Bacon Cheeseburger Spaghetti Bake

Ok!! So, I seriously have some picky eaters in my house. It starts with the hubs and just works its way down the line. We get in such a food rut and I'm so tired of it. I wanted to come up with something that would be a sure fire recipe for my family of 6....this was a success!!

So here it is, my off the cuff, shoot from the hip, Bacon Cheeseburger Spaghetti Bake!!

Preheat oven to 350

1 lb of cooked and drained spaghetti noodles (I actually used fettuccine)
1 lb of ground beef, cooked and drained and seasoned with 1 T of Cavenders
1 lb of bacon, chopped, cooked, and drained

After all the above ingredients were done I put them in a 9x13 to wait or my cheese sauce to thicken up.

Cheese sauce:
1 stick of unsalted butter
8 T of flour
5 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups of sharp cheddar, grated

In a saucepan, melt butter and add flour. Whisk until smooth and cook over low heat for about 5 mins. Add milk and turn up heat to medium. Cook until thick (tip: using a wooden spoon, coat the spoon and run your finger down the back. If the line stays down the middle of the spoon, your good). Turn off heat and add salt, pepper, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese. Whisk until cheese in melted and sauce is smooth. If it appears too thick, add milk.
Take the mixture and pour it over the noodles and meat. Mix all until coated with cheese and top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

I'm no chef. I'm simply a mom that LOVES to eat and cook good food. Please give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!!!

Enjoy!!!

I'll get the hang of this one day.....maybe

I'm probably the world's worst blogger on the planet...it's been so long since I logged in I had to reset my password cause I forgot.  Life just seems to keep me too busy to ever make a post.  The reason I decided to make a post this time was because I fixed a pretty awesome supper the other night and wanted to post it!  HA!  Maybe I should just become a food blogger......hmmmm.......

Fun in the mud!!!

I enjoyed watching the kids go crazy in a mud puddle the other day! It was a pain to get them clean but they loved every minute of it.

Moving!!!!

When I was almost 2, my family moved to Magnolia. For the last 28 years this little town is all I've ever known. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends are just a phone call away. I could close my eyes and drive the streets of this town by memory. I'm a graduate of MHS and of SAU. I met my husband and was married at my home church of First Baptist. This has been my comfort zone. When my husband took his first job out college at Columbia Christian School I buckled down and prepared for life here, never dreaming I would go anywhere else.

It's funny how God changes our plans though. Last July we finished building and moved in to our "dream" home. I haven't even hung much on the walls when Jimmy felt a stirring in his heart. I began my own personal study of the book of James, having no clue God was preparing me for the biggest leap of faith thus far. At the end of March it was official, we would be moving to Hope, AR so Jimmy could take the administrator role at the Christian school there. WHOA!!!

The funny thing is, I'm okay with it!! This house is just a house. I must teach my children to walk by faith and obedience to God. Even when it's hard or scary. I have faith my house will sell. I have faith that God will provide all we need. We may not have all of our wants but we will be right where God wants us and with that fact comes and ocean of peace.

I look forward to seeing what God has in store for us and keeping everyone up to date on the Walker family!

Cheesy Biscuit Bake

Do you ever get tired of plan old biscuits? I know I do! I found a recipe on Pinterest the other day that I fixed for Jimmy and it was a success but I knew there was a way to make it even better! So....here's my version!

I made this for breakfast this morning and it was a HIT! Even Judd liked it and he's my picky eater.

2 cans of biscuits (10 count)
6 slices of bacon (cut into pieces then fried up)
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese
milk gravy (recipe to follow)

Milk Gravy
After frying up bacon, add 2 T of flour to the drippings (I eye balled it and figured I had about 2 T of drippings in the skillet so I added equal flour). I let the roux cook down for a few minutes then added about a quarter cup of heavy cream (I'm out of milk!! Otherwise I'd have done about a cup of milk) and about 3/4 cup of water,, salt, and pepper. Let it thicken up and that's it! Make sure you taste it before you use it though :) If it tastes good them you're good to go!

Cheesy Biscuit Bake
Layer your biscuits in a large pie plate.(I actually had 4 that wouldn't fit...so me and No ate some dough, yeah, I'm nasty) Pour the gravy over the biscuits followed by the bacon and then the cheese. Bake on 350 for 20 minutes.

That's it!! Super easy!! You could even use a package gravy mix if you dot want to make your own. I just didn't want to waste the yummy bacon grease :)

I hope you make these and enjoy them like we did!!

I AM NOT SUPER MOM

As a mother of four, I have tons of people asking me all the time, "How do you do it?" or something like "I could never do what you do!" I'm going to let everyone in on a little secret.....you ready for it???

I'M NOT SUPER MOM!!! I know, its a shock but it's true. I make lots of mistakes. Everyday. In fact, I'm pretty sure if people spent an hour in my home, they would leave feeling better about themselves!

Just this week I had to get pre-made valentines boxes for Judd and Adley because I forgot to get stuff to make them over the weekend. I forgot Nolan's lunch for school Wednesday (which was also the same day I sent him to school in Adley's panties on an accident). Judd was suppose to sing in church Wednesday and I forgot that too. Today Nolan took his socks off in the car on the way to school and since I was running late he sported one sock at school all day, and Judd was not only tardy but went to school in jeans and it wasn't even a "jeans" day so they hooked him up with some khakis from the clothes closet. On top of all this I'm pretty sure there are about 5 folks I was suppose to call back and didn't, laundry coming out of my ears, and checks that need to be deposited.

I'm not a very organized person. I dream of being organized though. I make a lot of lists but always seem to lose them (like the one from the nursery lady at church with all the supplies and snacks needed by this Sunday). I'm scatter brained and never seem to feel like I have it all together.

But, I have 4 happy, healthy kids that get from point A to point B. (maybe not with all their stuff but at least I have all the kids, right?) I'm doing by best to raise them to love Jesus and those around them. I probably will never be a June Cleaver kind of mom and wife. I'm too loud and my kids are a bunch of hooligans. They embarrass me in public and test my patients at home but I absolutely love my life. It sounds crazy to think but I am living my dream. And really haven't felt the desire to be done adding to the craziness.

I just wanted to let all you folks out there know that I'm not as awesome as you may think. I'm really just like everyone else. I'm learning as I go. I have to live my life ready for anything to happen anywhere (like No dropping his pants to pee in the middle of the church parking lot). So, if anyone needed encouragement about their parenting, maybe this will lift your spirits.

Making memories

Judd lost his first tooth tonight!! Wow!! I can't believe my baby boy is so BIG!!!

Week 2 in the Book of James

We start this week with point 3 in turning our trials to triumphs. To turn trials to triumphs, we must have a surrendered will and let God have his way with us. It's a task easier said than done but worth it in the end!!

So, apparently, I'm not getting shorter but longer with my videos. I guess the more comfortable I get the more I talk, or maybe it's just nervous rambling....I hope that isn't the case.

If your interested in getting on the email list for the study guide I put together for each week post your email in the comments section. I'm praying for all of you as we grow mature in our faith. May we let God do a good work in us for HIS glory!!

I'm not sure why the video wouldn't load today, so I posted it to YouTube instead. Here's the link....http://youtu.be/_DliYDvi0Rk

We Can Know...

Alrighty!! Here's the second video in our study of James. I'm still working on getting all this together...so bear with me! I found me a microphone so the sound is better today, but MAN do I look like TRASH!!! I have been cleaning house this morning and then went to eat a quick lunch with a couple of my kids before taking a quick jog...and by quick I don't mean my pace was quick. So I apologize for being the sloppy bible teacher and the brief interruption from my sweet Emory. :) That makes me real thought right? And easy to relate to, right? Some one help me out here...haha. One day I will fix up real pretty for you but until then just focus on the content of the video.

Today we are reading James 1:3 and making sure that we KNOW that we can turn trials into triumphs because God is in control and has a purpose for each bump in the road. We don't have to worry about the outcome because we KNOW that God knows it and he's purpose will be fulfilled in our lives.

Let's see how this goes!!!

So, my dad approached me the other day about doing a video bible study for the E.I.M website. I was surprised at first and then quickly became nervous and kinda sick about the possibility. I don't like taking pictures of myself, I hate the sound of my voice, and I don't at all feel adequate enough to teach Scripture to anyone. I'll be honest, I've always wanted to do a Bible study but was quickly taken back to the reality of...I'm an idiot! Who in their right mind would listen to me??

However, I feel like God is giving me a tremendous opportunity. I have recently started an in-home, once a month Bible study. Since we only meet once a month, I figured that a video post a few times a week would probably be a good thing to keep us accountable, focused, and in the Word. We are going to be studying the book of James and are taking it one chapter at a time. So, if you want to join us, just pick up your Bible and start reading. We aren't doing a formal study with a study guide so there is nothing to catch up on. My goal is for us to read the scripture and apply it. The goal of this book is to produce spiritual maturity.

Let me just say, that I have no formal theology training...which I am sure will be very clear from the first video. But I love God's Word and I love to study it. I enjoy reading theology books and listening to sermons online. I find joy in the truths I find all through scripture. But my heart breaks for those around me who just don't get it. The young mom's that just don't understand that our children are not our toys, they are image barers of the Creator and it is our responsiblity to point them to the Father. This world is bombarding us with garbage, so it's our job as mothers to protect our children from the influences of this world. It's our job as wives to pray for our husbands and to be godly wives. We can't do this things effectively apart from Christ and the Bible. So, let's dive in together. Let's not only get older, let's mature in the Scripture. Let's strengthen our prayer lives and go deeper than we've ever gone before.

Pizza

I love pizza, but have found lately that I'm so tired of pepperoni and all the other blah toppings. So, next time you're in the mood for a great speciality pizza give this one a try...

Chicken and Artichoke Pizze

1 prepared pizza crust (Walmart deli has some that are yummy)
3 medium size boneless, skinless chicken breast
2/3 cup basil pesto
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
1 jar sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 cup shredded mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper and cook through on a griddle, stainless skillet, or cast iron skillet. Allow to cool slightly after cooking. While Once chicken is cooled, cut into strips and set aside. Take a small non-stick skillet and toast pine nuts until fragrant...set aside.

To assemble pizza:
Spread pesto over the crust, leaving a 1" rim around the edge. Layer with chicken, chopped artichokes, sundried tomatoes, and toasted pine nuts. Spread cheeses over the pie and bake at 400 until cheese is melted and bubbly.

This really is a great alternative to your plain jane pizza...so enjoy!!

Tip for Julie: Invest in a good cast iron or stainless steele skillet. When cooking meats these type skillets help create a nice crust on the meat. The key to keep food from sticking is high heat and minimal contact with the meat. Don't put the chicken in the skillet and then try to play with it and move it around, it will stick and tear the meat. Once the meat has made contact with the skillet, let it sit. The meat will detach from the bottom when it's ready to be flipped.

I don't like to use a non-stick skillet for searing or when I'm trying to develop rich flavors. So, unless your fixing pancakes or scrambles eggs put those non-stick skillets away!

Adley on my mind...

So, it's been a while! I have been really busy lately trying to find Adley the PERFECT bedding and room accessories for her "big girl" room. She will be three soon and still has a crib in her room. She's been sleeping with Judd for about six months now, but I just have not been able to decide what to do in her room. I've been thinking simple and classic Pottery Barn Kids and even filled up my shopping cart, several times. (I love Pottery Barn...it's my fav and their stuff is great quality... ) Then Adley started putting in her two cents! I know now that God does have sense of humor because my beautiful, sweet little girl wants nothing but PINK in her room...the one color I grew up hating with a passion!! It's hilarious! She wants a pink bed, walls, bedding, you name it, she wants it! So, I have decided to paint her "big girl" bed pink and some of her furniture pink...as I begin my project I will post pictures and info as to how I went about creating Adley's Perfectly Pink bedroom.

I was not the girly-girl growing up, so she's really making me dig deep to find my girly side...and I will admit, it's been kinda fun! I didn't even know I was capable of being sooo girly. :)

Adley also has a birthday coming up soon! She will be 3 on August 22 and wants a Pink Super Woman birthday...more pink!! HA! But to see the smile on her face is worth all the pink in the world. I know some may think I'm being silly to give into her wants, but really, she's in the middle of 2 boys and rarely gets anything of her own. If I can put a smile on her face with something like a pink bed or a pink birthday cake, I will!

I know what it's like being the middle child and feeling like I got the short end of the stick...here comes that middle child syndrome! I want her to know that she matters and that is just as special as her brothers. I want her to feel like her wants and likes are just as important to me as they are to her....let's just hope I don't go broke in the process!!

Just for you Amanda...hahaha

So, it's been a while I know since I posted anything. Not that there are many of you paying attention to me, but apparently my friend Amanda is...so this post is for you!!! I made some brownies the other day so I'm going to post the recipe for those and the Swedish meat I fixed for fellowship supper the other night.

Mocha Cheesecake Brownies
for the brownies:
1 Box dark chocolate brownie mix
1 bag Semi-Sweet chocolate CHUNKS---not chips---they're too whimpy for these brownies
1 can Evaporated milk
1/4 c oil
3 T instant coffee granules
1T vanilla extract
2 eggs

the cheesecake:
1 package cream cheese
2T flours
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2T cold coffee

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 and set aside. Pour brownie mix into a large mixing bowl, lightly dust chocolate chunks with flour in a seperate bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix together all the "wet ingrediants". Once all the wet incrediants are combined pour into the brownie mix. Mix on high with your mixer until just incorporated. DO NOT OVER MIX!!! At this point you will fold in the "flour dusted" chocolate chunks.

Using a mixer, combined all the ingrediants for the cheesecake batter until smooth. Take the cheesecake mixture and pour over the brownie

To assemble the brownies, pour half of the brownie batter into your baking dish. Top with half of the cheesecake mixture and then the remaining brownie batter. With the cheesecake batter that is left, pour it slowly over the top of the brownies and swirl the batters together to give it a marbling effect.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.

*****My tip with brownies, is this...let them cool before you cut them!!! I am a huge fan of warm brownies, but unless you are serving the whole pan right then, DO NOT CUT THEM!! If you cut brownies before they cool all the seam and moisture will escape, leaving you with a dry crunchy-edge brownie. But if you allow them to cool, they will stay moist and delicious!!*******

Swedish Meatballs
1 package frozen meatballs
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1 can of beef consumme or double strength beef broth
1 T flour
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp pepper

In a large skillet, dump out the meatballs and allow them to start browning up. Keep them moving in the pan, this may even take two batches depending on your pan size. At this point add your onion and garlic powder and pepper. After the meatballs have started to brown up a bit, add the can of beef consumme (or broth) and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together about 1/4 cup of heavy cream and the Tablespoon of flour and set aside.

Add your heavy cream to the meatballs and allow to simmer 5 more minutes. After 5 minutes, add your cream and flour mixture to the meatballs. Bring this to a boil to thicken the sauce. Meatballs are ready when sauce has thickened.

I really love these over egg noodles or even rice. This is a supper fast dinner too, done in about 15-20 minutes tops!


Recipes coming soon:

Breakfast Burgers
Potato Chip Baked Beans
Grilled Corn on the Cob

What's on my mind?? ALOT!!

Whoa! What a time we have had in the Walker home lately!! God is at work friends! The enemy is also at work! My faith hasn't been tested like this in a LONG time! I've been through trials before, but this one is totally different. God is already teaching me so much. I'm so tired of depending on people. I don't care who they are, people FAIL! It's that simple. I'm learning to lean on the Father. No matter what. I cannot stand without him. Here are just a few things that the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention so far...
1. I must be quiet. There is a time to talk and a time to be silent. Now is the time to be silent.
2. I must love. This is in complete contradiction to my nature. For some reason, I want to be mad. I want to hold a grudge and watch as people who wronged me get what's coming to them. But in no way is this of God. I must love those who don't love me and I must pray for those who have hurt me. Ouch! This is not easy, but it brings so much peace.
3. I must not let Satan win. This has alot to do with being quiet. I have a hundred different emotions going on right now, but letting those out would bring no glory to God. In fact, it was do just the opposite. So, I'm not letting Satan win the battle over my emotions.
4. I must pray!! The only way I am able to get through any of this is through prayer and through the prayers of friends and family. Whoever thinks prayer doesn't work it sadly mistaken. I have relied on it like the oxygen I breathe.
5. I must submit to my husband. Through the trials, I have to submit to Jimmy's authority over our family. I get mad and want to start kicking and screaming or pack up and move to another country, but I have to trust that my husband is in tuned with the Spirit and is doing what is best for me and the kids and bringing GLORY to the Father!

Trials stink! Heartache stinks! But how reassuring to know that this is not the "big picture"? There is a light at the end of this tunnel. I may not see it yet, but one day I will. And when that day comes I will get on my face and praise the Lord for being faithful! He is always taking care of us, not because I am worth it or deserve it but because he is good! I can do nothing to deserve his rich blessings, he graciously gives it to us! I cannot take credit for any good thing I have or will have. It's not by my works, it's by his mercy.

God will be glorified! When everything else around me is filled with uncertainty I believe with all my heart that this is all working together for HIS good.


---side note----
I don't know how I got through life without him. How was I able to stand? Why can't I make everyone see how meaningless life is without Him as the foundation?? I'm so broken for those who don't see God for who He really is. How can you call yourself a Christian and not have passion for the God who created you and chose you? It just blows my mind! How foolish was I to think that life was about me. It's never been about me and it never will be about me. It's about the Father. It's about giving him all the glory he deserves. If you don't find pleasure in praising Him now, how in the world can you even look forward to Heaven?

I also need to pray that I would not be judgemental of the ignorant because for a long time I was one of them. I went to church, gave my tithe and offering, sang the songs, prayed the prayers, voluntered, and made my presence known in the church, but my love and passion for him had not increased. I was just playing church. So many people are doing the same. They are playing the part, but are not letting it change them. Why?? Because they don't want to change. They don't want to be convicted of their sin. They want God to save them from Hell, but they don't want anything else to do with him after that. Selfish! I'm so afraid to think of all the people who will one day be told "Depart from me, oh worker of iniquities. I never knew you!" I must pray that the Holy Spirit will convict those believers and that they will fall madly in love with God. Also, that I will show them the love of Christ.

I hate my Thermax!!

I need a new vaccum cleaner!!! I am so tired of lugging around my huge Thermax! With three kids, everything someone ends up on the floor. So, I need a vaccum that is easy to get to and use. Anytime I need to vaccum I have to go through like 10,000 steps before I can even plug my stupid Thermax in! It is RIDICULOUS!!! So, I've decided to save up for a Dyson Ball...maybe by the end of the summer I can chunk my old vaccum and say hello to a new one! Wish me luck!

Adoption

Recently, Nolan had his first birthday, so I've started weaning him. I have really enjoyed nursing him and am really sad to see this special time come to an end. For those of you who have nursed, you know emotional this is. Especially when this could be the last child I nurse.

I'm sure those of you who know me are thinking "What? I thought she wanted like 4 or 5 kids!" And you would be correct. I do want more children, but feel the Lord is leading us to adoption sometime in the future. I have always wanted to adopt but lately have really felt this calling on my life. What better way to model the adoption of believers into the family of God than to adopt a child or two into our family. I have always felt like my purpose in life was to be a mother and my greatest goal is to teach my children the truths of the gospel. I long for them to fall madly in love with their Creator and see Him as beautiful and that as they grow, their lives would GLORIFY Him!!

I feel a strong sense to reach out and be a mother to the motherless and to show them the love and mercy that God has shown to me. Christ did not adopt us based on our worth or anything we had done. We were not pleasant to look at, but were sinners and rebels. But in his mercy he called us unto himself and that his grace would be praised. In will not adopt a child for myself but for God's glory. I want to glorify the grace of God - to train our precious children to make much of God.

I am looking forward to seeing what the Walker's look like in 5 years!! This could be very interesting:)

John Piper - What makes you happy?

A Time of Prayer

I have really been convicted lately of our church's children's ministry. Don't get me wrong, I attend a great church (FBC - Magnolia) with an aray of ministry opportunities. I just feel like there has got to be a change. We need workers, teachers, people who truly care about the spirituality of our children! I really feel like it's time for a change. I am really praying that God will reveal his will to me and that he would show me what I can do to make a change and encourage others to join in my efforts to grow our precious children in the knowlegde and truth of Scripture and to fall madly in love with the One who created them!

As a mother to 3 wonderful kids, I have really been convicted of the way we have watered down and "dumbed" down the Gospel because we think our children are too young and "simple" to understand it. I think it has alot to do with the secular humanistic philosphies we, believers, have aloud to encrouch on every aspect of our lives. We think we are doing a good thing by teaching songs like "Jesus Loves Me" and "This Little Light of Mine", but I have come to realize we are really cheating them out of a passionate relationship with the Creator.

I realize I may be somewhat crazy, but I find it of dire importance that my children fall in love with God early and grow in that love. So what if they know all the stories of the Bible? That in itself is not what will get them to Heaven. Somewhere through the years, we have decided that Hell is too harsh a subject, sin is to complicated to explain, and our total depravity makes us look too needy. We have given our children way to much freedom in their thinking, like this life is solely theirs to live. What have we done?

Why are we, as parents, holding back on our children? Are we doing it on purpose? No. I really think it's because we, ourselves, don't know what we believe. So, we aren't going to push anything on our kids that we don't know how to answer. How arrogant and prideful can we be? It's time we put away the flesh and walk in truth. This world is only getting worse. It's hates God and everything He stands for. I want my children to walk in the POWER of the CROSS! It is my job to train them and pray that God, in his sovereign glory, will call them to Himself.

I recently found a Reformed Baptist Children's Catechism that Jimmy and I will be starting soon with the kids. If your interested go to "The Reformed Reader: committed to historic Baptist beliefs". http://www.reformedreader.org/. They have several catechisms to choose from. I chose the "A Catechism for Babes, or Little Ones" and "A Catechism for Boys and Girls". I'm really excited about starting Judd and Adley on the journey to spiritual growth. God is good and my children need to know it! Completely!

So, I'm entering a time of prayer. I want God to prepare my heart and to help me teach my children solid biblical truthes and theology. This will be their very foundation, it must be a firm one to stand on!

Welcome to My Crazy Life...

Holy Cow! It's been crazy around the Walker home over the last couple weeks! With a broken arm, spring break, resetting the broken arm, sick kids, easter parties, and all the daily tasks I have, it's possible I could lose my mind! I feel so scatter-brained! I remember NOTHING and am loosing everything! Today was the kids' Easter party, I had to go to Wal-Mart and buy Adley a basket because she doesn't have one. What kind of mother am I that my child doesn't have an Easter basket?? After dropping off the basket, I then realized I forgot to buy plastic eggs for egg hunt. Now I look like the mom who doesn't read the notes sent home.

Ok...as I was typing all that, I was interrupted by a phone call reminding me, yet again, of something I was suppose to be doing and COMPLETELY forgot!

I know some may think that this is just part of being the mother to three small children and having a lot going on, but I am pretty sure it is more than that. I have never felt so out of control in all my life. I have no time to do anything. We got back from Colorado on Friday night and I have yet to go to Wal-Mart to restock the fridge and the pantry. My poor kids feel like they are being punished cause I have no snacks to give them in the afternoons. This would be a really good time in life to develope OCD tendencies. Maybe then I could get structured enough to get things together.

What to do? What to do? It's not like it's going to get any better! Things are not slowing down any time soon. If anything, it's just going to get busier. Judd starts T-ball soon, Nolan has a first birthday that needs to be planned, Adley has outgrown her baby bed and needs a new "big girl" bed, but at the same time, Nolan needs somewhere to sleep, the kids need new spring clothes, I need new spring clothes! I'm feeling an anxiety attack coming on!

It's in these moments I need to run to feet of my Savior and cling to him with all that I have or else I will surely drowned in overwhelmingness that is my life! If you can relate, let me get an AMEN.

We love our bath time! It's fun to stick them all in together and watch them play.

Bath time will not be nearly as easy now with Judd's casted arm! I'm sure Adley and Nolan will appreciate the extra space in the tub tough. :)