It's Been a Good Day in the Domestic Arts Department!

It was a very successful day for this red-headed housewife, my friends. A very successful day, indeed. While Braelyn was at school, I deep cleaned the apartment, which is what I am always supposed to do on Deep Clean Tuesday, but it just doesn't always happen. But today it did. Braelyn's room did not get clean, but honestly...moms...why do we bother?

Anyways, after I picked Braelyn up from school, I went to work on a couple of new recipes from a blog I recently discovered. And let me tell you...I am head over heels in LOVE with this blog! Seriously. It's called Our Best Bites and it's written by two moms who know their way around a kitchen. They post their fabulous recipes (and CRAFTS!) with step-by-step instructions and step-by-step photos! So handy for when you are trying something new and you ask yourself, "Is that supposed to look like that?". They're super cute and funny and I want to hug these women for being so brilliant. Okay...so on with it, already!

Recipe #1: Cinnamon Caramel Corn with Pecans and White Chocolate (except I omitted the pecans)


Y'all! This recipe was SO FUN to make and SO DELICIOUS to EAT!!!! I made it for our community group, and I think everybody really enjoyed it. Christ Community is gonna have a little Halloween shindig and I think I am gonna make a big ol' batch and make little baggies of popcorn heaven to give away. I would come to my church if I gave myself that stuff! ;)

After I finished that and got the kitchen cleaned up again (I like to have a clean kitchen before I make a mess. Don't know why.), I got to work on dinner.

Recipe #2: Black Bean Soup
Now, I have been looking for a good black bean soup recipe that does NOT require the use of dried black beans all the live long day. Because I love a good black bean soup, and I am a failure when it comes to using dried beans. Simply cannot do it. But ladies and gentleman, these genius women have made all my black bean soup dreams come true! A.MA.ZING! Even Casey says so!
Topped with a squeeze of lime, cilantro, monterey jack cheese, and a lovely dollop of Daisy. I also had it with a hearty baguette, but poor Casey, who is dieting like a champ, just had black bean soup. No cheese. No sour cream. No baguette. Sad. But...like I said, he really loved it. This recipe is definitely getting a regular spot on the Cease family menu.

It was a successful day. Once I publish this post, I can go relax with the hubs and a happy heart. Clean house. Yummy dinner. Yummy dessert. And..to be honest, I needed this little victory in the kitchen, folks. I'm just coming off a disastrous crockpot chicken incident and a beer bread that could double for a doorstop. So, thank goodness for that handy dandy blog! I've already got my eye on some of their other recipes!

To all the ladies out there...happy homemaking! ;)