Recipes

I know...2 days in a row, are you shocked?

I love to cook and I'm pretty good at it, I think. My brother and sister-in-law asked me the other day where I got all of my recipes so I thought I would pass on some of my "wisdom" in this forum. Maybe it will help some of you struggling cooks out there or those just wanting to try something new.

My favorite recipe book of all time is my Better Homes and Garden's Cook Book.

The recipes I frequent most are their Roast Beef (I do mine in a crock pot), Home-made Chicken Noodle Soup & the Fresh Herb Vinegarette...but I have done a lot of them.

My next favorite cook book is 101 More Things to Do in a Crock Pot, there is only 1 recipe in there that we just kinda liked, but the rest are great. Our favorite is the Black Bean Sour Cream Chicken, its awesome. We've also done, as of last night, the brownie sundae, and it was yummy too.

So basically when I come up with my month's worth of menus I start with these books. From there I have some other things I like to try. Probably my most frequented web-site is run by some friends of mine: Lugubrious Delights. Here they put recipes that have been tried and succeeded. I admit that some of the recipes are beyond me and I just haven't even given a second thought to trying, although I'm sure I could do it if I just REALLY wanted to. Some of my favorites on this site include: Easy Homemade Salsa, Crock Pot Pulled Pork, & Mean Green Tortilla Soup.

Of course there are always family recipes to pull from too, and my sister has posted several on the site above, just look for "Heather's" recipes. She has also posted a recipe of my inventing that is super easy and delicious: Monterrey Chicken here. Or you can check out her personal blog: here for some other winners.

I do have some other cook books that I look through, but those are my favs. I just got Ree Drummond's Pioneer Woman Cook book and I love it. Pioneer Woman has an awesome blog that is just so funny where the pictures are awesome and the food is down-right yummy. I made the Buttermilk biscuits the other night and they were awesome.

Proof.

So there you have it! Happy cooking y'all!

Oh ya, I do have a blog...

Hi friends-

So its really been since October? Sorry about that. For those of you who might have been living under a rock, its been about since the beginning of November that Todd was called as a Bishop of our local congregation. Specificially, the Waco 2nd and the Waco 1st ward were split to make a Hewitt ward- and (see if you can follow this) our Bishop was in the 1st ward boundaries, the 1st ward Bishop was in the new Hewitt ward boundaries, and well, Waco 2 needed a Bishop and I guess no one else was available. ;) Its a big responsibility for him, of course, and it means I see him less- which is a drag- but its a blessing to serve and we are counting our blessings. Besides- he's the greatest, why not share him a bit with other people, right?

I also got moved around a bit. I got to serve in the Primary presidency for a whopping...4 weeks, and 2 of those we didn't have Primary. :) However, I got placed as the Primary Song Leader, and I couldn't be happier. I get to sing, play games, and be with kids- who can beat that? I love it and hope that they leave me in there FOREVER...ok maybe a little dramatic. It has been a lot of fun, though and I sure love those kids.
This year we had Thanksgiving at my parent's home and it was lovely. Infact we said it was the best tasting Thanksgiving we have ever had. I, being the pie maker of the family, made an apple pie, a chocolate chip cookie pie (awesomeness), and of course- Pumpkin Crisp. All of the usual favorites were there as well- fruit salad, tea room rolls, turkey, green bean casserole, praline sweet potatoes, Pioneer Woman's mashed potatoes (a new addition), a relish tray with some of my homemade pickles, and dressing...I think, I never really eat the dressing. It was a lot of fun and nice to have the whole gang there. I of course hit the store on Black Friday and did pretty well. My sisters and I were all at Target when it opened at 4am. Yes, we are THAT crazy.

{Dresses purchased at Kohl's on Black Friday}

After that was my birthday...can't think of anything special to say there, but I'm glad to be around still. :) I love December. I love decorating and pulling out my millions of Noel items. I did go buy some new things this year and added some other new favorites that were passed onto us by friends. This year the Blackhursts came to us and so this is the first year in our parenting history that Santa came on time, he ususally comes early. I did a lot of preparing with the food and decorating. I wanted each room to be festive. I even put a tiny Christmas tree in my bathroom, even though I only expected Todd to see it. For the most part, everything went off without a hitch- the food was good, the company was fun, and the girls were well behaved- can't beat that! This year Santa brought Ava one of those video camera Barbies, a pillow pet, a Ken Barbie, and some other heres and theres. Sydnee got the Toy Story cast play set, a Rapunzel Barbie, and a pillow pet. Lucy got a little tiny kitchen, a pillow pet, and some sippy cups- exciting, I know. I was an especially good shopper this year and got Todd a Wii and Rock Band...so we've been jammin' it out. Its been super fun. I got a cool 3-pot crock pot thingie, a jewlery box, & some jewlery. Of course we got awesome gifts from family and friends as well. We are loved.

Ava & Sydnee got a trampoline from Todd's parents as well- which is perfect 'cuz I REALLY want them to play outside more.

{My parents got Ava & Sydnee their own pair of Cowgirl boots and hat...truly Texan here}

So ya, its Janurary now and that's all there is to it. I hope we can make some realistic goals and have some fun. One goal of mine is to blog more- so here I am. Beginning it with a bang, right? Might as well make it a marathon post. I'm not sure anyone wants to read this stuff anyways- but who cares, right? Its my blog and I can post when I want to...sounds like a catchy song.

Happy living, people- I'll blog again soon...and when I say soon what I really mean is whenever I feel like it again...which will hopefully BE soon.

Still awake?

xoxo,

Linz