Contented at home?

Because we are all sinful human beings it can be very easy to be a keeper
at home who is miserable, discontent, longing for “greener pastures” and
foolishly plucking down her home with her own hands (Proverbs14:1).
Self-absorption and the demanding of our “rights” can steal our joy and destroy
our effectiveness in the mighty work the Lord has given us to do.

You can read the rest of the article here.

Spring cleaning, anyone?...

Since Spring weather has officially arrived in our area (although it was in the 90s last week.... kind of seemed more like summer!!!), it's time to get spring cleaning done!!!

Here's a link to suggestions from Martha Stewart about spring cleaning ideas- click here.

Have you already started your spring cleaning?

Ricotta Cookies....

(Yes, there is a cookie missing. I am guilty!!!)

I'll be the first to admit that using ricotta cheese in a cookie recipe sounds a little weird. That's just not normal. Ricotta is used in cheesecakes and lasagna- not cookies!

But WOW was I impressed when Elizabeth and I made these Thursday! I wanted to try a new cookie to share at a church meal and found this recipe while browsing Allrecipes (LOOOOOOOOVE Allrecipes!!!!)

The cookie reminds me more of a Little Debbie snack cake instead of a cookie. It is cakelike inside and slightly sweet and ooooh soooo good!! The lightly lemon flavored glaze surrounding it really pushes this over the top in goodness!!

See how puffy they got! Yum!



Enough talk. Y'all try them soon!! They are REALLY good and definitely not like your typical everyday cookie!


Ricotta Cookies...

1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
16 ounces ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon shortening
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon lemon extract
1/2 cup colored candy sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the 1 cup of butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the ricotta cheese and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda, stir into the ricotta mixture. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting warm the milk, 1/2 teaspoon of butter and shortening, in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until solids are melted. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar and lemon extract. Dip each cookie into the icing then dip in colored sugar or sprinkles.


See, even Elizabeth loved them! Of course, I think her favorite part was putting sprinkles on each cookie.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas...

I love trying different enchilada recipes and I was excited when I saw Kelli share this recently. They are really good!! I'm thinking that it's the cilantro (my FAVORITE herb in the world!!!!) that made it sooo delicous!!!

Thank you, Kelli!!!


Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1/2 cup salsa
1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chiles
1/2 cup cilantro
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
12 (6 inch) flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

1. Mix sour cream, enchilada sauce, salsa, green chiles, and cilantro together in bowl. Set aside.

2. In separate bowl, mix shredded chicken, 1 cup of the sour cream mixture, and 1 cup of the shredded cheese. I also seasoned with salt, pepper, chili powder, and a little cumin.

3. Heat tortillas in microwave oven until soft. Pour enough of the sour cream mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish to coat bottom.

3. Place 2 heaping tablespoonfuls of the chicken mixture in each tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Pour remaining sour cream mixture on top and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbling.

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies...

These are crispy cookies with a very slight chew in the middle. Yum. My normal sugar cookie recipe is very soft and almost cakelike in the middle. This is a nice change.

Mr. U, who normally doesn't like sugar cookies, said these were quite tasty and that they reminded him of pound cake!! WOW! I think it must be the sour cream in the recipe. They don't make me think of pound cake, but they are good!!!

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
-adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees line cookie sheets with parchment paper (my FAVORITE thing in the kitchen these days!!!). In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat well to combine.

With mixer on low, add half the flour mixture, followed by sour cream, then remaining flour mixture; mix just until smooth. (Dough will be stiff; you may need to finish mixing it by hand with a wooden spoon.)

Scoop 1 1/2 T of dough into your hand and roll into a ball and then roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges of cookies are just firm and tops are barely beginning to brown, 13-17 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Makes about 30 cookies.

Our Forever day...

My dearest, loveliest Elizabeth. Three years ago today you were placed in our arms. That was the happiest day of my life!! I am so glad that the Lord chose us to be your forever family.

Waiting....

So, what's up with our adoption? Well, our homestudy update was completed in November and we're officially in "waiting" mode. This could take weeks, months or, gasp, years. Yep, I recently found out about a family that waited FOUR YEARS for their child. Oh my. Am I prepared for that?? Heaven help me!!!!

The wait for China was much easier. I knew how their system worked and I knew that we were kind of standing in line for it to be our turn to be matched with our child. But now? Oh my. There is no line. There is no system to figure out. It's just one big waiting game. Sigh.

So... what does a girl do while waiting? Well, you go shopping, of course!!!!




I didn't buy anything major. These are just some burp cloths, tiny socks and tiny onesies. I realized the other day that we have NOTHING in this house for a newborn, so when "the call" finally does come, we'll be going crazy trying to get things together!! So I figured I'd buy a few things here and there to prepare.

I don't know whether to buy girl or boy things. We requested a little girl because we already have tons of girl things and also because our house is small and the baby will be sharing a room with Elizabeth. If the agency calls us with news of a little boy, I am KNOW we will be more than thrilled and, well, we'll just figure out what to do about the bedrooms. :)

So that's where we stand with our adoption. Waiting. Just waiting. And one day "the call" will come and I'll be a nervous wreck. I CAN'T WAIT!!!