Just something for him

My husband and I don’t really get into the Valentine’s Day thing.  We like to show our love all year-long. hahaha

I wanted to make something special for him, and this is what I did on Shabbos.  He loved it!

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It was so simple to make.

2 cups sugar, 1 cup soft butter, 4 eggs, 2 3/4 cup cake flour, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp vanilla extract, 1 cup soy milk, 1 cup strawberry puree (I used frozen ones), fresh strawberries for topping.

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
  3. Add strawberry puree and vanilla extract to milk.
  4. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter alternately with the milk.
  5.  Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
  6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a small knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool.
  7. Remove from pan and add your favorite icing and strawberries.

Remolding…….

Many of you did not know but I was without my husband for a few months and it was hard.  Such is the life of an Army wife……

I wanted to channel my energy in a ways that was positive.  I started remolding some of the rooms in our home.  I started with my kitchen.  Just got a few new items but the biggest thing was my new Kitchen Aid my husband sent me while he was away.  I was super excited to get that new baby.

 

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I also added a new crock pot I saw at the Exchange.  It cooks three meals at one time.  I could not pass that up.  Next I got a new coffee maker for my hubby, he loves his morning, afternoon, and sometimes evening coffee.  hahahaha

I moved on to new mixing bowls and some new dishes.  That lead to getting a new curtain and new rugs for the floor to match the curtains.  I also had to get new towels and pot holders to match that.  You  know we woman need it all to blend in well.  hahahaha  That lead to a new knife set and….. WHOA!

 

I then moved on to the living room.  I sold my old living room set and made enough to buy a new one.  I really wanted something olive so this is what I got.  That lead to a new 60′ TV and a new sound system for it and a new Blu ray player and new tables and rug.

I had to get some new art work for the walls to bring out everything.

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I moved to the backyard and got a patio set and grill with an outdoor rug to tie it all together.  I found I was really hot from the sun so I got a new umbrella to shield my head.  Now I enjoy the visitors I get while enjoying some BBQ vegetarian style…..:)

Home 007 Home 008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also got a new Cannon which I will do another post on to let you know how I feel about it.

Well, my husband is back and he loves all the changes I made.  I told him all I needed was a new washer and dryer and I would be set for the new 10 years.  He laughed.  Do you think I will get it?

 

 

Relaxing

There are many ways to relax your mind, body, and soul.  One of the more inexpensive ways is to create a place in your home that you can go to and enjoy.  This week I did just that.  With my husband being away, I needed something to occupy my time.  I choice not to go to summer school this time and allow myself a chance to enjoy my summer with papers, studying, or any exams.

My back yard was empty (except for the grass, bugs, trees and a few other things, like spiders)  I needed to create a space that was pleasing to me.  So here is what I did….

 

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What are some ways you find to relax yourself?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the Newport Collection.  It did not cost a lot but it seems to hold up nice.  The grill is Kings Ford.  I like the old fashion way with charcoal.

 

The one thing I can’t share with you all is the wonderful sounds that nature is giving me today.  We are blessed to have red and blue Robbins here.

 

My new Kosher Kitchen!

My decision to change my kitchen was not a hard one.  I’ve longed to have a kitchen that was beyond clean. 🙂

On Sunday, 14 April 2013 I set in motion to make my kitchen kosher.  I watched over 50 videos on youtube on how to do this and why.  Let me say this, if you are going to do a change in your life, know the reason for such change and then research to implement that change properly.

This process was not easy and it was not simple.  It is not a matter of just cleaning your home or removing some of the food you have.  Let me share my experience with you on what it took for me to have a kosher kitchen.

Day 1

On 14 April I got up and shared a dream I had with my husband about having a kosher kitchen.  He said to me, that’s funny, I was thinking the same thing about a week ago but did not know how to approach you about it.  I said to him, Let’s Do It!

Now let me be clear, when I said “let’s” he meant me.  🙂

I took all the food out of the cabinets and the refrigerator to check the labels for Kosher symbols.  You will find this website helpful for those symbols.  Click Here.   ( a little advice, I found that it is best to do some research on each one of those)

I had to get rid of most of the food in my house.  Now this can be costly to some.  I don’t recommend that you throw out your food it was something I decided to do.  I read that some people will cook all the food they have that is not kosher and then began the process.  I think that is best.  It is not what I wanted to do.

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This was full

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The Freezer empty. Most of the vegetables I brought did not have a kosher symbol on them so I had to get rid of them.

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My cabinets are always full but now…..

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The refrigerator is almost empty. I have my juicing veggies in the drawers.

Day 2 and 3

I now had to focus on the pots and pans and all the dishes.  The Torah forbids the cooking and consumption of any milk with any meat.  You can find this twice in the book of Exodus and once in Deuteronomy.  It states “Do not cook a kid in its mother’s milk.”  for this reason it is prohibited to mix dairy and meat.  Therefore I needed to remove anything that I used meat and dairy together   My husband and I are vegetarians but after he joined the Army he began eating some meats on occasions.  Things like turkey and maybe chicken.  Never pork!  That is strictly forbidden in the Torah.  (we have NEVER eaten or touched pork).

I found that some of my dishes were questionable.  “If in doubt, throw it out”  I sold all the dishes I had and all my pots and pans.  I also sold some of my mixing bowls.  This is what I was left with:

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As you can see not much to cook with at all.  Now we have to buy all new dishes, pots and pans, and utensils.  For me it is all worth it in the end.

Day 4-6

So on day 4 I began selling things that I could sale.  Things I could not I throw out.  Now I had to wash down the counters, the drawers, and the sink.  This was not as easy as it sounds.

On Day 5 I was so tired but I knew what I was doing for our good and would bring us closer to Hashem.  We cleaned all the baseboard in the house cleaned the bathrooms and mopped all the floors.

Here we are at day 6.  All the work is complete and we have a kosher kitchen!  I feel really good and happy that we can now serve good clean food in our home.  Next step: learning Hebrew, reading  and more reading and studying.  I’m so happy to be on this path

Stay tuned as I will share my journey……

Happy New Year!

I was not sure if I should post a new year resolution.  I figured I never keep them, so what would be the point?  Then I got this idea from another blogger, Newlymissus, who said she would make a resolution for a month at a time.  I figured I could do that.  So, here is my inspired resolution for January:

  1. drink juice 3 times a week
  2. try yoga for the first time
  3. volunteer more and help more
  4. upgrade my blog to Pro, or find someone to help me make it better
  5. lose 15 pounds
  6. improve my baking/decorating skills
  7. study my Bible more
  8. attend church each Sabbath
  9. keep my husband on track with his studies
  10. work on my makeover
  11. Post to my blog everyday

That is a lot to do in a month, but I think if I stay focused I can complete it all.  I have determination to be successful this month.

I love they way she ended with a verse from the Bible so I will do the same:

I’m studying Romans chapter 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Many times I’ve wondered what this meant.  Do you understand it?

 

BAKING

There are many things one could say about baking. For instance, when baking one of the greatest thing I love is the end products.

I love to see what I’ve created come out so well. It gives me such pleasure to watch others enjoying what I’ve created.

At the end of a long day at school I love to come home and bake. I’ve been working a lot on my decorating skills. They aren’t great yet, but I am getting better, hopefully soon I will make something that really looks great. I’ve even started selling some of my baked goods which is a big plus for our finance. I’m hoping to start a catering business one that will actually bring in some real income but for now, I just enjoy baking for the sake of baking. It relaxes me. What are some of your favorite things to bake? I would sure like to see some of your pictures. I will share mine as I create things, the good and the bad. Just don’t laugh too hard. Hahaha
The other day I made this carrot cake it came out really good on everyone enjoyed it.
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As you can see my decorating skills leave something to be desired but the cake itself was really good super moist and I made it from scratch

House Cleaning & Storage (Housing @ Fort Benning)

 

I work hard to keep my house as clean as I can.  Sometimes this means I have to get down on my hands and knees to really get the corners clean.  🙂

How many of you pull out the refrigerator and/or the stove and clean behind them?   I am one of those that do just that.

Cleaning behind my stove

 

I know a lot of people may not see the need to do this but let me share with you my reasons.  Have you ever cooked and when you moved the food from the pan to the plate, something fell between the stove and the counter?  Well, it happened to me and I hate it.  I pull my stove out once a month and clean the floor, the side of the counters and yes, even the stove sides.  Once I’m done I feel really good.

I also get down on the floor once in a while and clean around those baseboard.  You know the part between the floor and the wall.  Since living here at Fort Benning I find I have to do it more often.  Having the “fake” wood floors I have more dust build up and it requires me to clean those baseboard each week.  I also find I have to dust a lot more now in the house.

I don’t have good organizational skills so I am often stuck with where to put things.  Cluster seems to be a part of my everyday life and I don’t like it.  In fact, I find I am always rearranging things just to see what will work best in what place, for example, my laundry room.  Fort Benning did not build these homes with the women in mind.  I have no space to put things in the laundry room.  Like towels, and sheets after they are washed.  They did not build a linen closet or pantry.  I am often left with the problem of what to do with things.

I often have to put food on one shelf and cleaning products underneath them.

 

There is never enough space to put things on the counters, so I was thinking of putting things above the cabinets but not sure how I would reach them when I need them again.

There is never enough space to put things on the counters, so I was thinking of putting things above the cabinets but not sure how I would reach them when I need them again.  I am not tall and getting things off the top of the cabinets would have to wait until my husband comes home.  😦

Things like my Crock Pot can go up there because I use it so rear.  My juicier would stay on the counter because I use it everyday.  Now the toaster is a problem, I use it very little but sometimes during the day, I like toast and my husband is at work.  I know, silly, right?  But these are things that I have to deal with to make space.  Maybe I’ll find a solution on Pinter.

Any ideas?  I welcome all help.  🙂

 

Helpful things for moms

As a young mom, I often find myself trying to juggle a lot of things all at once.  It can really wear you down.  I wanted to share some great apps I found on ITunes.

This one will help with that shopping list that you never remember to take to the store with you when you do (well, maybe that’s just me)  http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grocery-iq/id290591617?mt=8

Sometimes having a glass of wine with dinner just seems like the right thing to do, but what wine to have.  Well, here is an app to take the guest work out of it:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hello-vino-wine-recommendations/id318447346?mt=8