Holiday Chex Mix

I like to make this for Christmas. However, you can make this for any holiday just alternate with seasonal M&M's for Easter, 4th of July etc...

Ingredients:

1 box (14oz) Rice Chex or Corn Chex Cereal

16 oz Plain Peanuts

1 bag (15oz) Pretzels - can be any kind that you prefer

20 oz of White Almond Bark

1-2 (12oz each) bags of M&Ms

Mix cereal, peanuts and pretzels together. Melt bark according to package. Mix in with cereal mixture. After it has hardened mix in M&Ms and enjoy. It is very simple.

Next time I would like to add popcorn to this mix to see how it would turn it out.

Christmas Lights

One of my favorite things during the holiday season is driving around and looking at all of the Christmas lights. Once you put Chrismas lights on your own house you realize how much work people put into this fun hobby each year.
This past weekend we drove by one of the best houses that I have ever seen in person. We were not able to get a very good picture or video of it ourselves. There were so many cars and people surrounding the house that we had to actually wait in our cars in line to see it. I attached the video so you all can see it for yourselves.

I posted a couple different videos, there are multiple different songs that play. They each have their "own show."
The best part was the neighbor next door. What a sport!

CrockPot Chili Roast

I love putting anything in the CrockPot and coming home and having dinner ready for us. This is one that can cook all day and be ready and waiting for you when you get home.

Ingredients:
3-4 pound Chuck Roast
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Jalapeno (to taste)
1 Onion
6 Tomatillos
1(4oz.) can Green Chiles
1(14.5 oz) can diced Tomatoes
2 Garlic Cloves
1tsp chili powder
Salt (to taste)

Chop the green pepper, jalapeno, onion, and tomatillos. I took most of the seeds out of the Jalapeno, I am not a big fan of spicy things. So you can add the whole thing or omit the seeds. Add to CrockPot. Mix together the rest of the ingredients and throw in the roast.
Set on high and leave the house for at least a good seven hours.

After cooking all day the meat just shreds itself. I served mine with a tortilla and shredded cheese. However, you can eat as is or add toppings like guacamole, sour cream, tortilla chips, etc...

Stay Awake

Matthew 25.5-13
As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the nor the hour.

There are many people out there trying to predict the end of the world, or when the Lord is going to come. However, if it was going to really happen today are we TRULY ready? 

Treats for the Trick-or-Treaters

For Halloween this year I made some Cake Pops for the small amount of trick-or-treaters that would come by our place.

What you need:

1. I used a yellow cake mix but you can use whatever kind of cake that you would like.
2. Bake cake according to directions.
3. Let Cool
4. Crumble into a LARGE bowl (this is crucial because it will FILL a large bowl
5. With two forks mix any kind frosting that you would like. I used 16oz of double fudge frosting
6. You know it is completely mixed in when only the frosting color shows through and you can not see any cake
7. Use a cookie scoop to from perfect sized balls
8. Freeze for one hour
9. In the middle of the cake ball place a lollipop stick
10. Roll into melted chocolate
11. Decorate however you would like

This was the decorated result. After I dunked the cake in chocolate I sprinkled them with some orange sprinkles.

In order for them to be transportable I put them in some festive halloween baggies.

Hopefully all of my little goblins will enjoy them!

My New Cricut

I have had many delightful experiences with my Cricut Expression! Once I found out they were coming out with a Cricut Cake I just HAD to have one. Now, just a few years down the road, I finally found a very reasonable priced one on the net =) This machine is just like the original cricut it will cut out nearly any shape you need. What makes the cricut cake different is you can cut out fondant, gum paste, etc and it is all safe to eat.
I was so excited to use! However,  this was also my first time ever using fondant. As a first time user I think I need a lot more practice. Some things I cut out were hard to transfer to the cake without ruining the precise cutting.
Since Halloween is right around the corner, I used my holiday cakes cartridge and made a festive BOO cake!
And the end result:

The Greatest Commandment

I think a great verse to live by this week is Matthew 22:34-40

"When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

I love this verse! With all of the hustle and bustle in our lives it very easy to loose site of what is most important. "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," is something I constantly loose sight of. I am sure we all have people that are hard to deal with on a daily basis. We may have to deal with a pesky co-worker, a rude salesman, an unsatisfied salesman, a distant family member, and even in some cases literally your annoying neighbor haha. We just have to keep in mind that no matter what our differences are we have to keep an open heart. They should not be treated any differently than how you would treat yourself.

Lazy Slow Cooker Barbequed Beef Sandwiches

These are very easy to make and can cook all day while you are away!

Ingredients:
1 (4lb) Sirloin Tip Roast
2 cups Ketchup
3 cups Barbeque Sauce
1 can (14oz) Beef Broth
1 can Root Beer
1-2 teaspoons Onion Powder
1-2 teaspoons Pepper
10 Steak Rolls

Directions:
Mix and place all ingredients in the crock pot (Save two cups of the barbeque sauce for later). Cook on low for seven hours. Take out and pull apart meat. Pour out the juices in the crock pot. Put the meat back in the crock pot, mix in the saved barbeque sauce, and warm until ready to serve. I like to serve them on steak rolls, but you can use hamburger buns as well.

Canning Tomatoes

Today was a sure sign that winter is right around the corner. It was windy, rainy and COLD. One of those days that just makes you wanna stay in bed and watch movies all day. Last night I picked all of the tomatoes that were left in my garden. Since it was a stay inside kind of day, I thought I would can the tomatoes that I picked. It is a lot of work, and leaves a big mess to clean up. However, I love being able to use these canned goods all throughout the winter!

Eggs n' Hotdogs

This recipe is great for breakfast, brunch, or breakfast for dinner. It is perfect for kids and adults of all ages.

What you need:

7 eggs

4 heated Hotdogs (2 oz. each)

2 Tbs. Milk

1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

Pepper to taste (you can add salt, I did not since the hotdogs are already salty)

What to do:

Heat Skillet on high heat.

Meanwhile in a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, and pepper.

Pour into skillet and stir until cooked thoroughly. Add hotdogs and top with cheese.

ENJOY!

Chocolatey Mud Pie

This is a perfect after dinner dessert, get together with the girls dessert, family picnic dessert, I do not want to heat the oven dessert, anybody can make dessert!
Ingredients:
15 Oreo Cookies
4 Squares Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/2 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
Pecans
2 cups Skim Milk
2 small pkgs. Chocolate Flavored Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 tub Cool Whip

Take your tempting Oreo cookies

and crush em' crush em' crush em'

take your semi-sweet chocolate and melt it, melt it, melt it

mix together your milk and pudding mix, and whisk it, whisk it, whisk it

add half of your whip cream to the pudding mix and use the remaining to top off your dessert

Directions:

Crush the chocolate sandwich cookies and spread into the bottom of a square 8x8 pan.

Melt the chocolate and mix in the sweetened condensed milk. Pour on top of the cookie mixture.Sprinkle with pecans.

Mix milk and instant pudding and pie filling together. Pour a little over half of the pudding mixture over the pecans.

Mix in half of the cool whip with the left over pudding mixture, spread over the pudding layer.

Top it off with the remaining cool whip.

Refrigerate for 3 hours and serve.