Jul 24, 2020 | Breakfast, Food
Growing up, I was always thrilled on the weekends because my aunts and uncles would all come home to visit my grandparents. Their visits usually guaranteed that we would get my grandmother’s famous homemade biscuits and sugar syrup! It was certainly the greatest breakfast of all time. I strongly desired for my little people to enjoy this family style breakfast, which is slowly becoming a three-times a week deal, instead of only Saturdays.
After tweaking the recipe just a little, I am thrilled to share one of my family favorite syrups. It’s smooth, thick, rich, and finger-licking good! It comes together quickly and tastes amazing! With this recipe, you may never buy pancake syrup again. Even better, it stores beautifully in a mason jar!
Homemade Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 8 tablespoons of butter, cubed
- 3/4 cup of milk
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
- Cut cold butter into the mixture.
- Make a well with flour mixture and slowly add milk into the middle.
- Knead the dough with your fingers and add milk when necessary. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut with a small biscuit cutter or use a mason jar.
- Butter the bottom of a skillet, (I prefer using a cast iron) and place biscuits in pan
- Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Homemade Sugar Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 1 cup of white sugar
- ½ stick of unsalted butter(optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla (optional)
Instructions
- Stir together both brown and white sugars in a pan and place the pan over medium-high heat.
- Quickly add water to prevent sugar from crystallizing. Stir until the sugar is melted and the mixture comes to a boil.
- Lower the heat to medium and allow it to boil for 3 minutes.
- If using butter, gently drop the butter into the mixture and stir until the butter is melted completely.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- If using the extract, add it, and stir it in now.
- Let the syrup stand in the pan for 5 minutes before pouring into a syrup serving dispenser, for immediate use. [For longer storage, pour into a clean mason jar.] Serve warm.
- Store leftover syrup in a tightly closed mason jar in the refrigerator for up to a month.
To Reheat Leftover Syrup:
Remove the lid from the jar, and microwave for 20 seconds. Or, place the mason jar, still lidded, in a saucepan with simmering water, and using an oven mitt or canning tongs, lift and swirl the jar from time to time until it flows freely and becomes warmed throughout.
Jul 13, 2020 | Books, Faith, Reviews
Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream by David Platt is not for the faint-hearted. It is not only a riveting and extraordinary read but also far from conventional in terms of his beliefs surrounding his faith. Platt boldly challenges readers to sacrifice and leave behind all of their worldly possessions.
The very first chapter is titled ‘Is Jesus Worth Losing Everything?’ It’s a tough question to answer, but Platt pulls no punches. He encourages us to find the greatest thing to live for—the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Forsaking the American Dream
Platt mentions the Great Commission from Matthew 28, which pushes Christians to go out and make disciples of all nations in the name of the Holy Trinity.
We have all been called to evangelize the world for God. This undertaking is daunting but requires all of our efforts. By accepting the Great Commission, we must forsake the American Dream.
We are taught at an early age to gain as many earthly accolades as possible, and that the goal is to be rich and successful. But there’s a thin line between living for God and living for the world. It can be challenging to actually live how Jesus said we should.
Thankfully, we have excellent examples—the disciples.
The disciples abandoned their careers, family, and convenience to follow Jesus. They left certainty for uncertainty, safety for danger—all selfless actions to make sure the gospel advanced.
Pursuing a Sacrificial Life
David Platt calls us to stop placing our primary focus on living the American Dream, but instead, pursue living a life that is sacrificial by displaying more love and bringing more awareness to God and His kingdom.
The first time I read this book, I honestly didn’t love it — I was convicted. I never really assumed my faith had been rooted in the American Dream until I truly entered a relationship with Christ.
The second time, I loved it and it spoke to my heart.
On my third time reading it, I decided to take a different approach. I’ve been taking my time to get through the entire book, but it is incredibly fulfilling.
Each chapter has me reevaluating my heart, identifying my counterfeit gods, and implementing strategies to hold myself and our family accountable.
Focusing on Eternity
The cost of truly following Jesus is high. It requires being willing to let go of everything else.
Do you know what could be potentially standing in your way? As you read “Radical”, much will be exposed to you.
At the end of this book, David urges us to take the Radical Experiment, which is a one-year commitment that should be pursued seriously.
You’ll have to read the book to better understand, but the purpose is for Christians to spend their lives fulfilling God’s mission of exposing people to His love.
This requires us to come to the end of ourselves, and that can be challenging yet rewarding! Whatever dream you may see for your life pales in comparison to the plans that God has in store for you.
Building up treasures for eternity is far greater than building up temporary treasures here on earth. Make God’s plans your plans. His plans are far more fulfilling and ultimately the best for you.
Jul 11, 2020 | Breakfast, Food
Our family loves blueberry muffins! We enjoy them, obviously, for breakfast but also throughout the week as a quick snack. Muffin Monday is a staple to our meal schedule because this recipe is easy and delicious, and my family cannot get enough. They also make the perfect snack for little hands.
For breakfast, I typically make a quick batch of muffins with a protein (like turkey sausage) and fruit. These muffins are great for an on-the-go breakfast for the mornings when we have to hurry out of the house.
I’ve ordered muffins from local grocery stores and bakeries, but this Prince Charming of mine does not approve. Maybe it’s because my little guy enjoys helping me bake this family favorite —or maybe he just loves Mommy’s cooking. Either way, blueberry muffins are an awesome filling treat, and Daddy grabs his fair share as well!
If your family loves blueberry muffins and you don’t mind baking them from scratch, then this recipe is for you! (Krusteaz Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix is a favorite of ours when we don’t take the from-scratch way.) However, this recipe is so easy, you may never pick up a boxed mix again.
*You’ll notice I’ve added some suggestions with the ingredients below, but feel free to use the items that your family enjoys. Just don’t forget to add an abundance of LOVE!
Ingredients:
½ cup softened butter (Earth’s Balance)
1 ¼ cups sugar or 1 cup Monk Fruit for my super healthy folk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup milk (Almond Milk or Oat Milk)
2 cups blueberries, washed, drained and picked over – or 2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed
3 teaspoons sugar (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Mix the butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar until it is light and soft.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
- Add vanilla.
- Sift in the flour, salt, and baking powder, into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk.
- Mash 1/2 cup of the blueberries with a fork and mix into the batter.
- Fold in the remaining whole berries.
- Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin (or a 6-cup jumbo muffin tin) with cupcake liners
- Fill with batter.
- Sprinkle the 3 teaspoons sugar over the tops of the muffins, reduce oven heat to 375, and bake at 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.
- Remove muffins from the tin and cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Store muffins uncovered in a cool dry place and eat away!
Jun 25, 2020 | Family & Home, Home Organization
Organizing makes my heart happy! I’m always working on home improvement tasks, and it brings me great joy to see it all come together. Like most of my projects, my organization method changes according to the task at hand. I’m constantly moving items around to find the perfect, most efficient places for things.
Regardless, I want to make sure that the most vital items are nearby and easy to find when I need them. Even in my junk drawers, I typically keep a pack of baby wipes, pens, coins, batteries, and the list goes on! I’m sure it’s obvious by now that I like to be prepared.
I have three great tips for getting your drawers organized (regardless of what room those drawers are in) and keeping important items at your fingertips.
Start Fresh
Anytime I’m organizing a new drawer, I begin by removing everything. Doing this gives me a clean slate to work from, and it inspires my vision. Once everything is on the counter, I categorize all the items. This is the time to toss anything unnecessary and take stock of what’s left. After you’ve narrowed down your collection, it’s time to organize everything into containers.
Measure Twice, Cut Once
For deeper drawers, I recommend drawer dividers. For smaller, shallow drawers, I recommend drawer organizers. There’s nothing like seeing all your items in their own spaces. You can also measure your drawers to ensure you purchase the right tools for your project. This way, those dividers will fit perfectly into position. These products and so many others can be found at The Container Store local spots or on their website.
Give Yourself A Win
For clothing, I typically hang the majority of our things, t-shirts included. We use drawer space in the bedrooms for undies and some athletic shorts. For the kids, I like to fold their pajamas and thin lounging sets, putting each outfit together. This way, my kiddos are able to find certain outfits without destroying the whole system. This saves time, gives the kids some independence and maintains my folded arrangement. It’s a win for everyone!
Containers, drawer dividers, and baskets always provide a cleaner look and solve any mess. And the good news is that you don’t have to break the bank to make your drawers look sleek! I prefer iDesign, The Home Edit, and The Container Store products, of course, but I also randomly find other great organizing pieces at Target or At Home Stores. Even the Dollar Store has great organizing items.
Here’s a great tip to leave with you: Don’t leave valuable drawer space filled with unnecessary things! Organizing your drawers is easy and worthwhile. I encourage you to reclaim your junk drawer, today!
Jun 20, 2020 | Food, Main Menu, Tamela's Tailgate Treats
If you’ve met my parents, you’re fully aware that my mom does not have a love for the kitchen. My dad has always been the chef of the family, while our darling diva has a small arsenal of recipes. Now, don’t be fooled, because each meal she does packs a flavorful punch!
My mom, Pam, makes the best chili. It’s perfect at any time of year, especially when you want something easy and delicious. As a young adult experimenting in the kitchen, I’ve added my little twist, which my family and guests absolutely love.
I’ve included a few optional ingredients (like quinoa and corn), but feel free to do whatever works for your family. That’s the great thing about chili; it’s such a simple dish but you can add or remove any ingredient to make it your own. If Mommy dearest is visiting, she literally stands over me to make sure I’m following her recipe to the “T”. I can’t blame her though, because this chili is amazing! You’ll see what I mean when you make it.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp. of oil (avocado oil)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
- 1 white onion diced fine
- 1 green pepper diced fine
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2lb. ground turkey, beef, or meatless meat crumbles (optional)
- 1 pack of chili seasoning
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 ½ tbsp. adobo seasoning
- ½ tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. curry powder (optional)
- pinch of sea salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
- 2(16-oz) cans kidney chili beans, drained
- 1(16-oz) can pinto chili beans, drained
- 1 cup of quinoa(optional)
- 1 can of whole corn, drained (optional)
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
TOPPINGS
- Shredded cheddar
- Sour cream
- Thinly sliced green onions
- Diced pickles(optional)
DIRECTIONS
- In a large Dutch pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft for about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant for about one more minute, then add tomato paste and stir. Add ground turkey and adobo seasoning and cook until no longer pink. Drain fat and return to heat.
- Next, add chili and curry powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, and season generously with salt and pepper to your liking. Pour in kidney and pinto chili beans and crushed tomatoes. Add (optional) quinoa or corn, drained if using.
- Bring chili to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Chili gets thicker as it cooks. If you prefer thick chili, let this one simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
- Ladle into bowls and top with cheddar, sour cream, green onions, and diced pickles (optional). Oh, and please don’t forget the love, my secret ingredient!
That’s it; you’re done! Enjoy your new favorite bowl of chili!
Photo cred: Nick Evans (with Macheesmo.com)
