Monthly Archives: May 2019

Lemon Sugar Cookies

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Filed under Sweet Tooth, Sweet Tooth- Desserts

It is clear that I live in a house of cookie monsters.  My boys love to see the cookie jar filled with cookies.  This past week we created a new sugar cookie.  I love adding lemon to desserts.  Lemon makes foods taste fresh.  These cookies were easy to make.  The boys loved them and we have decided they will be part of the cookie rotation.

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1 cup Butter cold, cut into cubes

2 cups Sugar

2 Eggs

1 t  Vanilla Extract (I used Mexican Vanilla)

1 1/2 T Fresh Lemon Juice

1 T Lemon Zest  (you can add more to add extra flavor)

3 cups Flour

1 1/4 t Baking Powder

1/4 t Baking Soda

1/2 t Salt

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest and stir to combine.
Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix just until combined.
Spoon about a tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball.
Drop dough onto a prepared baking pan.  Sprinkle the rolled dough balls with white sugar.
Bake for 9-11 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool on cooling rack.

Pico de Gallo

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Filed under Let's Get Cooking, On the Side

Pico de Gallo is easy to put together.  It’s a great addition to so many meals.  We add Pico (for short) to fajitas, tacos, omelets, and sometimes just love it by itself with chips.  The freshness of the flavors add something to each entree.  This is my simple recipe you can add to or take away.  I make it early in the day to let flavors sit for a little while.  This recipes make a lot so feel free to divide ingredients if you want a smaller batch.

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3 white or red onions

12 Roma tomatoes

2 cups fresh cilantro leaves

2 to 3 jalapeños (soak in ice water before using)

1 lime

Salt

Chop up onions and tomatoes. I like to make sure the tomato and onion ratio is about the same.  Chop the cilantro.

Slice 1 or 2 jalapeños in half.  I always wear gloves when chopping jalapeños.  With a spoon, scrape out the seeds and membranes. (If you want it spicy, leave in some of the white membranes.) Finely chop the jalapeños.

Combine onions, tomatoes, cilantro and jalapeños in one bowl.

Slice the lime in half and squeeze the juice from half a lime the bowl. Sprinkle with salt, and stir together until combined.   Do a taste test.  You can make adjustments to your  pico de gallo by adding more jalapeños, salt, or lime.

Hold on Tight! It’s May!

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Filed under How TO, Influence, on mission in the kitchen

may

Seriously, where did this school year go? How is it already May? Whether we are ready or not, MAY is Here! This month brings mixed emotions to so many. May is a month full of activities. My calendar is full with end of year parties, last chapel, end of year tests, graduations, Mother’s Day, lacrosse tournaments, husband’s travel, and then events I don’t even know about yet! May has a way of stressing us out and getting us excited all at the same time. How are you feeling?

The Holderness Family sums it up for most of us. Watch this video to relate. I had a friend who just said that December has nothing over May. What do you think?

Let’s take this month and realize there might be a couple of ways to calm it down. We know our calendars are completely full. So, DON’T add additional activities. When the last minute plans are made or you get an invite to something extra, stop and consider if it really needs to happen. Many times we feel guilty to saying “No” but saying “No” helps us say “Yes” to other things.

Make a list! What needs to be done each week to feel good and keep the planets in line? What are your “must do’s” for your family? There are usually end of year gifts to buy. Can you do this online? Seriously, Teachers love gift cards! Pick up a gift card at Target and call it a day. Stop at a bakery to buy the cookies you need for the party.

Don’t panic over summer plans! It is truly okay if your children don’t have a plan for each hour of the summer. We get ourselves all worked up over not having their time completely full. If you are working during the summer, make a plan and don’t worry about it. It will all work out and your kids will have a fabulous summer.

What needs to be done before your kids are out for the summer? I have a couple of closets and toy bins I want to conquer before my boys are home. I know how much faster I can take care of these jobs when I don’t have my boys questioning my donation piles. There are a few appointments I want to squeeze in before the summer too.

Team up with other moms! We are all trying to defeat May and the end of the year craziness. If you are already going to Target, ask your friend if they need something there too. When another mom offers help, take them up on it. We are all in this together.

Get your rest! Drink your water! Get to the gym! You have to refuel each day. Fill that Yeti cup full of water each morning and keep filling it up during the day. Don’t stay up catching up on Netflix. Get yourself to bed so you will be ready for the next day. Make a priority to get some physical activity. It will help you with your overall goals and make you feel good.

Pray! Seriously, I know when I stop and talk to God about this craziness, I begin to feel better. He knows how my brain races and how I want to make things perfect for my boys. When I put things into perspective and give them over to God, May has nothing over me. Pray for your friends too. We are all trying to get through this together.

May can be crazy! Don’t let it take over. Try to stop and enjoy the last few weeks of this school year. There is so much to celebrate. You got this!

Keep Singing and Dancing,
Amanda