HELP STEVE & NIKKI

I just wanted to reach out to as many people as I can to help this amazing couple out! First of all here is there story:

Steve and Nikki were married on May 25, 2010. Steve was the "back manager" at The Pizza Factory restaurant (where they met) and Nikki was just starting a position as "front manager" of a brand new Pizza Factory in a nearby city. With their combined income they were able to purchase a modest new home. Even though they owned almost no furniture, they were so excited to move in just a few weeks after they

(Picture of Steve and Nikki holding their newly-signed

marriage certificate on their wedding day)

On July 17, 2010, less than two months after their marriage, Steve was involved in a serious traffic accident when another vehicle made an illegal left turn at an intersection. Steve's motorcycle slammed into the side of the other vehicle.

(The picture at the right is a police photo showing Steve's crumpled motorcycle after the accident. You can see the medical helicopter on the road in the background.)

Miracles happened as a registered nurse was at the scene, a police officer was close by, and a medical helicopter just happened to already be flying in the area due to a cancelled pick up. One of the medical helicopter personnel said that Steve would have died from loss of blood within a few minutes had he not received medical attention so quickly.

(Picture of Steve in the hospital about a week after the accident. You can see

the stitches from surgery running under his arm pit and down his right arm.)

Steve was flown directly to the hospital where he was given 16 units of blood, underwent several hours of surgery, and almost lost his right arm from the shoulder down. He then underwent four more surgeries over the next nine days in an effort to repair the massive amount of damage caused by accident.

The accident caused severe damage to Steve's right shoulder and neck area. Steve's right arm will never be normal again and may still need to be amputated at some point. Among other injuries, his right pectoral (chest) and trapezius (neck) muscles, as well as two of the five main nerves going into his arm were completely ripped away in the accident. The other three nerves running from his neck into his arm were also severely damaged and it's still unknown if they'll ever heal. He has very little feeling or movement in any part of his right arm and hand.

Just when they thought things couldn't get worse, Steve developed a serious infection in his right shoulder. After another operation and weeks of expensive treatment, they believe they'll be able to keep the infection in check.

Steve will need a great deal of medical attention over the next few years, as well as physical and occupational therapy for up to five years. He will not be able to work for a long time and will be hindered by his injured shoulder and neck for the rest of his life. Nikki's work schedule has been and will continue to be interrupted as she cares for her new husband. Just paying their normal bills has become a real challenge for them, let alone paying for the massive amount of medical bills they're getting literally every week.

(Picture of Steve and Nikki sharing a light moment

together about a month after the accident.)

Why They Need Your Help

It is estimated that medical and therapy expenses could exceed $1 million over the next few years. Just before the accident the newly married couple was in the process of getting health insurance, but the paperwork wasn't completed in time. Car insurance from both drivers isn't going to cover nearly enough. Needless to say, they need help if they are going to pay the bills, give Steve the ongoing medical attention and therapy he needs, and keep from filing for bankruptcy at such a young age.

Please join us in helping them overcome this rough start in their young marriage by donating whatever you feel comfortable with. Whether you donate a little or a lot, it could go a long way towards helping Steve and Nikki get through this difficult time.

All donations are managed via PayPal, so they're safe and secure.

Thank you and God bless!

They need your help now more than ever! If anyone has ever been in the hospital for even a day or two you know that those bills aren't cheap. We are giving our every effort to help them out as much as we can!

Here are a few ways YOU can help too!

1. Send an email to others in your address book. Feel free to copy and paste this sample email text to help you craft the email you send.
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Thank you to those who have already donated or bought merchandise to help out. We appreciate everyone's support!

Just a fabulous trip down memory lane

After chatting a bit with a fabulous friend Brittles I had this urge to eat Bucca Di Beppo food. Mostly their amazing marinara sauce that came in a size to feed a large part of Africa and their amazing garlic cheese bread. So I started to investigate and came across something that just might have made a shift in the earth's tilt.

THE ORIGINAL BUCCA DI BEPPO
MARINARA RECIPE!!!

I wasn't sure if I wanted to share it, but with something so incredibly good why not! So for those who have eaten there and love their sauce here is the recipe to make in your own cute kitchen! ENJOY!!

BUCA'S MARINARA SAUCE

1/4 C olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
salt to taste
3 T fresh chopped basil

Directions:

Heat olive oil over medium heat inside LARGE saucepan...or even a smallish stockpot (if you need to know how large of a saucepan you will need, pay close attention to the 52oz of crushed tomatoes that you will be adding!!!!!). Saute the garlic and onion in olive oil for 8-10 minutes. Add tomatoes and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add fresh basil before serving.

Note: If you like sweeter sauce you can add 1-2 teaspoons of white sugar.

I am making this for dinner and I can't hardly wait. I am trying a new dough recipe to make killer garlic cheese breadsticks so we shall see how that goes, there may be a post later.

Cooking Fiend

Lately I have been challenging myself to create desserts and entrees that are both delicious and low fat along with intriguing.
so far I have made 3 successful items: Raspberry Torte, Belgian Waffles, & Key Lime Pie.
The recipes were fairly easy and I was able to use what I had in our pantry to accomplish all three of them!

Here is the end result:

Belgian Waffles

3 cups Bisquick Mix
1 box (3oz) Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding
2 TBsp Olive Oil
1 Egg

Combine bisquick and dry vanilla pudding mix. Add oil and egg. Stir until well blended. Cook in your favorite waffle maker! I added craisins and grapes for the topping and used Agave for the syrup to make them a little healthier.

Chocolate Raspberry Torte

1-1/2 pkg. (12 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Raspberry Flavor Gelatin

1/2 cup Sugar

3 Eggs

1/3 cup Flour

1/2 cup PLANTERS Chopped Pecans, toasted or coconut (optional)

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP or COOL WHIP French Vanilla Whipped Topping, thawed

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 9-inch round cake pan; line bottom with wax paper. Microwave 4 squares of the chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir dry gelatin mix and sugar into chocolate until well blended. Mix in eggs. Stir in flour and pecans/coconut until well blended. Pour into prepared pan.

BAKE 40 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan 5 min. Run small knife around side of pan to loosen edge. Invert onto serving platter; remove wax paper. Cool cake completely.

MELT 4 squares of the remaining chocolate in microwave on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread on wax paper-covered baking sheet; refrigerate 30 min.(I combined some coconut in this to give it a little more texture)

MEANWHILE, melt remaining 4 squares chocolate in microwavable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted; stir in whipped topping until smooth. Frost cake with whipped chocolate mixture.

REMOVE chocolate on baking sheet from refrigerator; using sharp knife, cut into 1-1/2- to 2-inch irregular-shaped pieces. Remove chocolate pieces from wax paper; arrange on top of cake. Store cake in refrigerator.

Key Lime Pie

Graham Crust (you can also buy this premade)
1 1/2 cups Fine Graham Crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
6 TBsp Butter
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Combine all ingredients until well blended. Press into 9" pie tin. Cook at 375 for 7 min or until slightly browned. Cool completely.

Whipped Topping (you can also use an 8oz tub of thawed Cool Whip)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
6 TBsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place whipped topping in freezer for about 10 min before starting. Beat until desired fluffyness then add sugar one TBsp at a time along with vanilla.

Pie Filling
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup lime juice (fresh is best, about 4 medium limes, I used the Real Lime Juice)
2 cups whipped topping (or thawed Cool Whip)

Combine sweetened condensed milk and lime juice and beat for 5 minutes in high. Pour into pie tin with cooked crust. Add whipped topping on top of pie filling and refrigerate for 2 hours. I broke up graham crackers in odd shapes and made them as decorations. I also sprinkled some graham crumbs on top.


So far both Jayden and James have enjoyed these items :) Good luck and happy cooking!