Indoor Grilled Antelope Tenderloin

New in my 'Beef & Wild Game' tab: My dad likes to do a bit of hunting. {Don't worry, my parents eat, freeze, and give away the meat to friends and appreciative family members like me!} Usually he gets elk or deer, which are so tasty. If you've ever had Oryx, it is beyond delicious with a taste that isn't gamey and {to me} is more flavorful than beef. If I had started this blog a few months ago, I'd have done a recipe for that too.

This time, however, the hubby and I got a little sliver of antelope tenderloin. Honestly, there's not much meat to them. It does have a bit more of a gamey flavor to it, but I found that lemon actually cuts that taste. This recipe can be used for wild game such as elk or venison, or even on a nice steak. It's super simple, but with the brown rice and grilled veggies, this was a fresh tasting meal that my family, including my toddler, enjoyed.

Lemon Blueberry Birthday Cake

New in my 'Sweets' tab: I recently asked a friend if I could make her birthday cake. I just love making cakes! This one can be made as a single layer cake with a simple glaze or make it into a delicious double layer cake, like I did. The original recipe is from The Barefoot Contessa's Blueberry Crumb Cake. Click on the link to bring up the original single layer recipe. I merely took it and changed a few things to make it my own version for a fresh ingredient birthday cake. This was a hit at my daughter's first birthday party, too!

Pulled Pork Tacos (crockpot recipe)

New in my 'Pork' tab: This recipe is so incredibly simple and gives you delicious pulled pork to use for tacos. To me, they tasted like I'd gone and dined at a gormet restaurant. If you're looking for a family taco night recipe that's just as easy but better, this is it!

I've divided the ingredient list into what you need for the pulled pork, and ingredients that I used for making the tacos.
                                                                         

Father: More than a Noun

A father is more than just a name or a noun.

It runs so much deeper than that.

It's so much more than slapping on a label to someone who is related by blood. Anyone can reproduce and say they're a father. But does that really make them 'a father'? Unless there's an action behind that name, it tends to be hollow.

To me, a father is a verb.

He's someone you know loves his children and they know it.
He's someone who wants to teach his child and wants to see them succeed.
He's the one who will make a goof of himself in public just to make his baby smile.
He's the one who sometimes outruns mommy to see if everything is ok.
He's someone who wants to have little dates with just him and his little prince or princess.
He's someone who will cram himself into a tiny playhouse, even though he knows he doesn't fit.
He's the one who will go the store at midnight so his baby can feel better.
He's the one who makes sure he gets his goodnight kisses and hugs.
He's someone who makes sure all the stuffed animals are there when he tucks his baby in for bed.
He's someone who makes those fifteen minutes to play, even when he's exhausted from work.


A father, as a verb, is a wonderful thing to have, indeed! <3

A Hello.

From crafts, to cooking, to writing, to parent schtuff.       {I love it all.}

I've decided to add blogging to my list of 'doings'. 

I hope you smile as you join me on my journey to self publishing the first of {hopefully} many books, some of my favorite recipes I will share with anyone else who has a love of food like my family and I {even my two year old gets very happy at the mention of 'food'}, and my ever expanding love of crafts and building.

I think there's something to be said about creating with your own two hands. Most recently, I have a very fond place in my heart for building with wood. While I was building my bench and entryway table, I wanted to name my blog 'For the Love of Wood'…. But that could have gone two very different directions. 

So, thank you for even taking the time to read this far. 

  

                           Or this far….

    

                                               Or this far!…

Anyway, I love good food and good recipes, so I believe I will lead with that theme for awhile! I'll throw in a bit of momma posts, considering being a parent is my favorite job in the world. Writing my fiction/fantasy/action novel will be finished this year. I currently have two chapters and a hand full of two other chapters written. A second series I plan on embarking on will be more of my personal humor, but still fiction. Don't want to give too much away yet.

Please leave comments. Just not the nasty kind.

                                               

                                                Much love,

                                                   

                                                        Monica XOXO