Blackberry Cobbler

Ahh...spring is in the air and fruit prices aren't as high.  My husband is getting over ice cream (okay that might be a lie) and is looking more towards fruit.  Will and I were at Wal-Mart and they had a GREAT deal on blackberries.  I opened my big mouth and told Will that I could make a cobbler...and then I was obligated!  Shoot...well, I didn't have a good cobbler recipe so I set out on a mission to find one.  After much searching, I found a good one from a staple cookbook. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 
  
  2 cups fresh fruit or 1 can fruit
• 
  
  1 stick or 1/2 cup butter
• 
  
  1/2 cup sugar (omit if fruit is already sweetened)
• 
  
  1 cup liquid, juice from fruit and water (I would probably use about 1/2 cup when I cook it again because it was a little watery)
• 
  
  1 cup self rising flour
• 
  
  1 cup sugar
• 
  
  2/3 cups milk

DIRECTIONS:

Put butter, fruit, sugar (if needed) and liquid from fruit in 8x8x2 inch pan

Heat until butter is melted

Mix flour and sugar; add milk and stir until smooth (in mixing bowl).

Pour batter evenly over fruit mixture (Batter usually sinks to bottom of pan, but rises after cooking).

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes (Serve hot or warm).  Top with Cool Whip or ice cream.

*Suitable for freezing

This recipe came from Calling All Cooks

Chicken Bundles

Several months ago, I found this recipe on a website...but I'm unsure of the source.  I decided to try it out because it seemed pretty simple and looked good...plus it was pretty inexpensive.  Everytime I make it now, I try out different variations...hope you enjoy just like Will and I do!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened (I prefer to use fat free)
• 1  12.5 or 13 oz can white breast chicken
• 1/4 tsp parsley
• 2 cans crescent rolls (Leave in fridge until ready to use)
• 1 Tbsp dried minced onion

      I like to add some 3 jalapeno slices and a 1/4 tsp of paprika for color and a kick!

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the above ingredients (minus crescent rolls and mix well).  I use my KitchenAid Hand Blender to make the mixture really smooth.

Open one 8 count package crescent rolls.  DO NOT divide into triangles.  Keep every 2 triangles together, forming 4 rectangles.

Pinch the seams closed and pat each one out into a larger square. 

Put a spoonfull of chicken/cream cheese mixture into the center of each square.  Fold the corners up into the center, layering like a flower petal, so the roll is sealed. Then press seams together to seal.

Repeat with all rectangles.  I generally have more mixture than crescent rolls...so always have the second can handy. 

Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees until golden brown (about 15-20 minutes).

ENJOY!

A New Life

So Will and I have been quite busy with the MARRIED life.  Will is working straight days at US Steel and I am getting ready for our Teen Volunteer Program at UAB.  This dominates most of the summer for me.  We still have my townhouse on the market but still hope that it will sell soon! 

Around the House:
Will and I have gotten most of our gifts put up and put out.  The house is looking great!  No longer does it look like a bachelor pad!  Thank you to everyone that has helped us make the house so nice!!  We also laid down tile in our laundry room and moved some furniture around (see the next paragraph to find out why).  This week we start breaking down the deck to make way for our new deck and outdoor living area.  I am really excited about all the gardening and decorating I will be able to do...I think Will is most excited about the grill that he dreams of buying!  We also have spent more time outside in the yard this spring.  Will put down grass seed after cutting down a tree with Ty and Dallas.  I planted pretty flowers in a small area in front of the house.  I will try to remember to take pictures of all of this to share.

New Addition:

So we have a new addition to our family.  Delta Matthew joined the Matthews Clan in February.  Delta is an American Bulldog.  We went through a lot to get her, but she's the best pup a 'mom and dad' could ask for.  A lot of people make fun of me because I truely baby our dog...but that's fine...because she is really deserving. 

Check back for more pictures of Delta!  I also think I may start blogging about the different recipes that Will and I try out.  I'd love some feedback about this idea.  Thanks to everyone that has been keeping up with our life and I apologize about how long it has taken to get this blog updated!!

We're MARRIED!!

Hi from Mr. and Mrs. Matthews!  We survived the wedding and the honeymoon in Jamacia!  Everything was so wonderful and we're so thankful to have great friends and family!  Thank you especially to our parents!!  You can check our our wedding pictures at Barry Altmark's website by visiting http://www.pictage.com/client/event.do?event=527015&emailFlag=true and you can see the slideshow at http://www.altmarkphoto.com/slideshows/carolyn_will/iframe.html .  We enjoyed everything so much!!!  Below are some of the wedding pictures that I took from Barry's blog.  ENJOY and buy pictures!!!!!

Carolyn and Will Matthews

Almost there!!! The Final Shower

My mother's closest friend Dee and her family (they're all my 'adoptive' family) threw me a wonderful shower on October 25th.  Below are some of the pictures.  It was a 'tea party' theme...something that would be laid back and fun.  And we had so much fun!!!

    

The champagne punch was great...not too strong :) and the table decorations were so pretty.  Someone actually made the cake in the shape of a hat!  The little tea cups were our favors...we each got one for our birth month and received a wine charm to know which cup was ours.  Aunt Ellen made these...mine said "Bride"!

Christine shows off her hat...this was one we played with a lot when we were younger

Christine and Granny

Christine and Lori showing off their sas

Ms. Dee and Granny

Ms. Patty and Momma

This was my hat...my mother's bridal veil

Melanie and Ms. Suzan

Melanie, Suzan, Love, Ms. Patty, Ms. Dee, and Aunt El...don't their hats all look great!

Christine, Me, and Lori

We all grew up together...in a few days...we'll all be married!

Momma and her best friend Dee

My bridesmaid Rachel was voted 'Best Hat'

WOW!  Look at that pile!

This was one of Ms. Suzan's many gifts to me...she is such a talented artist!

Mom...goofin off

Love finished off our set of blown glasses...they are so nice...can't wait to use them!

Thanks to Christine who thought about me and my knack for cooking Thanksgiving Dinner...this allows you to stack casserole dishes

Ms. Dee and Aunt El

Thanks for Checking in...when you see me again...I'll be MRS!!!!

A Shower at Work

A big THANK YOU to all of my volunteers that came to the hospital this past Tuesday for my bridal shower...it was so sweet of all of them to put this together. I really appreciate it!!! I had a ton of fun being able to gossip with all of them :)

Traveling to Mississippi, Part II

On Sunday, Love, My mom, and I attended a shower in my honor at St. John's Methodist Church in Greenwood, MS. This is the church that Will's parents currently attend and the church that Will grew up in. There were so many nice people...and the food was so good. I have to say...it sure is hard to lose weight when so many people are fixing such delicious food!! This shower was a real delight because not only did I get to hear so many old stories about Will (these will be saved for later), but I also got to meet two of Will's aunts, a cousin, and a second cousin (on his Dad's side)! Below are some pictures from the shower:

Here I am

My mom, Me, Will's Mom

Will's Family: Ashley, Aunt Sister, Me, Aunt Patty, Angel, and Love

A shot with my mom also

Me opening gifts - I believe this was a set of the hand blown glass tumblers...they're so cool!!

This is my place setting...see the glass tumbler and wine glass...aren't they cool :)

When we got home, I unpacked everything to make sure that it didn't break...then I realized I didn't have pictures of the gifts...

This is an upclose picture

Another one

A sideways one

This is the cross that Love gave us...it's made of copper!

I had to include the Mississippi State Tumblers...and Will said he wasn't going to get anything :)

A member of St. John's made most of these...it's handmade pottery

Here is some more...the mocha platter in the middle is actually from Viking Cooking Store

Thank you again to all of the gracious women of St. John's Methodist Church we can't wait to use all of the wonderful gifts we received...we're just going to have to throw a party here in Trussville :) And to Jack's family...thank you so much for making the drive over! It was so wonderful to meet you all!!! I can't wait to be a Matthews :)