{Friday Favorites} - April 26

1//Date Day: These are my favorite, and we hadn't had one for a while. We went to the grocery store and then to Dominoes. :)

2//There have been 7 puppies wandering around our neighborhood. Claudy wants one. He tried to claim this one... they are still little to be away from mom...but he think he is going to keep it. The name he picked "Black and White" I think it needs a new name!

3//Claudy picked me a flower and took me on a walk! Great afternoon.

4// This week we have a team of teachers from Hershey visiting...looking to partner long term! Yesterday they visited New Horizons.

5//I like to cook and don't typically like to bake, but my husband likes some treats :)

This is BANANA POKE CAKE
* White Cake Mix
* 2 Pkgs, Instant Banana Pudding
* Whipped Topping

Prepare the cake mix as directed. Let cake cool for about 15 minutes. Then poke holes in the cake using the end of a wooden spoon. While cake is cooling, prepare pudding...let sit for about 5 minutes (but don't let it get stiff, it needs to be a little creamer to go through the holes in the cake). Pour pudding over cake and spread evening. Then top with whipped topping!

6//Baby Jeff - Seriously...could he get any cuter?? Please pray for Pastor (Jeff's dad) he fell from a tree a couple of weeks ago and still isn't recovered!

7// Grilled Flat Bread Pizza

* Use Wraps or desired crust of your choice
- Put Olive Oil on Both sides of Wrap. Put on Grill, after the first side is to the Crispness that you desire, flip the crust and add toppings.
* Top with Tomatoes (used a can of rotel)
* Add cheese and fresh Basil

Super good and so quick!


I hope you have a great weekend!!

{Breakfast Bar}

After traveling to Haiti many times in 2 years and then living in Haiti 2 years....I can't eat Granola bars. Seriously, if one had to make there assumptions of what Americans eat, based on seeing them in Haiti for a week, you would be convinced that Americans only eat granola or protein bars....I can't stand them!! (Anymore)

All that to say, I was a little hesitant to try this "awesome" breakfast bar that a visiting team brought with to Haiti. They told me, it was the best bar "granola" bar they had ever tasted it. Hesitantly, I agreed to try them....They were awesome. My husband and I can't stop eating them. I thought I would share the goodness with you! (Remember...this is not my recipe)...

Breakfast bars

1 – 14oz box Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds

1 – 10oz bag large marshmallows

½ stick butter

2 cups honey roasted peanuts

½ cup sunflower kernels

¼ cup canola oil

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 bag cranraisins (original or cherry)

In separate bowl, mix cereal, peanuts, kernels, craisins.

Melt marshmallows and butter in large pot over low heat.  Stir regularly.

Add vanilla and canola oil.  Stir well.

Remove from heat and add the dry ingredients.  Stir well working quickly to combine dry ingredients with marshmallow mixture till consistency of rice krispie treats.

Press into 9x13 pan (well coated with canola oil).  Allow to cool.  When completely cool, cut into bars, wrap in saran wrap or baggie to keep fresh.

Hope you enjoy!!

{Friday Favorites} - November 16

How did it happen that we are already in the middle of November? That next week is Thanksgiving? That in 14 days I will start my traditional 25 Days of Christmas on the Blog! This is crazy! On another note, we are very excited to have my parents visiting us during this Thanksgiving Holiday!!! They come Sunday!!

I have always been honest on my blog, and if I'm honest with you, this week I had "White Person Syndrome." I didn't want to be here, I wanted to be able to go some place by myself, I wanted to shop, I wanted "good" food, I wanted to have the comforts of a house...this is what I refer to as WPS. There was nothing that set it off, not any situations that were more difficult than any other week...good news, I'm over it!

1. Date Day - On Sunday, Claudy took me to our favorite restaurant in town, Pizza Garden. We didn't have pizza, but had a delicious meal and a great time. I even got to where high heels!!

 2. New Horizons: We started this project back in July. We are finally finishing! We repaired New Horizons house from the earthquake damage. Here's a couple pictures of the repair. They actually finished yesterday, but I haven't had an opportunity to go and take pictures of it being totally finished!

 3. Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies - These were the hit of the week! Seriously, I think Claudy had at least 15. :) I will have to say they were delicious! Here is the recipe!!

4. The pictures is bad, but its of the boys playing some bball at a local court. I ran around the soccer field while they played! It was a great night!!

Apparently White girls can't play :)












5. Bible Study - This week at bible study we made masks! We are focusing our study on who we are in Christ and our identity. Please be in prayer for Sara and I, pray that we develop relationships with the girls and speak into their lives!! They are a fun and wild bunch!!

I hope you have a great day and a VERY Happy Thanksgiving!!

{Friday Favorites} - October 26

It is a rainy Friday...well, a rainy week. Hurricane Sandy is past, but we are still getting rain. We are safe. It has rained so much we haven't been able to much checking on people. We are hoping to get out a little bit today and tomorrow and help see if we are needed and what we can do! I'm not sure about our direct area, but I know many in Haiti have lost their homes this week. Please pray for them and those that are in danger if the rains don't stop!

Besides the storm, we had a great week. We are coming off the end of two teams visiting us! We were able to do quite a bit of work, prayer walking, and ministering to those in our circle of influence. 

 1. School is back in session. Last week, we brought our team up to the school! It was so great to be back. In November, we don't have any teams, so I am looking forward to spending a lot of time at the school!

2. Garden - I know many of you read about it on one of my previous posts. However, we have a new garden!! Praying that with all of this rain it isn't drowned! We are so excited about it and the possibilities it brings :)

3. A new running partner: I have a new running partner!! My husband doesn't like me running alone and for my sanity, I need to run at least a couple of days a week. I told him that he needed to run with me, but he had another idea :)

This sounds crazy, but in so many ways Claudy reminds me of my dad! I had to take a picture of this, because it felt like it did 10 years ago, when my dad would wake me early to ride his bike along side of my...to push me and make me a better runner! I'm so thankful for those days! Claudy is a little different, he doesn't yell and ride 5 feet in front of my so that i will run faster...instead he rides 20 feet behind me and the Haitians make fun of me because I have security!!

 4. PUMPKIN!!! Thanks to Donna and the Midland group, we have pumpkin!!! I have been craving fall! Facebook is great for some many things, but it also makes me miss so of the things I love a lot in the States.

I will admit, that I don't always like to bake. I would prefer cooking. However, we have a cook (I know, woe is me), so I have tried some backing. Here are so of the things I have tried below.

 Pumpkin Spiced Lattes:

1. Make Coffee: However you want, a little stronger than normal is better.

2. Make Pumpkin Milk:
1 c. Mil
1/4 c. pumpkin puree
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
sweetener to taste
optional: other warming spices

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well..He on the stove top until almost boiling.

3. Pour 1 c. of coffee and add pumpkin milk to taste (I use about half)
Top with whipped cream!!

 Pumpkin Angel Food Cake: My pictures don't do this justice, Claudy wanted a taste and I didn't have my camera..Also we had no powered sugar to make the frosting, but it was SOOO good!

1 c. Canned Pumpkin
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp ginger (optional)
1 pkg one step angel food cake mix.

Combine first 6 ingredients. Prepare Cake mix per package instructions.

Fold in 1/4 of the batter into the pumpkin mixture. Gently fold in remaining batter. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan. Bake on lowest oven rack at 350 for 38 to 45 min, until golden brown and cake

springs back. Immediately invert pan onto a wire rack; cool completely for 1 hour. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon or frosting!!


I also made banana bars this week :) So good!!

5. Rain Boots: My dad gave these to me for Christmas last year. I am so glad I had them!!! Notice I am wearing pants...I also had on long sleeves.. this weather has been crazy!!

 I hope you all have a great week!!

Day 13 - {25 Days of Christmas} - Cooking & Planting

Some days, I really miss cooking. I love to cook, without a recipe and just through a bunch of things together. Sense moving to Haiti, this has been a little bit more difficult, mainly because we have a house cook, but also because I'm not use to cooking with some the food items here. This week we have two men (Paul and Rob) visiting, who are doing a ton of work to our upstairs. I decided this was a great opportunity to cook lunch and to use some of the great things my parents have brought me. I decided to make Cheesy Chicken Potato Soup.

It's super easy to make..Here's the recipe.

4 c. Water
6 diced potatoes
1/2 package of Velveeta Cheese
4 c. Chicken (I used can, but if you have fresh it is better)
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
Salt and Pepper

Bowl the water and potatoes with salt and pepper.
When potatoes are cooked at the rest of ingredients. Soup is better if you can let it stew for a little while, but be careful not to let it burn.
I like to serve this with Tortilla Chips!!

A couple of weeks ago, when my dad was visiting. He and Marco planted a garden. However, only two things sprouted, the green beans and the zuchinni. Marco has been bothering me to replant for the last week. I finally had time to do it today. We planted more lettuce, green peppers and tomatoes. I'm hoping they grow. :) Any of you gardeners out there have any ideas??

Have a great day!!
                             

{Friday Favorites} - October 14

1. Laura  Is a dear friend of mine here in Haiti. She works at OLTCH an orphanage we partner with. She and I have become close friends...We have already had some very funny moments. I am so thankful for her and that we can walk through this part of our lives together. It is great having someone that understands what you are walking through who is also walking through it at the same time! Laura, thanks for becoming a great friend.

2. Teaching Teachers....One of the main reasons I felt called to Haiti was to start developing and discipling teachers. Up to this point I haven't had much opportunity to do so...school wasn't in session and I have been busy working with groups. This week we had our first session. It went great and totally reaffirmed what I felt God was calling me to do. I went back to the school the next and witnessed on of the teachers using some of the techniques we talked about: Bubble Mapping!

 3. Paper Lanterns: For those of you that have been over to my Florida house for a dinner time meal, you may have noticed one of my favorite decorating accents...Paper Lanterns. Two weeks my stuff out of that house and I could just not let them go into storage...so I brought them to Haiti. They add a nice element to my home here and make it feel a bit softer...My home here is starting to feel homier. I just need to paint my TV stand and get an coffee table...One thing at a time though.

 4. Crafting: Ok, I'm not gonna lie. I have a slight addiction to pinterest.com and this is one of the projects I saw. It didn't come out quite the same (I don't have chicken wire here, so I improvised with twine). Also I have tacky white hooks, but give me a little break, I live in Haiti. Thank you Jacque and Kelsey for providing me with the frames! I really want to add some flowers, so I am going to crochet some small ones, but if you are coming to Haiti, I would love some scrap fabric.

5. Homemade Granola: Thank you to the Mann family, who I stayed with in April, for sharing this recipe. I have made it for my family and they loved it. However, I thought once I got to Haiti I wouldn't be able to make it. After all, what are the odds of finding Graham Crackers and Wheat Flour here. But, I found some yesterday at a store in Petionville! I was elated and made a fresh batch this morning. All that is missing is the chocolate chips (which I found and added after)...For those interested, here is a simple recipe!!

Granola

10 Cups old fashioned oats (Don't use quick oats)
4 Cups wheat flour
2 Cups brown sugar
1 cup coconut
3 cups graham crackers (14 whole crackers)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup maple syrup (I add a little more - I like my granola clumpy)
1 bag chocolate chips.

Mix everything except choc. chips. Bake in oven at 375 degrees until nice and brown, stiffing often (every 15 minutes) for 30 -45 minutes. Put choc. chips in after baking but while still moderately warm, depending one how mixed in you like the chocolate (Not you could also substitute in dried fruit if you want a healthy version, but I love the chocolate).

Use a large turkey roaster or throw away tin pan..If you make a half batch it fits nicely in a 13x9 pan. When it looks golden brown, it is done!


Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!