Stylish Blog Award

So a big thank you going out to A Hootie Hoot  for the sweet Stylish Blog Award!  How thoughtful of you and thanks for stopping by!!

There are rules that go along with winning this award. Here they are:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 7 recently discovered great bloggers. or less. up to you.
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

7 THINGS ABOUT ME:

1. I am so thankful to be a Christian and to have the privilege of living my life here on earth for my God!
2. I LOVE being a wife and SAHM!  I totally have the cutest kids ever :)
3. I am a youth pastors wife and enjoy it!
4. I really enjoy blogging!
5. My passion in the kitchen is baking!
6. I have lived in 6 different states in the past 6 years
7. I adore hot cocoa and a good chick flick!

Here are 7 fabulous blogs I have discovered in my journeys across the internet.  You should definitely check them out!  They are being awarded with the Stylish Blogger Award.

1. Beauty and Inspiration
2. A Steady Rain
3.Fryman Four
4. The Sealy Story 
5. Our Family for His Glory
6. I Love Lucy
7. Life as a wife

Softest Chocolate Chip Cookies!

After being inspired by a friend, I decided to give this recipe a try.  I mean, the pictures alone made it look SO good, but I did end up tweaking it a bit to suit our own families taste.  WOW.  After baking these cookies I of course HAD to taste test and boy I think I should be careful to not have these cookies in our house too often!  I may change my shape to round if they are in our house frequently!  Give them a try and let me know what you think!

What I used:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup butter, softned
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 pkg. (3.12 oz size) french vanilla instant pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pkg (12. oz) of semi-sweet chocolate chunks


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl add your butter and sugars until mixed well.  Add in pudding mix and stir together until well blended.  Add in your eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add your baking soda and flour stir until blended.  Add chocolate chunks and mix it all together. 
Take your cookie sheets and spray them with cooking spray and then take dough by spoonfuls and place on cookie sheet (you thought I was going to say place it in your mouth didn't you? :).  Bake for 12-15 min. or until outside edges are golden brown. 
Ya, just try to tell me these don't LOOK amazing!  The taste is just as good :)

Breakfast Burritos

I was once again brainstorming for coming up with a new breakfast for our youth group and this idea just popped into my head.  The only downside is that I didn't get a picture before they were all gobbled up!  The teens loved them and so did my hubby!  I got the two thumbs up to make them again :)

What I used:
One link of turkey sausage, diced up into small chunks
1/2 jar of mild salsa (you can definitely choose a spicier salsa if you wish to, I just am a wimp!)
1 cup shredded cheddar/colby cheese (you can use whatever cheese you desire)
6 eggs, scrambled
dash of garlic (to taste)
dash of paprika (to taste)
8 tortillas

First things first, scramble up your eggs.  In a separate skillet cook up your sausage.  Add salsa, eggs, garlic, paprika to skillet and mix well.  Top with cheese and stir just until melted.
Take your tortillas and warm them up then spread about 1/4 cup of meat mixture onto tortilla (you can add more if you like your burritos really loaded up).  Top with extra cheese if desired.  Roll up burrito style and voila!  Your quick and easy breakfast is ready to go, not to mention bursting with flavor!

Fried Steak

So are you ready for this one?  I don't know if you are ready to handle this recipe.....I mean it is SO easy it will make you feel like you actually ordered take out instead of  slaving over a hot stove :)  Ok, ok, I'll share this super easy recipe!  Not only is it really easy, it is bursting with flavor but I have to put up a warning here: if you are a health nut, this would so not be the recipe for you.  Everything in moderation though right?  Just do a few extra sit ups and jog around the block to even it all out :)  From my kitchen to yours, ENJOY!

What I used:
2 Cube steaks
1 cup flour
dash of seasoned salt (to taste)
dash of pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup oil
1 tbsp. butter


Put your flour on a plate and mix in your salt and pepper.  Place one steak in the flour mixture and be sure to coat, flip over and coat opposite side.  Once your oil is nice and hot add your butter, if your butter sizzles you'll know the oil is hot enough.  Place your steak in the oil and repeat process with other steak.  Cook on both sides for several minutes until steak is cooked through.
Easy enough?  Ya, I'd say so!  Now take a glorious bite of this deliciousness and let your taste buds thank you :)

Potatoes au Gratin

My honey and I decided to have a date night in so I decided to get creative!  I wanted to fix something NEW and exciting :)  Since my hubby is the epitome of a meat and potatoes man, I found this recipe to be simply perfect!  I had not tried my hands at Potatoes au Gratin for one reason alone....with a name like that it sounded rather time consuming!!  However, this recipe proved me wrong!  Give 'em a try and let me know what you think!

What I used:

• 4 whole large Potatoes, Scrubbed Clean
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
• 1-½ cup Heavy Cream
• ½ cup 2% Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
•  Ground Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded

 Pre-heat over to 400 degrees.  Slice your potatoes thin, but not too thin.  Quarter them up as you go and toss them in a bowl of water to keep them from turning colors.  Once your potatoes are all cut up mix together your heavy whipping cream, milk, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper!  Mix well.  Take your softened butter and smear it all around your baking dish.  (I used a round casserole dish)  Add 1/2 of your potatoes to the bowl and top with 1/2 of your liquid mixture.  Repeat layer until all potatoes and liquid are in your baking dish.  Wrap with foil and bake for 30 min.  Remove foil and cook another 20 min. 
Remove dish from the oven and top with cheddar cheese and place back in oven for another 5 min. or so.   
The cooking time takes awhile, but the end result is phenomenal!