At home with Debbie

*** I will have a few cookbooks that I can hand-deliver if you live in the Crosby area.  They're $15.  Just shoot me an email if you're interested in one.

This is a special at home Friday.  I was so excited when Debbie accepted my invitation to contribute a recipe.  I want to be like Debbie when I grow up.  Debbie is calm.  Debbie is cool.  Debbie loves life.  Debbie, Debbie, Debbie. 

No, I'm not being written into her will.  Debbie just is....special.

Debbie's husband passed away a few years ago after a long, hard battle against breast cancer. 

Cancer.

Have you been affected by cancer in some way?

It's hard to believe that in 2009, we're still searching for answers.  After Victor's passing, Debbie, friends, and family chose to take action and educate the public about male breast cancer.  They compiled recipes from Crosby's best home-cooks and published a hometown cookbook like none other.  It's like Sandra Lee meets Bobby Flay with a dash of Paula Deen.  The proceeds of this cookbook were used to make and distribute the brochures you see in the picture.

If you already own this, pin a rose on your nose.  If you don't have it and want it, she has one more box of these available for sale.  Email me for her contact info. 

My friend slash relative, Christy, stuffs these into an oven mitt with a bbq pit utensil and ties it all up with some raffia for a great man-gift. 

It's a two-fer Friday.  You're getting two recipes from the Real Men Burn Meat Cookbook.

On with the show.

Lentil Soup

Love this!!!! Quick, easy, nutritious, and minimal ingredients.

3 cans of Progresso lentil soup
1 can of chopped tomatoes (with basil and oregano)
1 lb. of Italian sausage (can substitute with regular sausage or ground beef)
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper.

Start by browning the Italian Sausage and draining it.

 If you've been a really good friend, maybe your friend will be really good to you and come over to help do the cookin'.

To the cooked meat add the cans of Progresso Soup, the Tomatoes, the cayenne pepper and heat through.

All done!  Garnish with your favorite cheese.

Next:  Turtle Cake

1 box German Chocolate Cake mix
1 pkg (14 oz.) caramels
3/4 stick of margarine/butter
small can of evaporated milk
chopped pecans
chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  And start out by preparing the cake mix as directed on the box.  This is where Friend Lisa comes in handy.

Spray a 9x13 pan and pour half of the cake mix in it.  Spread it out evenly and bake for 15 minutes.

Friend Lisa is also a good listener.  Don't you want a Friend Lisa in your life?  Everyone needs a Friend Lisa.

Exhibit A:

Next, have your good friend unwrap your caramels and combine them with the butter and evaporated milk in a saucepan.  Melt slowly.

 

Be merry while you're cooking.

I hope you remembered to pull out the cake! 

Pour the caramel on top of the bottom layer of the cake. 

Top with the remaining cake batter, chips, and nuts.

Bake an additional 25 minutes and you're done!

This cake is amazing! It ranks in my top 3.  I have a thing for caramel.

Thank you Debbie and Lisa for a great afternoon.  I had so much fun.

Our Mimi

Our Mimi is about to set up shop over on Etsy selling her wonderfully creative artwork.  I quickly offered to take some pictures for her because you never know when I might hand her a blank and rather large canvas for her to sprinkle her fairy dust over.

She's got lots of cute things, but these two items are my favorites. 

First, she makes these custom stools for children that are made in Papa's own wood shop and painted to suit you by Mimi.  They're very sturdy and we use them for everything around the house - teeth brushing, hand washing, shelf grabbing etc. etc.

I think they're a steal for $40.  If you've been to some of the local boutique shops you know you can hardly purchase an outfit for that price.  So, why not buy the shower gift that will surely make the others in the room "ooooooooo" and "aaaaahhhh".  You know what I'm talking about. 

Here are a couple of stools that she's painted.

 

This one belongs to my Nat Nat.  Oh, I should mention they're the perfect size for children to sit on and watch tv or color on the coffee table.  Or at the coffee table.

She made this foot stool for me.

And her tooth fairy boxes are too flippin' cute.

Shoot her an email if you ever need an extra special "ooo aahh" gift. vkacres@earthlink.net

My cup runneth over.

I debated whether or not to post this (turn on your speakers by the way).  It's my kid and I know you don't have the vested interest that I do.  But, I promised a post a day so I decided to go ahead and share this very personal slideshow of Natalie's first year.  I know each picture is just a snippet of her life, but each image provokes a deluge of emotions for me.

Those of you that are parents know that words cannot adequately convey the love a parent feels for his/her child.  I think of this and I think of the love that my Heavenly Father feels for me.  I am humbled to be loved so perfectly.

My cup runneth over.

http://www.viddler.com/player/9c829f41/

A long overdue "fab finds" post

So, I consider it a part of my job to stay current on the world wide web.  I'm always surfing the net and searching for ideas and inspiration.  There are so many cool people with cool talents and style that I envy.  I thought I'd post some of my web finds.  My clients are also good about sending me links that might peak my interest and for that I'm thankful.  My husband?  Not so thankful. 

1.  Nounces Shop

 

A client directed me to this etsy shop around the holidays.  What I love about this shop is that she sells you the digital negative to your custom card and you're free to print where your little heart desires.  She has beautiful designs.

2.  Bakerella

These oreo truffles really don't need any kind of explanation.  Just click the link for an explanation of how to get them in your mouth.  Cute blog, too!

3.  Snippet and Ink

 

This site makes me want to go into the wedding business in a bad way.  Not even as a photographer.  Oh how I would love to design, coordinate, and execute a wedding where I'm given creative control.  It's too bad I have zero credentials for this.  I'll just dream.  Go dream, too.

4.  The Nesting Place

I don't think I've mentioned this much on the blog, but I love, no I luuuuuurve, to decorate.  If money were no object I'd live at places like Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs.  Roberta sent me this blog the other night and I was up for too long browsing, devouring, and fantasizing over decor.

That's all for today, Folks.  Have fun browsing.

Nerves? What nerves?

Let me be the first to tell you that en route to photo shoots I've got a nervous tummy, butterflies are all a'twitter, and I try to remember to pray in earnest that I might feel inspired, that I might capture "the" moments, etc. etc. etc.  I'll also tell you that when it's someone that I don't know at all, I am doubly nervous.  AND if they commuted a good ways to get to me then I am just grand-slam nervous.

 I was grand-slam nervous for this shoot.  I was grand-slam nervous for no reason at all.

These folks were salt-of-the-earth-sweet and in the first five minutes I was back to my confident self.

This place is the place for boots and I'm diggin' this next shot:

These boys were so sweet and shockingly cooperative despite the railroad track, the loose rocks, and the ledges to climb.  Aren't they stinkin cute?

The lovebirds again:

Thanks for coming out, guys!  Next time we'll shoot in your neck of the woods.