Recipes for Clarissa

Ok, Clarissa.

These are a couple of recipes that I have tried lately and the people who ate them thought they were great. Perhaps you have made something like them? If not, try them....sooo good. Not good for you by any means but good none the less. They are both from Trisha Yearwood's cookbook, Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood. I like it. Some really good recipes. I want to get her other cookbook now... Anyway.... Also, I know this is a public blog that others can read but I hope you are well my friend...I miss you !! :)

Ok, first recipe.

Asparagus Bundles

2 pounds fresh asparagus, ends trimmed

12 slices bacon

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Divide the asparagus spears into 12 bundles. carefully wrap 1 piece of bacon around each bundle, starting about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the tips. secure the bacon-wrapped spears with a toothpick. lay the bundles in a low sided casserole dish.

in a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, soy sauce, garlic salt, and pepper. bring the mixture to a boil. pour the hot sugar mixture over the asparagus bundles. transfer the dish to the oven and roast for 25 minutes, or until the spears have begun to wilt and the bacon looks fully cooked. remove the toothpicks before serving.

I dont have a picture of this one but it is soo good !

Then, the second recipe.

Key Lime Cake

1 3-ounce package lime-flavored gelatin

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

5 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

3/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup Key lime juice (from about 25 small Key limes or 4 large regular limes)

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to mix well. Add the eggs, oil, orange juice, lemon juice, and vanilla. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness by lightly touching the tops of the layers or inserting a toothpick. Cool the layers in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto racks.

While the layers are still hot, mix the lime juice and the confectioners' sugar and pour it over the layers on the racks. You can pierce the layers with a fork to allow the glaze to soak in better. Allow the layers to cool completely as you prepare the icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 cup butter, room temp

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temp

1 1-pound box confectioners' sugar

Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Spread the icing between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake.

* The cream cheese icing in optional. This cake is beautiful and tastes great with just the glaze poured over it.

Update

I have been at home since about Monday at 1:00 in the afternoon taking care of the little man who picked up RSV somewhere. Oh the joys. However, He hasn't felt absolutely terrible which is good. Perhaps tomorrow I will go back to work depending on the fever situation. In other notes about Colton he has learned how to climb out of his crib. Fortunately he had decided to wait this long to try but now we get to find him a big boy bed. He thinks he's excited but we will see when he actually gets it. I am worried about him staying in the bed and not coming in to wake me up all the time or walking around at night and getting into things he isn't supposed to.

At work I feel like I am going to have to make a choice soon. I feel like its not somewhere I should be anymore. I don't really enjoy my work there anymore. This also means I have to start looking and I have no idea where to start. Anyone have any ideas?

Some people know that I am having difficulty with PCOS. Its called polycystic ovary syndrome. Basically there are many cysts on my ovaries and it throws everything out of whack. Since last March we have been trying to have a baby and so far it hasn't worked. In December the doctor gave me some medicine to see if that will help but also gave me instructions that if I wanted things to move faster to let her know. That may be something I will be looking into soon. I am scared of things like fertility drugs etc. I am hoping that there is some way to fix this without that or more but I don't think that will be the case. I want to have another one before Colton gets too old and they don't want to play with each other. Pray for some peace and progress with this situation. Some days I am fine with it and others are really hard where I feel like I am defective somehow.

I am so incredibly excited for spring to get here!! I am excited to smell dirt, new grass, rain, worms, the FIRST THUNDERSTORM, etc. I am also excited to go to Palisades Park and take some pictures. This year we are preparing for a garden which will be fun to teach Colton about. Hopefully we will make him a sandbox and if it is at all possible a fence around the backyard so Colton can play. I dream about this fence and just pray we can pull the money out of somewhere to get it. I just would feel so much safer with a fence around our yard. Not that our neighborhood is bad, but with new houses going up and Colton being extremely adventurous he would be safer.

I am also missing friends. I would love to see Gabriel, Clarissa, Becky, Chelsie, B*, Matt and April etc. It has been too long and I really miss them.

What are looking forward to this spring?

Oh Days Off....

I had to work all weekend so my next two days are off.....Thank goodness... I have big plans of cleaning etc.... we will see how that goes. Jason gets to have his first plane rides this week and I am hoping that goes well. It will be just Colton and I until Thursday when Jason gets back. Hopefully Colton and I will have fun....

I am patiently waiting for spring. Although the melting snow is probably going to create a floody mess....I miss green and the smell of grass and worms. And rain, and walks with Colton and the wagon and fires...mmmm I cant wait...

I'm waiting for Colton to be able to ride his Christmas bike etc...

alright back to cleaning for now...:)

Exciting!

So I just found out that I won a handmade card from The Dotted Duck !! Yay. These ladies make some super cute stuff! There are handmade cards and some awesome towel bibs for the little ones in your life or for your friends....Go there and check it out. Thanks again ladies :)

Recipes From Others I Want to Try

There are a couple people who post some really tasty looking recipes that I think I want to try. So, I am going to put them in here and hopefully soon get to try them and let you know how they go. The one I saw today was called:

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 cup fat-free milk

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine the egg, milk, oil, orange juice and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raspberries and chocolate chips. Fill paper-lined muffin cups or cups coated with nonstick cooking spray two-thirds full.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

And there is this recipe I want to try....

Chocolate Revel Bars

Original Recipe Yield 1 - 9x13 inch pan

Ingredients

3 cups quick cooking oats

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat together 1 cup butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir into butter mixture. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in walnuts and 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Pat 2/3 of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over the top, and dot with remaining oat mixture.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven. Let cool on a wire rack, then cut into bars.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 343 | Total Fat: 14.4g | Cholesterol: 46mg

Do you remember when holidays were actually holidays?

This is something that I am getting progressively more frustrated with. Holidays are not holidays anymore. Where did that time of family fellowship, relaxation and really thinking and knowing what is being celebrated go? I was fortunate and did not have to work on Thanksgiving so I got to see my family for a lot of the day and Colton got to go to my brother's house and "ride" horse. He thought it was amazing and it was so cute. However, Thanksgiving was my only day off that week and I had to be at work at 3:30am the next morning. Lame. Obviously there are many things that I am thankful for but I dont feel that there was time to enjoy being thankful. Again, I know i can always be thankful but if thanksgiving is to reflect on what we are thankful for there should be time to do it.

Christmas is the same. I have Christmas day off. AND Walmart has decided (for some unknown and ridicules reason) that on Christmas Eve they should be open until 8pm. I'm sorry but what the hell? I want time to spend with family, to think about the One who was born and died for our sins, to sing, to be thankful for all these things. I love Christmas day...its a good day but it goes so fast....

Shifting towards Christmas

Well the time is flying by. Colton has turned 2, he was a lion for Halloween and Thanksgiving is swiftly approaching. Thanksgiving isnt really that exciting for me though because the weekend after I pretty much work non stop. I really enjoy seeing family though! Then its
Christmas! Jason told me he really wants to decorate this year. However, when I ask him what he wants to do he says "I dont know, I dont decorate". So, we will see what happens. I love Christmas even though its a challenge to balance work and all the family. I love seeing everyone and am really happy when it all works out well.
Colton had a lot of fun going trick or treating. He even got to meet up with his cousin Caeden at Grandpa and Grandmas and go to a few doors with him. Caeden was a monkey and they were pretty cute together.
Today we are getting family and Coltons two year pictures taken. I am pretty excited and hope it goes well. I guess we will see. I am a lot fatter than I used to be so im guessing I wont like the pictures with me in them very much. We will see.
I started painting my entry way the other day. I am hoping I will like the color otherwise I will have to get some glaze and do a different technique on it ...
Colton has become quite the little conversationalist and has learned many words in a short period of time. It is amazing to listen to him and realize how much he knows! He has also used the potty a few times! Mommy is pretty impressed :)
One of Jason's cousins is getting married today. We feel bad we cant make it but wish her the best!
We are enjoying the warmer fall weather that we missed in October. I personally hope it sticks around awhile but we will see. It is crazy that is has already snowed because it doesnt really feel like it. I of course will add a few pictures here at the end :)