Happy Easter 2012

Ivy age 6, Lucy age 2

Scheffer/Parsons Cinnamon Rolls

I feel a little funny being the one to post this recipe. I kept hearing about these cinnamon rolls that my friend,Sara, had the recipe for. I'm a die hard Pioneer Woman cinni lover so I had to try these out. I asked with a pretty please and she gave me the recipe. When I started posting pictures on Instagram, people started asking for the recipe. I asked Sara if I could share it and she was so nice about it. Blame Sara's mom for the extra 5 pounds you will put on after eating these pups. Here is Sara.Here we go! 2C. flour, 2t.salt, 2T yeast (2 packs), 2C. quite warm water, 1/2C. potato flakes (Betty Crocker potato buds), 1/3C.butter(softened), 1/3C. sugar,2 room temp. eggs

Place all of the above ingredients(EXCEPT THE EGGS) in a bowl. Beat for 2 minutes until smooth. Then add the 2 warm eggs, beat until mixed.

*Add 3 1/2C. more flour. Stir with a rubber spatula. Then with your hands, place dough on the counter with a lot of flour underneath. Cover the dough with the bowl and let rest for 20 minutes.
Roll dough out into a rectangle, roughly 18x6 (Sara does it bigger to get a tighter roll with more goodies....trust me...do as Sara does). Spread butter over the dough (1/3C. or more)
*Mix together 1/2C. brown sugar and 2t. of cinnamon (Sara does more...so I did too.) Sprinkle evenly over the dough.
Roll the rectangle (lengthwise) and pinch the seam.
Cut about 1" slices and place on a greased pan. Cover with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. (Sara says you can bake them the same day but give them a good amount of time to rise.) Take out the next morning and let them rise for 20 minutes.

Bake them at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. (until lightly golden on top.)

Makes 18-20 rolls(roughly)

Frosting- 1/2C. melted butter, 1t. vanilla, 1lb. powdered sugar (roughly 4C.), 1/4C. milk, pinch of salt. Beat together until smooth. Spread over warm rolls.
Sara....AMAZEBALLS! Thank you for letting me share.

Sizzling RoundUps

Every Sunday morning we are called to the breakfast table at 7:30 sharp! It is Sizzling Round Up day. They are so good that Ivy asks me if it's "church day" so that she can have the round ups. This week my Mother in law asked me if I wanted to learn how to make them. I wish that I would have taken a picture of every step. But here it is.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take an 8oz. ramakin. Spray it with Pam.

Put 1 piece of turkey bacon around the rim.

Make a layer of crumbled bread or seasoned roughly crushed croutons to fill the bottom.

Cover with shredded cheese and lightly press down.

Pour an egg on top. Use a knife to spread the white on top. (don't break the yoke.)

Bake 22-27 minutes. (Ramakins may vary.)
Take a serving spoon and wrap it around the round up and pop it out onto a plate.
So yummy!
Enjoy!

My Love Story Part 1

I have a couple of things to blog about but I haven't taken the time to take pictures. So... I've blogged about both of the girls' adoption stories and family life, but one thing that I have always wanted to blog about is Matt and I.

I have thought about him so much lately (Hope so since he is my husband! haha) I have thought of ways to encourage him. In a couple of weeks it will be one year since he has lost his job. I have seen him humble, working hard, trying everything he can to get a job, never giving up but still having that desire to provide for his girls. I am beyond proud of him and so honored to be his wife. Any company would be blessed to have him. I have seen him work hard to get his wrist in shape after breaking it and he has tried to be a strong leader, living in a house right now that is not our own. I love him. I am so proud of him! Next month we will have been together 17 years and this summer we will have been married 15 years!

So let's go back to the beginning. At times it is awkward, not easy, uncomfortable, romantic, exciting, and fun.

I came to The Master's College as a transfer student. I could write a whole blog how much I love The Master's College. I came in the fall of 1994. I was a 21 year old music major. (Yes, it took me a long time to graduate college.) I picked music because I was a singer. I wasn't that smart with music theory and I was in the beginner class. Matt Elliott( a new transfer student himself) was in the theory class above me and they would always we walking out as we were walking in. ( He was a really good trumpet player) So....Matt and I never met, we just always knew who each other was.

I was really struggling with some of my music classes. Easiest the least smart (nice way of saying it)person in my class and I needed help. I got out my chorale phone list and started calling people in the theory class ahead of me to help me with my homework. Random people that I didn't totally know but I was desperate. The name I never really called was Matt Elliott. He was kind of nerdy ( there I said it) and shy. One day I had no other choice. I don't know why but I just didn't want to ask him. He was gracious. I walked up to his dorm and he was standing outside with his roommate and someone's mom and dad. I DID NOT want to meet parents! haha It is so silly but I had a feeling that Matt would start liking me and I didn't want to encourage him, I just needed theory help. I politely said hello and then told him that I would go sit and wait for him. As I was sitting there, he walks in with the parents! Oh no! It turns out it was his roommate Greg's parents. So I met Greg, Rick and Jeanne Wells that night. Matt was such a nice guy and was so kind to help me. That was it. I said thank you. He didn't even know my last name. That was my first memory of Matt Elliott. Matt, being kind, gracious, helpful, the guy he still is to this day.

TBC

Easy Taco Casserole

(Lucy needed a job so I put her to work doing the dishes.)

Easy Taco Casserole

1 lb. ground beef ( I use ground turkey)

1 c. salsa

1/2 c. mayo

2t. chili powder

2c. crushed tortilla chips ( I never measure these)

1 c. shredded Colby cheese

1 c. Monterey Jack cheese ( I just used all cheddar tonight)

tomato

shredded lettuce

Brown beef, add salsa, mayo and chili powder (you can omit the powder), mix well.

In an ungreased 2 Qt. baking dish, layer half the meat mixture, chips, cheeses. Repeat layers.

Bake uncovered @ 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Before serving, top with lettuce and tomato.

You really can't mess this up. I would double the recipe for a big family or company. I browned the turkey and then basically Ivy did the rest. Another fun way to teach my girls to love the kitchen.

New Recipes

(Wish I was a better photographer)

I made some new recipes tonight that I made from Pinterest. The meat balls I had made before but not the broccoli cheese bites. My mother in law had some frozen meatballs left over that she wanted to get used so I put them in the crock pot. I didn't want to make the same old steamed broccoli for dinner so I found this recipe and it turned out great! They were kind of like crab cakes. A mom had made them to get her kids to eat veggies. I've taken these meatballs to a party before and it was a hit. I just served them with toothpicks.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 pkg. frozen meatballs (can use turkey)

1 jar of grape jelly

1 12-16oz. jar of chili sauce

Put the chili sauce and the grape jelly in the crock pot and stir until smooth.

Heat if necessary.

Add meatballs

Coat them and cook on low 2-4 hours.

Serve over rice.

Broccoli Cheese Bites

16oz. frozen broccoli

1.5 cups cheddar cheese

3 eggs

1 c. Italian bread crumbs

thaw and strain excess water from the broccoli

Mix everything together

Form into small patties and put on parchment paper

Bake for 25 min. at 375 degrees (turn patty after 15 minutes)

Enjoy!

Woodland

We went for a drive after school this afternoon. Here are some pictures of our little town on a rare sunny day.




A Christmas Tree Farm
Berry Farm





I love red barns!