Happy New Year!

Happy New Years!!!  I'm a few days late, but according to my husband I'm late for most everything, so this is only appropriate.  Ha!  I have disappeared from the blogging world for quite some time.  Not because I haven't wanted to, but because I'm not sure where I wanted to go with the blog.  I started this blog thinking it would be fun to blog about my baking experiences...  While that is fun, it is also overwhelming.  I realized that those beautiful foodie pictures you see on famous blogs such as thepioneerwoman.com are beautiful for a reason.  They make food look amazing (and probably taste amazing too)!  But in order to do this, you have to have great camera skills and a great lens.  And by great I mean super expensive!  I have neither.  It got overwhelming to have to take 50 pictures of a piece of cake in order to have one decent shot.  And in all honestly, I have no desire to be famous.  Nor do I want to have to invest the time, money, or energy involved to create that status.  I do, however, love to read over all of these amazing blogs. These women have amazing talent!  I also found out that while I love to bake and spend time in the kitchen, I don't really have a great desire to lead others down the same path.  I mean, I would love for you to try my recipes, but I don't feel my goal in life is to teach others to bake if that makes sense...  So, if it's okay with all of you (okay, so maybe the 3 of you who will actually read this) I will still be blogging, but about all kinds of randomness.  Besides baking, I love to shop!  I also love to read. A LOT!!! So as randomness goes, I will be blogging about whatever comes to mind or just sharing links to other great blogs that I happen to love.  I secretly wish I were crafty!!  I would love to have a blog like lifeingraceblog.com! She has an amazing knack with decorating, crafting, and her words and stories are always a welcomed blessing!! Check it out, you will love! 

Now, moving on...

Did you make any New Year resolutions?  I didn't really make resolutions, but more like personal goals.  Here they are:

1. Read 25 books
2. Memorize 52 Bible verses
3. Organize our storage area
4. Clean out kitchen cabinets and give away what we aren't using
5. Clean out all cabinets in all of our bathrooms
6. Clean out all closets throughout our home
7. Create a craft space for our kids and organize crafting storage
8. Lose 20 lbs.  Okay!  Isn't this every ones goal every January?!
9. Start running faithfully!
10. Be consistent in prayer for others
11. Be a better example for my children
12. Be a better wife to my man

That should do it!  Some of these goals won't take long to complete, others will take the entire year, and for some, my entire lifetime!  Thankfully I serve an awesome God that will help me with each of these goals if I am faithful to serve, trust, believe, and pray. 

Here are a few of the books I have on my reading list this year:

• Grace by Max Lucado
• Blessing Your Children by Jack Hayford
• Every Child Needs A Praying Mom by Fern Nichols
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
• A Winter Dream by Richard Paul Evans
• Jane Erye by Charlotte Bronte
• Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
• The Heart Of A Woman Who Prays by Elizabeth George
• Last Child In The Woods by Richard Louv
• The Friendships of Women by Dee Brestin
• One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskomp
• Why Men Hate Going To Church by David Murrow
• What Your Husband Isn't Telling You by David Murrow
• The Fruitful Wife by Hayley DiMarco

Okay, so that's more than a few, but those are the books I've either purchased or have sitting on my Amazon wish list.  All of these books are on amazon.com.  A few are out of print and I had to purchase used, which is great because cheaper and greener!

I hope you have an amazing and blessed 2013!!

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Proverbs 16:9

{ one of my FAVORITE kitchen items }

Good evening friends.  Sorry it's been so long since I've posted.  As most of you know I have 3 young children at home and well, blogging cannot be a priority at this point in my life.  Although I have baked in the recent, I haven't taken any photos and if you are like me, you prefer recipes with photos vs. none.  Hopefully in the next few weeks I will have some new recipe ideas to share with you. 

I wanted to share one of my favorite kitchen items with you...  The Vitamix blender.  There is no better blender out there, I'm just sure of it!  Now I know this is pricey, but it has been worth every dollar in my humble opinion.

This machine is amazing!  Not only does it make smoothies (which seem to be all the rage right now), but it also makes hot soup, ice cream, blended drinks, salsa, bread dough, and peanut butter.  Plus, a ton of other recipes.  Not sure if they still use, but in the past I know Starbucks used for their blended drinks and you know how yummy those are!  Of course they used the professional size, but I promise this machine is just as good.  We use to make fruit/vege smoothies at least 5 out of 7 days per week.  I love broccoli cheese soup done in the vitamix as well.  My son was allergic to eggs for a few years so we always made our ice cream in this because the recipe was egg free and takes 45 seconds from start to finish for yummy ice cream!  We purchased ours from QVC.com, but they are currently sold out and tend to stay that way except when they have as their special value of the day.  The Vitamix has a 5 year warranty and is made right here in the great state of OHIO!  And be forewarned that this sounds like a small plane taking off in your kitchen!  The motor is that powerful!  Here is their website if you would like to check them out:

http://vitamix.com/

They have a lot of great recipes on their website, but you will also receive a great cookbook with the purchase of the Vitamix.  I know they sell refurbished machines on their website as well and still offer a warranty on them, which may be more cost effective.  QVC is great because when they have as their special value of the day, they offer on an easy-pay plan, which makes it more affordable for most people.  There are a ton of reviews on their website as well the will reassure you of just how great this blender really is! 

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.K36187.desc.Vitamix-Creations-GC-64oz-Variable-Speed-BlendingMachine

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Lemon-White Chocolate Party Mix

Happy black Friday to you all!  Did you go shopping with all of the other crazy people last night or this morning?  Was it worth it?  I've gone the past few years and always have fun, but that is probably because there is nothing I have ever been on the prowl for on this wild shopping day.

Today's recipe is another take on traditional snack mix.  I loooove Chex* party mix.  It is one of my favorite snacks, but I really only love the kind you make yourself, not the pre-made stuff in the bag...  I also love the "Muddy Buddy" version made with peanut butter.  We no longer make this version, though, because my son is deathly allergic to peanuts.  While mixing up a batch of the traditional party mix yesterday, I noticed on the back of one of the cereal boxes a recipe for a lemon party mix.  My husband LOVES lemon anything, so I knew we must try.  I made this afternoon in about 10 minutes time and it is delish!  I think it would be good with dried cranberries added in or even dried blueberries.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Lemon-White Chocolate Party Mix

Ingredients:
9 cups Rice Chex cereal
1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup real butter
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Place all ingredients, except cereal and powdered sugar, into microwave safe glass bowl.  Microwave for 1 minute.  Stir mixture until smooth.  If chocolate not melted enough, microwave 30 more seconds, stir.  Place cereal in large mixing bowl and pour melted chocolate mixture over cereal.  Stir well.  Pour cereal mixture into gallon size Ziploc bag.  Add powdered sugar, seal the bag shut, then gently shake bag until cereal evenly coated.  Spread cereal mixture onto wax paper to cool.  Store in airtight container.  Enjoy!