Name: Stir Fry Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Italian dressing; 1 pound Italian sausage; 1 - 32 ounce carton chicken broth; 1 -16 ounce package frozen stir fry veggies (use what you like); 1 can white kidney beans, rinsed; 1 can Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained; 1 cup macaroni noodles, uncooked; dash of oregano; cheese for topping if desired

Italian Sausage Stew

One of the rules at our dinner table is

NO SLURPING!

We have other rules that we enforce as well.

Such as: sit up, use a napkin regularly, no talking with food in your mouth, no reaching in front of others...all your basic food etiquette that you try to get your kids to remember.

But them slurping is the one that drives us the most batty.

Yesterday I had to be a slurper:-(

You see, I had to visit the dentist.

Now I am not afraid of this place,

but it is most definitely not my favorite place.

I mean 4 hands with instruments in my mouth...for two hours.

Yea, not going on my list of "places I like to visit".

This is why I put off having cavities filled.

Who wants to sit with a bite block in your mouth for hours on end

with your head pointing down

while hands poke and prod like crazy?

And I don't know about your dental assistants,

but mine is not the most gentle.

Although they are pretty good at giving me a break

from the bite block from time to time.

Now usually cavities being filled doesn't take that long...

but lucky me.

I had a crown that needed prepped.

Extra goop and prodding for me!

Needless to say, that by dinner time

my jaw was in no mood to open...or chew for that matter.

I must have known that was going to be the case because

while I was grocery shopping after leaving
the tooth torture room,

I bought ingredients for 3 soups yesterday.

(I may have bought ice cream too because it is a proven fact that ice cream heals all pains)

So you can see why I had to be exempt from the slurping rule last night.

My jaw was refusing to open wide enough for the spoon to fit in.

I tried to slurp quietly but the kids heard it every time,

prompting them to think they could as well.

The new rule in the house is...

You can only slurp at the table if you have been to the dentist that day.

Maybe the kids will get more excited when they have to go again:-)

Recipe

Stir Fry Soup

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Sausage and stir fry vegetables make a delicious soup choice.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Italian dressing
1 pound Italian sausage
1 - 32 ounce carton chicken broth
1 -16 ounce package frozen stir fry veggies (use what you like)
1 can white kidney beans, rinsed
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup macaroni noodles, uncooked
dash of oregano
cheese for topping if desired

Instructions

Place sausage and dressing in a large saucepan and cook on medium heat until meat is cooked, stirring occasionally.
Add oregano, broth, frozen veggies, beans and tomatoes and bring to a boil on high. Stir in macaroni.
Reduce heat to medium and cook for 8-10 minutes.
Serve topped with cheese. Makes 8 servings.

Notes

Slightly adapted from Kraft Recipes

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 355Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 1369mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 19g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.

Lessons from Haiti

I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to visit Haiti a few weeks ago with an awesome group from my church. I was also blessed to experience this trip with my husband.

I went in with a very hesitant heart. This was something that was putting me completely out of my comfort zone...something that God likes to do over and over to me. I usually like to fight back and get back into my safety box, but then I don't get the chance to learn something new. What a great way to jump out of the box without a safety net. There were plenty of things to not like there...spiders, outhouses, dirt, and cold showers.

But those were actually the easiest things to overcome. The thing that I liked the least of all was seeing the devastating amount of poverty with my very own eyes. There is something so different to seeing it right in front of you where you can actually reach out and touch it. Totally doesn't compare to seeing it on tv from the safety of a warm house and comfy couch. But the smiles and the joy on the people's faces totally made up for it!!!!

Throughout all the poverty and things that I thought seemed terrible, the constant theme I was reminded of was God's overwhelming joy from His people. People who had absolutely nothing but the love of Christ to keep them going each day, and yet they had complete trust that God knew what He was doing and that He loved them enough to provide for them.

Ouch!!! What a painful jab to my heart. Here I am with everything I need and want and I can't say that I have that kind of trust. What a convicting thing to come home with.

Another thing that everyone in our group felt was helpless. We saw so many needs around us, yet we couldn't fix all the problems. One night we sat around and talked about it and came to the decision that God knows we can't help every single need that we see. But He does ask us to do what we can do that day when a need crosses our paths. That may just be a bag of rice and beans that will only last one day. It may not seem like enough to do, but it could be the answer that person was praying for that day. God will send more answers to their prayerson the following days. We just need to be willing to be used on the day He calls us. I know personally I was challenged to really see the needs that are around me and to act on those instead of waiting for someone else to come along and do it.

They all sing in Haiti, from the youngest to the oldest. The joy of Christ just comes out of them while they are singing. Sunday morning we visited a local Haitian church and it was thrilling to listen to them sing in another language and still know that we were worshipping the same God.

Amazing!!!!!!

Overall the trip was a lot of fun. We sang, visited homes, painted classrooms, helped in classes, handed out glasses, visited a local bread bakery and just had fun being used of God to minister to those in need. Thank you so much for all of you that mailed glasses to me for Haiti. They were a huge hit and it was exciting to be a part of that. It was neat to see the light go on in their eyes when we were able to find a pair of glasses that helped them see better.

If you ever have the opportunity to go, do it. You will come back with such a better appreciation for even the smallest of the small things that you have been blessed with.

Would I go again? I don't feel the call to pack up and move there. But I also want to be open to God asking me to visit again. So maybe sometime in the future!!!

Nutella Pumpkin Bread

Swirls of chocolate and marshmallow make this Nutella Pumpkin Bread a sweet treat. Start the day with a slice and a cup of coffee!

It is great to be back from Haiti. Our team had an amazing time serving there. It was fun and sad all in one.

Fun because we were able to work together and meet some needs, but very sad because there were so many needs that we just could not feasibly meet.

Thank you so much for all of you that prayed for our safety as we traveled and ministered for the past week. I will try to get some other pics and things from the trip up later this week.

[Read more...]

Baked Biscoff Oatmeal

This Baked Biscoff Oatmeal is a warm and delicious way to start out any day!

I am so excited to share in my very first secret recipe club reveal. There are so many amazing food blogs that are now participating in this fun "club".

So many recipes to choose from, not enough time in the month to try them all though.

For my first month I was assigned to April's blog Angel Foods Kitchen. I like how she shares so many family friendly recipes that are really easy to make.

I have to admit her chocolate chip cookie recipe was calling out to be made by me, but then I came across her baked peanut butter oatmeal.

I knew right away that I HAD to make this using the jar of biscoff spread that I had been saving for just the right recipe. This recipe was definitely it!!!!

I love how April made this recipe healthy by switching out the sugar and the milk, but I didn't have those on hand so I just used the regular stuff. [Read more...]

Milky Way Cheesecakes

Do you ever have one of those days?
You know the one.
Where you just want to crawl back under the covers
and not emerge until tomorrow.I had one of those "not so horrible, but not so great" days recently.
First I just couldn't get moving fast enough in the morning.
My kids were almost tardy for the very first time.
Then later I opened the "busting at the seams" baking cupboard
and knocked out the sea salt.
It broke and salt went everywhere.I decided it would be better to just take a break after lunch
and rest/read for a while.
A warm cup of coffee sounded good too.
The break was just what I needed to recharge.Then I realized that if I wanted to stop at Sam's Club BEFORE
getting the kids from school, I needed to go now.
The coffee got poured into a travel cup and I headed out the door.I made it about a mile down the road
and started taking a sip of my delicious coffee...
only to find out that I didn't close the lid all the way.
Seriously???Yea, warm coffee now is all over my shirt and my jeans.
AND I was going to run into Sam's Club.
Perfect!It is going to look like I wet myself.Thank goodness we always get too many napkins from restaurants...
they were my saving grace.
I blotted and drove, drove and blotted.
And fortunately the jeans were dry enough to not be noticed...at least that is what I am telling myself:-)

A day like that deserves more cheesecake.
And Milky Way cheesecake
sounds just about perfect.I suggest snagging all the ones that your kids get
in their Halloween buckets so you can make these.Or just go to Target and get a big bag of them for yourself!Either way, you will be thanking me for such
a delicious treat that banishes bad days!!!

Recipe

Milky Way Cheesecakes

Yield: 12 cheesecakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 42 minutes

Caramel cheesecakes filled with Milky Way candy bar chunks.

Ingredients

For the Crust

10 Oreo cookies
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup caramel ice cream topping
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 cup chopped Milky Way Midnight bars, extra for garnish
Whipped Cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with 12 liners.
Place cookies, cream included, in a food processor. Pulse until they become crumbs. Stir in melted butter.
Evenly spoon crumbs into cupcake liners and press down.
Beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy.
Add the sour cream, vanilla, caramel topping, and flour and beat again.
Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl. Gently mix the eggs in to the batter until combined.
Stir in the Milky Way candies by hand.
Fill the cupcake liners with the batter. Bake 22-24 minutes.
Cool in pan for about 15 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate until chilled.
Before serving, top with whipped cream and garnish with extra Milky Way minis.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 349Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 224mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 29gProtein: 5g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.

Reese's Owls

These Reese's Owls are easy to make using just a few store bought ingredients. The little no bake treats are the perfect cupcake topper for any fall or Halloween party!

My reputation as of late is "the silly owl lady"!

It is no secret that I absolutely adore owls. I own a few owl necklaces that I wear quite often. There are a few little ceramic owls on our kitchen shelves. I even used to run an Etsy shop called The Trendy Owl. (one day maybe I'll go back to making headbands)

If it has an owl on it, I will seriously think about buying it! (Right now, I am considering an owl cover for my phone)

[Read more...]

Almond Joy Brownies

These Almond Joy Brownies are a coconut lover's dream come true. Coconut macaroons, toasted coconut, white chocolate, and Almond Joy Pieces come together in one amazing brownie recipe. It is sure to have you loving decadent brownies in a hurry.

Wanted: The ability to make yummy treats and NOT eat them

I know what you are thinking..."uummm, Jocelyn, you maintain a sugary baking blog. How in the world would this be possible?" [Read more...]

Halloween Mod Podge Frames

My sister and I just finished our 2nd cyber crafting project.
It has been fun for us, but we have learned something...

Both of us are huge procrastinators!

I am not sure what the point of us having a deadline is???
Neither of us was ready on our chosen day to show off our projects:-)
Maybe the more we do, the better we will get?
One can dream!

This month Jenni picked Mod Podge frames for us to do.
Sounds quick and easy to do, right?
Not if you are procrastinators:-)
I waited until the last possible moment to whip these out.
Sure is a good thing that mod podge dries super fast:-)

Frames - $3 (Dollar Tree)
Paper, skulls, ribbon, mod podge - in my stash
Yea for stash busting!!!!

Paint the front of the frame with mod podge.
Place the paper on top and smooth it out.
Let dry for 5 minutes or so.
Flip the frame over (the back of the frame should be facing you now)
Cut an "x" from corner to corner in the inside square with an exacto knife.
Cut away the edges leaving just enough to glue onto the inside of the frame.
On the outside of the frame, cut a diagonal line on each corner.
Now glue down one side at a time.
Fold the corners down just like wrapping a present.
Then paint glue all over the paper to seal it.

While they dried, I cut a square out of a cereal box for the picture part
and covered it with black scrapbook paper.
My husband cut off the back of the skeleton skull
with some sharp object from his garage,
so that I could glue it flat with my hot glue gun.

I think my favorite part is the ribbon on the girl skull!

These were so easy to do.
Now I am thinking of doing some frames for my bedroom walls...
but I will probably just procrastinate some more on that one:-)

Isn't this monster frame adorable???
Jenni sent me THIS PICTURE for her inspiration.
I think hers turned out absolutely adorable...
but I think the best part is my cute little nephew in his monster costume.
So excited to squeeze on him very soon!!!!!

Frame $3 (Michaels)
Boo Sticker - part of set $3
Googly Eyes -$6 (Michaels)
Ribbon, Paint, Paper - in her stash

Paint the frame.
Mod Podge and arrange eye balls all over the top.
Glue ribbon around the edges and front of the frame.
Layer sticker with paper so it "pops" out. Glue on.
Add a cute monster baby picture and you have a super cute Halloween frame!

Maybe we should get started now for our next month's craft...
NNNNAAAAAAAHHHHH!
I'm pretty sure we will both wait until the last possible minute again:-)

Chocolate Covered Pumpkin Twinkies Recipe

These fun and delicious Chocolate Covered Pumpkin Twinkies are filled with a cinnamon buttercream. Make a batch for fall parties and watch everyone smile.

I am so excited that it is now officially Fall.
The weather has even been cooperating for the most part. We have been enjoying some cool and rainy days. Now I am just waiting for the leaves to start turning beautiful colors. Throw in a bonfire, and it will be just about perfect.

My kitchen is all about the fall smells too. Baking all the pumpkin things is something I look forward to each fall. [Read more...]

Salted Caramel Mocha Brownie Cups

These Salted Caramel Mocha Brownie Cups are a delicious and easy dessert that everyone will come back for. The sweet and salty caramel frosting and the hidden candy center make these cupcakes a hit at any party.

If you like salted desserts, you need to try these Salted Caramel Brownie Bites too. They are absolutely delicious!

I have a huge confession to make today. Believe me, my head is hung in complete shame! I just did something that always bugs me when I see it in the store!

I was driving the kids to school this morning, and I remembered that I had to stop at Walmart afterwards. Now this is not normally a problem. EXCEPT that I get up in just enough time to throw on a hat and head out the door.

Yup you guess it. I drop my kids off while wearing my pajamas! It is the only place that I will actually go out while wearing them. My logic is that no one actually sees them because I don't get out of my van.

I really thought long and hard about why I needed to stop. Unfortunately, it was a stop that had to be made right then. It couldn't wait until later.

[Read more...]

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Recipe

Ingredients

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Notes

Nutrition Information:

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Recipe

Ingredients

For the Crust

Instructions

Nutrition Information:

Did you make this recipe?