Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies

Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies

I love this pan! 🙂 I got it at Joann’s fabrics and just like my spring pan, it makes decorated sugar cookies so easy! I need one for every holiday!

Sugar cookies:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond
2 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt (I thought the batter was a little salty, so next time I might lower it to 3/4 tsp)

Cream, add dry. Spray pan cavities. Bake at 350 for 9 minutes. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes, then remove gently with a butter knife. Let cool. Decorate. These would be perfect for kiddos to make! 🙂
Super Bowl Food

Super Bowl Food

Wow, it seems like the Super Bowl was so long ago! And it was only Sunday (2 whole days). It is amazing how fleeting things in life are that are totally not important!
I went over to a friend’s house and we both made some stuff we liked, but also picked conferences and made food for that team.
I had the NFC (Saints) and made bourbon chicken (it was sweeter than I wanted it to be, but I have leftovers). Lorrie had the AFC (Colts) and she had oreos (commercials) and Orville Redenbacher – because it is in IN.
The nachos and oreos were fave part for me.

Taste of a Chain Restaurant: Yang Kee Noodle

Sunday was more than just a day for Super Bowl food (coming later). It was also a day with a neat family at my church and me to go to Yang Kee Noodle.
I would compare this to a Moe’s – for Asian food.
Many different options, gluten-free options, spicy, normal, salads, rice bowls, noodle bowls.
I had the general tso’s chicken. It was good and filling, though not as good as some others I have eaten in the past! Chicken was decently spicy (not enough to make your eyes water or sweat pour down your face) and not heavily fried (which I appreciated).
I didn’t think to ask for brown rice, so I ate half the white rice that was served with it.
For the price, I would rather have gone to PF Changs (my plate of General Tso’s was 899 I think).
But, it was quick with different options. And they didn’t rush you out because you wanted to sit and chat! 🙂 Refillable drinks were also a plus!
Would I go again – yes. Would it become a regular place of mine – probably not. Thankful for the provision of lunch!

Menu Week: February 8

A full week again this week (when is it not). But, I have been a little more disciplined in my planning of menu this week in light of food and money. So, here you go:
Leftovers: beef stew – still gotta finish that off – still yummy. Bourbon chicken from Super Bowl dinner.
New recipe of the week: Bon Appetit’s Consentino’s Spaghetti with Tuna. I have all the ingredients. No need to spend money and the carbs will be good for running.
Baking: Peanut Butter truffles (actually, no bake) and Vday Sugar cookies for the Foster BYOB Party on Thursday night.
Thursday I think I’ll be enjoying a Founder’s Cafe Veggie wrap – so good – for lunch.
Saturday I am meeting up with some vegetarian/vegan folks for a meeting at the Zen Tea House – can’t wait to try it.
Then on Sunday I’m having dinner with a SBTS prospective student and her family. Don’t know where we’ll go yet.

Undisciplined Life

My life this past week has (for the most part) been very undisciplined.
Most people would not see that as an issue, but for me, if one area gets out of “disipline” than all of them seem to fall.
Think it started with being sick, so my eating, sleeping, and exercise got out of whack. Being sick and tired I didn’t go to church last weekend (I was supposed to head to Nashville). That didn’t give me the encouragement from being around the Body. My reading in B90x has been off so this weekend I am playing catch up. My house is very out of sorts with boxes everywhere. I have been sleeping on my very very comfy couch, which isn’t a problem, because actually I’ve been sleeping better. I’ve been reading, but not as every day as I need to be. My exercise has been off because of the weather, or staying late to work, or stress at work and just not having the energy when I get off.
This wknd won’t be normal: snow, housing office, power yoga session (can’t wait), hanging with a family, 2 morning services (one to be in a toddler’s class, one for church), lunch with a pastor and his family, Super Bowl, sleeping at a friend’s house after the big game.
So…now I have the task of getting my life back on track – my whole life. Wow – this is a big undertaking – and it has really only been a week! I am a firm believer that every area of life affects the other parts:
Even though I can never be an Elder in the church, I still want some of the qualifications to be seen in my life: (Titus 1)
If anyone is above reproach…as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

Too much eating! Need Motivation!

Ok – so I’ve been eating way too much this week…
1. Changes at work bring stress
2. Hormones
3. Sweets at work
4. Just not motivated

I need to snap back in to it! I need to challenge myself for the next 2 months. I need some attainable goals.
Can you as readers help? Thank you. I set my February goals – but how do I actually attain them now?! The scales has to go the other way!
Need some motivation! HELP!