Happy New Year!

I just had to throw one post in before the new year. Obviously I have not done very well at updating lately, but with Amy's wedding, her hen party, and the baptism this last weekend things have been a bit crazy.

The baptism was WONDERFUL! We kept it really small this time...just close family, because of the wedding and all else that has been going on. Ashley was an ANGEL the entire time and did not even mind when Fr. Joe got water in her eyes. I will post pictures after the wedding is over this next weekend. It truly was a very blessed day.

A bit of fun news...just today Ashley giggled for the first time! I was changing her diaper and clothes and was ticking her and she let out the sweetest giggle I have ever heard! I have been able to make her do it a few times again today and I just can't get enough of it! I will try and capture it on video if I get a chance.

All is well with the family, and we had a wonderful Christmas. The boys are still enjoying sorting through all their toys!

I pray that you and your family have a very blessed New Year filled with lots of love and laughter!

My baking helper...

Ok, just about everyone who reads this blog is aware of my obsession and absolute LOVE of baking. Yes, I want to be Martha Stewart. There are PLENTY of other things in this world that I am not even close to proficient at, but if all else fails, I can bake. This being said, my favorite time of the year for baking is Christmas time. SO many recipes, SO LITTLE time to try and make the all!!

Before I had children I dreampt about the day that I would be doing my Christmas baking, being helped by little girls that were watching and helping me. I of course had to change this dream for a while when God blessed me with two boys first instead of the girls that were in my dreams. This year I was blessed with my daughter Ashley and from the moment I found out I was having a girl the dream returned. I figured I had about 2 or 3 years before my dream would finally come to fruition.

To my surprise, this year my dream came true earlier than I thought, and different than I thought. Instead of a little girl standing by my side and helping me out, it was a little boy...in a skeleton shirt no less!

This last weekend Alec was napping when I started rolling out my sugar cookies for the year. I make a HUGE batch so that I can bake them all off at once and then just freeze them and frost them when they are needed throughout the season. Alec woke up from his nap a little before I was done and immediately came into the kitchen and wanted to help. I got him his step stool and he watched patiently. When I only had one or two small batches of cookie dough left I told him that it was his turn. I went to go and get the camera to capture it on film and by the time I came back to help him he was doing this...

He figured it out ALL on his own from watching me!! Who would have thought that my sweet little boy would be so GREAT in the kitchen??? I am not sure if Aaron will be interested in cookie making (more like cookie eating is my guess) or even if Ashley will, but at least I know that I have Alec to help me out and to pass my recipes onto some day!!

Thank you my sweet boy Alec for fulfilling my dreams...in this, and many many other ways!!!

Similar?

What do you think? Do these pictures look like the same person? Believe it or not, the top one is Ashley and the bottom one is me! Both are taken at approximately 2 months old and in the same dress.

Shower power

YEAH!! The shower is done, and it was a success!

Amy's bridal shower was yesterday and everyone had a great time. On Friday night my Mom and Allison came over and helped set up as well as made the food. In addition to many side dishes, we served three breakfast casseroles. Those casseroles were made on Friday night so that on Saturday morning we just had to stick them in the oven to cook. It made for a much more relaxed morning on Saturday.

I received many compliments on the food at the shower and I promised I would post the recipes, so here they are!

Hash Brown Casserole

20 ounce bag of fresh hash brown potatoes (found in the refrigerated case of the store near the eggs)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I used cream of mushroom because my sis is a vegetarian and it came out GREAT)
6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 small onion, finely chopped

Mix all of the above and put into a 9x13 casserole dish. Cover with corn flake topping (see below) then bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until the center is hot and the topping is nicely brown.

Corn flake topping
2 cups of corn flakes
1 stick melted butter

Crush corn flakes in a plastic bag and mix together with melted butter.

Breakfast Casserole
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled (this is optional. I left it out to make it a vegetarian dish)
10 eggs beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
3 cups milk
4 slices bread, cubed (french bread works very well)
1 1/2 cups grated cheese

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate overnight. Bake in 9x13 pan for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Baked French Toast Casserole

1 loaf french bread
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
dash of salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows

Slice french bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9x13 inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup if desired

Praline Topping:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 Tbsp. light corn syrup

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.