The Countdown is On

The countdown is on for Baby York's arrival, and if he doesn't come on his own, the doctors will induce me Monday morning. Andy and I cannot wait to meet this little guy, and it's wild to think that we'll be parents this time next week!

I was reading this passage of Scripture the other day, and these verses took on a whole new meaning to me:

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them." Psalm 127:3-5

Andy and I feel so blessed at this miraculous gift of life the Lord has chosen to bestow on us, and we eagerly look forward to being parents and in pointing this little guy to the Lord, the only One who can fulfill and satisfy us. We know we're going to need all the prayers, tips, and advice from all you parents out there!

While some women clean like mad when they are "nesting," I have taken up cooking and baking (although I wish I cleaned my house from top to bottom like I should be doing!). We had over some Young Life leaders for dessert last night, and I think we all enjoyed this Hummingbird Cake
I was looking for the recipe on Southern Living's website, and they stated that this has been their most popular and most requested cake in all their history. It's really easy and yummy! And who can resist the cream cheese frosting??

Click here for the recipe from Southern Living's website.



I have a slight obsession towards making breads as well, so I thought I'd share some of my all-time favorites here:

I have my mom's Banana Bread baking in the oven now. This is a classic hit, but the trick is to stir everything by hand (no mixers involved)

2 1/4 c flour
2 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c oil
1 t vanilla
1/4 c sour milk (you can put cream of tartar in the 1/4 c milk)
1 1/3 tsp soda
4 ripe bananas, sliced
1 c chpd nuts (optional)
3 eggs, beaten

Stir ingredients together. Pour into 2 greased/floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 for one hour, then sprinkle cinnamon on top when they come out of the oven. Freezes well.

Our dog Tucker likes my cooking too! :)


Pumpkin Bread

3 1/3 c sifted flour
2 tsp soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
2 c sugar
4 eggs
2/3 c water
2 c canned pumpkin
1 c vegetable oil

Combine dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. Pour into 2-3 greased/floured loaf pans and bake at 350 for 1 hour. If pyrex is used, decrease heat to 325.

My latest obsession is this Chocolate Pumpkin Bread. It's really more like cake, and oh so good. I made mine into lots of small loaves to give away and a few of the bigger loaves. If you're not going to eat it right away but want to freeze it, leave the chocolate chips out.

This is a picture of me and my sister (and no, we're not twins, we're actually 5 years apart) at the Auburn vs. Clemson game this past fall. She's going to be a wonderful aunt, and I'm so excited we live in the same town so she can come and love on her nephew!

And last but not least, Blueberry Bread

3 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 c sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
1 1/4 c vegetable oil
2 pints blueberries (frozen ones work great, just don't defrost them. Place directly in the batter)
1 1/4 c chpd pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, and sugar. Make a well in center of dry ingredients. Add eggs and oil, stir only until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in blueberries and pecans. Spoon batter into 2 greased/floured loaf pans and bake one hour. Let stand overnight before slicing (yeah right, this never happens in my household. Who can resist the smell of freshly baked blueberry bread? It's just begging to be sliced and eaten once it has cooled a little.)

Soups

We recently had over these dear friends for dinner, and I made Jane Menendez's wonderful Herbed Tomato Soup. I love making this in winter time and pairing it with some good ole' fashioned grilled cheeses.

3/4 c unsalted butter, divided
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper
1 can tomatoes (35 oz) with liquid
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1/3 c all-purpose flour
4 c chicken stock, divided
1 tsp sugar
1/2 pt (1 cup) heavy cream

Melt 1/2 c butter in large sauce pan and add olive oil.
Add onion, thyme, basil, s&p, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is wilted.
Add tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to blend. Simmer 10 min. Puree in food processor and gradually transfer back to pot.
Add flour in small bowl and 5 Tbsp chicken stock, stirring to blend.
Combine flour mixture w/tomato mixture. Add remaining stock and simmer 30 min, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
Add sugar and cream. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 min. Swirl in remaining butter (I usually don't do this last part).



Another delicious and very healthy soup is the Birmingham Junior League's:

Black Bean and Vegetable Chili

1 large onion, coarsely chpd
1 pound Kielbasa sausage, sliced (optional)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chpd
2/3 c picante sauce
1 1/2 tsp each: dried rosemary, oregano, chili powder, cumin
1 tsp dried basil
2 (16 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green and 1 red pepper, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 large yellow squash and/or zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
Hot rice

Cook onion, and if desired, sausage in oil in large saucepan. Add tomatoes, picante sauce, and seasonings. Cover and simmer 5 min. Stir in beans, peppers, and squash. Cover and simmer 15 min or until veggies are crisp-tender. Serve over hot rice. Garnish each serving w/sour cream, chpd fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, hot picante sauce.

From "Food for Thought"

So easy, delicious, and a healthy way to add in all those veggies!

(And because I don't have pictures of these delicious soups, you get to view some fun and random pictures!) Below is a picture of my family skiing last December in Beaver Creek, Colorado.



And last but not least is Bronwyn Cardwell's Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

3 c chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
5-6 c broth (from water chicken was cooked in)
3 cubes chicken bouillon (added to water)
Uncle Ben's Wild Rice box
1 c cream chicken soup
1 c half and half
1 c whipping cream
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen spinach, thawed

Cook chicken, remove from water. Boil water with bouillons and add Uncle Ben's rice and seasoning. Add rest of ingredients and simmer at least 30 minutes.
Serves: 6

Pair this with Bronwyn's Cornbread, and you have a set dinner! I make this pretty much every time I take a new mom dinner:

1/2 c butter, melted
1 c cream style corn
1 c sour cream
1 c self-rising cornmeal
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 med. onion, grated (optional)

Heat a cast iron skillet in the oven with a little bit of vegetable oil at 350. Melt butter and mix all ingredients together. Pour into hot cast iron and bake for 35-40 min.

(And because pictures make a blog more fun, here's a throwback picture from my sister-in-law's, Ashley, graduation from Auburn.)

Scones

Here's a picture from our Auburn vs. Kentucky trip in Lexington. We completed the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and celebrated a fabulous Auburn victory this past October. War Eagle!
On to my new baking frenzy. Some call it nesting. I call it learning-before-a-baby-comes cooking. SCONES! These delicious, fresh-from-the-oven breakfast treats are such a pleasure to enjoy on a Saturday morning, all cozied up with a cup of O'Henry's Christmas blend coffee. And they are surprisingly not hard to make at all, plus you can stick your dough in the freezer and pull it out when you're ready to bake it.

This is a must-read before attempting to make scones (see picture below). I have enjoyed several of this blog's recipes, including her recipe for Starbucks Pumpkin Scones. I don't have many good pictures, as the scones don't last long enough on the pan for me to take a quick snapshot. I'm not a good food photographer, but we have ordered a new lens and flash for Christmas, so I hope to learn to take better food pictures. Here's my first attempt at making scones:


My next cooking project: Biscotti! I hear they are not hard to make either, but I'll keep you posted!

This recipe is a must-try, especially for a cold winter morning. It's so easy and delicious:

Holiday French Toast

Serves 6-8

1 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 c dried cranberries
1 (8 oz) loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch slices
1 1/2 c milk
6 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon


Combine the brown sugar, butter and 1 tsp cinnamon in a bowl and mix well. Add the apples and cranberries and toss to coat. Spread the apple mixture over the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish sprayed w/nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the bread slices cut side down over the prepared layer. Whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla, and 2 tsp cinnamon in a bowl until blended. Pour the milk mixture over the prepared layers and chill, covered with foil, for 4 to 24 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake, covered, for 40-45 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Let stand for 5 minutes and serve with warm syrup.

From "Tables of Content" Birmingham Junior League


And I leave you with one more recipe. This Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole is another great casserole to take to friends, and I've made it countless times. It serves 10-12 people, so it's easy to take half to a friend and make the other half for your family. This is from Rushton's Recipes blogspot:

2 (6.2 oz.) packages fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix
1/4 C. butter
2 medium onions, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
2 (8oz.) cans sliced water chestnuts, drained
5 C. chopped cooked chicken
4 C. (16 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 (16 oz.) carton sour cream
1 C. milk
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/2 C. soft breadcrumbs

Prepare rice mix according to package directions; set aside.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, celery and water chestnuts. Saute 10 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Stir in rice, chicken, 3 C. cheese, soup and next 4 ingredients.
Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased 15 x 10-inch baking dish or a 4 qt. casserole. Top the casserole evenly with breadcrumbs.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of cheese; bake 5 more minutes. (Southern Living)

Tips: You need to use your largest mixing bowl to stir this up! I prefer sharp cheddar for the cheese. For the soft breadcrumbs, use cheap white bread and just tear it into small pieces. I never measure that but just tear enough to cover the top of the casserole. It makes a yummy layer on top like croutons. You can also bake this in two 11 x 17 baking dishes or divided among a variety of sizes of dishes. Just fill them all 2/3 the way full, leaving room for the bread and cheese topping. This dish freezes great. Do not put the breadcrumbs or cheese on top before freezing. Pull it out a day or 2 before you want to cook it. If it is still semi-frozen, cover it with foil and cook for 30 min. or so. Then, take the foil off, add the toppings and bake until bubbly. Sometimes when I freeze it and then thaw it, it seems a little soupy. But the
liquid will bake out as it cooks. There is no way to really mess this one up. Serve with salad and bread.

I'll leave you with one final picture of us in Cashiers, North Carolina, this past summer. This is so you can see our sweet dog, Tucker, who we rescued from the Birmingham Humane Society in July 2007. He's been our "baby" these past 4 1/2 years of marriage. :)

Some Yummy Recipes

Can I get a big WAR EAGLE!!!! My brother, Jason, and husband, Andy, went out to the BCS National Championship last week and had a blast. I was 37 weeks pregnant, so I obviously had to stay at home, taking it easy on the couch so I did not go into labor while Andy was gone, and staying indoors because of a mega ice storm. I wish I could have been out in Glendale, but I'm so so very proud of our Auburn Tigers and my Alma Mater! War Eagle!

So while I still work out the kinks of starting a blog, I thought I'd post some good recipes. I made my mom's lasagna tonight and added brussel sprouts as the greens to accompany the meal. I don't particularly care for brussel sprouts, but these were really good, easy, and delicious!

Here is my mom's easy lasagna recipe, which is a great go-to for taking meals to people, as it feeds around 10. I usually only take half of the lasagna when I take a meal to someone and we eat or freeze the other half.

1 lb ground round or lean chuck (I always use ground turkey)

2 1/2 c spaghetti sauce (28 oz jar)

1 c water, maybe more

9 pieces uncooked lasagna noodles

3 c mozzarella, shredded (reserve 1 c for topping)

1/4 c grated parmesan

2 T chpd parsley (can add some oregano or Italian seasoning)

15 oz skim ricotta cheese

Saute beef, drain, add sauce and water. Simmer 10 min. Combine ricotta, 2 c of the mozzarella, parmesan, and parsley. Pour 3/4 c of sauce in 9 x 13 pan. Arrange 3 pieces of lasagna. Pour 1/2 c sauce over pasta. Spread half cheese mixture. Cover with 1/2 c sauce. Repeat. Top with remaining pasta and sauce. Sprinkle with additional parmesan. (if freezing, cover with foil and freeze at this point) Cover with foil and bake 375 for 60 minutes. Sprinkle on top, remaining 1 c of mozzarella. Let stand 10 min. before serving.

And this has become our new favorite meal! Every time I make it, Andy is asking me to make it again:

Pecan Chicken with Honey-Mustard Sauce

3 T stone-ground mustard

4 chicken breasts

1 c pecan pieces, coarsely chpd

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

Sauce:

1.5 c whipping cream

2 T honey

2 T stone-ground mustard

1/4 tsp salt

Combine pecan and red pepper in shallow dish. Spread 3 T mustard on both sides of chicken. Gently coat chicken with pecan mixture. Place chicken in greased 9 x 13 and bake, uncovered, at 375 for 45 min. or until chicken is done.

In saucepan, heat whipping cream over medium-high heat until reduced by half (approx. 12 min). Stir in honey, 2 T mustard, and salt. Serve sauce over chicken.

Good served over wild rice. Serves 4 people.

The count down is on for Baby York's arrival! Only 10 days to go! Andy and I still go back and forth on a middle name, but I guess we'll all know what his name is when Baby York gets here! My parents and Andy have been a huge help with last-minute scrambling to get the nursery finished. Pictures of the nursery to come. This picture was taken when I was 32 weeks pregnant, and it's the most recent pregnant picture I have.