Family Foundations

I know it's been forever since we've written on this blog, but I decided for my project for a class I want to blog about different ideas on how we can strengthen our families! I know we have a Heavenly Father who loves us so much, and I'm grateful he gave families to us. I love my family with all my heart and they're my best friends. I hope my future family will be as close as my family is today! 

How does she [fill in the blank]?

I bumped into this site. You'll have to check it out. These women have some fun, easy decorating ideas. I'm still trying to decide some fun ways to dress up our nursery. If you think of any ideas, let me know. (And yes, I've heard of spelling baby's name on the wall-- looking for something more than that.)

E-Mealz

So Brandon and I decided to give e-mealz a try. It's $15 for 3 months, so we're going to try it out and I'll let you all know how it goes. I was automatically able to print off 2 weeks worth of recipes. I think this will be a cool thing to try. We're doing the Wal-Mart Low Fat Meals for 2. Hopefully it'll help us out with our diet plans for the summer.  :)

Ham & Cheese Loaf

The husband and I are trying lots of new recipes right now- mainly because I work next door to our apartment, so it's fun to sneak away to make things. This is one that we both loved.

2 rolls Kraft French bread
1 pkg. Deli Fresh Shaved Smoked Ham
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup Mayo (or Italian Dressing)
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese

1. HEAT oven to 350°F.
2. FLATTEN dough on lightly floured surface. Roll into rectangle with rolling pin. Top with ham. Mix Cheddar and dressing; spread over ham.
3. MOISTEN edges of dough with water; pinch seams together to seal. Cut several slits in top. Brush with egg; sprinkle with Parmesan.
4. BAKE 35 to 40 min. or until golden brown. Cool 10 min. before slicing.

**We dipped them in BBQ sauce. SO GOOD.

HELP!!!

I REALLY want a new bathing suit for this summer. I have 2 that I've worn for a couple years while being pregnant. Even though they aren't maternity, I feel like they've been labeled or tainted by fatness. :)
SO.... I desperately need your help-ALL OF YOU! I found 4 suits I think are cute and I want everyone to put them in order 1-4, 1 being the cutest to 4 being not as cute.
#1-American Girl

 #2-Floral on Beach

 #3-Chloe

 #4-Kassie

I'm excited to hear all of your opinions!

The Most Amazing Banana Cake EVER!

So I made the cake for Caden and it surprisingly turned out well. I was mostly proud about the delicious banana cake! It was amazing and a fun change from normal white/yellow/chocolate birthday cakes. It was like a cakey banana bread, if you like banana bread, you'll LOVE this!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 1/8 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
•  
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour (it took closer to an hour and a half for me) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
4. For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake.

It was delicious and I most of it is gone now. Which is nice because now me and Brandon can eat another piece today!

Jamie's Introduction

My name is Jamie. I am the soon-to-be mama of one (due July 18th). I recently moved from Idaho after graduating with a degree in English Education. I'm currently working as an apartment manager in Utah while I'm awaiting baby's arrival.

A few months back, Annie told me about a cooking blog called www.picky-palate.com. My husband and I have grown to LOVE the recipes. One of our personal favorites is the the BBQ Chicken Pizza.

This week we tried the Chicken and Black Bean Green Enchilada Rice Bake (we're suckers for Mexican food). I really liked it, and the husband LOVED it, too. I think next time I make it, I would substitute diced tomatoes for a pico de gallo salsa and I would add corn with the black beans.

Chicken and Black Bean Green Enchilada Rice Bake


2 cups white long grain rice

2 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast

One 15-ounce can mild green enchilada sauce

One 4-ounce can sliced black olives

One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Roasted Ground Cumin

One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Cook rice according to package directions.

3. Place chicken, enchilada sauce, olives, tomatoes, sour cream, salt, pepper and cumin into a large bowl, mixing to combine. Pour cooked rice into prepared baking dish and layer beans on top of rice. Pour chicken mixture over rice and top evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until cheese is melted and rice is hot.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Mollie's Introduction! :)

Hey guys! :)

I'm Mollie, I'm the youngest of the sisters!

Unlike the others I'm the only unmarried girl in our family, and the only one still at home! My last day of high school is friday, and I graduate next Wednesday!!! Woot woot! This fall I'm going to be attending BYU-Idaho on the fall/spring track.

Jace and I were talking and we both LOVE the new song Who Says by Selena Gomez, it's such a cute song!

Check it out! :)

Introductions

I'll begin. My name is Jacie. I am a mom of 2 kids. I have a 2 year old boy and a 7 month old girl. I just moved to Utah from California and I've really been missing the sun the last couple months. I'm so ready for summer! I've been excited about this blog and the chance to share recipes, craft ideas, cleaning tips, fashion tips, sweet products I find, date ideas, gift ideas, new hair do's and makeup tips, and basically anything I find worth sharing with my sisters! And I'm excited to see what they have to share too.

I've been looking forward to this blog for a while now and I've had tons of ideas come to me that I think, shoot if only the blog was up and rolling by now I could share this. But now that it actually is I feel like all my little ideas aren't cool enough to be my FIRST post. SO, I'm going to pretend like our blog's been rolling for a while now so I don't feel any huge pressure to post an amazing thing for my first post.

I experimented yesterday with a
cake for Caden's birthday. I bought the ball shaped cake pan at Hobby Lobby and thought it would be super cool to make a basketball for him. Well, it cooked perfectly and would have made a great ball but I put vanilla pudding in the middle and it made the top half of the ball slide around everywhere. It turned out kind of funny. So now I have a different idea... what do you think?

I read today that the new "thing" is to buy offbeat oxfords. When I saw this I thought, "really?" No matter who is sporting them, I think they look ugly. What do you guys think? It would have to be with the right outfit, but I just don't feel like any of the examples in the picture are the 'right outfit'.  Would you sport oxfords?