Daydreamin

Weekly Menu: December 6 - December 10

2010-12-06T06:01:00.000-08:00

Monday.................Potato Soup
Tuesday.................Chicken Tacos
Wednesday............Christmas Party (making finger foods, but I don't know what, lol)
Thursday...............Venison Stew
Friday....................leftovers
Saturday................Out of town for family christmas get-together

Weekly Menu: November 29 - December 4

2010-11-29T16:34:00.000-08:00

Monday.................chili
Tuesday.................loaded nachos
Wednesday............baked ziti
Thursday...............breakfast
Friday....................chicken spaghetti
Saturday................leftovers

Where Patience Pays Off...

2010-11-22T11:40:00.000-08:00

For ages now I have wanted to purchase a vintage metal cake cover. All summer long I waffled over whether to snag one in a local antiques shop for $20. BUT, I really couldn't justify spending the money on something that will take up a bit of my very precious kitchen space and that I technically don't need. So, I was strong in the face of vintage temptation.......but the darned thing wouldn't leave my mind alone!!!

About a month ago I had a few minutes to spare and ran into the Salvation Army and there, sitting pretty on a shelf with all kinds of random kitchen items, was a cake cover. Do you know I had only 50 cents in my purse that day??? I was kicking myself for having no cash.

'Til I got closer and saw this......

At 50 cents I can easily shift things around and make room in my kitchen :)

Weekly Menu: November 22 - 27

2010-11-21T16:24:00.000-08:00

Monday.....................Salmon croquettes, black eyed peas, mashed potatoes
Tuesday....................Thanksgiving dinner @ church
Wednesday...............creamy chicken and wild rice soup, rolls
Thursday..................Thanksgiving!!! I'm making cream cheese pound cake, candy bar cake, green beans, mac-n-cheese, and smoked ham (I'm letting the bbq place do the work for that one though....by the way, smoked ham? It's the best in the world. Well, at least my world.)
Friday......................leftovers, of course ;)
Saturday.................Chili

Weekly Menu: November 15-20

2010-11-15T12:05:00.000-08:00

Monday....................italian herb chicken with linguine
Tuesday....................sloppy joes and tater tots
Wednesday...............broccoli cheese soup
Thursday..................chicken pie
Friday.......................leftovers
Saturday...................chicken spaghetti

Weekly Menu: November 1-6

2010-10-31T19:45:00.000-07:00

Monday.....................pot roast with carrots & potatoes, macaroni & cheese
Tuesday.....................leftovers
Wednesday................pancakes & bacon (I so want to try Lora's pumpkin pancakes!)
Thursday...................shepherd's pie, green beans & corn
Friday........................fried chicken tenders, baked potatoes
Saturday....................trip to the farm....making a side & dessert, but I don't know what yet

Weekly Menu: October 25-30

2010-10-25T16:59:00.000-07:00

Monday..............chicken nachos
Tuesday..............???
Wednesday.........hamburgers, baked potatoes
Thursday............creamy chicken casserole, black eyed peas, corn
Friday.................leftovers
Saturday.............meatloaf, mac & cheese, green beans

Verdict: Best Salmon Ever

2010-10-22T07:07:00.001-07:00

The dinner police have spoken. The best salmon ever? It only got 2 half-hearted votes from the crew. Those 2 votes came from me and Rick. The kids each took one bite, told me "eww, it's sweet!", and didn't touch it again. Not one of them ate it! Oh well.

I really thought this would be a hit since the kids are all about sugar-coated-anything. I thought the chili powder and brown sugar combo would be just right for the two of us with more mature taste buds. Even for us it was a little bland. Perhaps I did something wrong?

So, my suggestion? If you like a sweeter flavor on your salmon, definitely make this. If not, don't. It just might seem like a waste of (rather expensive, hardly ever bought and therefore highly anticipated) salmon. Hate it when that happens.

On a more positive note.....Mrs. Dash Southwestern Chipotle seasoning blend totally saved the meal for me. Next time you have baked potatoes, sprinkle a little in. Fabulous!

Weekly Menu: October 18-23

2010-10-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Monday............spaghetti
Tuesday............cajun chicken (Bumped so many times it's sad. I really do like it too, but I just haven't wanted to cook every night. My brother in laws will be eating here, so I'll get to experiment on them with this....let you know how it goes!)
Wednesday........ Willow Manor's best salmon ever, baked potatoes, salad
Thursday...........chicken stew and cornbread
Friday................leftovers

I'll let you all know if the salmon really is the best ever :) I sure hope so, since the recipe has been rattling around in my brain for months. Can't wait to try it!

Weekly Menu: October 4-9

2010-10-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

Monday.............southwestern chicken stew (bumped from last week)
Tuesday.............chicken alfredo
Wednesday........chicken enchiladas
Thursday...........pork chops, mashed potatoes, black eyed peas
Friday................leftovers
Saturday............???

Weekly Menu: September 27-October 2

2010-09-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

Monday.................potato soup
Tuesday.................greek chicken pitas
Wednesday............??
Thursday...............cajun chicken, mashed potatoes & green beans
Friday....................hamburgers & fries
Saturday...............southwestern chicken stew & cornbread

Huck Finn

2010-09-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing this boy likes to do, it's be outside. Going fishing? Hunting? Camping? Hiking? Anything outdoors? Count him in!

Weekly Menu: September 20-25

2010-09-20T18:32:00.000-07:00

Monday.................baked ziti
Tuesday.................chicken tacos
Wednesday............pancakes & bacon
Thursday...............chicken fingers, corn, baked potato
Friday....................leftovers
Saturday................meatloaf, mashed potatoes, black eyed peas, cornbread

What to do when the Ice Cream Man isn't in the neighborhood.

2010-09-19T18:30:00.000-07:00

Fake Ice Cream Sandwiches!

A friend of the family told me about these on a camping trip this summer. When she said her daughter grew up eating them and her friends loved them too, I knew I'd be whipping these up for the kiddos. Other than the time for the sandwiches to freeze, these are a super easy and quick snack to make.

You'll need:

1 container of cool whip
1 box of graham crackers
freezer paper & tape or sandwich bags

Let Cool Whip thaw a little. Spread an unbroken (honey or chocolate) graham cracker with a thick layer of Cool Whip and top with another graham cracker. Wrap the sandwich up in freezer paper or stick in a sandwich bag. Freeze for at least a few hours.

These got a thumbs up (and cool-whippy grins) from all three {smallish} children and one {larger, but still a kid at heart} husband. That always makes this momma happy!

Must Have Pantry Items

2010-09-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

At the moment, all I can think about is food. If my husband were here, he would tell you that it's a normal state of mind for me. I don't completely agree, but I will admit that I do love to eat and cook. I think it is necessary for one who loves to eat to know how to cook, don't you?

Anyway, since I have food on the brain, I thought I'd share a few food related things with you. For instance, there are a few things in my pantry that I keep stocked at all times....

Vlasic's Sweet Midgets are one. These are the best store-bought sweet pickles I've ever eaten. I eat them almost every day...seriously.

Two, Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips, economy size from Sam's. Our favorite cookies are chocolate chip...try the recipe on the back of the bag, but spread the dough onto a jellyroll pan...Heaven! (The variation is at the bottom of the recipe)

Peanut butter. My husband is addicted to PB, ha! Plus, if there is nothing sweet in the house and you need a quick sweet fix, pour a few (or a lot, totally up to you) chocolate chips in a bowl and get a spoonful of peanut butter. Dip the pb into the chocolate chips and you have the equivalent of a Reese's peanut butter cup. Now, if you were me, you'd have a glass of milk with that. You'd also do this often. I try telling myself that it's a decently healthy snack. So far, it's working, but it all depends on how much I eat :)

Pace Salsa. You can make great salsa chicken as a filler in burritos/tacos/quesidillas. The quesidillas are my personal fave. Anyway, just put some boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot, pour over some salsa (how ever much you think is enough), cook on low for 6 hours, shred and mix in with the salsa juices in the crockpot. Yum!

Cheese! All kinds really, but two are a must. Sharp cheddar cheese and cream cheese. I buy 10 lbs. of cheddar at Sam's and cut it up as needed. It lasts a long time, doesn't mold in the amount of time we keep it, and freshly shredded cheese just tastes/melts better to me. I buy cream cheese when it's on sale, especially since the price is really getting high (don't get me started on high grocery prices...ugh)! Tons of things to put cream cheese in.

Potatoes. If there's little else in the house, I can always make potato soup. :)

Walnuts. You can substitute walnuts for pecans in pretty much any recipe. Plus, if you buy a bag of large pieces, they make a great snack mixed with some dried cranberries or raisins. I buy these at Sam's too.

Anywhoo, a totally weird post, but there you have it. Random things that I like to keep in good supply. There are probably more, but I won't bore you with all of them. What do you like to keep a good stock of?

1940

2010-09-07T09:18:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the Blitz in London. From September 7, 1940 to May 10, 1941 the Germans bombed England incessantly. After 9 months, 43,000 civilians had been killed and 140,000 injured. The German's plan was to crush the spirit of the British, but as history has proven, they failed that mission.

Interestingly, new color footage of the damage from the Blitz was just discovered. It was filmed by the mayor of St. Marylebone, A.E. Reneson Coucher who also served as an air raid warden during the war. The film has been sitting the attic of his home all these years and was found by his family.

The films show bombing victims being treated, destruction throughout London, and Winston Churchill reviewing a parade of civil defense workers in Hyde Park. You can see double decker buses travelling down streets that are nearly empty. In the video I watched I saw only one car... everyone else is walking.

In honor of the 70th anniversary the city of Westminster Archives has created a website devoted to telling the story of the West End during the Blitz. If you are interested in World War II history, the footage and information available on this site is fascinating. (They have oral histories!!! Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE oral history?) I am imagining all sorts of ways to incorporate information from West End at War into lesson plans!

Bookworm

2010-09-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

I've been reminded several times over the last few weeks about what a blessing being a bookworm can be. Why? Because two of my classes this semester require 4 books each. Yes, that is 8 books to be read over the course of the semester. Some are short, some long. Both classes are history classes...Revolutionary America and American Civil War and Reconstruction.

I thought I'd give you all a list of the books and let you know what I think of them as we work through them. I know there are some history buffs out there :)

Revolutionary America:
The American Revolution: A History, Gordon S. Wood
American Scripture, Pauline Maier
Federalists and Antifederalists, ed. by Kaminski
The Life of Francis Marion, William Gilmore Simms

American Civil War and Reconstruction:
The Coming of the Civil War, Avery Craven
The War for a Nation, Susan-Mary Grant
A City Laid Waste, William Gilmore Simms
Guns of the South, Harry Turtledove

As my dad reminded me, can you imagine being in these classes and hating to read?

Don't Blink....

2010-08-26T06:46:00.001-07:00

....or you'll pass right by it. Summer, that is.

Yep, it's true. It is now the tail-end of August and summer is slowly fading away. I keep asking myself where it's gone, but just like the small, sleepy Southern town that passes in the blink of an eye, summer has disappeared!

The children are all in school again. New classes, teachers and friends becoming a second home in some ways. I am back in school as well and a second home is a good way to describe the increased amount of time I will be spending at my school. This end of this semester should find our family with more patience, teamwork and maturity than we had at the start.

Summer may have slipped through our fingers like sand, but the memories of these last two months spent all together will be forever imprinted in our minds.

Supper Menu: February 28 - March 6

2010-03-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

Sunday..................Dinner with family: grilled chicken, green beans, turnip greens, mac n cheese, cornbread
Monday.................Hamburger macaroni
Tuesday................Leftovers
Wednesday...........Potato soup
Thursday..............Pesto Salmon & baked potatos
Friday...................Taco Soup
Saturday...............Chicken & Dumplings, cornbread

Supper Menu: February 7-13

2010-02-10T08:16:00.001-08:00

Sunday................Superbowl party at In-law's (taking cheese dip, chocolate chip cookies & peach cobbler)
Monday...............Chili
Tuesday..............Pinto beans, corn, macaroni and cheese and fried apples
Wednesday.............Chicken nuggets with leftover veggies from Tuesday
Thursday................Lasagna
Friday.................Leftovers
Saturday...............BBQ, baked beans, potato salad, rolls

Supper Menu: February 1-5

2010-02-01T09:14:00.001-08:00

Monday................Baked tilapia, corn & baked potatoes
Tuesday...............BBQ sandwiches & fries
Wednesday...............Leftovers
Thursday................Beef Stew & cornbread
Friday.................Leftovers
Saturday..................Creamy Chicken Fettucine

New Travelling Companions

2010-01-27T08:40:00.000-08:00

I have recently discovered the "audiobook".......the perfect thing for avid readers who spend much of their time doing things that make it impossible to read as much as they would like. While it is different from actually *reading* a book, you get the pleasure of hearing the story throughout whatever you might be doing....cleaning house, driving, sitting at the computer, etc.

I am having to commute to school two days a week this semester and the books are wonderful companions to fill up the empty time :)

I will be listing those books that I've listened to just underneath the "Read in 2010" list, if you'd like to get ideas. I won't necessarily post about each one, unless perhaps it was a particularly good listen. However, I can definitely recommend all of the Chronicles of Narnia audiobooks. Absolutely fabulous.

Currently, I am listening to....

http://www.amazon.com/Avas-Man-Rick-Bragg/dp/0375724443/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264611295&sr=8-1

Supper Menu: January 25 - 30

2010-01-25T08:32:00.000-08:00

Monday................Butter beans, creamed corn, mashed potatoes, cornbread
Tuesday...............Baked Ziti, garlic bread
Wednesday..........Pinto Beans & Cornbread
Thursday.............Chicken nuggets, baked potatoes w/ sauteed peppers, onions, garlic & mushrooms
Friday & Saturday............Visiting family out of town

Crockpot Broccoli & Cheese Soup

2010-01-20T09:23:00.000-08:00

1/2 white onion, finely diced
1 quart chicken broth
2 cups milk
26 ounces frozen broccoli
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt....or to taste (I added more)
3 cups shredded cheese (I started out using velveeta, but added sharp cheddar too...I think I would just use cheddar next time)

Add onion, broth, milk, broccoli, and spices to crockpot. Cook on low for 7 hours. Stir in cheese and let cook for an additional 30 minutes.

The truth: Rick and I loved this soup....the kids wouldn't touch it. Right before I served dinner, I made my two oldest close their eyes and gave them a spoonful. Zoe wasn't impressed, but Canaan said it was "delicious". I think all 3 kids were put off by the "green stuff" floating in the soup, LOL! I do think I will use fresh broccoli next time and cut small pieces, as some of the chunks of broccoli were quite large. I'll definitely make this soup again.

*This recipe is a variation of broccoli and 3 cheese soup on crockpot365.

Supper Menu: January 17 - 23

2010-01-18T06:55:00.000-08:00

Sunday..............Baked Potatos & salad
Monday..............Father-in-law's birthday dinner: fried catfish, fries, baked beans, fruit salad & chocolate bar cake
Tuesday.............Broccoli & cheese soup (will be trying it in the crockpot)
Wednesday..............Pinto beans, creamed corn, potato packets & cornbread
Thursday...............Fettucine Alfredo, crusty bread
Friday..............Bean burritos w/ fixings
Saturday...............White beans & cornbread

Supper Menu: January 10-16

2010-01-11T08:37:00.000-08:00

Sunday..................White beans, cornbread
Monday.................Vegetable plate: fried potatoes, white beans, corn & cornbread
Tuesday................Fiesta Corn Chowder, salad
Wednesday...........Apple-cranberry salad, chicken tenders for kids
Thursday..............Meatless baked ziti
Friday....................Leftovers
Saturday...............Beans & rice

Reading Rainbow

2010-01-06T08:21:00.000-08:00

My "read in 2009" list is a bit like a rainbow....varied just as a rainbow's colors are. Taking me on journeys around the world and back in time. Living vicariously through other's lives. Many subjects, fiction & non, some quick & some cumbersome, a few put away without finishing (although I hate to do that), mysteries, love stories, sweet stories, children's stories, classics.......

The Thirteenth Tale, Diane Setterfield

The Hound of the Baskervilles, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle*

The Secret, Beverly Lewis

The Quiet Little Woman, Louisa May Alcott

Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier*

Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris, Paul Gallico

A Different Kind of Christmas, Alex Haley

Anne of the Island, LM Montgomery

the most they ever had, Rick Bragg*

Around the World in 80 Days, Jules Verne*

Shanghai Girls, Lisa See

They Met in Baghdad, Agatha Christie

N or M? , Agatha Christie

Murder on the Links, Agatha Christie

Murder in Three Acts, Agatha Christie

Jim Crow and Me, Solomon Seay Jr.*

Little Men, Louisa May Alcott*

The Hotel Alleluia, Lucinda Roy

Pinocchio, Carlo Collodi

Death on the Nile, Agatha Christie

Anne of Avonlea, LM Montgomery

Anne of Green Gables, LM Montgomery

Before Green Gables, Budge Wilson*

Quite A Year For Plums, Bailey Wright

The Journal of Helene Berr*

The Pages in Between, Erin Einhorn

Jubilee, Margaret Walker

The Longing, Beverly Lewis

The Forbidden, Beverly Lewis

Plain Language, Barbara Wright

Cat Among the Pigeons, Agatha Christie

Europe's Last Summer, David Fromkin

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Shaffer & Barrows*

Elephants Can Remember, Agatha Christie

Phoebe Deane, Grace Livingston Hill

Evil Under the Sun, Agatha Christie

Soaring Eagle, Stephanie Grace Whitson

Walks the Fire, Stephanie Grace Whitson

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee*

When the Whipporwill..., Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

The Nine Brides and Granny Hite, Neill C Wilson

Leota's Garden, Francine Rivers*

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Agatha Christie

Black Coffee, Agatha Christie

When the Soul Mends, Cindy Woodsmall

*Favorite books...........I highly recommend them

Books I did not finish:

Thirteen Moons, Charles Frazier

Swiss Family Robinson, J. Wyss

Blessings of a Skinned Knee, Wendy Mogel

Mrs. Lincoln, Catherine Clinton

The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd

*Thirteen Moons I probably won't finish, but the rest I hope to finish up this year.

Supper Menu: January 3 - 9

2010-01-06T07:21:00.000-08:00

It has been quite a while since I have posted our weekly menus. With the end of last semester being incredibly busy, some things had to be laid aside for a while, and the menu was one of those things. I still kept a "menu" in my head for each week so I wasn't completely off track. However, I did have a bit of a "what's for dinner" slump during December. Do you ever do that? When the cooking slump hits me, I just cannot think of anything to cook. Everything I consider seems like something we eat all the time, you know? I guess it is time to try out some new recipes again.....that's always fun :)

This week I'm planning my menu around what is in my freezer. I'm also making warm, filling foods because it is freezing here! The highs are below freezing and the lows are running in the teens....with wind chills in single digits! That's not something we are very used to here in Alabama. The forecast is calling for snow tomorrow. We are all hoping and praying that we get a few inches. With the weather as it is, I believe that it will actually stick around if we do get some....whoo hoo!

Sunday......................Venison Stew, Cornbread
Monday.....................Leftovers
Tuesday....................Pizza
Wednesday...............Beef Vegetable Soup, Cornbread
Thursday..................Chicken Spagetti, Garlic Cheese Biscuits
Friday.......................Leftovers
Saturday..................Crockpot BBQ Chicken, Mashed Potatoes & Green beans

*I am not linking up with Menu Plan Monday this week. I am going to try simply posting my weekly menus without linking up for a few weeks. With such a hectic schedule, I feel that it is important for things to be as simple as possible. Not having to post a pic and link up and all will hopefully ensure that I will be able to post my menus quickly, which will encourage me to continue my planning. Lately if something is too time consuming (and is not necessary to me or my family) I am cutting it out. I value my sanity and my family's peace much more than some things. You gotta do what you gotta do, LOL.

A Very Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T12:27:00.000-08:00

May the Lord bless your
family this Christmas.

On My Nightstand...

2009-12-17T08:13:00.001-08:00

A Different Kind of Christmas by Alex Haley.............I found this book for sale in the local library's used books store. I love Alex Haley's books, so I had to pick this one up. It is the story of a young heir to a plantation as he struggles with the beliefs he has been taught about slavery. A good, quick read.

Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico..............I heard of Mrs. 'Arris from Heidi at Mt. Hope Chronicles. She had great things to say about the book, so I thought I would check it out. This was a great, light read. Sweet, sweet, sweet.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier..............I must start by saying that I have never watched Rebecca the movie. I have seen a little on t.v. but it seemed a little too spooky, so I always turned away. Mrs. Danvers gave me the creeps. I've never even heard about the whole story line. But......this book was enthralling!!! I was hooked from the first page. I. Could. Not. Put. It. Down. It creeps into your thoughts so that as you go about your day you are replaying the story in your mind. Please read this! I will be going to the library to check out the movie tomorrow. I'll let you know if the spookiness still gets to me...

The Quiet Little Woman: a Christmas Story by Louisa May Alcott............Impulse pick while at the library. I thought this would be good considering the season. Besides, Louisa May Alcott is one of my favorite authors.

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle..............Mysteries are some of the best books. As a child I read every single Nancy Drew book there was as well as Mandie (a christian mystery series for young readers). Agatha Christie is still fairly new to me, as I only read my first Christie mystery about 2 years ago. I thought that I would give Sherlock Holmes a chance too. It is true, I've never read a Holmes story. But that will change soon! And as The Hound is the book I hear most about, it's the one I chose. We'll see....

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield................Rebecca at The Ladies Historical Tea Society posted a review of The Thirteenth Tale in November. After reading her review I knew I wanted to read it. Check out her review here.

The Secret by Beverly Lewis................This is the first book in Mrs. Lewis' new series, Seasons of Grace. Beverly Lewis is also a favorite author of mine. Her books are always filled with wonderful descriptions of Amish homes and family life: cooking and descriptions of the Pennsylvania landscape surrounding Amish country. They are also quick reads, but usually I become so involved in the stories that I can't put them down. I've just started The Secret today.

Another Semester Down

2009-12-17T07:04:00.000-08:00

It is Christmas vacation for me! Yay!

The Fall semester ended Monday with my very last final exam in American Foreign Relations. Going into the semester I was concerned that I was taking on too much and would have bad grades to show for it. After adjusting my outlook on what constitutes a "bad" grade, I had much less stress and ended up doing pretty well....2 A's, 1 B, 1 probable C. I will probably end up with a "C" in one class...government....unless my professor is very generous and gives me .6 of a point. Yes, you read that right. I am really only .1 away from a B as a 79.5 would probably be rounded up. That frustrates me, but as my dad says, it counts as a grade and I am that much closer to graduating. 4 more classes closer, actually. I really can't believe I was able to take on 4 classes. At this rate I will be finished with classes by next Christmas and will only lack my internship. I'm so excited!

Of course, one of my first stops after exams was the library. I knew exactly which books I wanted to read during vacation and it is quite a stack. I am not sure if I'll finish them all, but I will savor reading as many as possible. I'll be back later to share which books I'm reading over my break and why.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-11-30T06:59:00.000-08:00

How was everyone's Thanksgiving holiday? Did you eat too much? I sure did! We had a wonderful holiday, starting with everyone being out of school the entire week. You know I enjoyed a break in the hectic school schedule, because it meant I had a chance to relax and....my favorite.....sleep late! I really did enjoy that :)

Thursday was a pretty relaxed day for us as well. While the kids watched the Thanksgiving Day parade, I made what little food I was to bring to Rick's parents house. Since I had most things ready before Thursday, I only had to make cheese dip for earlier in the day and mashed potatoes for dinner. The suprise of the day was that Rick shot his first deer of the season Thursday morning! It was a small(ish) deer...only a 6 point, but we are happy to have the meat no matter what size it was. Before taking it to be processed he drove by the house to let the kids see it. They were all tickled to see Dad's "catch" and talked about how pretty it was. Now they are excited about having deer meat soon...I must admit, I am too. I am going to have to hunt around for the stew recipe I found last year. When I find it I will share it with you...it was so yummy.

I have to tell you about the new cake recipe I tried for Thanksgiving. It is the Pumpkin Spice Cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting from Country Living's website. It was the perfect Thanksgiving cake! If you are looking for a new cake recipe, I highly recommend it. It was easy to make, as well as moist and flavorful. I did not get a picture of it though (I know, you're not suprised). You'll just have to take my word for it....

Now, for this week's menu I am really planning to rock the leftovers, because we'll be out of town this weekend. My side of the family is going to have Christmas really early this year so that everyone can come. So we will be heading down to Kennedy, Alabama for the weekend...yay! While I'm there I hope to get a sewing lesson from my aunt, if there is time. There might be more hunting in store for Rick too....it looks like the weather will be perfect for it.

Monday...............Lasagna with garlic bread
Tuesday..............Leftovers
Wednesday............Chicken and noodles with cornbread
Thursday.............Leftovers
Friday & Saturday............Out of town for my family's Christmas get-together. I'm making 2 peanut butter pies for the dinner on Saturday.

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T17:09:00.000-08:00

May your day be blessed!

Menu Plan Monday....Thanksgiving Week :)

2009-11-24T07:51:00.000-08:00

Well, this weeks menu plan is pretty easy for me....Thanksgiving dinner will probably cover the last half of the week's dinners at our house :)

Last night we had some of my family over for dinner....my Aunt Terri, Uncle Jeff, cousin Chasity, her husband John and their daughter Lili-Grace. They live about 2 1/2 hours south of our city and were coming up to do a little sightseeing. This was actually their first time to come to our home, and our first time to have any of my family in our home. (Long story, I have been meaning to tell a bit of how this all happened, but haven't been able to find the right words.) So, it was really a special day for us. We had the best time! I love my family so much and it was so great to have Rick's mom over and watch my family and Rick's family get to know each other and get along so well. Rick and I have been together for 9 years and this is the first time his mother has been able to meet anyone in my family. We ate dinner early and then the adults talked for hours and the kids played. There was not a dull moment during the entire evening!

Monday..............Roast with potatoes & carrots, Creamy Chicken Casserole, green beans, macaroni & cheese, rolls, peanut butter pie, chocolate bar cake, and pound cake

Tuesday..............Thanksgiving dinner at church

Wednesday.............leftovers from Monday

Thursday.............Thanksgiving!!! I know we are taking a smoked turkey, but besides that, I have no idea what I'm cooking yet....I haven't received my "orders" from my mother-in-law, LOL)

Friday................Leftovers, of course ;)

Saturday..............Leftovers? It will depend on if there is any more food left by then.

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-11-17T16:45:00.000-08:00

I have been cleaning and doing laundry all day long. Right now I am curled up on the couch, exhausted. I couldn't wait any longer to post my menu plan for this week, though. It is already Tuesday night :)

For the most part this week's recipes are some of my tried and true recipes. They are also pretty easy. The only new recipe I will be trying is something that I just decided to try in the crockpot.....Chicken Tacos. We had them tonight and they were really good! I just put several chicken breasts in the crockpot and poured 3/4 of a jar of Pace salsa over them. Turned the crockpot on low and then after 6 hours, just shred the chicken up. Serve in soft or hard tacos with all the fixings. Yum!

Monday................Creamy Chicken
Tuesday..............Chicken Tacos, Refried Beans and Cheese Dip
Wednesday...............Potato Packets, Green Beans, Creamed Corn and Corn Bread
Thursday...............Shepherd's Pie, Black-eyed Peas
Friday.................leftovers
Saturday.............Chili

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie

Pasta e Fagioli

2009-11-12T08:07:00.000-08:00

Is there anything better than coming home to a pot of warm, homemade soup after a busy day? In my book, it is definitely a great way to wind down the day. It is very relaxing to come home and only warm up bread, pour some cold lemonade and enjoy dinner with my family. Next time you want some soup, try this....

Pasta e Fagioli

1 package italian sausage, browned and drained
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (and juice)
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups beef broth
1 can (26.5 oz) pasta sauce (I use Hunts Garlic & Herb Sauce, canned not jarred....it's cheaper and tastes great)
2 tsp oregano
1 T Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup dry pasta, to add at end of cooking time (I used Radiatorre [sp?], but you can use whatever you've got on hand)

Use a 6 quart or larger crockpot, or cut the recipe in half. This makes a lot. Brown the meat on the stovetop, and drain well. Let it cool a bit. Chop up the carrots, onion, and celery. Add it to the empty crockpot. Drain and rinse the beans, and add them. Add the whole can of tomatoes, and the pasta sauce. Add the beef broth. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, and Tobasco sauce. Stir in your meat.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the 1/2 cup of dry pasta. Cover and cook for another hour on low, or until the pasta is tender. It will swell quite a bit. Garnish with a little grated parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

*As I mentioned on this week's menu plan, this is a new recipe for our family. I was unsure how it would turn out or whether anyone would like it. I'm always a little concerned when trying new recipes. I really don't want to waste the time preparing a meal as well as wasting the food itself if it's not good. I shouldn't have worried though, because it was soooo delicious! It definitely reminded me of Olive Garden's version of this soup. This would be the perfect soup to have cooking away in the crockpot on a cold winter day. The warmth of soup and bread as well as the spiciness of the dish would warm you up quickly :)

My husband and I both really liked it. The kids, however, weren't sure what to think. Zoe seems to be getting more picky as she gets older, so she of course did not like it (even though she said this before she ever took a bite!) Harmony and Canaan ate it and thought it was okay. It may have been a little spicy for them, but they did eat it.

I mentioned also that this recipe came from Crockpot 365. However, I did make changes to the recipe to reflect our own tastes. I used italian sausage instead of hamburger meat, 2 cans of white beans instead of 1 can white beans and 1 can kidney beans, and also more pasta sauce and only 1 can diced tomatoes. If you would like to see Stephani's recipe click here.

Also, I am participating in Mt. Hope Chronicles' Living. Lovely. this week, since the theme of the week is "Savor Slow Food". We have certainly done that!

Better Late Than Never

2009-11-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

For some reason, I have had a hard time coming up with a menu for this week's dinners. After searching around the 'net for some inspiration, it is finally ready. My problems stems from the fact that we have something going on at least two nights this week. Also I have a few recipes that I want to try, but they are all chicken dishes. I don't think I want to feed the family chicken every night of the week :) We will be eating it 3 nights this week, though.

Two of the recipes used this week are new to me: Pasta E Fagioli and Brown Sugar Chicken. Both come from Crockpot365, a great website with tons of crockpot recipes. Personally, I am always happy about finding a new crockpot recipe. Using the crockpot really saves time spent in the kitchen in the evenings.

The meatloaf that I'm making is just a variation of PW's BBQ Meatballs. The meatballs are sooo good, but are a little time consuming, so I think I'll just make the meatloaf instead. Same taste, different form :)

Monday.........Chicken Spagetti & Garlic Cheese Biscuits

Tuesday..........Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Wednesday..........Pasta E Fagioli & Garlic Breadsticks

Thursday..........Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans

Friday...........Leftovers

Saturday............Brown Sugar Chicken w/ Rice

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

Halloween '09

2009-11-02T08:12:00.000-08:00

Menu Plan Monday

2009-11-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

Well, how was everyone's week? Our week was really busy, with some unexpected schedule changes, starting on Thursday. The kids came home from school on Thursday talking about "skate night". Skate night is a fundraiser that our elementary school's PE coaches host once a month. You pay an entrance fee and that includes your skate rental as well as all-you-can-eat pizza. So, even though I had my chicken cooked and ready for the dumplings, we went to skate night.

Friday was basically just a lazy days for me. I just did not feel like cooking....probably because the plan was to have leftovers, which didn't exist due to Thursday's change of plans. I don't really even remember what we ate for dinner Friday night. Not good, huh? Saturday was pizza again, this time at the church fall festival. I really didn't see the need to cook if we are going to have free food at the festival. So, those changes threw a wrench in my menu plan to say the least. Hopefully this week will run more smoothly.

Monday.........Chicken & Noodle Soup, cornbread

Tuesday..........Leftover soup

Wednesday...........Pan-fried tilapia & baked potatoes

Thursday...........Pinto beans w/ smoked sausage, cornbread

Friday...........Crockpot barbecue pork chops, pinto beans, mashed potatoes, cornbread

Saturday...........Chicken Spagetti, cheddar garlic biscuits

*Anyone noticed that we are having some kind of bread almost every night? I love bread, but don't feel that we have to have it every night. My husband, however, is a believer in having some kind of bread with dinner!

I am linking this post to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-10-26T07:24:00.001-07:00

Well, my first week using "menu plan monday" went pretty well. Other than that I did not cook the roast like I planned. My reason for that was there was no roast in the freezer like I thought there was and I was not going make another trip to the grocery store. So, the roast has been bumped to this week's menu.

You might notice that 2 nights this week we are having leftovers. I have a pretty full schedule, with part-time work, full-time school, housework, kids and their school stuff. So, since my family doesn't mind eating leftovers, I often cook a big meal that will cover 2 dinners. Then all I have to do is add a different side to change it up a bit. I know that everyone's kids (or husbands for that matter) do not eat leftovers much. So, in this way I am blessed....and I am okay with using that blessing to it's fullest advantage, lol!

Monday.........Roast with potatoes and carrots, rolls

Tuesday............Leftover roast with green beans and corn

Wednesday............Taco Soup

Thursday...........Chicken & Dumplings, black eyed peas & cornbread

Friday.............Leftover Chicken & Dumplings

Saturday...........Pinto Beans & smoked sausage, cornbread

Easy Taco Soup

1 lb. ground chuck

1 packet taco seasoning

1 can pinto beans

1 can corn, drained

1 can rotel tomatoes

*add about 1 can of water if it's not soupy enough

Brown the hamburger meat and drain. Add pinto beans, corn, tomatoes, and seasoning. Simmer for 20 minutes or so. Serve with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream and corn chips (we use fritos). This is a great soup that doesn't require being in the kitchen for a long time.

I am linking this post to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Sharing...

2009-10-22T07:47:00.001-07:00

....a link to a free downloadable page with really cute halloween jokes and sketches. Cute little "tricks" to go along with the halloween "treats"! Personally, I think I'm going to take Stefani's advice and stick them in the kid's lunchboxes as a surprise. Although I had thought about letting the kids cut them up and take them to their classmates.....we'll see :)

Print Out Halloween Giggles

Menu Plan Monday

2009-10-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

I have tossed around the idea of participating in Menu Plan Monday for several months now. (I know, that's a really long time. I really should not procrastinate with things...) In reality, I do plan my weekly menus. When I make my grocery list, I make a list of what we'll have each day so that I avoid being in the middle of cooking dinner only to realize that I don't have a necessary ingredient. (Please tell me someone else does this on occasion!)

However, there would be a benefit to having each weeks menu archived for inspiration on those weeks that I just don't know what to cook. Plus, I do get a lot of inspiration from other menu plans. Lora at My Blessed Life always has great dinners planned, as does Mrs. H at Heritage Schoolhouse.

So, without further babbling on my part....

Sunday.......Chili

Monday......Choice of loaded nachos or chili dogs

Tuesday......Baked tilapia, baked potatoes and a vegetable of some sort

Wednesday......Crockpot pot roast with carrots and potatoes, creamed corn and rolls

Thursday.......Leftovers

Friday & Saturday.......Visiting family out of town; Granddad's 84th birthday party and early Thanksgiving dinner Saturday

I am linking this post to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Must Have Soup....

2009-10-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

When cold weather sets in, I begin to crave soup. Does that happen to anyone else? There is nothing like coming in out of the cold and sitting down to a bowl of warm soup. It helps that soup is relatively easy to make and can be made in large quantities. What I like about making soup for dinner is that for a few days afterward I have a ready made lunch. So, since fall weather is here in 'Bama and I have the first symptoms of a cold, I decided last night that I needed some soup!

A few years ago I found a recipe in Southern Living for Easy Tomato Soup. I have made it many times over the years, but never printed out the recipe. Much to my chagrin, I cannot find that particular recipe online at all! So, the other night I decided to wing it and hope for the best. As it turns out, my memory was pretty accurate about the ingredients, but not necessarily the amounts of each. Even though I am not positive how much chicken stock you should add, I thought I'd share the recipe anyway :)

Easy-Peasy Tomato Soup

1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes with basil and oregano
1 container of chicken stock (I think I had 16 ounces on hand, so that's what I used)
1 small can of condensed tomato soup

Run the tomatoes through a blender or food processor. Combine tomatoes, chicken stock, and condensed soup in a pot and simmer til warm (30 minutes should be good). To make the soup creamier, you can add some sour cream and whisk it into the soup.....just add as much as you like...I usually add 1/2-1 tablespoon.

Voila!

*Do you have a recipe for tomato soup you'd like to share? I would love to find one that does not require canned soup...that seems a little on the unhealthy side. Or, how about another soup recipe? I love to make soup in the fall/winter months and would love to try out some new soups.

My Favorite Breakfast Food

2009-10-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

Buttery, Peppery Grits!

They may not look very appetizing, but they taste wonderful!

I only ate grits when I visited my grandmother's house as a kid.

She's the only one in my family who made them.

So, I guess grits remind me of being at mamaw's house when I was a little girl.

Paired with a cup of coffee and some toast with jam, grits are my go-to breakfast when I have a slow morning. Since I'm not feeling great today, I made some to bring to work with me.

That should help me get better, right?

Looking out the office window

2009-09-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

This RV caught my attention when it pulled into the empty parking lot across from my office and no one exited for at least an hour. Eventually, though, I saw a man fiddling with something, but couldn't tell what it was. It was his placard with affixed straps so he could wear it like a backpack. Can you see it? He's the man by the road with the umbrella. I didn't notice that he had anything else with him when I took the picture.

Yes, that is a puppet sharing his umbrella.

I zoomed in to see what the placard said but, for me at least, it does not make much sense.

I see some interesting things going on outside my big office window ;)

(which is both good and bad for a daydreamer like me)!!!

School Days Are Here Again

2009-08-24T11:17:00.000-07:00

School has started! The kids have been in for 2 weeks. Zoe and Canaan have great teachers, which is something I'm always prayerfully concerned about prior to school and throughout the year very thankful for. They both are young and seem like they really enjoy their work (that always helps, right?)

I started back to school Friday with my first on-campus class since I've been working toward my teacher's certificate. It is Alabama History. I have been wanting and trying to take this class since I went back to school, but I could never work it into my schedule. My university is about 45 minutes from home and the class is 3 hours long, so it makes for a long day. The upside is that class is on Friday, which means the weekend starts after class!!

This past weekend was extremely busy, but the weather was sooo nice. Saturday I went to my parent's house to let their dog out while they were out of town for the day. While there I picked a huge bowl full of basil with plans to make pesto (which turned out great, btw). When the kids and I returned home I cleaned until it was time to get ready for a birthday party for a cousin. At the backyard birthday party, the kids played all sorts of water games. There was a sprinkler, 2 large inflatable pools, and a slip-n-slide. They all had a blast, even though the temperature was in the high 70's or low 80's and dropping, since it was evening. Needless to say, everyone of the children were shivering (in August! Can you believe it?).

After church on Sunday I went to a baby shower for a close friend. She's having a girl and it was such fun to see all the tiny pink outfits! I really love to see the little sleeper gowns...I always picture in my mind my own children as babies all curled up in them!

Sunday evening was spent grocery shopping and then ironing. I'll bet I ironed for 2 or 3 hours! I know it was at least 2 because I watched A Time To Kill while I ironed.

I am hoping that I will be able to get into a working routine this week. There doesn't appear to be as many plans ;)

*Schoolhouse picture from allposters.com

Fishing in the Dark

2009-08-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

Fishing in the dark with friends

Playing with flashlights, of course :)

Building couch cushion fort

How far can Dad swim?

Canoeing / kayaking / exploring around the lake

We spent our last weekend of summer at the lake with friends. It was beautiful, peaceful and fun. This was the kids first time canoeing. Canaan decided he did not like it at all...something about the possibility of falling in. The girls and I went out after and had a great time. Harmony fell asleep in the boat and Zoe and I explored the inlets with our friends Ross and Shirley.

Of course we fished, but not alot. Mainly we swam, explored and rode bicycles. It was a great way to spend the last few days of summer!

Weekend at the Lake - The View

2009-08-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

Summer's Simple Pleasures

2009-08-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

Peaches, bought for a song (50 cents/lb!),

made into a pie with my first good pie crust

served with whipped cream and coffee

on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

*The same recipe for berry pie was used for the peach pie.

I really must start taking pictures of my food. I always forget and dig in :)

Outside...

2009-08-01T13:51:00.001-07:00

"The rain is raining all around,

It falls on field and tree;

It rains on the umbrellas here,

And on the ships at sea."

~Robert Louis Stevenson

On the Menu

2009-07-31T19:28:00.000-07:00

Upside Down Pizza Casserole

1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
Italian seasoning
1-2 tablespoons all purpose flour
26 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
small amount of olive oil, for brushing
1 can pizza dough, or store-bought pizza crust*

Brown ground beef, bell pepper, and onion together. Drain off fat. Sprinkle in Italian seasoning, to taste, and the flour, stir. Add spaghetti sauce and let simmer for a few minutes. Pour sauce mixture into a 9 x 13 inch dish and top with 1-1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese. Lay pizza crust on top of cheese, brush crust with oil, sprinkle a little Italian seasoning on top, and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and the rest of the mozzarella cheese. Bake according to pizza dough/crust directions. Enjoy!

*This recipe called for a can of pizza dough (such as Pillsbury), but I'm not fond of it. I usually buy the premade crusts that you find either in the refrigerated deli section or in the spaghetti sauce/pasta aisle. I think the brand I use is Mama Mary's...not sure though.

I am pretty sure that I got this recipe from Southern Living, but I've been making it for a while and can't find the recipe anywhere. I just wing it and add amounts of each ingredient to taste, as my family can be picky about too much onion and bell pepper....I do add more cheese, or a different type, depending on what I have on hand.

Dessert for Breakfast?

2009-07-24T08:26:00.000-07:00

These muffins (as they are called in the cookbook) are delicious. They are definitely sweet enough to be called a cake, but the texture is a little different. They have accompanied my morning coffee this week and would be great for tea. So yes, I suppose I've had dessert for breakfast this week!

~Sedberry Inn Pineapple Muffins~

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 (16 ounce) can crushed pineapple
2 tablespoons orange extract

Cream butter and sugar (do not overbeat). Add beaten eggs and beat lightly. Add dry ingredients, then pineapple and flavoring, mixing only until blended. Bake in greased muffin tins at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Do not allow muffins to brown. Ice with the following icing while the muffins are still hot.

note: The recipe calls for the entire can of pineapple, but I've found that the muffins are tough if you add in all of it. I drain the juice into a bowl and add it to the mix then add about 1/3 - 1/2 of the pineapple. This way you get the taste of the pineapple along with a light muffin.

Icing

2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons orange extract

In a saucepan, heat the milk and butter, but do not boil. Add the powdered sugar and extract; mix well.

*Note: Both the muffins and icing call for orange extract, but I use lemon since that's what I keep on hand. When I made these on Sunday I used lemon juice in the icing as I had run out of extract when mixing together the muffins.

Yield: 3 dozen

~from the Best of Tennessee cookbook, which cites Out of this World for the recipe

Sweet Harmony

2009-07-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

my baby girl

I wonder who might live there?

*fishing*

All tuckered out from an afternoon's play
....or is she playing 'possum??

On the Menu

2009-07-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

Chicken Pie

1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded

1 can Veg-All, drained

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Greek Seasoning, to taste

1 double pie crust

Mix shredded chicken, veggies, cream of mushroom soup, and greek seasoning together. Spoon mixture into one pie crust, then top with other crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until pie crust is golden brown.

Masterpiece Mystery

2009-07-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

For all of you who love Agatha Christie, here is a great find! Throughout the summer PBS Masterpiece Theater is Masterpiece Mystery. They are airing 6 movies based on Agatha Christie novels: Cat Among the Pigeons, A Pocket Full of Rye, Murder is Easy, They Do It With Mirrors, Why Didn't They Ask Evans?, & Mrs. McGinty's Dead. Masterpiece Mystery airs on Sunday evenings, I think. Check your local listings.

Missed some of the episodes? You can also watch 2 of the movies online for free! I think they change them out periodically. Mrs. McGinty's Dead & A Pocket Full of Rye are listed currently. I watched A Pocket Full of Rye last night. It was really good! It kept me guessing til the very end. To be honest, I didn't want it to end ;) I'll be watching Mrs. McGinty over the weekend, since they will be taking it offline on the 12th.

What Followed...

2009-07-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Swinging under the shade trees....

Swimming in the river.....

Fishing.......

and SMORES!!!

Did I say that we had a great time? Because we really, really did!!

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-04T09:15:00.000-07:00

God Bless the USA!

Just Down the Road

2009-07-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

We spent Father's Day at Colbert Ferry Park that is only 16 miles away from our city. Everything about this day was beautiful and fun. The drive to the park is great. You drive down a country road and then turn off onto the Natchez Trace. Once you turn onto the Trace, you go over a bridge make a turn and there you are! The Trace is a National Parkway, so it is kept like a park....there has been no major "progress"(other than upkeep of the road and a few restrooms in the park). There are no buildings, gas stations, billboards, etc... The view is beautiful and everything's peaceful. The only thing you hear are the people visiting the park and a few boats. Here is the view....

That bridge is part of the historic Natchez Trace Parkway.

I loved looking across the river and seeing only trees.

It sometimes annoys me to see all the big beautiful houses all along a river.....

none of that here!

After walking around a while and setting up our gear,

what do you think we did?

We kicked off our shoes and waded right in!

I'll share those pictures tomorrow :)

Summer's Simple Pleasures

2009-07-02T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hot-out-of-the-oven, (just picked) black raspberry pie topped with just the right amount of vanilla ice cream.....ahhhh....life is good!

Berry Pie

2/3 to 1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch (or 4 tablespoons flour)

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 cups (any kind or a mixture of) fresh berries

1 tablespoon butter

2 pie crusts

Mix sugar, cornstarch or flour and salt; sprinkle over fruit in 9 inch pastry lined pie pan; dot with butter and adjust top crust and cut in vents (or make a lattice top for the crust). Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

(To prevent edges of crust from overcooking, fold strips of aluminum foil over edges of pie only.)

Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

On the Nightstand

2009-06-14T17:04:00.000-07:00

I can hardly put this down!
Rereading Anne of Green Gables is in my future.
It's been years and years, but the prequel awakened all the memories of it.
Try it and see if the same thing happens to you!

Anticipation

2009-06-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

It won't be too long until these little beauties will be ripe and ready to eat!

I love walking around my parent's house during the summer.
You never know what surprises you will find in the gardens.
I am so blessed to have a father who loves to garden and is passing along his wisdom to me.

Whew!

2009-06-08T07:23:00.001-07:00

What a weekend! I think the only time I spent at home was when i was sleeping. Seriously. I did have a lot of fun though and I have the sunburn to prove it.

Friday my brother in law and a friend took the kids to the movies, to see Up! They had a blast. It was their first time to see a 3d movie and they thought that was cool. After the movie we rushed to soccer practice.

Saturday started with the last soccer games of the season. From there we headed to my mother in law's company picnic. That was a lot of fun for the kids as it was set up like a carnival. But...there was no shade! Needless to say, this is where the sunburn came from. I think I put on sunscreen 4 or 5 times but it did not work! Most of my time at the picnic was spent standing in line with the kids for something...games, cotton candy, sno cones, face painting. During all of that time my back was to the sun. So my back bore the brunt of the burn, and let me tell you I am feeling it today. Aloe vera is my friend. After the picnic my mil decided to grill. Instead of waiting around, Rick and I took the kids to the river. We passed the time wading in the water and eating sno cones. (Notice a pattern? Sno cones are popping into the conversation repeatedly ;) It is very hot here already...hence the need for ice.)

Sunday started with church then lunch at my mother in laws. I had a few hours to myself that I spent working on a paper and then went to the grocery store. Zoe had spent the afternoon at a friend's house. When I went to pick her up the girls had decided to extend the fun, so Zoe stayed the night. Canaan and Harmony *camped* in Canaan's room last night. I'll have to show you what they camped in....I would have loved to have one when I was a kid.

Every single night I have fallen in bed exhausted. What I would give for a great night's sleep!

Eight

2009-05-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Zoe!
You are the most fun-loving, sensitive & sweet girl!
We had no idea when we named you what you would be like.
You are the epitome of the name Zoe at all times (full of life),
just as you are when you dance :)

It is incredibly hard to believe
that my firstborn is eight years old.

It's Official!

2009-05-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

Summer has officially started, and we are enjoying every minute of it!!!

Fruit Salad

2009-05-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 can pineapple chunks
2 navel oranges, peeled and cut into chunks
1 granny smith apple, peeled and cut up
sugar

Mix strawberries, pineapple, oranges, and apples together in a large bowl.
Pour a little of the pineapple juice over the fruit, to taste.
Sprinkle sugar over the fruit, to taste. Mix all together and refrigerate overnight.

So good!

Comfort Food on a Whim

2009-05-18T20:10:00.000-07:00

Do you ever face the evening with no idea what you're cooking for dinner? I was in this predicament tonight. This is what I did know....it had to have ground beef in it (because that's what was defrosted) and it had to be something that would be good with green beans (because I had some leftover). I thought about shepherds pie or meatloaf. But that's not really what I wanted. I wanted something different...new. Suddenly I remembered Pioneer Woman's BBQ Meatballs. Aha!

Meatballs
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup oats
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons very finely minced onion
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
plenty of ground black pepper

Sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
4 to 6 tablespoons onion
Dash of Tabasco

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all meatball ingredients. Roll into medium-small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer for five minutes.

Remove from freezer and immediately dredge in unseasoned flour.

Brown meatballs in canola oil until just brown. Place into a baking dish.

Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty french bread.

I did change up the recipe slightly, but not too much. I used bread crumbs instead of oats and added country herbs (from ALDI's) and garlic powder in the meatball mix. In the sauce I used onion powder instead of minced onion and added at least 1 teaspoon (I eyeballed it) of prepared mustard.

The Verdict: These were so great! I have to admit that I have never made meatballs before and thought they'd be difficult. These were very easy to make and tasted sooo good. Good enough that I ate waaaay too many of them. They are definitely comfort food at its best. Try them the next time you're in the mood for some comfort food :)

On the Farm

2009-05-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

Do all schools take their kindergarteners on a field trip to the farm? I still remember my own

k-5 farm trip....years and years ago. I loved every minute of it just like these kids did too!

Thimbleanna~I thought I'd be nice and not post the picture of the farmer holding a snake.....hehehe!

Scenes from a 2nd Grade Field Trip

2009-05-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

6 Licks

2009-05-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

He's always shy when we sing happy birthday

Getting his 6 licks and a pinch to grow on...

As you can see he thought this was funny!

Six

2009-04-28T07:18:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to the most precious boy.
You are truly a joy to your daddy and me.
I love watching you grow and learn.

*Canaan is so proud that he is 6 years old today!
That was the first thing he said when he woke up this morning.
Do you remember that feeling??

A Hero from Our History

2009-04-27T07:59:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist getting my picture taken with President Lincoln when we saw him walking through the Franklin Main Street Festival. How cool is that??
I thought the kids would love to see the pictures and he is one of my heroes!

Surprise!

2009-04-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

Look what we found while gardening Saturday....

...a chicken snake!

He was very sluggish since it was so cool Saturday.

Dad actually found him...he would have scared me to death if I had found him! I did learn the difference (in appearance) of poisonous and non-poisonous snakes. I don't know if I would ever stick around long enough to figure out what a snake was if I found it sitting somewhere :) But, once I knew he was okay, I did hold him. Snakes feel so strange! Zoe was brave enough to hold his tale. She was so proud afterward that she showed the pictures to everyone. I think Nana almost had a heart attack when she saw!!

Please excuse my appearance. I only planned to get very dirty gardening, not have pictures taken!

Easter Eggs

2009-04-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

Sweetwater

2009-04-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

Sweetwater Creek

Sweetwater Plantation in 1934

(photo from wikimedia commons)

Sweetwater is a local plantation. As you can see, the home is nearly 200 years old. It sits right in the middle of a commercial area, a few hundred yards from the main highway. Sadly, the house is vacant and has been vandalized.

I have always been fascinated by the house. It has a beautiful name, taken from the name of the spring and creek that are located on the premises (see picture above). There is just something about old homes. I always wonder about the people who lived there. What were the life stories that played out in the home....and in this case, on the grounds of the plantation. There are rumors that it is haunted. In fact, when I worked across the street from the home several years ago a man came in really excited (in a scary sort of way) and said he had seen a black man dressed like you would imagine a slave dressed walking down the driveway. That was a great day to be working in the store all alone :) I stayed on the phone with Rick for quite a while that afternoon....mainly because I was worried that the man who had actually come in the store would return...he seemed a little off balance, if you know what I mean.

In my mind I see such potential for a home like this, but without the resources, it is only a dream :) I told my mom the other day I think I should have become an architect and restored old homes. I always see a old vacant home as having some sort of potential. It makes me sad to watch a home with such history crumble away. As a personal project, I am going to be trying to find out more information about this home and those who lived here. If I can find out who owns the property, I will ask permission to explore the land and see the home up close. I think it may be too run down to go in, but maybe not. If that ever happens, you can bet I will have my camera ready and will share the pics!

Growing Up...Small Steps

2009-04-08T07:15:00.000-07:00

A rare picture of all the kids together and smiling :)

It just hit me last night how fast they are growing up. Does that happen to anyone else?
One of them will do something that they've probably done a thousand times, but at that moment all their years flash before my eyes and I think that it won't be long and they'll be all grown up. I always hope that I will remember that moment forever. It happened several times last night. Once Harmony was just walking down the hall to her room and I thought "She's not a baby anymore" and was sad. She is my last baby (unless we adopt sometime) and I can't believe she's almost 4.

The whole point of taking these pictures last night was that I wanted to get a picture of Harmony's new hairstyle. Do you like it?? She did it all by herself. She did her hair for school this morning too. This time it was just one hairbow hanging from about 2 hairs beside her face. Oh, and yes I did comb her hair first :P

Doesn't he looks so sweet?? He really is...unless he's dealing with his sisters! No really, he's sweet to them most of the time, but if they ever start ganging up on him it's over!! After getting ready for bed last night, he ran in the living room and said "Mom, look!", turned his head to the side and stuck out his top lip (however it is that you do that). I said, "Wow Canaan....what am I looking at?" He looks at me with a big, proud grin, points to his lip and says knowingly "I am getting a mustache...see?" Hahaha! Does anyone see it?!?

Simple Fun

2009-04-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

Day Trip

2009-04-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

An entire day spent with my mom...in Nashville, TN. Such fun! Went to the flea market, downtown Franklin, and the mall. Beautiful, cool weather....no rain :) Had a scare while at the mall when the area was under a tornado warning. Peaceful drive home. A wonderful day. Thanks mom!

Cranberry Crunchies

2009-03-27T06:40:00.000-07:00

(The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook)

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 can cranberry sauce

Preheat oven to 350 and grease 8x8 in. pan. Mix together oats, flour, brown sugar and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle 1/2 of this mixture onto bottom of the pan. Spread cranberry sauce over the oats mixture. Sprinkle the rest of the oats mixture over the cranberry sauce. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve topped with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

This recipe turned out to be sooo good. Similar to a cobbler in taste...but it's so much easier!

The Best Banana Bread I've Tasted

2009-03-20T16:17:00.000-07:00

Beverly Lewis' Banana Nut Bread

(The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook)

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup mashed bananas
1 cup walnuts
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder

Cream together shortening, sugar, eggs, bananas and nuts. Add flour, soda, and baking powder; mix well. Bake in a greased loaf pan at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Can make 2 dozen muffins, just cut down the cooking time. (Sorry, I can't tell you the exact time for these. I just keep an eye on them.)

* A note under the recipe says you could substitute 1 cup of applesauce for the bananas. If you do, add 1/2 tsp cinnamon and a dash of either nutmeg or cloves. You could add raisins too.

Baking...

2009-03-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

.....with a sweet little helper!

Parents vs. Teachers For a Cure

2009-03-18T07:15:00.000-07:00

My kids' elementary school hosted a parent vs. teacher basketball game yesterday. All the proceeds from the game went to the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The kids had the best time....there were even 4 baton routines for the half time show!

Recruited to coach the parent's team!

Phillip...a family friend...scoring some points

Rick getting in on the action
(the man in the pink shirt is the security officer)

All the kids in their St. Paddy's day green shirts

(Zoe is in there somewhere)

Harmony got to sit with Canaan's class
(You know she felt grown up!)

Daddy's girl

Family Movie Night

2009-03-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

Canaan recently saw an Elvis impersonator on TV. He had no idea who he was. So, we went to the library and checked out an Elvis movie (the only one I could find actually). I don't know about everyone else, but I grew up watching these movies on TV. Every Sunday afternoon there would be at least one great old movie showing....often Elvis movies. I have probably seen every one, but its been a long time! So my kid's introduction to Elvis was.....

All of them asked why it was gray...Ha! I had to explain that movies and TV used to be in black and white (or gray). They thought that was funny. I think the movie was a hit. We had to watch one scene a few times...can you guess which one?

This one of course!!

photos from amazon.com

Hymn of Faith

2009-03-12T07:07:00.000-07:00

Though the fig tree may not blossom,

Nor fruit be on the vines;

Though the labor of the olive may fail,

And the fields yield no food;

Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,

And there be no herd in the stalls-

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will joy in the God of my salvation.

The Lord God is my strength;

He will make my feet like deer's feet,

And He will make me walk on my high hills.

~Habakkuk 3:17-19

Transparent

2009-03-11T07:27:00.000-07:00

Things are crazy in the world today. Uncertain, shaky, scary, falling apart....all of that and more. At the beginning of the whole "economic downturn" I just shrugged it off and thought, "Things will be just fine. God is in control of all of this. We will be okay. We (my family) have lived through tough times financially and we can do it again." Then month after month the news got worse. The media spends most of their time talking about it. Everything has a negative slant.

My husband is a car salesman. It is a very stressful business in the best of times, but God has blessed him in his work for the years he has worked at his company. There have been months that everyone else was completely stressed out and he wasn't because we knew God would provide. Through this attitude, God was able to get glory. He always provided.

I've lost sight of that belief. I've listened so much to the bad news and my own fears that I've forgotten to listen to God. For the past few months I have had a steadily increasing sense of doom. Hopelessness is a better description. Seeing the some of the same circumstances from a previous season I started thinking I was going to live through all that again. And if God would allow that, how much does he really love me? That was what was going through my mind. I kept telling myself I cannot do this again. The funny thing is I knew this was the wrong attitude, but I couldn't shake it. All I could pray is, "Help". Sometimes the words just don't come, you know?

On Tuesday nights, we get together with a group of friends for fellowship and we usually have a topic that we study or talk about. This has brought such life and joy to both my husband and I, but I have still had this sense of hopelessness. Last night we just worshipped, prayed and shared. Through everything...every song, prayer, and word....it was like God was speaking directly to me about this struggle I've had. I left last night with renewed hope and increased faith. This morning I woke up with a praise song running through my mind. I am so thankful that God does not write me (or anyone else) off like I am so quick to do with Him. That He will use others to speak words that He knows we need to hear.

I'm sorry this is so long, but it has been rolling around in my brain on morning. I'm so happy to have hope again!

All's Right with the World

2009-03-09T12:14:00.001-07:00

....well, at least my family. We are all feeling better. Hallelujah!! Thank you for the encouragement, my two readers ;-) Last night was our first *real* meal in about a week. Hamburgers and baked potatoes. You have no idea how wonderful that simple meal was! Everyone went to their respective job/school this morning. The weather has been beautiful and we are finally able to enjoy it. (I actually wore flip-flops today :) On tonight's menu: Crockpot BBQ Chicken, potatoes, and peas. I've cooked a whole chicken in a crockpot once before, and while I didn't like the seasonings I used (I used rosemary and sliced lemons....the lemons, of course, left a very bitter peel flavor which I'm not crazy about), the chicken was great. I used the leftover chicken to make chicken and dumplings. If my helpful husband doesn't throw away the chicken carcass while cleaning up the kitchen tonight, I'm planning to make broth with it in the crockpot tomorrow....we'll see. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Keepin' it Real....a Week Under the Weather

2009-03-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

Sunday:
As I mentioned in the previous post, it snowed here. 2-3 inches. We all got up happy and put on our warmest clothes. Drove to a big hill located near the university to sled. Then we went to the park and had a great time. We were the only ones there. Right as we were about to go, Canaan says he just wants to go home - he looks kind of pitiful. I just thought he was cold....he starts running a fever. Later that afternoon, Nana comes to take the girls to a b'day party. When they get home, Harmony complains about her tummy hurting. She throws up. Again with poor judgement, I just thought she ate too many sweets at the party. Nope, she throws up a few more times during the night. But Rick is home to help care for her. I can't handle throw up. I throw up too, which is far from helpful.

Monday:
Get Zoe ready and take her to school. Have Canaan in his bed and Harmony in her bed. Harmony is still getting sick every few hours. Miraculously, I don't get sick. In the meantime, I am disinfecting everything and washing clothes and bed linens.

Tuesday:
Same as Monday. Continue washing and cleaning everything in sight. In the afternoon, the kids start to feel better.

Wednesday:
Take Zoe and Canaan to school. Bring Harmony to work with me, where she sleeps for 2 1/2 hours. Then, the school calls to say that Zoe is sick. Go pick up Zoe and go home. I put the girls to bed and take a nap too. Rick comes home thinking he has a bad sinus infection (fever and chills). Pick up Canaan from school. Canaan starts running a fever again in the evening. During the night, Rick starts throwing up.

Thursday:
Everyone is at home. I am still disinfecting and doing laudry. I'm also chanting "I am NOT going to get sick. I am NOT going to get sick." The kids feel better in the afternoon. Good enough to start aggravating each other and fussing. Nana goes to the store to get more liquids, chicken noodle soup and medicine. She leaves it at the front door so she won't be exposed. Everyone eats chicken noodle soup for dinner (including Rick) and everyone keeps it down. I'm exhausted and irritable. Time for medicine....Zoe refuses to take any. It's in pill form and she's scared of it. I get frustrated. Rick and the kids watch some TV and I go to bed at 8:00. This is the first night that everyone has slept all night.

Friday:
Wake up and decide that its time to try sending everyone to school. Take Canaan & Zoe and tell them that if they start feeling bad, to tell their teacher and I will come and pick them up. I hope this is a good idea. Nana calls and says for me to bring Harmony to her. Go to work and get caught up for the week. So far, no calls. Oh, I have a sinus headache. But, I can live with just a headache.

I learned one very gross lesson this week, never give a child who is getting over the stomach bug milk no matter how determined they are that that is ALL they want. Also, it is possible to for 2 people to throw up in the same toilet at the same time. That was the one time I was unable to keep it together while "helping" Harmony when she got sick.

I must say, I am desperately ready for a brand new week (and more sleep)!

Surprise!!

2009-03-01T07:59:00.000-08:00

We woke up to 2-3 inches of SNOW this morning! It was 65 degrees Friday. The trees are budding and the daffodils are blooming. It was bizarre to see the trees with red and white buds on them and snow on the ground. We took the kids to a local park and made snow angels, a very small snowman and had a snowball fight. What a great surprise! Now......bring on SPRING!

Trouble

2009-02-25T07:59:00.000-08:00

"But trouble isn't perfume, Miranda."

"Flowers smell all the sweeter when you crush them a little,

don't they?"

~Phoebe Deane, Grace Livingstone Hill

Snacktime

2009-02-25T07:31:00.001-08:00

Does anyone else get in a rut at snacktime? I do! It seems that most of the snacks the kids eat (or want to eat) are unhealthy. Cookies, chips, etc. They do like fruit, but sometimes fruit gets *boring* (Harmony's new word). With this in mind, Harmony and I tried out a new snack yesterday....

Slice a banana. Pour some Rice Krispies cereal in a bowl. Place peanut butter in a separate bowl and microwave it for 20-30 seconds (or until it is warmed and thinner). Dip banana slices in the pb, then in the Rice Krispies. I call them banana nuggets and Harmony loved them!

TGIF!!!

2009-02-20T07:01:00.000-08:00

Murder on the Orient Express

A little Agatha Christie to help me relax after a week of studying for midterms.

And a trip to the library to get a "for fun" book. I'm taking the weekend off from schoolwork!

A Wonderful New Soup

2009-02-12T06:36:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned that I want to use my crockpot more. If you had a few recipes that were simple, using your crockpot would take alot of stress out of the end of the day. I also want to try some new soup recipes but have been having a hard time finding any that really sound good and simple. But now I have found a great blog to help with both my problems: A Year of Crockpotting!

What better way to find out about new recipes than let someone else cook the food and share their thoughts on it? At least this way I don't feel like I'm trying a recipe completely in the dark. I really don't like to try a new recipe and it turn out to be bad. It just seems like a waste of food. But, Salsa Chicken & Black Bean Soup was not a waste AT ALL! It was really easy to put together. If you're going to use dried beans, you just have to soak them overnight and then throw everything together in the morning. It was also economical. I did use dried beans and already had some chicken tenderloins and frozen whole kernel corn in the freezer. All I had to buy for this recipe was chicken broth and a jar of salsa. Most important, it was really good! I will admit that the kids were not too thrilled about trying it because it is a dark soup (the black beans will do that), but once they tried it, they really liked it. Rick ate 2 helpings and then ate some of mine! He rarely ever eats seconds of anything, so that is really saying something.

*In the recipe, Stephanie added sliced mushrooms to the soup, which you could do. To me mushrooms seemed out of place in this soup, so I substituted chopped black olives. You can get cans of chopped black olives at the grocery store. They are usually on the pickle aisle. I use these in almost every dish that requires spagetti sauce. They add great flavor and the kids just think they are hamburger meat or something.

More Hiking Pics

2009-02-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

Adventures with the Guys

2009-02-09T06:38:00.000-08:00

Rick, Canaan, DJ (our puppy) and I spent yesterday hiking in a nearby nature preserve. The weather was beautiful ~ mid-60's with a slight breeze & sunny. This was Canaan's first time to the preserve and he had a blast! Our plan started as a trip for the whole family, but the girls bailed out. Zoe went to a friends for the afternoon and Harmony went fishing with her Nana. In the end, everyone had a great day and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the guys!

DJ didn't know what to think about the footbridge He hitched a ride across

Canaan was our *guide*. He's a real Daniel Boone!

I have alot of pictures from our hike and will post more throughout the week.

Sausage Potato Casserole

2009-02-06T07:13:00.000-08:00

Lately it seems that all I post is recipes. I guess that is because there is not a lot of *exciting* things going on right now. Just studying, cleaning house, cooking, errands, never-ending mounds of laundry, and the rest of the usual routine. The kids and I have been kind of under the weather. Nothing serious, just achy, low fever, sore throat. You know.....the sickness you get when the weather goes on it's normal roller coaster ride just before spring?? But, we seem to be doing better today...... just in time for sunny 60+ weather all weekend and into next week!!! Can you tell I'm happy about warmer weather? I am completely over winter and am dreaming of green grass, sunshine, flipflops, gardening, flowers, berries. Basically anything having to do with spring!

Anyway, back to my point, it seems that the only *creative* thing I am doing lately is in the cooking area. I have been trying lots of new recipes lately. Many of them I have found through blogs and a few have been found by just browsing through a few cookbooks. I guess I am bored with the food we eat on a regular basis. Does anyone else go through spells like this?

Yesterday, while reading my list of blogs, I came across a new recipe. It came at a perfect time, because I had no idea what I was going to cook for dinner. Everything I could think of required ingredients I didn't have at home and I am putting that off my grocery shopping until Saturday. So I decided that SimpleFolk's Sausage Potato Casserole would fit the bill nicely. I served it as a breakfast casserole along with eggs, biscuits and sweet rice (boiled rice with butter and sugar...Rick's childhood breakfast favorite). It was really good. Very filling and really easy to make. I ate some for breakfast this morning and I think that it was better today than it was last night. So, I will definitely make it again. Although I think next time I may mix the sauce, potatos and sausage instead of layering them.

Sausage Potato Casserole

1 lb sausage

6-8 potatos, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

milk

1 tsp salt

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown sausage and drain. Boil potatoes until tender. Melt butter in a saucepan (I used the same pan I browned the sausage in...I just blotted out the fat from the sausage), add the flour and enough milk to make a medium thick white sauce. Add the salt to the sauce. In a baking dish (8x8 or so) layer the sausage, potatos and sauce and top it with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.

Cherry Hill Cottage's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-01-30T07:52:00.000-08:00

On Monday, I said that I had done some cooking over the weekend. This is one of the recipes I tried. Tina said she was looking for a new cookie recipe and found this one. It uses 2 sticks of butter & bread flour. I know 2 sticks of butter is alot, but the recipe made about 4 dozen cookies (I made mine smaller than Tina made hers) which is good.
I love to have homemade cookies in the kitchen. Although cookies are not on the *healthy* list, I think its better to make them yourself than eat the ones in the store. If you make them yourself, at least you know what's in them, right? That's actually something I believe about most food, but that doesn't mean I make everything from scratch...although I'd like to, I don't have time to.

Chocolate Chip Cookies~

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside. Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

*Since they do have 2 sticks of butter, I won't make these alot, but they were good.....especially hot out of the oven!

Mexican Pot Roast Tacos

2009-01-28T08:37:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 lb shoulder of beef
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
3 dried red chiles
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ancho chile powder
½ bunch cilantro
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
8 fresh medium corn tortillas
3 cups finely shredded romaine lettuce
½ bunch fresh cilantro leaves
2 limes, cut into wedges for garnish
1–3 lb Cotija cheese (used regular shredded taco mix / pepperjack)

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pot over medium-high heat.
2. Season beef shoulder with plenty of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; then sear all over until you have a nice brown crust.
3. Add onion and garlic to the bottom of the pot and stir so they caramelize a little.
4. Add tomatoes, chiles, spices, and cilantro. Then add about 2 inches of water, cover the pot, and simmer for about 2 hours until the meat is tender and comes apart with little resistance. Add more water as it cooks down if necessary.
5. Once cooked, break the meat apart with a wooden spoon, season with salt and pepper, and add red wine vinegar.
6. Serve with warm tortillas, shredded lettuce, fresh cilantro leaves, lime, and crumbled cheese.

Makes 6 to 8 servings
(Recipe from Tyler Florence, Scholastic Magazine)

The Weekend

2009-01-26T07:42:00.000-08:00

Well, this weekend was a puttery kind of weekend. Friday night I came home from work and immediately started cooking. I apparently needed to relieve some tension. I made the Milk Man's Wife's pork chops (very tasty)with mashed potatoes, green beans and yeast rolls. I made yeast rolls from scratch and they were good!!! Can you tell I was happy and proud? After dinner I hung out with a friend for a few hours, doing nothing but talking and eating (my favorite) peanut butter pie :) Some friends and I just had a conversation on Thursday about the big peanut butter recall/salmonella scare. I must admit that I ate my pie Friday night without even thinking about the recall until Saturday morning. Fortunately, I appear to be okay. My dad did give me some Skippy all natural peanut butter over the weekend to try. It doesn't have to be stirred. I'll let you know if it passes with the kiddos! I don't know that I will buy it much even if it does pass because I imagine it is pricier than regular pb...and it comes in a small jar. I buy the largest jar of pb I can find as we all like pb & jelly sandwiches and I make cookies and such with it.

I spent Saturday cleaning, but not at the fevered pace that I usually do. I'm usually trying to finish my cleaning as quick as possible so that we can do other things or go somewhere. But this Saturday, I cleaned at my own pace and made sure that the kids cleaned their rooms (with the instructions that they could not go anywhere until they did). My daughters' room is always so messy. She is not one for cleaning and took forever Saturday. This is mainly because her first attempt was to put things under the bed, dresser and behind the door. So, all had to be cleaned again. I remember trying this as well as a child. It never worked! Late that afternoon I ran a few errands and the kids went to their Nana's.

Sunday was a slow, easy day. I baked some really good cookies, did a little homework, and started embroidering a cat on Zoe's dance leotard that I have been promising to do for a few weeks. We ended the weekend with tacos, cheese dip & mexican rice. Yum! So, all in all it was a very relaxing weekend. Now if I could just remember to do this more often....

If Anything Can Bring a Smile to Your Face....

2009-01-23T07:01:00.000-08:00

Looking out your office window and seeing these ladies will!!!

I really need to find out who does their hair ;-)

An Old Favorite

2009-01-22T06:16:00.000-08:00

"People moved slowly then. They ambled across the square, shuffled in and out of the stores around it, took their time about everything. A day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County. But it was a time of vague optimism for some of the people: Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself."

To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee

To Those Who Stood

2009-01-20T08:10:00.000-08:00

(photo from Reuters- yahoo.com)
No matter how anyone voted or felt about the elections, you must admit that today is a historic day. In my mind, the political views have little sway on this day. Today is a day for celebration because we as a nation have finally overcome the largest obstacle to our unity. I am aware that there are still those who hold prejudice in their hearts and refuse to give honor to this day. But, more importantly, there are millions of African-Americans who are taking up a pride for their country that the years of racism, hatred and fear had stripped from them.

On this day, I keep finding myself focused not on the Obamas, but on those who throughout the course of our nation's history chose to stand for truth and justice. There were the abolitionists, black and white, who stood up against the statis quo of slavery. Abraham Lincoln who had the guts to declare all men equal and deserving of the right to be free. Black men and women who, though raised as slaves and treated as sub-human, stood proud and fought in their own way to make life better for their children. Who valued an education beyond all else, because it had been withheld from them as a way to keep them subservient. Ida B Wells, a little bitty lady who reported the murder of 3 black businessmen in Memphis TN, faced retaliation, but continued to write and lecture to gain support for antilynching laws. Rosa Parks, the flame that lit the fire of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The "Little Rock Nine", students who integrated an Arkansas school. Their parents for even allowing the children to try. Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Mary McLeod Bethune, Diane Nash, Penny Patch. Martin Luther King Jr, Bob Moses, John Lewis, Ralph Abernathy, Virginia and Clifford Durr, and Fannie Lou Hamer. All of these people played a part in starting parts of the civil rights movement or planning and supporting it. However, those who come to my mind the most are those nameless, faceless people who marched, participated in lunch-counter sit-ins, housed white and black freedom fighters, rode the freedom buses. Those who faced dogs, firehoses, clubs, guns, insults, threats, jail and sometimes death. The little kids who marched and sat in southern jails to be a part of changing their world. Those are the people I am thinking about today. Without their stand for justice, this day could not have happened.

So, from at least this one person, I say thank you to those, both black and white, who saw what America could and should be. Who saw all people as just the same, only looking different. Those who had courage and faith. May the hope that is in this day continue in America and thrive. May we see results of this in our own lives. May we continue to pray for our nation and our president, Barack Obama. And may God have His way with us all.

"But let justice run down like water,

And righteousness like a mighty stream."

Amos 5:24