Taste and See God's Goodness

Chicken Taco Filling in the Crockpot

2012-01-29T15:27:00.000-08:00

I often cook chicken breasts in my crockpot, then shred them up in my Kitchen Aid mixer. Then I divide the shredded meat up and freeze it for future use in soups, sandwiches and casseroles. It's so convenient to take a bag of cooked chicken out of the freezer and toss it into the soup pot when I need it.

So I thought, why not spice up the chicken a little for specific dishes? So here's a simple, simple way to get flavorful cooked chicken to use in a variety of recipes.

Here's what you need:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 packet taco seasoning (I use 2 TBSP of my homemade seasoning)
2 cups your favorite salsa (again, I use homemade)

Trim any excess fat from the chicken. Place it in a crockpot. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the chicken, then pour salsa over all. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until chicken is very tender.

Remove from the crockpot and shred. Separate into 2-cup portions for future use. Freeze in Ziploc bags or other freezer containers.

This chicken can be used in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas and nachos. It's very versatile and yummy!

Make Your Own Taco Seasoning

2012-01-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to make my own seasoning mixes now for a while, and I've finally found a taco seasoning blend we all like. My children aren't big fans of spicy foods, so I always have to take that into consideration when whipping up taco seasoning. If your family prefers more heat, add more chili powder and a little cayenne.

Here's what I use:

1/4 cup minced onion
2 TBSP sea salt
2 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP corn starch
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP cumin
1 1/2 teas dried oregano

Mix up all the ingredients and blend well. Store in a jar or airtight container. To make tacos, start with 1 tablespoon seasoning mix per pound of meat. If that's not spicy enough for you, add a little more, up to another tablespoon.

I also use this mix any time taco seasoning is called for in a recipe, like taco soup or nachos.

Tasty Tilapia

2012-01-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

My family loves eating fish, especially tilapia. I enjoy cooking it for them because I know it's a healthy meal. Whenever Mr. Lego sees it pop up on the menu, he cheers. So I guess I'm doing something right. LOL

I especially like this recipe because the fish is baked, not fried. And I usually have all of the seasoning ingredients on hand. The result is a flavorful, colorful dish that everyone loves.

Here's what you need:

4 tilapia filets, thawed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teas garlic powder
1 teas ground mustard
1 teas ground ginger
1 teas paprika
1 teas coarse salt
1 teas dried oregano
1/2 teas black pepper
1/2 teas chili powder
1 TBSP lemon juice

In a shallow bowl, combine the olive oil and seasonings. Let sit for about 10 minutes to give the flavors a chance to blend. The oil will turn a lovely orange-red color.

Dip each filet into the bowl, making sure both sides are covered. Place on a greased baking sheet. If there is any of the oil mixture left, pour over the filets. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Bake at 400 degree for 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

2012-01-26T17:43:00.000-08:00

If I had to choose my favorite sandwich of all time, it would be a Philly cheesesteak. Charles laughs at me because if we go into a sandwich or sub place to eat, I almost always choose a Philly cheesesteak. I love the combination of meat and cheese, onions and maybe some peppers on a crusty roll, dripping with butter. Not good for the waistline, but oh so good!

And they're easy to make at home, too. You can control how much butter, if any, you wish to use to cut down on calories and fat. But don't ever leave out the onions. Ever.

Here's what you need:

1 lb thinly sliced round steak, cut into strips
1 onion, sliced into rings
seasoned salt
2 TBSP worchestershire sauce
4 slices provolone cheese
4 crusty sandwich rolls
butter

After you slice the meat into small strips, sprinkle with seasoned salt and set aside. This is the seasoning I use, Emeril's Baby Bam Seasoning. I'll post the recipe below.

Melt some butter in a pan and cook up the onions until they're soft and brown. I like them really browned!

Add a little more butter to the pan and fry up the sliced steak.

Cook until no longer pink. Stir in the worchestershire sauce, making sure all the meat gets coated.

Split the sandwich rolls and spread a little butter on both sides. Pop into a 400 degree oven for a few minutes until the butter is melted and the buns are a little crisp. Load up with meat.

Layer the onions and provolone cheese on top. Stick back into the oven until the cheese is melted and gooey. This will only take a few minutes.

These are so yummy! Even the kids like them, though Mr. Lego has me leave off the cheese for him. He has this thing about no cheese on sandwiches.

Here's the recipe for Emeril's Baby Bam Seasoning. I use it on fries, all kinds of meats, even baked potatoes. It's really flavorful.

Combine the following:

3 TBSP paprika
2 TBSP coarse salt
2 TBSP dried parsley
2 teas garlic powder
2 teas onion powder
1 teas dried oregano
1 teas dried basil
1 teas black pepper
1/2 teas celery seed

Store in a small bowl or jar.

Menu Plan Monday January 23-29

2012-01-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's the last full week of January. Can you believe it? And the weather so far this winter has been crazy! Last week we had near record high temps and were under tornado watches for most of the weekend. This week is supposed to be more of the same.

So I'm settling back and making some family favorites. Rain or shine, warm or cold, my family is going to eat well this week.

Here's the plan:

Monday
Baked egg rolls

Tuesday
Feel Better Chicken Stew, rolls

Wednesday
Tasty Tilapia, lemon pepper broccoli

Thursday
Philly cheese steak sandwiches, fries

Friday
Spaghetti casserole, garlic bread

Saturday
African Peanut Soup (new recipe in anticipation of our upcoming Disney trip and eating at Boma)
Sunday
Pulled pork sandwiches (crockpot), seasoned potatoes (in a different crockpot)

For more yummy meal plan ideas, head over to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

2012-01-22T19:19:00.000-08:00

Today was Sanctity of Human Life Sunday at our church. I thought I'd share this video with you that shows the miracle of conception and the wonderful process through which a baby grows in the womb.

As a Christian, I believe that abortion is wrong. Life is sacred and the power of life and death is in God's hands. Today was a powerful reminder of that.

Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes

2012-01-19T06:30:00.000-08:00

Last fall Charles and I went to a Greek restaurant for our anniversary. Well, it was actually a very nice seafood restaurant whose owners were Greek, so there were many Greek-inspired items on the menu. One such item was lemon potatoes. I'd never had potatoes seasoned with lemon before, so I was eager to try it. I wasn't disappointed, as the potatoes were delicious! This is my attempt to recreate that wonderful side dish.

Here's what you need:

3 lbs small potatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup melted butter
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 teas dried oregano
1 teas garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Wash and scrub the potatoes, leaving the skins on. I used a variety called Honey Gold, which is why my potatoes are so yellow. You can use red potatoes, too.

Cut the potatoes into quarters. If your potatoes are on the larger side, you might need to cut into sixths or eighths. Basically you want all the potato wedges to be roughly the same size. Place the potatoes into a greased baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine the broth, butter, lemon juice, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour over the potatoes, then give them a good stir to make sure everything is coated. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

Take the potatoes out of the oven and remove the foil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and return to the oven, uncovered, for another 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are browned to your preference.

The Princess pronounced these "most delicious" in her best Mary Poppins voice. She's been practicing a British accent for days for some reason. Mr. Lego asked for seconds. And Charles and I were both pleased that this tasted remarkably similar to what we had at the Greek place.

A Princess Milestone

2012-01-16T18:15:00.001-08:00

In early December, the Princess got her ears pierced. Finally.

When she turned 9, we told her she could get them pierced if she wanted to. That was back in July. It took her a few months to work up her courage. We even went to the mall for the express purpose of ear piercing once but she backed out at the last minute.

Then her cousin Anna, who was born on the exact same day, got her ears pierced and assured the Princess that it wouldn't hurt. Much. And so the final choice was made and before she could change her mind, I took her to Claire's and the deed was done.

There were a few tears, mostly from fear of the unknown and not really pain.

Last week, she was able to change her posts out for other earrings. She chose the biggest pair of blingy earrings she could find!

Since then we have been treated to several earring modeling sessions where the Princess shows off her already-large collection of jewelry. It helps that Daddy makes wire and bead jewelry, so he's keeping her in good supply.

The Princess told me soon after the piercing that she felt so grown up now! Like she had gone from being a baby to an adult all at once. Boy, am I in trouble! LOL

Seriously, though, this has been a great experience for her. I wanted to wait until she was old enough to care for her ears herself. She proved to me that she was responsible and took great care of her piercing. I'm really, really proud of my little girl. I mean my little adult.

Menu Plan January 15-21

2012-01-15T19:11:00.000-08:00

We're gearing up for a long-awaited trip to Disney World in just a few weeks, so all of us have spent time doing this.

That's right! Mr. Lego is walking on the treadmill. We know that we'll be walking miles and miles while we're at Disney, so we're trying to get our poor bodies and feet used to it! The TV on the wall was there when we bought the house. It's come in very handy now that we've put the treadmill in front of it. Watching TV definitely makes the time pass more quickly as you walk!

Now on to this week's meal plan:

Sunday
Chicken and corn chowder

Monday
Cheeseburger rice, green beans

Tuesday
Ham broccoli quiche, roasted carrots

Wednesday
Pepperoni Carbonara, sauteed peppers

Thursday
Minestrone, breadsticks

Friday
Chicken cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy

Saturday
Gyros with flatbread, fries

For more meal-planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Make your own popcorn seasoning

2012-01-12T17:44:00.000-08:00

We love popcorn around here. Hubby and the kids prefer theirs buttered and salted, while I like to experiment with flavors. I like caramel popcorn, cheesy popcorn, you name it. So when I came across this super simple recipe to make you own pizza flavored popcorn seasoning mix, I knew I had to try it! It's like eating pizza without the tomato sauce.

Here's what you need:

3 teas dried basil
2 teas dried oregano
2 teas Italian seasoning
1 teas garlic salt
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a small food processor, combine the seasonings until they're finely ground. Stir together the spice mix and Parmesan cheese, then transfer to a jar. Sprinkle the desired amount over buttered popcorn.

I've seen similar seasoning blends at the grocery store but they're way too expensive. It's so much easier to whip up my own batch, saving myself several dollars without any preservatives and unpronounceable ingredients.

Menu Plan January 8-14

2012-01-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Last week was a crazy mix of cold days and warm days. I have to say, I enjoyed the warm ones more! This week should be more seasonal, staying cooler but not extremely cold. I'm still planning to serve soup several times, though. I'm thankful that my family likes soup as much as I do!

And a shout out to my West Virginia Mountaineers, underdogs going into the Orange Bowl against Clemson. Not only did the Mountaineers win, they set a scoring record for any bowl game - 70 points! It's great to be a Mountaineer!

Here's the plan for the week:

Sunday
Hot dogs with West Virginia Hot Dog Sauce

Monday
Beef stew, homemade bread (bread machine version)

Tuesday
Coconut curry with chicken over brown rice

Wednesday
Stuffed shells, whole wheat garlic breadsticks

Thursday
Southwestern bean soup, sweet buttermilk cornbread

Friday
Rice and bean burritos, chips and salsa

Saturday
Feel Better Chicken Stew

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

West Virginia Hot Dog Sauce

2012-01-08T06:21:00.000-08:00

Where I grew up, hot dogs were always served with hot dog sauce - a mixture of ground beef, tomato sauce and spices. I'd never heard that kind of sauce called anything else until I moved to the Deep South. Down here hot dog sauce is called chili. But to my mind, chili is supposed to have beans. Hot dog sauce does not. Aren't regional names for the same thing fun?

Here's what you need:

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1/2 onion, chopped (or you can sub minced onion)
1 can(15 oz) tomato sauce
1 1/2 teas chili powder
1 teas salt
1 teas pepper
1 teas garlic powder
1 teas sugar
dash of cayenne pepper (more if you like a little heat)

Place the ground beef and onions in a sauce pan and cover with water.

Bring to a boil, breaking up the meat into small bits. The water helps break down the meat, too, so you end up with a finely ground meat. No big chunks allowed! Cook until the meat is no longer pink.

Drain the water from the pan. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for about an hour until thickened. It will cook down, so add a little water if it gets too thick. You don't want burned hot dog sauce!

It's best to make this sauce a day or so ahead. Just pop in the fridge. The spices have a chance to blend nicely and give a wonderful flavor to the sauce. You can easily freeze into smaller portions, too. Simply thaw in the fridge and heat up in a sauce pan.

Sweet and Spicy Chex Mix

2012-01-06T19:23:00.001-08:00

I adore Chex Mix. All kinds of Chex Mix. Hubby prefers the traditional stuff. But I decided to branch out a bit and make a version on the back of a Wheat Chex box. It was called "Deviled Chex Mix" but I tweaked it a bit and renamed it Sweet and Spicy Chex Mix.

Here's what you need:

3 TBSP of sugar (yes, that seems like a lot, but it sets off the spicy stuff perfectly)
1 TBSP paprika
1 teas curry powder
1 teas cumin
1 teas ground coriander
1/2 teas chili powder
1/2 teas black pepper
3 cups each of Rice Chex, Corn Chex and Wheat Chex
2 cups Cheez-it crackers
1 cup mixed nuts
1/3 cup vegetable oil

In a small bowl blend the spices together. In a large bowl, combine the Chex cereals, Cheez-its, and nuts. Pour oil over and stir until well coated.

Sprinkle the entire bowl of spices over the cereal mixture. It looks like too much, but believe me, you want it all on there! Stir until everything is covered with spice.

Divide the mixture between two cookie sheets. If you have a very large roasting pan, you can use that. Bake at 250 degrees for one hour, stirring every fifteen minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in an airtight container.

This smells incredibly good while it's roasting in the oven. And the flavor is amazing and completely addicting.

Ham, Broccoli and Potato Soup

2012-01-04T06:41:00.000-08:00

Temps have been well below normal here in the Deep South. Yesterday it didn't even reach 40 degrees! Baby, that's cold for this neck of the woods! Well, on cold days like that, soup is my go-to meal to warm my family. I still had some Christmas ham leftovers in the freezer, so I threw them together with some other yummy ingredients to make this wonderful soup.

Here's what you'll need:

2 cups diced fully cooked ham
1 bag frozen broccoli florets
3 cups frozen hash browns (not shredded)
2 cartons (32 oz each) chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
1 teas garlic powder
1/4 teas sage
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Place the ham, broccoli, hash browns and onion in a slow cooker. Pour the chicken brother over all. Stir in the garlic powder and sage. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours until potatoes and broccoli are tender.

About 30 minutes before serving, whisk the milk and sour cream in a small bowl until smooth. Add to the slow cooker. Stir in the cheese until melted. Allow the soup to warm up again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The ham gives such a wonderful flavor to the soup! The only complaint my family had was the broth was thin....which I love because I sop up the broth with crackers or bread. But if you prefer a thicker soup, blend some flour with warm water and pour into the soup about halfway through cooking time.

First Menu Plan of the New Year - Jan. 1-7

2012-01-01T20:03:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe it's 2012! But the holidays have passed, a new year has dawned, and life continues to go on. I'll be glad to get back into our regular routine after two weeks of Christmas break!

Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday
Pork roast, mashed potatoes, green beans

Monday
Christmas with friends who've been out of town

Tuesday
Ham, Broccoli and Potato Chowder

Wednesday
Fiesta Chicken and Rice, chips and salsa

Thursday
Pesto penne pasta, broccoli

Friday
Chicken Caesar sandwiches, fries

Saturday
Sausage veggie calzones

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Feel Better Chicken Stew

2011-12-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

This time of year always brings sniffles and coughs. Chicken soup is a standard remedy for those who are suffering from colds and flu. I decided to pump up the healing properties of chicken soup by adding some ginger and garlic, along with a splash of lemon juice. Even if you or your family aren't feeling poorly, this stew will nourish and warm you.

Here's what you need:

One 3-4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
3 teas minced garlic
8 cups chicken broth
3 chicken breasts
1 small onion, diced
2-3 carrots, grated (you can use matchstick-cut carrots instead)
1 cup brown rice
1 teas dried parsley
juice of one lemon

In a large saucepan, combine the ginger, garlic, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Toss in the chicken breasts, veggies, rice and parsley. Cover and reduce heat, allowing the stew to simmer for about an hour.

Check to see if the chicken is cooked. When it is, remove from the pot and shred with a fork. Return to the pot.

By this time, the rice should be puffy and tender. It will help thicken the stew. Right before serving, stir in the lemon juice.

For more yummy recipes, head over to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace.

Bathe and Brew Shower Coffee Maker?

2011-12-26T07:24:00.000-08:00

The strangest gift I got yesterday was this, a Bathe and Brew Shower Coffee Maker (and Soap Dispenser). Have you ever heard of such a thing?

Probably not! Because it's a prank box! Charles thought it would be funny to wrap my real present in a fake box and see my reaction.

My reaction was bewilderment. Ha ha! Charles has been known to get me thoughtful, but less than practical gifts. There was a time when he was traveling a great deal for his work and he had no time to shop. So he perused Sky Mall magazines while flying and found some ummm....interesting selections for me. This bug vacuum comes to mind.

So I was thinking, how can I be gracious and not hurt his feelings? This is the dumbest idea ever! When he started snapping pictures I figured something was up. Then he urged me to open it....and a tab popped stating that my real gift was inside.

He redeemed himself by getting me what I really wanted, a new study Bible. I love that man!

Menu Plan December 25-31

2011-12-26T07:02:00.000-08:00

Ahhhh, Christmas is over and it was another one to remember. We so enjoyed having friends over for dinner and games. We're thankful that even away from our families, we have brothers and sisters in Christ who seem like family.

One thing about big holiday dinners that I enjoy is leftovers! Yay! Last week I shared some ham recipes using leftovers so check those out.

Here's the menu for this week:

Sunday
Christmas dinner

Monday
Baked chicken nuggets, mac and cheese

Tuesday
Ham and White Bean Soup (crockpot), rolls

Wednesday
Spaghetti with meatballs

Thursday
Ham quiche, roasted carrots

Friday
Turkey and rice soup (crockpot), homemade bread

Saturday
New Years Eve pizza buffet

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

This is what Christmas is all about....Jesus coming to earth so He could die and give us a way to come to God. Thank You, Jesus!

Christmas Means Hope

2011-12-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

I was reflecting on how many people I know who have lost loves ones this year. The list is really, really long. My mom will be spending her first Christmas without her mom. My cousin lost her 14-year-old son in a dirt bike accident. Another dear friend lost her 15-year-old son to an undiagnosed heart condition. And several of my friends have lost parents and grandparents, many unexpectedly. At a time of year when families come together, these families will be hurting and grieving their losses.

And yet, in spite of the sadness, there is hope.

Why? Because Jesus came to give hope. Hope of eternal life. Hope of seeing those loved ones again. Hope of comfort and strength when we can't go on. Jesus came to make a way of salvation. For all of us, if we'll simply receive His gift.

So in the midst of the tears, there can still be joy. There can still be peace.

Thank You, Jesus. Thank You for leaving Your throne in heaven and coming to this sinful earth. Thank You for making a way for us to live eternally with You.

Quick Peanut Butter Fudge

2011-12-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'm done with the leftover ham recipes for now. But with Christmas just around the corner, you might find yourself in need of a quick sweet treat. Well, peanut butter fudge never has been quicker! All you need are two ingredients.

one 18-oz jar of peanut butter
one can of vanilla frosting

That's it!

Place the peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 15 seconds or until it stirs very easily. Add the frosting and mix until well blended.

Pat into a greased 8x8 pan and refrigerate for an hour.

Cut into small squares while cold.

Leftover Ham Recipe #4 Ham Broccoli Quiche

2011-12-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

This is the last of my leftover ham recipes. I hope you've found some inspiration for using up the remains of your yummy Christmas ham.

I acquired this recipe shortly after I was married and have just recently dug it back out. It's a basic quiche recipe, not too eggy which I really like. Even my kids gobble it up, so it's a great way to use up ham leftovers. But deli ham works perfectly fine, too.

Here's what you need:

1 9-inch pastry shell
1 cup diced ham (smoked ham is great in this)
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1 cup half and half or milk
1/2 teas garlic powder
1/2 teas onion powder
1/2 teas seasoned salt
dash of black pepper

Layer the ham, broccoli and cheese in the pastry shell.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, cream or milk and spices together.

Pour over the entire pie shell. Cover the edges of the crust with foil or a pie shield. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until the filling is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the quiche set for 10 minutes before cutting.

*Note - to avoid the possibility of a soggy crust, prebake your pie shell for 10 minutes, making sure to cover the edges with foil or a pie shield. I generally don't do this because we have a convection oven and it cooks pretty evenly. But you might try it if you have trouble with uneven baking in your oven.

You can customize the savory ingredients to your family's preferences. Swap out the ham for sausage or bacon. Try Swiss cheese instead of cheddar. Forego the broccoli for spinach or mushrooms. Use your imagination....and use up those leftovers!

Leftover Ham Recipe #3 Ham and White Bean Soup

2011-12-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

One of the best parts about having ham for dinner is having a leftover bone or two with which to make soup. It imparts such wonderful flavor to soup and reduces the amount of seasonings you need to use.

I make this soup in the crockpot. And you'll need a big crockpot.

Here's the ingredient list:

1 ham bone
1 cup diced ham
4 cups chicken broth
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 onion, chopped
2 teas minced garlic
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, drained and rinsed well
2 teas cumin
1/4 teas black pepper
Water, optional

Put all the ingredients into a large crockpot. If there's any room left after the bone, veggies, beans and spices, add a little water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Remove the ham bone from the pot. Scrape off any meat still clinging to the bone and return the meat to the crockpot.

This soup is delicious! The cumin adds a smokiness to the broth and the veggies soak up all the wonderful ham flavor. It's even better the next day, if you can prevent your family from sopping it all up right away.

Leftover Ham Recipe #2 - Cheesy Ham and Veggie Shells

2011-12-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

This is the second recipe in the Leftover Ham series. Since Christmas dinner is coming and many people will have ham, I thought it would be a great idea to share some ways to use up leftovers.

I found this recipe over at Finding Joy in My Kitchen. SnoWhite is an excellent cook, and I always enjoy her recipes. I tweaked this one a bit using the veggies I had on hand. But broccoli is an excellent choice, as is zucchini. The beauty of this recipe is you can clean out the ham leftovers as well as your veggies!

Here's what you need:

1 lb shell pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 cups chopped veggies (I used red pepper, mushrooms and onions)
2 teas minced garlic
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped ham
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan, heat some olive oil. Add the chopped veggies and garlic and cook until soft.

Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir to coat well.

Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. The mixture should start to thicken. If it gets too thick, add some more milk until the reaches the consistency you want.

Now stir in the cheese until is completely melted. Add the ham.

Finally, stir in the cooked pasta shells and make sure everything is covered with the cheesy sauce.

The sauce will thicken upon standing, so if you need to reheat this, add a bit more milk.

Leftover Ham - Simple Yeast Roll Sandwiches

2011-12-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

Ham is a popular main dish to serve for Christmas dinner around these parts. We all love it. But inevitably, we have leftovers. And then I'm trying to find ways to use the ham without wasting any. So this week before Christmas, I'll feature some ham recipes using leftovers so hopefully you can use up all your leftover Christmas ham.

One of the easiest way to use up leftovers is to make sandwiches. You can use regular bread if you want, but my family loves these little bite-sized sandwiches made from yeast rolls.

Here's what you need:

1 pkg frozen yeast rolls, baked according to the package directions
Leftover sliced or chopped ham
Cheddar or Swiss cheese slices (You can use shredded, too, if you don't have slices)
Mustard, if desired
1 TBSP butter, melted
1/4 teas garlic powder
1/4 teas onion powder

When the yeast rolls are cool enough to handle, split each one. Spread mustard inside if desired. Layer with ham and cheese. Place on a baking sheet. Combine the butter, garlic powder, and onion powder. Brush over the little sandwiches. Stick in the oven at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted.

Then stand back and see how quickly these yummy bites are gobbled up. Super easy and super delicious!

Menu Plan December 18-24

2011-12-18T18:37:00.000-08:00

The final countdown has begun. One week until Christmas! Is everyone else excited, too?

This past weekend was filled with food and fellowship. Friday night we had dinner with friends who are very special to us. We ate and ate and ate. Saturday night we attended our Sunday School class Christmas party. We ate and ate and ate. Then today we went out to dinner courtesy of some friends. We ate and ate and ate. The server even gave us our dessert for free!

The moral of the story is, don't overindulge in rich foods this last week before Christmas. You will be miserable if you do. And who wants to be miserable for Christmas? Tonight we're paying for it with upset tummies and trips to the bathroom. Enough said.

Now on to this week's menu.

Sunday
Out to eat

Monday
Asian meatballs over rice, sesame green beans

Tuesday
Cheesy Vegetable Chowder, homemade bread

Wednesday
Parmesan crusted pork chops, buttered noodles, roasted carrots

Thursday
Pesto chicken pasta, broccoli

Friday
Tacos, cheesy fiesta potatoes

Saturday
Pizza soup, garlic breadsticks

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

We'll Have to Cancel Christmas!

2011-12-17T08:29:00.000-08:00

Hubby and I have always laughed and laughed at that line from "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" when a blizzard threatens to keep Santa snowed in at the North Pole. Like anything could cause Christmas to be cancelled. It's not about Santa, anyway.

And then yesterday my oven caught on fire. And the idea of cancelling Christmas wasn't so funny anymore. Of course, Christmas can't be cancelled. But all the baking I was doing, yes. Christmas dinner at our house, yes.

I was heating the oven to begin the baking marathon for the day. I heard a pop and a sizzle and looked at the oven to see smoke seeping out. I quickly turned it off and within seconds the fire died down. But not before the bottom heating element had burned completely through. There would be no more baking in that oven. The recipients of my Christmas baking endeavors might have to settle for Little Debbie Christmas tree cakes instead! LOL

I'm fortunate enough to have a double oven.

The top one is a convection oven and I love it. Food cooks evenly and I've never had a problem with temperature variations. It's also the one that caught on fire.

The bottom one is smaller and is very unpredictable. It is definitely usable, but I know I'll have to watch it like a hawk.

The good news is we ordered another heating element and it's already on its way. None of the local home improvement stores had it in stock because the ovens are so old. So by the middle of next week the top oven will be back to normal.

Just in time for Christmas dinner! Yay!

Easy Bird Treats

2011-12-12T13:31:00.002-08:00

Our breakfast area has a floor-to-ceiling window that allows us wonderful access to nature. We love to watch the birds that visit our backyard regularly. It's one of our favorite things to do while we eat lunch.

So to encourage our visitors to stop by often, we made simple little bird feeders from toilet paper tubes, peanut butter, and bird seed. Easy peasy!

Spread peanut butter all over the toilet paper tube. I learned from experience that the peanut butter layer needs to be fairly thick. Now roll in bird seed until the tube is covered.

To hang, simply slide the tube over a branch on a tree or bush. The birds found ours within a few minutes. Here's one of our resident cardinals enjoying his treat.

The kids already have plans to make dozens more for every bush and tree we have! Because they're so easy, why not?

Menu Plan December 11-17

2011-12-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

Tonight's Christmas program at church went off without a hitch! We practiced and practiced, praying for hearts to be touched and drawn closer to Jesus. In the end, I know God was glorified. I love this time of year when people's hearts are so open to hear the good news of the Gospel.

I have lots of Christmas baking to do this week, so I'll stay busy. Thankfully hubby is home this week (he was gone all last week and I really, really missed him!) and he'll help keep me on track.

Here's the menu for the week:

Sunday
Turkey rice soup in the crockpot, homemade bread

Monday
Indian Butter Chicken over rice

Tuesday
Sausage lentil soup

Wednesday
Crockpot beef stroganoff, noodles, green beans

Thursday
Baked egg rolls

Friday
Over at some friends' for chili!

Saturday
Sunday School Christmas party

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Christmas Activity Advent Calendar

2011-12-05T14:07:00.000-08:00

This year we decided to stay home for the holidays. Since our families live out of state, we often travel and spend Christmas away from home. Even though we'll miss the family gatherings, it is important that we establish some of our own traditions. To help take some of the sting out of not being with our families, I've tried to come up with some fun traditions.

So I made an advent calendar with a Christmas activity per day, counting down to Christmas Eve. I was going to use some chipboard or foamboard as the background, but Charles had some plywood left over from another project. He volunteered to cut it to size, then he spray painted and sealed it for me. He attached a picture hook on the back and added some felt to the corners so they wouldn't scrape the wall. Love that man!

I found a template for a library pocket at Homeschool Share, one of my favorite sites to get lapbooking templates. I printed the template out on cardstock, then traced around it on to Christmasy scrapbook paper. I added embellishments and numbers, then glued the pockets to the back board.

Inside each pocket is a Christmas activity for that day. So far, we've hung up our stockings, enjoyed hot cocoa, watched the Polar Express and decorated the kids' bedroom doors. Today we'll make an easy snowman ornament for the tree.

Our other activities will include making a gingerbread house, creating bird feeders from toilet paper tubes for our birdie friends, baking and decorating Christmas cookies, delivering treats to friends and neighbors, participating in our church Christmas program, and singing carols. Our last activity is reading the Christmas story from Luke 2.

Every morning the kids have come downstairs and rushed to see what was on the agenda! They've really gotten into the spirit of things.

Now I'd better go check tomorrow's activity and make sure I have all the necessary components!

Adding...here's the complete list of our activities if you need some ideas to do with your own family.

Hang stockings
Watch The Polar Express (or any other Christmas movie your family enjoys)
Decorate the bedroom doors
Drink hot cocoa by the fire
Make an ornament for the tree
Cut out snowflakes and hang around the house
Go out to eat (one of my faves)
Decorate Christmas cookies
Deliver Christmas cookies to neighbors
Participate in the church Christmas program
Sing carols at the nursing home
Go to the mall to see the Christmas tree displays
Drive around to see the Christmas lights in our jammies
Sleep around the Christmas tree
Shop for your sibling
Wrap presents for your sibling
Make a Christmas craft
Write a letter to Santa
Color a Christmas themed coloring page
Play charades with Christmas songs
Share a Christmas memory with everyone
Build a gingerbread house (I bought a kit with 5 small houses for $10 at Target)
Make bird feeders out of toilet paper tubes, peanut butter and bird seed
Read Luke 2 together

Menu Plan December 4-10

2011-12-04T19:03:00.000-08:00

Three weeks from today!!! Is anyone else excited about Christmas like I am? I'm going to start on my holiday baking this week. I'm hoping to get some cookie dough made and in the freezer for later use. It's going to be a yummy week around here!

Now on to the menu plan for the week.

Sunday
Out with friends after church

Monday
Pizza

Tuesday
Pasta and meatballs

Wednesday
Homemade chicken nuggets, french fries

Thursday
Crockpot potato soup in bread bowls

Friday
Rice lentil burritos, chips and salsa

Saturday
Sausage lentil soup, yeast rolls

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Pizza Soup

2011-12-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

We love pizza around here. So when I found this recipe for Pizza Soup, I knew it would be a hit with my family. It was. I played around a bit with the ingredients to tweak it to my family's tastes. Everyone loved it. It was especially good the following day.

Thanks to my early Christmas present, chopping the pepperoni was a snap. The beauty of this recipe is that you can add your favorite pizza toppings to make it uniquely yours. Next time I make this, I'm going to add mushrooms and green peppers.

Here's what you'll need:

1 lb ground turkey or beef, browned and drained
1 pkg pepperoni slices, chopped (I actually used about 1/2 of the pkg)
2 jars (24 oz) spaghetti sauce, your choice
1 carton beef broth
1 TBSP dried minced onion
2 teas Italian seasoning
1 teas garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup half and half
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Croutons and more shredded cheese for garnish

In a large saucepan, combine the browned meat and pepperoni. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, broth and seasonings. Blend in the half and half. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 20-30 minutes. This will help the flavors blend.

Stir in the shredded cheese until all of it is melted. Taste and adjust for seasonings.

Serve with croutons and additional cheese, if desired.

Early Christmas Present!

2011-12-01T06:54:00.000-08:00

My husband is so sweet. I've been wanting a food processor for some time now. He researched all he could about which one to get and finally found one he thought was the best for the money. It arrived right before Thanksgiving last week. He let me open it early so I was able to use it to chop all the onions I needed for various dishes. I've used it just about every day since.

This is a package of pepperoni slices I needed to chop so I could make pizza soup (a recipe I'll be posting later).

This is the pepperoni after a few pulses from my Cuisinart Pro Custom 11.

It works so wonderfully and is a huge time saver! Next week I'll be using the dough paddle to mix up some cookie dough and possibly some bread dough.

Thanks, honey!

Menu Plan November 27-December 3

2011-11-27T18:23:00.000-08:00

Can you believe Christmas is in four weeks? Four!!! Where has this year gone?

We had a lovely Thanksgiving with friends then spent the remainder of the weekend decorating the house for the holidays. It was 70 degrees, though, so it didn't feel much like Christmas. Unbelievably, there IS snow in the forecast for Monday night/Tuesday morning. In November. In Alabama. Unbelievable! LOL

Whether it snows or not, the holidays are quickly approaching, and I need to get my plans in motion. I usually bake a variety of treats and hand out goodie trays to friends. I'll keep you updated on that.

For now, this week's menu:

Sunday
Crockpot turkey and rice soup, bread

Monday
Honey mustard chicken, rice, green beans

Tuesday
Pizza Soup

Wednesday
Sausage veggie calzones, fries

Thursday
Meatloaf, mashed potatoes

Friday
Wisconsin Cheddar Soup in bread bowls

Saturday
West Virginia Pepperoni Rolls

If you want more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday. You'll find tons of ideas from other cooks just like you!

The Great Stuffing/Dressing Debate Part Two

2011-11-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted my first stuffing recipe using onions and sausage as a flavorful base. It was handed down to me by my husband's grandmother, a native of Michigan. Today I'm going to post a Southern recipe, chicken and cornbread dressing. It can be served as a main dish or a side dish.

Here's what you need:

2 cups cooked shredded chicken (check out my tip for easily shredding chicken)
Jiffy Mix corn muffin mix, baked according to the package directions
1 1/2 teas poultry seasoning
1 teas salt
1 teas onion powder
1/2 teas black pepper
1 egg, beaten
2-3 cups chicken broth

Start by breaking up the baked cornbread into crumbs. Combine with the shredded chicken in a large bowl. Add seasonings.

Stir in the beaten egg. Then add 2 cups chicken broth. Make sure all of the cornbread crumbs and chicken are moist. Allow to sit for 10 minutes so the crumbs can soak up all the lovely moisture. Now if you like a really moist dressing, add a little more broth until you reach the consistency you like.

Spread the mixture into a greased 8x8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.

Cut into squares and serve. Around here most people make chicken gravy to pour over the top, but we prefer ours plain.

If you're cooking for a crowd, simply double the recipe and use a 9x13 pan. Your cooking time will increase slightly, too.

So, where do you stand in the Great Stuffing/Dressing Debate? Do you make stuffing or dressing? Cornbread or plain bread? Sweet or savory?

I've shared this recipe over at Blessed with Grace's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday. Head over there to check out some more yummy recipes.

The Great Stuffing/Dressing Debate Part One

2011-11-21T11:28:00.000-08:00

At this time of year, people everywhere are discussing whether they're serving stuffing or dressing with their Thanksgiving dinner. I know, this is one of those life-altering debates that could change how you view the world! Not!

But do you call the dish stuffing if you don't actually stuff the turkey with it? Should it actually be called dressing? Am I the only one who thinks about such silly things?

Growing up, my knowledge of stuffing was limited to Stove Top in a box. No one that I knew made their own from scratch. Then I moved South and found out it's a tradition to make homemade stuffing.

And that in itself is cause for debate. Some people swear that cornbread stuffing is the only way to go. Then you have people who moved here from the North bringing all kinds of weird combinations like oysters and cranberries. I've even seen people put pineapple in their stuffing! No kidding!

To sum it up, I've found that no two stuffing recipes are exactly alike. And you know what, I'm good with that. I love being able to take a basic idea and add my own flavorful twists to it.

So today I'll share with you a recipe handed down to me from my husband's grandmother who was raised in Michigan. It's a savory sausage combination that makes my mouth water! Tomorrow I'll share a traditional Southern chicken and cornbread recipe given to me by a member of my church who is renowned for his Southern cooking.

Savory Sausage Stuffing - this needs to sit overnight, so plan ahead

1 loaf of white sandwich bread, cubed
1 lb. bulk sausage
4-5 large onions, chopped
1 teas rubbed sage
1 egg, beaten
1 quart milk

Place the bread cubes on baking sheets and brown in the oven until toasted. I heat my oven to 400 degrees, so it takes 10-15 minutes. Check often and stir so all the bread gets evenly toasted.

While the bread is toasting, cook the sausage in a large skillet until no longer pink. Remove the sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the chopped onions and cook in the sausage drippings until translucent and starting to brown. Sprinkle with sage as the onions cook.

In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, sausage and onions. Pour the beaten egg and 2 cups of milk over all. With a large spoon, stir to mix well. I usually just dig my hands in there and get everything mixed together. The stuffing should be very moist. Add more milk if needed. I usually add another cup or so because we like moist stuffing.

If you plan to stuff your turkey with this, set aside as much as you need. Then pat the rest of the stuffing into a greased 9x13 pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

About 90 minutes before serving, take the pan out of the fridge and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Check to see if the stuffing has dried out too much. If so, pour a little more milk over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes until browned.

Menu Plan November 20-26

2011-11-20T20:56:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving Week is here! Yay!

This year we're hosting our dear friends again since all of our family is out of state. Everyone pitches in and makes several dishes, so the burden of the whole meal doesn't fall on one person. We're going to brine and roast the turkey like we've done in the past, too. I've already got the turkey thawing and plan to stick it in the brine on Tuesday. Here's my post on brining a turkey.

Charles took this week off from work so we could do some fun things together as a family before the hectic holiday season starts. We're all very excited about the entire week, not just Thanksgiving Day.

Now on to the menu plan:

Sunday
Easy Crockpot Potato Soup, homemade bread

Monday
Chicken cornbread dressing, fried potatoes

Tuesday
Pasta and garlic bread

Wednesday
BBQ Chicken in the crockpot

Thursday
Thanksgiving Dinner!

Friday
Leftovers - we love to make sandwiches with the leftover turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and gravy!

Saturday
Turkey and brown rice soup in the crockpot

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Easy Blender Salsa

2011-11-18T13:55:00.000-08:00

I love homemade salsa. The jarred stuff just tastes...well, jarred. I have a fresh salsa recipe that I love. And if you like something a little different from traditional tomato and pepper salsa, this cucumber salsa is the way to go.

But lately tomatoes have been crazy expensive around here. So I found an alternative to using fresh tomatoes. Instead I used canned fire-roasted tomatoes. And the results are just wonderful!

One of the things I love about making my own salsa is that I control the spiciness. And since my family doesn't like spicy, we skip the jalapenos and use green bell pepper instead. You, however, can use whatever level of spicy pepper you like.

Here's what you need:

2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes (15 oz each)
1 small can pickled jalapenos, drained (I substitute a small green pepper, chopped)
2 TBSP dried minced onion
1 teas garlic powder
1/2 teas cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
lime juice to taste
salt to taste (I usually don't add salt because the chips I eat with the salsa are salty enough)

Toss all the ingredients into a blender. Pulse until the salsa has reached the desired consistency. This will probably only take a few seconds. While I adore chunky salsa, this recipe is better when it's pureed, like the kind of salsa you'd get at a Mexican restaurant

Now, a word of caution. This salsa does get watery the longer it sits. The solution to that is to eat it quickly. And that most likely won't be a problem, considering how yummy it is. Enjoy!

Let the Holy Spirit do His work

2011-11-16T11:35:00.001-08:00

Letting the Holy Spirit do His work is a topic I've been pondering for a long, long time. As a mom, I want to be sure my children follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. But if I never give them the chance to experience His leading, how can they learn to follow?

Let me explain. I know parents who micromanaged every detail of their children's lives, down to the color of the clothing they wore. As the children grew, the parents continued to keep very tight control over every aspect of their lives, in the name of protecting them from the evils of this world. The children were accustomed to having someone else make decisions for them - simple ones like what clothes to wear today and difficult ones like which college to attend.

When they finally became adults and branched out on their own, they had no one telling them exactly what do to. So guess what they did....they dove headfirst into every kind of sin imaginable! Was it rebellion in their hearts all along that caused them to go down those paths? Possibly. But it very well could have been that they'd never been given the opportunity to rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit themselves. They'd never listened to that still, small voice because Mom and Dad drowned Him out with their own leading.

How can we expect our kids to exercise discernment if we discern everything for them? Sure, we need to set guidelines for them as they grow. We need to teach them to obey and respect us. But we also need to let them develop a reliance on God's guidance so when they're away from us, they make wise choices.

I know it's hard to relinquish control. But I have to let the Holy Spirit do His work in their lives. He alone can convict and lead. I can advise, pray, and set a good example. It's quite possible that they might make different choices than I would. But if they're sincerely following after God, I have to trust that His Spirit will lead them to where they need to be.

But man, it's not easy. Help me too, Lord!

Menu Plan November 13-19

2011-11-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

'Tis the week before Thanksgiving, so meals this week will be frugal. Not much going on - a follow up with my family doctor from my chest pain experience three weeks ago. Charles was supposed to be traveling for work this week, but the project was delayed. I'm very glad he's home this week.

Now on to the menu plan:

Sunday
Indian butter chicken (I made it in the crockpot - delicious!), rice

Monday
Baked spaghetti, bread sticks

Tuesday
Baked egg rolls

Wednesday
Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans

Thursday
Black bean chili, sweet buttermilk cornbread

Friday
Burritos, chips and salsa

Saturday
Crockpot Potato Soup

For more meal-planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Carmelized Squash

2011-11-11T15:59:00.000-08:00

Side dishes are always a challenge for me. I have no problems with main dishes. Give me a slab of meat and I can do something with it! But I find myself relying on the same veggies - beans, broccoli, carrots and corn - to round out my meals. Oh...and potatoes. We love potatoes.

My sister-in-law shared this recipe on her blog, so I tried it and loved it! The squash was tender and sweet. The hardest part was chopping those butternut squashes into chunks, but the end result was well worth the effort!

Here's what you need:

2 medium butternut squash
6 TBSP butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teas kosher salt
1/2 teas coarse pepper

Cut off and discard the ends of each squash. Peel and cut in half length-wise, then scoop out and discard the seeds. Chop into chunks and place on a greased baking sheet or pan.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Add the salt and pepper.

Pour the butter mixture over the squash and toss to coat.

Bake at 400 degrees for 45-55 minutes until the squash is tender and the glaze has carmelized. Turn the squash every fifteen minutes or so to make sure all sides gets browned and toasty!

Chicken and Corn Chowder

2011-11-10T06:44:00.000-08:00

Here's a hearty chowder to warm you up on these cool fall evenings. The sweet flavor of the corn and the chunks of chicken combine perfectly to make a filling meal. The Old Bay seasoning gives a little zip to the soup, too.

What you'll need:

1 small onion, diced
2 cups frozen Southern-style hash browns
2 TBSP flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 can evaporated milk
2 pkgs frozen creamed corn, thawed
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 teas Old Bay seasoning
1 teas dried parsley flakes
1 teas garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste

In a saucepan, cook the onion in a little olive oil until soft. Add the hash browns and cook for a few more minutes. Sprinkle with flour to coat.

Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring as you go. Scrape up any bits of flour on the bottom of the pan. Do the same with the evaporated milk. If don't have evaporated milk, just sub regular milk, about 1 1/2 cups.

Now stir in the creamed corn. This was the first time I'd ever used frozen creamed corn for anything. I chose sweet white corn, but next time I make this, I'll use one package of white and one package of yellow.

Add the shredded chicken and seasonings. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Garnish with cheddar cheese and bacon bits, if desired.

Emotional Rant Ahead

2011-11-09T21:03:00.000-08:00

This week has been rough on me emotionally. Not because of anything happening to me or my family. We have our share of difficulties, to be sure. But this week is okay in that way.

I'm sure by now you've heard of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal. Joe Paterno, long-time coach who was widely respected for running a clean program, ended up losing his job. And I completely agree with the board's decision that he had to go.

Because in 2002 Joe Paterno was made aware of an assault on a child that took place in the very showers his own players used. The perpetrator was well-known to Paterno. Jerry Sandusky had been a defensive coordinator for Paterno for years. He'd also been investigated for similar allegations in 1998 involving minor boys and showers. Sandusky retired the following year, leading many people to believe that the shower incidents were the reason. So basically, Joe Paterno know he had a sexual deviant coming into his facility and bringing young boys with him.

When a grad assistant - one of Joe's former players and currently an assistant coach at Penn State - told Joe about the sexual assault, Joe reported the incident to the VP and the athletic director. Then he did nothing. Knowing that Sandusky had a history of this behavior, Joe Paterno didn't contact the police. He washed his hands of it. He thought his obligation to that poor child ended when he told some higher-ups, even though he knew that no legal steps had been taken to investigate the abuse.

So why does this bother me so? I'm not a Penn State alum. I'm not even a Penn State fan.

But I'm a mom. With a 10-year-old son. The same age as the boy in the 2002 assault. And I can't fathom how so many adults could so totally fail to protect innocent children when they knew Sandusky was a pervert. How could they turn a blind eye to the abuse?

My emotions have run from anger to sadness to disappointment to downright rage this week. I'm drained. My heart breaks for those poor boys who could have been spared if just one person had done the right thing. I can't help but think, what if that had been my child who had been abused then forgotten by people who could have helped him? And I really, really want to hurt someone. Maybe that makes me a bad person, but I want to hurt the man who violated those children, and I want to hurt the people who ignored it.

Menu Plan November 6-12

2011-11-06T19:09:00.000-08:00

I know that "falling back" from Daylight Savings Time is supposed to give you an extra hour of sleep, but my internal clock doesn't know it. This morning instead of waking up at 7:00, I was awake at 6:00. And now I'm sleepy at 9 pm instead of 10 pm! Maybe we should just leave time alone, huh? LOL

Now on to this week's menu.

Sunday
Out to eat - celebratory dinner for a friend who got a new job

Monday
Chicken and corn chowder, yeast rolls

Tuesday
Peking pork chops, Asian quinoa

Wednesday
Toscano soup, whole wheat bread

Thursday
Cashew chicken

Friday
Dinner with friends

Saturday
West Virginia pepperoni rolls

For more menu planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Fall around the neighborhood

2011-11-05T09:03:00.000-07:00

Fall has come to the neighborhood. Last year the leaves were kind of dull and brown because of the lack of rain. But this year, things are gorgeous! I love the color palette of fall!

Peeking through the hedge at our neighbors' yard down the street

Behind our house

Directly across the street

Of course, all that beautiful color leads to this.

And this.

But since they get paid for raking, they don't complain too much!

Cheddar Apple Salad

2011-11-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

I love eating salads. They are so versatile. You can throw just about any ingredient in and make it work. This salad is sweet with some yummy cheese and crunchy pecans. Perfect for fall.

Here's what you need:

8 cups torn salad greens of your choice (I use romaine and iceberg)
1 cup chopped apple - tart is best, but any kind will work
1/2 cup chopped pecans
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
6 slices bacon, cooked and diced

For the dressing:
1/2 cup poppy seed dressing
1/4 cup balsamic viniagrette

In a large bowl, toss the salad ingredients together. Whisk the poppy seed and balsamic dressings together. Pour over the salad and toss to coat. You may not need all of the dressing, so just save it in the fridge for future use. I only used about a two-thirds of it so I didn't drown the salad.

Also, if you don't think all of the salad will get eaten, you can leave the dressing off and serve it on the side. Cause lettuce does some funny wilting stuff once it comes in contact with dressing.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge Bars

2011-10-31T18:12:00.000-07:00

If peanut butter and chocolate is your thing, this recipe is for you! These little babies are addictive and so yummy! The chocolate filling stays smooth and creamy while the peanut butter cake layer is moist and delicious.

Here's what you need:

1 yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs

Mix these ingredients together until well blended. Reserve a little less than half of this mixture for the topping. Press the remainder into a greased 9x13 pan.

For the filling:

1 pkg chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 TBSP butter
2 teas vanilla

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips, condensed milk and butter. Stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.

Spread the chocolate filling over the mixture in the pan. Drop the reserved cake mixture over the filling by teaspoonfuls. A little chocolate will peek through, and that's okay.

Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars.

Menu Plan October 30-November 5

2011-10-30T18:53:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one who thought October just zipped by? How can this be the first week of November already? I remember my parents saying that the older you got, the faster time seemed to fly. Now I know what they meant!

Anyway, here's the meal plan for the week:

Sunday
Leftover soup from our soup supper with friends on Saturday

Monday
Baked egg rolls, fried rice

Tuesday
Black bean chili, homemade bread

Wednesday
Jamie Oliver's Crunchy Garlic Chicken, lemon pepper broccoli

Thursday
Cheeseburger rice, green beans

Friday
Pizza

Saturday
Chicken and corn chowder

So, what's on your menu this week? If you're looking for more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday . Hundreds of bloggers share their menu plans, so you're bound to find something to inspire you.

Fun at the Pumpkin Farm

2011-10-28T07:16:00.001-07:00

Last week we went to the pumpkin farm for an afternoon of family fun. The weather was perfect, sunny and breezy.

There was a petting zoo that the kids really enjoyed.

They also loved the hay maze. Which way should they go?

Playing in a corn crib, something I've never done.

This is an old-fashioned smokehouse. We were given samples of freshly fried pig skins and cookies that were baked in a wood stove, just like in pioneer days.

The children were allowed to pick a small pumpkin to take home.

It took some time to find the perfect ones.

And then we headed home.

Cultivating a Deeper Relationship with My Daughter

2011-10-27T06:36:00.000-07:00

As the Princess gets older - she's nine going on nineteen - I want to keep our relationship open and loving. You always hear people say, "Just wait until she's a teenager, then she won't even talk to you!" In an effort to avoid that dire prediction from coming true, I want to start cultivating a deeper relationship with her now.

So I borrowed this idea from Erica at Confessions of a Homeschooling Mom. It's a notebook in which she and I write back and forth to each other. I started by asking her to be my pen pal. I told her she could ask me anything and I'd give her an honest answer. We'd keep our communications just between us. Then I placed the notebook on her bed. When she wrote back to me, she put the notebook on my bed.

So far I've shared my favorite Bible verses and she's shared a few with me. She's drawn some pictures of the two of us, too. I know that it's often easier to write out thoughts and feelings instead of expressing them verbally, so I hope this keeps the lines of communication open between us, even when she hits the dreaded tween years.

Oh, if you want to know how I made this, it's very simple. I had a composition notebook that I covered with scrapbook paper. I used a glue stick to adhere the paper. Then I used stickers for the words Mom and Me. Easy peasy.

Pity Party Post....or how I spent my Saturday

2011-10-23T08:54:00.001-07:00

I spent it in the hospital. Doing nothing. And I'm exhausted!

Okay, let me back up. I went to bed around 11:30 on Friday night. I began having terrible pain in my upper back, left side. It moved around swiftly to my chest. I tried not to panic, thinking that maybe I had pulled something in my back. After an hour, the pain was just as intense and I thought that perhaps I'd better get checked out, just in case.

You see, recently a friend of mine lost her 15-year-old son to an undiagnosed heart condition. He had a massive heart attack and was gone. Also, my best friend's dad was diagnosed with a heart problem that if he hadn't sought medical help when he did, he might not be here today. So I woke Charles up, and he took me to the ER where I was admitted right away. Hey, tell them you've got chest pains, and the usually slow intake process speeds up considerably!

I had an EKG and was given a host of meds. Blood was drawn, an IV was placed, shots were administered. I got a shot right in my abdomen, beside my belly button. Ouch! The pain started to subside and I was made comfortable. Well, as comfortable as you can be with bright lights shining down on you and medical people poking and prodding you. About 4am I was given a room so I could be kept for observation and have a few more tests. I got no rest there, either, as every few minutes someone came in to do another blood draw or check my vitals. A hospital is the worst place to get sleep! Ha ha!

Thank the Lord for good friends like my dearest friend Suzanne who took the children so Charles could be with me. I know she had other things planned for her Saturday, but she voluntarily gave them all up to help us. She's a nurse, so she was able to give me some good advice (like, don't check yourself out of the hospital AMA because your insurance might not pay anything). Yes, that option was very attractive when 5 hours after the last test (a stress test), I still had not talked to a doctor about being discharged. Every blood test, EKG and ECG had come back clear, but no one had read the stress test! Okay, I know checking out against medical advice is NOT a good idea so don't fuss at me. But that shows you how much frustration and exhaustion can mess with your thinking processes! LOL

Around 9 pm, I finally sent Charles to get the kids who were worried about me, because despite being told I was fine, they couldn't understand why I was still in the hospital. The hospital is for people who are sick, right? Why would people who were okay be kept there for no reason? Good question, little ones!

Finally at 10 pm, I went to the nurses station and demanded to talk to a doctor. Now lest you think I was ranting and raving, I was actually very calm and rational. And desperate to get home. The nurses were sympathetic, and I have to say, they were the saving graces of the entire thing. Every nurse or technician who came into my room during my incarceration....er, stay, was cheerful and professional and very kind. But this whole idea of the doctors being too busy to read stress test results and give discharge orders for someone whose other tests came back fine is ridiculous!

God bless the nurse who finally said enough was enough and called a doctor. Within 15 minutes I had discharge orders in hand. Twelve hours after the last test I was finally allowed to go home! Oh, and the stress test was normal.

So what was my diagnosis? Well, considering I never actually talked to a doctor, I really don't know. But I will be seeing my family doctor later to follow up. It's most likely a fluke. I've known two other women with almost exactly the same symptoms and test results, my mom and our assistant pastor's wife. Both had the terrible chest pain, both had clear test results. Both are fine today. So I know it's entirely possible that there might not be an clear cut answer for the what caused the pain. I'm okay with that.

On the plus side, I've gotten lots and lots of extra hugs and kisses from the kids. We're a pretty affectionate family anyway, but Mr. Lego and the Princess have been especially considerate and helpful. Charles and I have giggled several times at how loving they've been. Sweet babies!

And so you don't think I'm a total whiner, I am grateful that nothing was seriously wrong. I'm thankful to live in a place where medical help is readily available and so thorough. And you know how couples often complain they don't spend enough time together without the kids? Well, Charles and I got several hours of togetherness with no children. Just a lot of medical professionals. See, I didn't lose my sense of humor.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

2011-10-20T06:04:00.000-07:00

Stuffed peppers are so yummy, but buying enough peppers to serve everyone can get expensive. I found a recipe for stuffed pepper soup that had all the flavors of stuffed peppers but with fewer peppers. It also eliminated the chore of actually stuffing the peppers with the meat and rice filling, too. Anytime a recipe can be made easier is fine by me! And if you'll look at the original recipe, you'll see that I did some tweaking. As usual.

Here's what you need:

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 small onion, diced
2 green peppers, chopped
4 cups beef broth
2 cans (15 oz each) tomato sauce
1 teas Italian seasoning
1 teas salt
1/2 teas black pepper
1/2 teas garlic powder
2 cups cooked rice (I used brown rice)

In a large pot, start browning the ground meat. After a few minutes, add the onions and peppers so they can cook in the juices. When the meat is no longer pink, drain.

Add the remaining ingredients except the rice. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until peppers have reached desired tenderness. Stir in the rice and heat through.

The kids devoured this! And it's a good thing, too, because this recipe makes a lot of soup. We had enough for leftovers the next day. But like any soup with rice, it thickened up quite a bit. I added a little water to thin it out and a few shakes of the spices so the flavor wasn't watered down too much. This soup is definitely a winner!

Thirteen Years of Wedded Bliss

2011-10-17T06:54:00.000-07:00

Today is my 13th wedding anniversary. I can hardly believe it's been that long. I'm so thankful for every year we've had together.

Here's a picture of us on that lovely fall day. Yes, that is a strap hanging out of the sleeve of my dress. No, nobody told me it was there. All day long. Had I known it was showing, I would have cut it out of the dress. It was one of those ribbons used to keep a garment on the hanger, so it wasn't even necessary at that point. Oh, well.

Would you like to know how we met? Really, you would?

A little background. I graduated from college in 1992 and went back to West Virginia where I began teaching at my church's Christian school. I taught there until 1996 when I returned to South Carolina to work on my master's degree. During my time in WV, everyone I know tried to fix me up with a fella, someone they knew from work, a guy who went to their cousin's church...you get the picture.

So I was done with being set up. I knew God had a special man for me, and He'd bring him into my life when He was ready. On my first Saturday back in SC, I attended a bridal shower for a dear friend. At the shower I met a lady who found out I was single. She honed in on me like a heat-seeking missile. When she told me she had a son who was close to my age, I laughed. What was wrong with this guy that he needed his mom to find him a girl? Besides that, he lived in south Georgia, so I'd never see him. She finally got me to agree to respond if he emailed me first.

She immediately went home and called her son. She told him she'd found the perfect girl for him. And guess what he did? Exactly what I did - he laughed. But he did agree to email me to placate his mom. He had no intention of anything beyond that. I guess it wasn't the first time his mother had found the perfect girl. Ha ha!

So he emailed me. And asked me to get his mom off his back. I thought his email was snippy, though it was a bit humorous, so I responded in kind - a little humor, a little snip. And for some reason it got his interest. He emailed again. And again.

After a month of emailing, he wanted to meet me in person. So he drove up from Georgia to visit his parents. We all went to Biltmore in Asheville, NC, for the day. We wandered the halls of that huge mansion and talked and talked. I found myself really liking him and he liked me. But to admit his mom was right? Ahhhh, that would take a little longer.

So, I was hand-picked by his mom. And Charles claims we met on the internet. I guess he's correct in that our first conversations took place via email. And you want to know something really sweet? He saved copies of those emails. I guess he knew from the beginning we were something special.

Menu Plan October 16-22

2011-10-16T19:05:00.000-07:00

Charles has been out of town for the last two weeks (home on the weekend) for work, so I'm very glad to have him home this week. Especially since tomorrow is our anniversary. He always asks for that day off so there's very little chance of him getting sent out of town. Isn't he smart?

Even though he's home, I won't be doing as much cooking. We'll go out to eat to celebrate our anniversary, then on Friday we've been invited to our dear friends' home for a catch-up dinner. Meaning we've all been so busy, we need a special time to catch up on what's happening in each family's lives! Looking forward to that time of sweet fellowship with them.

Now on to this week's menu:

Sunday
Stir fry

Monday
Anniversary dinner at The Fish Market

Tuesday
Stuffed pepper soup, cheese biscuits

Wednesday
Chicken cordon bleu pasta, broccoli

Thursday
Parmesan crusted tilapia, green beans, pretzel bread

Friday
Dinner with friends, I'll probably bring a snack or dessert

Saturday
Chicken and dumplings, mashed potatoes

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars

2011-10-12T06:44:00.000-07:00

I had some leftover canned pumpkin from another recipe, so I decided to play around with my snickerdoodle bar recipe and see if adding pumpkin would work. I replaced one egg with a cup of pumpkin and increased some spices. And the results are amazing! They turned out more cake-like than bar-like, but still, amazing!

Here's what you need:

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 TBSP vanilla
2 2/3 cups flour
2 teas baking powder
1 teas cinnamon
1 teas pumpkin pie spice
1 teas salt
2 TBSP sugar mixed with 1 teas cinnamon and 1 teas pumpkin pie spice

In a bowl, beat brown sugar and butter together. Add the egg, pumpkin and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add to pumpkin mixture and stir until well-blended. The batter will be thick like cookie dough. Spread into a greased 9x13 pan with a greased spatula or your hands. Sprinkle the sugar and spice mixture evenly over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool, cut into squares and serve.

Menu Plan October 9-15

2011-10-09T17:47:00.000-07:00

Before I get to the menu, I just want to give my husband a shout-out for the wonderful fall arrangement he made to put in the sanctuary at our church. Each week someone signs up to provide a floral arrangement for the church, and today was our day. Charles mod-podged paper leaves onto clear ornaments, then spent a good deal of time attaching more leaves to a branch from our yard with floral wire. It was my idea to place the urn on fabric with more leaves scattered around it, but other than that, this was 100% my husband's doing. At the end of the week we'll bring it home and place it in our entry way for the rest of the season.

Isn't it lovely? It's not your typical flower arrangment, which is exactly why he did it. He received many compliments on it and one lady even said she was going to steal it! Stealing in church? Can you imagine? LOL. If you want to see it better, click on the picture to enlarge. This was taken with a cell phone since I didn't have the forethought to bring a camera.

Now on to this week's menu:

Sunday
Homemade pizza

Monday
Pan-seared tilapia, lemon pepper broccoli

Tuesday
Crockpot Potato Soup, homemade bread

Wednesday
Out to eat before kids' club

Thursday
Fiesta chicken and rice, black beans

Friday
Ground turkey sloppy joes, crispy potato wedges

Saturday
Black bean chili over rice, sweet buttermilk cornbread

For more menu plan inspiration head over to Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie and take a look at what others have postes.

Easy Crockpot Potato Soup

2011-10-06T20:00:00.001-07:00

My family adores potato soup. I have prepared it the same way for years - dicing potatoes and onions, boiling them until done, adding spices, herbs and milk...you get the picture. Then I found a similar recipe to mine that was cooked in the crockpot. And instead of dicing up potatoes, this recipe said to use frozen hash browns - the Southern style, not shredded.

It was like the clouds suddenly parted and the sunshine peeked through! Why hadn't I ever thought of that before? It cut the prep time for this recipe down to a few minutes - basically just adding ingredients to the crockpot and turning it on. With cooler weather approaching, you're going to want to make this incredibly easy, delicious soup.

Here's what you need:

1 pkg (30 oz) Southern-style frozen hash browns - not O'Brien, just plain
4 cups chicken broth (this is one large carton or 32 oz)
1 cup water
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 teas onion powder
1 teas garlic powder
1 teas salt
1/4 teas black pepper
4 oz cream cheese, cubed

Dump the frozen hash browns into the crockpot. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cream cheese. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. During the last 1/2 hour of cooking, add the cubed cream cheese and stir for a few minutes to melt and blend into the soup.

Add your favorite toppings such as bacon bits, shredded cheese or green onions. Or all of the above! The Princess chose green onions, Mr. Lego just wanted a little bacon. I added everything, like a loaded baked potato. And the next day they cheered when I warmed up leftovers. That's how simple and yummy this soup is.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2011-10-04T14:14:00.000-07:00

I can't get enough pumpkin. Really, I can't. Until a few weeks ago it was difficult to find canned pumpkin in the store, so I had to raid my stash and was down to my last two cans of pumpkin. Ackkk! I decided to make this yummy pancake recipe for dinner one night, and it was a hit. Paired with a simple cinnamon syrup, it was like eating dessert.

Here's what you need:

1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 egg
2 TBSP oil or melted butter
2 TBSP white vinegar
2 cups flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teas baking powder
1 teas baking soda
1 teas cinnamon
1 teas pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teas ground ginger
1/2 teas salt

In a bowl, mix the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil or butter, and vinegar. Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until no lumps remain. If the batter is too thick, blend in a little water.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan. It's hot enough when you can sprinkle a few drops of water on it and it sizzles. Use approximately 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. When bubbles form on the top of the pancake and it appears dry around the edge, flip over and continue cooking until done.

Serve warm with syrup. Here's the cinnamon syrup recipe if you're interested, though maple syrup is extremely yummy with these pancakes, too.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup water
1 teas vanilla
3/4 teas cinnamon

Combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in the evaporated milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Serve warm over pancakes.

Easy Way to Shred Chicken - Kitchen Tip

2011-10-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

I don't know how you shred your chicken, but I've been a two-fork kind of gal. You pull and pull until it's shredded into whatever sized chunks you want.

Sometimes that could take awhile, especially if I had cooked up a bunch of chicken at one time to freeze for later. Today was chicken cooking day. I threw several chicken breasts in the crockpot and let them cook on low all day, intending to work my two-fork magic on them later.

Then I came across this tip on Simply Healthy Family. Use your stand mixer to shred the chicken instead of all that two-fork work! I guess I never really considered such a thing before because I don't use my mixer to shred things. It's a mixer, not a shredder, right? But honestly, this worked better than I could have hoped.

Here's what you do.

Throw the warm chicken in the bowl of your mixer. I took mine straight out of the crockpot and tossed it in. You definitely want to use warm or even hot chicken, because it's soft and tender. Do not try this with cold chicken.

Using the paddle attachment, turn the mixer on low speed for a few seconds, then move up to a medium speed, careful not to let the chicken fly out of the bowl. Because it will if you get that paddle going too fast. This is what my chicken looked like after 20 seconds or so.

I gave it another 10 seconds and got a pile of nicely shredded chicken.

There were a few larger pieces, so I just used a pair of tongs to break them up (no forks necessary).

I was amazed at how easy it was to shred 6 chicken breasts in under a minute! This task would have normally taken me 15-20 minutes, depending on how many times I got interrupted. I saved some of the chicken for use later in the week, then bagged up and froze the rest. Easy peasy!

For more helpful hints, visit Works for Me Wednesday over at We Are THAT Family.

Menu Plan October 2-8

2011-10-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

I don't know how the weather was where you live, but our weekend was cool and gorgeous! Temps got into the high 60's with plenty of sunshine, so it seemed warmer. We attended a local arts and crafts festival, then decorated our house for the season. Now it feels like fall has truly arrived!

Now on to the week's menu:

Sunday
Roast beef, rice

Monday
Ravioli, green beans, garlic breadsticks

Tuesday
Pesto chicken shells, lemon pepper broccoli

Wednesday
Potato soup (crockpot), homemade rolls

Thursday
Baked egg rolls

Friday
Meatloaf, mashed potatoes

Saturday
Chicken corn chowder, pretzel rolls

If you'd like a sampling of other people's menu plan ideas, head over to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Banana Bread Cobbler

2011-09-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

I had some bananas that were getting extra ripe so I was looking for a new way to use them up. I typically make muffins or banana bread, but I wanted something different. I found a recipe from Southern Living for Banana Bread Cobbler and decided to try it. Of course, I tweaked it a bit. Boy, was it super yummy! Charles had some for breakfast this morning. Though it's good cold, it is out of this world fantastic when it's warm!

Here's what you need:

For the topping
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup self-rising flour - see my note below if you don't have self-rising flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup oats (quick or regular, doesn't matter)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teas cinnamon

Mix these ingredients together and set aside. The topping will resemble granola.

For the filling
1 cup self-rising flour - see note
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
3 ripe bananas, mashed

Whisk the flour, sugar and milk together just until blended. Stir in the melted butter. Pour into a greased 8x8 pan. Drop the mashed bananas by spoonfuls over the batter. Top with the oat mixture. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Cover the top with foil if it browns too quickly.

The original recipe suggested serving this cobbler with ice cream, but we all felt it was wonderful without it.

Note: If you don't have self-rising flour, don't run out to the store to get it! Just use what you have already. For every cup of flour the recipe calls for, add 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. So for this recipe, you need a total of 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup for the filling and 1/2 for the topping. So you'll add a total of 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the flour. Make sense?

Click here for a printable version of the recipe.

Sausage Tortellini Soup

2011-09-26T20:27:00.001-07:00

I made this soup years ago and Charles really liked it. I don't know why I stopped making it, but I finally dusted off the recipe and gave it another try. This soup is amazing! The kids loved it and asked for more. I tweaked it a little bit from the original recipe to suit our current tastes. Hope you like it!

Here's what you need:

1 lb Italian sausage links, casings removed
1 small onion, diced
2 teas minced garlic
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 jar (24 oz) spaghetti sauce of your choice
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teas Italian seasoning
1 teas dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups frozen cheese tortellini

In a large stockpot, brown the sausages in a little olive oil, breaking them up as they cook. Add the onion and minced garlic. Cook until the onions are soft. Add the green pepper and grated carrot. Cook for another 5 minutes or so, until the peppers have softened.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients except the tortellini. Simmer for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend nicely. The soup will smell so good at this point!

Turn up the heat a little so the soup comes to a gentle boil. Add the frozen tortellini and cook for another 5 minutes or until the tortellini are thawed and heated through. Sprinkle some extra Parmesan cheese over the top of each serving.

Menu Plan September 25-October 1

2011-09-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

It's the last week of September! Can you believe it? I love the cooler weather and the changing leaves. I've started putting soup back on the menu at least once a week. This week will be twice. Just because I want to!

Here's the plan:

Sunday
Out to eat with the in-laws

Monday
Chicken pesto pasta, broccoli

Tuesday
Cheeseburger rice, green beans, whole wheat rolls

Wednesday
Pizza pasta, cauliflower, garlic bread

Thursday
Calico Bean Soup with smoked sausage, flatbread

Friday
Angus beef hot dogs, fried potatoes

Saturday
Tomato tortellini soup, Deep South paninis

For more menu plan ideas, head over to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Mondays. Also, if you're new to meal planning, check out my tips here.

Pumpkin Cream Pie

2011-09-22T09:46:00.000-07:00

If you like pumpkin pie but want something a little different, this creamy pie is for you! It's got all the taste of pumpkin pie with a smooth pudding-like texture you'll love. It's particularly good with homemade whipped cream slathered on top! And it doesn't require any baking time, so it's super easy.

Here's what you need:

1 cup canned pumpkin
2 cups cold milk
2 boxes instant vanilla pudding (3.5 oz size)
1 teas pumpkin pie spice
1 cup whipped cream (Cool Whip or homemade)
Graham cracker crust

Combine all the ingredients (except the crust) in a mixing bowl and mix on low for one minute. Increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for two more minutes until thick. Spread the filling into the graham cracker crust. Cover and refrigerate until set. Mine was ready after about an hour or two, but I left it in the fridge overnight. Fantastic!

Pumpkin Fudge

2011-09-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

If you love pumpkin pie, you're going to love this fudge. The princess says it's pumpkin pie candy. And she's right. It's smooth and spicy (as in pumpkin pie spicy, not hot spicy). I could probably eat the entire pan myself, but then I'd be sick.

Here's what you need to make it:

Self-control...oh, wait. That's just me.
1 1/2 c
ups sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2 TBSP butter
1 1/2 teas pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teas salt
1 pkg white chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 teas vanilla

Line a 8x8 pan with foil, leaving some foil hanging over the sides. Grease the foil well with non-stick spray or olive oil.

In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, pumpkin, milk, butter, salt and spice.

Stirring constantly over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Continue stirring and boiling for 12 minutes. This will get tedious, but the results are worth it!

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the white chips, marshmallows, and vanilla. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth. This might take a few minutes, but keep stirring. When everything has melted together, pour into the foil-lined pan.

Cover and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Remove from fridge and invert onto a cutting board. Peel off the foil, then cut into small pieces.

I used a pizza cutter for this, and it worked beautifully! Hey, why is there a piece missing? Hmmmm....

Store in the fridge. For a printable recipe, click here.

For more yummy recipes, head over to Blessed with Grace's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Menu Plan September 18-24

2011-09-18T17:57:00.000-07:00

I finally got to make Crockpot Lasagna today, much to Mr. Lego's delight. That kid loves lasagna! It's fairly simple, just use whatever lasagna recipe you would use in the oven. Don't cook the noodles, just layer them like you normally would, making sure there's lots of sauce. And after 4 hours, you've got yummy lasagna!

The rest of the week will be busy. We're keeping our friends' two children while they take off on a romantic anniversary trip to Maine later in the week, plus we're expecting a visit from Charles' parents. There's the possibility their visit might not happen due to illness, but we're hoping and praying everything works out.

Now, on to the menu:

Sunday
Crockpot Lasagna

Monday
Sausage veggie calzones, tater tots

Tuesday
Moroccan Lentil Soup, homemade flatbread

Wednesday
Pancakes, sausage, potatoes

Thursday
Stromboli (my father-in-law's fave)

Friday
Chinese chicken, baked egg rolls, rice

Saturday
Crockpot Lemon Chicken, green beans, mac and cheese

For more menu planning ideas, head over to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

I also posted some meal planning tips recently, so check them out here.

Til disease does us part?

2011-09-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

I'm sure by now you've heard of Pat Robertson's assertion that divorcing a spouse with Alzheimer's is justifiable because the disease is a kind of death. He said it in response to a caller who needed advice for a friend who starting dating another woman when his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Robertson advised the caller's friend to get a divorce but make sure the wife was cared for. I guess he thought that was a better solution than just moving on with someone else while your spouse still lives?

Umm, no Pat. It's better to keep your marriage vows. Remember the "sickness and health" part? Or "as long as we both shall live?"

Of course, the easier thing would be to divorce and move on. We all know that your life as you know it is over once a terminal diagnosis like this is made. But easy isn't always right! And in this case, it's dead wrong!

Would it be alright for someone to divorce his spouse if she was diagnosed with terminal cancer? Lou Gehrig's disease? MS?

I can't say how disturbing and just downright awful this attitude is, especially coming from someone who claims to be a man of God. I hope Mr. Robertson reevaluates his opinion on this and seeks answers from God, Who never changes.

Black Bean Chili

2011-09-15T06:33:00.000-07:00

It's soup season around here, and I'm trying some new soup recipes for my family. We love chili, but I've always used ground beef or turkey as the base for the soup. This was our first time trying a meatless chili, but the results were fabulous and we all loved it. Plus, it was frugal! Who doesn't love easy, cheap chili?

Here's what I used:

1/2 onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 carrots, grated
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained (You can use any kind of diced tomatoes, I'm just a little obsessed with fire-roasted right now)
2 cups chicken or beef broth
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
1 teas cumin
1 teas chili powder
1/2 teas salt
1/2 teas black pepper

In a sauce pan, saute the onion and red pepper until soft. Add the carrots and cook for another minute. Stir in the diced tomatoes, broth, and black beans. If you want to make this chili completely vegetarian, substitute veggie broth for the chicken or beef.

At this point, I used an immersion blender to thicken the chili up. If you don't have an immersion blender, pour about half the soup into a blender and pulse a couple of times. Be careful with hot liquid in the blender. If you don't hold the lid on, the pressure from the steam might blow the lid off. It can be quite messy. Want to know how I know this? It's called learning from experience. Wink!

Now add the remaining ingredients. Taste a little and adjust your seasonings according to your family's tastes. This is one reason I love soup - it's so easy to tweak!

Simmer for 20-30 minutes to give the flavors a chance to blend.

I like to add sour cream and cheese to my bowl, while Charles just likes cheese. The kids eat their chili plain. The next day, I added some rice and cheese to the leftovers, wrapped them in tortillas like burritos, and got another meal out of the chili! Talk about stretching my food budget. This meatless chili is a winner!

Chicken Pesto Pizza

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

I love different kinds of pizza. My family does not. They're plain ol' pepperoni pizza lovers. Occasionally I can throw on some sausage or bacon and they'll eat it, but traditional pizza is their style.

That's why I love to have company over and create a pizza buffet! I can offer several variations and don't have leftovers that only I will eat! The last time we had a buffet was in August when some friends from Iowa visited. We had pepperoni, sausage, BBQ chicken and this newest creation - Chicken Pesto Pizza! It's fantastic!

Here's what you need:

Dough for one pizza crust (here's my crust recipe)
1/2 small red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 small orange or yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 small green pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pesto
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
2 small Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese

After you've sliced the peppers and onions, heat a little olive oil in a small skillet. Saute the veggies for 5 minutes, or until slightly soft. Roll out the dough and spread the pesto sauce over the crust. Arrange the shredded chicken evenly over crust. Place the tomato slices over the chicken, then top with peppers and onions. Sprinkle the cheeses over the top. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

The resulting pizza is delicious! You can reduce the amount of veggies or tomatoes, but don't skimp on the pesto. It gives the pizza so much flavor! You can make your own pesto, of course, but I use the Classico brand. You can find pesto sauce near the spaghetti sauce at your grocery store.

Warning Labels

2011-09-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

I recently got a new hairdryer after my old, well-used one bit the dust. As I was reading the manual that came with it, I found this warning : Do not use while sleeping. Really? That actually had to be put in writing? I'm sure there has to be a funny story behind that one!

I know that manufacturers are simply responding to lawsuits and trying to limit their liability, but have we really lost all common sense? Do we really have to be told that hot coffee is hot and that rotary tools shouldn't be used as dental drills? Seriously?

Here are some more head-scratchers:

For external use only (on a curling iron) - I can't even imagine

Do not drive with sun shield in place (on a car sun shield) - you mean not everyone has X-ray vision?

Do not use orally (on a toilet brush) - what else are giants supposed to use to brush their giant teeth?

Shin pads cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover (on a pair of bicyclists' shin guards) - you mean someone really expects them to?

For use by trained personnel only (on a can of air freshener) - I totally missed that class in college

Please store in the cold section of your refrigerator (on a bag of grapes) - are there any other sections in YOUR refrigerator?

Warning: knives are sharp! (on a sharpening stone) - If there was ever a time to use the word, "Duh!" this is it.

Warning: this product has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice (on rat poison) - Didn't the words rat poison give this one away?

Please remove infant before folding for storage (on a baby stroller) - has anyone ever tried to fold up a stroller without a baby in it? It's not that easy. With a baby, impossible.

Do not drive a car or operate machinery (on children's cough medicine) - hmmmm, who got sued for this one?

May be harmful if swallowed (on a box of hammers) - how else are we supposed to get our recommended daily amount of iron?

Not dishwasher safe (on a TV remote control) - okay, fess up! Who washed their remote this way?

Have you ever seen any funny warning labels? Share them in the comments!

Menu Plan September 11-17

2011-09-11T17:51:00.000-07:00

It's fall! My favorite season of the year! This week I'm trying some new pumpkin recipes and will be sharing them with you. In the meantime, here's this week's menu plan:

Sunday
Shredded chicken sandwiches, corn, mashed potatoes

Monday
Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole, green beans

Tuesday
Crockpot Lasagna, garlic bread

Wednesday
Tori no kara-age (Japanese fried chicken nuggets), rice

Thursday
Sausage veggie calzones, roasted potatoes

Friday
Make your own pizza night

Saturday
Sausage tortellini soup, homemade bread

To take a peek at other menu plans, visit Organizing Junkies' Menu Plan Monday.

Honoring Those Lost on September 11

2011-09-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit

Last year I posted about what I was doing when the terrorist attacks of 9/11 occurred and my feelings afterward. It's hard to believe another year has passed already.

I know that since this year is the 10th anniversary of that awful day, many memorials will be held and the TV will be filled with images and remembrances - all of which are already seared into my brain. I've decided not to dwell on those images, but instead to remember how we as a country came together to pray for each other, to help each other. We stood united.

Ten years later, we're torn apart by political and ideological differences. Crime and wickedness are rampant. Families are disintegrating because of selfishness and sin. We need to stand united in prayer once again for this great country of ours. To me, there is no better way to honor the memories of those lost on September 11, 2001.

Will you join me in praying for America?

Brain Cushion Experiment

2011-09-07T20:24:00.000-07:00

This year we're studying Apologia's Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology. I absolutely love this curriculum. Jeannie Fulbright writes in a conversational style that breaks down hard to understand concepts into fun lessons.

Our current area of study is the skeletal system. We're learning that the skeletal system consists of more than just bones. Cartilage, joints and fluids all work together to keep our body moving. The cranium is one of the hardest bones in our bodies, but God designed a layer of fluid between it and the brain to cushion the brain from impact as we jostle around and bump our heads.

To illustrate the concept, we did a brain cushion experiment. It was simple and fun. And best of all, the kids totally got the idea. They loved explaining it to their dad, too!

Here's what we did:

First, we put an egg into an empty plastic container and put on the lid. Mr. Lego ran around the table a couple of times, bouncing the container as he jogged.

This is what the egg looked like when he was done. It's also what our brains would look like without a cushion between them and our craniums. Yuck!!!

So we rinsed out the container and filled it up with water. We put another egg into the container and closed the lid.

Then the Princess took her turn jogging around the table. Look at her go!

The egg survived unbroken!

I don't know about you, but I'm glad God gave my brain a little cushion to protect it!

Meal Planning Tips

2011-09-06T15:18:00.000-07:00

If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you'll know that meal planning is a way of life for me. I'm not necessarily an organized person in other areas of my life, but when it comes to cooking for my family, I must have a plan.

I started meal planning when I was first married, almost 13 years ago. I was working full-time and didn't get home until 5:30pm. Planning out my menus in advance took so much stress out of the evenings. Back then, my meals were very, very simple. We had spaghetti at least once a week if not more often. It was just me and Charles, and he wasn't picky at all, as long as he got his belly full!

When the kids came along, I branched out and started cooking more from scratch. I was determined that my children wouldn't confine themselves to the typical American kid diet of fries and chicken nuggets. (I know, that was a sweeping generalization.) So I introduced them to a variety of veggies and all kinds of fruits. That has paid off. They will eat just about anything now.

Some people are intimidated by planning menus. Really, it takes a few minutes and pays off greatly throughout the week. It doesn't require fancy worksheets or gourmet dishes. Here are a few tips I've learned over the years.

1. Keep it simple. I use a simple spiral-bound notebook to plan my menus. Nothing fancy. I write down the days of the week, then list a main dish and maybe one side dish or bread that will go with it. The next week, I draw a line down the middle of the paper and do the same. Two weeks on one page. This comes in handy to keep track of how recently I've made a particular meal. I just glance back at the last few pages to see how often I've had it on the menu.

2. Plan your meals around what is on sale. Just doing this simple thing can save you big bucks. Browse your local stores' ads and take advantage of discounts. When chicken goes on sale, I usually plan two or more chicken dishes for that week. I'll even buy extra to freeze so next week when it's not on sale, I can still have chicken. Stock up on other deals, too. Buy pasta, rice, noodles, beans, whatever. You can use those for side dishes. By having a well-stocked pantry, you give yourself more options for quick, easy meals.

3. Cook what you know your family will eat. No one knows your family's tastes better than you do. So why subscribe to a menu planning service that has no clue what your family enjoys? Sit down and make a list of 10 meals you know how to cook and that your family likes. Add a couple of side dishes. There - you've done it! You've made a meal plan!

4. But don't be afraid to try new recipes. I try to incorporate one new recipe each week. It might be a side dish or a dessert. But it helps break up the routine a little and expands my family's culinary horizons. When looking for something new to prepare, browse sites like Allrecipes.com and food.com. These recipe sites have ratings systems that allows you to read what other cooks have said about the dish or changes they made to the recipe.

5. Be flexible! Sometimes our week doesn't go according to plan. And that means that sometimes my menu plan gets out of whack. It's okay! I just postpone making that meal until another day. But I take comfort in knowing I have the ingredients on hand to make it when I can.

6. Make a store list based on your meal plan. There's nothing worse than starting a dish and realizing you're missing a key ingredient. Ack! So, once you've settled on the dishes you want to make for the week, write down what ingredients you need from the store. This helps to reduce impulse purchases and ensures you have everything you need when it comes time to make the dish.

7. Get your family involved. My kids love to make suggestions for meals. Every couple of weeks I'll ask them if there's something they'd like me to fix. They will even volunteer to help in the kitchen! When they are part of the planning process, they feel an ownership of the meal and usually eat it with great enthusiasm.

8. Schedule a leftover night. After you've prepared a full week's worth of meals, there are bound to be leftovers. We usually eat them the next day for lunch, but sometimes we still have a little of this and a little of that. So I set everything out like a buffet. There's something for everyone!

Meal planning definitely works for me. If you're not a meal planner already, now is a good time to start. For more helpful hints and tips, visit Works for Me Wednesday over at We are THAT Family.

Menu Plan September 4-10

2011-09-04T16:35:00.000-07:00

We got some lovely company this weekend. My brother and his six children visited from South Carolina. My sister-in-law stayed behind because this was her weekend to work. While we certainly missed seeing her, I'm sure she got some good sleep during the day (she's a night-shift nurse) without the kids.

Each year we plan an outing to a state park with some friends for Labor Day. This year we're getting rained out, thanks to Tropical Storm Lee. So Plan B (everyone coming to our house) is already in motion. Everyone will just bring what they would have brought for our picnic and we'll have a good time indoors.

Now here's this week's menu:

Sunday
Pork roast, mashed potatoes

Monday
Grilled burgers and hot dogs, picnic foods

Tuesday
Toscano soup, pretzel bread

Wednesday
Homemade pizza

Thursday
Philly cheesesteak sloppy joes, waffle fries

Friday
Fiesta chicken and rice, tex-mex corn

Saturday
Sausage tortellini soup, cheesy garlic breadsticks

For more inspiring menu plan ideas, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Praying Friends, Please Pray

2011-09-03T06:57:00.001-07:00

I received word this morning that one of my dearest friends from high school and college lost her 15-year-old son last night. He suffered an unexpected heart attack and was gone. It all happened so fast and the family is still in shock.

Tonya and I went our separate ways after college, but reconnected on Facebook a couple of years ago. It was like we'd never been apart. She is an awesome mother and Lucas was her middle child. He was her cheerful, funny guy.

Please, uphold this family in prayer as they walk through a valley no parent should ever have to walk. Pray for Lucas' siblings, too. They have always been a close-knit family. I can't even imagine the heartache they're experiencing.

Thank you, friends.

Book Review - The Hour that Matters Most

2011-08-30T16:08:00.001-07:00

Recently I was contacted about reading and reviewing the book The Hour that Matters Most: The Surprising Power of the Family Meal. Since planning weekly menus and having dinner with my family on a daily basis is very important to me, I gladly agreed to do it.

If I already was not planning and eating dinner with my family, this book would have convinced me to do it. Co-authored by the founders of Dream Dinners, a meal assembly business, The Hour that Matters Most provides several reasons why family meals are important. Statistics showed that a majority of parents and children surveyed said they were more relaxed and less stressed when they ate together as a family. And the meal didn't necessarily have to be homemade every night. It was the time spent together that mattered.

The book also provides several recipes and tips for planning meals to make the job less stressful.

How about some yummy Baked Chicken Salad?

Or maybe some Easy Sloppy Joes?

You'll find those recipes and more in this book. There is also a chapter on how to start a fix and freeze club so you and some friends can work together to assemble freezer meals to help all of you with meal planning and preparation.

And though all of that information was wonderful and dear to my heart, since I love to cook and plan meals, my favorite parts of the book were written by Drs. Les and Leslie Parrot. The Parrots are co-directors of the Center for Relationship Development at Seattle Pacific University. They offer wonderful suggestions for building and maintaining relationships with your children, which is, after all, one of the goals of family time. They also mention the practical aspects of spending meal time together, such as teaching etiquette and gratitude to our children. Only by spending quality time with our children can we pass on our values and faith to them. I was challenged and convicted about my own relationships with my children and have several ideas now about how to solve those problems.

I whole-heartedly recommend The Hour that Matters Most. Even if you already take time to plan your meals and eat together as a family, this book is a worthy read and can give you more ideas about your own meal time traditions.

To find out more about the book and the authors, visit The Hour that Matters Most. You can purchase the book from Amazon. com or Barnes and Noble beginning Tuesday, September 6.

* All the images in this post were taken from Hour that Matters Most by Les and Leslie Parrott with Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna. Copyright © 2011 by Les and Leslie Parrott and Dream Dinners. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer: I received no compensation for this review except for a copy of the book to read. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.

Blessings - Do we really believe this?

2011-08-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

Pretzel Rolls

2011-08-29T13:12:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago, our family went to Disney World and ate at Le Cellier, a restaurant in the Canadian pavilion at Epcot. The steaks were fantastic, the dessert was amazing, but the part of the meal we couldn't stop talking about was the pretzel bread! I promised my family I'd find a recipe for it that I could make at home. This recipe is the closest one I've found. The outside is chewy and delicious, while the inside is soft and yummy!

The pretzel bread at Le Cellier was shaped like bread sticks. I tried doing that, but they turned out all lumpy and not very attractive. Shaping the bread into rolls makes them pretty! And who doesn't like to eat pretty rolls?

Here's what you'll need:

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 pkg (or 2 1/4 teas) yeast
2 teas sugar
4 to 4 1/2 cups flour (I used King Arthur unbleached)
2 teas coarse salt
1/4 cup oil or melted butter
1/4 cup baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
Additional coarse salt for sprinkling on top

In a mixing bowl, combine the water, yeast and sugar. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy. Add the flour, salt and oil or butter. I always start with 4 cups of flour and add more if the dough seems too sticky. Combine well (I use my stand mixer and dough hook for this) and then cover with a towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled.

After an hour, punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured service. Cut the dough into 16 equal pieces. I start by cutting the entire lump of dough in half, then halving each piece until I end up with 16 pieces.

Now comes the fun part of shaping the dough. Take one piece of dough and pinch the sides into the center to seal.
Turn the ball of dough over, so the pinched side is down. The side facing you should look fairly smooth. Using the palm of your hand, roll the ball in small circles. Don't press down hard, just roll the ball a few times.

The bottom of the dough should look more smooth after you do this. Place the dough on agreased cookie sheets. You could also use parchment paper to line your sheets. Repeat this with all of the remaining balls of dough. Cover with a towel and allow to rise again, this time for about 30 minutes.

When the rolls are shaped, bring 2 quarts of water to a low boil on the stove. Add the baking soda, which will cause the water to bubble up. With the water simmering, add a couple of rolls at a time. They will start to puff up right away.

Using a slotted spoon, turn the rolls over after 3o seconds. The bottoms will be puffy and lumpy, as they should be.

After another 30 seconds, remove the rolls from the water and place back on the cookie sheets, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining rolls. Can you tell which rolls have been boiled and which haven't?

With a pastry brush, glaze each roll with the beaten egg, making sure to coat all sides. Sprinkle each one with a little coarse salt. With a sharp, straight-edged knife, cut an X into the top of each roll.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until browned. Serve warm if you can. They're so yummy that way!

These rolls are fantastic! They're a perfect accompaniment to soup and salad. We like them with broccoli cheese soup the best! But they truly are wonderful with anything.

For more yummy recipes, visit Blessed with Grace's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Menu Plan August 28- September 3

2011-08-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's almost September! I love fall so much. I love the changing colors, the crisp mornings, the cooler weather. I adore this season more than any other, I think. And on September 1, Starbucks starts selling their pumpkin spice lattes. I'm gonna have me one of those, then I'll start making my own! It's a whole lot cheaper than $4 a latte, too.

This is going to be another busy week. I have a book review to post in a couple of days. The book is titled The Hour That Matters Most: The Surprising Power of the Family Meal. It was co-authored by the founders of the Dream Dinners meal assembly stores. Go here to read more about the book.

Now, on to the menu plan:

Sunday
Slow Cooked BBQ Short Ribs (from The Hour That Matters Most), mashed potatoes

Monday
Chinese chicken, egg drop soup, rice

Tuesday
Sausage veggie calzones, waffle fries

Wednesday
Spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread

Thursday
Korean beef, noodles

Friday
Bacon ranch chicken, roasted potatoes

Saturday
West Virginia pepperoni rolls

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Mommy Guilt - and why you need to get over it!

2011-08-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

Mommy Guilt. You know what it is.

The feelings of inadequacy and failure when your behavior toward your children isn't perfect. The inability to protect your child from every hurt and danger that lies in wait. The mistaken belief that every waking minute must be spent doing something with or for your children.

Mommy guilt can be crippling. It can bring us to our knees. It can rob us of our joy and hope. It can lead us to overcompensate by letting our children get away with their own bad behavior. It can push us over the edge and make us give up trying altogether. Do you know that really our children suffer the most from our mommy guilt?

I know some moms who seem to wallow in their guilt, agonizing over every single mistake. They call themselves bad mothers, often in front of their children, when in reality they're simply human like the rest of us! Their children now seem to think that their moms aren't to be obeyed or respected. If Mom thinks she's a bad mother and says so all the time, why would the child feel differently?

Friends, it doesn't have to be this way!

First, let's think about the purpose of guilt. To me, it's two-fold. The first "job" of guilt is to bring us to repentance. If we've truly done something wrong, we need to seek forgiveness. And asking our own children to forgive is the hardest of all. It's humbling to acknowledge to your children that you're not perfect. Guess what? They already know!

The second job of guilt is to get us to change our behavior. It's not enough that we acknowledge we've done wrong. We must turn from what we're doing wrong and seek to do right. Ask for God's help and strength so you don't repeat the same mistakes over and over. If you don't want to feel badly about yelling at your kids, stop yelling. Retrain yourself how to react to stressful situations so you don't automatically start raising your voice.

Recognize that you are not going to do everything right in regards to your children. Sometimes you're going to lose your temper. There may come a time when you unknowingly punish the wrong child for breaking your vase. You might forget to write down the next dentist appointment and miss a teeth cleaning. Do you know why those things happen? Because you're human!

Correct your mistakes. Apologize for losing your temper. And then LET IT GO! If God forgives you for your imperfection, why don't you forgive yourself? Are your feelings about it more important than God's?

God gave your children to you because in His wisdom, He knew you were the best person for the job. He also knew you were going to make mistakes in your parenting and interactions with your kids. He has already provided the tools of grace and forgiveness you need to admit those mistakes and try harder the next time.

Please, let go of the past. Be the best mom you can be TODAY!

Edible DNA Models

2011-08-24T06:12:00.001-07:00

This year in science we're using Apologia's Exploring Creation with Anatomy and Physiology. We love Apologia and this year is no exception. The first chapter covers the history of the study of anatomy. And the discovery of cells is a huge part of that history.

As we look at human cells, we can see how magnificent our God is, how He planned each part of the cell to have a specific function. We also marvel at how all of our unique information is contained in our DNA - deoxyribonucleic acid.

Because my kids love hands-on projects, we made an edible DNA model for a close-up view of DNA. And this project was a hit with them, just like the jello cell model we made a couple of years ago.

We used Twizzlers, colored mini-marshmallows and toothpicks. That's it.

First, we skewered mini-marshmallows on the toothpicks. Then we attached each end of the toothpicks on to Twizzlers, like the rungs of a ladder.

The Princess kept eating the marshmallows, so it took her a little bit longer!

Then we twisted the Twizzlers and DNA was formed!

The kids want to do this again today. I think they really just want to eat more Twizzlers!

Blueberry Cake

2011-08-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

I love blueberries. Blueberry muffins. Blueberry pie. Blueberry smoothies. You name it, I like it. But one thing I'd never really tried was blueberry cake. And oh dear, I was missing out! This simple recipe is delicious! My family couldn't get enough of it. It disappeared so quickly, I thought perhaps I just dreamed that I made it and really hadn't! Ha ha!

The Princess helped me mix the cake up and wanted to know why we sprinkled the blueberries on the top instead of adding them to the batter. Well, the blueberries are heavy and will sink. If they're in the batter, they will all go straight to the bottom as they're baking. But if they're on top of the cake, they only sink a little! Great lesson on density, huh?

Now on to the cake. Here's what you'll need:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
1 teas baking powder
1 cup buttermilk * see tip below if you don't have buttermilk*
2 eggs
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles crumbs. Set aside 3/4 cup for the topping.

Now add the baking powder, buttermilk and eggs. Mix until well combined. Spread evenly into a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the blueberries over the top, then follow with the reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

The children loved this cake! They even ate it for breakfast. And so did I. It's one of the easiest desserts I've made. Nothing fancy about it, it's just plain scrumptious!

* Tip - if you don't have buttermilk on hand (and I rarely do), simply add one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup. Pour in enough milk to equal one cup and allow to sit for about five minutes. And now you have a perfect buttermilk substitute!

Menu Plan August 21-27

2011-08-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

We're in the last full week of August! Can you believe it? We started back to school last week, and I didn't get a chance to post more about my lovely menu board. It has been so nice to have a menu posted for all to see. The kids got a kick out of reading it each day to find out what was for dinner. Now they want a menu board for lunch, too! Since we homeschool, we almost always eat our lunch at home and it usually consists of leftovers. But I thought it was funny they want to be in the know all the time! Charles is glad he can find out what we're eating without checking my blog!

Now on to this week's menu:

Sunday
Pasta fagioli (didn't get to this last week, remember the menu is subject to change!)

Monday
Chicken caesar sandwiches, roasted garlic squash

Tuesday
Pizza buffet including BBQ chicken pizza and pesto chicken pizza - friends are coming over to share

Wednesday
Creamy jambalaya pasta, green beans

Thursday
Taco salad, Tex-Mex corn

Friday
Sausage lentil soup, pretzel bread (recipe to come)

Saturday
Grilled hot dogs, roasted potatoes

To take a look at other menu plans, head over to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Not Back to School Blog Hop Week 4

2011-08-21T17:05:00.001-07:00

I've had a great deal of fun participating in this year's Not Back to School blog hop hosted by Heart of the Matter Online. It's an easy way to connect with other homeschoolers and find out we all face our unique challenges. But we're not in this alone! We've got each other. Awesome!

This week's theme is a Day in the Life. We're supposed to share our daily routine. Since we just started back to school last week, we haven't worked out all the kinks in our schedule, but this is what we've been doing so far.

I'm not a morning person, so I don't insist that my children get up at the crack of dawn. That would mean I would have to get up earlier than the crack of dawn, and well, that's just not going to happen. If they're not up by 8 am, I will waken them. So far, they've gotten up earlier than that, so no wake-up calls have been necessary.

When they get downstairs, I usually have milk or juice and something to eat waiting on them. I also have their chore jars and daily routine charts ready for them.

The daily routine chart just has a list of their hygiene and clean-up routine - get dressed, brush your teeth and hair, make your bed, that kind of thing. They mark off each task as they finish it.

The chore jars contains popsicle sticks that have chores written on them - unload the dishwasher, wipe down the baseboards, clean up the sink, etc. The tip of each stick is white, and when they've completed a chore, they turn the stick over so the white is showing. That way I know they've done their chores. If they finish the chores before we start school, they can play or watch TV. If they don't finish, they have to complete the chores after school. They usually get everything done before school!

We always start our school day with devotions and prayer. I think it's always a good idea to take time in God's Word before we hit the books!

Math comes next, because it's really my least favorite subject and I like to get it out of the way and go on to more fun things! We've done mostly review so far, and the kids have both remembered a great deal from last year.

Then comes language arts, which I enjoy. I taught English for several years on the junior high and high school level, so it's fun for me to teach it to my own children at the elementary level. We do grammar on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday we complete a spelling lesson. Handwriting is scattered throughout each day in the form of copywork and notebooking.

I had planned to alternate days for history and science, but the kids want to do it every day! Yay! We're covering the early church in history and it's been really cool to read the book of Acts and see how all of those events fit into history. In science, we're using Apologia's Exploring Creation through Anatomy and Physiology and we've all been loving it. The notebook journal has been an invaluable help to me in prep time and a fantastic tool for the kids to recall what they've learned.

Sometimes we're joined by our third student, our dog Alexandra (Xandra, for short). She loves to be wherever we are and makes herself at home between the kids' desks.

When we've finished all of our work, I read aloud to the kids. We've done this as long as we've been homeschooling, and I don't plan on stopping even when they get older. This year we've started Mary Poppins and the kids delight in telling me how much different the book is from the movie. Early lesson in how Hollywood can mess up literature!

Most of the time, we're completely done by lunchtime, leaving our afternoons free for field trips, library time, and playing. The children work diligently to have their work completed so they don't have to spend more time on schoolwork in the afternoon. We love the flexibility that homeschooling offers and the time we get to spend together as a family.

If you're a homeschooler, head over to Heart of the Matter Online and share your daily routine with us.

Tuscan Tomato Basil Pasta

2011-08-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

Last month my best friend and I had a girls' night out while our husbands took all the kids camping. We tried a new Italian restaurant in town, and it was fantastic! Not a chain restaurant, but a cozy little Mom and Pop place with loads of atmosphere. I got a pasta dish that I absolutely loved and was determined to recreate it at home.

I stumbled on a recipe that I thought might be similar. And after tweaking it a bit, I can say that this ridiculously easy pasta dish is almost identical to the one I had at the restaurant. And it's so much cheaper!

I'm not a huge fan of Alfredo dishes because I generally find the sauce to be too salty. The diced tomatoes really temper the saltiness. I loved the creamy tomato sauce result!

Here's what you need:

1 (15 oz or maybe 16 oz) jar of Alfredo sauce - I used Newman's Own
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
2 TBSP white cooking wine
2 teas minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 pkg cheese ravioli

Cook the ravioli according to the package directions. Drain.

While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the basil to a saucepan and combine well. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the basil. Add the ravioli to the pan and stir to coat.

You can substitute bowtie or rotini pasta for the ravioli if you wish. Add slice chicken for a complete meal. Sprinkle with a little bit of Parmesan cheese, too.

Menu Plan August 14-20

2011-08-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

Well, what do you think of my brand new DIY menu board? I've seen these all over the internet, so I can't really credit any one person for the idea. I was simply going to use an old 11x14 frame, but my husband stepped in and created a custom frame for me. I did use the cardboard backing from the old frame, as well as the glass. You definitely need glass so you can write your weekly menus with a dry erase marker!

I adhered scrapbook paper and ribbon to the backing, then I stamped the days of the week title with black ink. Hubby did the rest. I'll post some more detailed pics later this week, so come on back and see what he did if you want to!

Here's the plan:

Sunday
Leftovers

Monday
Tuscan pasta with grilled chicken

Tuesday
Baked egg rolls

Wednesday
Cheeseburger rice, green beans

Thursday
Crispy honey lime tilapia, broccoli

Friday
Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken, rice

Saturday
Pasta fagioli, artisan bread

If you're not a meal planner, let me encourage you to start this week! Head over to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday to take a look at dozens of meal plans.

Not Back to School Blog Hop Week 3

2011-08-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

This week's theme is student photos. I'm going to share pictures that explain how my children got their online nicknames.

From Mr. Lego's last birthday party:

Mr. Lego is my analytical builder. He can build almost anything out of Legos. He loves math and science and loves to keep a notebook of ideas for building more Legos.

Here's a pic from the Princess' party last month:

She loves princesses, of course, and anything to do with art. I've never seen a child like her. No scrap of paper is safe and free of doodling if she's around.

Our first day is tomorrow. So I'll take some first-day-of-school shots and update this post then.

Rosemary Ranch Chicken

2011-08-12T06:22:00.000-07:00

adapted from Plain Chicken

We marinate and grill chicken all of the time. I use a variety of homemade marinades to flavor the chicken, but I never considered using ranch dressing until I ran across the recipe. I left out the additional salt since the dressing and worchestershire sauce already have a high sodium content. I also used fresh rosemary because we have lots of it! The results were fabulous! The kids devoured this chicken like hungry wolves!

And though my intention was to grill the chicken outdoors, it was way too hot to stand beside a grill last week. Our temps were triple-digit with even higher heat indexes. So I used my indoor George Foreman, and the chicken was still amazing! To get an outdoor-grilled flavor anyway, I added a couple of drops of liquid smoke to the marinade. Perfect!

Here's what you will need:

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup ranch dressing
3 TBSP worchestershire sauce
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP sugar
3 teas minced rosemary (or 1 TBSP dried rosemary)
1/4 teas pepper
4-6 boneless chicken breasts

In a bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. Place the chicken in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and close the bag. Squish the bag around to make sure all the chicken is coated. Put the bag in the fridge for 8 hours and turn occasionally.

Grill on a George Foreman or outdoor grill until the juices run clear. Outdoors it usually takes 6-7 minutes per side. The indoor grill is about 8-10 minutes total.

Orange Pineapple Cake

2011-08-09T06:55:00.000-07:00

I made this cake last week to serve to company and everyone loved it. The orange flavor doesn't overpower the cake but makes it so refreshing. The pineapple in the topping adds a nice tang, too. My kids have already asked that I make it again, so it's a winner with them.

Here's what you need:

1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, undrained
1 yellow cake mix
1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 box instant vanilla pudding

If you have a stand mixer, dump the oranges into the bowl. Beat on medium speed for a few minutes until the oranges are chopped into small pieces. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can still use a hand-held one with beaters to do this.

Add the cake mix, oil, and eggs. Beat for about 2 minutes until well-blended.

Spread into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

When the cake has cooled, prepare the topping. Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. To get the best results, place your bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 15 minutes prior to whipping.

Fold in the pineapple and pudding mix. Spread over cake.

Chill until ready to serve.

My family liked this cake even better the next day. The flavors blended perfectly and for some reason, we all thought it was so good when it was really cold. This cake will be at the top of my list of go-to desserts from now on.

Menu Plan August 7-13

2011-08-07T15:49:00.000-07:00

Tonight after church we had the youth group over for a time of fellowship. I made pizza sloppy joes and put the filling in a crockpot to keep it warm. My friend Suzanne brought sweet treats to share, too. A good time was had by all!

This is my last week before we start back to school. I'm eager to get back into a routine, but will most definitely enjoy our last few days of freedom! Because of the hot weather, I'm going to try to keep turning the oven on to a minimum.

Here's the menu plan for the week:

Sunday
Pizza sloppy joes

Monday
Honey glazed chicken kabobs, rice

Tuesday
Cheeseburger soup, yeast rolls

Wednesday
Pan-seared tilapia, broccoli

Thursday
Pesto chicken stuffed shells, roasted garlic squash

Friday
Dixie pork chops (slow cooker), mashed potatoes

Saturday
Homemade pizza

If you are looking for some meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday. You'll find plenty of good ideas there.

Not Back to School Blog Hop Week 2

2011-08-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

This week's theme for the Not Back to School Blog Hop is school rooms. We are blessed to have a separate room to use for school. In our old house, we used the dining room table and had to pack everything up every day. It was tedious, to say the least. And I couldn't put posters on the wall.

When we started looking for a new house, a school room was at the top of my wish list. Hubby wanted an office because he works from home quite a bit. Well, the Lord gave us both! Come and take a look at my school room.

When you walk into the room, you see my desk. Right now it's clean, but before long it will be covered with stacks of paper and books.

On the wall above my desk is my new wall map. It gives me something to look at. Oh, it will be useful in our studies, too. I tried to sticky tack this thing to wall, but no success. It rolled itself back up and right off the wall! I tried photo mounts. Same thing happened. Charles finally stapled it between two poles. Then he used wire and a photo hanger to hang it on the wall. It can be easily moved any time we want it to be.

Turning to my right, I can see the kids' desks and bookshelf. The desks are adjustable, so we can raise the height as the kids grow. We're hoping to use them all the way through high school!

This is what the kids see when they look at my desk. The long rectangular thingie on the wall is a built in ironing board. It was there when we bought the house and we've guessed that maybe this was a maid's room at one time. We don't use the ironing board because it's in a terrible location, far from the laundry area and bedrooms. I use it to display artwork instead.

The wall opposite my desk has the white board. I love, love, love this thing! Charles attached a cup to the wall so I always have dry erase markers available. Beyond the board you can see the door and into the playroom.

Do you want to see the playroom? I warn you, it is messy. It is used for play, after all. The good news, it has a door that I can shut to hide it from sight!

This is Mr. Lego's favorite spot. You can almost always find him here, working on his creations. See his Angry Birds here. Charles enclosed the table top with boards to keep the Lego corralled. He also built an addition that sticks out there on the right to give Mr. Lego more surface area. And still we step on Legos all the time!

This is part of the Princess' play area. She has a ton of princess stuff and crafty junk tucked into every little nook and cranny.

We also have a TV and video game area. The bookshelves are all built in and have come in handy, too.

And now we're back to the schoolroom on the right. There is a bathroom on the left. Yes, I know it is avocado green. I have accepted it. I have a schoolroom, after all.

Having a bathroom right next to the schoolroom is convenient. No long bathroom breaks for my kids!

Angry Birds, Lego Style

2011-08-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

We recently bought Android tablets for the kids and one of the games they can play is Angry Birds. I had never seen it before, but it's become one our favorite things to do. We cheer each other on and share tips on how to get the angry birds aimed where we want them.

So today Mr. Lego made some Angry Birds. With Lego. Because that is what he does.

The Angry birds can even squawk! He made them so their beaks will open.

Are those not the cutest things ever? Seriously, I love that kid!

Cucumber Salsa

2011-08-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

Tis the season for cucumbers, so here's a great recipe to use up your excess cukes. It's crisp and refreshing with lots of veggies. The original recipe called for a jalapeno, but since my family doesn't like too much heat, I replaced it with a green bell pepper. You can do whichever you prefer.

Here's what you'll need:

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced - red onion is a great choice!
chopped cilantro, to taste - I use about 2 TBSP
1 teas minced garlic
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teas lemon juice
2 teas lime juice
1/4 teas cumin
1/4 teas seasoned salt

In a bowl, combine the veggies, cilantro, and garlic. In a separate bowl, mix the sour cream with the lemon juice, lime juice and seasonings. Pour the sour cream mixture over the cucumber mixture and stir gently to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For more yummy recipes, visit Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday.

Chicken Taco Bowl or what to do with leftovers

2011-08-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

Last week I had some leftover grilled chicken, about half a cup of leftover black beans and some corn that needed to be used up. There wasn't enough of anything for a meal for four people, but by combining them and adding a few more ingredients I had on hand, we had a fantastic supper!

Here's what you need:

1-2 grilled chicken breasts, diced
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
2 TBSP taco seasoning
shredded cheese
hot cooked rice

Dump all the ingredients except the cheese and rice into a skillet and simmer for a few minutes. Place rice into bowls, then ladle the chicken mixture over the top. Sprinkle with cheese.

How easy is that? The taco seasoning spiced everything up perfectly, but if you want to add more heat, sprinkle on a few dashes of chili powder or cayenne. Have leftover peppers or onions? Throw those in, too! I just love to use leftovers in creative ways to stretch my grocery budget!

What about you? How have your stretched your leftovers to feed your family? Please share!

Not Back to School Blog Hop 2011

2011-07-31T16:00:00.000-07:00

Last year I participated in the Not Back to School Blog Hop hosted by Heart of the Matter Online and had so much fun I decided to do it again! It's always interesting to meet other homeschoolers, find out what curriculum they're using and how they've set up their learning spaces. If you're a homeschooler, hop over there and join the fun!

This week the theme is curriculum. Since my kids are close together in age, we do everything together except math and reading. It's been a great money saver for me to not have to buy separate grade levels for each subject. Not to mention the time it saves me in preparation each day!

We always start off our day with Bible reading and prayer. Our church has a children's ministry that uses the Word of Life Olympian curriculum, so we use their daily devotional book as a guide. It's been rewarding for me to see my children grow spiritually through their devotions.

Next comes math. We use Bob Jones University Press for both kids. Mr. Lego is in Grade 5 and the Princess is in Grade 4. I usually send one of them out of the school room to work independently on something else while I do the math lesson with the other one. That seems to work well for us.

For science we're going to continue using Apologia. This year we're studying anatomy. I can't tell you how excited I am about this! I bought a notebooking journal for each child so I wouldn't have to come up with notebooking activities on my own. The price was well worth the time I would have otherwise spent trying to put notebook stuff together. Yay for premade notebooking journals!

Last year we discovered The Mystery of History. We're starting Volume II this year. The series is written by Linda Hobar, a homeschooling mom. She writes in a very conversational style that is easy to follow and understand. Both kids greatly enjoyed the first volume, as did I.

I'm also going to incorporate some geography into our lessons using Galloping the Globe. This is a unit study approach to learning about the continents and specific countries. I think it will be a fantastic addition to our studies this year.

For language arts, we are continuing with First Language Lessons. We will be finishing up Level 4. The teacher's edition has been so helpful and makes preparation a breeze. I cannot recommend this curriculum highly enough. Both children have greatly benefited from the foundational grammar they have learned.

Last year we started using All About Spelling, a program that I really love. Both children are excelling in spelling. Click on the button on the right sidebar to see what AAS offers. Disclaimer: I am an affiliate of AAS, so I make a little money with each purchase when you click that button. Even if you're not in the market for a new spelling program, it's worth checking out.

I don't use a formal reading curriculum with either child. Once I knew they could read, I let them go! They are free to choose their own books for the most part. I always have the final say. I read aloud to them as well. I ask them questions about what they read, and they give me the equivalent of oral book reports. This year we will probably start written book reports, too.

I also don't use a formal handwriting curriculum. We do copywork and notebooking assignments that give them lots of practice. Many times the copywork goes along with their history or science lesson, so they're getting some great review at the same time!

For art, we're using God and the History of Art by Barry Stebbing. I love that this curriculum combines history and art along with Bible truths. We will probably use this once or twice a week.

So what curriculum are you using this year? And why did you choose it? Does it require a lot of prep work for you? I love hearing the opinions of others on these topics.

Menu Plan July 31 - August 6

2011-07-31T15:36:00.000-07:00

Last week was a whirlwind with VBS. I didn't get to some of the planned recipes for one reason or another, so you might see some repeats from last week.

Mr. Lego at VBS with a couple of his goofy friends:

Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday
Sausage lentil soup, bread

Monday
White cheddar chicken pasta, sesame green beans

Tuesday
Sausage veggie calzones

Wednesday
Baked egg rolls, fried rice

Thursday
Rosemary ranch chicken, oven roasted potatoes

Friday
Blackened tilapia, broccoli

Saturday
Ravioli, garlic bread

So, what's on your menu this week? If you're looking for some meal planning inspiration, head over to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday. You'll find tons of ideas there.

Blueberry Peach Crumb Squares

2011-07-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

Blueberries and peaches are perfect partners in summer time treats. They come in season around the same time. They're both sweet and a little tart. Paired with a lovely crumb crust, this combo is fantastic! With just a hint of lemon, these crumb bars practically melt in your mouth. So, so good!

Here's what you need:

1 cup sugar
1 teas baking powder
3 cups flour
1 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
1 egg
1/4 teas salt
the zest and juice of one lemon
2 cups blueberries
2 cups diced peaches
1/4 cup sugar
4 teas cornstarch

In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, baking powder, and flour. Mix in the salt and lemon zest.

Cut in the butter chunks and egg with a pastry cutter or two knives.

The dough should resemble coarse crumbs no bigger than peas.

Press half of the dough into a greased 9x13 pan. Make sure it's all firmly patted down.

In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and the lemon juice. Mix in the blueberries and peaches.

Spread the blueberry/peach mixture evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the remaining dough over the fruit.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.

Allow to cool, then cut into squares and enjoy!

For a printable recipe, click here.

Menu Plan July 24-30

2011-07-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

We're having VBS this week at church, so I'll be busy. I'm trying a new recipe or two, but only after making sure they were quick! We're doing The Egypt Files: Decoding the Mystery of Life from Answers in Genesis. It's a very solid, Bible-based program that presents creation in an interesting way. I'm looking forward to sharing God's Word with the kids, some of whom have never heard the truth.

Now on to this week's menu plan:

Sunday
Clean out the fridge leftover buffet

Monday
Sausage lentil soup, garlic cheddar biscuits

Tuesday
Philly cheesesteak sloppy joes, waffle fries

Wednesday
Spaghetti, garlic bread

Thursday
Blackened tilapia, broccoli, turmeric rice

Friday
Homemade chicken nuggets, green beans

Saturday
WV pepperoni rolls

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Loaded Jambalaya

2011-07-22T06:09:00.000-07:00

I call this Loaded Jambalaya because it's loaded with three kinds of meat - chicken, sausage, and shrimp. Most people just pick one of the above when preparing jambalaya, but the flavor each ones gives this dish is incredible. It helped that I was trying to use up leftovers, too. I had just a little of everything, but it all worked together well.

Here's what you'll need:

1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green or red pepper, diced
1 can diced tomatoes - I used fire roasted for more yummy flavor
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup rice
2 teas dried thyme
1/2 teas garlic salt
1/4 teas black pepper
a few drops of hot sauce, to your taste
1 cooked chicken breast, chopped
1/2 lb. kielbasa, cut into chunks
1/2 pound cooked shrimp (I used frozen and thawed them before adding to the dish)

Start by heating some oil in a large pot. Saute the celery, onion and green pepper for several minutes until soft.
Add the tomatoes, broth, rice, spices, hot sauce, chicken, and kielbasa. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender.

Stir in the shrimp and heat through. Always add the shrimp last because they will become tough and chewy the longer they're cooked.

Adjust the seasonings and hot sauce to your taste, then enjoy!