0 Smoky Tomato Salsa

 My brother, Clark, is one of the funniest people I know! He is the LIFE of the party and people love to be around him! He certainly makes our "family time" interesting! My parents literally live down the street from us and Clark works in between their house and ours! SO we get to see Clark all of the time. . . which we love!

 Tonight Clark raced into our house, STARVING, after going all day at work and before he went to bible study! He, Parker and Nate all loved the 7 Layer Dip and I made a new salsa tonight from a Better Homes and Garden Recipe! The Kelli Hutka Salsa is more fresh tasting and like it is from a garden! This recipe is  like the "On the Border" Salsa, which is also amazing! It is definitely thicker and smokier! With college football season here, it would be fun to serve two different kinds of salsa when having people over! (I'll post the rest of dinner later!)

1 28 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
2 green bell pepper, chopped
2/3 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 minced, jalapeno peppers (I left the seeds in 2 of the peppers and took them out of two)
2 TBSP lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
Mix together and enjoy!

2 Better Than Almost Anything Cake!

Today began a pretty busy week. . . Tonight was Back to School Night! I really enjoy my students' parents and have taught many older siblings so I have quite a few "repeat" parents sitting in my classroom each year! It is always fun to hear how the "older" ones are doing and hear about high school! I teach at such a wonderful school and never take my amazing job for granted! As I said yesterday, Parker came in town today. . . so, after school I raced home and made this cake before running to get mason jars for a party I am hosting Thursday (more about that later in the week!) and then hurried back up to school for Back to School night! When I came home, it was so much fun being together with my family and. . . eating this yummy cake!

Better Than Almost Anything Cake

1 package super moist German Chocolate cake mix
Water, oil and eggs (as called for on cake mix package)
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
17 ounces caramel, butterscotch or fudge topping (I used caramel)
8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
8 ounces toffee chips or bits (I would use less next time)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake cake as directed on package in a 13x9-inch pan. Cool 15 minutes. Poke top of warm cake every 1/2 inch with handle of wooden spoon, wiping handle occasionally to reduce sticking. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk evenly over top of cake, let stand until milk has been absorbed into cake. Drizzle with caramel topping. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours until chilled. Spread whipped topping over top of cake. Sprinkle with toffee chips. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cake. 
Betty Crocker

0 Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

My sweet brother, Parker, is moving to Houston and is going to stay with us for a couple days . . . soooo of course I have baked goods waiting on him! I tried this new recipe this morning and my dad and Nate said that these muffins were the best they have EVER had! :-) We can't wait to see you, Parker!

• 1  cup  butter, softened
• 2  cups  sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 1  cup  sour cream
• 1/2  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  baking soda
• 24  paper baking cups
• 1  cup  pecan halves, finely chopped
• 1/4  cup  sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add 2 cups sugar, beating 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla, beating until blended.
2. Whisk together flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually stir into butter mixture. (Batter will be thick.)
3. Place baking cups in muffin pans. Spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full.
4. Stir together pecans, 1/4 cup sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle pecan mixture over batter.
5. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks (about 12 to 15 minutes).
Southern Living 

0 Nothing says I love you like a little chocolate! :-)

Whether you are trying to say I love you, I miss you, Congrats, or Just because, nothing does the job better than homemade chocolate chip cookies! These cookies are always a hit and are the perfect "I'm thinking of you" gift! 

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 3/4 stick Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening Sticks OR 3/4 cup Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (6 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)

1. HEAT oven to 375ºF.
2. COMBINE shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
3. DROP by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
4. BAKE 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely.
5. TIP
   * If nuts are omitted, add an additional 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
   CRISCO

0 Opening Weekend and Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

It is that time of year again. . . Candy corn is in the stores, pumpkin spice latte's are back. . . and it is HUNTING SEASON! Nate and I have so much fun hunting together! We love waking up early and cuddling in the deer stand (especially when it is freezing), seeing the pretty sunrise, and looking at all the different animals! It is such a special time together! I CANNOT wait until November!!

But this weekend is the opening of DOVE season! Gus Gus's second favorite season (only right behind duck season!) Besides the cold weather and special times with friends and family, I love hunting season because it means UNLIMITED baking!!!!! Nate says that I am a 100% certified FOOD PUSHER. . . and where better to serve yummy goodies than a deer camp FULL of hungry men! :-) So of course, this weekend is no different and I have spent the afternoon baking away (with an occasional break to be with a special birthday girl. . . and to take cookies to my daddy. . . who reads my blog and then asks for left overs! :-)

I found this yummy new cookie recipe from Crisco and it is DELISH!

 {foodnetwork.com}

Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 3/4 cup Crisco® Butter Shortening OR 3/4 Crisco® Butter Shortening Sticks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries 
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

1.HEAT oven to 375ºF. Coat baking sheets with no-stick cooking spray.

2.BEAT shortening, sugar and brown sugar in large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Beat into shortening mixture until smooth. Stir in oats, dried cranberries and walnuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

3.BAKE 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Place on cooling rack to cool completely.

Happy hunting! :-)

3 Please Pray

Please pray for Drew. . .

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/drewdinsdale

2 College Days and Apple Brown Betty

I loved college. . . absolutely loved it. . . . seriously, couldn't get enough of it. . . when my parents dropped me off at Collins my freshman year, I literally didn't go home until Thanksgiving (when everyone else went home and there was nothing to do in Waco) . . . Baylor was the absolutely perfect place for me to go to college. . .  I only applied to Baylor, got in early decision and that was that. . . 

Went Kappa. . . 

Spent my freshman spring break at Padre with every other college kid in Texas. . .

And lived with some pretty amazing girls! 

This week I have been thinking a lot about my Baylor days. . . I made some incredible friends there that I will have for a lifetime and made memories that I will cherish forever. 

One sweet friend I won't see again until I graduate to be with my heavenly Father. . . Miss you. . .

These past few days have been a special time of reflection. . . God blessed me so much those 4 years!

So in honor of the start of school, here is a somewhat healthy "apple" recipe!

Apple Brown Betty
4-6 medium apples
1/3 cup flour
1 cup Lowfat Granola without raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel, core, and slice apples; arrange in buttered 8" square baking dish. Combine cereal, sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt; add butter, mixing until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over apples. Bake 30 min until apples are tender. Serve warm or cold. Top with lowfat ice cream or frozen yogurt. (or whipped cream!) Makes 6 servings.
Kroger Lowfat Granola Box