Okay friends, it’s time for more exciting news.  You may remember that I posted a recipe for these shrimp alfredo baskets recently with my thoughts on an article about food label confusion.  Well, I tweaked the recipe and submitted it to Bertolli Sauce through Foodbuzz.  My menu item was one of the ones chosen and now I get to go to the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival for free!!!!  I couldn’t afford to go, but now my transportation and lodging are COMPLETELY COVERED!  I’m so excited, but let me back up and tell you a little bit about the recipe.  My inspiration came from three different things.

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I thought I should share this with you since I’m amazed at how long it’s lasted.  When we got some carrots from our CSA a few weeks ago, I was looking at the carrot tops, and my empty vase and had a brain storm.  I filled the vase with water and began putting carrot tops into it as I cut them off.  It’s made a beautiful and simple centerpiece that didn’t start wilting for 3 weeks!

Now, for my HUGE announcement.  Yesterday I followed through on a big and scary decision.  I quit my job.  That’s right, in the midst of this crazy economy, after months of searching for the RIGHT new job before I quit my old one, I’ve quit my job without having another one lined up.  It sounds crazy, I know, but we really think it’s the right decision.

Last week, Eric and I prayed and talked a ton about the idea of pursuing the start of my own company and hopefully a non-profit organization.  I told him it needed to ultimately be his decision if I quit because he would be the “bread winner” until my business gets off the ground.  He decided on Thursday that it was what I’m supposed to do.  Then I got two great confirmations that it was the right decision.

1.  Right after we decided that and asked God to help us have what we need financially, we got a $500 refund check in the mail from our health insurer!

2.  As I was driving to work yesterday, seriously nervous about telling my boss and how she’d react, I decided to turn on the radio for encouragement.  It was on Spirit 105.3 and when I turned it on the announcer said “More uplifting music for your day” and then a song started.  I don’t even really like the song because it’s not my style, but it was exactly what I needed at that moment.  It’s all about how there’s a time for everything, a time to say yes and a time to say no, a time to move on, and how God is with you through all of it.  I just started cracking up and had the courage I needed to tell my boss without feeling sick to my stomach like I usually do in potential conflict.

So what’s next?  I’m honestly not sure.  I’d like to work for myself from home doing freelance writing and recipe development along with taking my blog to the next level.  I enjoy this and am good at it, it’s mostly a matter of finding the opportunities to make it pay the bills.  Plus it’s something I can do from home when we start planning our family in a year or so.  But one of my ultimate dreams is to start a nonprofit organization in my area.  I have a passion for teaching low income families how to shop for affordable and healthy ingredients and how easy cooking is.  I also love teaching children to cook and all about nutrition.  I so want to offer classes in the area, but the people I’d like to teach can’t really afford to pay for classes.

I’ve never started my own business (lemonade stands don’t count!) and certainly not a nonprofit, so I have a ton to learn.  I’m pretty nervous about the details of LLC’s and 501c3′s and accounting and all that, but I really feel this was the right thing to do so I know it’s going to work out.  On that note, if any of you have any advice or ideas, I’d love your input!  Do you have experience in starting a small business or nonprofit, in freelance writing or know some good resources?  Let me know, and if you live nearby maybe I can take you to coffee and pick your brain!

Homemade Banana Ice Cream, the healthiest ice cream recipe ever!

If you haven’t yet heard of frozen banana ice cream, you are going to be so stoked.  This is a recipe that can change your life.  The only sugar is the natural sugar in the bananas.  It’s simply bananas and milk, that’s right, the healthiest ice cream recipe in the world! It can even be made without milk if you want vegan ice cream. When I was taking care of my brother last week, he would get “fun time” with me if he finished his chores and responsibilities with a good attitude.  I’d offer all sorts of things like seeing a movie, going to the park, playing a sport, but he always chose to cook or bake with me in the kitchen.

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Beef Aju Sandwich made from a beef bottom roast in the crockpot with an autumn harvest salad

We got beef!  The farmers we do our CSA with also raise cattle, and we bought 1/4 of a cow from them.  You should have seen me skipping around the butcher’s building as we went to pick up our two coolers full of meat.  Buying your beef locally and in bulk is a HUGE money saver.  You might have to do some hunting for a ranch, farmers aren’t necessarily going to be on the internet, but trust me it’s worth it.  We get ground beef, steaks, roasts, soup bones and ribs for less than $3 a pound!  Because we don’t have a deep freezer (although I’d totally stuff one in our apartment if I could), we split the beef with my parents.  This  meant we only spent around $130 and have enough beef to last us 8 months or more.  The first thing I made with our new beef was Beef Aju Sandwiches.

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Twelve Grain Tropical Fruit French Toast Bites

Last week a large package was in between our screen and front door.  Inside the box were two loaves of bread from Nature’s Pride!

Nature's Pride 12 Grain Bread

I love getting to try free food items simply because I’m a food blogger.  I have to be honest that there are some things I’ve tried that I wish I hadn’t, and I don’t bother to write about those.  But when I get a food product that I love, and am able to do something really spectacular with it, it’s so exciting and I can’t wait to post it.  Today I finally got to play around with the bread and man am I glad I did.

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