My heart belongs to Nebraska

There were many times in junior high and high school that I swore I’d go to college out of state to get away. Once college time came around, I realized Lincoln wasn’t such a bad place. And now that I am 5 hours from the Big Red state, I know that Nebraska will always be “The Good Life” for me.

Here are the reasons I love & miss Nebraska:
 my family – ALL of them!
 my friends
 Husker spirit – you only need one team for everyone to rally behind
 game day
 Spending time with my favorite God-daughter Taylor Mae
 Gambling with my silly aunts & uncles (well, I guess technically we go to Kansas, but it’s still with Nebraska people!)
 KD sisterhood
 Sunday lunch on the deck with my family
 Runza
 Valentino’s
 Amigos
 Ivana Cone
 High school football – and watching my brother(s) play
 Family birthday parties
 Nights on O street with my friends – yes, I would still go out if I was still living there!
 Random weekend time with my families
 Red – it’s the color of LOVE!
 sportsmanship
 All the trees – yay for Arbor Day!
 Fresh steaks from Den’s

However, Iowa hasn’t been THAT bad over the last 20 months… so to be fair, here are the things I’ve enjoyed.
 Getting to know & love my cousins -- Carrie, Mike, Sam & Lauren
 everyone’s very friendly
 meeting new people
 when it snows, everything stops
 Scrapbooking with Carrie, Heather & Pansy
 Falling in love with Photography (although I have many more opportunities to take pictures I love – people pictures – in Nebraska with family and friends)
 The Mississippi river
 My P.O.O.P adventure with Tammy (a Nebraska person!)

Saucy Chicken

I made the most delicious dinner last night… Taste of Home’s Saucy Chicken and Asparagus. We have had chicken breasts in our freezer for quite a while now, and I’m working to use what we have. I was intrigued by the asparagus – and rewarded. Here’s the recipe:

Saucy Chicken & Asparagus

1 pound asparagus spears, halved
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (I used 5…)
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place the asparagus in a greased 9-in square baking dish.
In a skillet over medium heat, brown the chicken in oil on both sides. Season with salt & pepper.
Arrange chicken over asparagus.
In a bowl, mix soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice and curry power; pour over chicken.
Cover and bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until the chicken is tender and juices run clear.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

bringing work stress home

So, lately I’ve been struggling with bringing work stress home at night. It’s something I’m resolving to quit doing – as soon as I can figure out how.

At a jewelry party last year, a couple of us were talking about the latest “drama” at work and a co-worker’s wife said she knew nothing about it. She said her husband won’t tell her anything about work. I couldn’t believe it. I feel Tanner probably knows more about the “drama” at work than some of my co-workers! Poor guy.

So, like I said, I’m resolving to compartmentalize my life – work at work and home at home. I came across an online article that I found helpful (and lots that were not). Here are some tips:
-- It’s ok to bring reminders of family to work, not ok to bring work to family. It’s also calming to have your desk in order and include pictures/drawings/etc. from or of your family.
-- Clock out on time. When you are constantly putting in extra hours, it becomes a habit rather than a requirement.
-- Talk about life. If you are going out with people from work, talk about life outside of work. Recently a couple co-workers and I have been having “Bachelor watch parties” each Monday night. It’s been really nice to learn more about my co-workers on a personal level. It’s like a real friendship! :-)
-- Show compassion. Remember the Golden Rule at work. When you take time to help others, it builds your self-esteem, makes you feel useful and resourceful.
-- Set aside time for yourself. Even if it’s something small – like taking a walk around the park during lunch – take time each day to get away from work and clear your mind. Come to think of it, I do feel like the day’s I go shopping over lunch are the days I feel less stressed! :-) Ok, maybe that’s not what the article meant, but hey, if it works… !

And, an idea I stole from a co-worker: get lost in your iPod. Ok, so I can’t “get lost” in the music, but when I don’t hear the ridiculous conversation of managers across the room, I can’t get angry or stressed. It’s kind of “ignorance is bliss”. For the most part, it’s been working for me. It really helped yesterday – check out my “Pick-Me-Up” entry.

Pick-Me-Up

So, today I needed a pick-me-up and sure enough, God sent me one. As I put my ear bud in my ear, my iPod shuffle started playing “Before It Was Said” by FFH.

Here are the lyrics: I hope they make your day, as they’ve made mine. :-)

Every day I sit and pray to God above
To watch over me and my family
But every day I seem to pray the same old thing
In the same old way, and I start to think

That maybe I should change
And find something better to say
But I’ve learned to believe
You always hear me when I pray

So I get down on my knees
‘Cause I’m stronger than these
Voices inside of my head
They try to deceive me
And make me believe
That I would be better instead
To take my requests and put them to rest
But You’re already one step ahead
You knew just what I would say
Before it was said

Every night I lie awake wondering
If You’re listening to every heartbeat
You’ve told me that You know the deepest part of me
And You’ll watch over me and my family

So I guess I shouldn’t change
‘Cause You hear every word that I say
And I knew You are here
When I come to You this way

So I guess I shouldn’t change
‘Cause You hear every word that I say
And I knew You were here
When I knelt down today

Party!

So, I'm a day late for those Super Bowl parties... but I've found the most delicious party mix! And the best part -- it's super easy!

Just mix a large container of honey roasted peanuts with a bag of M&Ms and a bag of Cherry Nibs.

The salt from the nuts coats the Nibs making them perfectly salty/sweet, and there's just enough chocolate. Just be careful -- it's addicting! :-)

Graffiti

Like most bathroom stalls in high schools, the stall at the speech meet I judged Saturday had graffiti scratched into it. But it was different than most. It said, "You're beautiful. Don’t forget it. Jesus (heart)s you." How uplifting! So much better than the usual bathroom graffiti...

I just wonder -- did someone get in trouble for this? It is defacing public property... but I hope hot. In this case, I say the end justified the means -- it made my day. :-)

Today and everyday -- you are beautiful & Jesus loves you!

Baking Blitz

So, after last weekend, Tanner asked me not to cook so much.  :-)  This weekend, I only managed to cook one leftover meal – tangy pulled pork and baked mac & cheese. Instead, I overdid it baking.

I made “Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies” and some very rich “Valentine Cupcakes”. The cookies are good, but the cupcakes are to die for! They’re a bit of work, but if you’re looking for “something special” or a treat to share at a Bake Sale/Cake Walk/etc. they're perfect.  Here are both recipes:

Valentine Cupcakes
From Taste of Home Magazine; makes 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 devil’s food cake mix
1 & 1/3 cups strong brewed coffee
3 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, coffee, eggs and oil. Mix well. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Filling:
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp strong brewed coffee, divided
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 Tbsp. thawed orange juice concentrate
2 Tbsp. chocolate hazelnut spread
1 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
1 & ½ cups whipped topping


In a double broiler or metal bowl over simmering water, constantly stir the chocolate, sugar and 3 Tbsp coffee until smooth. Remove from the heat (mixture will be thick). Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks; return all to the bowl, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until the mixture reaches 160°.


Divide the mixture among three small bowls. Into one bowl, stir orange juice concentrate. Stir hazelnut spread and cream into another; stir remaining coffee into the third bowl. Fold 1/2 cup of whipped topping into each. Chill for 10 minutes


** I didn’t do the different flavors. I just added 4 Tablespoons of coffee to the entire filling mixture along with the entire 1 & 1/2 cups of CoolWhip.**


Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a very small cake decorating tip. Fill with one filling flavor. Push the tip through the bottoms of the paper liners to fill eight cupcakes. Fill until the top of the cupcake starts to rise. Repeat with remaining fillings and cupcakes.


Ganache:
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz white baking chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, divided
2 & 1/2 tsp. corn syrup, divided

Place chocolates in separate small bowls. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour 1/2 cup cream over bittersweet chocolate; pour remaining cream over white chocolate. Whisk chocolate mixtures until smooth. Stir 2 tsp. corn syrup into bittersweet ganache and 1/2 tsp corn syrup into white ganache. Cool, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.


Dip tops of cupcakes in bittersweet ganache. Tint the white ganache, if desired; pipe designs over tops.


Refrigerate until set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.


Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies
From Quaker; makes 4 dozen

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups oatmeal (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 350 until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!