Some Southern Favorites!

**Updated with Usher Family "fried" Okra & Squash

This is hands down THE best AND easiest Banana Pudding I have EVER made/had!

Aunt Lynn's Banana Pudding
1 lg. box of instant vanilla pudding
1/2 c. non-dairy creamer (powder)
1 can Eagle Brand Condensed milk
3 c. milk
8 oz. cool whip
Vanilla Wafers
3-4 Bananas (cut bite size)

mix all but cool whip for 2 minutes. Layer wafers, bananas, mix (repeat until all the mix is used). Top with cool whip.
YUM! Kehnley calls this banana cake

Bry's fav. Green Beans
(for a boy who used to hate all things green)
Fresh green beans
2 tsp butter
bread crumbs
Season Salt
salt and pepper

Wash and snap ends off green beans (*you can all buy the steam fresh bag OR frozen long cut green beans) Steam them in a steamer, if you don't have a steamer you can use a little bit of olive oil in a pan and cook cover on low-med heat until tender yet with a snap. Remove from steamer OR pan and place in a serving dish, add butter, salt and pepper, Season Salt, and handful of bread crumbs. Mix well, the bread crumbs will lightly coat the green beans and you will see these babies eaten up just as fast as they were made!

KEHNLEY WILL ACTUALLY EAT MORE OF THESE THAN ANYTHING ON THE PLATE! Craaa-zy!

A child who licks the cream cheese off a bagel LOVES this!!
Chicken Spaghetti
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or you can use a whole chicken de-boned) I like only white meat in mine
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tbs. Tony's Creole Seasoning
1/2 Chopped Onion (*optional when I am preggers not going in there!)
Spaghetti noodles
1 lb. Velveeta cheese (don't accidentally put 2 when you are making the recipe for the first time and make all your friends sick except Ronnie who gobbled all of it up)

1 can of cream of mushroom soup AND 1 can of cream of celery
*OR you can sub both of those for Golden Mushroom and have a little more kick to your dish

Boil Chicken until cooked remove from pot and cut into small pieces
Boil Spaghetti in broth left from chicken.
Melt Velveeta with soup in microwave.
Mix all ingredients together with chicken and spaghetti. Can serve right away OR put in a baking dish and bake @ 450 with a little cheese on top until slightly browned)

Come to think of it I haven't made this in a while, maybe sometime this weekend...

Usher Family "fried" Okra & Squash
(Great Grandma Usher's fried okra is the best!)
frozen or fresh cut okra (thawed)
2 -3 yellow squash chopped into cubes
1/2 med onion chopped
cornmeal
wheat flour (*optional)

In a mixing bowl toss together the veggies an onions, add enough cornmeal and(*optional- just a dash or two of flour) mix with your hands to get it all coated.
Heat olive oil in the skillet but not to where it's smoky, add veggie mix and cover to cook.
Cook on med/high stirring occasionally. Sometimes if it's a big batch I will add it in two parts. Cook until the okra/squash/onion mix is getting crispy and browned like "fried" okra would be. If you need to add more cornmeal, I just add by the handful as it's cooking and toss to make sure it's got everything covered almost. While it's cooking I add the salt and pepper.
Once finished remove from skillet and place on a plate with paper towns to soak up the oil. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy! Hope your house is smelling like my great grandma's right now :)

I have a picky eater!

SO my neighbor inspired me to share some of Kehnley's fav. recipes. She's a SUPER picky eater, hates veggies, LOVES hot dog wieners and mac and cheese...lets just say she only gets those things on a regular basis from the grandparents houses. SO, my mission... to make food she will eat that's actually good for her, something BRY will eat...AND something easy enough I can make in a day. Oh yeah!!! AND it would be nice if it was on a budget too!

PS. This is also a new feature for my friends that live far away asking me for recipes and Nate in particular following his dreams in Nashville, maybe this can give you some mealtime ideas :) AND you wont have to scribble ingredients down over the phone!

Two nights ago I made Turkey White Bean Chili and THESE "Muffins" as she favorably calls them.

Thank Kristen Webster for this one!!

Broccoli Cheddar Muffins

4 large eggs

1/2 c. melted butter

1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 10oz frozen bag of chopped broccoli cooked and drained

1/2 c. green onion chopped (*optional)

8 oz. Jiffy corn muffin mix (blue box)

Beat the eggs in mixer until light in color. Add Butter & cheese & mix on low. Add muffin mix, broc. & *onion- mix on low speed another minute. Pour into greased muffin pan.

Cook 375 for15-20 minutes And watch as your child eats broccoli with a smile! :)

This one is for all my Tech-ies who KNOW what a huge pot this makes! Wouldn't have been a great Lubbock winter night without it! Thanks Gabby :)

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef

1 can kernel corn

1 can homony (golden)

1 can black beans

2 cans pinto beans

1 can rotel

1 can diced tomatoes

1 pkg. taco seasonings

1 jar (yes the whole jar) of your fav salsa

Brown meat in the pot and add taco seasoning once meat is cooked and drained. Add in tomatoes, salsa, rotel and the rest of the cans. Salt and pepper to taste.

Let simmer until beans are cooked through and soup is bubbling.

Serve with cheese, Fritos or tortilla chips, avocados or sour cream!

YUM... makes a LOT!

Cranberry Rice Bars

3 tbs. butter

1 bad of mini marshmallows

1 box of Kashi Go Lean OR any other multi-grain cluster cereal'

1 1/4 cups dried cranberries OR cherries (sometimes we use cherries)

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and cook, stirring occasionally 4-5 minutes until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.

Stir in cereal and 1 cup dried cranberries until well coated

Press mixture into 13x9 in baking dish coated with cooking spray. Chop remaining 1/4 c.dried cranberries and sprinkle on to.

Let stand 10-15 minutes. Cut and enjoy!!

Makes 24 bars.

It's a fun alternative to rice crispies!

Those are just three for today. There's more to come!! Oh look at the time, Good night!!

Angel

I've got an angel, she doesn't wear any wings.

She wears a heart that can melt my own, she wears a smile that can make me want to sing

She gives me presents, with her presence alone.

She gives me everything I could wish for, she gives me kisses on the lips just for coming home.

She can make angels, I've seen it with my own eyes.

You gotta be careful when you've got good love, because the angels will just keep on multiplying.

You're so busy changing the world, just one smile can change all of mine.

We share the same soul, oh oh oh oh.

We share the same soul.

Angle by Jack Johnson

This is an apology to my little angel, this past week I had a feeling most moms feel at some pint I am sure...like I needed time to just NOT be a mom. It's hard to not feel a little lost when you are given this title all day everyday. It would be like living at your job 24/7 around the clock and at some point you loose the joy meant to be experienced in what you do. I was talking with a friend and actually heard these words come out of my mouth "sometimes I just want to be just me and not a mom". How could I say that when there are not-yet-but-dieing-to-be-mother's out there in the world... my daughter is a gift and how quickly we take those gifts for granted when some days get hard. Forgive me darling, I know what gift you are and I cherish you. There are days when I will look back at these precious times and wish I had you with me all the time again. I don't want to miss a moment. What if God stopped being our savior for just a day because I am sure there are days that I could exacerbate His grace... (Bryson pointed that out to me lovingly). I am glad He doesn't get tired of His "job".

"So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time." Galations 6:9

Ever-Present

This past week we went to Port A with the Blowey fam. it was a really relaxing and a great weekend, I was able to run on the beach, laugh and play with Bry and Kehnley, sleep like no other, and enjoy some really intimate time with the Lord. As most times go when you are digging deep in the scriptures and feeling God's presence there is a nagging pull on the heart of every believer depending on the time of life, that is called "distraction". Satan uses it often and in many forms. For me that week it was doubt in the form of making the right decisions about our future. I was running on the beach with Bry when a nagging feeling started to settle in as I thought about the Amex bill I had yet to pay... did I make the right choice to not go back to work, to stay home, to have another baby, to pursue my own design company full time.... I just couldn't shake it and as much as I tried to talk my self into, down and around the choice God so clearly had laid out for us, I knew what I had to do! Go to the word. What I was greeted with was more than comforting, it was convicting. How could I doubt God's presence in my life?

(Let me interject by saying that I KNOW this life is nothing but a flash: unimportant in so many ways, full of useless things meant to keep us entertained for only a short time until we will be united with our Love, Jesus Christ forever... and live in that Holy Kingdom with Him. Our time here in only meant to love God and love others and HOPE to show other's that love of Christ that they may be free from their burdens and know the greatness that is the Lord, having the joy that we are so freely given as children and heirs to God. I constantly struggle with realizing that, yet needing to be living in the world and doing what I am to do day in and day out- making even the mundane hallowed and making the most of every opportunity... I think about it more than I can even express but on some sunny days when the wind is blowing strong and I am listening to my ipod trying to push past another mile, my mind begins to wander and I am glad God meets me there)

Here is what he said to me.

Stop constantly asking God for direction! If He's living in you, He's with you, and He's already guiding you without you needing to ask...Stay in tune with His direction.

"This is what the Lord says- Your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: 'I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.' "
Isaiah 48:17

"By day the Lord directs His love, at night his song is with me- a prayer to the God of my life." Psalm 42:8

"May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance." 2 Thes. 3:5

"I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it's not for me to direct his steps." Jeremiah 10:23

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9

"Direct my footsteps according to your word, let no sin rule over me." Psalm 119:133

"Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps."
1 Pt. 2:21

I share this with everyone only because one day I will need to be remind, I am sure MANY days I will need to be reminded, and also maybe....just maybe... there is someone out there who needs to know this Truth too.

Bedtime Business!

I just had to post the funniest thing, this week Kehnely has been taking a different item each day during nap time to bed with her...

Monday: the Nemo fish she and Ans won in Kemah

Tuesday: the HUGE ABC book that ended up across her face mid nap

Wednesday: Tigger, Hop, Ruby, Nemo, and Tyrone (all stuffed animals) went to bed

Thursday: A bag of Starburst we bought for Fancy and sippy cup

Friday? Her Strawberry Lipsmakers I bought her to keep her from taking my lipstick....she put it in her pants and wore it around then would whip out the stick and apply five times, her lips were shinny as she slept with it in her hand.

I was hoping to get pics but too afraid to wake the little sleeping beauty... nap times are pretty precious commodities around here. Wouldn't want to cut them short! In other news here is the growing belly.

10 Weeks

Trip to Kemah pics coming soon. Ciao, I am off to my 11 week check up!

Holler!

Wordless Wednesday: My daughter is Red, White & Beautiful!

My Favorite things...

This video helped SO much learning how to LISTEN to certain cries and what they mean, and this book was amazing at helping me understand sleep cycles and how to make a routine for sleeping.

Soothies: The only pacifier Kehnley would take and I bought EVERY kind!

I never leave home without my cart cover.... but mine dosen't look like this one, it's really cute though!

The dream machine for making homemade baby food! (Williams-Sanoma)

So cute Apron for baby from Anthro

I have to sneak veggies into my baby girls diet anywhere I can!! These are great for traveling

She loves the tart Cherry flavor! But lets be real... this pancake mix saves my life because one of the only things she will eat for breakfast is homemade blueberry pancakes

I love the smell and it really does sooth and drift us BOTH off to sleep, the lotion especially!

Kehnley's fav. book, all of the Karen Katz books she loves!

Her birthday banner made by Whooo Do You Love, coming soon to an Etsy near you!

This book is not only awesome for doodles and creative drawing for my little artist, it's great for fun activities for older kids to have a different one printed out and in your bag for those long waits at a restaurant!

Kehnley loves her gingham chair I got the only black and white one left from Pottery Barn and it doubles as a timeout chair...but she still loves it!

For cold nights and days these are the cutest accessory!!

I can't get enough of these adorably big bowed and flowered beanies! I like making them for friends as shower gifts!!