Wow!!

I was so excited to get back to writing again, and then well Summer school started. What was I thinking! I am taking 7 college graduate credit courses this summer during second summer session. Which translates to 7 credit hours in five weeks. It's crazy. I'm nervous all the time, and I don't feel like I am answering anything correctly. Which makes for a little bit of stress. However, I am thankful that I don't have another job, so I can focus all of my morning on school, and still have a life.

Last week for therapy (i.e. stress relief) I decided to try three new recipes. One I had made before but used a slightly different recipe. The other two were new creations and very yummy!

Bum's Lunch
Obtained from Allrecipes.com
Submitted by Katie Marie

Ingredients:
4 (4 ounce) cubed steaks - I just bought a packages for four. No clue how big they were.
4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced  - I used red potatoes
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 - teaspoons margarine - I used what I thought looked good.

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
2. Lay out 4 squares of foil. Place one cubed steak onto each piece of foil. Spread margarine over the steaks, and season with salt and pepper. Layer one sliced potato over each steak, and a few rings of onion. Season again with salt and pepper if you like. Fold the foil around the food, and seal into packet. Place packets onto backing sheet.
3. Bake for 45 minutes ( I would go a little longer, they were slightly tough) in a preheated oven, until the beef is no longer pink, and the potatoes are tender. Open carefully, as hot steam will be released.

I loved this recipe! It was simple. It was cheap. It was quick. It also made an awesome little meal. It didn't seem like there was much there but it was a perfect serving. You must try this meal and give me your feedback. I had less than $10 in steaks because it is a cheap piece of meat.

I also tried making a Taco Pie, I felt it needed a lot of recipe tweaking for the next time I make it. And I made Pasghetti Pizza. It was good, and I will definitely make all the recipes again. When I have time or make it out to the grocery.

All of my recipes came from allrecipes.com if you haven't visited this site, and you like to cook. Definately should check it out!!

Have a blessed evening.

No Bake Cookies

So I thought that no bake cookies were a common thing. I thought EVERYONE knew what no bake cookies were. Until last year, when a teacher said there were many kids in her room that did not know what they were. And then my own boyfriend didn't know what they were. So I had to try and make them for myself. I made a comment a few months ago that I was craving No bake cookies and needed to get a recipe. The comment awarded myself a big batch of No Bake cookies from a great friend.

This past week I decided to suck it up and try to make them myself. I have had a number of friends say they just can't find a recipe that works, their cookies never set up, or they are way to dry. So I was a little nervous, even though these are so simple.

NO BAKE COOKIES 1

Submitted by: Denise

Obtained from: allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cups white sugar

1/2 cup milk

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

3 cups quick-cooking oats

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes (start time when it is at a rolling boil). Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop  by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened. (This takes a little longer than I thought.)

To get my cookies completely solid, I waited until they were solid on top, and then flipped them over so the bottoms could get some air. I left them sit out for a couple of hours before I placed them into a bowl.

These are a simple recipe and most of the time people have the ingredients in their pantry. I enjoy these cookies and the ease of making them. They are a great summer cookie because you don't have to heat your house up with the oven. Yay.

I hope you enjoy. If you try this recipe or have a different one, I would love it if you shared it with me. 

Have a wonderful night. The weather here is beautiful.

It's Been Awhile

Good Afternoon!


It's been so long since I've written a blog, that as I logged in this afternoon I found that everything has changed. Right down to how I even write the blogs. Wow!


So as many of you know I decided that this year my blog was going to be used for books and recipes. Of course I was doing pretty well with that and then life gets busy. I have still be cooking which I love, and still been reading/listening to many books.


I recently made:
no bake cookies for the first time -- and they turned out amazing.
A mint chocolate layer cake - my friends said was pretty good, even though it didn't look very    good.
Chicken and Stuffing Skillet
Cubed Steak Parmesan served over spaghetti
and many other great recipes. I am no longer going to save them or rewrite them to my blog because they can be pinned to Pinterest (www.pinterest.com). Where I have been pinning them and sharing with friends.


I've read a number of books - 


The Wedding - Nicholas Sparks
Three Weeks with My Brother - Nicholas Sparks
The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks
Broken Things - Amanda Broshean
Hatchet - ??
Sam's Letters to Jennifer - James Patterson (completely not what I expected).
People Pleasers - Joyce Myers


I'm currently reading The Shunning by Beverly Lewis


School has completed for the year, and ended with a bang. Very busy but nice to be finished.


This summer I will be completing 7 credit hours through Ball State Universality so that I can gain an addition to my license. Also I will be attending summer training session for school. I'm hoping to get a mini vacation in there somewhere. 


I will also be turning 30 this summer. Which is proving to be the big event of the summer. I'm hoping to plan something different and fun. As I do not normally plan big events for birthdays, but 30 is a big deal. Life is definitely not where I thought it would be, but that's a whole other blog. So I leave you with this.


What should we/I do for my 30th Birthday? Suggestions welcome!! I will be posting some ideas I have come up with soon. But I would like to hear from my readers also.


Have a blessed day!




My posts are going to be returning to just my own personal ramblings... which I have been told by friends, they enjoy more!!