TMTT ~ Beef-Broccoli Strudel & New Take No Bake Cookies

Another busy week around here last week and I found some yummy new recipes that were a big hit. Last night we actually got out for our anniversary so it's a quick post and I hope to catch up soon ... ugh. Thanks for stopping by ;).

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Beef-Broccoli Strudel

Beef-Broccoli Strudel

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion -- chopped
• 1 10 oz pkg frozen chopped broccoli -- thawed/drained
• 4 ounces mozzarella cheese -- shredded
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 8 ounces phyllo dough -- thawed
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Brown ground beef and onion in skillet, stirring until ground beef is crumbly; drain. Mix in broccoli, cheese, sour cream and bread crumbs. Cook until heated through and cheese is melted.

Place sheet of phyllo on waxed paper; brush with butter. Repeat with remaining dough, layering sheets. Spoon ground beef mixture evenly on half the dough. Roll up from ground beef side as for jelly roll. Place seam side down on baking sheet; brush with remaining butter.

Bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

ALEXIS NOTES: I again had my ground beef broke up so it was closer to 1 1/2 lbs. I used fresh broccoli and light sour cream.

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A New Take on No Bake Cookies

Non Chocolate No Bake Cookies:

1/3 cup butter

1/2 bag of mini marshmallows

1 cup white chocolate chips

2 cups oatmeal

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup coconut

1/3 cup smooth peanut butter

Melt the marshmallows, butter and chips in the microwave at 50% power for 2 minutes (depending on the power of your microwave, it may take a bit more or less). Stir until smooth. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and mix well. Add the coconut and oatmeal. You may need to use your hands to get it all incorporated. Form golfball sized balls and place on waxed paper or a silpat pad. Refrigerate if necessary. Mine were so firm that I just left them on the counter.

Note: You could leave out the peanut butter and still have a great cookie.

ALEXIS NOTES: I didn't have white chocolate chips just milk chocolate wanting to stick with the white color I skipped this part and added a little extra peanut butter (about 1/2 cup total). Also had about 1 1/2 cups of coconut in the bag so used that. I found that if your hands were a little wet in between the roll of each cookie it didn't stick to my hands as much :).

Thank you Kristen at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker for this awesome recipe, check her blog out you'll love it!

MSM ~ Dinner & Some Yummy Desert!

First off I must apologize and thank you all for the beautiful comments and love I received. Today is our 7 year anniversary, as I said on Friday things have been rocky. We're working on things and I pray things will turn out, only time will tale. Life is funny it can send you some crazy curve balls that makes you do a recheck and make sure you do things differently. I can't say that we'll end with the rose color glasses but we'll figure it out as we go. Sorry if I haven't made it around to thank you, I've taken a little time off from the computer. Trying to be better on my end to spending more time sitting down with the fam :). HUGS, I'll be by soon.

Ok now onto why you come here on Mondays! FOOD yes I know you all are sitting on your edge of your seat waiting to see what new meal I've made. Well today I have to show a yummy dinner and of course some yummy desert or you could do like my neighbors husband and have the bread for dinner :).

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First off we show you a meal that at first I was a little unsure of. I've heard of waffles and chicken and thought it was odd but waffles and chili? I'm glad to say Paula Deans recipe is not a let down, you'll love it!!!

Cornmeal Waffles with Spicy Chili

Cornmeal Waffles and Spicy Chili

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• Spicy chili, recipe follows
• Shredded Cheddar, for garnish
• Sour cream, for garnish
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add milk, oil, and eggs; stirring until smooth. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron and bake in batches. Set aside and keep warm.

Serve with Spicy Chili. Garnish with shredded Cheddar, sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro.

Spicy Chili:

• 1 pound lean ground chuck
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 (15-ounce) cans ranch-style beans
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (15-ounce) can niblet corn, drained
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown ground chuck, until beef is crumbly. Stir in onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.

Stir in beans, tomato sauce, corn, diced tomatoes, and green chiles. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

ALEXIS NOTES: I used half whole wheat flour and white flour it turned out great. I also used the ground beef I had in the freeze so it was more like under 2 lbs of ground beef. The boys like it a little meaty so it worked perfect. Also used light sour cream. Enjoy!

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Next I had some bananas that had to be used up and I wanted to make something new, yes I know I can never do the same recipe. I found this recipe and thought it was just perfect. I took a loaf over to the neighbors and let's just say my friend left and her husband ate the whole loaf for dinner .. hehe thankfully I had another loaf I brought over the next night so she could have a slice. On a sad note they are moving :( I may have to show up at their new house with baked goods.

Crumb Topped Cocoa Banana Bread by Thats My Home (click link)

Crumb Topped Cocoa Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash ground ginger
Dash ground mace
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup mashed banana (about 2 extra-ripe,
medium-size bananas)
Crumb Topping (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F . Grease bottom only of 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.

In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger and mace. Add eggs, oil and banana; stir with spoon just until all ingredients are well blended.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle topping evenly over top.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.

Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. (Loaf may be stored in refrigerator, well wrapped, for up to 1 week.) 1 loaf.

Crumb Topping
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In small bowl, blend all ingredients until fine crumbs form.

ALEXIS NOTES: I again switched out half whole wheat flour, I used 3 banana's and I didn't have mace so I skipped this part. I used my special pan that has 4 loafs and a special design on the bottom, gives a little special to the bread :). This is great with or with out butter. I think it was so moist you didn't even need to add the butter. You'll love this one, I will have to make it again.

I hope you enjoy and will try these out. Have a wonderful Monday I promise to stop by, I may be a little slower at coming around but I'll be there :).

The Bourne Objective Audio Book Giveaway (3 Winners)

As most of you know I just got into the Bourne books, I know I'm so behind the ball on it. I did even add the books to my Netflix's queue :).

Get ready for the next addition to the serious on Audio books. Another love I have is for audio books, reading is one of my favorite things to do. Sadly most days I don't get to sit and read like I would love to do. Audio books allow me to still enjoy a book and the best part I get voices with them.

We pick right up where we left off and believe me when I say this is not a book that takes a while to get going. Right off the bat your thrown into the mix and heat is on! Now Bourne is not really the star feature in the book you start off following Leonid Arkadin. Bourne of course is after Arkadin and they make it a pursuit like no other. This is one that you have to pay attention to and will not want to turn off.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Robert Ludlum's (TM) The Bourne Objective

by Eric Van Lustbader

Thank you to Hachette Book Group for another great book!

BUY IT: Pick up a copy The Bourne Objective for yourself for $49.98 or on Amazon for $32.99 or on Kindle for $9.99.

WIN IT: Hachette Book Group has offered 3 of my readers a copy of

The Bourne Objective To Enter let me know what is your favorite Bourne book or if your a newbie like I was. Yup EASY name a title or newbie :).

EXTRA ENTRIES - Do as many as you like just leave a separate comment for EACH:

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Giveaway ends 8/11/10 Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win. No Post Office Boxes.

I was not paid for this review these are my opinions and experiences, I received products to try and to tell how I liked them. No monetary or any other form of compensation was given to me. I review products free of charge to give my experience and opinion.

Working on me!

Monday is my anniversary, seven years we've been married. I'm coming to a point in my life that I need to reflect so bare with me today everyone!

Over the seven years we've had our ups and some very downs. As you know I'm a say it how it is kind of girl, there are no rose color glasses here. Over the years we've gone threw many growing stages. We got pregnant on our honeymoon which didn't leave much time for us to be a "married couple". Having a child was wonderful and changed my life and my focus. I put all on hold me and my relationship. At one point I started to work on me, but not my relationship. We hit a very rough time and I vowed I wouldn't let our communication get to that stage again. Things where said and done that could have broke us, but we moved threw.

Then came second baby and I let it go again. Being unhappy with myself can really put a damper on communication and feeling loving. I once again put all myself into the kids, letting myself sink into a unhappy feelings about my weight and putting a block between us again. Now I'm not taking all the blame I know it takes two for a relationship, but today is a reflection of me and seeing patterns. Along with that is my hope for growth, understanding and finding my new path.

Along the way I've learned many things relationship take work and at most times that means a lot. When communication is lost so are other things that can lead to hurt feelings and more. Not feeling great about oneself can lead to shutting others out which also is NOT good for a relationship. During these times you must listen and see signs from your partner. Cracks can form and before you know it a damn can come rushing at you. There are friend, family and others that can pick at these cracks and make them worse. Even worse there are others out that will take advantage of these cracks and play it for themselves. People are funny they are out for themselves and I've learned that not everyone is there to nurture and boost up your relationship.

Things I plan to work on from this point forward for ME no one else I've learned I've must put myself first before I can take care of anyone else. The rest the chips will fall where they will. I've given and given and accepted things I thought I never would. Self esteem is a funny thing if your not feeling it you let yourself go. I know that forgiveness is something we must do, and I'm working on that also.

• I will take care of myself and become healthy and comfortable with myself
• Listening, that means getting off the computer
• Knowing that I am beautiful and worthy of love
• My kids are taken care of and I can share this load
• Taking time for Adult Time Away is a MUST

I can't see the future all I know is that I'm going to give my all to self improvement and know that it is in God's hands. Whatever comes at me I can take but it whatever is to come I will take and I will know that I've done my best.

Cole drew a picture today and told me Mom this is you Strong!

Boy kids are smart!

yes that is suppose to holding up the weights :)

Thanks for listening, I find it's better for me to write and get it out so I can make changes I need to do!

Our Whacky times, Need more of those :)

Thursday DVD Review ~ TV & Movies Galore

Another cute movie, you just have to love Kristen Bell & Josh Duhamel they make the cutes couple. This is a movie I wouldn't buy to watch again but it was a good one to make you laugh and smile. A feel good movie ;). Plus people will get together that you might not have expected :).

After fishing out coins from a water fountain in Italy, cynical New Yorker Beth Harper (Kristen Bell) finds herself being wooed by several ardent suitors. As she deals with the attention, Beth tries to figure out whether a charming reporter (Josh Duhamel) really loves her. Danny DeVito, Anjelica Huston, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard and Will Arnett also star in this romantic comedy. Mark Steven Johnson directs.

Wow talk about what you will do to save your family. It was a sad movie of what length a person can get pushed to and then what happens when they get so wrapped up into it. Forgiveness is a hard thing and I know how hard it is to get to that point. A tear jerker that will make you think what would I do. Probably go work at McD's but that's me :).

Inspired by a true story, this The Client List is the story of Samantha Horton (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a former Texas homecoming queen and physical therapist. When both she and her husband, Rex (Teddy Sears), are laid off from their jobs, Samantha accepts an offer to work at a massage studio in a nearby town, not realizing that the other staff members are actually prostitutes who service a clientele of wealthy and powerful businessmen. Eventually realizing what goes on behind closed doors, but desperate to provide for her family, Samantha goes along for the ride. But when the police raid the business and Samantha is arrested, she ends up as a key witness in the case — putting high-profile johns in handcuffs and bringing a small Texas town to its knees.

What is it about a lifetime movie that can make you smile and cry all in one. Here is another one that I missed when it was on lifetime but thankfully it was on DVD. You will cry with this one but it sure does show you how your loved ones and God are there for you. This movie came at the right time, I truly loved it.

Shattered by the sudden death of her father, harried ER nurse Jamie (Lacey Chabert) struggles with her job, her relationship with her fiancé and her overpowering grief. But the healing soon begins when Jamie meets a terminally ill patient (Gena Rowlands, in an Emmy-nominated role) with a lust for life. Based in part on the book by John Edward, this heartwarming drama originally aired on the Lifetime network. Keep a tissue box at close reach.

I'm very sad I missed this show, I never heard of it. It was on the instant download and I love Portia de Rossi so I had to check it out. Then come to find out it had 2 season and then done. This office is just nutty you just have to laugh at the stupid stuff that happens. I'm really surprised it's not still around it sounds like 30Rock and everyone loves that. At least we can watch the 2 seasons.

With the motto "Money Before People," Veridian Technologies' truth-twisting, unscrupulous business tactics make for the interesting subject of this office culture satire. At the center is the firm's ethical research and development chief Ted Crisp (Jay Harrington). From botched products to fake awards to inventions gone awry, Ted must endure all that happens around him. Portia de Rossi co-stars as Ted's emotionless boss, Veronica Palmer.

Talk about steamy this truly is an adult show and goes way beyond the books would ever go. This season keeps you on the edge of your seat. I'm so glad I don't have to have the paid channels I just have to wait for the DVD's :).

Telepathic waitress Sookie (Anna Paquin) attempts to solve a recent murder and sort out several issues with her vampire boyfriend, Bill (Stephen Moyer), including how to deal with his annoying teenage houseguest, Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll). Season two of this critically acclaimed vampire series features new characters, including Iraq war veteran Terry (Todd Lowe) and mysterious social worker Maryann (Michelle Forbes).

This movie reminds me of one not too long ago about going to Ireland and a cute native catchs the girls attention but this one was a little different. It had some good ups and downs and made you laugh. Good one to pick you up!

After her estranged father dies, big-city magazine editor Cate (Laura Leighton) must leave her busy job and frantic wedding planning behind so she can spread her father's ashes in her tiny Massachusetts hometown in this touching Hallmark Channel movie. Once there, she reunites with a long-lost childhood friend (Kelli Fox), gets chummy with a handsome attorney (Sebastian Spence) and begins to discover new sides to her late father.

This was a super cute movie it had some whacky family members that make you laugh. How can you not love Shirley MacLaine. There are some ups and downs and you just have to laugh and cry along with it!

In this romantic comedy featuring Shirley MacLaine as a wacky grandma, Southern girl Carolina (Julia Stiles) envisions an entirely different existence for herself, far from the maddening mix that is her family. So, she leaves home for California, where she hopes she'll find some tranquility. But her efforts are soon wasted when she finds herself torn between two men. Who will win her heart?

Netflix suggested this one I saw I liked the characters, sure I'll give it a shot. Well not so much, it was hard to get into this one it had some good moments but overall I just couldn't like it. There were parts that I know people will have to deal with if taking care of an elder parents but I'm not sure I needed to see this.

Jayne (Parker Posey) and Laura (Demi Moore) return to their childhood home in Pittsburgh to look after their father, Joe (Rip Torn), a lively widower who may be slipping into dementia. The sisters are soon at odds over their father's care -- and over old family dramas. As Joe's condition deteriorates, they are forced to confront myriad unpleasant memories. Ellen Barkin and Christian Camargo co-star.

A Happy Birthday & WWW Farmers Market & Church at the Beach

One of my besties is having a Birthday Today, she is an amazing friend and bloggy friend. You know people come into your life at special time and keep you smiling. When I'm down she knows and I have no clue how and something arrives in the mail or email, she really makes my day more then she will ever know.

She is an awesome blogger that is faithful at commenting and recognizing new followers. Please stop by to my friend Amy and meet her beautiful family and wish her a happy birthday too.

Thank you my friend you have made me cry and smile and feel loved all in one, I am truly blessed to have you!

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Saturday I was still having the stupid effects of this cold, it just doesn't want to leave me. It's moved to just a cough but the coughing is killing me and making me pooped. I worked Saturday am and then wanted to hit the farmers market. We're in need of some fresh veggies and I rather not pay an arm and a leg for them.

The Market has some great vendors also. The boys got baloon animals (thanks to my friend who bought them). The boys played a while on the play set. Then check out those photos, this lady is amazing she takes things around the place that look like letters and make words. It was beautiful.

My second stop was to the apple farm, ok yes I'm a dork and thought we could pick apples at this time. STOP laughing, I'm a dork. (We won't mention the rude little kid that wouldn't share his bread with the younger ones). But the kids did get to feed the chickens at the farm. Then home for mom to sleep.

Sunday our church did Church at the Beach. I had the boys in shorts we got there it was so freaking cold, I had to run home to get jeans and sweatshirts. Sadly the hamburgers were like hockey pucks ... yuck and EVERYONE brought potato salad ... ugh! The kids sure did have fun and of course got totally wet. Before heading home we stopped by a lot in front of the military base for the air-show they had going on. I was feeling so yucky I had to head home and sleep some more. I'm so exhausted from coughing.

Yes a busy weekend and a very tired mom. I'm still worn out, the cough is better but it just is finally catching up to me. The sleepless coughing nights are really taking a toll on me. Plus Saturday I had some news that really hurt me, I'm working threw it right now.