Hi, hope everyone had a blessed Christmas. I know I did but I am ready for everything to get back to normal. This time of year is really hard because my husband is off for two weeks after Christmas and we are so broke by the time he goes back to work it is not funny. I have to tell you that yule log was so yummy! That mocha whipped cream filling was to die for! Thank goodness everyone ate it all up so I did not have any to take home with me because my diet would have went out the window. Yeah, yeah I know you can't really diet during the holidays and I didn't expect to lose any but I did not want to gain any either. I am very proud because I have lost almost 20 lbs. Still lots to go but I went down a size and I feel so much better. I was going to show you what I got for Christmas, I call these my hot momma shoes.

They make me feel so good and they really are comfortable. So what did you get?  Since I am broke and all have had to do is be on the computer the last couple of weeks I have been stumbling through pinterest?  I love to bake and here are a few things that I found this week you might be interested in! You can follow me here!

If you have never been to pinterest it is a pinboard where you can pin recipes and Ideas . All I can say is be prepared to spend a few hours looking and pinning. 



snicker doodle cupcakes I plan on making these this week for my Wednesday night teen class at church.

Source: yourcupofcake.com via Beverly on Pinterest

cherry chocolate chunk whoopie pies

Source: confessionsofacookbookqueen.com via Beverly on Pinterest

If you are on pinterest leave me a link to yours so that I may follow!

Finished Yule log

Drum Roll Please.............

We actually put powdered sugar on it but I did not get a picture of it! It has a mocha whipped creme filling that that is all I want to eat! Diet is gone and went out the window. I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas!

Early Merry Christmas!

Early Merry Christmas. Sorry it has been so long since I have posted but I have not been baking much because I have been trying to lose weight. I have lost about 10 lbs so far because I have started running/walking. Trying to make it through this holiday without without gaining any weight.  We are having Christmas dinner tomorrow night with my mom so that on Christmas day we can go to church and then the kids can still have time to have fun.  I plan on making a yule log tommorrow. I have never made a jelly roll so this should be interesting. My husband made my leaves by painting artifical leaves with melted chocolate.  Don't they look awesome.

I will take pictures of the yule log later if it turns out. I also made some homemade peppermint bark.

Only had a little taste of this but it is yummy and super simple.


Homemade Peppermint Bark

1 Box of Candy Canes Crushed in a food processor or with a rolling pin in a plastic bag
1 bag of white chocolate melts or chips
 Peppermint extract ( Optional, I used the white melts that were already mint flavored)

In a double boiler melt chocolate. Next add about half of the crushed peppermint and pour on a foil lined baking sheet. Make sure to spread evenly. Place the other half of peppermint mixture on top of the chocolate. Refrigerate until hard and break into pieces.


With the end of the holiday season most people are broke and trying to save money. I came across this Article stocking up on grocery clearances!

linking up with I'm Lovin it by tidy mom

http://tidymom.net/2011/russian-tea-cakes/

You know the internet is an amazing thing. There is so much out there, anything you want to know (also don't want to know) is out there. It is so easy to get wrapped up in so much information and games that you kind of lose track of reality. I love searching and finding new recipes and crafts and just to play games. My problem is I have let it interfere with things in my life such as house keeping and other things. So with this in mind I am going to slow down on blogging. I will still post, but it will not nearly as often.  I often feel lately that my blogging post have not been about quality but about quantity and that is not right. I want  to post really quality post. But the first things I have to do is take care of some things that seem to get neglected while I am on the computer. I hope you all understand.

Weekly Pinterest Round Up

Here are some of my favorite finds this week! Links are underneath photo's

Bread

Source: thepastryaffair.com via Beverly on Pinterest

pizza

Source: platedlife.squarespace.com via Beverly on Pinterest

pasta

Source: budgetbytes.blogspot.com via Beverly on Pinterest

Source: budgetbytes.blogspot.com via Beverly on Pinterest

Recent Events

I am sorry for such a long break. It has been crazy getting the kids all settled back in in school. Then I have been sorta having a little bit of a writers block. I have also been a little depressed because of a situation this week. Really trying to keep a budget I created and have messed that one up :( Then on top of all this all of the depressing news of the the military's loss and those images of those children in Africa. I am sorry to be such a downer, but it has just been a bad week. I know God has reason's for everything and I know he will take care of me because he promised me and he has never failed so far, but I am human and I worry too much.

I know I am late with this but here my menu for this week!

 

Wednesday: Grilled Tilapia Fillet's and green beans

Thursday:  Honey Dijon Chicken Tenders

Friday: Grilled Steaks, and veggie

Saturday: Grilled Ribs, potato and veggie

Sunday:  Roast , potatos and veggies

Monday: Left overs;

Tuesday not sure yet!

 

Menu Plan Monday

I am sorry for the lack of posting lately. School is starts here this week and we have been trying to get ready for that. Also my birthday was Friday and my husband gave me a day off and he made me chocolate strawberries and and homemade truffles along with some earrings. It was really nice just had family so it was a quiet family dinner. Once I get this week over, I will be posting more regularly again. When does school start in your area? It seems like they keep going back earlier and earlier each year.


Here is my menu plan for this week

Monday: Taco's and Spanish Rice  (recipe below)
Tuesday: stuffed peppers using leftover spanish rice
Wednesday: grilled steak
Thursday: Grilled Ribs
Friday: hamburgers


Spanish Rice
3 garlic cloves minced
2  Tablespoons of oil
1 cup of rice
2 cups of broth or water
1 small can of tomato sauce (I love the one that is in with the mexican food isle, it is in a small yellow can)
1Tablespoon of Cumin
Salt and Pepper

in a saute pan warm the oil and add garlic, cook for just a couple of minutes. Next add rice and make sure all rice is covered in oil, cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Then add broth, and tomato sauce and season with cumin, salt and pepper. Stir all together, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes on lowest setting.

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