Texas Sheet Cake

When I was a kid, family events and church suppers were attended with mom's mac n cheese in one hand and texas sheet cake in the other. These two dishes were easy to make and had a large yield, so they were a favorite for a big event.

A New Chef in the Kitchen: Chocolate Sugar Cookies

I remember walking into the doctor's office this past July, sporting a small baby bump and a nervous smile. I had made an evening appointment so Brad could be there to see our little one and we were excited to find out whether we'd be having a he or a she.

Thanksgiving Together: Honey Wheat Rolls

I was really excited about Thanksgiving this year. So much has happened this year and we are grateful for the amazing blessings that God has given to us.

I was particularly excited about the chance to have our care group over to celebrate the holiday around our table (or a borrowed one from church!) in our new dining room, in our new house. A house that they have prayed about for years, asking God to graciously give it to us.

Apple Crumble

The last few, dog days of summer always seem to be oppressive ones that suck your energy and sap your strength. Even the slightest tasks cause beads of sweat to break out on your forehead and cooking anything becomes border-line torture. I do not enjoy these days.

A Tale of Two Kitchens

It's been the craziest of times around here.

Clean. Pack. Throw away the why-did-I-keep-that?

Up the stairs. Down the stairs. Sit and Breathe.

Close on the house. Goodbye Apartment. Hello New House.

The Death of a Recipe: Cashew Chicken

In high school, my mom started making Cashew Chicken Stirfry. A tantalizing blend of juicy chicken, slightly tender veggies and crunchy cashews are sauteed in a pungent garlic sauce and then generously spooned onto a mound of white rice. I love this recipe. It's quick, easy on a week night and with the meat and veggies all in one pan, I don't feel the need to make a salad. But mostly, I love the sauce.

We've always used Wegmans Garlic Sauce. Even now, when the closest Wegmans is 45 minutes away, I still make a trip every few months to stock up on four or five bottles.

And then I heard the sad news from my mom....they've discontinued the sauce.

Hubby Favorite: Balsamic Pork Scallopine

I could eat this meal every day for the rest of my life.

Strawberry Jam

My family has always made freezer jam. I can remember my mom leaving early on a bright, June morning for the strawberry patch, clad in plaid shorts and a white tank top, with a worn visor perched on her head to keep out the sun. She would leave with the car loaded up with cardboard green containers and her pockets filled with cash and would come back with quarts upon quarts of fresh, red berries. The trunk floor would be blanketed with boxes filled to the brim.

Yellow Cupcakes with "Rose" Icing: Baby Shower

I helped throw a baby shower for a friend a few weeks ago. We decided to have a bumblebee theme since that was the theme of the baby's nursery. You can do oh-so-many cute things with bumblebees!

Like this.....

And this......

But I had the most fun making the cupcakes. Each vanilla cupcake was topped with an elegant, pastel rose with a swarm of bumblebees buzzing over the pretty faux petals. 

Raspberry Squares

As a child, I loved summertime. Growing up with lots of land meant lots of time outdoors. One of my favorite places to play was down by the pond. The pond wasn't too large, was just deep enough to swim in and was filled with fascinating creatures: spiders that skimmed the water's surface, little minnows that darted away as I came near and gelatinous clusters of frog eggs that clung stickily to cattail reeds. As summer wore on, I would watch the tadpoles form legs and their tails shorten bit by bit. Soon they were itty-bitty frogs that would sun themselves amongst the short, mossy grass that fringed the water. I would walk around the edge as quietly as I could, hoping to sneak up on an unsuspecting frog. I would get oh-so-close before they would jump alarmingly into the safety of the water and out of my reach.