Chicken Enchiladas

The chicken enchiladas I made last week were delicious! However, my husband is not a fan of sour cream. I personally love sour cream, and knew that he would enjoy the dish as long as he didn't know beforehand that it had any in it. ;) I had planned to make them for dinner when he was on day shift, so that he wouldn't be home when I was cooking. Well, to my surprise he came home extra early. It became a bit tricky, especially since he walked into the kitchen to chat right after I pulled the tub of sour cream out of the fridge! Luckily, I am super sneaky and managed to pull it off. After dinner, I did admit what the sauce was made from (and even disclosed how he almost caught me!) and while he quickly said "I still don't like sour cream," he did say that they were good. So, this recipe is a keeper.

Ingredients:
10 tortillas (corn or flour) 
3 chicken breasts, shredded
2 cups chicken broth (I just use the broth made from the water I boil the chicken in)
1 cup sour cream
3 TBS all-purpose flour
3 TBS butter
2 cups shredded cheese (Tex-Mex blend or Monterrey Jack)
4 oz can diced green chillies (I actually used rotel, instead)

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Mix 1 cup cheese with shredded chicken
-Fill tortillas with chicken/cheese mixture and place in greased casserole dish (9x13)
-Melt butter in a saucepan, stir flour into butter and whisk for about a minute, add broth. Cook until mixture gets thicker and starts to bubble up.
-Take off heat and  mix in sour cream and chillies (making sure the sour cream doesn't curdle)
-Pour mixture over rolled tortillas
-Top with remaining shredded cheese
-Bake in oven for 20-23 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes to brown cheese

These really were easy to make and tasted great-- they were even better the next day!

I hope you enjoy!
xox Amber

Meal Plan Aug 25th - 31st, 2013

Lots of yummy dinners planned for this week!

Meal Plan for August 25th - 31st, 2013

Sunday- Pizza Balls (will include recipe later)
Monday- Red Beans and Rice with Smoked Sausage
Tuesday- Smoked Pork Chops, roasted red potatoes, lima beans
Wednesday- Crockpot Cool Ranch Chicken, rice, veggies
Thursday- Leftovers
Friday- 15-bean soup with ham
Saturday- open (eat out, meatball subs, hot dogs, breakfast..)

What is your family having for dinners this week?

xox Amber

Meal plan: August 18th - 24th, 2013

Good morning, everyone! Yea, I know. I haven't written a post in over a month and instead of an explanation, I just decide to share this week's meal plan?! Haha. I have been meaning to write, but everytime I sit down to do so, I get busy with other things. It's not a good excuse, but it's what I got. My summer work schedule is much different than it is during the school year, James and I went on a mini vacation to San Antonio (I will share pictures soon!), and I have been busy with my Paparazzi business. Plus, I have been spending 2+ hours at the dog park every night with my new neighbor friends and our pups. :) But school is about to start back up, and my routine will be somewhat back to "normal."

Well, I'll just get right to it. Here's what is on the menu at the Biddinger home for this week!

Sunday: Chicken Enchiladas (I recently got this recipe from a friend who RAVED about them. I will share the recipe after I try it myself!)

Monday: Leftovers (James switches to nights, and I work from 7:15am-4:30pm. We probably won't even see each other this day)

Tuesday: Sloppy Joes 

Wednesday: Rice with ground sausage & cheese casserole

Thursday: Chili Cheese Dogs

Friday: Subway (I work all day and have a vendor event early Saturday morning. I figured I'd give myself a break from the kitchen and enjoy some nice sandwiches loaded with veggies. :) )

Saturday: Not sure. I don't know when we will be getting home from the event in Galveston. (James is going with me!) I have some soup in the freezer we could thaw out. We'll just play this day by ear. 

We recently received a $100 Visa giftcard from rent.com for putting them down as a referral when we moved into our apartment. It was going to expire in October, so I decided to go ahead and use it so I didn't forget. I ended up only paying $1.06 of my own cash for this week's groceries! Very exciting. :) When making the menu, I was trying to utilize what we already had (hamburger meat, hot dogs, etc) while taking our schedules into consideration. When James is on nights, I try to cook "quieter" meals so I don't wake him. It's what works for us. :) I am excited that he will be joining me at my event. He's never been to one with me, because he is normally working. But he is off and it should be a fun day. The event will benefit the Galveston Food Bank, and each vendor booth will have some sort of activity. I am going to have yarn and macaroni noodles/beads for the kids to make necklaces with at my booth. I can hardly wait!

Well, I better finish this second cup of coffee so I can take the dogs out to play for a bit. I hope everyone's having a wonderful weekend!

xox Amber

Crockpot Chicken & Oven Roasted Cabbage

Last night's dinner was quite tasty. Being the first time I had ever made the chicken or cabbage this way, I decided ahead of time to take pictures as I was preparing dinner-- just in case it was share worthy. And it was! So, I'll get right to it.

I didn't take pictures of how I made the chicken, but it is super easy. I simply heated up some chicken broth and water in the crockpot (I didn't measure-- but it was about half and half) and mixed in a packet of taco seasoning and a ranch packet. I then added 3 thawed chicken breasts and cooked on high for 4 hours.

As for the cabbage; I normally steam it on the stovetop. Last night, I made it in the oven. It took longer this way, but was incredibly flavorful. Here's how you make it:

Take a head of cabbage, and cut it into 4 wedges (you could cut it into smaller wedges if needed). Rinse/wash it, careful to keep the wedges together.

Next, place one wedge on an individual piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle a little oil (again, I didn't measure. I used vegetable oil, but you can use olive or any other type of oil you prefer) and add salt and pepper.

Wrap the wedge in bacon. I used smoky maple flavored bacon, but any kind will do. I used 3 pieces for each wedge.

Lastly, wrap the wedge in aluminum foil. Repeat the process for the remaining wedges, wrapping each in their own piece of foil. Place wedges on a cookie sheet and bake on 425 for 30-40 minutes (I believe I took mine out after 35).

I should have taken a final picture, but everything smelled so good, and we were so hungry, that we scarfed it down before I had a chance. In an attempt to sneak some more fruit into my husband's diet, I served the chicken and cabbage with a side of mixed fruit. ;) 

What is your favorite way to cook cabbage?

xox Amber

Settled In and Back to Normal

Good morning! A lot has been going on since my last post. We are finally moved into our new apartment.. which I absolutely love! Boxes are finally unpacked and it is feeling more like home every day. The dogs couldn't be happier with the dog park practically right outside our front door. Overall, really happy with our move. :)

I have been staying busy with the move, vendor events, nannying, and freelance writing. I have met some really awesome people at these past couple vendor events, but I must say it is way too HOT here in Texas to be outside all day. I am already looking forward to holiday events! Although I must admit, the profits do make up for the heat-induced migraines. ;)

Speaking of heat.. my car overheated on the way home Monday. Luckily, James took care of it after his long work day for me. Here's to hoping that doesn't happen again!

This is going to be short. I am going to take the dogs to the dog park for a bit before heading to work. I love that "going to work" really means playing Monopoly and going swimming for me. What a hard life, right?

Now that we are settled, I will be posting more frequently, meal plans included. I am so happy to be back to my normal routine! 

xox Amber

Papa's Sisters

Hi everyone! I know, I know... I said I would update more frequently. Life has just gotten so busy lately - in a good way! We are still staying with my inlaws, but will be all moved into our new place in a week and a half. By then, my schedule will have slowed down quite a bit and I will have more time to post. I have gained a couple new freelance writing clients and have several vendor events booked for June for Five to Accessorize. I am so excited! 

For those of you who don't know, my sister and I have always talked about going into business together. Since we now live so far away from each other, it's been quite difficult to accomplish that goal. When I started my Paparazzi Accessories business, I quickly saw that this would be perfect for us to do together! Since our inventory is constantly changing, we have created a facebook group here. Please feel free to request to join! ALL adult items are just $5, and children's items are $1!!

I have been staying busy with the kids I care for and we have gotten to do a lot of fun things lately, including the Nasa Space Center. Once their mom gets out for summer break, I won't have them quite as much and will devote more of my focus onto writing and booking jewelry parties. This summer is looking to be a great one!

James has been working an insane amount of hours lately. He told me he will have over 90 hours logged for this week after his shift tonight. I am so thankful for him-- but will be glad when he finally gets his 3 day break starting tomorrow!

Well, I think that's about it as far as updates go. I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

 ♥ Amber

Homemade Fabric Softener

Many of you know that I make my own laundry detergent. I also make my own fabric softener (thanks to my sis, Jennifier, who gave me the recipe!). I've been meaning to post this for quite some time now. It is SUPER simple!

Needed:

2 cups of your favorite scented conditioner (I use Sweetpea & Violet)

3 cups of white vinegar

6 cups of hot water

a container to mix and store it in (I use a tea/beverage pitcher, shown above)

You simply mix all of the ingredients together, stirring for about one minute or until all conditioner is dissolved. (Don't shake!) Use 1/4 cup per load and it works great! 

I've never done the math myself, but have heard that this comes out to be about $.08 per load. Not a bad deal!

♥ Amber

Rejoicing with others

We all want something. Whether it's big, small, or life changing, there's something that your heart desires. When you hear of someone else getting that very thing that you long for, it can make your heart sink down into your stomach. Of course you are happy for them, but at the same time it is as if you are mourning for that very thing that you lack. I'm reminded this morning that God told us in Romans 12:15: "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." 

God's promises will only come in HIS perfect timing. In the meantime, reach out and share in the emotions of others! 

Long Overdue Update & Moving

Hey y'all! It sure has been a while since my last post. Life has been crazy hectic and busy lately. I'll give a quick overview:

* I have been getting many "Congratulations on your new house!" messages lately. We are not buying a house. We are waiting until next year, because the builder we chose ended up being extremely shady and "withheld the truth" from us on several occasions. We don't want to be rushed & would rather have a pleasant experience buying our first home. Apparently word had gotten out that we were going to be buying (news sure does travel fast..) and I just wanted to clarify. We are waiting! :D

* I just got my inventory in and all items are available to purchase from my online store. Local customers can save on shipping by picking it up or I can even deliver. Just let me know what pieces so I can take them out of the shop before it's gone!

* I will hold off on meal plans for now; we are currently staying with James's parents because our lease was up and our new apartment won't be available until June. I do plan to get back to posting recipes soon, though.

All of our belongings are in boxes and either in the garage or in a covered trailer-- for those of you who know me, know my OCD is not very happy. :) I am thankful we are not in a hotel and that my inlaws are so great. With that said, I will be one happy lady when all of the boxes are unpacked in our new home!

Well, that's about all that's going on here. It's almost time for supper-- smoked pork chops, collard greens, corn, fried cornbread.. oh my!!

Hope everyone's week has been fantastic!

 ♥ Amber

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Good morning, everyone! I hope everyone's day is off to a wonderful start! As promised, here is the Homemade Chicken Pot Pie recipe that I use (which I got from my mother in law). It is so yummy! I'll get right to it.

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken

1 can cream of celery

2 regular cans of mixed veggies/Veg-all OR 1 large (28 oz) can

1 1/4 - 2 cups* chicken broth (**see tip below)

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup OR 1 stick of butter

1 cup milk

1 cup self-rising flour

Step One:

Preheat oven to 350

Boil & shred chicken breast 

**Keep water to use as chicken broth

Step Two:

Mix together chicken, cream of chicken, cream of celery, mixed veggies/Veg-All, chicken broth, salt & pepper. (I do not drain veggies. The recipe called for 1 1/2 - 2 cups broth, but I use closer to 1 1/4.) Pour into greased casserole dish.

Step Three:

Combine melted butter, milk, and flour. Mix well & pour over the top of the chicken mixture. (Note: not every inch needs to be covered)

Step Four:

Bake on 350 for about an hour or until top is golden brown. Let cool & enjoy!

When this was cooling, I decided to go ahead and run to the grocery store. Apparently I left the lid to this Pyrex casserole dish a little too close to the counter's ledge & this is what I came home to find:

Nice, huh? Cash knew he was in trouble immediately when I picked it off the floor. This is my favorite and most used Pyrex dish! Oh well, at least he didn't get the Chicken Pot Pie! :-P

Have a great day, y'all!

♥ Amber

Meal Plan April 7th - 13th, 2013

Good morning, y'all! I meant to get this week's meal plan up yesterday, but it was quite a busy day! I will be so happy when we have officially closed on our house-- I may never want to move again! :-P

I'll get right into it. Here's this week's plan!

Sunday- Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Monday- Leftovers

Tuesday- Chili Cheese Dogs & Pop Chips (Have you ever had pop chips? I tried them for the first time recently & love them! They happen to be on sale this week, so I incorporated them into the menu.)

Wednesday- Pork chops, Mac & Cheese, Veggie (I'm thinking cabbage or glazed carrots)

Thursday- Smoked Sausage, Slow-Cooked Lima Beans, Homemade Cornbread

Friday- Burritos

Saturday- Breakfast or leftovers

Sunday & Thursday's meals were moved from last week's menu to this weeks. We ended up eating at my inlaws' twice, and James took me to Cracker Barrel another night. We've lived here for over a year, and this was the first time we'd been! I used to wish we lived closer to one.. and now that we do, I don't take advantage. It sure was good & worth the wait! ;)

I just put the chicken on to boil for the chicken pot pie, so I will post the recipe along with pictures tomorrow. It makes quite a bit, and since James is working nights again tonight and tomorrow, I figured it'd be a good two-day meal. (Link added here.)

Once I have that done, I need to go grocery shopping. I don't have too much to buy for this week, since we are utilizing our stocked freezer. I've found some pretty good deals, so I plan to add a little more to the freezer for the future weeks. 

Well, I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

♥ Amber

Homemade Lasagna

Good morning, everyone! I promised to share this lasagna recipe if it turned out share-worthy. I made it last night for dinner, and it was delicious! So, here it is. :)

Homemade Lasagna

Ingredients:

-1 lb Ground beef (or ground deer, which is what I used) 

-6 Lasagna/Lasagne Noodles (both terms mean the same thing)- Get the kind that says "No boiling required" so that you don't have to add an unnecessary step

-1 bottle Prego's Tomato Basil Garlic pasta sauce (or your own preferred sauce)

-Ricotta, Shredded Mozarella & Parmesan Cheeses

-Italian Seasoning

**Note: I didn't measure Italian Seasoning or cheeses. I kind of "eyeballed" it. Use your judgement. :) I can say that I still have everything that I need to make another lasagna, minus the pasta sauce (our freezer is currently stocked with frozen deer meats)**

Step 1: Brown & Drain meat while oven is preheating to 375 degrees

Step 2: Stir in pasta sauce and about 1 tsp Italian Seasoning & add 1/3 meat mixture to bottom of a lightly greased casserole dish

Step 3: Carefully spread the Ricotta Cheese on 3 noodles, place side-by-side on top of meat, and sprinkle with Mozzarella Cheese

Step 4: Add another layer of 1/3 meat mixture & repeat Step 3

Step 5: Pour remaining 1/3 meat mixture on top & sprinkle with Mozarella

Step 6: Cover with two layers aluminum foil & bake on 375 for 40-45 minutes. Uncover & cook an additional 7-10 minutes.

Top with Parmesan Cheese & enjoy with a side of garlic bread (I made my own). Yum!

If you try this recipe, please comment below to let me know how it turned out!

Happy Friday, y'all!

♥ Amber

Our Words ♥

"But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgement for every careless word they have spoken." (Matthew 12:36) 

This sheds some new light to that old saying, "Think before you speak." This isn't only true when angry and in the heat of an argument. We often times speak curses over our own lives. Are you waiting for a job promotion? Careful not to get so discouraged that you mutter something like, "I know I'm not going to get it." You are placing a factual statement on your future-- underestimating what GOD can work out on your behalf. Same goes for every situation that may leave you feeling like you're stuck in "waiting," whether it be for a new job, new home, to have children, to pass a test, and so on. It's easy to have a careless tongue when we are anxious, but we have to remember to speak LIFE over our situations. Ultimately, He has the final say so. We just need to trust Him!

♥ Amber

April's Cause Candle: Autism Awareness

Hey y'all! I hope everyone's week is off to a wonderful start! James has been off the past couple of days, and again today, so we have enjoyed some time together & with family.

For those of you who don't know, April is Autism Awareness Month. My business has a Cause Candle each month, and $4 of each candle sold benefits the month's particular cause. This month, the $4 will go to the organization Autism Speaks.

This 18 oz candle comes in the scent Sparkling Citrus  I have been so excited to transition from the cold weather, holiday-type scents to fresh, Spring-type scents like this! This beautiful candle and other scented soy products can be purchased here.

On a not-so-happy note, my poor Brandy's not feeling very well. She's had an upset tummy the past 2 days, and is snuggled up close to me. Poor girl!

Have a blessed day, everyone!

♥ Amber

Happy Easter! Chocolate Covered "Carrot" Strawberries

Happy Easter, everyone! I am so thankful that Jesus died for my sins way before I was even born. Oh, how much He loves us! Today is extra special, because it's also James's birthday! :) 

Last night I made some Chocolate Covered Strawberries that look like carrots! 

Here's what I did:

Ingredients: Washed strawberries with tops still on, white baker's chocolate, and red and yellow food coloring

Place all 6 chocolate squares into a microwave safe bowl. (note: using a smaller bowl would have been helpful, for easier dipping) Microwave for about 2 minutes, or until almost melted. Stir until completely melted.

Add food coloring until achieving desired orange color. I used 3 drops of yellow for every 2 drops of red. I would add the 5 drops, mix, then repeat until I was satisfied with the results. Next time, I will add a bit more-- once the strawberries set, the orange color had faded a bit.

Dip the strawberries into the chocolate, careful not to get any on the tops. I was holding them by the tops to dip them, and a few of the tops tried to come off, so be careful.

Place the covered strawberries on a wax paper-covered cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. I got busy with some other things, so I let mine sit in there for 30-45 minutes. Then, I arranged them in a dish, covered it with plastic wrap, and stored in the fridge.

If I slowed down a bit and took my time, I probably could have made these look better. I still thought they looked pretty cute. What do you think?

♥ Amber

Meal Plan March 31 - April 6th, 2013

Hey y'all! I'll make this a quick one. I've been busy in the kitchen this evening and am ready to call it a night. Here's what I have on the menu for this coming week. Remember, if you see anything listed that you'd like the recipe for, comment below & I'll be sure to post it.



Meal Plan for March 31 - April 6

Sunday- Dinner at James's parents. Turkey, creamed corn, green beans, potato salad, key lime pie, cookie cake.. oh my! My mother in law is doing the cooking, but James and I are going to bring "diablo shrimp," which are bacon wrapped jalapenos stuffed with shrimp and cream cheese. James & the guys at his work had these the other night and (knowing how much I love jalapenos) James brought me home a few to try. Delicious!! I think they'd make a good appetizer. 

Monday- Meatball subs & a veggie (or goldfish, cheez-its, or sweet potato fries. We'll see what sounds good when that day rolls around)

Tuesday- Homemade lasagna

Wednesday- Smoked sausage, slow-cooked lima beans, homemade cornbread

Thursday- Chicken pot pie We ended up having so many left overs this past week, we bumped this from our menu over to this week so the food didn't go to waste. I still ended up freezing some of the leftovers! It's hard cooking for 2 people sometimes. :-P

Friday- Leftovers

Saturday- Leftovers or chili (in freezer) or grilled cheese & tomato soup

I have never made homemade lasagna, so I will be sure to put up the recipe I am using if it turns out worth sharing. (Update: Lasagna Recipe added here) I also tried to find a ham hock to put in the lima beans, but couldn't find one at the grocery store today. Going to go research some alternatives. Any suggestions?

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Easter weekend!

♥ Amber

Crockpot Sausage, Potatoes, & Green Beans

Happy Good Friday, everyone! Today I wanted to share a super easy recipe that I tried out yesterday for crockpot sausage, potatoes, and green beans. I actually made this for lunch, since James was on night shift and wouldn't be home for dinner. I like to prep crockpot meals the night before, when possible, to make my mornings even smoother. So, as I was cooking dinner the night before, I peeled and cut the potatoes and cut up the sausage. I stored them in the fridge overnight (in 2 separate gallon ziplock bags) so I could just dump them in the crockpot in the morning. The kitchen was smelling so good and when lunchtime rolled around, I was ready to dig in! James and I both liked it, so I thought I'd share with y'all. 

1 package smoked sausage (we used deer)
5 potatoes
2 cans of green beans
1 package Lipton "Recipe Secrets" onion soup mix
1 to 2 cups chicken broth (optional)

Peel and cut the potatoes, cut up the sausage into bite size chunks, drain the green beans, and put all ingredients in crockpot. Pour onion soup mix on top.  Add a cup or two of chicken broth if desired, then add water until veggies and meat are covered. Give a quick stir, and cook on high for about 4-5 hours, or low for 6-8 (or until potatoes are tender).

This made quite a bit, so we have plenty of leftovers. We will eat on it the next couple of days and if there is still enough left, I will freeze it to have another night for an even quicker and easier meal. If you try it, please make sure to comment below and tell me how you liked it! 

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

♥ Amber

Unexpected Gifts & Grace Adele

Good morning! I hope everyone's day is off to a great start. It's the middle of the week and I know a lot of people are off/out of school for Good Friday. We are almost there! :D

I just wanted to write a quick post about my unexpected gift last night. Remember that adorable warmer I showed y'all last week.. my early Easter gift? Turns out, that was just part of my gift. James came home (after working late, poor guy) with a Grace Adele purse! He bought it from the same lady he bought the warmer from. She gave him a good deal, too. It's funny.. his birthday is on Easter this year, and I am the one being showered with gifts! He said he wanted to wait until Sunday morning to give me the purse, but he didn't want to ride around with it in his truck all week or chance me finding it. I've never had a Grace Adele product before, but absolutely love it and am very impressed with the quality! Being entrepreneurial-minded, I was also thrilled to be supporting a home-based business (If I am not mistaken, Scentsy reps have the option of also representing Grace Adele).

Here's a pic:

Isn't it lovely?! It has tons of pockets, which is a great way to keep me organized! Grace Adele has many colors and styles to choose from. I love this little clutch that came with it, too! The purse also came with a matching wallet, but silly me forgot to get that in the pic. Perfect timing, because I was really needing a new wallet, too!

Alrighty, I better get going; plenty to get done today! Just wanted to brag on how wonderful my husband is for getting me such a pretty purse! :D

I hope everyone has a blessed day!

♥ Amber

Meal plan March 24-30, 2013

Hey there! I have been meaning to write for the past couple of days, but keep getting distracted. For example, I planned on coming home and writing this post yesterday, but instead walked straight into the kitchen and baked 4 dozen chocolate chip cookies. Yes, 4 dozen. I probably should have noted how many cookies the recipe yielded before I started mixing the ingredients. ;) I hope everyone had a great weekend and that your week is off to a great start! James and I enjoyed a 2 hour couple's massage, as part of our monthly "day date" we started last year. It was amazing! He is rarely off on the weekends, so we took full advantage.

This marks the beginning of my weekly meal plan posts. Of course, in the future I plan on doing this every Saturday for the week following, but I am running a little behind schedule. :) So, I'll go ahead and jump right in. Here is what we are having/had this week!

March 24th - 30th, 2013

Sunday - Had dinner with friends
Monday- Smoked pork chops, steamed cabbage, mixed veggies
Tuesday- Fried fish, rice, field peas
Wednesday-Tacos with ground deer meat
Thursday - Crockpot sausage, green beans, and potatoes
Friday - Homemade chicken pot pie
Saturday- Leftovers OR potato soup

Speaking of dinner.. I better go get started! Happy eating, everyone!

♥ Amber

Homemade Pumpkin Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Homemade dog treats? Yes, our dogs tend to be a bit spoiled. We talk about them like they are our children-- and in a sense, they are! When we first got Brandy, she itched constantly. Turns out she is sensitive to wheat and corn.. which is in most store bought dog food and treats. After switching her to a food free of these two ingredients, her symptoms cleared up and it was like she was a brand new dog! I then went on a recipe search for homemade dog treats and found one for Pumpkin Peanut Butter "cookies" on Jenny's Recipes. And boy do our kids dogs love them! Want to spoil your pooch, too? Here is the recipe!

1 & 1/4 cup flour  (I used rice flour, because of the allergies)

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (you can use canned)

1 egg

1 TBSP honey

2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Dash of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly in a large bowl. Drop by the spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 12 minutes. Makes about 24 "cookie" treats. Let cool and your dogs can enjoy (not all at once, of course!).

What are some other ways you've spoiled your pets?

♥ Amber

Homemade Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bread & a Trick

This past weekend, I tried a new recipe that I got from Danielle's blog for homemade Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bread. Oh my word, it was delicious! I love making things from scratch. Homemade food tends to be healthier, allows you to know exactly what you are putting in your body (substituting ingredients, if desired), and is less expensive. I was excited to learn I had everything I needed to make this delicious bread, minus the buttermilk and chocolate chips. No biggy, I needed to head to the grocery store, anyway. I am big on meal planning (which I will discuss in another post), so I always have a list. Silly me forgot to add the buttermilk to the list! I never, ever buy buttermilk. I quickly learned, thanks to the ever-faithful Google, that you can easily substitute buttermilk with two ingredients I always have on hand-- regular milk and vinegar! Sounds disgusting, right? I certainly wouldn't drink it alone, but it worked wonderfully in this recipe! Put one tablespoon vinegar into a measuring cup, then add milk (I used whole milk, because that is what we drink) until the mixture reaches the 1 cup mark (if using a recipe that calls for more than 1 cup of buttermilk, adjust accordingly). Then, let sit for 5 minutes and you have the perfect solution without having to run back out to the store! I am sure to use this trick over and over, as to avoid buying buttermilk for a recipe, only to end up throwing the unused portion away once it spoils from sitting untouched in the fridge.

Want to try your hand at this heavenly bread? Here is the recipe:

1 & 1/3 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup oats, either rolled or old fashion

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1 egg

3 TBS melted butter

1 cup buttermilk (or substitute, discussed above)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients (flour, oats, sugars, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, chocolate chips) together. In a seperate bowl, mix all wet ingredients (egg, butter, buttermilk/substitute). Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and pour mixture into a greased & floured 9x5 loaf pan. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until inserted knife comes out clean. Let cool and enjoy!

Now, it only took mine 30 minutes to be done. I have a finicky oven, and always have to adjust baking times. I cannot wait to move into our house with a new oven! :D

If you try this recipe, please leave a comment to let me know how it turned out! Have a great day everyone!

♥ Amber

Happy First Day of Spring!

Spring has sprung! The temperature has been so unbelievably nice here lately. I normally want winter weather to stick around for a bit, but this year I was itching for sunshine, spring flowers, and tank tops! Now, I know that I will soon be complaining that it's too hot (and humid!), but right now I am in love with this weather.

In perfect timing with the arrival of Spring, James brought me home my newest Scentsy warmer this morning! (Yes, I am spoiled. It is my early Easter gift!) It is called "Green Thumb" and when I saw it, I fell in love! He conveniently works with a rep. ;) How adorable is this?!

If you are interested in this or other adorable Spring warmers and/or scents, and don't currently have a rep, I highly recommend my dear friend Tonya. She is absolutely fantastic, and you can order straight from her online shop!

I am itching to get some fresh Spring flowers to add some bright color to our home, but I have already started packing to move next month-- wouldn't buying more stuff to put out be counterproductive? :D

What is your favorite thing about Spring?

God can Overcome!

"Our limitations do not speak of our capabilities-- they only whisper of what God can overcome!" So thankful this morning for a God that can overcome what the world labels as "hopeless." No matter what your circumstance, be it your health, finances, relationship, business, whatever.. GOD has the final say so! I pray this encourages you this morning ♥

The Desires of Your Heart

“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:3-4)

Many people read this believing that whatever they want, God will give it to them. However, I believe that our desires have to match up with His desires. Do the things you desire glorify God? Will they bring you into a closer relationship with Him? Or are they (truly) just selfish things? Of course we have our selfish desires (who wouldn’t like a brand new car?!), but I think this verse means more than God acting as a Santa Claus who gives us everything on our wish list. The next verse (5) says to commit your ways to the Lord. I believe when we do this, our desires will line up with His.

What is it that your heart is desiring today?

Mindset is a Powerful Thing!

“For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7) Mindset is a powerful thing. What have you spent your time meditating on lately? Do you believe you are SUCCESSFUL even when you are struggling? Do you believe you are an OVERCOMER when obstacles get thrown in your way? Do you believe that you will REAP A HARVEST from the seeds you’ve been planting, even though you have not yet seen the first sign of fruit? It’s so easy to get down and discouraged when we don’t see immediate results. Whether it’s in business, weight-loss, family matters, ministry, or just life in general, remember that GOD IS FAITHFUL! He wants to talk to you ♥ ♥