boiler, and I only have a stand mixer... You get the picture.  It was a long process that left me and our whole kitchen a sticky mess.  I did my best, and it tasted pretty good, but was certainly not the prettiest cake I've ever made.  Joey thought the drippy icing was hillarious and took pictures of it, so it could go on the blog. 

:( So sad...

Overall, I think Joey had a pretty good birthday.  Momma Hance came in town to surprise Joey last weekend and took us out to dinner and a movie to celebrate.  Joey was definitely surprised, and we had a great time spending time with her.  So, JW got to celebrate two weekends in a row.  I sure hope he felt special because he is to so many people in his life.  Happy Birthday, hubs!  You are loved, and I know your next year of life will be filled with more great things.  I am proud of you!



Happy Birthday Joey!

Joey is 26 today!  We have a tradition for birthdays that was adopted from my family growing up.... breakfast and presents in bed!  Joey leaves pretty early for class, so it was an early morning.  Chocolate muffins are one of his favorites for breakfast, so that's what he got with ice cold milk.  Here's his birthday morning in pictures.

Breakfast, cards, and being woken up to me singing "Happy Birthday" and Harley jumping up on the edge of the bed.

This present was too big for me to carry into the bedroom, so he had to get up and come to the living room to open it.

Still pretty early and not quite awake...

Let's go camping! 

We have been talking about going camping once it cools off and finals are over, so I did my best to think of everything we might need for a camping trip.  I have never been camping before, but think I got it all covered and then some.  Joey is a necessity kind of guy, so I bought him some things he would never buy for himself.  And hey- I'm going too, so you know I had to find a way to make my morning tea (the cooking set has a kettle)... :)

(black bin to pack things in, hackey sack game, cooking set, tent night stand-which also has a checkers game on top, lantern, bug spray, ingredients to make smores, fly swatter, metal skewers, bungee cords, and a sleeping bag)  We already have a tent and one sleeping bag, so I think now we're set!

Morning picture of Harley and the birthday boy!

I am blessed to be married to such an amazing man.  Joey has accomplished a lot over the last year of his life.  He finished the MBA program and only has 6 1/2 months of law school left.  At the age of 26 he will graduate Baylor Law School and start his career as an attorney.  I am very proud of him and look forward to all that God has in store for our future. 

Joey will be working hard this weekend to prepare for his last mini-trial next week and finals in a couple of weeks.  But, tonight we will continue celebrating his birthday!  Check back for that post soon. 

Home Cooked Sunday: on the grill

On the menu this Sunday for our weary law student friends is:

Dinner- Guacamole Burgers, Grilled Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing, and Sweet Potato Fries
Dessert- Hot Fudge Spoon Cake and Vanilla Ice Cream

Guacamole Burgers

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs. ground beef
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. Emeril's Original Essence
• 1 Tbs. dried parsley
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• dash of salt and freshly cracked pepper
• slices of cheese, to top burgers

Guacamole:

• 2 ripe avocados
• 2 Tbs. fresh pico de gallo
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• dash of salt and freshly cracked pepper

For guacamole, mash avocados first, and then add remaining ingredients and mix.  Let sit in refrigerator for 5-10 minutes for flavors to mingle.

In a large bowl combine ground beef and remaining burger ingredients.  Mix well using hands to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.  Form into hamburger patties about 1 inch thick and grill.  I usually put a slice of pepper jack cheese on the burger patties during their last couple minutes of cooking.  This is also a good time to put the buns on the grill to toast them as well.  Once done, spread guacamole on bun and build burger with desired toppings.

Grilled Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

recipe courtesy of For the Love of Cooking

Ingredients

• pint of grape tomatoes, cut in halves
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 ears of fresh sweet corn
• 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Honey Lime Dressing:

• Juice of 1 lime
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 Tbs. honey
• sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• dash of Cayenne pepper

Add all the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine.  Set aside.  Slice the tomatoes in half.  Remove the husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes.  The corn should have some char marks and be tender, but not mushy.  Cut the corn off the cob and scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices.  Set aside and let cool.  Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro.  Add the tomatoes, corn, avocado, and cilantro to dressing and mix gently so that everything is evenly coated.  Be careful no to mash the avocados.  Let the salad sit for flavors to mingle 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator.  Enjoy!

Hot Fudge Spoon Cake

recipe courtesy of Gooseberry Patch

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed and divided
• 1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. baking cocoa, divided
• 2 Tbs. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 Tbs. butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup hot water
• Optional- vanilla ice cream

Combine flour, one cup brown sugar, 3 Tbs. cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk in milk, butter, and vanilla.  Spread evenly in slow cooker.  Mix together remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa.  Sprinkle evenly over top of batter.  Pour in hot water; do not stir.  Cover and cook on high setting for 2 hours or until a toothpick inserted 1 inch deep comes out clean.  Spoon warm cake into bowl and top with vanilla ice cream.

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but how can you go wrong with warm chocolate gooeyness?  That's what I'm thinking at least. :)  It has been wet and cool outside today, so I am looking forward to huddling by the grill and not sweating tonight.  We've had a productive weekend, but I'm certainly not ready for it to be Monday yet...  I'm going to go cuddle up by my hubby on the couch for the rest of the Texans game and pretend our weekend is not almost over! 

Good Eatin'

It looks like it's a recipe blog kind of week!  I tried two new meals this week that JW and I both really enjoyed, so I thought I would share them.  It is usually my goal over the weekend to plan out our meals for the week, and then we go grocery shopping together.  So, when the week starts, I don't have to think about what's for dinner or running to the store.  Work and life is busy enough without the added stress of what to make for dinner.  I have also found that I really love to cook once the hard part of putting together a menu and shopping for ingredients is done.  Those who know me may also realize that I don't love being asked unnecessary questions.  So, I post our menu for the week on the fridge, and when the hubs wants to know what grub he has to look forward to, he can look for himself! :)  Here are a couple you should definitely try.

Shake n' Shimmy Pork Chops

recipe courtesy of The Neely's

Ingredients

Brine:

2 quarts water

1/4 tsp. salt

3 Tbs. sugar

1 Tbs. brown sugar

2-4 (1 inch thick) pork chops

2 cups panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

2 Tbs. chopped parsley leaves

Salt and black pepper, to taste

(I also added about 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder.  Everything is better with garlic.)

3 large eggs, beaten

Vegetable oil, for grill plates

Directions

Brine: Add all of the ingredients into a large bowl and put the pork chops into the brine.  Allow them to soak for 1 hour (I let mine soak for almost 2 hours.)  Preheat a grill to medium.

Add the panko, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper, to taste to a large heavy duty resealable plastic bag.  Add the beaten eggs to a casserole dish.  Remove the pork chops from the brine.  Dredge them through the eggs, then drop them into the bag one at a time and shake them until they are fully coated in the bread crumb mixture.

Oil the grill grates with vegetable oil.  Put the chops on the grill and cook for 10 minutes on each side. 

I made mashed potatoes and cinnamon apples to go with these delicious chops.  (I found a recipe to make cinnamon apples here.)  It was lip smackin' good!

Lime Chicken & Shrimp Kabobs

recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients

2/3 cup olive oil

3 limes, juiced

2 Tbs. vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

1 Tbs. sugar

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

(I also added a green bell pepper)

1 red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces (about half of an onion would be enough)

1 (16 oz.) can pineapple rings, drained, cut into 1 inch pieces

6 boneless , skinless, chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 lb. large fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk oil, lime, vinegar, sugar, and crushed pepper together.

In a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag, combine remaining ingredients.  Pour lime marinade mixture over chicken, shrimp, and vegetables, and place in refrigerator for 4-6 hours.  (I did this during my lunch break and it was ready to cook when I got home.)

Heat grill to 350-400 degrees.  Thread meat, vegetables, and pineapple onto skewers, alternating to distribute flavors.  Keep chicken and shrimp on separate skewers since their cook times will vary.  Discard marinade.  Place chicken kabobs on the grill first- they will take longer to cook.  Rotate halfway through so that both sides cook evenly.  Chicken should take 10-15 minutes total and shrimp will take 6-8 minutes.  Let cool slightly before removing from skewers to serve.

I made wild rice to go with this meal.  The smoky flavor of the meat and vegetables and the sweetness of the grilled pineapple went well with the wild rice... yum!  Since I am cooking for two, we had left over chicken and vegetables that we will be using to make quesadillas tonight.  If you are cooking for more, throw a couple extra chicken breasts in your marinade and on the grill, and you already have another meal started!  Tonight, all I'll have to do is put together quesadillas on the skillet and make some guacamole.  Easy peesy!

I hope you get a chance to try and enjoy these recipes soon.  I'm not good at remembering to take pictures during or after I cook.  I'll try to do that next time, but for now, just trust me- these were good meals!

Kristin's Wedding

It is wedding season around here!  Last weekend we traveled to Dallas again, but this time for Kristin and Jacob's wedding.  Kristin was one of my college roommates at Baylor.  It was fun to see many Baylor and Tri-Delta faces that I hadn't seen in awhile.  It was a beautiful wedding that made the love that Kristin and Jacob have for each other and the Lord evident.

Spencer, Dana, Me, and Joey

Me and JW

Us with the bride and groom! 

Jacob, Kristin, Me and JW

Me and Carolyn

Roomie Picture! 

Ashley, Me, Kristin, Lauren, and Dana

We realized taking this picture that this was the first time in the 2 years since we graduated that all five of us have been together... crazy!  It was fun to be reunited. 

Congratulations, Kristin and Jacob! 

Home Cooked Sundays: The Menu

Back in August I told you about a tradition I was starting for PC in Joey's last year of law school - Homecooked Sundays.  I have been cooking dinner on Sunday nights for PC students to come over to our house and have a home cooked meal and a break from school.  I have prepared some of my favorite meals, so I thought I would start sharing a few recipes. 

Week 1 Menu:
Dinner: Chicken Tetrazzini, Garlic Bread, and Salad
Dessert: Fresh Peach Cake

Since I already shared my Chicken Tetrazzini recipe, here is a recipe I got from my G-Ma for Fresh Peach Cake.

Fresh Peach Cake
recipe courtesy of G-Ma

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 (0.3 oz.) sugar free Peach Jell-O

2 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced

Grated fresh nutmeg- for top

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 13 x 9 inch baking dish.  Mix cake mix, eggs, sour cream, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and peach Jell-O on medium speed until well mixed about 2 minutes.  Spread in prepared baking dish and then line sliced peaches to cover top.  Grate nutmeg and sprinkle additional cinnamon over top of peaches.  Bake 35-45 minutes.  Serve with vanilla ice cream or Cool Whip.

Week 2 Menu:
Dinner: Lasagna, Ciabatta Bread, and Salad
Dessert: Sopapilla Cheesecake

The lasagna recipe I use is my mom's.  Her lasagna is famous in our family.  Many have tried to make it, but hers is always best.

Lasagna

recipe courtesy of Mom

Sauce:

1.5 lbs. ground beef

1/2 onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic

16 oz. can petite diced tomatoes

2 - 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

6 oz. can tomato paste

2 Tbl. basil

1 tsp. salt

Cheese filling:

2.5 cups ricotta cheese

3/4 cup Parmesan (reserve 1/4 c. for topping)

2 eggs

2 Tbl. parsley

1 lb. sliced mozzarella cheese

Brown the meat with the onion and drain.  Add remaining ingredients in sauce and simmer.  Mix first four ingredients for cheese filling.  Cook noodles following package instructions or assemble a day ahead without cooking noodles.  Spread thin layer of sauce in bottom of 13 x 9 baking dish.  Layer half of the noodles, cheese mixture, mozzarella slices, and sauce in that order.  Repeat a second layer.  Top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and refrigerate until ready to cook.  Bake at 350 degrees for 37-45 minutes if refrigerated overnight or 30 minutes if noodles are cooked and hot.

Week 3 Menu:
Dinner: BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Potato Salad, and Fruit
Dessert: Berry Peach Cobbler

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Dry rub:
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1/2 tablespoon cayenne

4 pound shoulder pork roast
2 cup apple juice
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
1/2 tablespoon liquid smoke
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
6 soft hamburger buns with seeds
Bbq sauce
Cole slaw
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix the dry rub ingredients in small bowl. Sprinkle dry rub all over the pork roast, pressing into the pork. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Combine liquid ingredients and the garlic powder in a medium bowl and pour into a large Dutch oven. Place pork in the oven and tightly cover with aluminum foil then lid. Roast for 4 hours or until fork tender and shreds easily. Brush the roast with cooking liquid every hour.  Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred the pork with a fork or tongs into bite size pieces.  Serve on hamburger buns topped with BBQ sauce and cole slaw.
*I posted this recipe last year.  For pictures click here.

Week 4 Menu:
Breakfast for Dinner:
Spinach and Bacon Quiche, Pigs in a Blanket, Bacon, Fruit and Cinnamon Rolls

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients:
1 9 inch refrigerated pie crust, fitted to a 9 inch glass pie plate
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 lb cooked bacon crumbled
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach, packed
Salt and pepper to taste
6 large eggs beaten
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 375. Combine the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Layer the spinach, bacon, and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set. Cut into 8 wedges.

*We were out of town week 5 for Shay's wedding, and didn't have a Sunday dinner that week.*

Week 6 Menu:
Dinner: Spaghetti and Meatballs, French Bread, and Salad
Dessert: Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Spaghetti and Meatballs

this is a recipe I adapted from Bobby Flay

For the Meatballs:

2 Tbs., plus 1 cup olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 large eggs

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbs. dried basil

1 Tbs. onion powder

1.5 lb. ground beef

1 lb. ground Italian sausage

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup bread crumbs

salt and ground black pepper

For Tomato Sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

4-6 cloves of garlic, rubbed to paste

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1 can tomato paste

3 (28 oz.) cans peeled whole tomatoes and their juice, mashed up with a whisk

1 can petite diced tomatoes with olive oil and garlic

1 Tbs. dried parsley

1 Tbs. dried basil

1 tsp. onion powder

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. spaghetti noodles

Shredded Parmesan to top

Directions for meatballs: Heat 2 Tbs. of olive oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook until soft.  Whisk together the eggs, parsley, and other spices in large bowl.  Add browned garlic, meats, and cheese and use hands to mix together.  Add bread crumbs, salt, and pepper and mix together thoroughly.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  Form the meat into 1.5 inch balls. (I used a small scoop so that my meatballs were consistent in size.)  Heat remaining 1 cup of olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat.  Add the meatballs in batches and fry until golden brown on all sides.  Carefully remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Directions for the sauce: Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and chili flakes and cook until the onion is soft.  Add the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds.  Stir in tomatoes and let simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes.  Add the parsley and remaining spices, bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the meatballs, reduce the heat to medium, and continue cooking until the meatballs have cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 30-45 minutes longer.

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions.  Top noodles with sauce, meatballs, and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan.

I hope you are able to enjoy some of these recipes with people you love!

Shay Bear is Married!

Shay and Adam are now husband and wife!  Last weekend me, JW, and Har headed to Dallas for a weekend of celebration.  We arrived Friday afternoon just in time for Shay's bridal luncheon that her Aunt Laura hosted at their house.  Laura is also my mom's best friend who moved from Sugar Land to Dallas about a year ago.  I really enjoyed seeing her and their whole family over the weekend.

Me and the Beautiful Bride

I wore my peacock dress to the Bridal Luncheon in honor of Shay's peacock feather inspired wedding. :)

Shay gave us all cute aprons to thank us for being apart of her wedding party.

Friday night we attended the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner at Maggianos.  Joey was an usher and I was a bridesmaid in the wedding.  We had never both been in a wedding together before, and enjoyed getting to be a part of all the festivities together.  The rehearsal dinner hosted by Adam's parents was a special time for people to toast the bride and groom.  Many funny and sentimental memories were shared that I know Shay and Adam will cherish forever.

(I know we took a picture- maybe on Shay's camera, so I will add it when I track it down.)

Saturday morning I went over to Shay's parents' house where Shay was having her hair and make up done.  It was a special time to help Shay prepare for her wedding day.  It made me reflect back on the day I got married and those hours of getting ready before heading to the church.  Those memories with my girlfriends are so sweet.  Shay was beautiful and so full of joy.  I was honored to be there to help keep her calm, make sure she ate lunch, and pack last minute things.  I also enjoyed getting to chat with her precious family.  Shay's parents are some of the sweetest people I know.

At the church about to get dressed

At the reception... let the party begin!

Joey, Me, Claire, Hunter, Dad, Mom, and Taylor

My whole family was there, and it was so fun to see them.  Of course a wedding reception with Hunter would not be complete without a circle of people around him cheering him on as he busts out dance moves that we have no clue where he learned.  He was a hit and may be going into the wedding entertainment business. :)

Rich, Megan, Me, and Joey

We stayed with Rich and Megan while we were in Dallas for the weekend.  Many of the guests at the wedding were members at their new chuch.  It was neat to see how much they are loved already by their church family.  Rich also had some dance moves that we had never seen, and he and Hunter had a pretty hillarious dance off.  I nearly peed my pants laughing so hard!

My hubby and I at the reception.  He's so handsome! :) 

It was a great weekend of celebration that we were honored to be a part of.  Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Paulson!  We love you!