Tag Archives: Fall

Joy in Thanksgiving

26 Nov

For me, true joy is found in contentment in where you are, growth from where you have been, expectation of what is to come and gratitude to God for his indescribable gift that daily leads us to a victorious life. When we are in Christ we can find peace in all circumstances. Where there is joy there is thanksgiving.

Today I pray for healed hearts, second chances, grace, happy memories, thoughtful reflections, full bellies, genuine laughter, patience, tenderheartedness, and love.

Happy Thanksgiving! May God Bless you and your families.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca

                   You can also find me on pinterest

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Cream Cheese Corn Casserole

24 Nov

 

Since I have been on a Thanksgiving recipe roll, I figured I have time to share one more simple, decadent, delicious, recipe.

So if you are interested in being the veggie hero once again…keep on reading for the recipe.

corn

Seven ingredients is all you need.

 

corn1

In a skillet melt the cream cheese and butter over low heat. If your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature this will take about 5 minutes. Don’t panic, it will look a little lumpy and bumpy until your whisk in the milk.

corn2

Add the milk and whisk until smooth.

corn3

Add corn and salt and pepper. Go ahead and give it a taste test or three….you know, to make sure it is seasoned properly 🙂

corn4

Add to your greased baking dish and sprinkle with cheese…don’t be shy.

corn5

Bake 20-25 minutes or until hot, bubbly, deliciousness is achieved.

corn7

Resist the urge to cut into it right away. Let this beauty set for at least 5 minutes before serving!

You can watch how I make it here

 

Cream Cheese Corn Casserole

by Rebecca Vahdat

Cook Time: 20-25 Minutes

Keywords: bake side Thanksgiving Christmas winter

 

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. Cream Cheese
  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 1/3 Cup milk
  • 4 Cups of corn (18 oz.bag of frozen corn, thawed OR-15 oz. cans, drained).
  • 1 Cup Pepper Jack OR Sharp Cheddar cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pre heat oven to 350 and grease an 8×8 inch baking dish and set aside.

In a pot melt together cream cheese and butter over low heat.

Add milk and stir until mixture is smooth.

Add corn and salt and pepper. Mix well.

Add mixture to greased baking dish and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.

Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Let set 5 minutes before serving.

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See, couldn’t be more simple.  This casserole has earned its rightful place as a star attraction on our Thanksgiving table.

I would love to know what you will be serving this holiday season. Leave a comment, recipe, or a link to your blog. I would LOVE to check it out!

Thanks for visiting and have a Happy and blessed Thankgiving!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

 

 You can also find me on Pinterest

Copyright © 2015 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Not Your Mama’s Green Bean Casserole

19 Nov

Don’t get me wrong, I love my mama’s classic back of the can green bean casserole….so much in fact that I probably make once or twice a year beyond Thanksgiving. But….sometimes a girl has gotta have options.  So, if you’re looking to add a little something new and surprising on your holiday table, I promise you will be the Thanksgiving hero with this recipe!

If you’re interested in this recipe keep reading.

f

Go ahead and gather up your ingredients.

f1

Go ahead and cook up your bacon. I like to put my bacon on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Place bacon in oven and heat to 400 degrees. Cook until desired doneness. We like ours nice and crispy. Do yourself a favor, go ahead and add an extra slice or two to the pan. It’s inevitable, a piece or two won’t make it into the casserole. Keep that bacon grease, you will need it for later.

f3

Drain bacon on a paper towel and give it a quick chop.

 

f2

While the bacon is cooking go ahead and get your green beans cooking. I use frozen, so I cook them in a small amount of salted, boiling water for about 8 minutes.

f5

I use frozen corn so I add it to the green beans during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.  Drain excess water and set aside.

f4

In a large bowl mix the rest of the ingredients except for the onions.

f6

Add the green beans, corn, and bacon to the cream cheese mixture and mix well.

f8

Grease a 9×13 baking pan and bake to heavenly deliciousness!

Not Your Mama’s Green Bean Casserole

by Rebecca Vahdat

Cook Time: 35-45 minutes

Keywords: bake side Thanksgiving Christmas Easter American

 

Ingredients

  • 8 slices bacon
  • 1 pound frozen green beans
  • 1 1/2 C. frozen corn
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 C. mayonnaise
  • 2 TBSP butter, softened
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 1/4 C. French fried onions

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400.

Thoroughly spray a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.

Cook bacon until crispy. Drain on a paper towel and coarsely chop. Reserve some of the bacon drippings.

Bring a small amount of lightly salted water to a boil. Add green beans and bring back up to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Cook for 6-8 minutes. Add the frozen corn to the green beans during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking. Drain excess water and set vegetables aside.

In a large bowl combine all the additional ingredients except the French fried onions and mix well. Add the vegetables and bacon to the cream cheese mixture and mix well.

Add green bean mixture to prepared baking dish. Drizzle a Tablespoon or two of the reserved bacon drippings over the casserole.

Add 1/4 C. of the French fried onions to the top of your casserole. Cover with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes. Remove foil and add the additional french fried onions during the last 5-10 minutes of baking.

I hope this simple yet delicious recipe becomes a game changer during your holidays too!

Thanks for visiting!

~Be Blessed and Be a Blessing~
Rebecca

You can also find me on Pinterest

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

13 Nov

I love this time of year especially for the smells and tastes of fall. One of my most favorite things to do this time of year is spend as much time as possible in the kitchen…cooking and baking and sharing my love of it to those around me.

One of my most requested fall recipes are these cupcakes. I get asked for this recipe all the time. This is usually what I am asked to bring for holiday gatherings.  TO. DIE. FOR.  Seriously!  They are moist, flavorful, and ridiculously easy to make.

Go ahead and do yourself a favor and whip these puppies up…everyone will love you and you will love how quick and easy it was. Keep reading for the recipe.

What you will need to get started. So far so good.....

What you will need to get started. So far so good…..

Take a minute to add some of your measured flour to the chocolate chips. Keeps them from sinking to the bottom.

Take a minute to add some of your measured flour to the chocolate chips. Keeps them from sinking to the bottom.

Now go ahead and sift the rest of the dry ingredients and set aside. I know what you're thinking "2-3 tsp of pumpkin pie spice? Isn't that crazy talk?" Trust me, it works and it is awesome!

Now go ahead and sift the rest of the dry ingredients and set aside. I know what you’re thinking “2-3 tsp of pumpkin pie spice? Isn’t that crazy talk?” Trust me, it works and it is awesome!

Start by mixing your sugar and oil.

Start by mixing your sugar and oil.

Go ahead and add in the eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin.

Go ahead and add in the eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin.

Now here is the part where your house will start to smell heavenly.

Now here is the part where your house will start to smell heavenly.

Baked to moist, golden brown, deliciousness. The hard part is waiting for them to cool down.

Baked to moist, golden brown, deliciousness. The hard part is waiting for them to cool down.

You can certainly enjoy them as is, they make for a crazy good muffin. If you want to do it right, frost them with the worlds bestest cream cheese frosting. It will be the best decision you'll make all day! I'll leave a link for that below.

You can certainly enjoy them as is, they make for a crazy good muffin. If you want to do it right, frost them with the worlds bestest cream cheese frosting. It will be the best decision you’ll make all day! I’ll leave a link for that below.

One of the best things about this recipe is that it makes enough to share! Go ahead and wrap them up cute and share the love.

One of the best things about this recipe is that it makes enough to share! Go ahead and wrap them up cute and share the love.

Pumpkin Chocolate Cupcakes

by Rebecca Vahdat

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 17-22 minutes

Ingredients (18-24 cupcakes)

  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 C. sugar
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 C. vegetable oil
  • 2 C. flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2-3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1-15oz. can 100% pumpkin
  • 2 C. chocolate chips

Instructions

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Add a heaping Tablespoon of flour to the chocolate chips and mix well (this step keeps the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes). Sift together the additional flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt; set aside.

Combine sugar and oil and mix well. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add vanilla and pumpkin and mix well.

Slowly add in dry ingredients until just combined.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full of batter and bake for *17-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.

Let cool and frost or skip the frosting and enjoy as a muffin.

*Oven temps vary, check muffins a few minutes before to avoid over baking.

*You can find the recipe for the Worlds Bestest Cream Cheese frosting here.*

I hope you enjoy these cupcakes as much as we do!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

You can find me on Pinterest

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Continuing to Love Every Age

14 Nov

As many of you know, I LOVE my birthday!  It is a great time to reflect on the year past, to see where I was, where I am, and where I am going.  Our culture reveres youth and anything over 30 as a has been.  I disagree!  I think we need to celebrate every year and thank God for the privilege of age and wisdom!  Aging is inevitable.  No matter how much you dwell on it, wish it away, or daydream of your younger years, they are not coming back.  So celebrate!  Be proud of your age and wear it to the glory of God!  You never know when it will be your last, so make it memorable not only for you but for those who love you!

I am so grateful that 37 years ago today I was born! I am grateful for all the experiences, all the tears, all the laughter, for all the things that built endurance and character, and mostly for God’s faithfulness through it all!  Today I celebrate and wear my age with pride.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca

Age 37

 

You can find me on Pinterest

 Image courtesy of [ tiverylucky] at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

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Summer Vacation is Over…..

4 Aug

One of the reasons I love homeschooling is that it offers us limitless flexibility in our schedule.  I noticed a few weeks ago that my kids were starting to get restless-which means that they stop finding productive or fun things to do and instead come up with new and creative ways to annoy one another (anyone relate, lol?).  It was time.  Starting now also gives us an opportunity to get a head start and take some time off in the Fall and do some fun field trips with less of a crowd.

I am not one to prepare and plan ahead of time (you can read about that here), I am forever in a last minute hustle, I am getting better, but still. 

So after a week of preparations here we are at yet another first day of school! 

Introducing the 5th Grader!  She hopes to be an actress and singer one day.

Introducing the 5th Grader! She hopes to be an actress and singer one day.

 

Introducing the 2nd Grader, Jacob! He wants to be a Doctor when he grows up.

Introducing the 2nd Grader! He wants to be a Doctor when he grows up.

 

Hard at work! I love their eagerness and enthusiasm to learn!

Hard at work! I love their eagerness and enthusiasm to learn!

Who says you need to sit at a desk to learn?  The couch is perfect place to snuggle and read.

Who says you need to sit at a desk to learn? The couch is a perfect place to snuggle and read.

So, how do they REALLY feel about the first day of school?  Giddy with goofiness ;)  It's going to be a great year!

So, how do they REALLY feel about the first day of school? Giddy with goofiness 😉 It’s going to be a great year!

Three hours and then we were free to enjoy the beautiful summer day. We rounded off the day with breakfast for dinner and a trip through the sprinklers. A wonderful day indeed!

When does school start for you?  Any tips or tricks in making your day run smoother? I would love to hear from home and public school families….because both are awesome!  

Thanks for sharing in our day!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

I would love to see what you’re Pinning!  

 

“Image courtesy of [digitalart] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Another Beginning

20 Sep

In the early morning hours I sit here thanking the Lord for His sweet provisions.  For the birds singing His praises as dawn breaks and overcomes darkness once again.  For the brisk breeze sweeping away the last whisper of summer and ushering in autumn and the beauty of the colors of the falling leaves.  For the quiet house and sweet sleeping faces still tucked in tight , safe and dreaming away, waiting for the first rays to dance upon their faces.  For the blessing of another season to love, play, and worship. For breath, health, family, and friends.  But mostly for a Savior who is present with me, reminding me that the day is new and so are His mercies.  That yesterdays failures are todays testimonies. Another day, another chance, another beginning.

What are you thankful for today? I would love to know.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Taco Soup

18 Sep

The lazy days of summer are just about over. Soon enough the weather will change, the trees will showcase their brilliant colors, and the days will become a little more hectic.  One of my favorite ways to warm-up and to solve the mad dinner rush is to dig out my slow-cooker and make soup.  One of our family favorites is Taco Soup.  Easy, economical, and so yummy! Throw this on in the morning and dinner is done!  I want to hear from you! Do you have a favorite family recipe or maybe an easy and quick go to meal?  I would love to see it. Leave a recipe or a link in the comments below I would l love to see what you’ve got cookin!

What you will need to get started (scroll down for full recipe).
Fry up your ground beef, onion, and garlic until cooked through.
Here, Broukie demonstrates proper ground beef crumbling.
Alison finishes up.
Add the cooked ground beef to your slow-cooker.
The next step is easy-add everything else and give it a good stir.
I needed someone with a little muscle for this step;)
Voila! Turn it on low, cover, and go about your day.
Don’t want to crock pot it? You can add all the ingredients to a
stock pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes and serve.
This is how it looks, mama style. Sharp cheddar cheese,
sour cream, green onion, and Frito’s. What will you add to yours?
If you’re so inclined, enjoy it with a nice glass of chocolate milk!

Taco Soup
-1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
-1 large onion, diced
-1 clove of garlic, finely minced
-1 12oz bottle of green taco sauce
-1 can beef or chicken broth (14-16 oz)
-2 (15oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (optional-if you don’t mind the off color)
-15 1/4 oz can of corn, drained
-4 1/2oz can of chopped green chilies
-15oz can of tomato sauce
-1oz packet of taco seasoning
-3-4 Cups of water
-your favorite garnishes

 In a large skillet over medium heat cook the ground beef, diced onion, and minced garlic until the ground beef is no longer pink.  Add the beef mixture to your slow-cooker and add the rest of the ingredients, stir. Cover and cook on low until ready to serve.  Simmer 15-20 minutes for stove top method.
   Add a salad some corn bread muffins for an even heartier meal.  This recipe feeds my family of 5 with leftovers for lunch the next day. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.  Thanks for visiting!
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
Let’s be Pinterest friends!
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