It’s no secret that I’m a real sucker for soup with a Mexican flair! So naturally, when I read that Jessica’s family named this Mexican Chicken Soup the best soup ever, I just knew I had to try it out!

It was so good, and I would also rank it right up there with my favorite soups. Not only does it taste great, but you can make it in the crock pot and it freezes beautifully!

By the way, Jessica’s blog appropriately named My Heart For Home is wonderful! Her heart for Jesus, her family, and showing hospitality to others really shines through her writing. Make sure you stop by and check her out!

Adapted from: My Heart For Home

Do you have a special dessert planned for the fast approaching day of love?

If not, no worries, I’ve got you covered! I’ve compiled some delicious looking desserts for you that not only look incredible but are also pretty easy to put together. It is, after all, the eve of Valentine’s day, so there’s not much time left to bakes sweets for your loves.

Double Chocolate M&M Cookies

I shared these chocolatey bites of goodness last week! These are a must try if you are a fan of chocolate!

Monster Cookies

Oh, how I love me some Monster cookies. They are big, impressive, and my most favorite cookie ever! If you’ve never made them…seriously, what are you waiting for?

Valentine Chex Mix via Betty Crocker

I have always loved Chex mix, so I was instantly drawn to this!

Strawberry and Chocolate Nachos via Our Best Bites

Nachos are wonderful, but dark chocolate and strawberry nachos…can it get any better than that?

Double Chocolate Cake with Homemade Hot Fudge via Jamie Cooks It Up!

Homemade hot fudge on a chocolate cake? Wow! All it needs is a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make it complete!

Fruit Pizza via Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Mel is so clever! I would have never thought to make a fruit pizza with red fruit for Valentine’s Day…it’s so pretty!

Do you have a go-to dessert that you always make for Valentine’s Day?

Is anyone planning anything special for Valentine’s day? Are you cooking something special or going out?

We have never really gotten too into it, and Tuesday night is our usual spinning night, so we will be spending our evening sweating next to each other on the bike. Then we will come home to some yummy crock pot oatmeal. What an exciting life I lead, huh? I guess we will make it up on the weekend and go out to dinner!

Breakfast:
Green Monster Smoothie or Green Smoothie
Oatmeal with Fruit
Quiche Cups
Hard Boiled Eggs and Fruit

Lunch:
Soup from Freezer
Salad with Tuna or Chicken

Snacks:
Almonds
Homemade Granola Bars
Homemade Hummus with Veggies or Pretzel Crisps

Dinner:
Monday- Roasted Broccoli and Shrimp, Steamed Carrots, and Salad

Tuesday- Crock Pot Apple Oatmeal, Sliced Oranges

Wednesday- Harvest Pot Roast, Green Beans

Thursday- Pineapple Green Chile Pork on Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

Friday- Out to Eat

Saturday- Chili, Salad

Sunday- Ham and Veggie Fritatta, Sliced Fruit

Linked to: Menu Plan Monday

If you are looking for a quick, easy, and unique Valentine gift-this Marvelous Mocha Mix would be a great option!

I made a batch of it up in the fall, and have quite enjoyed a mug of it for an occasional treat.  It’s something that any coffee lover would appreciate!

Adapted from: Taste of  Home

This year, for the first time ever, I got into decorating my house for the day of love. The house just looked boring after taking down my Christmas decorations, and really-I don’t know why I have never thought to do this before. Pinks, reds, and cupcakes-oh my-this is the cutest holiday ever!

One of my favorite crafts I made was a felt heart wreath from The Idea Room. I watched a chick flick on Netflix and got to crafting my very own heart wreath…and now I’m going to spread the love and show you how to make one!

Here is what you need:
Heart shaped wreath form
3/4 yard of felt-cut from bolt in fabric section (I chose hot pink but red or light pink would be equally beautiful)
Straight pins
Scissors (Yes, those are kitchen scissors but I use them for crafts instead)
Circle template about 3 inches in diameter (I used a cup)

The first thing you are going to do is cut a bunch of circles. I mean A BUNCH of circles.

Now it’s time to get pinning. Fold each circle in half and then in half again.

Stick a pin through it and pin it to the heart wreath. Keep pinning until the front and sides are fully covered. You won’t need to do the back…you won’t see it!

Sorry I don’t have any actual photos of the pinning step. What can I say…I was into my movie

And here is the hot pink felty goodness all displayed!

I originally had it hanging in traditional wreath form from a mirror in my living room. BUT…my favorite D&K letters (that’s for Daniel & Kate if you were wondering) and topiary were lonely on that side of the mantle so I added it to the display for more PINK!

What holidays do you decorate for?

This delicious cookie recipe, from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe, has been on my to make list for quite some time. What held me back was the fact that my husband isn’t really a chocolate cookie fan (I know-what’s wrong with him?).

After contemplating what type of cookie to bring alongside my requested monster cookies to a Super Bowl party-I decided it was my chance to finally make them.  I’m so glad I did, they turned out so awesomely good. A lot of chocolate cookies I’ve had in the past had more of a cocoa taste rather than a real chocolate flavor (bleh!). With melted chocolate mixed right in the batter, these come out so chocolatey and delicious. Add in the M&M’s and they couldn’t possibly get much better!

Oh, and my dear husband informed me that I made a chocolate cookie lover out of him!

Recipe Credit: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Last week just flew by for me…it seems like most weeks are like that though.  Daniel is in an extremely busy time at work right now, so he hasn’t been home much for dinner. And for some reason, I just can’t bring myself to cook a nice dinner when I’m alone…I’d much rather grab something simple! Because of that I have a few reruns on the menu this week…hopefully I will finally get to them!

Monday- Shrimp Stir Fry with Brown Rice
Tuesday- Taco Salad, Sliced Fruit
Wednesday- Grilled Steak, Sweet Potatoes, and Sugar Snap Peas
Thursday- Mexican Chicken Soup (freezer), Apple Slices, Salad
Friday- Pineapple Green Chile Pulled Pork Tacos, Refried Beans (freezer)
Saturday- Out to Eat
Sunday- Unstuffed Pepper Casserole (freezer), Steamed Veggies

What are you looking forward to making this week?

Linked to: Menu Plan Monday

“Be Still, and know that I am God” -Psalm 46:10

This is one of my favorite verses because of the fact that I need to be constantly reminded of it. So much so, that I often wear a necklace around my neck that simply says “be still“. Every time I look in the mirror it is just the reminder that I need.

With everything going on in our lives sometimes being still, as simple as it sounds, seems like an impossible thing to do. Doesn’t it?

You see, when I am still before God I reminded that HE IS GOD. All of the worries, anxieties, and stresses that I feel instantly melt away and are replaced with His promises to me.

In His presence I am reminded that He has promised me…

I am of value and worth dying for
All things work together for the good of those who love Him
I can cast my burdens on Him – His yoke is easy and His burden is light
He is the Great Physician
He will meet all my needs according to His glorious riches
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless
All things are possible with Him
He gives peace that the world can not give

No matter what we face in life…we can be assured that it is alright! He is there, He is waiting for us, and HE IS GOD! Be still in the presence of the Lord and trust in His promises today.

We are continuing on today with step #3 in How to Plan a Freezer Cooking Day.  First we determined our approach, then we settled on a budget, and now are talking about how a well stocked pantry can help with freezer cooking.

So, what’s in your pantry?

Stockpiling on sale items and the use of coupons can really save you money in freezer cooking.  There have been many times that I’ve done a freezer cooking day and only had to purchase a couple odds and ends. It’s simply because I know what I use often and when those items are at their rock bottom price I stock up as much as I can!

What’s in There?

When I’m planning a freezer cooking day, the first thing that I do is go through my freezer, pantry, and stockpile to see what I already have on hand. I always find inspiration by doing that. It also ensures that I won’t needlessly purchase things at the grocery that I already have.

Let’s say that chicken breasts are on sale this week, and in your pantry/freezer/stockpile you find:
Salsa, diced tomatoes, barbecue sauce, and orange juice concentrate

You could make:
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Zesty Barbecue Chicken
Chicken Chimichangas
Orange Teriyaki Chicken

Just to name a few things…

Freezer Cooking Staples

Here’s a list of things that are commonly used in freezer cooking

Canned Tomatoes: Crushed, diced, sauce, paste, Rotel
Pastas: Lasagna, jumbo shells, egg, spaghetti, bowtie
Rice: Brown or white-whichever you prefer
Cheese: Shredded-when I find a killer deal I buy a lot of it and store in the freezer
Beans: Canned or dried
Baking Supplies: Chocolate chips, baking chocolate, yeast
Sauces: Barbecue, Salsa, Enchilada, Soy
Stocks and Broths: Canned or freeze homemade
Packaging Supplies: Foil containers, saran wrap, foil

When we were in New York, back at Christmas time, my friend Amanda and I visited Chelsea Market. It’s an old warehouse turned into a market place with food vendors and restaurants galore. The first stop was Jacque Torres for the famous hot chocolate-be still my heart-and then we wandered around in search of lunch. With so many options it was no easy task.

We finally landed at this little cheese shop and had fancy grilled cheese sandwiches with fig spread-which was a new thing for me. When I think of fig I am reminded of choking down a fig newton as a child thinking it was the worst cookie ever. So, needless to say, I was surprised by how much I liked the fig spread and how delicious it was paired with the cheese.

After we got home I took a trip to the grocery to buy myself some fig spread. I put it to use right away by serving it over warmed brie with sliced pears and apples. If you don’t have fig spread or can’t find it at your grocery store you could easily substitute any kind of jam-I’m thinking blackberry or apricot would be wonderful!