Happy Valentine's Day; From Our Love Bug

I wanted to post our Love Bug's 2011 Valentine before it's too late!

We hope you had a Happy Valentine's Day!

We're taking a rain-check on Hannah's Valentine's Day festivities since she and I have been so sick. Daddy is staying home for the next few days to take care of us so after our doctor appointments yesterday, we still managed to watch movies, read books, take LOOONG naps, and snuggle... not too bad, all things considered. (Now, I'm just praying that Joey doesn't get this... though I don't see how he won't :-( )

We're praying hard that next Valentine's Day, we'll have a bigger family of 'Love Bugs' to love on :-)

* More recipes are coming... make sure you let us know when you try a new one and it's not too late to send one in if you haven't yet!

Freezable Recipes: Mom & Dad's White Chicken Chili

Mom and Dad's White Chicken Chili

* 8 Chicken breast halves (boneless, skinless), cooked & chopped

(Daddy said he used 4 cans of cubed chicken and loved how it turned out)

* 4 cans (15 oz) Great Northern Beans

* 2 medium onions, finely chopped

* 6 cloves minced garlic

* 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

* 9 oz. chopped green chili's

* 2 tsp. cumin

* 1 tsp. oregano

* 1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper

* 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

* 3 cups chicken broth

* 3 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese

~ Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender

~ Stir in green chili's and remaining spices

~ Add chicken, beans, and broth

~ Simmer 30 minutes

~ Turn off heat, stir in cheese

~ Serve topped with a bit of shredded cheese and/ or a dollop of sour cream

~ Freezes well!

** Thanks Mom & Dad!!

I've started posting some of the amazing recipe's everyone has sent over the past week so make sure you scroll down so you don't miss any!

Hannah and I both have Pneumonia so I'm not promising to get all of the recipes posted today... keep checking back!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

* I hope your day is MUCH better than our's has been, so far ;-)

Freezable Recipes: Megan's Chicken Tetrazzini

Megan's Chicken Tetrazzini 

* 1 (16 oz) package vermicelli (or spagehetti noodles of any kind)
* 1/2 cup chicken broth
* 4 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts
* 1 can cream of mushroom soup
* 1 can cream of celery soup
* 1 can cream of chicken soup
* 1 (8oz) container of sour cream
* 1 (6oz) jar of sliced mushrooms, drained
* 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon pepper
* 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

~ Cook the noodles according to the pkg. drain and return to pot, toss with chicken broth.
~ Stir together chicken and next 8 ingredients, add the noodles and toss well.

 ~ Spoon mixture into 2 11x7 baking dishes, sprinkle with cheese.
~ Bake at 350 for 30 min.

** Thanks Megan!!

Freezable Recipes: Sara's Pepperoni Casserole

Sara's Pepperoni Casserole

* 1 box of rigatoni
* 1 jar of sauce
* 1 bag of mozzarella cheese
* Pepperoni

~ Cook rigatoni
~ Layer in casserole dish pasta,sauce, pepperoni and then cheese.
~ Bake 30 minutes uncovered.

** Thanks Sara!!

Freezable Recipes: Ashley's Pasta e Fagioli

Ashley's Pasta e Fagioli

* 2 tbsp. butter, divided
* 1 (20 oz.) package sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1/2 large (or 1 medium) onion, finely chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 4 carrots, thinly sliced
* 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
* 2 cans of black beans
* 48-64 oz. reduced-sodium beef broth (depending on how much liquid you would like)
* 1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
* 2 tsp. dried parsley
* 1/2 tsp. dried basil
* 1 tsp. salt
* 4 oz. small dry pasta (such as ditalini)

~Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a Dutch oven or large stockpot over medium-high heat. 

~ Add the sausage to the pot and brown, crumbling as it cooks. 

~ Once the sausage is browned, remove it from the pot with a slotted spoon and discard any excess grease.

~ Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the pot. 

~ Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery, and saute over medium heat until vegetables are soft, 8-10 minutes. 

~ Return the sausage to the pot, add the can of diced tomatoes with juices, stir briefly, and simmer for 10 minutes.

~ Add the beans, beef broth and tomato sauce to the pot. 

~ Add in all of the seasonings, stir well, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. 

~ Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer at least 30 minutes.

~ Add the dry pasta and continue to simmer on low for another 35-45 minutes. 

~ Freeze or serve :-)

** Thanks Ashley!!

Freezable Recipes: Megan's BBQ Sandwiches

Megan's BBQ Sandwiches

* Large boston pork butt

* 1 cup of Coke

* 1 cup of BBQ sauce

~ Place the pork butt in the crock pot for about 4 hours on high

~ Remove pork and shred into pieces

~ Remove all juice from the crock pot and place shredded meat back in

~ Pour Coke and BBQ sauce over the shredded pork

(You can also double the Coke and BBQ sauce for a larger pork butt)

~ Remove and serve on hamburger buns

~ Freeze or eat... hamburger buns freeze well, too!

** Thanks Megan!!

Freezable Recipes: Megan's Chicken Pan Pie

Megan's Chicken Pan Pie

* 3-4 chicken breasts

* 1 can cream of chicken soup

* 1 bag of frozen mix vegetables

* 1 cup milk

* 1 box of stovetop stuffing mix.

* Optional: shredded cheese

~ Cook the chicken breasts in the crock pot for 3 hours on high

~ Shred with a fork after 2 hours

~ While chicken is cooking, cook the vegetables according to package directions

~ In a large bowl, combine chicken, vegetables, cream of chicken soup, and milk (and salt and pepper to taste.)

~ Spray the bottom of the 2 pans/dishes and pour half of the mixture in each (you will freeze one)

(Optional: Cover both dishes with shredded cheese)

~  Make the Stovetop mix according to package directions and cover each dish lightly with the stuffing

~ Bake one of the dishes on 350 for 30 minutes and freeze the other

**Thanks Megan!!

Freezable Recipes: Jessie's Homemade Tomato Sauce

Jessie's Homemade Tomato Sauce

* Sausage, ground beef, or chicken slices

* 29 ounce can of Hunt's tomato sauce

* 2- 6 oz. cans of Hunt's tomato paste

* 6 oz. can of water

* 1 onion

* 1tsp. garlic

* 1 bay leaf

~ Brown/ cook sausage, beef, or chicken with onion and garlic

~ Add paste, sauce, water and bay leaf.

~ Simmer on low for a couple hours (sounds like a great sauce for the crock pot!)

~ Double the recipe and freeze leftovers to use on pasta dishes or remove the meat and use it in yummy sandwiches!

** Thanks Jessie!!

The Storm...

I started this blog because I crave honesty. I crave trust. I craved it during our first wait... and I crave it now, during our second.

In turn, I crave faith;
"TRUE faith is trusting Him BEFORE the blessings come."

I will be honest:
Tonight, I'm sad. That's all there is to it. BUT... every time I'm sad, God speaks to me. In some disgusting way, it makes me want to be sad more often....

I also crave to hear Him speak to me.

So today, I heard a song that spoke to me. And I like to believe that it was a song that Jesus was giving to me. Like a gift. So I'm sharing part of it with you....

God in my living
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping

Be my everything

God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting

God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing
.....

Be my everything
Be my everything...

You are everything

~ I'm sad tonight. And that's okay. God's speaking.... and I'm waiting... and I'm weeping... but God's still speaking. My job is to listen... that's another song, entirely.

As much as I try to hide it, Hannah just knows when Mommy's sad. Every time I'm sad she says, "Daddy, hold Mommy's hand please...." and it makes everything better.

I'm abundantly blessed.

~ Heavenly Father, be my everything.... and please keep speaking. Our family isn't done... and neither are You.

** It's quiet... crank it... you'll love it!