Slow Cooker Thai Chicken

I will post a picture later, but here is one of my most favorite slow cooker recipes. Its SO easy and SO tasty! Let me know what you think after you try it! :-)

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken
about 12 chicken TENDERS or 6 small chicken breasts
2 red bell peppers, julienned
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/3 cup low-sodium teriyaki sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
a sprinkle of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup unsalted peanut butter

Place all the ingredients except peanut butter in slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Once the chicken is cooked, take it out of slow cooker and shred it. Stick it back the slow cooker along with the peanut butter. Stir the peanut butter in completely. Let cook for another 3-5 minutes. Serve over brown jasmine rice. ENJOY!

Just a few of my weapons...

Psalm 60:12
With God's help we will do mighty things, for he will trample our foes.

Psalm 18:35
You have given me your shield of Victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great.

Romans 8:6
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life.

John 14:27
I am leaving with you a gift- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.

Isaiah 54:10
For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken, says the LORD, who has mercy on you.

Isaiah 32:17
And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Psalm 4:8
I will both lie down in peace and sleep; For you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Romans 8:15
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out 'Abba Father'.

Isaiah 43:1
But now, this is what the LORD says- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel, "Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.".

Isaiah 41:3
For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear, I will help you.

Psalm 34:9
Fear the LORD, you His Saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.

Psalm 27:3
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against m, even then will I be confident.

Psalm 3:6-7
I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.. Arise O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 16:8
I have set the LORD always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

wintertime vacation and a possible break thru

The word is out! We are going on vacation in December for a few days with some friends, and I'm SO stinkin' excited I can barely contain myself!


On another note, last night (as one of my friends explained it) I erupted (which is what you do when you keep all your emotions in and then all the sudden you just erupt with tears and words...kinda like a volcano). Anyway... it was a good cry indeed. Even after she left my house, the tears were still coming as I chatted to my husband about all that was on my heart. I've come to the conclusion that so many times in my life when it comes to fear/anxiety I "give it to God" and then I sit there watching and waiting for it to change. And then while I'm watching and waiting for it to change, I inevitably pick it back up and throw it back over my shoulder because I don't see God doing anything with it. I've done that for so long now, that now the fear/anxiety just rules my life- every single part of it... even simple tasks that should be no big deal. My husband was sharing with me about how many times in lifes circumstances we give the devil and the demonic too much credit, but more often than not we just ignore it. There are spiritual battles going on all around us. After my eruption last night night, I'm sure that this struggle with fear/anxiety is just that. The demonic like that I feel trapped and chained to my fear/anxiety, they like that I feel paranoid about everything, they like that I feel like an idiot, they like that the fear effects every aspect of my life (including trying to sleep at night), they like that the lack of sleep is effecting my body. I'm so sick of it. So starting today I'm going to be engaging in a battle, trusting that God will provide me with all the appropriate armor. Trusting that when I'm weary and ready to give up, that the LORD will be there to give me the courage to keep going... to keep fighting, through the power of His Holy Spirit. 'God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.' (2Tim1:7)
If God is for me, who then can be against me?!



I'm sick of being shackled to this sin, and I want to be free!

LORD, Let Thy goodness, like a fetter bind my wandering heart to Thee. Amen.

Killer Vanilla Ice Cream

KILLER VANILLA ICE CREAM

3C sugar
1 pint heavy whipping cream
4 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 quart + 1 pint half and half
milk

Blend all ingredients and put in ice cream maker freezer tin. If there is quite a bit of room to the top, then finish filling it with milk. Remember that the mixture will expand as it freezes, so don't fill it too full. Follow your ice cream makers instructions.
**** I didn't have to add any milk because I have a smaller freezer tin.****


Don't let this recipes simple ingredients fool you. This vanilla ice cream is amazing! You will never want to eat store bought ice cream again! My one mistake I made was that I didn't leave the ice cream in the maker long enough so it was a little slushy. I put the ice cream in the freezer over night and tried it this morning and the texture is PERFECTO!!!!

TRY IT! Let me know what you think! :-)

german baptist dinner recipe

Blend Together:
One carefully thought-out ahead menu, one genuinely friendly hostess and one handful of congenial guests.

Stir in:
Several children (trained in good manners)and one husband (trained in helpfulness).

Add: An unhurried, unruffled appearance, flavored with a smile.

Mix in:
A "so-glad-to-have-you" attitude.

Sweeten with:
plenty of pleasant conversation.

Serve in: a relaxed atmosphere.

Results:
a warm feeling in the stomach and a warmer glow in the heart.

Author: UNKNOWN
From: German Baptist Cookbook JOYS OF COOKING

my thorn

I stayed home from church today, because I wasn't feeling well, so I spent some time thinking and praying. For some years now, a common struggle of mine has been fear. I'm in a constant state of fear it seems. I was thinking today about how I've let my fears just reign in my life... its like I'm in bondage to them, ya know? My fears keep me from living a full and free life in Christ. I am SO tired of it... not just mentally, but physically- my neck is always sore, and I'm always getting headaches. I'm struggling with knowing how to deal with my fears. I know that I need to give my fears to God, and believe me I try to. I'm just at a loss.... is there something that I'm missing? Why is this thorn not going away? Its been years that I've struggled with this, and I don't feel like it ever gets any better. Anyway... this is a real struggle for me, and I just needed you to know that... whoever you are that reads my random thoughts.

a must see, for sure...

On Tuesday night I went with some girls from Community Group to go see Julie and Julia. LOVED IT! If you enjoy cooking, or even if you just enjoy the idea of cooking you will love this movie. **Warning there are two parts where I can remember being shocked by the swearing/vulgarity. So I was disappointed about that, but if they just took out those two parts, it would be fine.** Just thought I'd put that lil disclaimer in there. hehe!

Anyway, so I've been rather absent from the blog lately. I'm truly sorry. Life gets busy, ya know man? I've been busy rehearsing songs to sing at a wedding in the bay area, taking senior photos/editing them as well. Also tried a new recipe... yet another from the amazingly talented Pioneer Woman. The hubs and I had gone to a restaurant in the bay area called "Strizzies" and they had a wonderful pasta primavera dish, so when we returned home I had my heart set on finding a good recipe for it. Anyway, of course PW would have it on her site, so I tried it and WOWZA! It is a lovely creamy vegetable heaven in your mouth! Here is the link; http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/08/pioneer_womans_/
OH, and P.S. I used whole wheat noodles instead- because that what I always use when making a pasta dish. Not that it really makes cream sauce any healthier. haha! But I mean, COME ON... sometimes you gotta live a little, and have a cream sauce!

OK, well... thanks for reading my rambled thoughts. I'm hoping in the next few days to post some pics from the senior photo shoot. So keep checking back. Hugs to all!

love,
jess