Recipes!

Cinnamon Biscotti

Ingredients:
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
semi-sweet or milk chocolate, melted

Preparation: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large baking sheet. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat 3/4 cup sugar and butter until creamy, about 3 minutes.  Stir in eggs and vanilla until smooth. In a small bowl, combine flour, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Using an electric mixer set on low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture until a dough forms, about 1 minute. Stir in pecans. 
Divide the dough in half. On the prepared baking sheet, shape each half of the dough into a 9x2 inch log. Flatten the tops of the logs slightly. In a small bowl, combine remaining sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle mixture over the logs.
Baking the logs for 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Cut the logs diagonally into 1/2 inch slices.
Reduce heat to 325 degrees. Arrange biscotti slices flat on 2 baking sheets; bake until dry, about 20 minutes longer. Cool completely. Drizzle melted chocolate over tops of biscotti, and let stand, about 15 minutes.

Cream Scones

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup chilled, unsalted butter 
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whipping cream (can also use light or heavy cream, or half and half)

Egg mixture for top of scones:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon heavy cream or whipping cream
Beat together egg and cream

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place rack in middle of oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. In a small measuring cup combine the whipping cream, beaten egg, and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Do not overmix. 
Knead dough gently on lightly floured surface. Roll or pat dough into a circle that is 7 inches round and about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut this circle into 8 triangular sections or cut into rounds with a cookie cutter. 
Make the egg mixture for top of scones and brush over tops. Place on lined cookie sheets and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool. 
Variation:
Add 1/3 cup miniature chocolate chips to dough before kneading for a chocolate chip scone.
Add 1/3 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen and thawed) to dough before kneading for a blueberry scone.   

Biscotti & Scones

So here's a picture of the biscotti I made Wednesday night, the scones didn't quite make it into the picture...they were long gone by the time I got around to taking a picture, I'd say they were a hit..  :) I'll make a separate post with the actual recipes as blogger seems to be giving me a hard time right now. Still trying to figure this thing out, grr...

 

Wednesday Home Group

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Wednesday nights we have a home group at our house with around 15-20 students (it varies each week) and it has easily turned into my favorite day/night of the week. I usually end up in the boys' room (during the teaching) hangin out, reading books, and having "Angry Birds" tournaments. They are the joy of my life and such fun kiddos. Next week, we're gonna build a fort so pics of that will be posted for sure!

Fear Pt. 2

Ok, so wow, my mind has seriously been blown away today. I debated back and forth in my mind whether or not to post that yesterday, as I didn't want it to be like some "self help" thing or something, but I'm so glad I did. I really was puzzled by the whole thing and those who responded, as well as the Lord just speakin like the dickens this morning, I just am so encouraged and really excited to see what He's going to do. I've been reading "Lies Women Believe and the Truth that sets them free" with a friend these past few weeks, and it's seriously been kicking my butt. Such a good book. Anyway, I was reading the chapter on priorities and she was talking about giving our best to God. And I came to realize, that when being gripped with fear we cannot give our best to God. And He deserves no less than that. It's about giving glory to Him and how can we glorify Him if we are withholding ourselves or parts of ourselves? We can't! Whew. Really got me. If I'm worried about what others are thinking my motives are in something or whatever the situation may be, it cripples me and causes me to fail. (Not passing the blame AT ALL, it's very much a CHOICE I've so unfortunately been making). Poop. I've been seriously praying for some time that He would show me what my deal is, and Praise Him, He just did!
Like I said a few posts back, this year is a year of change for me. I've known that since January 1, no kidding. Not in a "New Year resolution" kind of way, just something I've felt very strongly in my heart. And as the weeks have passed I've seen even more that the Lord is requiring a lot from me. I'm extremely excited but at the same time, very afraid. The things I know He's wanting are things I cannot fail at in my life any longer. I desire so much to rise to the occasion but honestly, didn't know if I could. Will I? Only time will tell...but I know I want to give Him my best.
"Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills." Habakkuk 3:18,19.

In other news and weather, my next post will be my first cooking post! Woo hoo! :) Most likely to come on Thursdays. Still trying to think of a clever lil' name for these segments, if anyone has any suggestions, pass 'em along! We have a home group at our house Wednesday nights so I'll most likely be sharing whatever concoction I've whipped up for the students. Wednesday has most definitely become my favorite day of the week, LOVE our little home group!
Well, I'm off to pick up Josiah from school and enjoy this beautiful afternoon with my little munchkins!

Fear

I'm very curious as to what others think about this, so please comment if you have anything to share or add. I realized something the other day (about myself) and after talking to a close friend who has the same "issue", I believe it's actually a pretty common fear among Christians. I've thought for some time now, that I have a fear of failure. There's a few areas in my life that I've tried again and again to make consistent or overcome in my life and have had rather disappointing results. Bottom line: I give up. Soooo, I've just always thought I must not be able to do this because I don't want to fail. Um, yeeeeeah. Don't know why it hasn't hit me sooner than now, but I realized my fear isn't so much failure (been there, done that, definitely not afraid of it!) but of SUCCESS! It was seriously an "aha!" moment for me. Once I start really succeeding at something there's like this switch that goes off in my brain where I suddenly think "I can't do this" (even though I've been doing it just fine) and I quit. I feel that to be good or successful in something will draw attention to me or make me prideful or something. I just don't get it and how to overcome this. Any thoughts??

The Thoughts I'm Kickin Around..

I've realized why it's so difficult sometimes for me to blog. I'll think of 20 different things to write about, at times I'm unable to sit down and actually write it out. But the second I find the time to do it, I can't think of one thing or, if I can, I can't think of how to start. And so I sit here, staring at the screen, wondering why on earth I thought this was a good idea. Grr. On the other hand, once I start writing even if it's about nothing, I realize how much I enjoy it. I suppose that's the way I am in conversation as well, so that only makes sense. Many times I don't know how to start talking about something but if I just start, then the rest comes to me. So I guess you should just prepare yourselves to read through a scattered first paragraph in all my posts!
So I have a few ideas and directions I'll be taking this blog to. Not all of which I'm prepared to share about just yet. But one thing I am going to do is a weekly segment about food, particularly something I've made that week. I would not say I'm some crazy good cook, but I do love cooking and more so, I love finding an incredibly good and easy recipe. "My friends say" I have a knack for it. (Jas, that quote is for you! haha)
So I figure I'll post a lot of my tried and true favorites, as well as some newly found winners! And if any of you attempt to try them at home, please let me know how it turns out and if you add a "personal" touch/spin on them!

Last year I ran my first half marathon with Team in Training, which was an incredible experience. I'm excited to say that I'll be running the Disney half marathon again this year, only this time without the fundraising (i.e. not with Team in Training)! I'd encourage anyone who even has the slightest desire to do it, you should! I can't say enough how amazing it is. Unfortunately, after I completed the marathon last year I did exactly what I said I wouldn't do: Stopped running. However that short, (ok long) break from running is over and one thing I know that motivates me in running, is having to blog about it.
So, those are two things I can guarantee you will hear about every week. :) As for the rest...well, you'll just have to stay tuned...

Hello World!

After a year plus hiatus from writing on this blog, I've decided to return! I've thought about it a few times, but seeing as I've been hardly what you'd call "consistent" at blogging, I'd always talk myself out of it. But so far, this has been a year of change for me (yes, I'm fully aware it's not even March...but still...) and while talking to a friend yesterday who's also gone back to blogging, I came to the conclusion that this would be as good a time as ever to give it another shot. My awesome husband also bought me an iPhone for Valentine's day this year which will make it much easier to post pictures and updates while not having to be glued to the computer.
I also haven't blogged in awhile because frankly, I didn't really know what to blog about! Blogging while pregnant is a no-brainer, of course my family (all of which live quite far from us - on both sides) would want to hear about that! But my day to day life?? Probably not so much. However, I have been thinking in these past few weeks, as life as I've known it has received a good shaking that it would be beneficial for me to write some things down. So while I'm fully aware not everyone may want to read about my day to day life, someone may want to and either way, at least our family whom we rarely get to see, will maybe get to know a little more about who we are as a family and I can satisfy my urge to write things down, all in one shot! Multi-tasking! Gotta love it. :)
The more I think about it, the more I realize how much I could blog about and most of all, how much I'd love to hear feedback from anyone who bothers to read my potentially painful boring posts. I figure that most of the people who will wander on here (besides family) either are or were close friends at one time. Facebook helps me keep in touch with a few of you, but truthfully there's just a lot of stuff I don't want to post to all my 500 "friends" on there! Anyway, I'm excited to get started and we'll see where it goes from here! I suppose I'll start with all the changes...slowly and drawn out of course, to keep you all reading.... ;)