Seven Quick Takes From Our Trip Last Weekend

— 1 —

Last weekend we were blessed to be able to travel to meet our newest goddaughter and attend her baptism and the 10th Anniversary Mass and Renewal of Vows of her parents! This sweet little girl was born last month following a very complicated delivery.  Thanks be to God both baby and momma are doing well!  

— 2 —

I had hoped to get out of town early Friday morning, but it ended up being nearly 11am before we left. When I asked my husband to stop in town, before getting on the freeway, so I could pick up some Moscato and Peach Schnapps he said, "Well that is a perfect Facebook update for you... 'We are on our way to our new goddaughter's baptism... First stop: Liquor Store!'"  Ummm, yeah... When you put it that way...

— 3 —

After arriving in town, and dropping off our suitcases and sleeping bags at the home of some friends who graciously offered to host us, we headed to the golf course to meet David & Ursula and their family for a fundraiser/bbq.   My older girls were so excited to see one of their own best friends again and it was the perfect opportunity for me to hold the baby!

We also got to see a couple other priests we knew, as well as meet the Bishop and Father Vuky, who would be concelebrating the Baptism Mass. 

— 4 —

After dinner we headed to back to Ursula's new home (they moved this month and now live right next to the church!) to drink sangria and not worry about all decorations, food and desserts for the 200 guests! make a shopping list so I could go to Costco in the morning for food, drinks, and desserts for the reception, while Sean and the boys helped set up tables and chairs in the back yard.  The Peach Sangria was awesome!  Here is the recipe:

~ Peach Sangria ~

1 bottle Moscato

1/3 bottle Peach Schnapps

1 liter bottle 7up (or Sprite)

Sliced fresh peaches

Stir all ingredients (except 7up) together in the fridge and let the fruit sit to absorb all of the delicious flavors, then add sprite just before serving.  Yummm!

— 5 —

At that point it was getting really late and we headed back to the home where we would be staying.  Little did our hostess know when I gave her a Catholic Cuisine apron, and a couple other goodies as a thank you gift for her and her husband's hospitality, that she would be wearing that apron all weekend long! ;)  

Alecia was amazing!  She stayed up late making some pasta salads to help with the party the next day, went shopping with me to Costco and Winco for the food for the party, made Chicken Salad Sandwiches to take as well, and also fed my own family amazing meals all weekend long! 

I originally met Alecia when I was fourteen.  She was my camp counselor (when she was about the age I am now!) at an MI camp.  The following year I spent the night at her home for the first time on my way to World Youth Day in 1993!  The rest of the group I was staying with was staying at a local gym, but I was weak from recovering from the flu and she took me home so I could sleep in a bed.  I also became good friends with a couple of her boys during those summer camps when we were teenagers, and one of her boys headed to Christendom the year after I attended.  So many great friends are made though Catholic Summer Camps!  

Alecia has always been so thoughtful and caring.  It was such a blessing to be able to take our children to meet her and they loved her just as much as I do!  In fact, one of the first things that Snuggles said when we arrived home was "I want to go back to that house where we slept!" 

— 6 —

I already posted a few pictures of the baptism, which was so very beautiful.  You can find them here.

Here is one more picture of my beautiful friend and new goddaughter!

— 7 —

Sunday morning we headed into town to attend a a Solemn Pontifical Mass (1970 Missal) which was part of the William Byrd Festival and featured Byrd's Mass for Three Voices.  

The Celebrant was the Most Reverend Basil Meeking, D.D., who is the Bishop Emeritus of Christchurch, New Zealand.  

Following Mass our children erupted with cheers when my phone announced "Calculating Route to the Lego Store..."  Even though it wasn't the way I had planned to surprise them with this first visit ever to a lego store, it was still quite the surprise!   

One of the employees let them all build a minifigure to take home, in exchange for sorting some legos, and I let the boys fill a little container from the pick-a-brick section.  Of course the older boys were the most excited to see the new Tower of Orthanc in person. 

After that we met up with David and Ursula at Red Robin before heading home... The waitress was wonderful and not at all overwhelmed by our "4 adults and 13 children!"

Originally I had hoped to head from the Baptism straight to Idaho so that our older boys could attend a summer camp at one of Sean's brother's parishes this week, but it was just too much to try and plan.  Honestly it has taken me nearly all of this week to just recover from the weekend trip!   Our summer has flown by and I still have so much I need to finish before our new school year begins on September 3rd...  I better get back to my planning!  I hope you all have a great weekend!

For additional Quick Takes visit Conversion Diary.

In Honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Lemon-Lavender Cookies to celebrate Our Lady's feast

Lavender:  Mary's Drying Plant

The Legend of Lavender

After Mary had washed Jesus' clothes and was looking for a place to hang them to dry, she saw a gray bush of lavender and on its branches she spread the snow-white baby clothes. The sun and the wind dried the clothes and when Mary came to gather them, the clothes smelled sweet and clean and the bushes were fragrant with a sweet scent that lavender now has. It is said that the fragrance which came from the earthly body of the Son of God was transferred to the plant, giving it its unique scent.  ~ Source

Lavender was said to be one of the plants most loved by the Blessed Virgin because it represented purity, cleanliness and virtue.

Lemon Lavender Cookies

I purchased the cookies pictured above at a local Lavender Farm last week, and they were a perfect afternoon treat to give the kids on the (traditional) feast of the Immaculate Heart this past Wednesday, after sharing the legend of lavender with them.

Since the whole month of August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and since I happened to pick a bunch of lavender as well, I think we might try and make some more of our own using a recipe from Better Homes & Gardens.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender buds, ground with mortar and pestle
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, ground lavender buds, finely shredded lemon peel, and salt. In a large mixing bowl beat the 3/4 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup powdered sugar. Beat until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture.

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10-inch-long log. Wrap log in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Chill for 2 to 24 hours or until firm.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut roll into 1/4-inch slices.  (We will probably then cut out heart shapes with a cookie cutter.)  Place slices 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven about 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.  Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Optional Frosting & Garnish:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

Dried lavender buds 

Thin strips of lemon peel

In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, and the milk. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. If necessary, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make a frosting of spreading consistency. Spread frosting on tops of cookies and, if desired, garnish with additional lavender buds and thin strips of lemon peel.

Note:  If frosted, place in single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months; thaw and frost.

Elana's Pantry also has a recipe for Gluten Free Lemon Lavender Cookies!

The Daily Offering to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and suffering of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sins, the reunion of all Christians; I offer them for the intentions of our Bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month.

Mexican Polenta Pie

I've been craving this Mexican Polenta Pie ever since I had multiple servings tasted it at our friends 4th of July Party/Potluck.  It was soooo good!  Thankfully my friend Michele emailed me her recipe and I was able to make it recently for dinner.   Oh boy, is it delicious!  I'm making it again right now, for a potluck after Mass at a friend's home this evening, and thought I'd take a second to share the recipe with you all.  Happy feast of the Assumption!  :)

Mexican Polenta Pie

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 medium green sweet pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoonsolive oil
1 pound uncooked ground turkey
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoonground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14-1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup bottled salsa
2 16-ounce tubes polenta
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2/3 cup chopped fresh tomato
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. In a 12-inch skillet cook onion, sweet pepper, and garlic in 1 tablespoon hot oil until tender. Add turkey, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne. Cook until turkey is no longer pink, stirring to break up the meat. Add beans, undrained canned tomatoes, and salsa. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer gently, uncovered, 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, grease a 3-quart rectangular baking dish with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Cut 1 tube of polenta into 1/2-inch cubes and press evenly into prepared baking dish. Halve remaining polenta lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; set aside. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over polenta in dish. Top with meat mixture. Arrange sliced polenta over meat; sprinkle with remaining cheese and fresh tomato. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with cilantro. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Makes 12 servings.

Simple Homemade Granola {and Giveaway Winner!}

Recently a friend of mine shared a recipe for her delicious Homemade Granola, made with coconut oil and sweetened with honey.  Yesterday I made another batch and took a few pictures to share, along with the recipe.   (Oh, and the flowers were my St. Valentine's Day gift from Hubby, along with a couple new skirts!!!  I guess he got tired of hearing me say that "nothing fits!";)  He is such a sweetie!) 

Simple Homemade Granola

Ingredients: 

• 12 cups oats (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Whole Grain Rolled Oats) 
• 4 cups unsweetened Coconut Flakes (I used one package of these)
• 6 cups of raw nuts and seeds (I used 3 cups of almonds, 1 cup of walnuts, 1 cup of pecans, and 1 cup of sunflower seeds)
• 1 cup coconut oil 
• 1 cup honey
• optional: 3 cups of raisins or other dried fruit, add after baking

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350°F.
2. In a small saucepan over low heat, mix together the coconut oil and honey.
3. In a large bowl combine oats, coconut, nuts and seeds.
4. Pour coconut oil and honey mixture over dry ingredients and stir very well to coat.  Divide onto three baking sheets.
5. Bake for 10 minutes; remove from oven and stir. Place back in oven but remove and stir every 5 minutes or so until the oats are golden brown (approx. 30 minutes).
6. Cool; add raisins or other dried fruit.

{Giveaway Winner}

Since I changed my comment format and they are no longer numbered, we decided to have a "real" drawing, instead of using the Random Number Generator, for our  giveaway of A Lenten Journey with Jesus Christ & St. Therese of Lisieux.  It seemed most appropriate to have our little "Rose"  select the winner.  :)   Congratulations Sherri!

St. Valentine's Day Cocoa with Sprinkles

Didn't those mugs of Hot Cocoa turn out super cute?!? 

When I came in from snapping a few pictures of our children playing in the snow, I decided to whip up a batch of Hot Cocoa to help warm them up when they came back inside, since the baby was still sleeping. I remembered a recipe I had pinned to my St. Valentine's Day board for this Strawberry Sweethearts Cocoa.  I didn't have the required Strawberry Ice Cream, and honestly I think "Hot Strawberry" anything doesn't sound nearly as yummy as Hot Chocolate (not that I could actually have any, but still), so I decided to improvise.   The thing that had caught my attention in the first place was the chocolate around the rim of the glass.   I could still do that, without having to make the recipe!  PLUS, I could still include pink and reds, with St. Valentine's Day coming up tomorrow, by then dipping the chocolate in sprinkles!

I pulled out my Irish Coffee Mugs (very similar to these ones, though mine were handpainted by a friend), some white chocolate chips (candy melts would work great too), and some Valentine sprinkles.  It only took me about 5 minutes, while the hot cocoa simmered on the stove, to melt the chocolate, dip the rims of the mugs in the melted chocolate, and then dip again into a bowl of sprinkles.  (Let set for a minute to harden.)



I happened to have some heavy whipping cream as well, so I pulled out my iSi Easy Whip and had homemade whipped cream (sweetened with some Chocolate Liquid Stevia) in about two minutes.  After filling the mugs with cocoa, I topped them with the whipped cream and added a few hearts to the top of each.

As I said, it was so quick and easy, yet my children all LOVED the extra touches! When my oldest son walked into the kitchen he said "WOW!" walked over to me, started rubbing my shoulders, and continued to say, "Mom, you are AMAZING!"  I sure love that boy of ours, he definitely made my day!

I hope you all have a very happy feast of St. Valentine!

Mini Meatloafs

I've been a little LOT behind in reading my favorite blogs lately, but have you seen the awesome link up that Pam and Sarah are hosting each week?  It is such a great idea!  I've been dying to join the fun, but honestly can barely manage to get meals on the table, let alone complete any extra projects. Don't ask me how I was possibly able to get ready, order and decorate cakes, and make those First Communion and Baptism Favors... It was just plain old stubbornness all extra grace God must have sent my way!  

Still, when I saw Charlotte's 3rd Pinning It Down post this afternoon, I decided not to let another week go by without joining in the fun.   Since I needed to come up with something for dinner anyway, had a couple pounds of ground beef defrosted in the fridge, and had just pinned a recipe for Mini Meatloafs from My Blessed Life, I decided to give it a shot.  

Actually, I decided to have Captain give it a shot, while I held the baby and snapped a few (blurry) pictures to share with you all!  ;)

He was more than happy to learn how to make another recipe and did a great job!  In fact, when he was finished he went on to make a batch of Outrageous Bar Cookies, which are almost ready to eat.  I am so, so thankful for my big helpers!

The recipe is very similar to the one we made when I was growing up, except I loved that this one suggests making miniature meatloafs instead of one large loaf!  We doubled the recipe for our family, making 20 mini meatloafs, which ended up being the perfect amount.

Delicious Mini Meatloaf Recipe

1 egg
1/2 c. milk
1 c. cheese
1/2 c. oats
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. onion powder
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. salt
1 lb. ground beef
ketchup, mustard, raw sugar {or brown sugar}

Before you get started, preheat the oven to 350 and lightly spray a muffin pan.

In a large bowl, combine egg, milk, cheese, oats, oregano, onion powder, garlic and salt. Add ground beef and mix well. {Take off your rings and mix with your fingers.}

Evenly divide the meat mixture in muffin pan. This recipe makes approximately 10 mini meatloaves. In a small bowl, mix ketchup, a tad of mustard and a teaspoon of sugar. Evenly divide the glaze over each mini meatloaf.

Bake, uncovered for 45 minutes or until meat is done.

My picture doesn't look as good as the original picture, but the recipe was a hit with my whole family, even our pickiest eaters.  We Captain will be making this again soon! :)

Chocolate Caliente on Columbus Day

Over the years it has become our family tradition to head outside just before bedtime on Columbus day to do a little stargazing while drinking some homemade Spanish Hot Chocolate.

"The Spanish are known to be locos for chocolate, since they “discovered” it in the New World 500 years ago. As in centuries past, today the Spanish drink rich hot chocolate for breakfast, so thick that you can stand a churro in it! If the only hot cocoa you’ve ever had is the kind made with powdered envelopes of mix and hot water, you won’t recognize this incredibly rich and flavorful drink. In fact, once you try the Spanish version of hot chocolate, you might be hooked!"  ~ About.com

Our recipe isn't quite that thick, but it is still amazingly delicious:

Chocolate Caliente

Spanish Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

4 cups whole milk
6 ounces baking chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch

Directions:

Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the cornstarch, whisk to dissolve. Heat the milk on medium heat just until it boils, then remove from heat. Add the chocolate immediately and begin stirring until the chocolate is completely melted.

Note: If the milk cools off too fast, place the pan back on the stove on low heat to melt the chocolate.

Add the sugar into the chocolate milk mixture and stir until thoroughly dissolved. Taste the hot chocolate for sweetness and add more sugar if necessary.

Note: Another option is to use milk chocolate instead of the baking chocolate and sugar. It is delicious both ways!

Place the pan back on the stove on medium low heat, stirring slowly, but constantly. As soon as you see it thicken, remove the pan from the heat so the cornstarch will not thin. Ladle immediately into cups and serve piping hot.

Happy Columbus Day! 

Marshmallow Teacup Cookies

I am making myself take a break from housework, packing, and planning to sit down for a few minutes, so I thought I would share another recipe from the birthday party yesterday.   I found this idea through a google search, and I think it might have originated (at least online) here.  I modified the recipe to be able to use ingredients I already had on hand.  The girls and I had so much fun and they were so fast and easy to make!

Marshmallow Teacup Cookies

Ingredients:

Round Cookies - We used Trader Joe's Triple Gingersnaps
1 Package Marshmallows
Sprinkles
Lifesavers
Cookie Icing
Cocoa and White Candy Melts

Directions:

Dip the top of each marshmallow into some melted Cocoa Candy Melts and then into the sprinkles.

Cut all lifesavers in half.  Dip the ends of each lifesaver half into melted White Candy Melts and attach one lifesaver "handle" to the side of each Marshmallow.  Hold for a second or two to make sure it adheres to the marshmallow.

Cover the bottom/flattest side of each cookie with a little bit of cookie icing.    (We used Trader Joe's Triple Gingersnap Cookies.   I had purchased a box of Vanilla Wafers, but they were too rounded on the top and kept tipping over.   Ours were a little too small, but they worked... A slightly larger sugar cookie, that is mostly flat on the top would have been perfect.)  

Place a marshmallow teacup in the middle of each cookie, pressing down lightly.

I think they turned out looking more like mugs of Hot Cocoa, but the kids all loved them and I thought they were a perfect addition to the Tea Party birthday menu!  They would also be a fun addition to the Little Flower Tea Parties. 

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life.  

{pretty}

 Our quickly growing Twinkle Toes, wearing a pretty new dress and holding the Strawberry & Peach Tea Cake we just finished baking! 

{happy}

Captain loves the new Catan: Cities and Knights Game Expansion, for with The Settlers of Catan, that he received for his birthday!

{funny}

"The Fireman" made with Stockmar Modeling Beeswax

by Rascal (age 9)

{real}

Snuggles was the only one that didn't like the Tea Cake...  

Visit Like Mother, Like Daughter for more pictures of contentment!

Strawberry & Peach Tea Cake

I have been wanting to bake this cake ever since first seeing it on Jennifer's blog and then again on Kelly's.   It was so worth the time and effort.  I am reposting the recipe here for future reference, since I plan to make it again... and again!

Stone Fruit Tea Cake

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, for pan

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 -1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped mixed stone fruit, fresh or frozen (I used 1 cup of fresh peaches and added 2 cups of fresh strawberries)

1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (I used Maple Sugar)


1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and butter together on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition, then stir in the vanilla and cinnamon. Add the flour mixture and stir just until smooth dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, flatten into a 1-inch thick disk, and freeze for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter a shallow 10 inch round baking pan or tart pan. Divide the dough into two equal portions and pat one portion evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the fruit over the dough. Break the remainder of the dough into tablespoon-size pieces and distribute atop the fruit, then sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the dessert.

3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm. Cool for 30 minutes before serving.

It was also the perfect opportunity to pull out our iSi Cream Whipper and make some homemade whipped cream to go along with the cake.   I am still amazed at how neat this little gadget is, and it makes the BEST whipped cream!

Wrapped in plastic wrap, this tea cake will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the unbaked dough; if wrapped well, it will keep for up to 3 months. You can freeze a whole, unbaked cake with fruit, wrapped well for 1 month.  Serves 10 to 12.

It won't last that long around here!