Lime Cupcakes

Ingredients For Batter:

2 Cups Organic Flour

2 Teaspoons Organic Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 Cup Grass-Fed Butter (room temperature)

1 Cup Raw Sugar

2 Free Range Eggs

1/4 Lime Juice 

1/4 Cup Organic Milk

Directions:

In a bowl mix butter until creamy, then add sugar. Mix until thick and fluffy, mix longer than you think you should. Add eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl mix flour, salt, and baking powder until combined. Fold into wet ingredients half at a time. Don't over mix. Spoon into muffin tins and bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Beat cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Pour in cream. Beat until combined. Spoon into an icing bag and ice cupcakes.

Ingredients For Icing:

 16 oz Cream Cheese 

1 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar 

1 Teaspoon Vanilla 

1/2 Cup Whipping Cream

Slice a lime thinly and place on top of the icing.

Remodeling The Kitchen Week 4

The excitement has loooonnng since worn off, this week we are tearing out our brand spanking new tile (yes you read that right). Some of them were loose so up they came. Let's just say this happened with lots of ice cream and tears - and prayer. We're now waiting for the guy who put them in to come back and put them in again.



The search for cabinets and countertops is continuing, seriously does there have to be so many choices? We got our layout designs back, thank goodness we had two different people do them because the first one we hated.

What do you think? We're currently in a toss up between Shenandoah Cottage cabinets in linen and raw wood. We're looking at really light colored countertops- then we looked at all the ways to finish the edges and decided we needed more coconut ice cream before deciding.

Check out weeks 1, 2, & 3

DIY Collage Art Work

If you have been following us on Instagram or Facebook you may have seen the pictures of the artwork we did for the living room. We've gotten so many questions about it, we decided to go ahead and make a tutorial so you can do it too!

First off we used PicMonkey to make a collage of some of our favorite photos. We used a sepia filter over the top. Then headed over to Staples and order a 36x40 color engineering print for 11 dollars and some change. 

Then Mr. Cottage and I made a quick run to the hardware store, A.K.A. his favorite store and picked up a 1/4" sheet of wood. We had them cut it down to the size we wanted there. We had them cut it wider than the actual print, then when we got home we marked how far over the print would come.

 Then following that line we placed a strip of painters tape.

We used American Paint Company in Uncle Sam to paint it.

Just one coat gave it the kind of weathered white washed look we were wanting.

After that was dry we covered the unpainted section of wood with mod podge and the laid the print over the top. We had to work quickly because it dried really fast, make sure there aren't any wrinkles in the paper. But don't push really hard or you will tear the paper. We found using a roller worked really well, but you can just use your hands.

Next using PicMonkey again we found a script we liked and printed the words. We actually split the word in half to keep all the letters the same size.

Using a pencil or a sharp pointed object trace the letters. Don't worry about tearing the templets.

Next lightly trace over the lines with a pencil.

Using a fine tipped paint brush paint in the letters.

When that dries, we used 19 gauge galvanized steel wire and 1/4" staples to hang it.

Twist the wire into a knot at the ends so that it won't slip through the staples.

Staple the wire to the back of the wood.

Stick the felt pads on each of the four corners so that it doesn't scratch your wall up.

You Are Mine

Even when everyone else has forgotten you, moved on and left you in the dust He will never forget you. He will scoop you up out of the dust and say mine.

YOU. ARE. MINE.

You don't belong to them, you aren't theirs to trample- you're mine. My handiwork. My precious creation. Handmade, molded, beautiful. You are my treasure, my work of art. You are my uncut diamond. Where others may skip over I see potential. I see amazing beauty.

Even Joseph spent time in a dungeon. Even Joseph was abandoned, trampled on and neglected. Forgotten by his fellow man, but not His heavenly father.

If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalms 139:8-10

You may feel like you have been forgotten in the dungeon- but He hasn't forgotten you. No more than a painter could forget his works of art. 

Organic Peach Crisp

Ingredients

8-12 Peaches
1/2 Cup Raw Sugar
1 Cup Organic Flour
2 Cups Organic Oats
12 Tablespoons Grass-Fed Butter

Directions:

Pour peaches in a casserole dish, sprinkle with sugar. In a bowl mix oats & flour cut in butter until crumbly. Cover top of peaches. Back at 350 until top is golden.


Related Post: Canning Peaches

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Kitchen Remodel Week 3

This week it’s all about cabinets… and waiting. If you happen to see someone wandering around the home improvement store pulling out their hair it’s probably us. Just wave and keep walking. Because we can, make cheese and an odd assortment of other things we wanted to make sure that our cabinets were sturdy and would last a long time; ideally wood, not particle board or melamine. Something that won’t peel like our other cabinets by the stove did. With all the boiling we’ve done over the years the paper stuff on the outside began to peel.

The last week was spent crisscrossing between cabinet makers, surplus stores, Lowes and Home Depot. On the bright side, we found this adorable little restaurant that serves Caribbean-style food called Pollo Tropical. It’s kind of our new addiction, ¼ of a chicken with rice and beans and a slice of guava cheesecake- ok, ok, back to cabinets.

As Mr. Cottage likes to tell us- we have expensive taste (Insert stunned face, moi?)

so of course when looking for cabinets we fell in love with white, bead board, and beautiful molding. Unfortunately, that is not in our price range, so we found some we liked at the surplus store called antique white and raw oak. We’re leaning toward the raw wood and then painting them ourselves. Which means we have some DIY in our future and will save us lots of money. To put in the Antique white it would be around $2400 where the raw would be $937.

Then there are countertops, we don’t want to go with marble because let’s face it with the amount of cooking we do we’d destroy it. We want something light in color, sturdy, beautiful and long-lasting.  We want a miracle.  Right now we are looking at either quartz or granite.

Check out week 1 and 2!

In The Desert

Sweat drains down the sides of your face, sand swirls around your feet in never-ending tornados as you stagger across the sun-baked ground. Behind you lies a trail of luggage. Everything had been going great- right up until the car broke down and left you stranded in the middle of a godforsaken nowhere and half-way to nothing.

Why? Why did this happen? Why? You fall to your knees and shout at the crystal blue sky above. WHY? Then out of nowhere a battered truck chokes down the road, it clatters to a stop and the weathered driver offers you a ride. With relief, you sink into the seat that had seen better days 30 years ago as air conditioner blasts in your face. Ok well, that was horrible, but now, everything will be ok. Then you spot the town 'Nothin' Special' printed on a weathered sign, underneath POP. 150- that's counting the critters.

Your heart sinks as the engine starts coughing smoking. Great. Just great.

"Sorry, this is as far as I can take you," you nod not trusting your voice and slide out of the truck as the driver lifts the hood.

See the culture and wisdom of Egypt gave Moses much of the background he needed. But it didn't prepare his character or spirit for his role as God's prophet and Israel's deliverer. A seemingly pointless 40 years in the desert did.There God seasoned his servant, just as Abraham, Joseph, David, and so many others were seasoned as they spent long years in the proverbial desert, preparing for their calling.

Sometimes it seems that God has set us aside, forgotten us in a dessert. When in reality He's undoing our self-efforts, equipping us with character and building our faith. Most, if not all, spiritual heroes have spent time in a "desert"

When you feel like you've been left in the dessert remember, He doesn't put you there without a reason.

Sweet And Spicy Wings

These chicken wings are just as the title says sweet and spicy.  They are a wonderful meal with a great big salad and your favorite dressing.  We love these so much! Brianna came up with this excellent recipe.  Let us know in the comments below what you think. 

Ingredients:

Wings

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt

pepper

hot sauce

Related Post: Ranch Dressing

Sauce

1/3 cup olive oil

3/3 cup honey

¼ cup fish sauce or coconut aminos

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1-2 teaspoons hot sauce

pinch of chili flakes

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes stirring continuously, or until thick and glossy. Do not let cook for too long or mixture will caramelize and become hard. When finished strain. Place wings in a steamer pot and cook until white. Remove to broiler pan and broil until crispy. Season them while you turn them in the oven. When done remove from oven and baste sauce over the top and use leftover to dip.

Related Post: Pigs In' A Blanket

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If You Can Keep It Book Review

Today we wanted to share a terrific book wit you called 'If You Can Keep It" by Eric Metaxas. This is a WONDERFUL book! Definitely a have to read if you live in America. Insightful, easy to read, and peppered liberally with historical quotes. This is a gem!

We truly love this book, and believe every high school student and adult alike should read it. I wanted to pour through its pages with a highlighter, - maybe on the next time through!

Received this book free for our honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

Remodeling The Kitchen Week 2

Day 9: The last little piece of backer board is going in, we have to run to the store to pick up another gallon of paint to finish one last section on the wall. Go figure we ran out with a foot section left. Hopefully, the rain will stay away today so we can bring in the cabinets and see if they will fit. Tiling begins tomorrow, I can't believe how fast this is going! And Mr. Cottage is speaking in riddles... I need more coffee.

Day 10: Tile is going in today! Yay! Yesterday we pulled out the cabinets we found at a yard sale and tried to figure out a layout for the kitchen, but it turns out they are too big... unless we don't want a dish washer. So we are back to looking for cabinets... Oh, joy!

They started with putting in a lot more screws in the backer board and then started laying down the tile like this.

Day 11: Tile is in, the guys are coming back to do the grout today. Everyone is exhausted here. We can't wait to find cabinets (we're looking for white, brownie points if they have bead board!) Excited to see it all put together. Mr. Cottage is scheming, trying to figure out if we have enough tile left over to do the bathroom and laundry room. Apparently we are like four tiles short. Mrs. Cottage just looked at him and walked away- I don't think she is excited about having another part of the house torn up. 

Day 12: Can't wait for noon to mop the tile so we can see the finished look! Today we are heading off to check out cabinets, wish us luck. It's going to be a long day...

Day 13: Today's plan mopping. Fingers crossed our layout plans get back to us today or tomorrow. We're thinking we are going to go with raw wood cabinets and then paint them ourselves.

Remodeling The Kitchen Week 1

Keep Running

With the Olympics in full swing, I can't help but think of this verse, 

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24

Run in such a way as to win the prize. You can't win the race from the back, you can't win it when you are focusing on the pain and the burning of your muscles, you have to focus on the finish line. You can't when you are looking from side to side, you can't win when you are looking behind you. Focus. On. The. End. 

When you stumble push yourself up from the dust and keep running. Keep pressing ahead. Stand your ground on His word and give everything else a run for its money. It may seem small and insignificant to you, on your little strip- but others are watching. They're watching how you run, how you live your life. The world is watching, you are on a pedestal and the person in front of you is your mission field.

How are you going to run your race? Who are people going to see when you stumble? When you push yourself up from the ground and keep running. Who are they going to see when you're tired and hurting? When you just want to stop and every step you take is by sheer will. 

To win the race you must train, you build up your stamina your strength until finally you can enter the race and win. To train, you have to study his Word until it is burned onto your heart and how you run. Because if your heart isn't it- you won't be winning the prize.