French Dip Sandwiches

I'm really not much of a cook. Not that I don't know how, I would just rather bake something. So, when I came across this recipe, and it was good, and the crock pot does all the work...I was in heaven! Since we only have a family of 4, this makes tons of meat...but let me tell you how good the leftovers are! (Now, just so you know I DO NOT eat second day meat...it tastes disgusting to me. That's how good this is.) So first day are the sandwiches, second day we used it for fajitas with all the fixings, third day we made some quesadillas. It all tasted great and I got 3 different meals out of it! I hope you will try it! (This recipe came from allrecipes.com).

French Dip Sandwiches

1 (4 lb.) boneless beef roast
1/2 c. soy sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
3 whole black peppercorns
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. garlic powder
20 slices French bread (or hoagies)

Remove and discard all visible fat from the roast. Place trimmed roast in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, bouillon, bay leaf, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder. Pour mixture over roast, and add enough water to almost cover roast. Cover and cook on low heat for 10-12 hours, or until meat is very tender. Remove meat from broth, reserving broth. Shred meat with a fork, and distribute on bread for sandwiches (add a slice of Provolone cheese if you want). Used reserved broth for dipping.

Strawberry-Cream Angel Food Cake

I have had this recipe sitting a in pile for years! Glad I finally got to make it! It is from foodnetwork.com and is one of Emeril Lagasse's. Pretty good. I give it a ***1/2 rating. I would probably change the whipped cream on top. It wasn't as sweet as I would have liked. Also, you may want to double the whipped cream if you love the stuff, like myself! But still pretty good.

Strawberry-Cream Angel Food Cake

1 plain angel food cake, baked and cooled
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (12 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 1/2 c. sliced fresh strawberries
1 c. heavy cream
2 TBS powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
Whole strawberries, stems removed, as garnish

Using a serrated cake or bread knife, carefully cut the top 1-inch from the cake. carefully remove and set aside. Using the tip of the knife, cut into the cake along the inner and outer edges, leaving a 1-inch border of cake intact. Using your fingers, carefully hollow out the cake between the two cuts, leaving an empty "tunnel". Tear the removed cake into bite-size pieces and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the condensed milk and beat until thoroughly combined. Stir in lemon juice and 1/2 tsp. almond extract. Gently fold in the cake pieces and strawberries. Spoon the mixture into the tunnel in the center of the hollowed out cake (see following picture), and cover with the reserved cake top. Cover cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve the cake, whip the cream until it begins to form peaks. Add the powered sugar and remaining 1/2 tsp. almond extract. Whip until the cream forms stiff peaks but is not dry. Frost the cake with the whipped cream and decorate with reserved whole strawberries. Refrigerate for up to one hour, or serve immediately.

Hope you enjoy!

More to Come!

I have had a few comments that I haven't posted anything in awhile...well there is a good reason. I was at YW girls camp from Wed morning until Saturday morning. (I had a great time and was so glad that I was able to go. We have some amazing girls in our ward. There were 20 girls that went. I think they all had some good experiences, which is always a plus!) I had to leave a few hours early so that I could get home and take Ben to the airport so he can go have a guys trip with my Dad and my two brothers: Eric and Curt. They all went to Palm Springs, California to go backpacking at the San Jacento Mountain. They are going to be roughing it and doing manly things (probably no showers, no shaving and other gross guy stuff. I can only imagine). I'm just glad he is having fun! The only bad part is he will be gone for a whole week! Ahhh!!!

So far the boys and I have just been playing catch up...doing laundry, putting away camping stuff (not a whole lot considering we were staying in double wides and had AC that was blasting at a wonderful 72 degrees, I was FREEZING!! But we do live in Texas and it was over 100 degrees. I can't complain too bad!) and cleaning the house. In the meantime Noah was up half the night throwing up and with a 103 degree temp. Poor guy. I hate it when he gets sick!

Now, we have been bored which means we have been baking lots. So, I have lots of fun treats to post for you all! Only problem??? Ben has my camera! So, I am going to wait and post the amazing treats and science projects until I get a picture! Just know that I will have stuff coming. In the mean time, I hope everyone has a wonderful week and don't give up on looking at my blog yet!

FHE Reunion

Back in the ole' Lewisville days, before we had children...we had an FHE group where every Monday night we would get together, have a lesson, play a game and of course have yummy treats. It was good times! Then the kids came along and we all know what happens after that! We all just did our own thing. But we still always saw each other. Then we moved to Fort Worth and we haven't been together since! Audrey and Jon were sweet enough to have everyone over for a little reunion. It was great seeing everyone again! Above are all our kiddos (Margaret, Noah, Steven, Hannah and Caden)
The gang: Ben, ME, Kelly and Alma, Jon and Audrey. Picture curtisey of Caden. Did he do good or what??
Hannah and Caden. Good buddies!

Let the Game Begin!!

Caden has started playing T-ball! This is his team, The Bats...It's quite fun watching a bunch of 5-6 year olds playing t-ball...the whole team runs after the same ball, they run in random places instead of 1st, 2nd, 3rd or Home, etc...they are doing much better though! It's kinda neat the way they play, the coach pitches 3 balls to them, if they hit it, great, if not then they bring out the T and they try hitting it from that. No one is ever out and you just run one base at a time.
Here is Caden hitting the ball. He was able to hit it from the Coach, way to go Caden!
Swing batter, batter SWING!

Peanut Butter Popcorn!

I have been in a Peanut Butter mood lately. For some reason I just can't get enough of it! Who can blame me though? Right? Anyway, my friend Gwen emailed me a recipe a long time ago for Peanut Butter Popcorn that she saw on target.com and just had to make it! Well, today my friend Sharla and I made (I later found out she thought that sounded so disgusting, glad to say I proved her wrong!!). This popcorn is very addicting! I made a few changes to the recipe, and it turned out delish! Hope you enjoy!

Peanut Butter Popcorn

2 (3.5 oz.) pkg. microwave popcorn, popped
1/2 c. margarine
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
20 large marshmallows

Pour popcorn into large bowl. In a saucepan, combine margarine, brown sugar, and marshmallows and cook until sugar is dissolved and marshmallows are melted. Stir in the peanut butter until well blended. Pour mixture over the popcorn, and stir quickly to coat the corn before it cools. (This mixture is very gooey, if you like that GREAT, if not I put mine on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven at 200 degrees for 10-20 minutes and stirring every 10 minutes.) After you can add Reeses Pieces, like I did, or peanuts, m&m's, drizzle with chocolate...the possibilities are endless! Hope you like it! At least it has given me a peanut butter fix...for now!