Ham and Potato Casserole

I kind of just made this recipe up after seeing something similar on a website! Wasn't quite sure how it was going to turn out or taste, but it was really good! Here is what you need:





*Sour cream, small brick of Velveeta, cubed ham, 4 green onions. Oh, and potatoes...they didn't make it into the pic but you know what they look like, right?


*Preheat oven to 350


*Boil about 8 medium sized red potatoes for about 12 minutes. They don't have to be all the way soft because they will finish cooking in the oven.


*Once they have boiled, run them under cold water so you can handle them.


*Slice them into 1/4 inch slices and line a 9x13 pan with the slices. (You can leave the skin on or take it off...your preference!)


* Sprinkle on the diced ham and green onion


* Spread the sour cream over the whole thing


*Top with the cubes of Velveeta


*Bake in over for about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.


*For the last 5 minutes, I put on a little shredded cheese and put it on the top shelf n the oven just to make it pretty :)


It was SO yummy! Kind of like a mix between loaded baked potatoes and some kind of breakfast casserole! I will definitely be making this one again!

My Momma's Beef Stroganoff

Oh man, if this is not my favorite meal EVER! My mom makes the BEST beef stroganoff. Anytime I get to put in a request to her for a meal, this is what I ask for. Mom's always tastes better, but mine is pretty good, too. There is really no written down recipe so here is my version of it:

*In a large skillet get a little bit of oil going on medium heat

*Cut up a pound of sirloin steak into bite size pieces

*Dredge in a little flour that has been seasoned with salt and pepper

*Put in pan and cook until nice and brown

*While the steak is cooking, get a big pot of water boiling

*Add 1 package of egg noodles to your water

*Drain your noodle when they are done and set aside

*Once your steak is brown add in 1 large container of sour cream and 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup.

*Mix all together in skillet and heat through until hot

(Mmmm...I could just eat this sauce with a spoon!)

*When your sauce is heated through serve it over the top of the egg noodles

I could seriously make myself sick eating this! It is so easy and so good!!

Spilt Milk: Devotions for Moms

Title: Spilt Milk: Devotions for Moms
Author: Linda Vujnov
Published: 2009

As a busy mom with 5 kids and 1 husband I find myself putting a couple things last in my life. One of those is myself (unfortunately) and the other one is my relationship with God (extra, super duper unfortunately). This book has helped me to put a little focus on both of those things every day. This book is made up of short, little 3 or 4 page anecdotes that will speak to you as a mom, wife, and woman. At the end of each devotion is a short Bible verse that pertains to not only the previous story but is also something that you can take with you into your daily life. I have found myself reading those verses at the end of each devotion and thinking, "This is SO what I needed to read today!" This book has made me laugh out loud, cry, and appreciate my role in life a lot more. In just a few minutes a day you can recharge and refocus. This is a must read for all moms!

New Work Bag

I finally had a bit of a quiet afternoon. The weather was nice and the boys were out playing on the deck while Elliot took a nap. I was hoping to find enough material in my scraps to make a new bag for work. Nothing fancy just something to keep my calipers, my Kindle, my i Pod, and a few magazines in. I found this material and this matching ribbon:

I just cut out a simple rectangle bag with some long straps and sewed some of the ribbon running vertically down the sides. Viola'! A new, cute work bag!

Old Fashioned Yellow Cake with 1958 Vintage Chocolate Frosting

Yesterday was my baby girl's first birthday and I wanted to make her a cake from scratch. We usually do box cakes and pre-made frosting which are super easy and super yummy but I wanted to do something different! This cake is so good. The frosting is so easy and so pretty. Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Yellow Cake

*Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan (or 2 8inch round pans).

*Sift together 3 cups of flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside.

*Cream 2 sticks of unsalted butter on low speed. Increase to medium speed and beat until light in color and fluffy.

*Gradually beat in 2 cups of sugar. Beat for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add in 1 1/2tsp vanilla.

*Drizzle in 4 slightly beaten eggs scraping down the side of the bowl often. Beat until the batter no longer looks "slick".

*Set mixer to low and alternate adding the sifted flour mixture and 1 cup of milk. Be sure to start and end with the flour mixture.

*Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake for about 40 minutes. Let cool.

1958 Vintage Chocolate Frosting

*Combine 1 package of chocolate pudding (not instant), 1 cup of sugar, and 1/2 cup evaporated milk in a medium sauce pan.

*Bring to a full boil, stirring often.

*Reduce heat to medium and continue to stir and cook for 3 minutes. Then remove from heat.

*Add 1 tbsp of butter to the pan. DO NOT STIR! Let sit for 10 minutes.

*Stir until frosting becomes thick.

*Add 2 tbsp of evaporated milk and stir until smooth.

*Spread on cake!

Here is the finished product! It was so good! Perfect for my birthday girl (and the rest of us).

Dead Until Dark

Title: Dead Until Dark (Book 1 in the Southern Vampire Mysteries series)
Author: Charlaine Harris
Published: 2001

Jason and I are HUGE fans of the show True Blood on HBO, we both love a good vampire story! So, when I found out that the show was based on a series of books I knew I had to read them. This book introduces us to our 2 main characters: Bill Compton and Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie is a charming Southern girl who is as strong as she is feminine. Sookie can read people's thoughts and she sees this as more of a curse than a blessing. She works as a waitress at the local restaurant owned by Sam Merlotte who may have a few secrets of his own. We meet Bill when he comes into the restaurant one night and Sookie ends up saving his life. Bill is a charming and attractive vampire from the Civil War era. Before long they start up a relationship that confuses as much as it intrigues the town on Bon Tempes. The main action in the book revolves around a series of murders that shock this small, Southern town. One thing that connects all of the murdered women is that they are all "fangbangers". This means they are humans who like to be bitten, amongst other things, by vampires. Sookie's brother, Jason, has a connection to all of these women. Is he to blame? Or is he being set up? Can Bill and Sookie's relationship survive the scrutiny it receives? I tore through this book very quickly. The writing is smooth and the story is fast paced. The resolution to the murders is very satisfying. If you enjoy vampires, murder, and a good love story then you will not be disappointed!

Crazy idea?

So, I had this CRAZY idea to try and start a blog about all the things I enjoy! I laid in bed last night and started going over the things that I like. I feel like so much of my time is wrapped up in being a wife and a mom that it is hard to remember that underneath that I am a person who has my own interests. The three things I enjoy doing the most in my spare time are sewing, cooking/baking, and reading. Not quite sure how this is all going to work but it is going to be a mishmash of my sewing projects, things I have cooked/baked, and book reviews of the books I am reading. Let's see where this goes.....