Tasty Tuesday - Coconut Chocolate Cheesecake

Since we are about to celebrate a very romantic holiday, how about a delicious dessert? Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts. In fact, every year for my birthday, my mom makes me one. Just the thought of cheesecake adds ten pounds, but go ahead and splurge! It is sooo worth it!!

Coconut Chocolate Cheesecake
Crust
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups sweetened coconut flakes

Cheesecake
4 bars (4oz.) unsweetened baking chocolate broken into pieces
4 pkgs. (8oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
4 eggs
3/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes, toasted

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all crust ingredients together and press in the bottom of a 9" spring form pan. Make sure to press up the sides of pan about 1". Bake 6-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool completely.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt baking chocolate according to package. In large bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar. Mix until well blended. Add eggs and melted chocolate. Blend just until combined. Stir in toasted coconut and vanilla. Pour over crust. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until almost set. Remove from oven and loosen sides of pan. Cool completely. Refrigerate until well chilled. Prepare glaze and spread over top of cheesecake. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until set. Serve and enjoy!

Chocolate Glaze
1 Tbsp. butter
1 bar (1 oz.) unsweetened baking chocolate
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Combine butter, chocolate, and water in small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for one minute or until mixture is melted and smooth when stirred. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat with a wire whisk until smooth. Spread over top of chilled cake.

This will make a yummy Valentine's Day dessert for you and your special someone to share. Enjoy!

Your Girlfriend,
Melinda

Valentines for Your Significant Other

Valentine's Day is less than a week away. What did you get your significant other? Did you get him anything? Well, just in case you are stumped, we have scoured the best blogs around to find a few super cute things you can make for your man. Homemade gifts are great because they are usually budget friendly, they are personalized, and they show the recipient that you spent time thinking about them. Here are a few fun ideas for you to consider:

In our house, no Valentine's Day is complete for my husband without the secret family recipe for cut-out cookies. The greatest thing about my husband is that if I make the dough and put it in the refrigerator, he will eat it like that - no baking, icing, or decorated needed.

JenJen at Tatertots and Jello came up this totally cool twist on the completely overdone idea of a Valentine's Coupon Book. She starts out with a deck of card and builds her layers up from that. Best of all, she shares her coupon template and shows how she changed her template to make one for everyone in her family. Tres chic!!

What guy would not like a six-pack for Valentine's Day? Well, my guy would probably not be too interested in a six-pack of beer, but he sure would love a six-pack of fun snacks to munch on. At Nap Time Journal, she repurposed cream soda bottles into this totally unique Valentine's Day gift. Jeremy's will be filled with plain M&M's, peanut M&M's, gummi bears, conversation hearts, peanuts, and Skittles. The best part, I don't have to feel guilty drinking all that cream soda! Yum!!

I thought this 'Love You' from 320 Sycamore was a fun gift idea for your Valentine's desk or dresser and so simple. Just a frame, some scrapbook paper for the background, and some scrabble tiles. If you didn't have scrabble tiles laying around your house, you could just print your message on the scrapbook paper. Just sayin'...

I hope you found something that you can make for your significant other this Valentine's Day. If you aren't crafty, you could always write a heartfelt poem or letter to your husband. Remember, it is the thought that counts.

Your Girlfriend, Michelle

Eight Ways to Reconnect With Your Spouse-#8

We made it! Eight ways to reconnect with your spouse has reached its final post. Are you feeling more connected to your spouse? If you answered not, I have a simple question for you... do you respect your spouse? Respect means feelings of appreciative, often deferential regard; esteem. It also means a willingness to show consideration or appreciation. Sometimes this can be hard. We may have our own expectations in our head of how things should be, and because of these expectations, (often too high of expectations) we forget to show respect to the one who loves us.

Respect can be shown in many ways and usually, this is through our words or actions, but we can just as easily take respect away through our words and actions. A few examples of this may be: lack of interest in what our spouse enjoys, cutting them down to their face or behind their back, or not making an effort to spend with them. How would it make your spouse feel if you took interest in their favorite hobby? Or you left them a special note on their pillow. Maybe when you are with your friends, you say encouraging things about your spouse instead of talking negatively.

We all need to have a healthy relationship with our spouse. Respect can make this happen. For many couples, a lack of respect is tearing them apart. I encourage any couple who is struggling with this to seek out help and do not settle for less than a great marriage with your spouse. Find a marriage seminar or retreat you can attend as a couple. Ask someone at your church for help. Do not be too proud to take time to work on your relationship.

I hope each one of these eight ways to reconnect with your spouse will help you increase your bond and build a stronger marriage. Remember your girlfriends are here as a source of encouragement and girlfriends should lift each other up, but never try to tear down your marriage. After all, your spouse is, first and foremost, your best friend.

Have a great weekend!
Melinda

Eight Ways To Reconnect With Your Spouse #7

We are on number seven in our series of Eight Ways to Reconnect With Your Spouse. You will be happy to know that the number seven suggestion costs no money, does not require a sitter, and best of all, you don’t need to leave the comfort of your home. A great way to reconnect with your spouse is through prayer together.

Why pray as a couple? A survey done in the United States showed that while the divorce rate for Christians is not particularly less than for those outside the church, Christian couples who pray together have a divorce rate of less than one percent. That is pretty convincing! The survey confirms that building a foundation of prayer within a marriage strengthens it, protects it, and allows God to work together with the couple. In the book of Ecclesiastes we read "A cord of three strands is not easily broken" (Ecclesiastes 4:12) Think about it…if our personal lives benefit from a living relationship with Christ through prayer, so it stands to reason that our married life would benefit by the inclusion of prayer as well.

Why pray as a couple? The first benefit of praying together as a couple is that together you can bring issues you are facing to God, rather than trying to solve them alone. Praying together will build trust between partners, allowing issues and joys to be shared openly. Finally, praying together as a couple keeps God at the center of the marriage, allowing his protection, healing, and forgiveness where necessary. For these and many other reasons, prayer is an essential part of a healthy marriage.

Give prayer with your spouse a try. You know what they say…the couple that prays together, stays together.

Your Girlfriend, Michelle

Weigh In Wednesday - Weigh in on Complaining

I received a very interesting phone call a few days ago and I have been thinking about it the days since. A friend of mine wanted my advice on what to do about a relationship – a Facebook relationship. You see, she has a friend that is constantly posting bothersome ‘status updates’ and she wanted my opinion on what to do. What could be so bothersome that you might consider ‘unfriending’ a friend? Quite simply, her friend’s posts are filled with complaining, whining, negative thoughts, or flat-out general dissatisfaction with her life.

So I ask you, what do you do when things go wrong? How do you react? Are you a person who steps up and puts on a positive attitude or are you a complainer? Sometimes it is easy to fall into a whiney state-of-mind, but the Bible has some advice and inspiration about complaining…

Complaining, in essence, is saying "This isn't working out for me. I'm annoyed that I don't have - or am not getting - what I want right now." Whining, rooted in our sin nature, is part of the old self that we are commanded to put off (Ephesians 4:22). The original sin consisted of Eve doing exactly what my friend’s Facebook friend is doing – voicing dissatisfaction about the life God has provided to her. Eve wanted a different one. She and Adam were discontent with what they'd been given, said so, and then acted on it. This is the essence of complaining - dissatisfaction, lack of contentment, a joyless and unthankful heart.

What does the Bible say about complaining?

Complaining is a sign of being ungrateful - Yes, we have all complained at one time or another. Things don’t go our way and we are complaining about this and whining about that. We make excuses. Yet the Bible clearly says that complaining is a sin. Complaining shows an attitude that you are ungrateful and bitter and it often tests God’s patience.

Complaining can lead to disobedience - While the Bible says that complaining is a sin, it also states that it can lead to further disobedience. Along with complaining comes pouting. If you complain too much or focus on all the negative things going on in your life, you can lose sight of all the good things God does in your life. This can lead to an attitude where you lose faith and possibly cause others to lose faith too.

We need to remember that things will go wrong in your life – a sick child, a fight with a friend, the loss of a job. You can spend your time complaining, taking your eyes off of God, or you can remember all the other things God has provided for you. Not only will you be happier, but you will be a positive example to everyone around you.

As women, mothers, wives, and friends (Facebook or face-to-face), we must cultivate thankfulness in all things. We need to try and resist the temptation to complain, show dissatisfaction, or share negativity. Instead, we should try and seek happiness in each wakeful moment. Paul tells his readers in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 to simply, ‘Be joyful always’. In other words, strive to see the glass half-full. We can turn away from dissatisfaction and discontentment and give thanks instead of whine. (not wine girls...)

So, what advice would you give my friend? She will be reading…

Your joyful girlfriend,

Michelle

PS - As for the 'other' weigh-in, well... I have lost zero, zilch, zip, and nada this week. Yep, hanging at six pounds lost. I got strep last Wednesday and I think that threw my body into a tailspin. I did well on my eating this week, but have done zero, zilc, zip, and nada for exercise. I am sure I will see more results next week since I will start back exercising tomorrow - I mean, why do today what I can put off until tomorrow? (which leads to next weeks post on procrastination! Just kidding!)

Tasty Tuesday- Hearty Ham and Bean Soup

I wanted to give you a recipe that will warm you up right to your toes! I know some people shy away from beans, thinking they are too much work, but beans are easy to use and packed full of nutrients! They are high in vitamins, high in fiber, and packed full of protein. Plus this recipe makes so much, you can freeze half, or share it with a friend. So enjoy!

Hearty Ham and Bean Soup
1 lb. mixed, dry beans
2 cups ham, chopped (you can also use a ham bone)
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 bay leaves
6 cups water

The night before, rinse your beans. Put them in a large pot and cover with water. Soak overnight. The next morning, drain your beans. Add them along with all other ingredients to your crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Hope you enjoy as much as my family does!

Your girlfriend,
Melinda

Valentines For Your Friends

We all have some girlfriends that we wouldn't want to imagine going through the journey of life without. Yep, we love our girlfriends. We don't say it often, or ever, but we love our girlfriends. How about making them something for Valentine's Day this year? You know, something that says you are a great friend or I can't imagine doing life without you. Need some ideas? Below, you will find a few of my favorite ideas for letting your girlfriends, or your favorite girlfriend bloggers, know you love them!

Cinnamon Vanilla Sugar Scrub
1 cup pure cane sugar
1 cup light olive oil
4-5 drops vitamin E oil
5 or 6 drops of cinnamon essential oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 16oz. glass container with lid
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended. Using a spatula, transfer mix into the container and secure lid. Contents will settle, mix before using. Scoop a teaspoon or two of the scrub on your hands and gently massage in circular motions onto your skin. Leave on for three to four minutes before thoroughly rinsing. The scrub will tighten on your skin.

Candy Cane Sugar Scrub
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
Oil from 1 vitamin E capsule
3-4 drops peppermint essential oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir with a spatula until evenly mixed. Transfer to airtight glass jars and decorate as you wish! The contents may settle, so you will want to stir each time before you use the scrub. Apply 1-2 teaspoons of the scrub to your hands and massage in a circular motion into your skin. Leave on your skin for three to four minutes before rinsing off.
The scrub will tighten on your skin.

I like to put the sugar scrub in repurposed salsa jars. I clean thoroughly, remove all sticky with goo-gone, spray paint the lid, and fill. I then tie a ribbon around the jar and add a personalized tag.

How about something for her home?

I love, love, love this felt wreath from The Idea Room.

Is your friend more feather than felt? How about this feather wreath from Every Crafty Endeavor?

This red fabric heart wreath from Blog N' Tell is super cute too!
These are just a few of my favorite things... well, favorite girlfriend gift ideas anyways. While these are all fun gift ideas, the most important gift to your girlfriend may be a quick note letting her know how much you value her friendship!

Your Girlfriend, Michelle