Menu Plan... it's a little late :-\

Monday - Roasted chicken breasts (on the bone) with stuffing and steamed broccoli
Tuesday - Taco Soup (recipe to follow)
Wednesday - Grilled ham and cheese
Thursday - Beef and black bean taquitos (see last week)
Friday - Spaghetti with meat sauce

I'm also remaking a batch of Pumpkin Cranberry Bread... I made some last week and FORGOT THE SUGAR.  Seriously?  How can that even happen?!?  Needless to say it doesn't taste very good.  BUT it does have a great pumpkin flavor and the cranberries are awesome.  I saved it to try to make croutons (for a grilled chicken salad) and stuffing for turkey... if I can remember, I'll let you know how that turns out.

Anyway, this bread is one of James' favorite things that I make.  I'm tempted to stockpile canned pumpkin and cranberries while they're on the shelves and then save them to make this for him randomly throughout the year.  I love it too :)

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
4 eggs
2 cups pureed pumpkin (1 regular size can)
1 cup vegetable oil (if you sub apple sauce, only do it for 1/2 or the texture is different)
4 cups sugar (Splenda also works but it makes the bread very dense)
4 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (recipe below)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained

Preheat oven to 350*.  Combine eggs, pumpkin, and oil in electric mixer.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  Stir in cranberries (this is best done by hand).  Divide into two 8x4 inch loaf pans (or spoon into muffin tins - fill 1/2 to 3/4 full).  Bake 50 minutes (or 25-35 min for muffins).  Serve warm with cream cheese.

Warning: do not lick any of the batter off of your fingers.  If you do you will want to eat it with a spoon out of the bowl.  Eating raw batter is dangerous, people!  And yet, that spoon beckons.... Seriously, I can eat this with a spoon.  It almost makes me want to make it without eggs and plan to eat it raw in the first place.  Is that weird?

Tonight I only had 3 eggs so I sprinkled in some egg substitute, only had bread flour (the new bag I had ready to open was bread flour too... whoops!), and I only had a giant (3 1/2 cups) can of pumpkin.  Now I'm not about to waste pumpkin and since I was out of eggs, I just dumped in the whole can and added an extra 1/2 Tbsp of pumpkin pie spice (which reminds me I still need to type that recipe up for you!).   I probably should have added extra sugar and baking soda too, but I didn't... we'll see how it turns out!

Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp ginger
2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
dash allspice


This Taco Soup recipe is awesome.  It's from my even more awesome friend Marla (hi, Marla!).  She first introduced it to our family when her family came over to bring us dinner after Andrew was born.

Marla's Oklahoma Taco Soup
1 lb ground beef
1 can each: stewed tomatoes, Rotel tomatoes with chilies, whole kernel corn, kidney beans
2 cans pinto beans
1 package each taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix
*I also add one small (or 1/2 large) onion, diced and cook it with the meat

Brown and drain beef.  Do not drain beans, tomatoes, and corn!  Add all cans and both mixes and stir to combine.  Add a little water if too thick (but tomatoes cook down so be patient before deciding).  Cook until heated through (or for an hour or two on very low heat if you're like me and get it ready while the baby is napping 2 hours before dinner time :)  Serve with grated cheese, raw onions, sour cream, and taco chips.  James particularly likes the lime flavor chips and I prefer Fritos.  But any corn/tortilla type chip will do!

Low Sodium options:
*Use low sodium, no salt added, and/or rinse your beans and corn.  If you rinse the veggies, fill the can with water while the beans are still in there to get the right volume.
*Substitute 1 can diced tomatoes plus 1 can diced green chilies for the Rotel tomatoes/chilies
*Use homemade taco/ranch mixes (recipes below)

Taco Mix:
2 tsp each: chili powder, all purpose flour, dried oregano, cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp each: onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper

Ranch Mix:
1/4-1/2 cup buttermilk powder (Marla just eyeballs it)
1 Tbsp dried parsley, crushed
1 tsp each: dried dill weed, onion powder, minced onion
1/4 tsp gr. pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

YUM!

God is faithful!

So, a friend of mine is struggling with trusting God right now.  She's going through some pretty major issues and rather than tell her "oh, it'll be alright," which I don't actually know, I have been trying to encourage her with what I know is TRUE.  This is truth we can rely on, cling to, take to the bank!  I hope it is also encouraging to you - feel free to share this list of scripture with anyone.  

Quotes are taken from New International Version and this is by no means (!) an exhaustive list... just what the Holy Spirit brought to mind this morning as I was writing her a card.

Acts 4:12

Salvation is found in no one else [Jesus], for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.

Romans 6:22-23

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:1-3

Therefore, since we [believers in Christ] have been justified [sins paid for by Christ] through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

 (Compare the Romans 5:1-3 (written through Paul) passage with 2 Corinthians 11:23-12:12 (list of Paul's sufferings). Always gives me both perspective on my sufferings and hope of God's goodness and faithfulness through them!)

John 6:37
All those the Father gives me [Jesus] will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

 

Lamentations 3:22-24

(note: in scripture LORD - all caps - means God’s actual name, not just the title ‘lord’)

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
   for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
   great is your [God’s] faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
   therefore I will wait for him.”

Romans 3:3-4a

What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all!

Philippians 1: 6, 9-11

He who began a good work in you [God] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus [second coming, still in our future]. … And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

John 10:10-11, 27-29

I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep [believers]. … My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.

John 5:24

Very truly I [Jesus] tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

Eph 1:13

And you [believers] also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Psalm 36:5
Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

Psalm 57:10
For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Psalm 40:11
Do not withhold your mercy from me, LORD; may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

Psalm 86:11
Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Psalm 86:15
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

Psalm 100:5
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 108:4
For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Birthday Week in Photos: Part 3

 Titus and Andrew did really well playing together!  They played with the music table...

 ... and the ball Mrs. Marla/Mr. Tim/Marlie/Reed gave Andrew...

 ... and cars!

Jenn and I took the boys on a walk around the local park (after swinging on the swings).

Uncle George was on 'baby duty' while Aunt Jenn and I packed the car to drive downtown...

... to the Children's Museum!  Here are the boys playing dress-up and fixing a bike at the bike shop!  We thought of you, Poppy!

In the News Room they have cameras, teleprompters, and video monitors!  Andrew and I did the weather report (about the severe weather in eastern Texas... apparently a storm of orange goo is on it's way...)

 "There will be heavy flooding of orange goo in the Houston and San Antonio areas..."

Then it was up to the Tots Room to play with lots of fun, developmentally-appropriate toys :)  (It took about 45 min for the grown ups to make the way up there since we kept getting distracted by other awesome stuff!)

 Andrew practiced climbing stairs...

 Titus played with this tea pot for about an hour! (And both boys go "It's my first visit!" stickers :)

 The spinning colored flowers were a big hit :)  The petals overlap so you can see what colors result from combining other colors!

We had cousin bath time, too!  The boys had a great time splashing and playing!

( Get a good look at that hair...)


Uncle George helped (ok, who am I kidding?  he did it - I was the helper) install the new baby gate between the living room and kitchen.  Neither baby was excited to see it when they got up the next morning.

Friday we went swimming at a friend's community pool.  

 Montana t-shirts!

 Chloe let us borrow her floaty seat thing.  Andrew LOVED it!

Sunday evening I cut Andrew's hair.  I'm not sure how I like it.  Actually, I really like it... I just miss the wispy baby hair, too! But I'm SO GLAD the crazy long part over his ears is trimmed... it was starting to drive me nuts :-p

 Now he looks like a real boy!  Who can count his age in YEARS!  (Well, year... singular...)  Happy birthday, baby!

Birthday Week in Photos: Part 2

 After the cupcake experience (he crammed the whole thing in his mouth at the same time, followed shortly by Uncle George doing the same with the full-sized cupcake... it was fun to watch...) it was time for presents!

 Grammy sent him a car bag made out of fabric with roads on it!  The mat folds up into a bag with handles and is held together with magnets.  There are a few little pockets on the inside to hold the cars!

 Sweet little monkey blanket/stuffed animal from Aunt Cathi

 Foam letter puzzle blocks from Poppy (Marlie was a great helper for opening the gifts!  Unfortunately the photos of Andrew opening her gift -a cool ball that eats other balls -didn't come out so I won't post them :( )

 Amish Puzzle Ball from Momma

 Two great books from Aunt Grace

 AWESOME beanbag from Uncle George, Aunt Jenn, and Titus!  He LOVES climbing up on it and being set in it and sitting in/on it and even is happy to sit in it when otherwise nothing will do except being held by Momma... I think I may like it even more than he does :-D

 Fun ball pit play time with Hannah, Titus, and Evie :)

 Poppy and the grandsons!

 Lovin' the bean bag!

 Uncle George gives GREAT snuggles!


Then on Monday instead of Music Class we had a birthday play party...

 It was a rough morning for the birthday boy, but the bean bag and some goldfish seemed to ease the pain :)

 Picnic lunch in the back yard!  Cupcake #2... funfetti this time :)

 And then the cheese ball... the doctor thinks this is the origin of the hives that totally covered his body about 16 hours later.  Praise God for baby Benadryll!

 Birthday Buddy Titus!

My, oh my, these boys have grown.  I love them!

(PS - mad props to Marla for dressing Marlie in an outfit covered in balls ;)

I'll post again soon... lots more cute photos of the cousins from the rest of the week!