Sweet Potato, Pear, and Carrot Soup

{ when there's snow, there's soup. }Another snowstorm.  Another cold winter's day.  Another perfect day for soup.  I had 3 large sweet potatoes on hand.  But I wanted to find something that would complement it.  So I looked in the fridge and found this glistening Bosc pear. Perfect.And then I also saw some carrots which I decided would be a good addition to the soup as well (forgot to take a picture though).   I adapted a recipe from Taste of Home and it was fabulous.  I will definitely be making this again - snowstorm or not.  But quite truthfully, I'm hoping to never see another snowflake again this winter unless it's a garnish on a soup.  :)Sweet Potato, Pear, and Carrot Soup{ Makes: 6 servings; Prep time: 15...

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A Mother's Calling

{ my beautiful calling }I miss the point, and I miss it all the time.  I focus my time, energy, and emotions on things that mean so little when you look at the big picture of life.  I want things to be organized and orderly.  I want my home to be orderly, my kids, my day, my life.  I want it all put together, flawless, and simple.  And when things don't go that way, I lose it.  I get flustered, frustrated, and frantic.  Why don't things go the way I plan???And when you have two boys - 2.5-years-old and 16-months-old - it NEVER goes as planned.  Meals I spend a good deal of time preparing get chucked on the floor, or someone poops again at the most inopportune time, or one wakes up due to night terrors while the other is restless from...

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Korean Vegetable Pancakes

{ crispy, savory vegetable pancakes }Korean pancakes (pa-jeon) are a popular appetizer or side dish in Korean culture.  It's hearty and filling enough to be a meal in itself.  Pa-jeon is absolutely amazing when eaten piping hot straight off the stove.  So wonderfully savory and delicious.   It's usually served with a dipping sauce consisting of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.  You can find many variations of the pancake - most common are scallion, kimchi, or seafood.   Seafood pancake (called hae-mul pa-jeon) is my absolute favorite; it consists of squid, clams, shrimp, and scallions.I wanted to make some pa-jeon for the boys for lunch, but I didn't have any seafood on hand.  So I decided to make vegetable pancakes instead. ...

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Toffee Coffee Dark Chocolate Brownies

My hubby loves coffee.  He drinks it like it's water.  He also loves dark chocolate.  So he went ga-ga over these brownies.  He did prefer it without the frosting, but I liked it with and since I was doing the baking, guess who won?  :)Toffee Coffee Dark Chocolate BrowniesAdapted from Better Homes & Gardens{ Makes: 20 brownies; Prep: 25 min.; Bake: 35 min. }Ingredients1 19.8- or 21-ounce package dark chocolate brownie mix1/2 cup toffee pieces 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee crystals2/3 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and set aside.Prepare brownie mix according to package directions, except stir the 1/2 cup toffee pieces, the espresso powder, and chopped walnuts into...

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Kimchi Bulgogi Pizza

{ you'll never guess the secret ingredient in this pizza.  okay, you got me.  the title gives it away. }You know those crazy Koreans who eat kimchi with everything?  Thanksgiving dinner, meatballs, Subway sandwiches, chicken noodle soup, pizza.  Yes, pizza.  Just in case don't know what kimchi is, it's fermented seasoned cabbage that's a staple in a Korean's diet.  It's usually served as a side dish ("bahn-chan") with the main meal.  Bulgogi is a deliciously marinated beef usually prepared with soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, and sugar.  You can buy kimchi and bulgogi at most Asian markets.I remember when someone first told me about kimchi bulgogi pizza back in college and raved about how good it was.  I thought she was completely nuts! ...

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God's Will for Our Lives

{ Richard Stearns, World Vision president and author of The Hole in Our Gospel.Image from the book press release.}James and I, along with our church growth group, have been reading The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns (he's the president of World Vision).  I've only read the first 5 chapters and have already sopped the pages with countless tears.  Stearns' testimony is amazingly powerful.  The way in which God gripped his heart to action and change is compelling.  If you know nothing about Richard Stearns, he was a successful, wealthy corporate CEO (he sold fine china to the rich) who also happened to be a Christian and lived a model Christian life.  He went to church every Sunday, had a wonderful marriage, went to Bible study, tithed...

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Cream Puffs with Custard and Fruit Filling

{ this might very well put beard papa's out of business. }I wish someone had told me before how easy it is to make cream puffs.  It would have saved me a lot of money and trips to Fort Lee and the Upper West Side for Beard Papa's.  I feel it's my civic duty to pass on the knowledge and share with you how simple these scrumptious desserts are to make.  I may be putting Beard Papa's out of business by doing so.  Sorry 'bout that.  [If you want to skip all the verbiage and just get to the recipe, scroll down to the bottom of this post.]We had friends over for dessert on Saturday and then our neighbor over on Sunday to watch the football game (go Jets!).  I wasn't sure what to make for dessert for the evenings so I sat skimming through my Taste...

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Potato Broccoli Cheddar Soup

It snowed last night here in the northeast (again).  I personally would be happy not to see anymore snow this winter.  But the kids absolutely love it.  While the gang enjoyed the white blanket outside, I surveyed our fridge to figure out what to make for lunch.   I thought something hot and hearty was in order on a day like this.I found some broccoli, potatoes, onions, and cheese.{ what's for lunch? }Hmm.  What to do with these?  And then it dawned on me: { warm-you-right-to-the-bone potato broccoli soup }I found a great recipe for potato broccoli soup from Delish.com to work from and made some modifications.  What I really liked about this recipe is that it didn't let the broccoli stems go to waste!  All the other recipes I glanced at only...

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Love Language

I get it now.Back in my short-lived aspiring singer/songwriter days, I thought there was no greater love language known to man than music.   How could one resist the tempestuous beats of reggae, or the mesmerizing melodies of ballads, or the intoxicating chords of rock and roll?Well, I was wrong.I now know the greatest love language is food.   Sometimes the things that can't be expressed with what comes out of the mouth can be by what is fed in the mouth.You put food down on the table, and you instantly have fellowship.  Friendships are built over coffee and cheesecake.  Love grows as two people connect over a bowl of puttanesca and a glass of red wine.  A new neighbor is welcomed on the block with a batch of homemade cookies.  A bowl...

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Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Drizzle

I had a whole bag of coconut flakes in my fridge and figured I should do something with them.So I made these:{ coconut macaroons drizzled in chocolate }Now I'm not normally a huge coconut macaroon fan.  I don't drool at the sight of them or ever have a craving.  But since I had all the ingredients and it seemed easy enough to make, I figured I'd give it a try.I found a recipe in my Taste of Home cookbook that called for coconut flakes, egg whites. vanilla extract, sugar, and flour.  It seemed way too easy to be true.  Well, it was.  Now I feel it's important to be open and honest, even in this venture of learning to bake and cook.  So here's the skinny on my first attempt at coconut macaroons:  I misread the amount of sugar (added 2/3 cup instead...

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Absolutely

I listened to Starfield's "Absolutely" while crowded on an N train yesterday and found myself praying for renewal and revival that starts in our own hearts, then in our homes, then in our churches and communities, our cities, our nation, and throughout the world.Oh, Jesus, Your love reigns over me.AbsolutelyBy StarfieldLover of my soul I want to tell you Only you have all of me I cannot contain my adoration I'm in love so desperately No one is as lovely as you are There is no one else who has my heart Jesus you have me completely Every breath I breathe I am absolutely in love Jesus I am yours forever All of me surrenders I am absolutely in love with you Down upon my knees I'm lost in worship Humbled by your majesty What is there to say But how I love you Thank you for forgiving me...

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Love Before First Sight

Love starts in the womb even before you ever lay eyes on your child.   There is no denying life begins as soon as it's conceived.  Actually, one's life starts even before then:  "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you" (Jeremiah 1:5).This is a letter written in a journal while I was pregnant with my firstborn.January 9, 2008Hi Baby,{ CJ's 13-week ultrasound }Mommy and Daddy had quite a scare on December 20th when our doctor called us with the results of the blood and nuchal translucency test (that's the special ultrasound where they take measurements between your neck and the placenta to check for any abnormalities).   Average likelihood of having a child with down sydrome or chromosomal...

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11 Step Program to Prepare for Parenthood

The following forward has been going around on facebook (author unknown; I wish I could take credit for being this clever).  It's outright hilarious because it's so ridiculously true.  I'm not trying to deter anyone from having children, because there is no greater joy.  But one should always be prepared and know what you're getting into.  Lessons 2, 3, 4, 8, and 9 are my particular favorites.  Thinking of Having Kids?  Do this 11 step program first!Lesson 1Go to the grocery store.Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.Go home.Pick up the paper.Read it for the last time.Lesson 2Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...Methods of discipline.Lack of patience.Appallingly...

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Spinach Salad with Cranberry Citrus Dressing

I don't want to have the reputation of being the culprit for expanding people's waistlines.  So here's a recipe that doesn't involve butter or cream cheese.  :)A few summers ago, our friends invited us to their lovely new home located in the New York burbs.  A simple but delicious lunch was prepared for us courtesy of our friend, K.  She makes the most amazing desserts (her pastry school background comes in handy).But it wasn't her dessert that stood out that afternoon.  It was the incredible fresh spinach salad she prepared with a citrus twist.  She pulled out plump, juicy cranberries from the fridge which she had soaked in orange juice overnight.  They were so deliciously sweet, and I loved the citrus flavor.  I watched her put the whole...

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Free Printable Activities for the Kids

There are three things I absolutely love about the internet: (1) the wealth of knowledge available on the web, (2) the countless resources within reach at the touch of your fingertips, and (3) being able to stay connected with folks all over the world at the push of a button.I don't know how my parents or previous generations ever managed without it.I could go on and write so much more about the wonders of the internet.  But today's post is about this discovery I made last night:{ fun monster alphabet cards made for my boys - printout available at Activity Village } Super adorable, aren't they?I was so excited to find the Activity Village site filled with free printable activities for the kids.  I downloaded a few pdf files last night, and in...

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Almond Drop Cookies with Almond Glaze

{ almond drops glazed in almond sweetness }The family went over to a friend's for dinner for some amazing Chinese hot pot (fondue-style Asian stew)!   It was delicious and totally hit the spot.  I'll have to endeavor to make some and host a hot pot party at our home this winter.  We were in charge of dessert.  I wasn't sure what to make to complement hot pot, but I was in the mood for something with almonds.  Inspired by the vanilla cookie sandwiches, I played around with the recipe and made almond drop cookies drizzled with almond glaze.  They were a hit.What I love about this cookie is that it's soft, chewy, and has just a touch of sweetness, which is perfect for the kids.  And if you want something a little extra sweet, just drizzle...

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Cranberry Almond Biscotti

{ cranberry almond biscotti with citrus zest. perfect in the morning with fresh, hot coffee. }Cheers and happy 2011, everyone! Hubby and I actually made it to the strike of midnight (and then passed out shortly thereafter).  We rang in the new year by enjoying a glass of white wine and a plate of homemade biscotti right out of the oven.   I know what you're thinking.  We are such exciting people, and you can hardly contain your excitement at the mere thought of ours!   :)Okay, so what you're probably really thinking is biscotti?  Why biscotti?  Because I was in the mood.  A friend shared homemade pistachio and almond biscotti with me over the holidays and it was fabulous!  I never thought to make my own, but I...

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