SEO: April 2018

Here's the Whole Collection from the Series on the Rosary

I'm putting together all of the articles on the mysteries of the rosary from this past year, as a gift for John for Confirmation.
First: Confirmation is Initiation, not Graduation. Congratualations on getting to celebrate this sacrament, we're proud of you. However, in addition to celebrating, I should point out, now the real work begins. Joyful:
First: The Annuciation
Second: The Visitation

Homemade Keto Crisps - Regular & Hot

When you are on Keto, we need to great swaps so that we can keep on track. I loooove chips and dip, or chips and salsa, or well just chips. But chips will never fit into my macros, or be Keto compliant. So i tried some brands at the store, and I found that the cheese flavor was too strong. They were crispy though which is perfect for that crunch you need. I found a way to make them not so strong, and it could probably save some "dough" (keto joke). Let's get to the recipe!!

Regular Crisp Ingredients
Choose on of the following shredded cheese combo:
1 Cup Sharp Cheddar, 1/2 Cup Sharp Cheddar & 1/2 Cup Colby Jack, or 1 Cup Colby Jack
Add the following:
3/4 teaspoon of taco seasoning (check the ingredients or make your own - some companies like to hide sugar in this seasoning)
1 tablespoon of lime or lemon juice

Recipe Steps

Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Mix the ingredients in a bowl.
Place your parchment paper on a baking pan, and with a spoon make small clumps of the mixture. Leave some room around each clump as the crisps will expand.
Place in oven and bake for 13-14 minutes depending on how crisp you would like them.
Remove from oven, and allow to cool about 10 minutes. Remove from parchment paper.

Notes

Slice up you a jalapeno to add some kick.
Instead of making small clumps, pour the mixture and flatten it out a little. Bake and cut into squares.

Nutrition Facts for the WHOLE RECIPE - Using Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Calories 452; Fat 36.01g; Carbs 8; Fiber 1.2g; Net Carbs 6.8g; Protein 25.1g

Over at the Register

The final installment in my series reflecting on the various mysteries of the rosary is here at the Register. John gets confirmed next week. Now I need to go buy some printer ink so I can pull all these up and put them in a booklet for him. Mental note, to do a cross reference of all of them as a sidebar. Have a great weekend everyone. The final mystery I did is the Descent of the Holy Spirit

Disarming all Chairs, Here's Your Quarter Back!

With the advent of the internet, everyone and their little dog too, has at some point channeled their inner Lucy Van Pelt and offered unasked for expert counsel based purely on spleen. We have opinions, we've found facts or something like facts to back them up, and we've learned how to use pathos, ethos and logos to push our opinions forward with such authority, everyone should just aquiese to

Over at the Register

Today, we're talking about how prayer is not an answer but a response to God's call.

What We Wish for Them

Most days, I spend much of the time in the classroom trying to convince students they should read the meager 4, 7 or 11 such pages assigned. Several do not read except under duress. They know I love words, so they often ask me to read to them.

Sometimes I do. Sometimes, I do not.

Today, was one of those "not" days.
"Why?" one asked.
"Because you need to train your brain just like you train

Over at the Register This Friday!

For those who still feel curious, John has picked a confirmation sponsor. His next older sister will walk with him and be his sponsor for Confirmation.

Small Success Thursday Take Two...

If you want the official Catholicmom.com Small Success Thursday post, it's up and it's here.

However, this afternoon, I spent time talking with my children, and one of them talked about encouraging a friend they had in Florida. She counseled, "Don't let yourself get overwhelmed by the fact you aren't doing some big earth shattering thing. Look at today. You talked to a friend. I made a

KETO APPROVED - Dinner Bombs - Yummy Bacon, Filling Beef, and Cheesey Goodness

I love meatloaf, but wanted a unique taste and way to eat it while getting your fats for the day in. This meatloaf has all the keto goodness you crave, we are talking bacon, cheese, and beef!

My husband and I made this special dinner for my parents, who are not on Keto, and they want me to start making this on the regular! There will be some variations depending on how you want your final dinner bomb to come out.

Let's get started!!

Ingredients:

1 lb of Ground Beef - I used 80/20 Calories - 1,279; Fat 105.19g; Carbs 0gram; Fiber 0g; Protein 77.61g
1 Egg Calories - 70; Fat 5g; Carbs 0gram; Fiber 0g; Protein 6g
3/4 Cup of Almond Flour Calories - 480; Fat 42g; Carbs 18gram; Fiber 9g; Protein 18g
4 Slices of Bacon Calories - 140; Fat 12g; Carbs 0gram; Fiber 0g; Protein 8g
1/2 Cup of Shredded Cheddar - I used mild Calories - 220; Fat 18g; Carbs 1gram; Fiber 0g; Protein 14g
1/3 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream Calories - 267; Fat 26.67g; Carbs 5.33gram; Fiber 0g; Protein 0g
1 Tsp Garlic Powder - Calories - 9; Fat .02g; Carbs 2.04gram; Fiber 0.3g; Protein 0.47g
1 Tsp Onion Powder insignificant amounts
Optional - 1 Tsp of Salt and / or Pepper insignificant amounts

Total: Calories - 2,465; Fat 208.88g; Carbs 26.37gram; Fiber 9.3g; Protein 124.08g NET CARBS 17.07g

Split into 6 Servings - Calories - 410.83; Fat 34.81; Carbs 4.40gram; Fiber 1.55g; Protein 20.68g NET CARBS 2.85g

Split into 12 Servings - Calories - 205.42; Fat 17.41g; Carbs 2.20gram; Fiber .78g; Protein 10.34g NET CARBS 1.42g
***Depending on the brands used your nutritional information may vary, use this as a guide!

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Cut your raw bacon into 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces - the smaller you cut the more chance of getting a bacon in every bite. So i cut mine into 1/2.
In a bowl mix all of your ingredients together, don't be afraid to get down and dirty by using your hands. It will be the easiest way to mix everything.
Here is where you are going to have a variation. I used a muffin tin with 6 spots, so my bombs were a good size. You can also use a muffin tin with 12 spots. The difference between the two will be the cooking time. Coat your muffin tin with non-stick spray, and grabbing some of the mixture at a time mold into a ball.
Confirm that the oven is heated to 350 F, and pop them in. If you are using a 6 muffin tin, bake for 30 minutes, then flip the bomb in the tin and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
Allow your bombs to cool, and then enjoy!

I paired my dinner bombs with a simple salad and dipped in low sugar ketchup, and my husband mixed his into his salad and added ranch. Pair with mashed cauliflower, or one of your favorite keto sides.

Some Tips!

Coconut flour may be substituted, please check on a conversion chart.
Want a spicy kick?? Add sliced jalapeno pieces to your mixture.
Love onions?? Add half of a small onion to your mixture.
Don't enjoy beef?? Use ground chicken or turkey.
These dinner bombs are awesome for meal prep, make a batch at a time and enjoy them all week with different sides.

It is All Grace, Whether I Know it or Not

We all have prayers we pray, for good things, things we think we want, even know we want, which we don't receive. The job I'd hoped for but didn't get, was going to sting longer than I wanted. My brain worked through the problem. "Maybe it's better." My heart pouted, "At 51, I'm still in a high school and still, despite my best efforts, despite doing everything asked of me, I can't get off the

Over at the Register

It's been a busy week. Just today we had a track meet, three birthday parties, one hair cut, music lessons and the ordinary stuff of laundry, grocery shopping and recovering from a week of work. So I'm vegging watching the Great British Bake Off, and linking you to my piece over at the National Catholic Register. Today, I'm discussing the question, are we being a feast of Divine Mercy for

Small Success Today

This week, we focus on Thanking it forward. Cultivating gratitude for that which we have yet to receive is a good way to prepare for all of life. So count the blessings you hope for, and say thank you.

1) for all the prayers of my friends and family, for the graces they receive. Thank you.2) for getting out to exercise, and becoming a better steward of time, and all the gifts of our

Reflections After the Fact

First, read this piece from the Washington Post. I'll wait.

ow many children have we abandoned? In reading Aaron Spark’s piece in the Washington Post, “I Would Have Been a School Shooter,” the unanswered question is, how many have we abandoned? And how do we create a culture which does not abandon those who smell, those who are overweight, those who are poor, those who struggle in school,

My Job is Not What You Think it Is

Last year, my youngest went to school. For the first time in twenty-three years, I beheld an empty house; no toddlers, no babies, no babies being expected. I lasted two days before taking a job at a high school, less time than Jesus spent in the tomb

Swearing, pompous pontificating, sloth, whatever they dish out, it's not personal, they'd do that to anyone sitting behind the desk even if the

What is Our Response

We all shout, "Crucify him!" in the story of the passion because we all know, that's why Christ submitted himself to the crucifixion, because we needed Him (each of us) to save us from our own sinfulness, both past and on-going.

Pope Francis in his Easter address, talked about how God is always full of surprises for us, because we can never imagine how wonderful our God is. He even asked

New Piece (Again) at the Register

I admit, I need to get back to work if I want to top this week of three pieces published...especially when I have nothing in the pike waiting. However, this one was a get up and write type of nag. So I hope you like my latest over at the National Catholic Register, discussing how the Mass is always good even if we don't know it, the mass is always "More than our feelings." My apologies if I've

Small Success Thursday

Today's link to yesterday's post over at Catholicmom.com is related to the post I wrote yesterday. I made a list of fun things to do, and they're all part of how we find joy.

Public Service Announcement: Screen Free Fifty Solutions to Spring Break Boredom!

They all start with...turn off the machines. (I know, counter-intuitive and ironic given that this is written on a computer, posted on a blog and only accessible via the internet, but hang in there, it's worth it). 50. Go outside...stay there even if it's not perfectly comfortable, and just take in what is there.49. Draw until you forget about anything but finishing the piece of whatever it

It's the Beginning of Easter Season...

And we're celebrating all the way to Pentecost! So here's my latest over at the Register, Reflections on the Resurrection, and I'm hoping, you are still enjoying the Easter feast.

Over at the Register today

Hello and welcome to April. I have a piece over at the National Catholic Register for anyone who felt like somehow, they missed something of what they were supposed to feel or do during Holy Week. I've found in discussions with family and friends, the experience was almost universal, maybe we need to just relax and allow ourselves to be steeped in Holy Week, rather than thinking we have to