Taste and see Thursday...

Taste and see Thursday is back. I made a sweet little treat for my husband's homeroom class this week and thought that would be perfect for my recipe for Thursday. I made this divine brownie recipe that I received back in 1994. I was a Senior in high school, in Sunday school class when my friend Rebekah Renard brought a treat for us to eat. Oh boy, this is the first time I asked for a recipe I believe. I had never even thought as a young person to ask for a recipe. This was so worth it. Now I laugh when my 8 year old neighbor always ask if I'll give her mom one of my recipes, partly because I never thought like that till my senior year in high school.



My friend Rebekah is a wonderful patient mom of 5. I am glad we've stayed in touch over the years and look forward to seeing her one of these days. While in college, Rebekah invited me and some other Keokuk people to attend a float trip with her campus house. She was going to be near Joplin so i thought I could canoe, (even though I never had done it). Well my two younger people almost drowned on the trip and I survived and fell in love with float trips. I'm thinking I'd like to do that again with couples sometime.



Here's my famous brownies:



Cookie dough brownies

By Rebekah Renard Whitaker



1 pkg Fudge brownie mix

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup oil

1 egg

1/2 choco chips

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 Cup flour

Glaze: 1 (6oz) choco chips (1 cup), 1 Tablespoon shortening (or oil).



Heat oven to 350*. Grease bottom of 13 x 9 pan. In a large bowl,combine brownie mix, water, oil, and egg. Beat. Stir in 1/2 cup choco chips. Spread in greased pan. Bake at 350* for 33-35 minutes. (Do not overbake) Cool Completely.



In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup margarine, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup;level off. Add flour; mix well. Spread over cooled brownies. In small microwave safe bowl, melt 1 cup choco chips and one tablespoon of marg. on med high. 1-2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Carefully glaze over filling; spread to cover. Store in refrigerator. Makes 36 bars

I am thankful for....

Make a Smilebox slideshow

My Thankful List

What a wonderful week it has been. I am thankful, for so much. Here's my list:

1. The sound my kids make when they kiss me. " Mmmmmm then the smacking of lips". I love it.

2. Okay for Laundry, because at least I have little people to fill those clothes and that we have clothes. My heart aches for a friend who doesn't have little ones and wants them. I am thankful to be blessed with 2 healthy ones.

3. I am thankful that I have the world's greatest friends.

4. For lots of good laughs with friends, at myself, at my kids. My sensors are full again!

5. For a great long 11 mile run. I did it and feel proud and humbled at the same time. Boy I'm thankful for a able body to take me that far. I'm not too sore either.

6. For early morning get ups lots this week. Even the days I didn't have to be at the gym at 5:30, I was waking up at 5ish. I like that in a weird sorta way.

7. For great spring like weather.

8. For my 2 year old letting me get some shopping in at the mall Thursday and for Chick-fil-a!

9. My wonderful husband taking the kids for a overnight trip out of town and letting me relax on Friday and even encouraged me not to do stuff around the house. He even wants to do that again!

10. For answered prayer to important things, for some fun surprises, that I know i can run this half-marathon, my weekly menu groceries all bought last week.

I am so blessed, so thankful, and feel privileged to be the mom to Lindsey and Drew, the wife to Mr. Chad and a friend to you all!

Hugs,
Tara

Taste and see that the Lord is good....Thursday

Today's recipe is one of my new little bars that people just rave over. I suppose it is because it's kinda a comfort type food, rice crispies with a twist to it. I first had this tasty recipe at the Ivy Bakeshope. If you love all girlie food and divine desserts you would love that place. Little did I know they had a cookbook of all their famous recipes. My friend Heather copied this recipe for me, but that did not do it justice.. I had to have the entire cookbook. I love cookbooks, I have lots of them, rarely use all of them. You know how that goes, you have your favorites in one particular book and you kinda just stay with it. The Ivy Bakeshop cookbook is going to be one of my favorites, I just know it, as everything I have tried is simply divine. Okay so I like that word today! Divine, Divine, Divine.


Caramel Rice Krispies Bar

Carmel

1 (14 oz) bag caramels, unwrapped

1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 stick butter

Rice Krispies

1/2 sticks butter, divided

10 cups mini marshmallows, divided

10 cups Rice Krispies, divided

Place caramels, sweetened condensed milk, and butter in a bowl and microwave for 3 minuts. Stir until smooth, returning to microwave if not yet melted; set aside to cool.

In another bowl, melt 6 tablespoons of butter with 4 cups of marshmallows for 70 seconds. Stir until smooth and then pour over 5 cups of the cereal; stir until cereal is coated. Place in a greased 9 x 13 inch glass dish.

Sprinkle 2 cups of marshmallows on the top of the cereal mixture. Carefully pour caramel mixture over the marshmallows; refrigerate to set up. Repeat second layer of cereal mixture, using the rest of the butter, marshmallows, and cereal. Place second layer of Rice Krispies mixture on top of caramel layer; chill until firm. Makes lots.

Things I miss

I miss.....

1. The sound of crickets on a cool summer evening, windows open of course

2. Clothes that don't have stains on them or clothes that are in style

3. Riding my bicycle downhill

4. Friends who have moved away

5. Alone time in the bathroom (w/o toddlers)

6. Family members that have passed on to heaven

7. Nursing a baby ( crazy I know)

8. feeling like I have it together

9. Swimming laps

10. Time to sit around and watch movies/ shows and not feel guilty that I'm not doing something.

11. Real pictures, not just on my digital camera

12. watering my flowers enjoying them

I think all my things I miss have to do with summer. I love spring and look forward to summer and enjoying all the things I miss.

Egg Hunt

Drew and Daddy finding eggs

Lindsey on the go to find eggs

Lindsey and Hayden enjoying the egg hunt

Drew was all about the eggs this year. He has been practicing lots at home with our own empty egg hunt, pick up all mommies pine cones hunt and church egg hunt. Now he is game for grandpa's 100's of eggs hunt.

She is pausing for me to take the picture.

Lots of pine cones with all the eggs

Ahem Drew is so happy and he's got some jumping skills

Eggstravaganza Party at Church!

The first friday in April we had a Miss Patty Cake party at church. Miss Patty is a cute video that we have. In the video she teaches kids the story of Jesus' last week as you open up plastic eggs. We made our own eggs like the video, had a snack and a little egg hunt in the church. This was a party for pre-schoolers, Lindsey was able to go as Drew is almost a pre-schooler and I planned the party with Dawn so both were able to go.


Emma and Lindsey



Some of the kids posing for the camera.

My friend Heather and Emma

Collin and his dad who wanted to be on my blog. There you go Matt!

My little peeps!

Lisa, Zack and Bethany!

My friend Jill and Brandon

It's time to color eggs!

Drew is so excited about blue. That's all he wanted at first. Once he got started he was so excited. He was thrilled that I was letting him get so messy. At the end he kept asking me what was wrong with his hands. We used lots of lava soap!

Drew really enjoyed egg coloring this year. His hands were oh so dyed to match the incredible hulk and his PJ's spider man.

Lindsey worked so nice and neat. Mr. Drew loved making a mess! I loved it all!

Lindsey is loving this!

I need to go take a bath now!

Made with Love by: Lindsey and Drew

My running partner!

A couple of weeks ago Lindsey and I went for a quick little jog, bless her little heart it was freezing and she was bound and determined to go. She had all the cool gear thanks to Santa Gpa Campbell and we ran. I attempted to teach her to not go so fast at the beginning and be worn out. Guess we will work on that one. We did accomplish a 1/2 mile. She then wanted to get out her bike and ride so went went farther. On the run I had one of those treasured "Mary moments".

Lindsey likes to be ahead of me so I was doing the encouraging thing to her saying stuff like " Good Job Lindsey" to keep her from stopping and saying she's tired/cold. She then glanced back at me and said in her sweet 6 year old voice, " Your doing a good job too, Mom". You just had to be there, it was so sincere and captured my heart. I think I could of ran for miles after that encouragement.

I am thankful for....

I am thankful for .....

1. Easter and for our Lord who has conquered the grave for us!

2. nice break to relax with the family.

3. One of my funny friends txt messaging me on driving directions( scary I know, but I did know the answer).. I just love her.

4. All the great Easter candy.

5. Putting in 15 miles running this week.

6. Family gatherings and fun Easter egg hunts with extended family.

7. Here's some other random thankful things: Encouraging words, hugs, looking at flowers and getting ideas for planting season 2009, trusting God more than self, my new blueberry tea and great people to share a cup with, the house smelling good, the laundry finished, my sensors when full, realizing all my needs are being met, Answered prayer.

What are you thankful for?

Things I'm thankful for

I am thankful for:

1. Healthy children

2. Quiet alone time

3. Running time

4. Lots of little people running like crazy in my house, I've been babysitting this week.

5. Prayer time with friends once a week and our tea time as well. See #13

6. Getting meals planned, groceries bought for the week, laundry done..... looking forward to rest tomorrow a wonderful day without the focus on work but on the kids and family time.

7. A fun preschool party at church and the cool craft my kids love.

8. My retired neighbors returning from their winter away.

9. For having fun with the kids through some crafts, making pizza, no bake cheesecake... so much fun to truly enjoy the kiddos, even if the end result is not pretty. It is beautiful in their little eyes and so much value in that.

10. For doing the right thing, for standing up for what you believe and doing what you are suppose to be doing. Even if everyone else is doing something different.

11. For Lindsey and I running together, she is such an encourager. It's fun to see what an influence our family and friends have on her.

12. I'm thankful for Easter and for Jesus. I'm thankful that we can spend time together as a family and enjoy some rest and relaxation this week. Only 3 days of school... Yeah!!!!

13 I'm thankful for hot tea. I have found it is so relaxing and look forward to my quiet time and some tea. Not everyday.... as I love the sugar in it and don't always need sugar.

14. I'm thankful that my friend Katie blessed me with a cool sea shell from the beach, some yummy salt water taffy ( I'm still jealous you went there on spring break) and for sending Drew's bubba blankie back to us.


Have a great Easter Vacation!
Love,
Tara