The Faces of THE Diva

Sedona is THREE MONTHS OLD!!! I can't believe it...where has the time gone?! Anyway, Austin has affectionately nick-named our sweetheart "Se-Diva" and I have gone along with it and come up with the phrase: "Sedona's the name, Diva's the game." She really is a sweetheart and I absolutely love her sassy little personality...for now. I'm sure my payback is coming REAL quick. Anyway, she is a lot of fun and a lot of frustration all wrapped into one little package. She has so many fun facial expressions and I've been able to capture a few on camera. I was about to post another blog but figured I better get some pictures of her up first, before I have a Mom or a sibling that wants to hang me upside down by my toe-nails...

Isn't she so sweet?!

This one gave me a good laugh...

This is a prime example, and PROOF, of why her Daddy nick-named her Diva. I put her down so I could eat breakfast and she gave us this amazing pouty face for a good five minutes...never even cried, or attempted a cry for that matter, just pouted. That lip is amazing and it is automatic.

She has learned how to make bubbles with her mouth and is doing it all the time now. I am constantly wiping slobber off her chin.

Fighting sleep and doing it with a 'tude.

Ah, yes...the "pucker" face.

Just "chillin."

Hanging out by the pool. She loves being outside! The water at the pool is still too cold for her to get in so we've only been twice. Thank goodness for a stroller so we can still go outside!

I just loved her little face in this picture. She's such a cute little peanut!

TEXAS

Austin and I moved our little family to Dallas, TX for the summer. Austin is managing a Pest Control office for Safe Home Pest Control and their office is in the DFW area and so here we are!! We actually live in the city of Lewisville, just north of Dallas and it is very nice. Aside from being so far away from family, I REALLY like it here. Anyone who knows me, knows that I much prefer being warm...HOT even, to being cold. So, Texas is perfect...and it is starting to heat up :)

We live really close to a beautiful golf course so Austin is heaven! What's even better about it is that after four pm, he can golf nine holes, rent a cart (complete with electronic score keeper and GPS) and have LOTS of FUN for only $10!! He works late hours so he doesn't get to go very often but he has gone a few times and LOVES every minute of it. Just a couple days after arriving in TX, I got a running stroller. Thanks to my Mom, Taffy, Tami, and Aunt Madonna, I am officially baby mobile...and I LOVE IT! Our first day having the stroller, I decided to go to the golf course with Austin and "watch" him golf with a buddy. Sedona enjoyed the stroller ride and I was happy to be outside, golf "watching" and all.

We also had a fun visit from Grandpa "jojo." Joe drove our Jetta down here for us so that we wouldn't have to drive in seperate cars. What a HUGE blessing and help that was to us. We really appreciated his willingness to do that. As many of you know, the Clift family loves GOOD FOOD. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives is one of their favorite FOOD NETWORK shows and so anytime we go somewhere new we always look on the internet to see if DDD has been there. Lucky for us, DDD has come to DFW!! We went to three places while Joe was here...a Lebanese diner, a Jamaican place, and a "TEXAN" place. The Lebanese place was my absolute favorite and we WILL be going back there again...soon :)

Lebanese Grill...wish I would have taken a picture of the food. It was to. die. for. good!

Jamaican Food...not my favorite. These were citrus wings and they were okay, but the ox-tail and the curry-goat....not so yummy.

"Texan" food...whatever that is. We got a delicious bleu cheese burger and it was so tasty! I think, more than anything, the TEXAS atmosphere is just what sells the food. People here are sooooo nice and genuine. I really could live here.

Well, that about sums this one up...I'll post more pics of our little munchkin later. She's SOOOO cute!! Later, y'all :)

My Mom

I know...all your blog status bars are going to be filled with new posts about your friends' moms and no one may even read this post about MY mom, but maybe SHE will. I wish I had more pictures of just me and my Mom. This picture works great, though, considering that is has my two favorite women in it!!

Mom, you are amazing! I am so blessed to have been sent to you. Thank you for being there to talk to me when I needed you (and especially when I didn't know I needed you). Your self-lessness and your desire to live righteously has blessed my life. I have watched you give love and service to all those around you and I admire the way you do all that you do! I hope that someday, I can be half the Woman, Wife, and MOM that you are! I love you so much and I am so thankful for everything you have done for me, and for all that you still continue to do for me!

I also wanted to say Happy Mother's Day to my "other" Mom...Mariam Clift. She, too, is amazing and I am so blessed to have a Mother-in-Law that I love and look forward to being with. Thank you, for loving me and bringing me into your heart with open arms. I love you!

Happy Mother's Day to all the other Moms out there who have influenced my life in some way. I want to write down all your names, but I'm afraid I would forget someone...

MORE

Austin LOVED this one and it is soo easy!

Burger Bundles
1 box of Herb-Seasoned Stove Top
1/3 c. evaporated milk
1 pound ground beef
1 (10-1/2 oz) can Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Ketchup

Prepare stuffing according to package directions and set aside. Combine evaporated milk and meat; divide into six equal portions. On wax paper or plastic cutting board, pat each portion into THIN 6-in. circles. Put 1/4 cup (or large spoonful) of stuffing in center of each patty; draw meat over stuffing; seal. Place in an 8x8 or 9x9 in baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over meat. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. I serve this with brown rice...noticing a trend? WE LOVE serve w/ rice dishes!

I call this next one "Poor Man's Casserole" but Austin and I both love it and it doesn't take very long to prepare, just to cook...

Chicken and Rice Bake
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed, cubed in 1-in cubes
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 c water
3/4 c. uncooked rice (I use brown rice)
1/4 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 tsp dried onions
Salt to taste after baking is finished

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix water, soup, and seasonings in bowl and pour into 8x8 or 9x9 in baking dish. Pour rice in mixture, let soak for 10-15 minutes. Add chicken cubes; cover; bake for 60 minutes or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
*makes GREAT left-overs!!!

Easy and Quick

These next three were meals I made just this week and they were a HUGE hit and super easy! Perfect amount for 2-4 people, and made with ingredients most of you will have in your cupboards already.

Chicken Florentine (marinading chicken is recommended, so think ahead!)
1/4 c and 1 Tbsp Zesty Italian Dressing
4 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 slices shaved smoked ham
1 cup shredded or sliced swiss cheese
1) Marinade chicken breasts in 1/4 cup Italian Dressing overnight.
2) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1 tbsp of the dressing in a large ovenproof skillet on medium heat. Add spinach; cook and stir 1 min or just until spinach is wilted. Remove from skillet; cover to keep warm.
3) Cover a cooking sheet in tin foil. Place raw chicken breasts on cooking sheet and bake chicken for 20-25 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove chicken from oven and turn oven to broil and place oven rack in broiling position.
4) Place two slices of ham and shredded or sliced swiss cheese on top of each chicken breast. Place in oven to broil for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly browned.
5) Serve over cooked spinach. Serve with rice or steamed vegetables.

Crisp-and-Creamy Baked Chicken
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 package of Shake 'N Bake Extra Crispy Seasoned Coating Mix
1 can cream of celery soup
1/4 cup skim milk
1 cup Shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
1) Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Put Shake'N Bake in a ziploc bag. One at a time, place chicken breasts in bag and coat with Shake 'N Bake. Place coated chicken in a greased 13x9 in. baking dish.
2) Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
3) Mix soup and milk with wire whisk until well blended. Pour evenly over chicken; sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
*I serve this with Wild Rice Pilaf and steamed veggies...yummy!!!

Stove Top Easy Cheesy Chicken Bake
1 pkg Stove Top Stuffing Mix for chicken
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bag (14 oz) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 c. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1) Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package, set aside.
2) Mix chicken and broccoli in 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir in soup, milk and cheese; top with the prepared stuffing.
3) Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes because the sauce will thicken as it cools. Makes GREAT left-overs!!!

Ooooohh so good!

This one is a little "pricey-er" but is ohhh so good, and so good for you! It's also very easy.
(before you get started, I'll tell you that you will need some kitchen string to tie the tenderloin together)

Spinach-Stuffed Beef Tenderloin

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
2 packages (10 ounces each) fresh spinach leaves
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 whole beef tenderloin (about 3-1/2 pounds) trimmed
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

1) In a large nonstick skillet, saute mushrooms and onions in 1 tablespoon oil for 2 minutes. Add half of the garlic; cook until mushrooms are tender. Add spinach, 1/2 tsp salt and cayenne. Cook until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat; set aside

2) Cut a lengthwise slit down the center of tenderloin to within 3/4 in. of bottom. Open so meat lies flat. Spread with spinach stuffing. Fold one side of meat over stuffing; tie several times with kitchen string. Rub remaining oil over beef.

3) Combine the onion powder, pepper and remaining garlic and salt; rub over beef. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. (I just place it on a rack on a cookie sheet cuz that's all I have and it works just fine)

4) Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees for 40-55 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness. (I cook it for 45minutes and it is PERFECT)

Recipes

I used to REALLY enjoy cooking. In fact, I was a Family Home and Consumer Sciences major (Home-Ec) for 2 years before my mission. I took several cooking classes at BYU-Idaho and loved every one of them. (well, for the most part anyway) I don't really know WHY I stopped cooking and baking, but it's been a long time since I've done much. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that my husband is a WHIZ in the kitchen and loves to cook so why bother, right?

Well, this last semester was a really busy one for Austin and since I wasn't working or going to school (I was VERY pregnant and then busy with a new babe), I decided I better start cooking for my hard-working husband. Every Sunday I would have him look through some cook books and tell me what 3 meals he wanted me to make that week. That made my job much easier.

I figured I would share a few of those recipes with you guys. Sorry that these posts may be a little boring to some of you (with no pics and all) but I'll get around to a more "exciting" one soon.

Sweet-and-Sour Meat Loaf
(this is a microwave one. Yeah, I kinda grimmaced too, but it really is great!)
1 egg, lightly beaten
5 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons mustard
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons onion soup ix
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound lean groud beef
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1) In a large bowl, combine the egg, 2 tablespoons ketchup, mustard, bread crumbs, dry soup mix, salt and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into an oval loaf.
2) place in a shallow 1-qt. microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes or until the meat is no longer pinak and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees; drain.
3) Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine the sugars, vinegar and remaining ketchup; drizzle over meat loaf. Cover and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
YIELDS 4 servings

We LOVE LOVE LOVE that recipe and it seriously takes me 30 minutes from start to finish! Okay, my baby is screaming so I'll be back with more in a little bit...