A Proverbs 31 Kind of Day

A cookie a day . . . just makes the day better! I think there is healing power in a fresh baked cookie! While chocolate chip is the favorite around our house, I occasionally venture out and make other kinds! The Mr. loves. . . as in L.O.V.E.S white chocolate and macadamia nut cookies. But I really don't ever make them.  Probably because the macadamia nuts are kind of expensive. The other day, though, I found the macadamia nuts on sale at "Sprouts" so I bagged up some and came home and whipped up these treats! I really do think this dough is better if you're going to eat serve the baked cookies the same day.  I keep the dough made up in an airtight container and bake only the cookies I want need for that particular day. You could also bake off all of the cookie dough and freeze the cookies until needed. These cookies are chocked full of goodness -- they're like the rocky road of cookies! White Chocolate, Cranberry, Macadamia Nut Cookies ...

This is easy. This is tasty. This is my boy cherub's kind of meal!  Meat 'n gravy with mashed potatoes!  OK, broccoli too, but especially the meat! Throw it in the crock pot in the morning and have a satisfying meal that evening! Taste of Home's Picture Cube Steak with Gravy 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 6 beef cubed steaks (4 ounces each) 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 large onion, sliced and separated into rings 3 cups water, divided 1 envelope brown gravy mix 1 envelope mushroom gravy mix 1 envelope onion gravy mix Hot mashed potatoes or cooked noodles Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag. Add steaks, a few at a time, and shake until completely coated. In a skillet, cook steaks in oil until lightly browned on each side. Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. Add the onion and 2 cups water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until meat is tender. In a bowl, whisk together gravy mixes with remaining water. Add to slow cooker; cook 30 minu...

It was an extremely busy day:  after-school homework, sports practice, dance class, meetings for the Mr. and curriculum night at school!  Like every other family, balance, otherwise known as "divide and conquer" was our method of operation! Dinner had to be easy, quick, and able to be eaten in shifts! What's a mom to do? My quick, go-to spinach salad with grilled chicken, of course! This night, though, I wanted to try a different salad dressing.  But I couldn't figure out what I wanted.  Then I remembered . . .  . . .While shopping at Costco, I saw a preserve that sounded interesting, so I snagged a H.U.G.E jar of it, hoping we were going to like it! We do! The first night we ate it with grilled chicken. Then I made the salad dressing! The next night, I topped the buttermilk cookies from the other day with a smidge of the buttermilk frosting and a dollop of the preserve. For the record, I think I'm doing fine thinking of ways to use th...

As a rule, cauliflower doesn't really appeal to me. It's . . . white. Just white.  It's actually kind of boring looking. I never look at cauliflower and think, "Yum!  I think I'll have some cauliflower today!" So when I saw the cauliflower ear at the store the other day, I kind of surprised myself when it ended up in my basket! What am I going to do with cauliflower . . .except put cheese on it! I stretched myself a bit and I roasted it! Now, I think "Yum!  I think I want some cauliflower today!" Roasting cauliflower is much like roasting other veggies -- it brings out the natural goodness! Roasted Cauliflower 1 head of cauliflower, cleaned and cut olive oil salt and pepper, to taste Line a baking sheet with foil and preheat over to 400 degrees. Cut cauliflower, disregarding the stalks.  You want "chunks" and similar size, but they don't have to be huge. Drizzle (note, it...

When you think of milk, I bet you don't think of buttermilk ! Most of the time, we wrinkle up our nose and think "gross!" I actually love cooking with buttermilk. biscuits ice cream cakes dressings And now, COOKIES! YEAH! These cookies are extremely simple, both in preparation and taste.  "It's just a basic cookie!"  (And I love that!) Buttermilk Cookies with Buttermilk Frosting 1/2 cup butter,  softened 1  cup sugar 1 large egg 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 1/2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup buttermilk Buttermilk Frosting 3 tablespoons butter,  softened  3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1/4 cup buttermilk  1 teaspoon vanilla In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, alternately to the butter mixture. Drop by rounde...

Isn't that cute hair? I did that to my cherub! I have amazed myself! Confession:  I don't really know what to do with hair. Mine's short. Mine sticks up -- on purpose! I've never had long hair. My mother would not let me have long hair. Probably because she didn't know what to do either. She says, "Sweetie, your hair wouldn't grow!" Really? Because I'm an every 5 weeks kind of hair cut girl and that's only because I need it every 3 weeks but I'm too cheap so I stretch it out! And when I do finally go, I look like I've been sheered. So -- I don't think it's about not growing. I may need a therapist to help me through this! Back to my cherub -- Cute hair on the first day of school. And the second too! That's because of this website! www.cutegirlshairstyles.com There's videos and everything ! You can even look at the hair blogs SHE reads and find ev...

Feast your eyes on these beauties! Yummy! Kay, don't tell anybody, but this is your snack today!  The Mr. is holding them  hostage in the refrigerator! Seriously! Go look! This is the Mr's dream come true!  His two very favorite desserts all smooshed together into one glorious, lip smacking, hope I can have seconds kind of dessert! Can you see the temptation? The delicious, fudgey, gooey brownie cupcake with the raw (eggless) chocolate chip cookie dough glooped in the middle with a bit of chocolate drizzled on top -- just because we need it! You know you want to make this! Here's the good news!  It can be made all from scratch or it can be made using mixes!  You decide! I made mine from scratch, but I really do think the same principles will work with mixes -- heck give it a try -- what's the worse that can happen?  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownie Cupcake Your favorite brownie recipe, a mi...