Food Friday!: Girl Scout Coffee Cake

Food Friday!: Girl Scout Coffee Cake

I was a Girl Scout while in elementary school and we were always presented with projects and opportunities to earn badges for our uniform. One such badge was the cooking/baking badge. In order to earn this badge, our troop leaders designed a bake-off where we were each given the same recipe- "The Great Coffee Cake"-, we were to bake it without any help from our parents (although certainly not without the supervision of our parents) in an unmarked/unlabelled baking dish, and submit it to a panel of judges (3 parents...one of which was my dad), and they chose the top three best preparations after sampling all umpteen cakes. Weathergirl and I were selected as two of the top three winners. We got our skills from our Mama...

After the competition, we had almost two full cakes left to bring home, and Banker Boy loved the cake! So much so, that he asked for us to make it for him each year on his birthday, which we did as often as we could. :) It simply became known as "Girl Scout Coffee Cake" in our family.  My mom still has the original recipe print out that was given to each of us. :) Remember, this recipe is easy enough for a bunch of elementary school age Girl Scouts to make...and not in an easy-bake oven! Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cups oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Directions

Grease a 9 x 13" pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together flour, oil, and sugars. Remove 1 and 1/2 cups of the mixture and set aside. 

To the remaining flour/sugar mixture, add egg, buttermilk, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix together. Batter will be thin.

To the set aside flour/sugar mixture, add cinnamon and nuts. 

 Press half of the crumb flour/sugar/nuts/cinnamon mixture into the bottom of the pan.

Pour batter over the crumbs and sprinkle the remaining half of the crumb mixture on top. 

 

Bake 45 minutes, or until done (tooth pick comes out clean). 

It's A Good Thing I Birthed Him...

...otherwise, I might not think he belonged to me!

A lady at MOPS this week told me that Little T looks just like me. Bless her heart! I told her she must not know my husband. :) 

(Handsome Husband on left, Little T at 2-3 months on right)

To Little T, You had your first little tantrum this week, which took this Mama by surprise! Having never heard anything like it from you before, I was shocked at how you had completely lost it (although, I now know what I may expect in the future...). The even bigger surprise??  It was all because I stopped reading books to you (Thank you, Katie and others, for introducing us to the Sandra Boynton books. To say he loves them is an understatement!) I had read two books twice, you had decided that it wasn't time to move on yet. You're only four months old! May you always keep your love for reading!
To Little Miss L, Despite having gotten together before, I felt like today's play date with Little T was your first official one. We had a blast! I loved spending some extra special time with your mama, and I know that Little T enjoyed playing with some of your toys. Thank you for graciously allowing him to nap in your crib...I'm sure he didn't mind all the pink girly stuff. 
To Banker Boy's Girl, Heard you are in town and Mama Ne' got to spend the day together today. Two words: So. Jealous. Wishing I lived closer so I could have gotten in on the fun, but I'm glad you had a wonderful day!
To Handsome Hubby, After you got home from work this evening, you proceeded to dump your entire untouched dinner on the floor. You glanced at me with this the-straw-the-broke-the-camel's-back face and I immediately felt for you. Don't worry, Sweetheart! It could have been worse! The plate didn't break, the chicken was still edible (makes me question the chicken...), you didn't have to eat any of your veggies, and Long Dog was absolutely eager to help me clean it up. :) So thankful that this rotation ends soon!

To the Fall Front-Door Wreath, I was slightly frightened this morning when I heard light taping on the front door. After some minor investigating, I decided to be brave and open the door...only to find that the cardinals that hang out in our yard are picking you apart! Don't worry! The next house has a storm door that will protect you. :)  T minus 12 days until closing! Thanks Jagbirder Judy and the rest of the crew for collecting boxes!
To Little T, You were such a good boy at your baptism! It was the first of many special occasions in your lifetime and if this one is any indication of the ones to come, I will cry at them all. :) I was so moved, so proud, so humbled, and felt so blessed yesterday. May you never know a day that you do not know the Lord!
To Mama Ne', Popmiester, Weathergirl, Hurricane Hunk, Banker Boy, Granny D, and all those without blog names yet (Uncle Drew, Jackie, Mormor and Morfar), Thank you for coming this weekend and really making the celebration of Little T's baptism a special occasion. I absolutely loved having you all here, even if it was for such a short visit. Handsome Hubby and I are so blessed to have such a loving family and only wished that you lived a little bit closer. The new house is 10 minutes closer to you all...at least we are moving in the right direction! :)
To Handsome Hubby, I'm so grateful that you had the whole weekend off (and even got home early on Friday evening!). I will always cherish the weekends you are home, the Sundays that you are able to attend church with me, and the evenings that you are able to kiss Little T goodnight (and even bathe him and rock him to sleep!). 

With all the aunts and uncles

My family

Handsome Hubby's family

 

4 Months Old!

Little T is four months old!

Weight: 15 lbs 9 oz
Wearing: Officially into size 3 diapers. Since he's in the 75th percentile for both height and weight, I don't think he will be wearing 3-6 month clothes much longer... his toes are already getting all scrunched up in his footy pajamas. :)
Loving:
- Spending time outside, especially with how beautiful the weather has been
- Grabbing things within arms reach (and so it begins...), playing/practicing with his spoons
- Bathtime! He splashes the whole time, making it bathtime for both me and him! I'm teaching him sign language and the two signs he responds to/smiles at are "bath" and "milk". :)
- Reading books (He still "reads" with me)
- The "ABC's". It's become one of those songs that I can sing to him when he's frustrated and it calms him down.
- Laughing and smiling. He's one happy guy!

Poor Bear...

To Little T, Happy 4 months! You're getting so big so fast! You were such a good boy this weekend with all the errands we ran and you absolutely loved being outside "playing" disc golf with your Papa! And you are absolutely adorable in your hat. Outside is much more enjoyable when you don't have to spend all your time squinting your eyes to keep the very bright sun out. :)
To Handsome Hubby, You were post-call Friday, but since the hospital was full and not accepting any new patients, you didn't have to recover much when you got home. I'm sure you non-medical readers are wondering what that means... It means that you essentially had all Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off! What a wonderfully beautiful, exciting long weekend! What a treat!!
To the Incredible Long Weekend, At this stage in the home-buying process, we should be spending every moment of Little T's nap time packing. But, it was such a privilege having Handsome Hubby home, that what did we do? Be broke out Settlers of Catan and had our own little family tournament and went disc golfing! The house will eventually get packed up...
To the Catan Tournament, Two days. Eight games. Two sore losers (well, not too sore...there were two winners too). Ultimately, an even two-day tournament tie. Thanks for letting us have a little impromptu fun!

Food Friday!: Mama's Green Sauce Chicken Enchiladas

Food Friday!: Mama's Green Sauce Chicken Enchiladas

Several years ago, around the lunch table at work, an interesting question was presented to me (thanks Jagbirder Judy!): If I were on a deserted island and I could eat any meal of my choice for every meal while stuck on that island, what would it be? My answer?? My mama's Green Sauce Chicken Enchiladas. To say I love this recipe is an understatement. It has become my "go to" recipe for when I take meals to families and I was even introduced to some new people at church by a friend who had received one of my meals as the person "who makes the best enchiladas!" (Thanks Amy!). I was even so bold as to take a Mexican friend my enchiladas after she had her baby. Boy, was I glad that you enjoyed them Mexico Morris! I couldn't believe it when you asked me for the recipe! :) Alas, your baby girl is now over a year old, and I have just now finally gotten around to posting it as a Food Friday post.

Chicken not pictured :)

 Ingredients

1 cooked chicken, shredded
2 cans green enchilada sauce
8-10 flour tortillas
3/4 cup Mexican cheese, shredded (plus a little to garnish top)
1 can diced green chiles
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Oil (for frying tortillas)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour half a can of sauce in the bottom of a lightly greased 9 x 13" pan.

Add the other half of a can of sauce to the shredded chicken (roughly 4 cups), the 3/4 cup of shredded cheese, the finely chopped onion, and 1/2-3/4 of the can of diced green chiles (I use roughly 1/2, but you can add more if you would like a spicier enchilada). Mix well.     

In a frying pan, add enough oil to generously cover the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat. Lay each tortilla in the hot oil and quickly cook for approximately 5 seconds on each side. Place on paper towel covered plate to cool and to allow extra oil to drain.



Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas, roll, and lay into the green-sauced covered pan. Generally, I make 8 tortillas per 9 x 13" pan, although you can make more or less depending on how well you stuff the tortillas with the chicken mixture.

 

Ok, in this case, I had a little extra shredded chicken, so I actually made 2 pans of 5 enchiladas. One we ate, one is in the freezer.

Once the pan is full, pour the second can of green sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Cook for about 20 minutes, then remove from oven, and top with extra shredded Mexican cheese. Put back in oven until the cheese melts (about 6-8 minutes). Enjoy!!


Serving Suggestion: Spanish or Saffron Rice, Black Beans, and Salad (not pictured)


This makes one pan of enchiladas. Almost every time I make this meal, I double it, making one pan for another family (or my freezer to use later) and one pan for us to eat that night. They freeze really well, but I would recommend freezing it before cooking, and before adding the can of green sauce over the top. I instead keep that can in my pantry, ready to use whenever we eat the freezer meal, and I label it with "for pan in freezer" with a Sharpie so I remember that can is spoken for. I'm sure that some of my scientist tendencies will stay with me forever... :)

To Little T, One year ago this week we found out we were expecting you, on our church's day of prayer! The Lord blessed us with much when He sent us you and our life completely changed after that day! Thank you, Father, for blessing us with this beautiful child!
To the House Hunt, You are complete! Thank you to Mrs. Realtor for all your help! We are excited about this next transition this next month (What a year! A baby and a new house!) and slightly overwhelmed all at the same time. I will miss the home that we've had for the last 3 years. Now all I'm wondering is where will I get all the packing boxes?! The last move was all Fisher Scientific and Sigma boxes. :)
To the last three weeks, Where have you gone? Time flies when you are having fun! Now that the summer is over (hasn't the weather been beautiful?), our Bible studies have started up and I'm so looking forward to spending some wonderful time with our married group and my new moms Bible studies. We also ramped up, and then completed the house hunt, and started the process of all things paperwork and packing before closing next month. Handsome Hubby started a new rotation; we found new renters for our current dwelling; I broke a window (I blame the nice weather...); we've had three total visits from Little T's grandparents; and I feel like I'm still missing something...
To Handsome Hubby, It's going to be an interesting month ahead. Glad that I'm in this with you! I wouldn't have picked a better partner to make these big decisions with. Eeek! I feel like a real grown up. Nothing like having a mortgage to make you feel like an adult...Let's start packing!

Happy Labor Day!

To the Nursery Rocking Chair, While rocking Little T to sleep, I somehow get myself turned 180 degrees... and I always end up in the middle of the room. I wonder, if I rock long enough, could I end up turned 360 degrees and in the opposite corner of the room?
To Granny D, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Wishing you a wonderful, beautiful, amazing day. Wish we were there to celebrate with you! We love you, Son, D-I-L, Long Dog, and Little T!
To Long Dog, The other evening, I went to check on Little T after I heard him moving around in his crib. Lo and behold! You beat me to it! I found the nursery door open, and you sitting quickly next to his crib, listening. Thank you for being a good watchdog. I'll always know if something is up, since you supervise everything from bath time to pajama time and rush to his side at every little cough, sneeze, squeak, squeal, and bowel movement. Yes, I said bowel movement. Apparently Long Dog assumes something is very wrong when those sounds are made. :)
To the Neighbors Down the Street, I must admit that I was quite embarrassed as you walked by my house the other day. I'm sure you thought I was crazy when you saw me standing on my porch, leashed dog beside me, after dark, throwing sticks at the house just above my front door. I'll have you know that my husband (i.e. bug killer) wasn't home yet and there was a giant (I'm not kidding...) Palmetto bug just waiting to leap at me when I made my way inside. There is a method to my madness.
To the Yellow Jackets, Happy first game of the season! Go Georgia Tech! P.S. How did I become friends with so many Georgia fans??
To Handsome Hubby, It's Labor Day! Here's to landing a rotation at the VA hospital on a federal holiday. Surely they will send you home early! Sending happy home-early wishes your way! :)

Food Friday!: Chicken Taco Bowls

Food Friday!: Chicken Taco Bowls

So, I'm still pretty new to Pinterest. I have just started to use it as a resource for cooking, decor, and organization tips and I was pleasantly surprised when I found this recipe..and a crock pot one at that! Honestly, I have had some pretty bad experiences with dry, over-cooked, flavorless crock-pot meals. So much so, that I until recently, my crock pot spent much of the time under a layer of dust on a random shelf in my kitchen. Thanks to this recipe, though, I have pulled it out and really used it as a valuable appliance (for everything from making dinner to stocking up on shredded cooked chicken to cook with down the road)!  

This recipe is incredibly flavorful, and although it is easy to set up with only a handful of ingredients, it takes like I spent much more time making it. Try it! I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

Chicken Breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
1 16oz jar of salsa
1 1/2 lb bag of frozen corn
1 15 oz can of black beans
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
2 cups dry white rice
Shredded cheddar cheese to garnish
Fresh Cilantro to garnish

Directions

In a crock pot, place the chicken breasts. Mix together all ingredients except the rice and the cheese and cilantro (to be used as garnishes) and 1/4 cup of water and pour over chicken, making sure the chicken is completely covered.


Place lid on crock pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (although my crock pot cooks hot, even on the low setting, and my chicken was cooked through after only 4 hours). I would recommend checking your chicken after 4 hours.

Prepare white rice according to package. Once chicken is done, shred with fork and mix. Assemble "taco bowl" by layering rice, then adding the chicken mixture, and adding cheese and fresh cilantro on top. Enjoy!