This week I have begun building a marketing plan…yep, I’M building a marketing plan for an entire brand all by myself! It’s one of those things that I have always wanted the opportunity to do and no matter how much I have voiced the need and want to actively participate, I have not been able to and truthfully it was almost as if they had brainwashed me to think that I couldn’t. Today, I began the process of proving to myself that I CAN do it and I’m happy to report that I’m actually VERY capable of putting together a full marketing plan, that I am due to present to the president of the company on June 6.

The cool thing is that I have secretly always wanted to be in a marketing consultant type of role and this job plops me right in that kind of a position while at the same time still getting to do the things that I love – like launching new products.

Beyond just this job, we have found a house that is SO “Sean and Julie” and after several weeks of battling through the loan process, we found out yesterday that we are officially approved and everything was sent to the title agency to be written up, so hopefully, Monday or Tuesday we will be homeowners of a full house! Not a condo but a full house, with a yard, a garage, a basement, three bedrooms, a loft, a living room AND a family room, 2 1/2 baths, a large kitchen, all for us!

Today is one of those days where I just feel absolutely blessed! Seriously, I found myself beaming from ear to ear at several different points today. God has been so good to us. Yes, there have been trials and He continues to teach us patience so we continue to practice to wait on Him but there are so many things right now where He is just showing me how much He knows the desires of my heart. Even saying it takes my breath away…that a God so big, so inundated with requests and so magnificent takes time to know my every thought, my every desire and my every prayer.

Thank you Lord for listening. Thank you for brining me through the trials and for pouring your blessings out on me.

SERVES: 4 PREP: 15 minutes COOK: 15 minutes

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons, flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Grated peel and juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup sour cream
12 small corn tortillas (I’m not a fan of corn tortillas so I use regular, regular also kept their shape better)
1 16 ounce can spicy refried beans
1 1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese

1. Make Cucumber Salsa: In a medium bowl, stir together cucumber, garlic and parsley. Stir in 2 teaspoons olive oil and lemon juice. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

2. Add lemon peel into the sour cream

3. Heat large skillet over low heat. Soften each tortilla in the skillet for about 15 seconds one act side. Place tortilla on a work surface and spread each with 2 tablespoons refried beans, sprinkle with paperback cheese. Roll up the tortillas to resemble cigars.

4. Using the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Working in 3 batches and using the remaining oil, fry the Taquitos, turning until crisp and brown, 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve the taquitos with the lemony sour cream and the cucumber salsa.

OTHER OPTIONS:
SPICE up the salsa by stirring in 1 finely chopped jalapeño chile

KEEP the taquitos warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve

CUT fat and calories by skipping the oil and making quesadillas instead. Sandwich the filling between 2 tortillas and heat in the skillet just until browned.

ACTIVE: 30 minutes TOTAL 30 minutes (plus time in slow cooker) SERVES: 4 (with leftovers)

2 tablespoons oil
1 5 to 6 pound first cut or flat cut brisket, cut into 3 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 12 ounce bottle stout beer
4 stalks celery, cut into large pieces
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup dijon mustard
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon paprika
brioche rolls, split open and toasted
Coleslaw for serving

1. Heat the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season brisket with salt and pepper, then brown on all sides, about 10 minutes, adding garlic in the last 2 minutes. Transfer the meat and garlic to slow cooker. Pour the beer into the skillet and simmer 30 seconds, scraping up the browned bits from the pan, add the beer mixture to the slow cooker. Nestle celery around the meat.

2. Mix brown sugar, tomato paste, vinegar, mustard and soy sauce, paprika and bay leaves in a glass measuring cup or bowl. Pour over the meat and cook in slow cooker on low setting for 8 hours (our slow cooker is weird and typically it only takes 4 hours on low). If you have never cooked corned beef brisket before it stays pink.

3. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes, then thinly slice. Serve on brioche halves with coleslaw; drizzle with cooking liquid and eat the sandwich with a fork and knife!

YUMMY!!!

ACTIVE: 35 minutes TOTAL: 40 minutes SERVES: 4

1 pd thin boneless pork chops, fat trimmed
8 ounces wide Thai rice noodles (got mine at Whole Foods)
1 cup fresh cilantro (leaves and stems)
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime (this was too much lime for me, couldn’t probably done half)
2 slices peeled ginger
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 red jalapeño peppers, seeded and roughly chopped (wear gloves!)
2 shallots, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons fish sauce (sounds gross but just use it!)
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons peanut oil
1/4 pound green beans, split lengthwise and cut into pieces

1. Place the pork in the freezer about 10 minutes to make it easier to slice. Soak the noodles in very hot water until just tender, about 10 minutes; drain. Snip the noodles with scissors into shorter lengths. Cut the frozen pork crosswise into 1/4” wide strips.

2. Puree the cilantro, lime zest and juice, garlic, jalapeños, shallots, fish sauce, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a food processor until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. (I used our blender)

3. Heat 3 tablespoons peanut oil in large skillet over high heat. Add half the cilantro mixture and stir fry 1 minute. Add the pork and stir fry until no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pork with a slotted spoon to a plate. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of peanut oil, add green beans and stir fry until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the noodles, pork and 2 tablespoons of the remaining cilantro mixture. Cook, tossing with tongs, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining cilantro mixture to taste.

2 tsp vegetable oil, divided
1 lb boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1/2” thick
2 medium carrots, peeled
1 medium red bell pepper
4 green onions with tops
1/2 tsp thai red curry paste (more if you like it spicy!)
3 pouches cooked white rice or 6 cups cold cooked white rice
3/4 cup peanut sauce
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1. Prepare and cook steak
Add 1 tsp of the oil to skillet, heat over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Cut steak crosswise into strips. Add steak to skillet and cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until outside surfaces of steak are no longer pink, Remove from skillet, set aside and keep warm.

2. Prepare vegetables and cook rice and vegetables
Cut carrots into julienne strips. Thinly slice bell paper and green onions. Add remaining 1 tsp oil and curry paste, cook 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add rice and vegetables to skillet, cook 3-4 minutes or until rice is coated with oil and vegetables are tender.

3. Finish and serve
Add steak, sauce, peanuts, salt and pepper to skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes or until heated through, stirring constantly.

Makes 6 servings! Great as left overs : 0 )

Serve with egg rolls, edamame and an asian salad!

Special shout out to the Warners who let me test this recipe on them!!

15 months later, I learned A TON through the merger and transition of my company and my new position. We were able to plug into a great church in the area and witnessed some amazing things about starting up churches. We finally have a laundry list of phone numbers of some AMAZING friends that we truly LOVE to be with and can call last minute to hang out.

A few months ago, we started to get antsy and felt like our opportunities had kind of dwindled here in Ann Arbor. So, we started out on a hunt to see what was next. After about 2 months of searching I started to get some interviews and shortly after the interviews I had a job offer.

Last week I accepted a job in Columbus, Ohio working for Simonton Windows as the Marketing Manager for Vista Windows West. My last day with Masco Cabinetry will be March 1 and I will start my new job, in Columbus, on March 5.

It is surreal to think about something that we have always put on our “wish list” or “would be nice” list is coming true. We are moving to Columbus! Will be close to family, have no baggage of owning a condo in a bad economy holding us down, we can look for a home of our own!

It’s hard to put into words just how blessed we feel. There were so many times that we have been discouraged and confused by the places that God has taken us and the journey that he put us on. But, I can now say looking back that each time he has had something particular in mind. There are still some journeys that we don’t quite understand but at the same time we are encouraged by the fact that God has us in his hand and has brought us to a place which has been a desire of our hearts for some time.

God continues to shape our story and we are excited to see what he has in store for us in Columbus.

“To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did” When God takes something from your grasp. He’s not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. “The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.”

Ingredients:
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans cream of celery soup
2 cans cheddar cheese soup
2 cans (15 ou) chicken broth
1 can (15 ou.) diced tomatoes
1 cup Pace medium picante salsa
1 can (4.5 ou.) green childes
1 medium chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. red chilie powder
salt and pepper
1/4 cup cilantro
4 cooked chicken breast shredded (or 2 cans of shredded chicken)
1 pkg. flour tortillas
1/2 lb. sharp shredded cheddar cheese

Combine and whisk until smooth all eight cans of soup. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, salsa, chiles, onion, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper.

Bring all ingredients to full boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Add cilantro and chicken, simmer another hour.

While soup is simmering, make soup toppings; cut flour tortillas into small thin strips and deep fry in hot oil until lightly browned OR bake on a cookie sheet until crispy.

I typically place everything in the crock pot and then just turn it on low.

Her Nana bought her a snow suite – it was ADORABLE!  Too cute!  I think the best part was that I had to lift her up and down because she literally wasn’t sure how to move in all of that clothing.  Too funny! 

So glad we got to enjoy the snow together.  She was the sweetest thing when we came in the house seeing her in her little curly ponytail with her little nose and cheeks all rosy.  So sweet!  Can’t wait to go out and play again.

It’s funny because all summer long at Grace (the church we are attending in Ann Arbor) we have been going through the book of Philippians doing a series around “Life Happens.”  This was probably one of the most difficult sermon series I have heard in a long time.  Going through things like, “What is my definition of success?” and “I’ll be happy when…” these are all things that the world tells me one thing but I know there is this inclining that constantly bugs me day in and day out that this is not all there is, there is so much more.  Needless to say, all summer long, the very things that have driven me to be where I am in my career and have driven me to be the wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend and employee that I am today had been challenged and are STILL being challenged.

It didn’t occur to me until just now that all summer long God was preparing me for these last few weeks and for the coming weeks.  For the most part, I feel like I have been able to rise above the anxieties and to just go about my day continuing to pray that His plan become mine through all of this.  But, there are still times when I have been weak and have been ready to just throw in the towel.  It’s funny because just tonight, I witnessed Laney not getting something that she wanted and literally she raised her voice, yelled and screamed and carried on until I paid attention to her.  After this happened, I just sat and stared at her for a minute because I realized, I SOOOOO want to do that right now!  Why can’t I behave that way?  Wait….maybe I am behaving that way just in a so called “adult format.”

Why is it that I continue to think that God doesn’t know what I need?  Why is it that I continue to believe that He does not have my and my families interests top of mind?  Why can’t I just sit back and let Him do with me what He wants because ultimately His way is the way that I will be able to help further His kingdom?  Why do I not trust His plan, even though it may seem crazy, unorganized and completely out of whack to me – I can not see tomorrow and He can – which is all the more reason why I should let Him drive.

Living God’s way is a journey that I will wake up and take day after day because it is better than any other way of life.

Stretch me Lord and continue to remind me that I am your child and You have my best interests at heart.

The squash and zucchini plants are growing so big that we’re trying to fend them off from the other plants by blocking them off with wire garden fence.  I’m learning a lot from this first run in gardening.  Can’t wait until we actually get to eat some of our home-grown food!

Here’s a picture of the garden I took today.  Compare it to the last blog entry!