Leftovers

Don't know what to do with the leftover ham from Easter Dinner? 

These Baked Ham and Cheese Rollups, are an easy recipe made with crescent dough, leftover ham, and swiss cheese, then topped with a delicious mustard glaze. 

BAKED HAM AND CHEESE ROLLUPS

{photo credit & recipe website}

Ingredients:
1 tube crescent dough sheet
¾ lb. ham, thinly sliced 
12 slices swiss cheese, thinly sliced 
½ cup butter, melted {I use unsalted} 
1 Tbsp. poppyseeds 
1 & ½ Tbsp. yellow mustard 
1 Tbsp. dried minced onion| 
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce 

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. 
Roll out your crescent dough and and press into an approximately 13x18 inch rectangle. 
Top with ham and cheese. 
Starting on the long side, roll the dough up tightly. Pinch the ends together and place with the seam facing down. 
Cut into 12 pieces. 
Place your rollups in your baking dish, evenly spaced. 
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the butter, poppyseeds, mustard, onion, and Worcestershire sauce. 
Pour the sauce evenly over the rollups. 
Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes until lightly browned. 
Enjoy!

Take Care

#famjam

We celebrated Easter dinner with the family yesterday. There’s something so special about having the family home.  Creating lasting memories. 

It was bustling in my kitchen the day before ~ chopping, slicing, mincing, cutting, whisking, stirring, cubing, baking, thinking, planning... and repeat.  I wanted to make their coming home memorable. 

Confession: I am a perfectionist. I can’t even say I’m a recovering perfectionist, because if I’m really honest I know I haven’t given up those tendencies. I want our memories to be lovely and pretty close to perfect. 

But honestly, let's face it ~ I am not the best hostess nor a great cook. What's even harder? is to not get bogged down by society that says holidays should look perfect and trendy, shiny and colourful, stunning and impressive. With magazines, blogs and television shows constantly reminding us, it's hard to feel like you don't measure up.

It's wonderful celebrating the holidays, isn't it? 

It's in those moments when I realize, these holidays holy days are not about us. 

I pray your Easter was filled not just with special family time, but many moments to reflect and ponder the wonder of His sacrifice for us. 

This is a time of celebration.

Take Care

He is Risen

Jesus Has Risen 
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words. When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. Luke 24:1-12 {New International Version {NIV}}

Take Care

Note to Self

It’s hard for me to focus on anything when I’m feeling ill, but I recognize that stuff happens.  I do however, like to maintain the illusion of having it {more or less} all together. I like for things to be tidy.

Throw in several sleepless nights and I’m done. I float through a sea of haziness. Vagueness.  I don’t know if I notice too much or too little, but it is overwhelming even on a good day.

Sadly too often this struggle has become all consuming.  It takes a great deal of effort to push them aside and zero in.  

Where am I going with all this? 

I don’t know… I guess all I really want to say is that I’m glad that Jesus still loves me. {1 John 4:19}  Even though I don’t have it all together. 

Take Care

Cookie Craving

Craving a delicious Snickerdoodle Cookie? 

This easy recipe will satisfy your cravings in no time… they’re so simple and SO yummy!

Snickerdoodle Cake Mix Cookie

{photo credit & recipe website}

Ingredients:
1 box Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix {15.25 oz.}
2 eggs
½ cup Canola or Vegetable Oil
¼ cup Sugar
1.5 tsp. Cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350℉
Combine cake mix, eggs, and oil in large mixing bowl, and beat well.
Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour.In small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon, and mix well.
Carefully shape dough into 1 inch balls, then roll around in cinnamon-sugar mixture until covered.
Drop onto ungreased non-stick cookie sheet in rounded balls.
Flatten dough by pressing down slightly on top of each dough ball using the bottom of a glass.
Bake for approx. 7 – 9 minutes {or until done}.
Enjoy!

Take Care

Spring is here...

It's official!  

The first day of spring is here... 

let's all do a little happy dance!

Take Care

Game On

Our son, the one who lived in Orillia for the past 5 years moved home about a month and a half ago. He hit a pretty rough patch in his life and knew he needed to come home and make a fresh start. So we packed up all his stuff and moved him here. Sure there’s been a few adjustments to make with having an extra person in the house, but overall it's been good. 

Having said that however, my son has a unique sense of humour. When he first moved here he started placing this guy 

in random places throughout the house. 

First I’d find him in the bathroom, to which I would put him back where he belongs in our sons’ room. Then I would “find” him again in the kitchen, the living room, even our bedroom. Each time though, I’d return it thinking this would be it. But no, our son decided that we too should enjoy the company this stupid little bobblehead figurine and so he continues to be placed throughout my house. 

Now, I actually find myself looking to see where he’s been placed; so I can move him again and let the game continue. . . 

And since it’s my turn, I’d better go and put him in a really good hiding spot. 

Take Care

Love to read

While I'm not taking up the reading book challenge this year... I'm still reading. Considering we're 10 weeks into the year and I just finished book 10, I'd saying I'm off to a pretty good start! 

So far I've read 

# 1 See Me ~ Nicholas Sparks ****
# 2 Black Eyed Susans ~ Julia Heaberlin  *
# 3 Postmortem ~ Patricia Cornwall  **
# 4 Left to Die ~ LIsa Jackson  ***
# 5 NYPD RED ~ James Patterson  ****
# 6 The Forgotten Room ~ Karen White  *****
# 7 Blue Prints ~ Barbara Delinksy ***
# 8 The Apprentice ~ Tess Gerritsen ***
# 9 The Lives Between us ~ Theresa Rizzo  ****
#10 Beside Myself ~ Ann Morgan ****

{Rating system}
* don't bother
** was ok
*** pretty good but wouldn't recommend
**** very good, would recommend
***** excellent, highly recommend  

How about you? Read anything good lately? 

Take Care

just girls

There were five of us around the table last night... all girls!

It was a last minute invitation to join "the gang"  for dinner.  One of the girls' husbands was out of town on business and she didn't want to eat alone, so it was decided we should do dinner together.

It's said "that when women get together, curious things happen". I think that that's true because when I spend time with my friends I feel better ~ a better person, better about myself and better about my life.That's what friendship is all about. 

We talked, we laughed, we ate, but we also supported, encouraged, applauded and shared our lives with other.

There is nothing quite like friendship is there?  But real friendship is actually about investment. It’s about showing you care. It’s about sacrifice. Giving. Love.

I believe that friendship is a gift from God.

Take Care

Excuses . . . Excuses

It was a little over 6 years ago that I started on a new life-regimen. I found out a long list of allergies to foods and cut them all out of my diet. Completely. Cold turkey. No sugar. No dairy. No wheat. No eggs. And those are just the major things on the ever-so lo-o-o-o-ng list.

But I was determined ~ I was sick of feeling sick and tired of feeling tired. So I ate exactly the way I was supposed to eat. I lasted 6 months. The best part? Not only did I feel better, but I lost 25 pounds. 

And then life began to happen… 

And here I am years later. Back at the beginning. I don’t feel too great, and well, we won’t talk about the weight gain. 

But see, I can always provide myself with a excuse. Things have been rough. Extra stress, finding balance in a busy world, extra loneliness, bad weather or I simply like my wine.

Who knows.

I can give myself a list of reasons to not stick to what makes me feel better..  Let’s face it. My reasons might be valid. I DO have stress and life is hard and blah, blah, blah. So I have issues. I mean, who doesn’t? Or perhaps I am the only one?

But I want to feel better, like right now! And I’ve simply been making myself worse. How stupid. How weak. How pathetic. How typical. Really it’s the issue of just plain not doing what is right for me. So it's time to get back on track and start doing what is right and not tire of it because I have to remember that God will make everything right in the end. {Romans 8:28}

Take Care

Not Nothing

There are so many things I’m not good at. And apparently I have an inner monologue determined to record each and every one of them. There is a little voice inside my head that reminds me of my shortcomings, failures and mistakes. Some days it’s quiet and some days like today it’s super LOUD. 

Most often the whisper is so soft, so ordinary, so normal that I just let the words run through my mind until they seem like a normal part of my thoughts. It’s the strangest thing, to discover the back of your brain muttering mean things to yourself. 

The house will never be clean.
You’ll never get caught up on the bookwork. 
You’re not good enough. 
You will always be behind. 
You can’t do that. 
You’re just not good at this. 

I am amazed that I was capable of such petty meanness to myself. I would never ever, I mean NEVER EVER say any of those things to someone else, so why on earth would I speak to myself that way? So, you know what I did? I told that little voice off today. Yep, that’s right! I totally did!

Because I am not nothing.  So what if I'm not like her or her or even so and so. 

What I am is  

 and His voice is the only one I need to listen to.

Take Care

Date Day

Remember this post?

About how I wanted my husband and I to commit to "date" each other once a month through out this year. 

So far we're 3 for 3....

Since today was the 6th and a Sunday no less, we decided to keep it simple.  I mean who says dates have to be super expensive, swanky, or exorbitant.  It's about spending time together!

We are extremely fortunate to live in town where there is this amazing trail.  

While we have walked this trail in every season... there is is something serene about walking it in the winter.  With the sun shining, the crunch of snow under our boots and our little puppy, rolling in the freshly fallen snow.  Our walk today was absolutely wonderful.  

It's been super exciting dating my husband again, and I am looking forward to next month!

Take Care

Pinterest Pass

To be honest I wasn't sure I wanted a Pinterest account.  I mean who has time to search through the millions of photos, ideas & recipes.  But when you come across one like this,  it makes it very worth while.

Healthy Peanut Butter Chunk Oatmeal Bars

{photo credit & recipe website}

Soft and chewy peanut butter oatmeal bars made with healthy, wholesome ingredients. The chocolate is optional. Sort of.. 

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup (100g) packed brown sugar 
1 cup (250g) creamy peanut butter (or chunky) 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 cup (127g) whole wheat flour 
1 cup (80g) old-fashioned rolled oats 
1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/2 cup (120ml) milk 
1/2 cup (90g) chocolate chips
1/2 cup (70g) raisins (I wouldn't add these next time) 

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Line a 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray. 
Set aside. 
With an electric or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the brown sugar and peanut butter on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
Mix in the vanilla, scraping down the sides as needed. 
On medium speed, add in the flour, oats, salt, and baking soda. The dough will be very thick and clumpy, but it will come together. 
Slowly add the milk in a steady stream, mixing until a dough forms. 
Fold in chocolate chips and raisins. Use your hands to make sure everything is combined, if needed. 
Once dough is completely combined, press it lightly into the prepared baking dish. 
Bake for about 17-20 minutes until the bars are lightly golden and set. 
Allow to cool completely and cut into squares. 
Bars will be good stored up to 2 weeks.
Enjoy!

Take Care

Change

Have you ever wanted things to stay the same? You know, just for a year. Maybe even a few months!  Like most people, change is hard for me. I like the comfortably predictable and the gentle rhythms of routine. 

2015 brought an abundance of opportunities for us to embrace change. 

Most of the changes were pursued and wonderful. . . the hubs started a new job, one we had been praying for. We moved to town, which I was super excited about {oh not the packing and the organizing and the donating and the discarding}, but being in town is absolutely wonderful! And then the best change - our first grandchild arrived in October and he is ever-so precious! As much as the changes we experienced are blessings ~ there were still some adjustments to make! 

The reality is we all face change every day.  Whether it is in our own lives, the lives of loved ones, or in the world we live in . . . change is part of life. 

Through all these changes, God has taught been teaching me to be content. 

We can embrace the changes in our lives because God is constant and His plan is unchanging.  {Psalm 33:11}  And we can find the goodness in these changes because His grace is sufficient to carry us through. {2 Corinthians 12: 9} 

Sometimes our minds, influences, circumstances, and thoughts can waver in the storms of change, but we can find comfort in the One who does not change, who will stand firm, for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. {Hebrews 13:8}

How will you be content as you embrace the changes this year will bring?

Take Care

morning

morning? already?

it’s early….. and i’m awake again… after another fitful night of sleep 

i’ve probably told you before that i’m not exactly a morning person. but i’m not much of a night person either…. after 9 o’clock, i’ve pretty much zombied-out. 

seems ironic that i married a dairy farmer… {we’re not dairy farming anymore, but the hubs still has that built-in early alarm}

to say mornings are my favourite part of the day wouldn’t be quite true, sure it can be a time of quiet before the hustle and bustle of life begins. a time of reflection. moments of solitude. i envy people who get up early in the morning and do their Bible study, or read their daily devotionals, and spend time in prayer. 

i’ve never been one to get up early to get my day started and/or to linger in the quiet of the house. and since i've stopped working outside of the home, i don’t have to get up early to start my days… but i do find it simply amazing how much one can accomplish in the early hours of the morning.

after i've had a good night's sleep and actually do get up at the crack of stupid {insert 6AM} with the hubs, i find that i do enjoy having our morning cuppa together and talking about our day.

and even though there are times {too many to mention} that i’ve had a rough night and am up through the wee hours of the morning, i am in awe of the beauty as the day unfolds. there’s a certain newness about it. a freshness that says

take care