We have purpose

I'm a fan of Glee, and this week on the episode it dealt with a topic that hits home to many individuals -- self image. In the show, Rachel, one of the leads, breaks her nose and considers having surgery to resize her nose before it heals. Many of her friends try to discourage the cosmetic procedure, and try to convincer her that she is beautiful just the way she was made. Quinn, another one of the characters, is encouraging Rachel to have the surgery though, and tries to convince Rachel that she would look so much better with a new nose. Rachel and Quinn sang a duet that I found quite moving that is a mashup between Unpretty by TLC and I Feel Pretty from West Side Story. Here is the video...

Self worth is something that a lot of women struggle with. From the awkward years of adolescence, to being a single adult, to being a middle aged mother and wife - it is a doubt or fear or insecurity that attacks the heart of people from every age, sex, socioeconomic standing, religion, race, nationality, etc. We all have times when we wonder "Am I worth it? Does anyone love me? Do I matter?"

This is a topic that was also covered in church this morning. Our pastor spoke on Ephesians 2:10 that says,

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

The sermon centered around our worth in the Lord. In Psalm 139 it says that God created us and knew us before we came to be, and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. In Ephesians the idea is that we are created in the image of God, for His glory, and though we would fulfill the purposes He has set forth for us. A purpose that, in Psalms, was known by God when we were formed in the womb.

We have worth. We all have worth. And we have a purpose in the Lord. God created us for a reason, and if we seek Him and trust Him, He will guide us to that purpose. We are loved. We are the beloved to God. Each of us. Each of you. You are the beloved of God and you have purpose and worth in Him.

When I was younger, I received a phone call from a very good friend who informed me she was having a cosmetic procedure done. I really thought she was joking. I mean...we were in our young 20's. She is gorgeous, and I mean the kind of gorgeous where you stop and stare if you pass her on the street. I was completely shocked when I found out the surgery was not a joke, but something she chose to do.

This is a friend I cared for dearly. And, like I said, she is gorgeous. I didn't think there was anything about her that needed to change. She's extremely smart, successful, kind, laid back, outgoing, and caring. Why did she think she needed to change something about her body? She is perfect, just as God made her.

Because I had known this woman for the large majority of my life, I thought it would be okay for me to express my feelings about this procedure. I discouraged her, and tried to convince her this was the wrong decision. I tried to tell her how beautiful she was, and that God made her as she is for a purpose. I also expressed my opinion on the desire for cosmetic surgery being a heart issue. Its a self worth issue. And its conforming to what the world wants to impose on you as a model for beauty, not the beauty that God created.

I thought our friendship could survive me speaking my heart, even though it was hard for my friend to hear. But it did not. Do I regret sharing my opinions with her? Yes and no. Yes because she was a dear, dear friend and I miss her terribly. And yes because I know that sometimes I can share my opinion too much. But no because I stand by my convictions. I prayed about it after our initial conversation, and truly felt the Lord was asking me to share with her. I felt she needed to know how special she was to God, and that she didn't have to define herself by what is seen in fashion magazine, but who God created her to be.

God has created us to look and be just who we are. There is a purpose. He has made us each to be unique, beautiful beings. No matter our skin color, our size, our height, our age, our background...God made us to be who we are. Its hard to accept that sometimes when we are bombarded by images of these so called perfect, skinny, tanned, well-groomed and well-dressed individuals on TV, the Internet and in magazines. However, we must look past all of that and see who we are in God. Amazing, beautiful, purposeful creations.

My heart breaks for the men and women of the world who do not know their self worth. I long for a time when we are judged not by the outward, but by our hearts. It may not be until we reach the pearly gates, but when it comes to the end, when our life on this earth expires, we will be judged by our inside and not outside. So, its important now to work on what counts.

If you feel like you want to change something about yourself, I suggest starting with your heart. We all need a little heart surgery every now and then. And know with every part of your being that you were created by God for God and with purpose. You are worth it. We all are.

Below: Full video of sermon from church

May 1: Does my life matter? from Pinelake Church on Vimeo.

It's not just another wedding

After reading several posts on Twitter, Facebook and blogs this morning, I thought I would put my two cents worth in about the royal wedding. This morning at approximately 11:00 a.m. in London, His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales took Miss Catherine Middleton as his bride. A historic day for all of Great Britain, this marked the union of two future sovereigns.

I have heard a lot of backlash about the media coverage of this event, particularly in the wake of the devastating storms that ripped through the Deep South this week. Most of the negative commentary has come from men, with no surprise. And I believe most of it is coming with a lack of appreciation for the historic relevance of this event.

Britain’s royals are one of the most well-know monarchies in world history. Queen Elizabeth, the current head, has reigned since 1952. When she wed Prince Philip in 1949, her wedding was broadcast on BBC Radio, with highlights shown on TV. Her son, and direct heir to the throne, Prince Charles wed Princess Diana in one of the most talked about weddings in history. The 1981 television broadcast attracted more than 750 million viewers worldwide. Needless to say, the world has always been interested in royal weddings.

I do agree there has been a bit of overkill about Will and Kate’s wedding. I mean…there was a Lifetime movie. I admit I watched it. And it was super cheesy. And there have been endless news programs dedicated to introducing the world to the background of the event. It has most definitely been overemphasized.

However, being overplayed in the media does not neutralize the historical significance of this wedding. I mean, it’s still a pretty big deal. A prince married a commoner today, a commoner that will one day been queen of one of the most powerful countries in the world. I realize the British monarchy doesn’t have as much political power as it used to, but it is still a very significant figure in British life.

I am not afraid to admit that I am interested in the royal wedding. Apart from having a crush on Prince William since…as long as I can remember, I am a girl, and I enjoy all the pomp and circumstance that even the most common, simplistic wedding has to offer.

This Sunday, I am hosting a royal wedding brunch at my house with several of my girlfriends. Because we all have busy lives, I recorded the event on my DVR, and we will watch it on Sunday after early church. The brunch wasn’t my idea, but that of a friend, however I am very exciting about hosting, and seeing all of the extravagant details the wedding brought forth.

I have to confess that I did take a peek this morning for about 15 minutes. I couldn’t wait to see the dress. Kate looked radiant in her gown, and to me, much like Grace Kelly. She was the picture of elegance and grace, and I’m sure will be quite the inspiration to future brides. William looks dapper in his regal attire, the picture of Prince Charming in Cinderella. And the hats…I love all the British hats! I really should have been born in a culture that incorporates modern headwear into every day fashion!

Many have asked why the wedding is such a big deal. My explanation is simple. Girls love weddings. Its one of those things ingrained in us from birth. Because most women are wired to respond to relationships, romance and emotions, we love the fairytale sentiments weddings invoke. As sappy and silly as it appears to most men, it’s just a part of who we are as women.

In my humble opinion, those complaining most about the royal wedding extravaganza are those that are most vocal about it. I don’t see anyone else posting on Facebook or Twitter. Just the complainers. So in their futile attempts to combat the media exaggerations, they are in fact feeding it more. I find that kind of hilarious.

I wish Will and Kate the very best, and hope their marriage lasts as long as his grandmother, the Queen. My only negative comment will be to Princess Catherine – Girl, I wish it was me!

AFTERTHOUGHT - I really love how Princess Catherine was veiled going into the cathedral. People don't do that anymore. I love the symbolism. If I ever get married, I'm totally walking down the aisle veiled!

What's your favorite restaurant?

Lately several people have been asking where I like to eat in town. That is such a loaded question. Why? Because I'm not really sure where I like to eat in town. Honestly. I mean...I like Old Venice Pizza. And I like Umi's sushi and hibachi, and I like lunch at The Veranda, but I can't call any restaurant in town my absolute favorite.

It’s very perplexing for someone who loves culinary arts. I moved from a huge, thriving metroplex, to a small college town that has really decent local eateries and some of your basic chains, but nothing that really...sets my pants on fire.

In Fort Worth I loved Sushi Axiom, La Playa Maya, Baker Brothers Deli, Joe T's, H3, just to name a few. But here....here...I just kinda like places. There isn't one restaurant that has proved to me they have an absolute, must-have dish.

Instead...if you ask me where I want to go eat, I'll say at home. It doesn't have to be my home...but somewhere, anywhere, my friends and I gather to cook and share life.

About a year ago a coworker invited me over to his house for dinner with some of his friends. He knew I was still fairly new in town, and didn't know many people. He introduced me to a couple of girls, a couple of guys, and even my next door neighbor who I had not met at this point. Every month or so this group of young adults comes together to cook dinner at someone's home. They called it Supper Club. Everyone splits up the menu, and brings their potluck items to share with the group.

Tonight we are having Supper Club at that same coworker's house. A year has gone by, people have come and gone, but there is still a steady group of us who like to gather together to break bread and fellowship. You know...like they did in Acts! (We are so Biblical.) : ) We rotate houses, nights of the week, menu choices, etc. But one thing is always the same, we always have a great time.

Supper Club varies from home cooked Southern dishes, to cookouts, to experiments and so on. Tonight, we are combining Southern soul food with a little bit of adventure. We're making chicken and waffles. Yep...ever since I saw a Throwdown with Bobby Flay on the dish, I have wanted to try it out. I finally convinced some folks, and we are gonna go for it. Fried chicken. Belgium waffles. Buttery gravy.

I don't think the quality of the food at Supper Club matters as much as the company. Though, the food is always fantastic because my friends are awesome cooks! But the idea of gathering with your friends, sharing a meal, trading jokes, and living life together far outweighs any restaurant you can eat at in town. It’s much more meaningful, relaxed and fun.

So, I'll let you know how the chicken and waffles turn out. I'll be sure to take pics and post the recipe! Wish us luck!

We interrupt the normal programming to bring a special statement.

And a rather long statement. Sorry.

There are too many thoughts going through my head about this world to narrow it down to a brief, descriptive title. I am disappointed in our world today. Every day I see woeful images of the apparent sin in our society, but today…today…I am truly disheartened.

First off: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Our campus started a wonderful program over a year ago to help reduce the amount of garbage we create. Blue recycling bins were placed in public areas, classrooms, offices, etc. accepting aluminum, cardboard, glass, paper, plastic, etc. With this particular program, you do not have to sort your different recycled products. A local company collects the bins and sorts them at their recycling facility. It’s genius, and it’s easy. All you have to do is take your recyclable goods and drop them 2-3 feet in a different bin. That’s it!

I was so disappointed to see the other day that not everyone in my office takes advantage of this free, easy recycling program. I noticed in one coworker’s office that they had tons of paper products in the trash and an empty blue bin. I did not impose my opinions of reducing our carbon footprint on that coworker, and walked away discouraged about this wonderful opportunity given to us.

On a different occasion a different coworker blatantly mocked my desire to recycle. After dinner one night at my home, I asked him to not toss his empty beer bottle in the trash, but to please place it on the shelf above the trash so I could recycle. He just laughed and purposely threw his bottle away. *gasp* I realize he was joking with me, and I went and dug the bottle out, but still! Don’t you think in my house you should play by my rules? (Not N.A.M.eing any N.A.M.es…but you know who you are!)

I realize that not everyone embraces my “hippy” values of trying to save the planet. But if everyone tried to do a little, it could make a huge impact on the amount of waste we have on our planet. I also don’t appreciate people mocking me or rolling their eyes at my effort to do my part. If one more person at Wal-Mart complains about my canvas grocery bags…I mean, really? I’m trying to save your corporation money by reducing the amount of plastic grocery bags you have to produce each year. (Even though my canvas bags barely make a hint of a dent in that production.) AND...more importantly…I’m trying to reduce the amount of plastic covering our streets, forests, oceans and earth.

If you can recycle, then do. If it’s unavailable in your area, then it’s unavailable. But probably not for long. More and more cities are adopting recycling initiatives to make it readily available for their citizens. Odds are your city will adopt a program very soon.

And Second: Save the Trees

Typically “save the trees” is a reference to recycling paper. That is why I paired these two topics together in one post. However, this “save the trees” plee involves a tragic, heartless act to a sister state/university.

Yesterday it was announced that 130+-year-old live oaks at Toomer’s Corner in Auburn, Ala., have been poisoned. When I read this on Twitter, my heart fell. Not because Toomer’s means anything to me, and not because I have any type of obsession with live oaks, but because someone deliberately injected lethal amounts of poison in the soil at this university and town landmark.

I have never been to Auburn, but if someone asked me what Toomer’s corner looks like after an Auburn win, I can describe it. Large, beautiful oak trees covered in hundreds of rolls of toilet paper. It’s an Auburn tradition. It’s part of their heritage. And as someone who loves their alma mater and an employee of a higher learning institution, my heart breaks at the impending loss of such a valued tradition.

Why would anyone want to kill something that means so much to so many Auburn students, alumni and fans? Why would you deliberately want to hurt thousands of people? Why? Because the world is full of sin. Because we are fallen, selfish, heartless and cruel. I have no other explanation.

This is truly why I am upset today. My heart breaks for the Auburn faithful as they wait for a miracle to save these gorgeous, old landmarks. These trees have lived longer than any person on this earth. They have seen more than any Auburn fan alive. And now they face a slow and imminent demise. And some ignorant, evil person, who, if they live in the South, probably describes themselves as a Christian, is gloating about ruining a time-honored tradition.

Thirdly: In summary

Friends, “Americans,” countryman, lend me your ears. 1. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. 2. Helps save the trees. (By limiting your paper waste.) 3. Don’t be an idiot. Don’t be mean. Don’t let sin rule your hearts. That’s all.

THIS JUST IN – A 62-year-old man has been arrested in connection to the poisoning. 62? Are you kidding me? You know better than that! You idiot. If you are the one who did it, I hope your sentence is to plant 10,000 trees across the South. On your own. In the summer. With just a shovel. Jerk.

Merry Xmas!!!!

I don’t have a problem with Merry Xmas.

(pause)

I’ll say it again...

I do not have a problem with saying, writing, tweeting or posting Merry Xmas. It’s not offensive to me.

I do have a problem with individuals who get irate about other people using, saying, tweeting, writing or posting Merry Xmas. Typically their reason for being so severe is because they are “Christians” and they want to tell you not to take the Christ out of Christmas.

Well, to me, Xmas doesn’t take the Christ out of Christmas. In fact, to me, it puts the Biblical Greek back into Christmas. That’s right, folks. X in Xmas stands for “chi” (written as X) in Greek, which is the first letter of Χριστός (Khristós), the name for Christ.

(another pause…let this one sink in)

Χριστός, which means the anointed one, is the name used for Christ throughout the New Testament writings. The first two letters became a prevalent symbol for members of the early church. The usage of the chi-rho symbol dates back to the Roman emperor, Constantine, and was representative of the crucifixion.

When individuals refer to Xmas, it is just a shortening of Christ in the Greek form. Technically people should probably say Xpmas, but the X can stand in for Χριστός just as well as the full chi-rho symbol.

I think what bothers me most about the debate is not the use of Christmas verses Xmas. What bothers me is the fact that so many Christians get their panties in a wad and have to attack Xmas users by saying they don’t believe in Christ. You know, a lot of Xmas users probably don’t. But you know what else…a LOT of Xmas users know the true meaning of Christmas and may just need to shorten the word for a particular reason. Like fitting it in a 140-letter tweet!

Next time you feel a surge of anger when you see Xmas being used, think about why you are getting so mad. And think about your attitude and how it portrays Christ or Χριστός to those around you.

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“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” ~ James 3:9-10

Why is holiday baking reserved for the holidays?

The other day I was planning out my treats for Christmas at my parents’, and the following thought occurred to me – “Why do we only prepare special candies, cookies and treats for holidays or special events?” I mean…I typically go home once a month. Why don’t I take treats home most anytime? And why do I reserve them for only Thanksgiving and Christmas?

The truth is that on occasion I do take special treats home to my family. But that is typically when it is leftover from another event. I rarely make a special treat for a trip home unless there is an occasion. Now, at Easter and birthdays, I always try to make a cake. But I do that at my mom’s house in order to involve my nephew in the baking (bowl licking) process.

Maybe in 2011 I will make an effort to make more treats for my family. It can be something as simple as cookies or brownies. It can even be as elaborate as a homemade pie. (Which is my new obsession right now.) I know my father would appreciate this. He likes desserts a lot. Maybe that’s where I get it!

Since I’m going to my parents’ house soon for the holidays, here’s a list of the treats I am taking:

• Martha Washington Balls
• Chex Mix
• Chocolate Fudge
• Royale Cookies
• Pumpkin Cookies (The ones I am taking are actually from a mix, but I made these last year and they are super fantastic.)
  

I also had plans to make buckeye balls, but I think I’m going to stop with the above. I'm thinking we'll have enough. (Remember...I still have to make melted snowman cookies with the kids!)

Come 2011, all of us will be fat and happy I guess! Maybe that's why we only reserve these treats to once or twice a year....Hmmm....

Happy cooking and merry Christmas!

On fudge and love and remembering

I haven’t blogged in a while, on either site, if you (my three readers) haven’t noticed. I’m a writer by day, and though I love it in my pastime, it’s usually more…emotional and personal when it’s not for work. But yesterday I found the strength to post this, in an edited version, which was written at the end of May. Get out your box of Kleenex’s!
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Ever since I was a child, I have loved to cook. I honestly can’t remember how early I started cooking, or who first introduced me to cooking. It was probably my mother, who comes from a long line of great cooks. I’m sure I helped her back a cake or cookies or something, and somehow just took it on as one of my favorite things to do.

One of my earliest memories is baking around the holidays with my Mamaw (mother’s mom) and my Aunt Gloria (mom’s older sister). We would get together at my grandparent’s house and make all kinds of goodies like chocolate covered everything, buckeye balls, Martha Washington balls, divinity, etc. We would spend an entire day making candy and getting ready for whatever family holiday was to follow.

I have fond memories of the times spent in the kitchen with my aunt and Mamaw. They taught me a lot about baking, measuring, and the science of cooking. (Like how you should make candy on a crisp, cool day with no humidity. It sets better!) They also spent time investing in my life, showing me what it’s like to be family, to be a Christian woman, and to be good in the kitchen.

Every time we baked, we had our very own taste tester. My Papaw had a major sweet tooth, and would always sneak in and take a nibble of what we were up to. He was incorrigible when it came to the kitchen! We absolutely couldn’t keep him away from the candy, but that was okay because it needed to be tested anyway!

Papaw’s favorite homemade treat, or so I recall, was chocolate fudge. (His real favorite candy was chocolate covered cherries. The last thing I gave him was a box of those in the hospital.) Papaw was always a sucker for fudge. Anytime we made it, he came in and stole a piece, or two, or three... Sometimes he wouldn’t even let it set up properly before he stole a piece. I remember teasing him, and slapping his hand away, but always laughing because he was so silly and fun.

I have such good memories of those days with my grandparents. They really loved me and invested their lives in me, and I am so thankful for those times. I am thankful that I lived just a few miles away from them for most of my life, and that they were able to attend choir performances, plays, band recitals, soccer games, etc., etc. They took me camping, to ballgames, to the movies, to church, and were such an integral part of my childhood. I am thankful for their love and support of me over the last 30 years.

On June 6, my grandparents celebrated their 62 wedding anniversary. It’s remarkable to me to have been married so long. It was a blessing to witness how much they loved and cared for each other through the years. They continued to tease one another, flirt, hold hands, bat eyes, and act like two teenagers in love. They were sweet, and truly lived for the other. They showed me what it was like to love someone else unconditionally.


On June 6 my sweet, loving, adoring Papaw joined our savior in heaven. Mamaw was by his side holding his hand.

To say the last month has been hard is an understatement. I know grief is a process, and he is not the first person I have lost. But he is by far the most significant person in my life to go. I still get very sad at times when I think that I will never share a laugh, a hug, or a sweet moment with him. But at the same time I had 30 years of shared moments that will stay with me forever. I will always miss him, and I will always love him. I will always be thankful to our time spent together. And I look forward to one day seeing him again in heaven and worshiping our Lord for eternity.

My Papaw loved fudge. Plain, simple chocolate fudge. Every time I make it, I will think of him.

Love you, Paps!

Easy Chocolate Fudge
Adapted from the Eagle’s Brand Milk recipe

Ingredients
3 cups (18 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk
Dash salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Wax paper

Directions:
Line an 8 or 9 inch square pan with wax paper. Slowly melt chocolate chips with the
sweetened condensed milk and salt in heavy saucepan. Be careful not to heat too quickly because it can burn. Remove chocolate mixture from heat and add vanilla. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

Chill fudge for 2 hours until it sets and is firm. Then remove the fudge by lifting the wax paper out of the pan. Cut into small, bite-sized squares with a knife.

A leave of absence

I'm taking a leave of absence. Its because I know what I need to write my next blog post about, for this one or the other one, and its going to be a hard post to write. Lots has happened over the last month, and my heart just isn't in it. But I will return soon, when I can muster up the courage and strength to write my tribute.

Guess what's for dinner...Saturday night...

I've been working on something special for this weekend. Its spring homecoming on campus, and my brother and sister-in-law are coming to visit. (We're all alums.) Since we all love to cook, we have a full weekend planned of grilling and eating and laughing. Should be fun!

I've been planning Saturday night for a while now. Let's see if you can guess what I'm making. (If I already told you, don't be a cheater! Let the other's guess!) Here are my ingredients:

ground turkey
mozzerella
onions
mushrooms
bell pepper

Can you guess it? Its gonna be good! (At least I hope it will be!)

A must read...

On very rare occasions I run across a blog that I fall in love with. One that has come into my life as of late is "Joy the Baker." Her blog looks cool. She's cute. She's on twitter. And I like her posts/recipes.

Today, though, she wrote about something I have known to be true for a very long, long time. Her post, title "How To Impress A Boy with Baking" could be the story to much of my life. I won't tell you who I've made brownies for. I won't tell you who's mom I tried to win over with my hummingbird cake. I won't tell who I made the "marry me chicken" for in the past. (It didn't work, obviously. But he did like the chicken.) And I may or may not have ever made my special apple pie for a boy in the past and cut out dough shapes of his favorite athletic team to decorate the top.

One thing I will tell you, as Joy goes on to describe, is that the old saying that "the way to a man's heart is through is stomach," is totally, totally true. I mean, it doesn't even matter if you have romantic intentions or not. I can't tell you how many times I have cooked for my guy friends. Or my father. Or my brother. Or a boss. (Can you say Randal and the banana bread? Or the brownies I brougth to work this morning?) Preparing something homemade for a man just helps you win them over! Fact!

I applaud Joy the Baker for her post. It had me rolling! I really was great!

Do any of you have a no-fail-win-over-your-man-dish? If so, you probably need to share it with me since I'm still single. I mean, I'm a good cook. But apparently I am not baking for the right men. : )

Happy cooking!

Mmmmmm.....muffuletta!!!

This weekend my family and I are making a trip down south to "the big easy." For those not familiar with that term (or this part of the country), I'm referring to non-other than the ultimate party city, New Orleans. Let me put to rest your wild imagination though. We aren't going to New Orleans to party. I mean, come on! I'm going with my mom! However, there will be much reveling (not revealing), and much devouring (not debauchery) taking place!

This trip is kind of a big deal to me! I haven't been to New Orleans in nearly 10 years....which is so weird for me to say. Growing up we visited the city quite a bit. My dad lived in New Orleans in his young adulthood, and has always loved the city. In fact, one of my favorite memories was a spontaneous trip that we took when I was around 10-12. My parents just up and decided to take us to Nola for the weekend, and when we arrived late that Friday night, my dad took us on an adventure walking the city instead of making us go to sleep. It was fantastic!

However, New Orleans was never really an important or appealing city to me as a child. Yes, I enjoyed visiting. They have a great aquarium and zoo! But it was never one of those places that I truly loved to visit. Probably because the city is kinda dirty. Like Paris. (Paris doesn't really appeal to me either. At least, it didn't when I visited.) And most people go to New Orleans to make fools of themselves and lost all of their inhibitions. I like my inhibitions just as they are.

Needless to say, New Orleans is very unique. The city is rich with history that not only has affected the South of today, but also our entire country. And besides a culture of gypsy lined streets, voodoo, magic and superstition, New Orleans is also a city full of culinary wonderfulness! If you have never had a coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Mond, a shrimp poboy from Cafe Masperos or a muffuletta from Central Grocery, then you probably have never really lived. Seriously. New Orleans has fantastic food! Food I fully intend to explore and sample during my three mini-break.

In honor of my trip down south, I would wanted to post a recipe for muffulettas. I haven't always been a fan of this massive sandwich, probably because I'm not such a huge fan of salami and other such meats. But the one time I have made this sandwich, it was completely to die for!

I have to admit that my recipe is part what I have found online and part what I can remember from making this nearly 2 years ago. I was "taught" by...well...let's just say some random person's mom. And I didn't write it down. And I can't remember it exactly step-by-step. But, from reading several different recipes online, here's what I can put together.

**Special Note: Many of these ingredients aren't always found at a regular grocery. You may need to find a specialty store (like Central Market in Texas or Fresh Market in central MS). You can also find these at a local butcher or meat market.

Ingredients:
10-15-inch loaf of Italian bread (which I can totally new bake on my own with my new cookbook)
1 jar of Olive Salad (if you can't find it, make it)
4 oz. sliced mozzarella cheese
4 oz. sliced provolone cheese
4 oz. thinly sliced cappocolo or prosciuto
4 oz. thinly sliced Genoa salami
4 oz. thinly sliced mortadella (I prefer with olives.)
4 oz. thinly sliced pepperoni or a peppered salami
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Slice loaf of bread in half, horizontally. Spread thin layer of olive oil on each side of the bread, then spread a generous layer or olive salad on each half.

Layer the mozzarella over the olive salad on the bottom half of the loaf, and then layer with meats (in no particular order). Next, cover the top half of the bread with the provolone, and place on top of the bottom half to make a sandwich.

Wrap the sandwich in foil and bake at 375 degrees until the sandwich is hot and the cheese has melted. It should take about 15-20 minutes.

Unwrap sandwich and slice in wedges, like a pie. This recipe will make 4 extremely large servings or 6-8 smaller sandwiches. Serve with chips and Abita beer. : )

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If you can't make it down to New Orleans, have a taste of it in your own home! But I recommend going at least once in your life!

Happy Cooking!

Tools of the Trade Tuesday: Good knives make good quesadillas

I will cut you!

Not really though. It was a joke.

Not so long ago, I came home from work one day to discover a package on my doorstep. I didn't order anything. I had no idea what it was. It was from cooking.com. Ooooohhh....something my mom must have ordered for me. Yippee! I love presents, especially when they are unexpected and super especially if they are for my kitchen. I ripped open the box and low and behold, it was a new set of knives.

Was this a joke? Or a hint?

Back story...I used to live with someone who once forbid me to cut things. Not for some domineering "you can't cut things" reason, but for my own safety. I haven't always been so good with the knives. Its a process and I'm still learning. But at one point in my culinary adolescence I was really, really bad with knives.

Not so much anymore. I'm actually getting faster with my chopping and cutting, especially when I use my new super awesome knives my mom gave me. The set she sent was a trio of Rachael Ray Furi knives. I had always wanted some of these knives, but don't think I ever told mom that. And I don't think my mom actually knew how crappy my knives were. I think she just ran across the item and thought I could use them.

Oh, could I!

These are incredibly awesome knives. Seriously. Incredible! The shape of the handle, rubber grip, and blade all work so well together. In fact, they have increased my cutting ability by 40% probably! Okay, so I'm just making that up, but they really do help me cut, chop, slice and dice better. I can even manage onions with these knives since I am able to cut them faster than with an ordinary, dull blade!

Maybe that's saying something about my knife collection though. I think they all need to be sharpened, with the exception of my new Rachael Ray knives. I don't know how to do that though.

I never thought investing in high-end cutlery was a big deal until I actually owned a nice set of knives. But if you do a lot of cooking, like myself, having a good quality knife set is important.

These knives are great. I recommend them to you. That's why they are on my blog. I will also share a recipe that I made last night with the help of these great knives.

Shrimp Quesadillas

Ingredients:
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced (with awesome Rachael Ray knives)
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 cup (or so) of medium peeled shrimp (I buy frozen from the grocery. You just thaw and pull off the tails.)
1 tbsp butter or margarine
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. each of Ground cumin & Chili powder(Or fajita or taco seasoning)
shredded Monterey Jack
flour tortilla shells (burrito size)

Directions: Thinly slice the bell pepper and onion in strips. Add to skillet and heat on medium high with olive oil. Cook until tender (about 4-5 minutes). Add shrimp and butter to skillet. Season with desired amount of cumin and chili powder (or taco/fajita seasoning if that's what you have). Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, but be careful to not overcook/burn the vegetables.

Lay tortilla on plate and cover with desired amount of cheese. (I use a lot!) Add shrimp and vegetable mixture on top. Fold tortilla in half, and return to skillet. Cook on medium high for about 3 minutes. Flip tortilla to other side and cook for an additional 3 minutes or so. (Just until the cheese is melted.)

Top with guacamole, sour cream, pica de gallo, salsa, etc. Serve with rice and beans or chips and salsa. Makes about 2 servings.

Thank you Rachael Ray, and whoever really designed those knives, for helping me be a better cook!

Happy cooking!

Five O'Clock Friday

I'm sorry that I don't have a recipe today for 5 O'clock Friday. Maybe because its 9:00 am, and I'm just not interested in anything right now but coffee. However, I did stumble across a French 75 on a blog I follow this morning. That can be your recipe for today!

On today's episode...addition...post...I would like to talk about tonight's after work plans. You see, tonight is very special. My dear friends, KJ and Jake, are coming to visit on their way between GA and TX. Yes, technically, my home is out of the way. But not THAT far out of the way, and its a place for them to stop for free to break up the drive.

Tonight I plan on taking them to Oby's, a local eatery that is very famous in my hometown. I remember always eating here when I was a kid and we came up for football games. Oby's was the cause of probably half of the freshman 15 for me and my friends. Its one of those places in town that really epitomizes local cuisine.

After dinner, who knows. Maybe my friends will want to sample the local "night life." Or maybe not. Maybe we will just go home, sit in the backyard around the fire pit (yes, I have one...finally), drink wine/beer, and enjoy each other's company. I'll leave that up to them. All I know is that come 5:00 this Friday, I will be spending it with great friends. There's no better "recipe" for a good time than that!

How cheesy am I????

Tools of the Trade Tuesday: Aprons

On today's favorite tools post, I decided to talk a bit about my three favorite aprons. I'm a girly girl, and have always loved wearing an apron in the kitchen. Its very practical, you know! Especially if you want to keep from messing up your outfit with spills or stains. (Maybe I'm messy sometimes.)

The first apron was a bit of a joke, and was purchased in Fredericksburg, TX on a mini-vacay.

Its a totally true statement. I swear. And I'm a pretty good cook...so you can only imagine...

This apron is adorned with a black and white polka dot ribbon and pink tulle, which is why I wanted to buy it. I had seen "I Kiss Better than I Cook" aprons before, but never one this cute. One day it might turn out to be lucky. Not so far....

The next apron is one that my sister and her family gave me for Christmas. Its actually my favorite apron. Not only is it adorable, but its made of thick material and has a convenient little pocket for sticking recipes, utensils, a drying towel, etc.

The bird apron was purchased from Etsy, from the Pamwares page. Etsy is a place to buy and sell things homemade. It is totally awesome. Pamwares sells ridiculously cute aprons. This was probably the best gift my sister has ever bought me. I love it and wear it all the time! Her aprons are really well, made, sturdy, and I would recommend them to anyone who doesn't already have an apron.

On a side note, I have started following the Pamwares blog. I really, really love her stuff! And, she has a cute bulldog, so she gets double brownie points! Plus, I really like her logo/blog header. I've been trying to come up with a new design for mine, and have temporarily settled on the one to the left. But her's is pretty darn cool!

The third apron I would like to show you is one I purchased over the weekend at The Cupboard in my hometown. It is very girly, very cute, and has an "S" on it, unlike the image here.

I would consider this to be a "first date" apron. As in...if I were cooking for a special someone for the very first time. Its fun, flirty, and I think it captures my personality with all the polka dots and ruffles. (Don't worry blogees...you have not missed out on any news in my life. This is not being used for any "first dates" any time soon.)

Right now my aprons hang on the end of my baker's rack. However, I would love to find a place to hang them so each of them are displayed in full view, instead of being stacked on top of each other. I'm just not sure where or how I want to display them yet. I'm totally open to ideas! For now they are casually draped in my dining area.

I think every cook should have an apron...even if you are a man. I can't tell you how many shirts I have ruined splashing grease or oily foods on my clothes. Aprons are not only stylish and fun, they are also very practical for non-perfect cooks.

So, that's it my friends! These are my tools for this week! Happy cooking!

A bit of a girl-crush...

Thanks to a tip from my friend Carol, several months ago I stumbled upon The Pioneer Woman. She's amazing. She's good at everything. Photography, writing, ranching, and most of all, cooking. Her blog, is fantastic. And when I say fantastic, I really, really mean fantastic! And she's funny and seems nice, and I just like her...even if I have never met her.

So, for a pre-Christmas gift from work, I received a giftcard to Barnes and Noble. I used part of it to buy some supplies for my co-wokers. (Everyone needs a new AP Stylebook.) And with part of the remaining money, I bought the Pioneer Woman's cooking book. AMAZING! Great, simple recipes, beautiful pictures, and step-by-step instructions.

The first recipe I tried was the flat apple pie. I tested it on my family, and, of course, they loved it! Its basically the same ingredients as a regular apple pie, but instead of baking it in a pie dish with a top and bottom layer, you bake it on a cookie sheet with an oversized bottom crust that folds over the top. Its a rather rustic looking and pretty pie. And like I said, the family loved it!!!

I recommend checking out the cookbook sometime. Its a great addition to any cook's library, and I plan on making quite good use of it! And if you want to follow the Pioneer Woman, you can find her at

http://thepioneerwoman.com/
http://twitter.com/thepioneerwoman

Where, oh where, has this little blogger gone...

Oh where, oh where can she be?

Truthfully, I have been on sabbatical. Okay, not really. Maybe mentally. Well, at least mentally for two or three weeks. So where I have really been?

Between the last post and December 18th I was extremely busy and/or extremely sick. Trying to wrap up the fall semester and catching stomach virus and bad cold. Trust me...the stomach virus will put a halt on any cooking and/or blogging about cooking.

After December 18th I started Christmas break. Lots of shopping, lots of baking, cleaning, watching movies, chasing the nephew, cuddling the niece...Two solid weeks of R&R for this weary PR gal.

Then, I've been back at work at least physically, but not so much mentally, for the last 5 days. (Okay, we had a snow day yesterday and I watched 3 movies with a friend. But I did work 4 days this week.)

Needless to say, I haven't just been sitting on my butt the last month. Okay, so some of the time I was sitting on my butt. But I really haven't been not cooking. In fact, I've been cooking quite a bit! I've made:

1. Flat apple pie from The Pioneer Woman's cookbook
2. Reindeer gingerbread cookies with my nephew
3. My vegetable soup
4. Pumpkin cookies
5. Chocolate banana empanadas (Which I don't think turned out that great, but my family swore they liked them. Maybe they were just being nice.)
6. Oreo balls

and probably more....

I will blog the essentials, along with pictures of some of our baking activities. I have to say, my nephew is quite the cook. He loves helping Aunt Sheri and Nana in the kitchen, and I love sharing one of my passions with him.

So, for now, I leave you with a non-foodie update on why I haven't blogged. Hopefully I will get a few of the recipes/adventures up this weekend.

Happy cooking!

Dessert Decisions

As you know, from reading this blog, I love to cook. Holidays are especially my favorite because I get to be fun and creative with my recipes. Desserts are some of my favorites, and if the family would leave it up to me completely, I could create and entire spread of things I want to try out. People should really invite me to more holiday parties just so I get to play guinea pig with my new recipes.

So, I had Thanksgiving all figured out. I was going to make a pumpkin chocolate chip cheesecake and an assorted cookie tray which includes: double chocolate chocolate chip cookes, pumpkin cookies, and cranberry walnut white chocolate cookies. But then I was looking up cupcake photos for a work project today and discovered lemon meringue cupcakes.

OMG! GYP!

And now I'm torn...because I could imagine making these with red velvet cupcakes, my famous chocolate coconut cupcakes (I am the only one who calls them famous, but they are a crowd favorite), and pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese icing. Oh the possibilities!

I have no idea what to do! Maybe I can save the cupcake idea for Christmas. Maybe that's smart. But I want to try the lemon meringue ones NOW!!! Maybe I should make some and bring them to work....Hmmmm....

Thoughts? Feelings? Suggestions? HELP ME DECIDE!!!

Happy cooking!

Que sera....quesadilla

Yesterday I tweeted that I was going to try out an alternate version of a recipe that was in one of Rachael Ray's recent magazines. I love reading her magazine and figuring out my own take on her dishes. She included a recipe called Quesadilla Casserole that sounded pretty AMAZING, so I finally gave it a whirl last night.

I took the basic ingredients and the method and created my own version. If you are vegetarian, you can stick to Rachael's version. However, I was craving a little beef last night. (*gasp*....I rarely eat beef, I know. But ground turkey just wasn't going to cut it for me last night.) Anyway....I also had half a bell pepper left over from Sunday night's fajita fiesta, so I just decided to follow Rachael's steps, but incorporate my own ingredients. Here we go:

Ingredients:

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey

4 oz. can of green chiles

1 can drained black beans

1 cup frozen corn

shredded cheese

5 tortillas (I used fajita size? The medium ones between the small taco and large burrito kind.)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown meat with onions, bell pepper and olive oil in skillet. Flavor meat with chile powder and ground cumin to taste. (Or taco season if you have one of those packets. I just use my own ingredients.) If needed, drain off any excess liquid/fat after meat is cooked. Add green chiles, corn and black beans to meat and cook for about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Place one tortilla shell in bottom of pie plate or other round oven pan. Spread thin layer of meat mixture over tortilla and sprinkle shredded cheese over layer. Add another tortilla shell and repeat layers unti you run out of meat. For the top layer, you can use either meat or a tortilla. I used a tortilla.
• Heat in oven for about 20 minutes. If top tortilla starts getting too brown, cover with foil. Remove from oven and slice and serve like pie pieces. Top with sour cream, salsa, jalepenos, or whatever you desire!

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In the end, this was a pretty great dish! I'm sure Rachael's version is just as good, if not better than mine, but mine was pretty darn good! As far as my side suggestions, this is a pretty harty meal on its own, so I didn't have any sides. But...I did snack on tortilla chips while I was cooking, so I would suggest serving with chips and salsa!

Happy cooking!!!!

Crikey! I've lost my mojo!

No seriously. I'm serious. I have really lost my mojo. But in the way you are thinking. I have lost my baking mojo. Case in point:

1. Tried to make a batch of April's Super Yummy Brownies about a month ago. I put them in the wrong size dish. They burned. The texture was all wrong. They turned out to be super YUCKY!

2. Saturday I attempted to make a simple batch of pumpkin bread. Except I substituted Splenda for sugar and self-rising flour for all purpose flour + baking soda. The bread was flat, a weird color, dense, and not tasty.

3. I recently burned break-n-bake cookies. Who does that?

For those that know me well, or those who have tasted my delectable treats, you know this is very un-Sheri like. I've been baking since I was a kid. I was a semi-finalist in a cooking contest last year. I don't screw stuff up like this. Ever. That is...until now.

I'm blaming Mississippi. I haven't done a lot of baking since I moved. I could also blame work for keeping me busy and distracted. Really, the cause is inexplicable. I have no idea why my dishes are failing, and failing so often. I mean, this is me. The gal who wants to own her own bakery one day. Why am I having such a hard time in the kitchen?

I plan on redeeming myself over the next few weeks. I have to work myself out of this slump before the mad rush of holiday baking season. My family will be counting on me for lots of tasty treats. Maybe I'll start with my "never fail" banana bread, or something easy like a boxed cake. Whatever it is...I gotta shake it! Life is so empty without cooking! : )

Must have kitchen gadget!!!

While browsing through The Pioneer Woman's blog today, I came across another "must have" for my kitchen - a personalized cake pan! O. M. G. How have I lived this long and NOT had one? The design I think I am going to order is the Bake-A-Cake that says "From the kitchen of SP." And probably in red. Or maybe blue since I already have a lot of red in my kitchen. Either way, I MUST have one of these cake pans!

So, aside from this, I was thinking last night. Maybe instead of my dream of opening a bakery, I should just open a restaurant. I mean, I cook more than I bake, so I'm getting a lot more experience in that area. I could always sell baked goods at my restaurant, but open a little diner as the main part of my business.

Since I'm in a college town, I'm thinking of an affordable place that offers good, ole home cooking, but from a healthy perspective. I'm always trying to find ways of turning my favorite Southern dishes into something that's low-fat and not completely terrible for you! And if it was cheap enough for college students to afford, I think I would have a pretty good market in this town.

Alas, for now, these are just dreams of mine! I would have to save up a lot of money before I could even BEGIN to think about quitting my job and starting my own business. I'm thinking the 10 year plan I had for myself is turning more into 20! I mean, its going to take at least 15 to pay off my mortgage, and there is NO way I can save that much money before my house is paid for. That is...unless I win Monopoly money at McDonald's (ha ha! Twitter followers know what that means.) So for now, they are all still just dreams of mine...dreams that will hopefully one day turn into reality.

But back to the subject of this post...I need a personalized cake pan.