another recipe...

I think I might just have a separate blog/post thing for every recipe...haha this was the recipe that I was looking for and it looks super super easy! If you try it, let me know! I think this recipe I will try before the other! haha

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

One box of Strawberry Cake Mix (I've used 'em all, so pick your favorite)

1 egg, slightly beaten

One 8 oz tub of CoolWhip, or any generic frozen whipped topping

2 cups confectioner's sugar

Red food coloring (optional)

Combine all ingredients with an electric mixer.  Now here's where you have a choice:  Either drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet first,   or you can drop tablespoonfuls into powdered (confectioner's) sugar before baking.    I tend to go back and forth.  Up to you.

Bake at 350 for approximately 10 minutes.  Check cookies, at about 8 minutes.  You don't want them to be crisp, just chewy.  Lightly browned around the edges.

Let cool, but when still slightly warm (slightly!) drop into powdered sugar to coat and then place back on cooling rack. 

Notes:  About food coloring.  This is up to you.  If you don't use the coloring, no biggie,  your cookies will just be pink.  But if you'd like a stronger color, more like strawberries, then I say go for it.  Just a drop at a time though, until you like what you see.  :-)

These cookies can get a bit aggravating because they'll be sticky before baking.  I just coat my hands/spoon/scoop (whatever you're using to drop the cookies) with some powdered sugar to try to help.

Tah-Dah!   You're done.  Enjoy!

Recipes...

So I'm trying to find some recipes that use a lot of milk...we have a lot of milk that will expire in a day or so and I would like to use it besides throwing it out...I've already made three batches of pudding and I'd like to make something more cause I still have a gallon or so left. We can't drink THAT much milk in  a day or so...if you have any recipes let me know! I'd love to try them!

Anyway, as I was on pinterest looking for some recipes that use a lot of milk...I discovered a lot more wonderful recipes and this is one of them...I haven't tried it but it looks delicious and I didn't know what to do with it as it was on a random link in someone's blog...I couldn't just re-pin it as it was not the pin that I was looking at...anywho here it is...if you try it, let me know how it works out! ;)

FAKE SNICKERS CAKE

Frozen pound cake loaf (the recipe said 12 oz. I found a SaraLee that was 16 so that's what I used)

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature

3-4 Tablespoons milk

One 1 lb box confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup salted, roasted peanuts

2 cans dulce de leche  (I found mine in with the evaporated milk cans)

For the Coating:

10 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 stick cold, butter, cut into pieces

1.  Trim 1/2 inch off the short ends of the pound cake, then trim the dome off the top is there is one, to make it flat.  Stand the cake on it's side and slide in half horizontally to make two equal sized rectangles.

2.  Microwave the chocolate in 30 second intervals, stirring until melted.  Beat the butter, 3 TBSP milk and the confectioners' sugar with a mixer.  Beat in the melted chocolate.  Add more milk IF NEEDED, to make the frosting spreadable.

3.  If you want one long cake, they lay the rectangles *on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet.  Spread a little of the frosting on one short end of each cake (to act as "glue") and press together to form a long rectangle.

OR, do like I did and make two separate cakes! :-)

* 4.  Spread the remaining frosting on the cake in a 1 inch thick layer, making the edges slightly higher than the center.  Smooth the top and sides with an offset spatula.  Freeze until firm (about 30 minutes)

5.  Mix the peanuts and dulce de leche in a bowl.

6.  Remove the came from freezer and spread the peanut mixture on the frosting in a flat, even layer.  Freeze until the dulce de leche is firm (about 30 minutes)

7.  Meanwhile, make the chocolate coating:  Microwave the chocolate and butter in 30-second intervals, stirring until melted and smooth.

8  Spread the chocolate on the cake evenly over top and sides with an offset spatula.  Freeze until chocolate cools slightly (6-8 minutes)

9.  Now, with the chocolate slightly cooled, you can do little doo-dads on top to make it look like a snickers bar:  Dip the edge of an offset spatula into the chocolate at an angle and gently pull up, repeating along the top of the cake to create a wave pattern.   Chill 10 minutes before serving.  

*Note:  In step 4, I mentioned putting the cake onto a rack.  This is to catch the chocolate that drips off.  But then you have to transfer to a platter so I opted not to do that step and just put it on the platter from the start. You might need to take a little more time in pouring the chocolate to make sure you don't have a big puddle at the base, but it worked fine for me, and I didn't have more things to wash at the end!   I'm just sayin'....

It looks so delicious! :)

update

Well it is June 18 and little Ms. Julia is still now here. I guess that is a good thing as her due date is not until July 3rd. I am so anxious it is unbelievable. We've gone to the hospital a total of 4 times in the last month or so and we've been sent home each time without a baby. However, Friday was our last trip to the hospital and the nurse kept us there because Whitney was having the contractions every 5 minutes lasting about a minute each. This went on for 7 hours. During that 7 hour period we walked up and down stairs, became acquainted with the hospital and then we even walked about 2 miles around town and nothing. Once we got home after walking the 2 miles around town, the contractions stopped. I couldn't believe it when Whitney told me but I was understanding or waiting for it to happen since it has happened many times before. Sometimes I feel that Julia is never going to come and she will just stay in Whitney's tummy forever. It is quite discouraging as we are prepared to welcome this daughter of God into our family and home. I'm not nervous about raising her or about the trials that will come. I am nervous about her arriving safely and that there are no complications with the birth. It is a crazy process but I guess it is quite normal.

On the upside, we now know what labor will be like and when it is the real deal and when it is just false labor! ;) You always have to have the positive look on things, right?

As far as my last post goes, I still feel the same way as before but I'm utterly confident that the Lord will use me how He needs me. I am leaning towards a Communications minor and I had the thought on Saturday that it would be cool to work for the Church and be a spokesman or something. Who knows what the possibilities are but all I can see myself doing IS working for the Church. My interests are completely revolved around the Church and I know I am not willing to work on Sundays and I think Heavenly Father knows that. So to make it easier for me, He will provide me with the education and a job that does not require me to work on Sundays as a medical assistant would.

I still don't have answers but I have some guidance that will lead me to be able to take care of my family. I am super excited to be a dad but when everyone was wishing me a happy father's day yesterday I felt strange and old. I was like, "No, my dad is the one that gets these greetings not me. I am not old!" haha but I will be a dad, its still strange. In exactly 2 weeks my daughter will be here and I will have SO many pictures to post it is crazy! I can't wait! Well I will let you go so  I can start doing some homework. Thanks for reading!

Cross-roads

I'm sitting at another cross roads in my life. I just got a score back from my most recent Anatomy and Physiology Exam for the Lab portion and I did not do well at all. I remember while taking the exam(as it was an unusual way to take an exam. It was with about 20 other people and we had to go from station to station.) At any rate, in the middle of the exam I had the thought come to my mind that maybe I'm not cut out for the Medical Assisting route. I'm just not getting it into my brain and its not working. I'm not able to understand it clearly enough to be able to get good grades. I got a 44% on this last exam and I studied for it. I had been studying for some time during the past 3 weeks and I'm not understanding why I did so bad.

I've had the idea run through my mind that maybe I should change my minor but the minor that keeps coming to mind is not an "honorable" minor in my opinion. I guess I just have high hopes for myself. I've been having the idea of opening a family bakery. I am thinking about changing my minor to a culinary arts minor. But how would that help me now or even in a year or two to gain the money that I need to start paying off school loans. I had big plans with graduating with my associates in 2013 and starting to work as a medical assistant to be able to start paying off our loans. As I contemplate my options, I am stuck. I have the feeling that I will be able to do whatever the Lord has planned for me. I know that He won't let me do something that will completely destroy me. Yet, I get excited about the Culinary Arts minor and I am excited about the Medical Assisting minor as well.

I just have this fear that I won't be able to support my family with a good occupation. I want the best for my children and my wife yet I won't be able to start working as a councilor until after I graduate with my masters. What am I going to do until that moment arrives? I can't just open up a shop to have this bakery with a ton of debt and I won't be able to start the business off nicely without money. What am I supposed to do. I sometimes have the thought that I will be able to pass my anatomy and physiology class but then I also have the thought that I won't be able to and that I'm just going to be in deep trouble once it comes time for the end of the semester. I honestly don't have any clue on what I need to do. All I know is that God lives. Jesus is the Christ. I know that I love serving other people and that I want to always give my service and help those that stand in need. I've also discovered recently that I have a hard time receiving help because I feel that I am able to help myself. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true Church on the Earth. When I say that, I mean that it is the only Church that has the COMPLETENESS of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will help me through my journey on this Earth so that I can become the best servant that I can be. That I will be able to support my family and give the kind of life to my children that I never had.

Funny thing is, I know that not many people read this blog but it is my way of writing in my journal. I type a lot faster than I do writing and I don't feel like I am using as much time typing as I do writing out in a notebook. I have yet to find the best way to type in a journal but having my entries be organized. I hope that I will be able to find answers to my current problems. Oh did I mention that registration for Fall Semester is next week and I am stuck with this dillemma?!?!? I guess I have to move forward with faith and pray that Heavenly Father will continue to bless me. I need to hurry and finish reading a few articles for an essay that was due yesterday that I wasn't able to finish. Life keeps ticking even when we don't want it to sometimes. Hopefully we'll talk later! :)

Baked Goods

So I haven't posted in awhile and I am in a baking type of mood lately and therefore I thought I'd share some of the recipes that I have found that look really good! I'm making one now( Banana Cream Cheese Pie). But I will post this other recipe that my friend posted on my facebook that looks delicious! It is called Gingerbread Cheesecake Bites.

Gingerbread Cheesecake Bites Printable Recipe

1 (30 oz) package Pillsbury Gingerbread Cookie Dough (refrigerated section)
4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Roll two teaspoons of cookie dough into a ball for each cookie. Place balls of dough into paper liners mini cupcake/muffin pan. Make a well/indentation into each ball of dough with a flour dipped mini rolling pin or the back of a measurement teaspoon.
Beat room temperature cream cheese with powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla. Place filling into a piping bag, cut off edge of bag. Place one teaspoon or so of filling into each area of cookie dough.
Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes or until cookie tested with tooth pick comes out almost clean.
Don’t over fill the cookies with filling as they will rise when baked.
Let cool before removing from cupcake pan.

Don't they look good? Okay so my font just changed and I think it is because of the recipe that I copied and pasted but I'm not sure how to change the font back to where it was...oh well. Okay the other recipe I am currently waiting for it to "cool down" and it will be ready in 24 minutes but I still have to make the strawberry topping. I put 'cool down' in quotations because I didn't even cook it. I mixed everything and then I put it in the crust that I made(they suggested to buy it but I didn't want to) and then stuck it in the fridge.

this is the recipe:

Banana Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (9 inch) graham cracker crust
• STRAWBERRY TOPPING:
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 5 drops red food coloring (optional)

Directions

1. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Combine bananas and lemon juice; add to cream cheese mixture. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into crust. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.
2. In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in strawberries and food coloring if desired. Let stand for 5 minutes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool. Drizzle some over pie. Cut into wedges; serve with remaining topping.

As far as the graham cracker crust goes, I found a recipe that was really easy. One package of graham crackers, 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 3 tablespoons of butter. I baked it at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. I'm going to take a picture but I'm currently debating if I want to make the Strawberry Topping or not. I've been debating about what would look good on top of this pie. I've thought of maybe some toasted coconut(which I don't have) or the rind of a lemon that is shredded but that too I don't have. Plus I was thinking well it is more banana than lemon so that is not the right solution...if anyone has any suggestions let me know. 

How I stumbled across this recipe was we had some ripe bananas and I didn't want to make more banana bread which is what I make almost every month and I wanted change. I found it on allrecipes.com which is a wonderful site! You can put in certain ingredients that you want to use and it will give you, depending on the ingredients, about 20 recipes. So I put bananas, strawberries and cream cheese and this recipe I thought was the best since I have frozen strawberries and ripe bananas. They had another recipe that looked really good but it required all fresh fruit but it was basically a fruit pizza but on a brownie!!! YUM! Oh the options in life. 

I honestly think that Heavenly Father wanted us to have a piece of the Celestial Kingdom on Earth and so he gave us wonderful foods! :) hehe I honestly don't know if that is the case but it sounds good. haha I love food so much and I'm started to experiment and try new recipes with foods that I know I enjoy.

This past Sunday I made a ham. We got it on sale and it was an 8 pound ham. Way yummy! It tastes like yummy bacon! I made it in a crockpot. The recipe called for ham( an 8 pounder you can adjust the amount that you buy in the recipe) and 2 cups of brown sugar. DONE...haha what it said was to put 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar on the bottom of the crockpot. Then put the ham flat part down and then rub the remaining brown sugar on the ham and let it cook for about 8 hours on low(we cooked it for 3 or so hours on low and then about 4 hours on high and it was uber juicy and the meat fell right off the bones! :)) At any rate we added an ingredient to this wonderfully easy recipe! We took a can of tidbit pineapple, poured the juice on the bottom of the crockpot before laying down the ham. Then we rubbed the brown sugar on it and poured the pineapple chunks over the ham. It ended up being DELICOUS! We've been using the leftover meat for sandwiches which has given us the opportunity to step up a notch or a few of them from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! HAHA! Well I guess this enough for now...I hope you all try these recipes and let me know how they turn out! Also, if you have any really good recipes that you'd like to share, you can share them with me! ;) I just noticed I don't have pic of the ham...but take my word it was good. You can find it on allrecipes.com if you'd like. I am excited to try it again!

Frustrations of a Monday

So the week is starting all over again! :( Well I guess that is a good thing and a bad thing all mixed in one. I'm excited that another week is starting because that means I am that much closer to holding my daughter! However, Mondays in general just stink a ton this semester! I have to be at work by 5am and I am running around doing things until 6pm....well just kidding that is all things school and work related. But then I still have to have Family Home Evening and then also do some yard work or take care of things for the apartment complex(there is a lot to do for the apartment complex! If anyone knows how/what to do to get rid of dandelions let me know because we have a forest of them in our lawn! and I have to mow the lawn too..)

At any rate, this morning I woke up late and I was about 5 minutes late to work or so...but not only that, once I got to work, one of my co-workers didn't show up and that meant that 2 of us had to the work of 3 PLUS it is on our busiest day of the week! I think she was sick or something but so was my other co-worker who almost didn't come in as well! Talk about how rough of a morning I would've had! HOLY COW!!! I wouldn't have started the day or the week very well! :( But luckily he came in...I'm hoping he comes in this afternoon along with my other co-worker that didn't come in at all since because we stayed an hour later this morning we have to leave an hour earlier this afternoon...

I honestly don't understand the people in charge; they get made if you clock out late but they get made if you don't finish your responsibilities...in other words, a LOSE LOSE SITUATION...I SO can't wait for when I get my associates and I can be a medical assistant! :) But that is still a year away or so...I'm hoping to be able to get a job in a nearby nursing home to gain some experience but I'm wanting to wait until AFTER my daughter is born so that I can have some experience wiping butt's before I have to go wipe older people's butts...my mom has done it for years but I have to literal talk myself into it...but it would DEFINITELY pay more than what I am making now, which I must inform you would be WONDERFUL!! haha...

Well I'm glad I have this blog because I definitely feel better...I've thought about having a journal on the computer but for some odd reason the only thing that would make sense to me would be a blog and therefore...here it is...haha

Oh I almost forgot, this weekend we went down to Grace which is where my in-laws are from and we visited with my wife's grandma. We came to the realization that because of her grandma's health, etc. and no one is able/willing to help her out, for the most part, she probably won't be able to be at the hospital when Whitney gives birth to our daughter. That scared the living day lights out of me! I was strongly relying on my mother-in-law being there with us and my mom will be in Minnesota which she is planning on coming out a month after my daughter is born. But I became super nervous because then its only going to be two of us going through this exciting and nerve racking time in our lives by our selves without anyone there coaching us or letting us know that everything will be okay. I know that Heavenly Father will take care of us and help us do everything possible to make us feel comfortable and we both have the faith that everything will work out alright and technically we won't be alone. But it would still be nice to have some family with us, we weren't planning for that at all! But like I said, everything will work out and we have a wonderful doctor that will take care of us! So in the end, we'll have our daughter and we will have a stronger faith in our Heavenly Father! (Have I mentioned that I am really really excited for Julia to come? well I am!! haha) Well I should get some homework done...Hope you have a wonderful day!

Busy Life! and a quick update...

It's been quite some time since I've written but life has thrown a TON at me and I am just trying to get a breather! I'm not even remembering what the last thing was that I had said or mentioned or anything...

Wow! I just looked back and it had been over a month since I wrote something last and to top it off...TOO much has happened since General Conference!! Oh goodness, I guess I should get started...haha

Well I got a job working in Food Services again on Campus...however on Monday mornings I have to be at work by 5 in the morning and I work until 9am. Then I go back from 2 to 6 in the afternoon. I work 2 to six again on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and I have Fridays and Saturdays and Sundays "off". I put off in quotations because of all my other responsibilities. :) Well, working at this job called Simply to Go has been a blessing in my life as I have been able to become a better person and wake up early and go to bed early. I love it! But it is somewhat stressful because I don't get all the sleep that I would enjoy to have. ;)

I received a calling or a responsibility in an LDS Temple and I am basically in charge of making sure that people's weddings run smoothly within the Temple. That has been another blessing in my life and I've realized that I love helping people!

During 'Spring Break' I had another responsibility thrown at me. I am now the on-site manager for our little four-plex. I have no experience in this field but I am grateful for the opportunity to work in this position and have a little rent reduction and put it on my resumé! :) It's been frustrating to do things since I don't have any idea what it is including but we have been trying to find a new tenant for one of the apartments and we haven't found any. The landlord lives in California so it was quite difficult getting in contact with her around my busy schedule and hers. However, after getting in contact with her we still haven't found anyone to move in. It is a really nice two bedroom apartment with washer and dryer hook-ups for $500 a month. It includes cable, internet and all other utilities except for cable. It's the cheapest apartment for this size that we've found in the Rexburg area. So if you know anyone in the area, let them know and let me know! I'd be glad to show off the apartment!

We had recently moved wards and I had been praying for the Lord to use me in the best way possible and to hopefully give me a calling within the ward so that I can get to know the other members of the ward and it will allow me to serve those within my ward. Well, after all of these changes and trying to take 15 credits this semester I was like, "I think I'm okay with not having a calling this semester." Right after I thought that, Whitney and I got called as the Family History teachers for Sunday school. I figured if Heavenly Father was okay with it and of course He knows what I can handle then bring it one! :) That has a funny story in and of itself but I don't have time to write it now...maybe later if someone asks me...;)

Well after all of these things I was trying to go through the past couple weeks with my new classes and for the first time try to take 15 credits and on Tuesday I gave in and realized, with Heavenly Father's help that I am not able to get the grades that I want/need and keep all of these credits. So I dropped a 3 credit class that started at 8am on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I feel way more relaxed and I feel like I am able to actually handle the work load given me. This now means that I am taking 12 credits and we will be in Rexburg for a little longer but my wife told me that she is fine with it. I love my wife, she supports me with everything!

Life has been hectic like I said and because it is so hectic and busy time FLIES by!!! Whitney and I have been married for 8 months as of yesterday and that is CRAZY TO BELIEVE!! But also our dear Julia Rose is due in 2 months TODAY!!! Exactly!! I am so so excited! I can't wait to hold my daughter!!  Well I should probably head to bed and hopefully I will be able to post a blog more frequently. Good Night! :)