Gazpacho Salad

Gazpacho Salad

Ingredients:
3 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded
1 red onion
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded
1 red bell pepper, seeded
1 cucumber
2 (6-ounce) packages baby spinach
Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Creole mustard
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup olive oil
Pinch red chili flakes
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Directions:
Dice tomatoes, red onion, peppers, and cucumber. Add to a medium bowl and mix together.

Alternate a layer of vegetables and spinach into a larger bowl. Drizzle with Red Wine Vinaigrette.

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
In a medium bowl, add red wine vinegar, Creole mustard and honey. Whisk together. Slowly whisk in olive oil, to allow mixture to emulsify. Stir in a pinch of chili flakes and salt and pepper, to taste.

Psalms 90:12

If a computer could track our words and actions, what would a snapshot of yesterday reveal? Over the weeks and months, what patterns would emerge? And what theme would dominate the final mosaic of our lives?

When all the pictures of our life are laid on the table, they will reveal our recurring words and actions. What story will they tell? It’s worth considering as we make our choices each day.

It’s not how long you live that counts, but how you live.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psalm 90:12

What Crisis?

Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs

Kabobs are the perfect summer meal! Chicken and fresh veggies all beautifully stacked on a skewer and grilled until caramelized. So pretty, full of color and flavor and quick to make. The possibilities are endless.  

Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Soy sauce
1¾ cup pineapple juice, divided
4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup mushrooms, halved
1 red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 cup diced pineapple
1 green bell pepper
1 purple onion

Directions:
Mix together soy sauce and pineapple juice and set aside. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. In a large zipper bag pour in chicken with marinade. Marinate 30 minutes. Preheat grill to medium high. Thread chicken and vegetables onto skewers. Grill 12-16 minutes or until cooked through.

Glowing Fireflies

Remember when you were a kid how magical it was when the summer 

sun finally set at the end of 

the day and the fireflies came out and you never wanted to come inside.  

Recreate those moments with these adorable fireflies.

Glowing Fireflies

Materials:
Plastic Eggs
Pipe Cleaners
Permanent Markers
Flameless LED Lights
Silver Duct Tape

Instructions:
Poke holes through the egg with a thumbtack to insert the pipe cleaners. 

Draw on eyes. Make wings with silver duct tape. Pop in a flameless LED light.  

Quick, easy, and totally cute.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Blend the sweet and juicy flavors of strawberries with a little bit of sugar, spice and old-fashioned oats for a scrumptious dessert.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients:

3 cups sliced strawberries

3 cups sliced rhubarb

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp grated orange peel

1 cup dry yellow cake mix

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes

Whipped cream, optional

Directions:

In the bottom of your slow cooker, toss together the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar and orange peel.

In a medium bowl, stir together the cake, oats, and cinnamon.

Cut in butter with pastry blender, or two knives, until mixture is size of small peas.

Pour on top of strawberries and rhubarb in your slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until fruit is bubbling and the oats are crisp and lightly golden brown.

Serve immediately and enjoy.

Shower Curtain Pool

Maple-Glazed Chicken Wings

These wings have been a hit with family and friends. 

They're very versatile, use them for TV snacks, hors d'oeuvres for parties or showers, or appetizers. 

You can double or triple the recipe and make the wings a main dish.

Maple-Glazed Chicken Wings

Ingredients:
2 to 3 pounds whole chicken wings
1 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsps Dijon mustard
2 tsps Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Cut chicken wings into three sections; discard wing tip section. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine remaining ingredients. Set aside 1 cup for basting and refrigerate. Add chicken to remaining marinade. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 4 hours, turning occasionally.
Drain and discard marinade. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, lightly coat the grill rack. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 12-16 minutes, turning occasionally. Brush with reserved marinade. Grill or broil, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until juices run clear, basting and turning several times.

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John 12:43

We are all subject to social pressures. If we are true to ourselves and to God, we’ll be able to withstand the strong pull of the crowd. But if we become crowd pleasers, we’ll be in far worse shape. Yielding to God's Spirit within prevents conforming to the world without.

For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
-John 12:43

Lemon Candy Cocktail

BBQ Sauce

Jenga Wedding Guest Book

Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Desert

Cupcake Liner Butterfly Clips

Cupcake Liner Butterfly Clips

Butterflies are everywhere and these special butterflies make beautiful indoor decorations.

Materials:
Cupcake Liners
Glitter
Craft Glue
Scissors
Ink Pads/Sponge
Clothespins
Twine
Decorations
*Imagination*

Instructions:
For large butterflies I used 4 jumbo sized liners, folded them in half,  folded them in half again and
then glue them together at the corners and glue the pairs overlapping.

Add shape to the wings by cutting around the edges.

Add color by sponging some ink at the outer edges.

Paint the clothespins with soft acrylic colors and sprinkle them with glitter.

A snip of natural twine works well for antennae. Add some drops of glue to the ends and dip them in glitter.

The painted clothespins, twine antennae, are used to create the body.

Be sure and glue the antennae onto the top of the clothespin. If you glue it on the back then you can’t see them when you clip them onto something.

Glue the clothespin in the center of the wings with craft glue.

Then you can add ribbon or more glitter or any decorations you wish.

Oven-Fried Summer Squash

This dish is super easy and super good. 

The crunchy outside and will satisfy your desire for crunchy, fried food.  

 

Oven-Fried Summer Squash

Ingredients:
16 oz. zucchini or yellow squash
2 oz. pork rinds, plain, finely crushed
1/3 tsp. Cajun Seasoning Blend
6 Tbs Mayonnaise

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 450º.  Crush rinds and add spice blend on a paper plate or saucer and mix well.  Dip out mayo onto another paper plate or saucer.  Cut stems and bottom tip off squash and cut into ¼” slices lengthwise.  Lay the squash slices on paper towels to blot off all water. When they are no longer leaking their water, holding the very tip of each piece with one  hand, with a basting brush in your other hand, baste both sides of the squash slices with a coating of mayo.  Set brush down and  with your now free hand, sprinkle rinds on both sides of the squash and then place on a non-stick sheet pan.  Repeat for each piece.  Sprinkle it onto each side, letting the excess fall back into the plate and you should have enough for the entire batch.  Place each coated piece of squash on a lightly oiled metal pan. Pop into a 450º oven for 20 minutes or until nice and brown.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Sometimes we sit at our desk and think no one sees our work. Or we stand at a line assembling item after endless item. We live the best Christian life we can—without anyone noticing.

Often our work is “behind the building.” But if that is what God has called us to do, we need to work with all our heart. As part of our calling to love others deeply, offer hospitality, and use our gifts to serve others, our task is to work with God’s strength to bring praise and glory to God, not ourselves. The important thing is that God likes what He sees.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
-1 Corinthians 15:58

Funky Cold Medina

Honey Mustard Chicken & Bacon Skewers

Winner winner, chicken dinner. Plus Bacon. 

Honey Mustard Chicken & Bacon Skewers

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cut into 3 strips
8 slices Bacon
1 tsp cajun seasoning
4 tbsp honey dijon mustard
Juice of ½ lemon
Crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp paprika
½ cup shredded cheddar
2 green onions, chopped
Skewers

Directions:
In a gallon storage bag, add the cajun seasoning, honey, dijon mustard, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and paprika. Seal and shake to mix everything up.
Add chicken to the bag. Seal the bag while letting the air out. Mix the chicken around with the marinade until chicken is coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
When ready to grill, lay a chicken strip onto a piece of bacon. Thread them together onto skewer alternating back and forth. Do the same with one more chicken strip and one more piece of bacon on the same skewer. Repeat this process with the other two skewers.
Grill over medium high heat rotating until chicken is cooked through. This will take about 10 to 12 minutes depending on your grill.
Remove from heat and top with a little shredded cheese and green onions

Cooling Sunburn Treatment

Raspberry Cream Parfaits

Raspberry Cream Parfaits 

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed
1⁄3 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Using a blender or food processor, puree raspberries with the 2 tablespoons of sugar, until smooth. With an electric mixer on high, whip the cream just until frothy. Add the sugar and vanilla extract. Whip on high speed until soft peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip, or the whipped cream will break down. Use a spoon to mix in the raspberry puree, leaving visible streaks of red with peaks of white. Spoon into parfait glasses and serve chilled. Garnish with fresh or frozen raspberries and mint, if desired.

DIY Spool Bookcase

Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad

Quinoa, tender spinach, and sweet cherry tomatoes join forces with bites of creamy avocado to bring it all together.  I'm fascinated with the fact that it's so simple, yet the flavors seem so complex as you eat it.

Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup dry quinoa
2 medium avocados
3 oz. baby spinach
8 oz. cherry tomatoes
3 green onions

Dressing:
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt

Directions:
Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Meanwhile, make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk together ingredients and set aside.
Roughly chop the spinach and place in a large bowl. Slice the green onions, halve the cherry tomatoes, and dice the avocado. When quinoa is done cooking, add it to the large bowl with spinach and toss. The heat from the quinoa will lightly wilt the spinach.
Add the green onions, tomatoes, and dressing. Stir to combine. Add the avocado and lightly toss.

Psalms 139:14

What living thing has the most variety? Humans. We come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Human beings cannot be duplicated. When a person is conceived, it’s as if the Creator destroys the mold.

Instead of worrying about what we preceive as our design faults we should delight in our individuality.

We don’t have to envy others or feel inferior to them. Instead, we ought to express our uniqueness by serving God as only we can.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.-Psalms 139:14

Salt 'N' Burn

Balsamic Glazed Steak Rolls

Tender steak rolls filled with zesty vegetables and drizzled with a glaze that is simply out of this world delicious.

Balsamic Glazed Steak Rolls

Ingredients:
8 thin slices sirloin or flank steak (length and width according to personal preference)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh rosemary, chopped
1 red bell pepper, thin strips
1 green bell pepper, thin strips
1 medium zucchini, thin strips
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
Mushrooms, cut into thin strips

For the Rosemary Balsamic Glaze:
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup dark balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dry red wine
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/4 cup beef flavored broth

Directions:
Rub each side of the steak slices with a little extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, freshly ground black pepper and some chopped fresh rosemary.
Heat one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the vegetables until crisp-tender, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Place a few of the vegetable strips vertically on one end of each steak cutlet so that once rolled up the end of the vegetables are sticking out of each end of the steak roll. Roll it up, and secure it with a toothpick. Repeat for each steak roll.
For the rosemary balsamic glaze: Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, until fragrant. Add the balsamic vinegar, red wine, brown sugar and the rosemary sprigs and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the broth, return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 15 minutes. Discard the rosemary sprigs.
Prepare the grill and grill on each side for about 2 minutes or according to desired doneness. Do the same if cooking them in a skillet, frying over medium-high heat until done. Serve immediately drizzled with the rosemary balsamic glaze

Mosquito Bite?

No-Bake Strawberry Dessert

Easy and taste great. Everyone asks for the recipe at our gatherings and are especially surprised at how easy it is to make.

No-Bake Strawberry Dessert

Ingredients:
1 angel food cake, cut into cubes
2 packages strawberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg frozen strawberries, thawed
2 cups cold milk
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
8 oz whipped topping, thawed
Chopped fresh strawberries, optional

Directions:
Arrange cake cubes in a single layer in a 13-in. x 9-in. dish. In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water; stir in strawberries. Pour over cake and gently press cake down. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Spoon over gelatin layer. Spread with whipped topping. Refrigerate until serving. Garnish with chopped fresh strawberries if desired.

Fireworks Salt Painting

Recreate the looks of magical fireworks with this cool salt painting project. 

Fireworks Salt Painting

Supplies:

Table Salt

Paper (black really makes the colors pop)

Watercolors 

Brushes

White Glue

Cookie Sheet

Instructions:

Start by laying your paper on a cookie sheet so the salt doesn’t get all over the place.

Draw out your design with the glue. It works better if you do it thick. If you aren’t comfortable free handing a design, draw it out with a white crayon or colored pencil first.

Next, sprinkle salt over the glue before it dries. Apply generously! You want to get everything covered. Shake off excess salt onto your tray.

Get your watercolors really wet, and lightly paint onto the salt. You can use food coloring and an eye dropper here if you’d prefer. You don’t want to drag it too much or it will mess up the salt. I tried to get my brush extra drippy so I barely had to tap the design. Have fun with colors! It looks great when they bleed together.

Let project dry completely and you are done! 

Your kids will love how the salt sparkles when its all dry.

Cedar Plank Spice-Rubber Salmon

Hebrews 10:24-25

Have you ever tried to celebrate something alone? Holidays and celebrations all go better with lots of friends and family around.

As Christians, we have a lot to celebrate and not alone or just a few times a year. We’re to meet regularly with others who follow Christ, to encourage one another in love and good works, and to celebrate the goodness of the Lord.

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. -Hebrews 10:24-25

American Watermelon Daiquri