Espresso Spread and Cappuccino Chip Muffins

Today is a busy day.  But I am happy and glad.  Today I have a lunch meeting with our Associate Minister at Tim Horton's (yum!), then I have to go to the school and deliver the uniform pants and hats that I had to clean (they got muddy).  Tonight I don't have a lot going on, but I do need to get my grocery list together because we have such a busy weekend.  So I am trying to get my coupons in order and match them up for the best deals.

What I do is plan out my our meals for two weeks using my ads and figure out where I can get the best bang for my buck.  It takes a lot of time and energy, but since I am not working, it is a necessity.

One way I try and save money is making my own muffins.  One of our favorite is Cappuccino Chip Muffins.  You can even make an espresso spread to go with it. My family loves these.  Here is the recipe.

Expresso Spread:
4 oz. Cream Cheese, cubed
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Instant Coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

In a food processor or blender, combine the spread ingredients; cover and process until well blended.  Cover and refridgerate.

Muffin:
2 cups Flour
3/4 cup Sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 cup Milk
2 tablespoons Instant Coffee granules
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Egg, beaten
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3/4 cups Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon.

In another bowl, stir milk and instant coffee together until coffee is dissolved. Add butter, egg and vanilla; mix well.  Stir into dry dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Fill paper-lined muffin cups 2/3rds full.  Bake for 17 - 20 minutes or until muffins test done.  Cool for five minutes before putting on a wire rack.  Serve with Espresso Spread.

It's really a yummy recipe!

Back Up and Running

The blog title is a little deceiving.  No, I did not lose my computer, I did lose my job, though.  So I've been trying to figure things out and I am back.

Autumn is in full spring and I think our garden is just about dead.  The air is cool, it's already the 2nd wettest September in Ohio's history for our area, and band and football are in full swing.

Last weekend was homecoming.  Here are some of my daughter's pictures.  She went with friends and had a great time!

They had a lot of fun and they all looked gorgeous!  Have a great Tuesday!

Foxy's Garden & A Recipe

I'm a bit late with the pictures of the garden this week, due to the other things I wanted to post about and last evening was the first I have been out to the garden in a while.  Praise God for his bountiful blessings!  As the pictures show, we are getting an abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and the beans are finally starting to come around. 

Today, Foxy is going to try his hand at making Bread & Butter Pickles.  I have a lot of cucumbers, so this will be good if he can get it done. He is also getting the dehydrator out and drying the cayenne peppers.  Then tonight, after I take Son to get his Soccer Ref outfit, I will be canning tomatoes.  Hopefully, I will get to the banana pepper rings this weekend.

Lots of salsa, sauce and tomatoes to be put up for winter.

The first of the beans.  They just need to plump up.

Also, here is my recipe of the week, Beefy Rice Pie, from mrfood.com.

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound hot/sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
8 oz tomato sauce
2 cups cooked rice
4 slices Mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, brown ground beef and sausage for 8 - 10 minutes over medium-high heat, until cooked and crumbly; drain off excess liquid and set aside in a medium bowl.  In another medium bowl, combine tomato sauce and rice, then layer half the mixture in skillet.  Top w/half the meat mixture, then place 2 slices of mozzarella cheese over the top and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.  Repeat layers.  Cover and cook over mediume low heart for 8 - 10 minutes or until cheese melts.  Let sit 5 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve immediately.

Sounds yummy!

New School Year and Attitude

Monday was the beginning of the new school year.  I haven't taken first day photos for quite some time, But I decided to embarrass them.  But of  course, they do get all hammy for the camera.

Son and Daughter making fun of this.

Oops, my finger slipped!

So Daughter tells me that she is in a class of four people.  This one class is to help her pass the OGT for history.  She didn't pass that or science.  Anyway, this class has the four kids who didn't take the test again over the summer.  After the test in October, the rest of the semester will be watching movies and writing papers.

She also informed me that her two favorite classes are Accounting and Zoology.  She loves math, so that will be very helpful.  Yesterday she said in Zoology she will get to dissect seven different animals.  Now she freaked out over the dog killing a rabbit, but she is now excited about opening up dead animals?  We'll see what really happens.

Son is kind of indifferent on his classes, but that's okay.  I'm sure I'll have stories for you soon enough on his clowning around.

The Rabbit Died

Saturday morning, Josie Belle was out on the back porch.  The kids and I were up and I noticed Josie Belle was digging around in one of the unused large plastic pots.  The last time she did that, she pulled out a dead animal and ate it.  This time, I noticed she had something in her mouth, but I had no idea what it was (her back was to us).  I told the kids to look at her.  They commented things like, "gross", and "stupid dog".  We kind of giggled about it and went back to getting ready for the day. 
Then my daughter started screaming!  She is  freaked out, and I came running to the back glass door and saw Josie Belle with something in it's mouth.  It was the head of a rabbit!  The face was hanging out, you could see the cute little nose, the beady eyes, and the the ears flopping toward the ground.  She ran back and forth across the back porch and then to another empty pot and buried it.  Daughter is still freaking out, yelling things about needing therapy and I run to get my camera to take a picture.  Alas, she would stay still long enough for the Kodak moment.
It was quite the morning.  I think I need to get rid of those pots, yet strangely, I secretly love the fact that my dog's quite the hunter and saves her food.  This was not her first rabbit.  She's killed mice, birds, squirrels, and just a couple weeks ago, she tried to get a raccoon out of our garage.  What a girl!

Weekend Update

What a crazy, busy, fun weekend! 

Friday night, Daughter, Son and I took Foxy out for his favorite pizza, then to the football scrimmage.  Don's Pizza was so yummy, and the football team won!  Woo-hoo!

Saturday, was my family reunion.  What a wonderful time.  We had not had a reunion in over 15 years, so almost 100 people showed up from all over, from Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky.  What a great time! 

Groups of our family sitting around talking, catching up.

Great-Uncle Dan and my Dad

Dad and his brother Bob.

The Tanneruther Clan

Cousin Dick and his son Joe.

The Rainey family

 

 

It was so good to catch up and see how we had changed and made it through the years.   It was such a nice day and amazing to see us all there.  Those that put it on deserve a Huge Thank you!

Sunday we went to church, then rested until Hornet Day.  The band played, football, girls volleyball, soccer, cross-country, golf teams and band were all announced.  I helped the After-Prom Committee make money for what the kids want, which is go to Laser Web after Prom.  That sounds like a lot of fun. 

It rained on us a bit, but we did get everything in and had a great time. 

Today, the kids started back to school.  I did get a picture of them that I show later, plus shots from last night.  This is not as busy a week, but I am glad we are back on a schedule.  The kids need that structure for school.  It will wear them out this first couple of weeks, but that's okay.  Maybe Son will go to bed earlier!  NAH!

How was your weekend?

It's Friday!

In the words of Rebecca Black, "It's Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday."

It has been a long week.  Not quiet sure why, but I'm glad I only have two more hours of work.  It is going to be a busy, fast-as-lightning weekend too.

Today:
Running errands including:  getting vehicle licenses, banking.  Making two cakes for two picnics, taking Foxy to his favorite pizza place in his hometown, and then going the the football scrimmage in a nearby town.  Go Hornets!

Tomorrow:  we have a family reunion.  I think Daughter is taking her BFF, AJ, homecoming shopping.

Sunday:  church, church picnic and then Hornet Days, which is where the fall sports, band, cheerleaders, etc. are introduced.  I will be actually helping running a booth for the After-Prom committee.  So it will be fun!

How is your weekend going to go?