The Mothership

This recipe is full of goodness and as I baked these the house filled with a wonderful aroma. This  recipe is sure to use a few dishes and take a little more time than your boxed efforts. But it is totally worth your extra time, dishes, and energy...the results are sure to be crowd pleasers. This recipe makes 2 bread loaves and 12 cupcakes. Ingredients: 1/4 cup of granulated sugar 1 Tbsp. Of ground cinnamon 6 smashed bananas 1 6 Oz. of Greek vanilla yogurt 3/4 cup of softened butter 3 cups of white sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp. Vanilla extract 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 3 teaspoons baking soda 4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup Vanilla Protein powder 1 cup chopped walnuts ***For optional crumb topping: 1/3 cup of packed brown sugar 2 Tablespoons of all purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon 1 Tablespoon of butter Recipe: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9x5 loaf pans and place liners    in 1 cupcake pan.  In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup of white sugar and 1...

Words are my nectar... they give me life in so many ways. People, I need words and I know I'm not alone. I need words...positive words...encouraging words..check yourself words...words that give me life...words to help me process all the words. And I need these words more than I need another taco (and who can't use another taco)! Today was a major case of the Mondays.  The weight of Monday felt like it was already next Monday and I'd accomplished zilch...it was only 10:30.  But I can't stay there...I can't stay in my case of the Mondays because apparently someone made me an adult. Which means I need to help feed, clothe, facilitate focus, create a sense of responsibility (which means I need to be responsible), and all the other tasks that are expected of me on a daily basis. The druthers of all the adult things...can give anyone a case of the Mondays.  I needed extra words today. When life just seems unbearable and I'm unable to make in...

It's how it all starts... A conversation...with the eyes. Someone walks past me and I smile, and most of the time I look them straight in the eye.  Other times, I smile and look alllllll the other ways. Eye contact is an art of timing and longevity...too short and people think you are too busy, or snobby...too long and people get the impression you are a creeper. Most that know me now would say that I'm fairly outgoing, talkative, and friendly. However, as a child I was not.  I was friendly and talkative ONCE you got to know me and even then I probably needed someone secure around. I would want to talk to people and have loads to say, but not the conviction or the confidence to do so. Even now as adults, when my husband and I enter new rooms of people we don't know, I am the shy one. Which is so puzzling to people. My desire to talk to people completely depends on the day. Some days I feel filled with the Lord's confidence and speak to almost every stranger at th...

This was tasty! And warm! And filling! And Hearty! And healthy! - ya like my retro, festive glasses?!?! We married this stew with brown rice to cut the spice. But it was also fine all on its own.  Ingredients:  1 Tablespoon of oil 1 onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 2 cups of chopped kale 2 cups of spinach 1 32 Oz of broth  The juice of 1 lime Salt 1 package of soy chorizo, pulled out from the skin 1 sweet potato, chopped 1 can of diced tomatoes  1/4 cup of chopped sundried tomatoes  1 cup of Brown rice Salt/seasonings  In a pot Sauté the onion in oil for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.   Add the garlic for just a minute to release the aromas.  Add the kale, spinach and lime juice. Add salt to taste. Sauté for 2 minutes.  Add the chorizo, sweet potato, tomatoes, 2 cups of broth, sun-dried tomatoes and salt to taste.  Stir and Bring to a boil. Cover, turn down to low, and cook for 20 minutes.  In a small pot, add the rest of the brot...

Yesterday was hard people. In so many ways. But today...today was so good!  I start my days in quiet journaling, studying, and listening for God. Today, however my soul needed something different. I put on some of my favorite tunes and just started writing my gratitude for people. Basically, I cried for the good part of an hour...crying and writing. By the end of the set, my heart was lifted higher, I knew things could only moved forward and not backward, AND my children were fed and miraculously ready for the school day with little help from me.  Our morning routine of filing in the car, grabbing all the necessary things - only to come back in the house for no less than two things - ensues...but everyone is calm and sweet. We say sweet goodbyes for the day to the older two and then my youngest and I make our way to school. On the way I can remember thinking, “I hope nobody asks me how I am and actually mean it. I don’t think I have the vulnerability in me today.”  Well -...

So there was this tree... I have seen many of the red ones around town as the leaves changed from their bright green to their vibrant fall foliage. My friend, Micah, pointed it out to me as I was walking with him. Micah: "Look at that TREE! Isn't it just beautiful So fiery!" Me: "It's just standing there saying, 'I'm RED!"" It was just casual conversation, but have you ever noticed how the Lord will speak to you in stanzas...which eventually speaks directly to your heart in a fully formed poem?!?! This was one stanza. Another stanza was just the noticing of each red tree before and after this short conversation. And then another stanza tonight. I attend a Family Group - which is a small group feeling, but it's actually a large group setting.  Tonight my friend, Sarah, spoke on the "Waiting" of the holiday season.  The anticipation of HIS coming and arrival to bring us peace, love, comfort, and all the things he died for, a...

 If you like soup, pumpkin, and curry, this soup is for you. As you know, I’m a fan of one pot meals. So here is another one for our rotation.  It was a cold day today and we had no plans for dinner. My students and I scooped out pumpkins today and I had never baked a pumpkin to use it’s innards before (which is super easy btw). I didn’t want to waste them and I wanted soup.  So here is this concoction!  Recipe: 1/2 large white onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely 3 celery stalks, peeled and chopped 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped 1 cup of green beans, chopped 1 red pepper, chopped 2 stalks of kale, torn 1/2 cup of frozen peas 1/2 cup of barley 1 can of diced tomatoes, no salt 1 can of pumpkin 1 smoked chicken sausage, chopped 1 large container of vegetable broth 1 tsp. Of honey Water Salt 2 tsp. Of curry powder 1&1/2 tsp. Of paprika *sundried tomatoes would be good but optional *you could substitute 1 cup of quinoa...