As with all resolutions, some fall by the wayside, and others seem to change your life. I must say the exercise resolution is on the horizon, and I have the greatest intentions, but have yet to get back into the swing of things. I must find time for me, but am having a hard time getting everything accomplished!
As for the eating healthier part, it is amazing how many things I have eliminated from our diet trying to eliminate preservatives and additives. After the Taco Bell scandal, I have taken a closer look at the "convenience" foods my children love. Chicken nuggets is at the very top of their list. Who knew that they are full of things other than chicken. So last night, we had homemade chicken nuggets and Pickles said they were the best ever. They took a minute longer, but super easy.
Yesterday, we had a potluck after church honoring a choir that performed for us. They were the Miracles and were a delightful group of intellectually disabled adults who glorify the Lord with their voices. My heart was touched and spirit rejuvenated. I made banana pudding to take, since I thought that might be a healthier dessert option. Yes, I did make the vanilla wafers for this as well, but it was worth the extra effort.
I am going to work on the layout of the blog, and hopefully will have a recipe archive that is user friendly. Not sure it will happen today, but hopefully this week. I am still amazed at the support from each of you. I never knew that many people would want to read about my adventures. I am curious what types of things you would like to read about and what would help you. I have had a request for turkey sausage, so I am going to work on that, as well as a well stocked kitchen...food and equipment. On the equipment note, as I was writing this, Kitchen Aid called and said that my old faithful stand mixer need all the gears, housing, switches and a few other things. Good new is that they will fix the mixer for a fraction of the price of a new one! Scott also bought me the smallest stand mixer for Christmas, and I love it for everyday tasks. Anyway, one of the must haves in my kitchen, and if you don't have one, make it a wish item. I love my mixer!!!
Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for Joy in the little details of life!
Sarah
Chicken Chunks
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper
Oil for frying
Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes. Mix together milk and egg in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, I use a pie plate, mix flour and again season with salt and pepper. Put oil into a sauce pan to a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees. Place chicken in egg mixture and remove chicken. Place in flour mixture and toss gently until coated. Carefully place chicken in oil and fry until they are golden brown. Serve with your favorite condiments, at our house everyone wants honey mustard.
Banana Pudding
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
3 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 box of Vanilla Wafers, or 1 recipe of homemade Vanilla Wafers
4 to 5 bananas, sliced
Whisk together sugar and cornstarch. Slowly add milk while whisking. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Beat eggs in a medium bowl and add part of the cooked mixture while whisking constantly. Return egg mix back to pan and stir well. Continue cooking over medium heat 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Allow to cool to room temperature. Layer in a shallow dish, cookies, bananas, pudding. Repeat until dish is filled. This is old fashioned pudding, and has a different taste than the instant variety, but I think you will love it!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Sunshine...it's good for the soul!
What a beautiful day God has given us here in North Mississippi! The thermostat says 72, and it is nice and sunny! Pickles and I spent some quality bonding time today in the sun cleaning out out Rosy's pen. She couldn't believe it smelled so bad once the shavings were moved. She said it smelled like the giraffe's at the zoo. I couldn't contain my laughter. I asked her what she expected, and she said that she thought her pen would still smell like roses, since her name is Rosy! She has now changed her mind about being a zookeeper. She said she can't handle the smell. As for Rosy, she is happy to have her bedding changed, and is thriving on Calf Mana and water. She refuses to drink milk, and at this point, I am happy she is doing well. What a strong willed calf we have!
On to other adventures of the day...The Little Man and I had to find the Apple store since my phone decided that it was permanently on mute yesterday. I could hear everyone else, but they couldn't hear me. Well, thank goodness I was eligible for an upgrade because my phone was out of warranty. Let's just say in my adventure at Apple, I met the sweetest clerk named Sarah. We had a great visit while I was getting all of my information moved over to my new phone. I learned that you can wash your hair with baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Who knew. I might have to try this! Thanks Sarah for all your help today!
With the warmer weather, I think grilling is on the agenda for this evening. Not to sure what we are having, but I will share the recipes later. I hope everyone who has sunshine is enjoying the day, and those friends who have cold and snow, we are thinking about you. It will be spring soon!
Until next time, keep looking for the small blessing and the adventure everywhere!
Sarah
On to other adventures of the day...The Little Man and I had to find the Apple store since my phone decided that it was permanently on mute yesterday. I could hear everyone else, but they couldn't hear me. Well, thank goodness I was eligible for an upgrade because my phone was out of warranty. Let's just say in my adventure at Apple, I met the sweetest clerk named Sarah. We had a great visit while I was getting all of my information moved over to my new phone. I learned that you can wash your hair with baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Who knew. I might have to try this! Thanks Sarah for all your help today!
With the warmer weather, I think grilling is on the agenda for this evening. Not to sure what we are having, but I will share the recipes later. I hope everyone who has sunshine is enjoying the day, and those friends who have cold and snow, we are thinking about you. It will be spring soon!
Until next time, keep looking for the small blessing and the adventure everywhere!
Sarah
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Memories...Pieces of the Past that Shape the Future
As a member of the OSU family, today has been a day to remember the 10 who died tragically 10 years ago in a plane crash returning from a basketball game. They will never be forgotten, and their mark they made on the lives of many will live for years to come. As with the anniversary of any family members death, memories rush back and flood your mind of the great times you enjoyed with that person. It seems that the more time that passes, the better the memories. Magically the good memories wipe away the bad and you are transformed to another time and place. So today as I thought about these men and prayed for their families, I suddenly was back at OSU thinking about my own delightful experience in Stillwater.
I have been know to say the years I spent in Stillwater were the best years of my life. I don't know that now I would say the best, but they hold precious memories and helped shape me into the person I am today. I think about the friends who would call at 9:00 at night to meet at Braum's for ice cream and take a study break. The others I would meet at Denny's at 4:00 in the morning to study for a test and drink enough coffee that you forgot about your lack of sleep. The nights at Tumbleweed's and the breakfast that followed at Shortcakes. The judging workouts in a meat locker...not so much for the cold, but the camaraderie that developed between the members. The Monday's that my cousin Trent and I would watch Allie McBeal, eat dinner and possibly no-bake cookies, and simply catch up on life. Memories that will always be near and dear to my heart and remind me of a much simpler time.
One of my favorite weekend getaways during college was to go to my Grammy and Papa's house. I knew that they would let me sleep, Grammy would wash my laundry and cook anything I wanted, and Papa would want to catch up on all the "good gossip." Grandparents have a way of making all things better and making you feel extra special. As children, my brother would always ask Grammy to make Jam Mazetti for dinner the night we arrived. Every time we went to their house, she always had this delightful casserole waiting in the oven for us. A few years ago, I found Grammy's recipe in a cookbook she had given me while I was in college. I knew I had to intoduce Jam Mazetti to my family. Tonight, in the spirit of nostalgia, I share this with you. This chili type goulash is great served with a salad and garlic bread.
Days like today help keep life in prospective. It is not about how spotless I can keep my house, but the time that I spent playing tractors in the middle of the floor with the Little Man, or the cartwheels turned on the lawn with Pickles that are important. These are memories in the making and will be cherished in the future.
Until next time, keep making memories and looking for the joy in the small details of life.
Sarah
Granny Flo's Jam Mazetti
2 pounds ground chuck
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 pound cheddar cheese, grated
2 large (303) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
12 ounce package large egg noodles
Brown ground chuck with onions, celery and pepper until no longer pink and vegetables are soft. Drain any fat that is in the pan. Return mixture to pan and add remaining ingredients except for noodles and mix thoroughly. Season to taste with addional salt and pepper. Boil noodles as directed on package. Combine all ingredients reserving 1 cup of cheese. Transfer to a large casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until bubbly. Remove from oven and enjoy.
I have been know to say the years I spent in Stillwater were the best years of my life. I don't know that now I would say the best, but they hold precious memories and helped shape me into the person I am today. I think about the friends who would call at 9:00 at night to meet at Braum's for ice cream and take a study break. The others I would meet at Denny's at 4:00 in the morning to study for a test and drink enough coffee that you forgot about your lack of sleep. The nights at Tumbleweed's and the breakfast that followed at Shortcakes. The judging workouts in a meat locker...not so much for the cold, but the camaraderie that developed between the members. The Monday's that my cousin Trent and I would watch Allie McBeal, eat dinner and possibly no-bake cookies, and simply catch up on life. Memories that will always be near and dear to my heart and remind me of a much simpler time.
One of my favorite weekend getaways during college was to go to my Grammy and Papa's house. I knew that they would let me sleep, Grammy would wash my laundry and cook anything I wanted, and Papa would want to catch up on all the "good gossip." Grandparents have a way of making all things better and making you feel extra special. As children, my brother would always ask Grammy to make Jam Mazetti for dinner the night we arrived. Every time we went to their house, she always had this delightful casserole waiting in the oven for us. A few years ago, I found Grammy's recipe in a cookbook she had given me while I was in college. I knew I had to intoduce Jam Mazetti to my family. Tonight, in the spirit of nostalgia, I share this with you. This chili type goulash is great served with a salad and garlic bread.
Days like today help keep life in prospective. It is not about how spotless I can keep my house, but the time that I spent playing tractors in the middle of the floor with the Little Man, or the cartwheels turned on the lawn with Pickles that are important. These are memories in the making and will be cherished in the future.
Until next time, keep making memories and looking for the joy in the small details of life.
Sarah
Granny Flo's Jam Mazetti
2 pounds ground chuck
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 pound cheddar cheese, grated
2 large (303) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
12 ounce package large egg noodles
Brown ground chuck with onions, celery and pepper until no longer pink and vegetables are soft. Drain any fat that is in the pan. Return mixture to pan and add remaining ingredients except for noodles and mix thoroughly. Season to taste with addional salt and pepper. Boil noodles as directed on package. Combine all ingredients reserving 1 cup of cheese. Transfer to a large casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until bubbly. Remove from oven and enjoy.
Healthy Dinner for a Quick Weeknight Meal
Last night, I stepped out of Scott's comfort zone and made a healthy dinner that was both quick and delicious! I love pork tenderloin. It is lean, tender and affordable. Last night I was in the mood for something grilled, so a grilled tenderloin sounded perfect. You know, what is better than grilling? There is no clean-up and it is so delicious. Not to mention, grilling is healthy. Everyone, including my carnivorous Little Man loved the tenderloin, and I paired it with Cheesy Potatoes and steamed broccoli. I love the vegetables that are in the steamer bags! They are super convenient and if you play the coupon game, always on sale and there are usually great coupons available. Enough rambling for the day, here are the recipes...
Grilled Pork Tenderloin
1 packet Mesquite Marinade, I used McCormick Grill Mates
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
Juice of a lime
Greek Seasoning, we like Cavender's
2 pork tenderloins, about 2 pounds - Usually sold 2 to a vacuum package
Mix all ingredients except pork and Greek seasoning in a zip top bag. Add pork and marinate for 30 minutes or longer in the refrigerator. Remove from marinate and place on grill. Sprinkle with Greek seasoning and grill over medium low heat until pork is cooked to medium well, turning occasionally. This should take 30 to 45 minutes depending on the thickness of your tenderloin. Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice and serve.
Cheesy Potatoes
5 yellow fleshed potatoes like Klondike Gold
1 tablespoon butter
Seasoned Salt
Pepper
1 cup water
1 teaspoon Chicken bullion granules
3 slices 2% milk American cheese
Wash potatoes and leave skins on. Slice in 1/4 inch slices. Place a single layer of potatoes in the bottom of a microwave save casserole dish. Add a small pat of butter and season with salt and pepper. Place another layer of potatoes, pat of butter and seasoning. Continue layering until all potatoes are used. Mix bullion granules with water and pour over potatoes. Cover and microwave 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and most liquid is absorbed. Top with cheese and microwave 1 minute more. Allow to cool slightly and serve.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin
1 packet Mesquite Marinade, I used McCormick Grill Mates
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
Juice of a lime
Greek Seasoning, we like Cavender's
2 pork tenderloins, about 2 pounds - Usually sold 2 to a vacuum package
Mix all ingredients except pork and Greek seasoning in a zip top bag. Add pork and marinate for 30 minutes or longer in the refrigerator. Remove from marinate and place on grill. Sprinkle with Greek seasoning and grill over medium low heat until pork is cooked to medium well, turning occasionally. This should take 30 to 45 minutes depending on the thickness of your tenderloin. Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice and serve.
Cheesy Potatoes
5 yellow fleshed potatoes like Klondike Gold
1 tablespoon butter
Seasoned Salt
Pepper
1 cup water
1 teaspoon Chicken bullion granules
3 slices 2% milk American cheese
Wash potatoes and leave skins on. Slice in 1/4 inch slices. Place a single layer of potatoes in the bottom of a microwave save casserole dish. Add a small pat of butter and season with salt and pepper. Place another layer of potatoes, pat of butter and seasoning. Continue layering until all potatoes are used. Mix bullion granules with water and pour over potatoes. Cover and microwave 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and most liquid is absorbed. Top with cheese and microwave 1 minute more. Allow to cool slightly and serve.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookies for a Rainy Day
What a difference 24 hours can make! Yesterday morning, I couldn't even open my right eye, and today, I am back to normal. So what happened? While playing with my Little Man, he scratched my eye with his fingernail. Ouch! It wasn't so bad that night, but then I slept on it, and woke up and couldn't open my eye. Scott took Pickle to school, and contemplated coming back home to take me to the doctor. I told him I could make it, since they didn't open until 9:00. I called, and they said they had a ton of cancellations early in the morning, so come on in. I called a babysitter, who conveniently lives next door, and when she arrived, I was on my way! Needless to say, I had a major corneal abrasion on the lower portion of the eye. Every time I would blink, it would knock off the cells that just tried to regenerate. So she numbed my eye, put some antibiotics in, and then put a contact lens as a Bandaid. I was great, but couldn't see because of the prescription in the contact. I would rather take the fuzzy world over the pain! This morning, I took the contact off, and I am good as new!
Yesterday was a cold and rainy day. After we took care of Rosy, we were studying spelling words and one of the words was "measure." What better way to solidify the learning of measure than to spell while measuring at the same time! Pickles wanted to make some cookies, so I let her decide. Peanut Butter with Chocolate Chips. I must confess that I have not made Peanut Butter cookies in quite a while, but they were a great "Blast from the Past!" Super easy, and I used a cookie scoop and flattened them slightly with my fingers. This made about 2 1/2 dozen cookies. These were really good, and will find their way to brighten our neighbors day and save me from wrecking my diet!
Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add flour and mix until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Form dough into 1-inch balls. I use a small cookie scoop and drop directly onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with your fingers. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown.
Allow to cool slightly and remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack. Allow to cool. Enjoy!
Yesterday was a cold and rainy day. After we took care of Rosy, we were studying spelling words and one of the words was "measure." What better way to solidify the learning of measure than to spell while measuring at the same time! Pickles wanted to make some cookies, so I let her decide. Peanut Butter with Chocolate Chips. I must confess that I have not made Peanut Butter cookies in quite a while, but they were a great "Blast from the Past!" Super easy, and I used a cookie scoop and flattened them slightly with my fingers. This made about 2 1/2 dozen cookies. These were really good, and will find their way to brighten our neighbors day and save me from wrecking my diet!
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| Our yummy cookies with a glass of chocolate milk! |
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add flour and mix until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Form dough into 1-inch balls. I use a small cookie scoop and drop directly onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with your fingers. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown.
Allow to cool slightly and remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack. Allow to cool. Enjoy!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Homemade Laundry Degergent...Success!
I was so overwhelmed with my mountain of laundry, I thought this would be the perfect day to try making my own laundry detergent. It was much simpler than I thought. The idea of grating soap was daunting to say the least, but I cleverly thought about this and used the shredder blade on my food processor. It made the task very easy. I then changed to the blade in the food processor and used it to make the soap finer and mix all other ingredients. I then poured into a large bowl and mixed a little more. All in, I have less than 15 minutes invested from start to finish. I calculated the cost of all ingredients used, and I would say it was a $20 investment. I am not sure how long this will last, but should last quite a while since you only use 1 to 2 tablespoons per load. I still have enough of each ingredient to make three or four more batches. I didn't use any scent, but the Ivory soap reminded me of Grandma's house when I was a little girl and she would use this for our bath. Oh, how the memories came rushing back. This is a non-sudsing recipe, so it is safe to use in HE machines as well as conventional. I am hoping this will help with my alergic reaction to preservatives used in normal laundry soap.
Here are my observations from using the homemade variety. The clothes are softer. Due to the small amount of detergent used and its ability to dissolve completely in the water, they rinsed clean. The towels are fluffier and softer than those I washed in Tide. I am amazed. Since I didn't put any scent in my mix, the clothes smell clean, but not fragranced. I am really impressed with how well everything came out. I even mixed up the load and nothing faded, and all spots came out. Here is the recipe.
Homemade Laundry Detergent
2 bars Ivory soap, grated
2 cups Washing Soda
2 cups Borax 20 Mule Team Powder
1 cup Clorox 2 powder
4 scoops Oxiclean
Grate the soap, and mix with all other ingredients until it is a fine, even powder. I used the food processor and grated he soap and then used the blade to mix everything. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per load.
Here are my observations from using the homemade variety. The clothes are softer. Due to the small amount of detergent used and its ability to dissolve completely in the water, they rinsed clean. The towels are fluffier and softer than those I washed in Tide. I am amazed. Since I didn't put any scent in my mix, the clothes smell clean, but not fragranced. I am really impressed with how well everything came out. I even mixed up the load and nothing faded, and all spots came out. Here is the recipe.
Homemade Laundry Detergent
2 bars Ivory soap, grated
2 cups Washing Soda
2 cups Borax 20 Mule Team Powder
1 cup Clorox 2 powder
4 scoops Oxiclean
Grate the soap, and mix with all other ingredients until it is a fine, even powder. I used the food processor and grated he soap and then used the blade to mix everything. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per load.
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| Laundry Detergent when it has been mixed thoroughly. |
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| Close-up of the detergent. |
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Mexican Night...Binford Style
So much has happened since I last wrote. After Rosy's arrival, our world has been turned upside down. I guess that is what happens with any newborn, but who knew that a sweet little calf could cause such distress for the Momma? Rosy is very strong willed, much like my own children, and has refused a bottle. She wants no part of it! After the second day, I started looking for ways to make her drink. A B-complex shot on Friday along with some Calf Manna, Probias on Saturday, and since she now has a runny nose, electrolytes and a Nuflor shot today! Still no nursing action, but hopefully she will get to feeling better tomorrow, and drink an entire bottle! I can't deal with a baby that won't eat. I know she is much more resilient that I think, but still, she needs her milk!!! I am amazed at how sweet Rosy is, and how much she has warmed up to us. Now, if we could only get her to nurse a bottle!
Last week, my sweet little Pickle asked if she could plan out a menu for the evening. In my haste to get her to move on to the next subject, I said, "sure, on Sunday night, you can pick the menu." All week she had been scheming what she wanted for her night. If you know Pickles, her favorite food is Sushi and Mexican, but since sashimi tuna and crab meat is not widely available in Como, MS, we settled on enchiladas. So her menu included beef enchiladas with red sauce, Spanish rice and ice cream. I am going with this, and she wanted to help me prepare our supper. The first step was to make the enchilada sauce. She will not eat the canned sauce, so we had to create our own. She was my official taster, and I almost passed out when she said, "Mom, this is great, but I think it needs a little more onion powder!" My little foodie started young, but onion powder? She was right, that was all it needed! We ended up with a fabulous red sauce that was super mild and everyone enjoyed. I was surprised at how easy it was to make, and just so that I could share, I measured everything so I could pass it along.
While shopping with my sweet children yesterday, I picked up all the ingredients to make my own laundry detergent. Hopefully I will get this made tomorrow, and pass along the results.
Until next time, keep adventuring and seeking the joy in each moment!
Sarah
Beef Enchiladas
Corn Tortillas
1 lb. Ground Beef
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
Enchilada sauce, see recipe below
Brown beef and onion in a skillet, and drain well. Add Garlic and 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce. Mix well. In a 9X9 baking pan, cover the bottom with a thin layer of enchilada sauce. Dip tortillas in enchilada sauce in a saucepan to soften tortilla. Place 2-3 tablespoons of meat mixture in tortilla and top with a little cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in prepared pan. Continue with the remainder of tortillas, meat and cheese until desired number is created. Top with enchilada sauce and remainder of the cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven until cheese is melted and enchilada are warmed through.
Enchilada Sauce
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon granulated chicken bullion
4 cups water
Warm oil over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth and makes a roux. Whisk in chili powder and allow to toast slightly while stirring constantly. Add part (1-2 cups) of the water, and whisk well to make smooth. Add remainder of spices and water. Cook over medium heat about 15 minutes until thickened.
Spanish Rice
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
1 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon granulated chicken bullion
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup rice
Bring tomatoes, water and spices to a boil over medium heat. Stir in rice and bring back to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
Last week, my sweet little Pickle asked if she could plan out a menu for the evening. In my haste to get her to move on to the next subject, I said, "sure, on Sunday night, you can pick the menu." All week she had been scheming what she wanted for her night. If you know Pickles, her favorite food is Sushi and Mexican, but since sashimi tuna and crab meat is not widely available in Como, MS, we settled on enchiladas. So her menu included beef enchiladas with red sauce, Spanish rice and ice cream. I am going with this, and she wanted to help me prepare our supper. The first step was to make the enchilada sauce. She will not eat the canned sauce, so we had to create our own. She was my official taster, and I almost passed out when she said, "Mom, this is great, but I think it needs a little more onion powder!" My little foodie started young, but onion powder? She was right, that was all it needed! We ended up with a fabulous red sauce that was super mild and everyone enjoyed. I was surprised at how easy it was to make, and just so that I could share, I measured everything so I could pass it along.
While shopping with my sweet children yesterday, I picked up all the ingredients to make my own laundry detergent. Hopefully I will get this made tomorrow, and pass along the results.
Until next time, keep adventuring and seeking the joy in each moment!
Sarah
Beef Enchiladas
Corn Tortillas
1 lb. Ground Beef
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
Enchilada sauce, see recipe below
Brown beef and onion in a skillet, and drain well. Add Garlic and 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce. Mix well. In a 9X9 baking pan, cover the bottom with a thin layer of enchilada sauce. Dip tortillas in enchilada sauce in a saucepan to soften tortilla. Place 2-3 tablespoons of meat mixture in tortilla and top with a little cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in prepared pan. Continue with the remainder of tortillas, meat and cheese until desired number is created. Top with enchilada sauce and remainder of the cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven until cheese is melted and enchilada are warmed through.
Enchilada Sauce
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon granulated chicken bullion
4 cups water
Warm oil over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth and makes a roux. Whisk in chili powder and allow to toast slightly while stirring constantly. Add part (1-2 cups) of the water, and whisk well to make smooth. Add remainder of spices and water. Cook over medium heat about 15 minutes until thickened.
Spanish Rice
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
1 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon granulated chicken bullion
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup rice
Bring tomatoes, water and spices to a boil over medium heat. Stir in rice and bring back to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Welcome to Our Family Rosy!!!
I didn't think that another birth announcement would ever happen at our house, but Scott had other ideas. He came home last night and said that we had a new baby to bottle feed... Excitement and extreme agitation overcame me. "New Baby to bottle feed? What happened to the momma, and which cow?" I said. "Oh, not one of ours, I just bought the calf," Scott answered. "What?" I replied. "Yea, I thought it was really cute, and decided to go ahead and get Pickle a responsibility project," Scott replied. You got this right, I am thinking our seven year old is not quite ready for a responsbiltiy project, she can't even keep her room picked up without shoving everything under the bed!
We then proceeded to work out the logistics of where this little calf will reside, the milk replacer, bottle, heat lamp, shavings and hay that she will require in the next few weeks. I worked all morning, running and making sure her needs were met. And as luck would have it, she won't drink from a bottle! I have been trying all day to get some milk in her, but she refused. It is like she has never nursed, and doesn't know what to do with her tongue. I know she will figure this out, and maybe she is just not hungry enough, but for his Momma, it is stressing me out. Just like a baby that wont latch on, it has made me a wreck! I now feel the emotional attachment that I refused to have last night.
Maybe Scott is right, she has a sense of ownership for this little heifer. She was so excited when I picked her up from school that she could hardly contain herself. She couldn't wait to get home to give Rosy a bottle. My little detour to the Dollar General for milk for the Little Man about derailed her spirit, but she rallied as soon as we pulled into the driveway. I began to think at what age did I first bottle feed a baby calf, and it was younger than seven. I guess that is what is going on with this generation, no responsibilites. We will see how long this lasts, and I am sure I will be right there beside her, but if she wants to "claim" the heifer, she is going to take care of her. I am thinking a puppy would have been easier, but not on the Daddy adgenda!
We then proceeded to work out the logistics of where this little calf will reside, the milk replacer, bottle, heat lamp, shavings and hay that she will require in the next few weeks. I worked all morning, running and making sure her needs were met. And as luck would have it, she won't drink from a bottle! I have been trying all day to get some milk in her, but she refused. It is like she has never nursed, and doesn't know what to do with her tongue. I know she will figure this out, and maybe she is just not hungry enough, but for his Momma, it is stressing me out. Just like a baby that wont latch on, it has made me a wreck! I now feel the emotional attachment that I refused to have last night.
Maybe Scott is right, she has a sense of ownership for this little heifer. She was so excited when I picked her up from school that she could hardly contain herself. She couldn't wait to get home to give Rosy a bottle. My little detour to the Dollar General for milk for the Little Man about derailed her spirit, but she rallied as soon as we pulled into the driveway. I began to think at what age did I first bottle feed a baby calf, and it was younger than seven. I guess that is what is going on with this generation, no responsibilites. We will see how long this lasts, and I am sure I will be right there beside her, but if she wants to "claim" the heifer, she is going to take care of her. I am thinking a puppy would have been easier, but not on the Daddy adgenda!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
I Did It! I Got Paid to Shop!
Today was the first day I have ever walked out of a store with items in hand and made money! I feel like dancing!!! I went to Walgreen's, and used coupons and Register Rewards, and made money! Actually, I made $8.00. I have to go back tomorrow to get the items I missed because I ran out of time. I am amazed that it is finally working for me. Scott came home from work, and I had to show him my deals. He didn't believe me. I then showed him my receipt and the Register Rewards, and he got it!!! His next question was what are we going to do with eight boxes of NyQuil? Give to charity was my response and then I got a lecture of how much time it took me to get these free items. In one ear and out the other. I am hooked now. I can't wait until the next time! He was most impressed with the Listerine that was free. I had to explain why there are Snickers in the mix, and then he understood the filler items. Maybe he will one day understand. He then asked for toothpaste, and I told him that he would have to settle for a different brand because the kind he wanted was not on sale. The argument ensued that "you have a coupon for what I want!" I guess I will break down and use the coupon on the full price item, but not without a struggle. Just this once. Just to get us through. I promise I will be watching closer to when toothpaste goes on sale!!!
Until next time,
Sarah
Until next time,
Sarah
Monday, January 17, 2011
MOM...What's For Dinner, I'm Starving!!!
There are many phrases that a child shouts that get your attention. MOM, I really need to go to the restroom; MOM, are we there yet? MOM, there's blood! If you are like me, most of the time unless there really is blood, I try and resolve the MOM with a simple just a minute. Today, I was ready to change my name! Don't get me wrong, I love being a Mommy, but some days, I need a breather. This is one of those days. First thing this morning, I found the Little Man sitting on top of the sofa cushions, and jumping onto said sofa and giggling at the top of his lungs. He was so proud of himself. Then he was dancing on the coffee table watching the Wiggles. Later, I found him in the rocking chair seeing how hard he could rock and hit the lamp behind him. I think he likes to see the beads move on the shade! You have to love a very busy little boy! Then the Little Pickle came home from her trip to Bass Pro Shop with her Daddy, and had to give me a minute by minute of their bonding trip. I am glad she shared, but after about an hour, I think I need to go to Bass Pro for myself and check it out!
Luckily for me, Maw Maw had physical therapy and Scott stayed home with both children. I know, shocking, but the Little Man was down for his nap, and Pickles was playing in her room. I must say I was thrilled to have an hour by myself to run a few errands. Just for the record, I was able to go to Walgreen's and score on razors for Scott. I purchased Gillette Fusion Pro Glide razors for $0.99! I am so excited to finally get the hang of this couponing thing. I did learn today that you must have as many items as you have coupons. So now I get the "filler" item concept.
This evening as we were trying to get everything in order for school tomorrow, I kept hearing, Mom, is dinner ready? Mom, what are we having? Mom, is dinner ready, I am starving! Each time the tone became a little more urgent. So, after Pickle learned that we are having her favorite dinner, she tried to help, thinking it would be ready sooner than later. So tonight, I leave you with a really simple dinner that we all enjoy. It is comfort food at its finest. Baked Chicken with Barbecue Sauce, Macaroni and Cheese, Corn on the Cob, and Garlic Cheese Biscuits. Our plates were a little monochromatic for my liking, but we will catch up on veggies tomorrow. I will share the chicken and biscuit recipes below.
Until next time, remember that when you hear MOM, it is a calling by every child at one point or another. Every mother has times that she too wants to change her name. Some days I long for "grown-up" conversation, and know that this too shall pass. Just when I begin to lose patience, I remind myself that my Mom always had time to answer my necessary calls. She always said that one day you will miss the noise and commotion, so savor each and every moment.
Baked Chicken with Barbecue Sauce
Chicken pieces, my family prefers legs, but use your favorite
Cavenders Greek Seasoning
Jack Daniels Original Barbecue Sauce
Place chicken in an oven proof baking dish and sprinkle with Cavenders. Bake in a 400 degree oven until juices run clear. The time will depend on the size of the piece used. Usually about 30 - 45 minutes for bone in chicken, less for boneless pieces. Baste with barbecue sauce and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy!
Garlic Cheese Biscuits
These are very similar to those served at Red Lobster. Super easy and really tasty!
1 Packet of Baking Mix, I like Pioneer Brand
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup Milk
Melted Butter
Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until just combined. Drop by tablespoon fulls on a lightly greased baking sheet or stone. Bake at 425 degrees 12 to 14 minutes until golden brown. Brush with melted butter just before serving!
 |
| Still Climbing, even on top of his Daddy!!! |
Luckily for me, Maw Maw had physical therapy and Scott stayed home with both children. I know, shocking, but the Little Man was down for his nap, and Pickles was playing in her room. I must say I was thrilled to have an hour by myself to run a few errands. Just for the record, I was able to go to Walgreen's and score on razors for Scott. I purchased Gillette Fusion Pro Glide razors for $0.99! I am so excited to finally get the hang of this couponing thing. I did learn today that you must have as many items as you have coupons. So now I get the "filler" item concept.
This evening as we were trying to get everything in order for school tomorrow, I kept hearing, Mom, is dinner ready? Mom, what are we having? Mom, is dinner ready, I am starving! Each time the tone became a little more urgent. So, after Pickle learned that we are having her favorite dinner, she tried to help, thinking it would be ready sooner than later. So tonight, I leave you with a really simple dinner that we all enjoy. It is comfort food at its finest. Baked Chicken with Barbecue Sauce, Macaroni and Cheese, Corn on the Cob, and Garlic Cheese Biscuits. Our plates were a little monochromatic for my liking, but we will catch up on veggies tomorrow. I will share the chicken and biscuit recipes below.
 |
| Our monochromatic dinner! |
Until next time, remember that when you hear MOM, it is a calling by every child at one point or another. Every mother has times that she too wants to change her name. Some days I long for "grown-up" conversation, and know that this too shall pass. Just when I begin to lose patience, I remind myself that my Mom always had time to answer my necessary calls. She always said that one day you will miss the noise and commotion, so savor each and every moment.
Baked Chicken with Barbecue Sauce
Chicken pieces, my family prefers legs, but use your favorite
Cavenders Greek Seasoning
Jack Daniels Original Barbecue Sauce
Place chicken in an oven proof baking dish and sprinkle with Cavenders. Bake in a 400 degree oven until juices run clear. The time will depend on the size of the piece used. Usually about 30 - 45 minutes for bone in chicken, less for boneless pieces. Baste with barbecue sauce and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy!
Garlic Cheese Biscuits
These are very similar to those served at Red Lobster. Super easy and really tasty!
1 Packet of Baking Mix, I like Pioneer Brand
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup Milk
Melted Butter
Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until just combined. Drop by tablespoon fulls on a lightly greased baking sheet or stone. Bake at 425 degrees 12 to 14 minutes until golden brown. Brush with melted butter just before serving!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
A Day of Rest
Today was a day that I have needed for a while. We skipped church this morning as the Little Man is cutting a tooth, and not feeling well. He is extremely irritable, drooling, and chewing on everything! Since he now has a full mouth of teeth, I think we are close to ending this phase of toddler hood! It is nice that when he is not feeling well, he tends to take long naps. A four hour nap today was just what he needed. This allowed me to get a short 30 minute nap. Not a long one, but I sure was nice!
Today has also been the day of leftovers. They are typically not welcome at my house, but pizza reheated seems to be a second day delight. That was lunch. Now for dinner, it will be one of the creations from the week, or again pizza. Tonight I think that I will remake a leftover and make a yummy salad. I love a great salad in the evening with a great home made dressing. Tonight I will share a salad dressing recipe that I love. It is much like a ranch dressing with a dill twist. It is super easy and once you purchase the ingredients, it is very economical to make. I had most in my cabinet, but some I went on a mission to find. I also found that if you buy spices in bulk, you get much fresher ingredients, at a much lower cost. My favorite place to buy spices is at Fresh Market or Whole Foods Market, but if these are not in your area, try the produce or ethnic isle of your local grocery as many have packets of spices at a much lower price.
While I am on the thought of being economically conscious, I am passing along a huge light bulb that went off a few weeks ago. I am sure I am the only one that didn't know this, but just in case. I have a smooth top ceramic stove. When you clean your stove top, you are supposed to use a ceramic stove top cleaner. I often let this run out and find that it is super expensive. At our local store, it is over $5.00 for a little bottle. Out of necessity, I discovered that baking soda and water work better than the commercial cleaner. I keep a box of baking soda in my freezer to keep the odors out, and it is perfect for this purpose. Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the stove top and drizzle a little water to make a paste. Rub until food debris is removed. The soda should turn brown or grayish. Wipe off, and then use a damp cloth to remove residue. To me it is worth a double wipe to save major cash.
Until next time, keep adventuring and seeing the positive side of life!
Sarah
Creamy Garlic Dill Salad Dressing
1 cup Greek Yogurt
1 cup Buttermilk
1 teaspoon Dill Weed
1 teaspoon dried Parsley
1 teaspoon dried Minced Onions
1 teaspoon Beau Monde Seasoning (Spice Islands)
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until well combined and smooth. Allow to sit for a few minutes for flavors to blend. Enjoy with your favorite salad!
Today has also been the day of leftovers. They are typically not welcome at my house, but pizza reheated seems to be a second day delight. That was lunch. Now for dinner, it will be one of the creations from the week, or again pizza. Tonight I think that I will remake a leftover and make a yummy salad. I love a great salad in the evening with a great home made dressing. Tonight I will share a salad dressing recipe that I love. It is much like a ranch dressing with a dill twist. It is super easy and once you purchase the ingredients, it is very economical to make. I had most in my cabinet, but some I went on a mission to find. I also found that if you buy spices in bulk, you get much fresher ingredients, at a much lower cost. My favorite place to buy spices is at Fresh Market or Whole Foods Market, but if these are not in your area, try the produce or ethnic isle of your local grocery as many have packets of spices at a much lower price.
While I am on the thought of being economically conscious, I am passing along a huge light bulb that went off a few weeks ago. I am sure I am the only one that didn't know this, but just in case. I have a smooth top ceramic stove. When you clean your stove top, you are supposed to use a ceramic stove top cleaner. I often let this run out and find that it is super expensive. At our local store, it is over $5.00 for a little bottle. Out of necessity, I discovered that baking soda and water work better than the commercial cleaner. I keep a box of baking soda in my freezer to keep the odors out, and it is perfect for this purpose. Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the stove top and drizzle a little water to make a paste. Rub until food debris is removed. The soda should turn brown or grayish. Wipe off, and then use a damp cloth to remove residue. To me it is worth a double wipe to save major cash.
Until next time, keep adventuring and seeing the positive side of life!
Sarah
Creamy Garlic Dill Salad Dressing
1 cup Greek Yogurt
1 cup Buttermilk
1 teaspoon Dill Weed
1 teaspoon dried Parsley
1 teaspoon dried Minced Onions
1 teaspoon Beau Monde Seasoning (Spice Islands)
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until well combined and smooth. Allow to sit for a few minutes for flavors to blend. Enjoy with your favorite salad!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Store Bought or Homemade???
Amazed. Perplexed. Aggravated. Frustrated. Words that don't seem to go together until you see the mountain of laundry that grew at my house in three short days. How in the world can I be nearly caught up on laundry, (half a load of towels in the washer, and everything is clean...) the washer drain freeze and back up into the furnace, and we lose heat on the coldest day of the year, on Thursday and here it is Saturday and I am behind by more than eight loads. Needless to say, since I felt safe to do another load of laundry without fear of ruining everything again, I have been a washing machine!!! Now to only fold and iron and put away all of this laundry! I know that we wore more layers due to the cold, but really, eight loads of laundry in three days? I know the laundry battle is never ending, but I didn't realize that I was washing this much. Maybe that is why laundry detergent seems to have a hole in the bottle and never last as long as I think it should. I might resort to making my own, but that seems like such a hassle. After watching my favorite show, "19 Kids and Counting," I have been intrigued about making detergent. On one of the shows they made a batch and it lasts in their home for about six months. If I used their recipe, I think that we might be using the homemade detergent for about five years! Anyway, it is a thought. I would be interested to know if any of my friends have tried to make their own detergent. Since I have skin allergies that act up with various preservatives, I am tempted to try.
Tonight we had a family favorite for dinner. Ribs, baked beans and slaw. I thought that banana pudding would be the best compliment for our dinner, but we are fresh out of Nilla Wafers. I know you know where this is going...I made homemade Vanilla Wafers. These crunchy cookies were so good, I don't know I will buy the boxed ones anytime soon. They were so easy, tasty and economical, that this might be a new keeper creation. I must confess that I made my banana pudding with the sugar free instant pudding to save a few calories, but feel free to use these with your favorite pudding recipe. Scott enjoyed them with a scoop of ice cream, and the Little Man just enjoyed them.
So I leave you with this thought, I know that the convenience of buying items already prepared is a necessity at some times in our lives; however, is this truly better, or only what we have become accustomed to? I am curious to hear your thoughts...
Until next time...
Sarah
Homemade Vanilla Wafers
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until well blended. Add remaining ingredients and mix until thoroughly mixed and all flour is incorporated. Drop by half teaspoons on a parchment lined cookie sheet. I used a pastry bag to make sure mine were uniform, and piped them onto a Silpat liner. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool on pan slightly and remove. This made a ton of quarter sized cookies. I would estimate around 12 to 13 dozen cookies!
Grandma Bernice's Slaw
I learned to make this slaw as a young girl when I would stay with my Great-Grandmother Bernice. I can remember her shredding the cabbage with a grater that fit over a plastic bowl. She always used the same bowl, and seemed to either make this for us, or always take this with her when she needed a covered dish. I must confess that she never measured, and would taste the dressing to make sure it had just the right combination. She would also use whatever vinegar she had on hand, sometimes this was cider or plain distilled. Use your imagination. I like to make mine with either rice wine vinegar or red wine vinegar. This is a sweet slaw similar to that at KFC. I hope you enjoy.
1/3 cup real mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
pepper to taste
1 bag shredded slaw mix
Mix together mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar in a mixing bowl. Add pepper and slaw mix. Stir until well combined. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Stir well before serving.
Tonight we had a family favorite for dinner. Ribs, baked beans and slaw. I thought that banana pudding would be the best compliment for our dinner, but we are fresh out of Nilla Wafers. I know you know where this is going...I made homemade Vanilla Wafers. These crunchy cookies were so good, I don't know I will buy the boxed ones anytime soon. They were so easy, tasty and economical, that this might be a new keeper creation. I must confess that I made my banana pudding with the sugar free instant pudding to save a few calories, but feel free to use these with your favorite pudding recipe. Scott enjoyed them with a scoop of ice cream, and the Little Man just enjoyed them.
So I leave you with this thought, I know that the convenience of buying items already prepared is a necessity at some times in our lives; however, is this truly better, or only what we have become accustomed to? I am curious to hear your thoughts...
Until next time...
Sarah
Homemade Vanilla Wafers
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until well blended. Add remaining ingredients and mix until thoroughly mixed and all flour is incorporated. Drop by half teaspoons on a parchment lined cookie sheet. I used a pastry bag to make sure mine were uniform, and piped them onto a Silpat liner. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool on pan slightly and remove. This made a ton of quarter sized cookies. I would estimate around 12 to 13 dozen cookies!
Grandma Bernice's Slaw
I learned to make this slaw as a young girl when I would stay with my Great-Grandmother Bernice. I can remember her shredding the cabbage with a grater that fit over a plastic bowl. She always used the same bowl, and seemed to either make this for us, or always take this with her when she needed a covered dish. I must confess that she never measured, and would taste the dressing to make sure it had just the right combination. She would also use whatever vinegar she had on hand, sometimes this was cider or plain distilled. Use your imagination. I like to make mine with either rice wine vinegar or red wine vinegar. This is a sweet slaw similar to that at KFC. I hope you enjoy.
1/3 cup real mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
pepper to taste
1 bag shredded slaw mix
Mix together mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar in a mixing bowl. Add pepper and slaw mix. Stir until well combined. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Stir well before serving.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Brrrrr it's Cold...but the Thaw has Begun!
The unusually cold weather has been wreaking havoc on many of our friends and neighbors. I am thankful that we have running water as many have frozen and busted pipes. I know that this is only temporary and this too shall pass! Each drip I see falling off our roof is the reassurance that a warm-up is right around the corner!
The repair man is here working on our heater, and hopefully we will be up and running shortly. I can't believe all of the water that has come out! The squirrel cage, motor, the pan under the burners, you name it, if it could hold water, it did! The good news is, he was able to get the heater back going, only temporarily, the bad new is, we need five pressure switches to make it work properly! Let's just say they don't have the parts in stock, and can't seem to find them, so it could be Monday before everything is fixed correctly!
Since we have been hanging out in the Little Man's room all morning where the heater is, I learned a few important things. If he wants out of his bed, he can get out. I watched him climb out right in front of my eyes. He didn't make it to the ground but was straddling the side. A few more seconds, and he would have been on the floor! I love my son, but climbing is getting old!!! He love his tractors, and really likes to see how fast they can hit the ground when he races them off of the rail of his crib. I also learned that he like to see how many things he can throw on the ground before I catch onto his game. I knew today would prove to be challenging, but hopefully we will not be challenged all weekend!
The Little Man is also teething and not eating well. I thought that for lunch I would fix his favorite meal other than a hot dog. I made Arroz con Pollo, (a Spanish chicken and rice) and will share the shortcut recipe I came up with. Since it was just the two of us, I didn't want to make a huge amount, so this is the perfect recipe to serve three to four. I hope you enjoy as much as the Little Man and I do. Thank you Lord for warmer temperatures, and may the adventures continue. Until next time...
Sarah
Shortcut Arroz con Pollo
1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 large can chicken, undrained
1 cup water
1/3 cup stuffed green olives with pimentos
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 5 oz. bag of yellow rice
Place all ingredients except rice mix in a pan and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and bring back to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Stir well and serve. Enjoy!
The repair man is here working on our heater, and hopefully we will be up and running shortly. I can't believe all of the water that has come out! The squirrel cage, motor, the pan under the burners, you name it, if it could hold water, it did! The good news is, he was able to get the heater back going, only temporarily, the bad new is, we need five pressure switches to make it work properly! Let's just say they don't have the parts in stock, and can't seem to find them, so it could be Monday before everything is fixed correctly!
Since we have been hanging out in the Little Man's room all morning where the heater is, I learned a few important things. If he wants out of his bed, he can get out. I watched him climb out right in front of my eyes. He didn't make it to the ground but was straddling the side. A few more seconds, and he would have been on the floor! I love my son, but climbing is getting old!!! He love his tractors, and really likes to see how fast they can hit the ground when he races them off of the rail of his crib. I also learned that he like to see how many things he can throw on the ground before I catch onto his game. I knew today would prove to be challenging, but hopefully we will not be challenged all weekend!
The Little Man is also teething and not eating well. I thought that for lunch I would fix his favorite meal other than a hot dog. I made Arroz con Pollo, (a Spanish chicken and rice) and will share the shortcut recipe I came up with. Since it was just the two of us, I didn't want to make a huge amount, so this is the perfect recipe to serve three to four. I hope you enjoy as much as the Little Man and I do. Thank you Lord for warmer temperatures, and may the adventures continue. Until next time...
Sarah
Shortcut Arroz con Pollo
1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 large can chicken, undrained
1 cup water
1/3 cup stuffed green olives with pimentos
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 5 oz. bag of yellow rice
Place all ingredients except rice mix in a pan and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and bring back to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Stir well and serve. Enjoy!
Another Day...Another Journey
Wow, what a day yesterday held for me. I love a challenge, but not one that involves the entire house! I usually try and get all of my housework done on Thursday so I can have Friday to get ready for the weekend. In my haste to get everything done, I washed half a load of towels and turned on my dishwasher...The dishwasher started making a horrible noise, and I realized that there is no water inside.
Ok, I can live without a dishwasher for a day or two until everything thaws out. I know, nothing exciting, except for in the extreme cold weather, our water line to the dishwasher froze. There was no evidence of water backing up anywhere in the house, but when I went to get the towels out, they were soaking wet. I tried to respin, and water flew out of the drain. Ahhh, "Houston, we have a problem!" I went and grabbed the salt canister out of the cabinet, and poured most it down the drain. Should solve the problem...maybe if that was the only issue. I then thought, our house is warm, so I will open the door to the back porch, and heat it since it is so cold and the little heater in the laundry room will never heat this up. That is when I discoved problem number two.
The thermostat on the wall read 68 and the temperature was set on 76, and the heater was not kicking on. Now, I realize we have a major problem. I then saw water in the closet where the furnace lives, and thought, "this is not good." Maybe the water shorted out the outlet, and this is a minor issue. I tested the outlet, and we have power. I cleaned up all the water on the outside of the furnace, and notice it is still flowing out. Ok, I am needing the mechanical part of my brain to kick on, so I got a cup and opened the "clean out" valve. I was surprised when the pressure was super strong, and the cup was full in no time. Three cups later, I grabbed the mop bucket. Because of the way the valve is in the closet, I was not able to fit the bucket under the valve, but there was enough pressure that I filled up three buckets from the clean out valve! The water backed up into our brand new super computerized furnace!!! I love that we have much lower energy bills and everyone is comfortable, but I miss my old floor furnace that kept our house warm and the crawl space below even warmer! I opened the furnace doors, and water was everywhere!!! I tried my best to dry everything out with a towel and put a heater in front to dry the furnace, and still no heat! I called the company, hoping someone could tell me how to reset the unit. They called and said I have already reset the unit and they would be here as soon as they could.
The repair man arrived and broke the news that the main control board on the unit has water in it, and that it has shorted out. Lovely! Just the news I wanted to hear. He then called the main office and looked through his truck, and as my luck would have it, they must order a new one motherboard, and at the earliest, it will be here on Friday. Praise the Lord that I did not let my vanity take over and remove the ugly wall heater in the Little Man's room! We have heat in the back of the house, and will make it through the night.
So this morning, it was cold, but everyone was up and out the door early. It is amazing how fast everyone dressed when the house is freezing!!! Pickles was sitting in front of the heater in the Little Man's room and made sure her clothes were warm before she put them on. I was shocked at her wise ways! Anyway, everyone survived and we are waiting for a call from the repair man saying they are on their way.
The Lord gave us this experience, I am convinced, to remind us of the many blessings we take for granted. There are many who live every day and night cold, and rely on unsafe heat to keep them from freezing. I am very thankful that we have heat, and running water, and a roof that keeps us dry when it rains outside. I will never take this for granted again!
Until Next time, keep looking to the bright side and seeking adventure!
Sarah
Ok, I can live without a dishwasher for a day or two until everything thaws out. I know, nothing exciting, except for in the extreme cold weather, our water line to the dishwasher froze. There was no evidence of water backing up anywhere in the house, but when I went to get the towels out, they were soaking wet. I tried to respin, and water flew out of the drain. Ahhh, "Houston, we have a problem!" I went and grabbed the salt canister out of the cabinet, and poured most it down the drain. Should solve the problem...maybe if that was the only issue. I then thought, our house is warm, so I will open the door to the back porch, and heat it since it is so cold and the little heater in the laundry room will never heat this up. That is when I discoved problem number two.
The thermostat on the wall read 68 and the temperature was set on 76, and the heater was not kicking on. Now, I realize we have a major problem. I then saw water in the closet where the furnace lives, and thought, "this is not good." Maybe the water shorted out the outlet, and this is a minor issue. I tested the outlet, and we have power. I cleaned up all the water on the outside of the furnace, and notice it is still flowing out. Ok, I am needing the mechanical part of my brain to kick on, so I got a cup and opened the "clean out" valve. I was surprised when the pressure was super strong, and the cup was full in no time. Three cups later, I grabbed the mop bucket. Because of the way the valve is in the closet, I was not able to fit the bucket under the valve, but there was enough pressure that I filled up three buckets from the clean out valve! The water backed up into our brand new super computerized furnace!!! I love that we have much lower energy bills and everyone is comfortable, but I miss my old floor furnace that kept our house warm and the crawl space below even warmer! I opened the furnace doors, and water was everywhere!!! I tried my best to dry everything out with a towel and put a heater in front to dry the furnace, and still no heat! I called the company, hoping someone could tell me how to reset the unit. They called and said I have already reset the unit and they would be here as soon as they could.
The repair man arrived and broke the news that the main control board on the unit has water in it, and that it has shorted out. Lovely! Just the news I wanted to hear. He then called the main office and looked through his truck, and as my luck would have it, they must order a new one motherboard, and at the earliest, it will be here on Friday. Praise the Lord that I did not let my vanity take over and remove the ugly wall heater in the Little Man's room! We have heat in the back of the house, and will make it through the night.
So this morning, it was cold, but everyone was up and out the door early. It is amazing how fast everyone dressed when the house is freezing!!! Pickles was sitting in front of the heater in the Little Man's room and made sure her clothes were warm before she put them on. I was shocked at her wise ways! Anyway, everyone survived and we are waiting for a call from the repair man saying they are on their way.
The Lord gave us this experience, I am convinced, to remind us of the many blessings we take for granted. There are many who live every day and night cold, and rely on unsafe heat to keep them from freezing. I am very thankful that we have heat, and running water, and a roof that keeps us dry when it rains outside. I will never take this for granted again!
Until Next time, keep looking to the bright side and seeking adventure!
Sarah
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Comfort Food for a Cold Night
Tonights weather forecast was one that was met with great excitement...the temperature will rise above freezing on Friday and hopefully climb to the sweltering temperature of 50° on Saturday. You read that right FIFTY!!! I think I will done my bikini for such an occasion! On second thought, you might all lose your lunch if you did that, so I will most likely still be sporting a turtleneck and jeans. I can see the budding of an adventure on the horizon for the weekend. I can't wait to see what spontaneous idea we will come up with!
Continuing with todays warm up theme, we are having Great Northern Beans with Ham and Sourdough Batter Rolls for dinner tonight. This is comfort food at it's finest. I am thinking I might have to throw in some kind of vegetable so that I can keep on my healthy eating plan. I love nights that the Crock Pot cooks our dinner! I hope you enjoy the recipes, and until next time, keep looking for the little blessings around you, and the adventures that are right around the corner!
Sarah
Great Northern Beans with Ham
1 lb. dried Great Northern Beans
1 ham bone with some ham
2 chicken bullion cubes
1 onion diced
2 stalks of celery diced
8 cups water
Soak beans as directed on package. Place all ingredients in Crock Pot and cook on low six to eight hours.
Sourdough Batter Rolls
1 packages active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
1 cup Sourdough Starter (at room temperature)
1 cup warm milk
¼ cup butter
½
2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large nonmetal bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add 1 cup Sourdough Starter and next 4 ingredients until combined. Add eggs and two cups of flour and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in remaining flour and blend with a dough hook until a thick batter is achieved. Spray 24 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray. Divide batter between cups. Allow to rise in a draft free space until doubled in size. Bake at 375° until golden brown. Remove from pans and enjoy!
* I use an ice cream scoop to make filling the muffin cups easier, this also works for cupcakes. I also have had better rise with "bread flour." cup sugar
Continuing with todays warm up theme, we are having Great Northern Beans with Ham and Sourdough Batter Rolls for dinner tonight. This is comfort food at it's finest. I am thinking I might have to throw in some kind of vegetable so that I can keep on my healthy eating plan. I love nights that the Crock Pot cooks our dinner! I hope you enjoy the recipes, and until next time, keep looking for the little blessings around you, and the adventures that are right around the corner!
Sarah
Great Northern Beans with Ham
1 lb. dried Great Northern Beans
1 ham bone with some ham
2 chicken bullion cubes
1 onion diced
2 stalks of celery diced
8 cups water
Soak beans as directed on package. Place all ingredients in Crock Pot and cook on low six to eight hours.
Sourdough Batter Rolls
1 packages active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
1 cup Sourdough Starter (at room temperature)
1 cup warm milk
¼ cup butter
½
2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large nonmetal bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add 1 cup Sourdough Starter and next 4 ingredients until combined. Add eggs and two cups of flour and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in remaining flour and blend with a dough hook until a thick batter is achieved. Spray 24 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray. Divide batter between cups. Allow to rise in a draft free space until doubled in size. Bake at 375° until golden brown. Remove from pans and enjoy!
* I use an ice cream scoop to make filling the muffin cups easier, this also works for cupcakes. I also have had better rise with "bread flour." cup sugar
Time for a Thaw
The snow is beautiful, but now is the time for it to go. My weekend plans had to be changed since you must feed cows when there is snow on the ground! Anyway, we will trek to Oklahoma when the weather is better, and we can leave with a clear conscience. This morning Scott took our Little Pickle to school, so I have yet to venture out. I have been our our back porch, where our washer and dryer reside, and it is COLD!!! Thankfully, I remembered to turn the heat on in the laundry room, so my washer still works and there is no accumulation of ice in the pipes! Thank you Lord for small blessings!!! Anyway, the laundry is caught back up until school is out and I am sure we will have to venture back out in the snow once again to slide around on the Mississippi Luge!
Since today is one of the coldest yet, I will share a recipe for a great, warm soup that is sure to make you nice and toasty! My Little Pickle made this for us yesterday, and I will share this with you. The original recipe was from a Disney Princess cookbook, but we changed it to our taste and what we had on hand. This made a great soup, that Pickle loved so let's just call this one "Princess Pickle's Chicken Soup."
Princess Pickle's Chicken Soup
2 cans chicken broth, or 1 box of broth
2 cups of water
3 carrots sliced thin, should be about 1 1/2 cups
1 can of corn
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 box of mini bow tie pasta
Bring water and broth to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Add carrots and cook until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook until pasta is tender. Serve with warm bread sticks. Enjoy!
Since today is one of the coldest yet, I will share a recipe for a great, warm soup that is sure to make you nice and toasty! My Little Pickle made this for us yesterday, and I will share this with you. The original recipe was from a Disney Princess cookbook, but we changed it to our taste and what we had on hand. This made a great soup, that Pickle loved so let's just call this one "Princess Pickle's Chicken Soup."
Princess Pickle's Chicken Soup
2 cans chicken broth, or 1 box of broth
2 cups of water
3 carrots sliced thin, should be about 1 1/2 cups
1 can of corn
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 box of mini bow tie pasta
Bring water and broth to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Add carrots and cook until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook until pasta is tender. Serve with warm bread sticks. Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The Final Snow Day
Today we celebrated the last school Snow Day of this snowstorm. We took advantage of the sunshine and slightly warmer temperatures, and again played in the snow. We rode in the Mississippi Luge and had another snowball fight, only today was more painful as the ice crystals in the snow were much larger! I must say I think that I am ready for our routine to be back to normal again, and my washer and dryer can take a small break!
We also ventured out and went to our farm to check the cows and put out hay. They were making it just fine, and to my surprise, the one cow that is due any day has waited to have her calf! It never happens like this...we usually find we have new babies on the worst weather days of the year. I was so unprepared for our farming adventure, and like a city slicker, wore tennis shoes. Let's just say a few hours later, my feet are still cold! However cold, the snow at the farm was much deeper and so beautiful. The white blanket was undisturbed with the exception of deer and cow tracts. On our way home, Scott announced that tonight was a great steak night since tomorrow we will see extremely cold temperatures. He also volunteered to take the little Pickle to school so we don't have to venture out in the cold! Major brownie points will be scored if he follows through on this one! Anyway, we had a fabulous Certified Angus Beef fillet, baked potato, Texas Grasshoppers and salad. Since Scott is very picky, he had a boring salad with bottled salad dressing...I on the other hand despise bottled dressing, as it has a funny taste to me. I prefer any homemade dressing and much more exotic ingredients rather than the boring lettuce, cheese, dressing and bacon bits. I lately have been enjoying a salad with romaine lettuce, dried cranberries, crumbled blue cheese and toasted pecans, tossed in my homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Salads had become boring to me until I discovered this dressing. It is light, refreshing and a little will go a long way and I don't feel like I have blown my diet! Anyway, I will share my go-to salad dressing recipe with you and you too can begin to enjoy the wonders of freshly made dressing! I will also share the recipe for Texas Grasshoppers as we have learned to love the cheesy, peppery wonders a few years ago!
Until next time, see what adventure awaits and embrace the to the fullest!
Sarah
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove of garlic, pressed
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup olive oil
Place first 6 ingredients in the blender and begin blending on low speed. Slowly drizzle olive oil in while blender is running. This will thicken and emulsify. Dress your salad, and store the remainder in an airtight container. I keep my in a cruet style jar in the refrigerator.
Texas Grasshoppers
Fresh jalapeno peppers
cream cheese
bacon
Slice jalapeno lengthwise, and remove one side. Remove seeds and white membranes and rinse in cold water. Stuff with cream cheese and place other side back on to "remake" the pepper. Wrap stuffed pepper with bacon and secure with a toothpick. Grill over indirect heat until bacon is crisp and pepper is tender. Be careful as the bacon will cause a flare up on the grill if it is over the coals.
We also ventured out and went to our farm to check the cows and put out hay. They were making it just fine, and to my surprise, the one cow that is due any day has waited to have her calf! It never happens like this...we usually find we have new babies on the worst weather days of the year. I was so unprepared for our farming adventure, and like a city slicker, wore tennis shoes. Let's just say a few hours later, my feet are still cold! However cold, the snow at the farm was much deeper and so beautiful. The white blanket was undisturbed with the exception of deer and cow tracts. On our way home, Scott announced that tonight was a great steak night since tomorrow we will see extremely cold temperatures. He also volunteered to take the little Pickle to school so we don't have to venture out in the cold! Major brownie points will be scored if he follows through on this one! Anyway, we had a fabulous Certified Angus Beef fillet, baked potato, Texas Grasshoppers and salad. Since Scott is very picky, he had a boring salad with bottled salad dressing...I on the other hand despise bottled dressing, as it has a funny taste to me. I prefer any homemade dressing and much more exotic ingredients rather than the boring lettuce, cheese, dressing and bacon bits. I lately have been enjoying a salad with romaine lettuce, dried cranberries, crumbled blue cheese and toasted pecans, tossed in my homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Salads had become boring to me until I discovered this dressing. It is light, refreshing and a little will go a long way and I don't feel like I have blown my diet! Anyway, I will share my go-to salad dressing recipe with you and you too can begin to enjoy the wonders of freshly made dressing! I will also share the recipe for Texas Grasshoppers as we have learned to love the cheesy, peppery wonders a few years ago!
Until next time, see what adventure awaits and embrace the to the fullest!
Sarah
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove of garlic, pressed
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup olive oil
Place first 6 ingredients in the blender and begin blending on low speed. Slowly drizzle olive oil in while blender is running. This will thicken and emulsify. Dress your salad, and store the remainder in an airtight container. I keep my in a cruet style jar in the refrigerator.
Texas Grasshoppers
Fresh jalapeno peppers
cream cheese
bacon
Slice jalapeno lengthwise, and remove one side. Remove seeds and white membranes and rinse in cold water. Stuff with cream cheese and place other side back on to "remake" the pepper. Wrap stuffed pepper with bacon and secure with a toothpick. Grill over indirect heat until bacon is crisp and pepper is tender. Be careful as the bacon will cause a flare up on the grill if it is over the coals.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Snow Day
What a sight it is when you wake up and during the night, ten inches of snow has fallen in Como, MS! It was beautiful, and I knew that God had given us a special gift. What fun we had playing in the beautifully fallen snow! Pickles was wide awake at daybreak waiting to go outside and see how many snowballs and snow angels she could make. Soon the neighbors were out and they began building a snowman. I began to get worried about an hour later, and she came to the door requesting a carrot and five pieces of charcoal. The beautiful snowman had been built and was ready for decorating! After two hours, she came in, cold, wet and cranky! What a great time she had, and lifelong memories were made. After lunch and a short Daddy nap, we decided it was time to go sledding. We created a redneck Mississippi luge out of two cattle lead ropes, the plastic liner of a feed trough and the pulling power of a four-wheeler! Let's just say I am glad that I wrestle the Little Man on a daily basis, because every ounce of upper body strength was necessary to pull us around the yard! It was so much fun we will have a repeat tomorrow with the neighbors while Scott goes to work and makes us some money so we can go shopping!!! Anyway, we had a great time, and the pictures are below.
Later this evening, my friend Beth Little came over and wanted cheese grits like we had on Christmas Day. Let's just say we were short on time, and we made the speedy version. The recipe is below the photos. Hope everyone enjoyed the snow, and until next time, keep adventuring.
Sarah
Speedy Garlic Cheese Grits
2 cups water or chicken broth
1/2 cup quick grits
1 tsp. salt
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
4 ounces Velveeta
Bring water or broth to a boil. Add salt. Whisk in grits, and stir over medium heat until thicken. Remove from heat and stir in garlic and Velveeta. Enjoy!
Later this evening, my friend Beth Little came over and wanted cheese grits like we had on Christmas Day. Let's just say we were short on time, and we made the speedy version. The recipe is below the photos. Hope everyone enjoyed the snow, and until next time, keep adventuring.
Sarah
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| Yea, it is so fun to play in the snow! |
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| Snow angels... |
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| The snowman |
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| Redneck Mississippi Luge!!! |
Speedy Garlic Cheese Grits
2 cups water or chicken broth
1/2 cup quick grits
1 tsp. salt
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
4 ounces Velveeta
Bring water or broth to a boil. Add salt. Whisk in grits, and stir over medium heat until thicken. Remove from heat and stir in garlic and Velveeta. Enjoy!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The Sleet is Falling...
It is sleeting here in Como, MS, and has been for about the last hour! It is amazing how cold it is, and my child still wants to go outside and play in the sleet! I don't understand. Anyway, she and her Daddy are headed on a mission to get the four-wheelers and a feed trough so that we can play if they are out of school tomorrow. I am sure that we will throw snowballs and maybe even make a snowman if we get the accumulation they are predicting. In honor of the snow, we are having a white dinner! We are having Chicken and Dumplings. Not the type with a biscuit consistency, but the those resembling a noodle. I have learned to love this type of dumpling since moving to Mississippi! It is one of the few stew type foods Scott will eat, so while it is freezing outside, we will have warm tummy's inside. I will share the recipe, as it came from a Southern Living cookbook titled, "Home Style Cooking." I hope if you have snow, you enjoy God's little gift, and make a snowball or two!
Sarah
Never-Fail Chicken and Dumplings
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
5 tablespoons cold water
3 1/2 cups chicken broth, or 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 cups cooked chicken, or 1 roasted chicken from the deli, meat pulled from the bone and shredded
Combine flour and salt; cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Gently stir in egg and cold water; form dough into a ball, ad knead 3 or 4 times.
Combine broth and pepper in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil over medium - high heat.
Meanwhile, roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough into 2 x 3/4 inch strips; drop several dough strips at a time into boiling broth. Reduce heat to medium, and cook , uncovered, 7 minutes. Add chicken and cook 4 to 6 minutes or until dumplings are tender and chicken is heated, stirring occasionally. Yield: 4 servings.
Sarah
Never-Fail Chicken and Dumplings
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
5 tablespoons cold water
3 1/2 cups chicken broth, or 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 cups cooked chicken, or 1 roasted chicken from the deli, meat pulled from the bone and shredded
Combine flour and salt; cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Gently stir in egg and cold water; form dough into a ball, ad knead 3 or 4 times.
Combine broth and pepper in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil over medium - high heat.
Meanwhile, roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough into 2 x 3/4 inch strips; drop several dough strips at a time into boiling broth. Reduce heat to medium, and cook , uncovered, 7 minutes. Add chicken and cook 4 to 6 minutes or until dumplings are tender and chicken is heated, stirring occasionally. Yield: 4 servings.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Skeet Shooting in the Winter
So the adventures of a Southern Belle never end. Today we embarked on an adventure of the redneck persuasion. We went skeet shooting in January! Not on a winter day where the weather is nice, but on a day where the high was 40 degrees! This might make sense if we were avid duck hunters, and were looking to go on a hunting expedition, but it is way to cold for me to leave my warm bed at 5:00 in the morning to go and sit in a boat and freeze to death! One of my friends suggested we have an adventure so that we could all enjoy the sunshine before the cold snow falls on us and we are cooped up in the house and screaming for fresh air. Needless to say we ventured out to our farm this afternoon with one mission in mind - skeet shooting. Everyone parked their trucks so that the tailgates could be used as benches and tables, and the shooting commenced. Everything was great until the skeet wouldn't release from the thrower and then broke when Scott tried to throw them. After cleverly warming up thrower on the heater of the truck, we were back in business. I must say a great time was had by all! Cow patties were blown up in the process, but might be a great way to spread the natural fertilizer. Hope you enjoy the photos, as I was shooting with the camera, and only shot the shotgun after the camera battery died. I must say I was not successful shooting the clay pigeons, but that is why the call it practice. You have to start somewhere.
Keep on adventuring, and being creative. Until next time...
Sarah
Keep on adventuring, and being creative. Until next time...
Sarah
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| The first round of Skeet |
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| And their off... |
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| Loco trying her hand at shooting on the cowpatty... |
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| Getting ready for the shooting to begin! |
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| The Men, trying to show us how it is done! |
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| Beth and Lauren...the beauties of the bunch! |
The Adventures Continue
Last night I had the golden opportunity to go and have girls night out! Not like you are thinking, but to an art party at a friends home with 11 other women. As luck would have it, this was quite the fun group and we enjoyed each others company while we were learning to paint. I had so much fun, and painting was truly a relaxing activity. Not too sure if it was the painting, the company or the fact that I had no children in tow, I had a fabulous time. I now have to find the perfect spot to hang my beautiful masterpiece! You should check out Canvas Creations on Facebook, and go to one of the parties that Meri Smith is hosting. They are educational, fun and you get to take home an original work of art!
Now on to the knitting adventure. I promised to keep everyone posted, and I have taught myself to knit!!! It is not that hard, once you figure out how to hold the needles and the yarn so that it works for you. I haven't mastered the purl yet, but I figure that is lesson three, and I have a few weeks before I have to advenure into more stitches. I am working on a scarf, and if I ever finish and you see me wearing it, you better tell me how fabulous it looks as I will have invested way too much time!!!
Until later, have a great day and venture out and try something creative!
Now on to the knitting adventure. I promised to keep everyone posted, and I have taught myself to knit!!! It is not that hard, once you figure out how to hold the needles and the yarn so that it works for you. I haven't mastered the purl yet, but I figure that is lesson three, and I have a few weeks before I have to advenure into more stitches. I am working on a scarf, and if I ever finish and you see me wearing it, you better tell me how fabulous it looks as I will have invested way too much time!!!
Until later, have a great day and venture out and try something creative!
Friday, January 7, 2011
A New Adventure
As I was waiting on my Mother-in-law to finish her physical therapy, I decided the Little Man and I would venture into the Wal-Mart in search of yarn to crochet the Little Pickle a hat to wear in the expected snow and possibly a scarf. In the yarn isle, I spotted a new art I have yet to try...knitting! You got it, I purchased the Teach Yourself to Knit kit. While waiting in the line at Sonic for our Happy Hour beverage, I tried to knit. No success casting on. So I went to get MawMaw and while we were waiting on the Little Pickle, I tried again, and this time I was successful. It helps if you read the instructions, and not just look at the pictures! I didn't leave myself enough yarn to get very far, but my achievements are documented in the photo. I hope you enjoy watching my kitting progress!!!
Preparations for the New Year
With the new year came many resolutions to try and make my life complete. I resolved to lose weight, work out more, spend more quality time with my family and cherish each moment, and get my life organized. This includes all of the closets in my home as well as drawers, paperwork and sorting through and donating all of the things we don't use. Not too big of a resolution list, or so I thought.
Well, the diet was going great until my little Pickle wanted to make no-bake cookies! I can't resist their chocolaty, peanut buttery goodness. I kept telling myself that I was getting my fill of oatmeal, and that the whole grain will help me be healthy. Needless to say, I shared the cookies with my neighbors as I can't resist them and stay on my healthy eating plan! I then had another suggestion from my sweet little princess that we try and "create" a new recipe for "Garlic Cheese Sourdough Bread." Really diet friendly in my book of what not to eat! Well the recipe was a success and here again, I should have resisted the temptation but the smell of fresh baked bread along with the garlic was overpowering my willpower! I love to cook and am always up for a new adventure. I will post the recipes at the end of this blog to share with everyone! If you are local and need a "start" of starter, I will be glad to share, as that has been another challenge as of late. Not because of anything bad, but because it has become extremely vigorous, and escaping the container and making a huge mess of my refrigerator!
As for the organization adventure, I have gotten the house clean which I think is the first step. Now to tackle one closet and dresser at a time. Today is not the day as I have too many obligations to begin tackling this challenge, but hopefully we will have a snow like they are forecasting and I can't think of a better family bonding activity than cleaning out what you don't need!
Today is a new day, and we will be embracing it to the fullest. My house is mostly clean, and I have less that two loads of laundry in the entire house, so it will be a great day! Happy Friday everyone!
No-Bake Cookies
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 stick butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups quick oats
Cook the first 4 ingredients over medium heat until butter is melter and mixture is to a rolling boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla, peanut butter and oats. Stir until blended and drop teaspoons full onto waxed paper or a greased pan. Let cool and enjoy!
Garlic Cheese Sourdough Bread
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup sourdough starter (at room temperature)
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
6 to 7 cups unbleached flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large nonmetal bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add 1 cup Sourdough Starter and next 6 ingredients, stirring well to combine. Gradually stir in enough remaining 4cups flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a well - floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cove and let rise in a warm place (85° ), free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.
Punch dough down; turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 or 5 times. Divide in half. Roll half of dough to a 14x7 inch rectangle. Roll up dough, starting at short side, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch ends to seal. Place, seam side down, in a well-greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.
Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Brush top of loaves with additional oil. Bake at 375° for 30 to 35 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove bread from pans, brush with melted butter. Let cool on a wire rack. Yield: 2 loaves.
Add Starter Food after each use to replenish remaining starter. Place in refrigerator; stir once a day. (Use again within 2 to 14 days) You can extend this by stirring in one tablespoon of sugar every 10 days to keep starter feed.
Sourdough Starter
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115)
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups warm water
Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water; let stand 5 minutes. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a nonmetal bowl. Gradually stir in 2 cups warm water. Stir in yeast mixture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm place (85) for 72 hours, stirring three time daily. Place in refrigerator; stir once a day. (use starter or fed within 11 days.)
Starter Food
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 cup milk
Add all ingredients to remaining Sourdough Starter, stirring well.
Well, the diet was going great until my little Pickle wanted to make no-bake cookies! I can't resist their chocolaty, peanut buttery goodness. I kept telling myself that I was getting my fill of oatmeal, and that the whole grain will help me be healthy. Needless to say, I shared the cookies with my neighbors as I can't resist them and stay on my healthy eating plan! I then had another suggestion from my sweet little princess that we try and "create" a new recipe for "Garlic Cheese Sourdough Bread." Really diet friendly in my book of what not to eat! Well the recipe was a success and here again, I should have resisted the temptation but the smell of fresh baked bread along with the garlic was overpowering my willpower! I love to cook and am always up for a new adventure. I will post the recipes at the end of this blog to share with everyone! If you are local and need a "start" of starter, I will be glad to share, as that has been another challenge as of late. Not because of anything bad, but because it has become extremely vigorous, and escaping the container and making a huge mess of my refrigerator!
As for the organization adventure, I have gotten the house clean which I think is the first step. Now to tackle one closet and dresser at a time. Today is not the day as I have too many obligations to begin tackling this challenge, but hopefully we will have a snow like they are forecasting and I can't think of a better family bonding activity than cleaning out what you don't need!
Today is a new day, and we will be embracing it to the fullest. My house is mostly clean, and I have less that two loads of laundry in the entire house, so it will be a great day! Happy Friday everyone!
No-Bake Cookies
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 stick butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups quick oats
Cook the first 4 ingredients over medium heat until butter is melter and mixture is to a rolling boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla, peanut butter and oats. Stir until blended and drop teaspoons full onto waxed paper or a greased pan. Let cool and enjoy!
Garlic Cheese Sourdough Bread
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup sourdough starter (at room temperature)
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
6 to 7 cups unbleached flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large nonmetal bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add 1 cup Sourdough Starter and next 6 ingredients, stirring well to combine. Gradually stir in enough remaining 4cups flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a well - floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cove and let rise in a warm place (85° ), free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.
Punch dough down; turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 or 5 times. Divide in half. Roll half of dough to a 14x7 inch rectangle. Roll up dough, starting at short side, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch ends to seal. Place, seam side down, in a well-greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.
Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Brush top of loaves with additional oil. Bake at 375° for 30 to 35 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove bread from pans, brush with melted butter. Let cool on a wire rack. Yield: 2 loaves.
Add Starter Food after each use to replenish remaining starter. Place in refrigerator; stir once a day. (Use again within 2 to 14 days) You can extend this by stirring in one tablespoon of sugar every 10 days to keep starter feed.
Sourdough Starter
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115)
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups warm water
Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water; let stand 5 minutes. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a nonmetal bowl. Gradually stir in 2 cups warm water. Stir in yeast mixture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm place (85) for 72 hours, stirring three time daily. Place in refrigerator; stir once a day. (use starter or fed within 11 days.)
Starter Food
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 cup milk
Add all ingredients to remaining Sourdough Starter, stirring well.
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