Palin vs. the Prince (on abortion)

When my DH awakened me to tell me that McCain had picked a woman, I said, “He did what?!?!” I thought it was insane! But the more I learn about this woman, the more impressed that I get!

First off, let’s compare the Obaminable statements of BHO to the actions of Mrs. Palin. Barack doesn’t want his daughters to pay for a mistake with a ‘baby’! Mrs. Palin on the other hand, gave birth to her baby KNOWING that it had Down’s. Knowing she would have to PAY a price to raise a special needs child. She has a pro-life record as opposed to Obama being for the slaughter of a baby born alive after an attempted abortion.

Now, I must inject a little something here that is VERY POLITICALLY INCORRECT even in the church, but I am REALLY stumped on this one; and that is “How can anyone who claims to be a Christian vote for a person or party that is pro-abortion?”

I can’t allow money, the war, taxes, looks, popularity, promises of the government taking care of ME, change, etc to take precedence over THE MURDER OF THE UNBORN! I just can’t do that as a Bible believing Christian.

Know ye not what the Word of God says about shedding innocent blood?

First, what about your vote for a pro-abort:
James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Job 9:28 ...... I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

2 Ki 24:4 And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.
Deu 27:25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person.
(Reward? A political position? A tax cut? More food stamps? More socialized medicine? What’s your reward? What makes voting for a pro-abort WORTH it to you?)

Know ye not that the Israelites sacrificed their babies and God was very angry with them?

Read this please! It sums up a lot of things!

Psa 106:34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:
Psa 106:35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
Psa 106:36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.
Psa 106:37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
Psa 106:38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
Psa 106:39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.
Psa 106:40 Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.
Psa 106:41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.
Psa 106:42 Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.
Psa 106:43 Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.

Look at allllllll of their offenses.
1. They didn’t get rid of the nations that GOD TOLD THEM to wipe out!
2. They mingled with the world and started doing the same things.
3. They served their gods. (Who’s your god? Money? Government? Convenience? Comfort? Obama?)
4. Then they sacrificed their OWN CHILDREN unto devils. (We sacrifice unborn babies every day in this nation. But we don’t call our reasons ‘devils’ and we make it legal. And we WORSHIP the polititians who make it allllllll possible.)
5. They polluted their land with innocent blood. A HUGE offense against God. (There are many verses about this in the Bible.)
6. They were selfish, self-centered. What they WANTED and THOUGHT BEST was what they did. No regard for God and His laws. No, no; they went their own way. (-Obama---‘change’)
7. God’s wrath was kindled against them. He abhorred them. Here’s a definition to abhor, just in case you don’t understand how strong a word that is: to regard with extreme repugnance : loathe
8. God gave them over to the hand of the heathen and they ruled over them. (Some say this could happen with illegal immigration.)
9. Their enemies oppressed them and brought them into submission.
10. Many times God forgave and came to their rescue, but they continued to provoke Him with their own ideas and their own way. They wanted ‘change’. They wanted to make the rules rather than to yield themselves to God’s. And therefore, they were brought low.

Ok, back to Palin and the Prince and how does this relate to ‘frugal’ and my life.

Obama looks at babies as a punishment, especially unplanned ones. Palin sees them as ‘life’ and part of God’s plan, even if they have special needs and even if they are not planned.

Not all my babies were ‘planned’ and not all of my babies were born ‘under the best of circumstances’ but I could not kill them just because the LAW said that I had a right to do that.

Palin was given rights by the Law of our land and 50% of Americans would have backed her decision but she choose to have her baby.

I could never view children as a ‘punishment’. And I don’t understand how any Christian could either nor how they could vote for someone with such horrid views of preborn children and someone who has voted to prove his opinions of the value he puts on the unborn.

Psa 127:3-5 Tells us that children are a heritage from the Lord, a reward, like arrows in the hand of the mighty, and happy is the man who has a lot of them!

I now see that McCain did not just pick a woman, he picked a GREAT woman. May God help us to put His Laws above all else.

Natural PMS

This is taken from an article that can be viewed on Weston Price.

In addition to foods rich in these nutrients, food supplements supply additional nutrients that may be impossible to obtain with food alone. The following are recommendations only. For a truly personalized supplement program, one should see a properly trained health professional familiar with vitamin/mineral therapy:
Vitamin A:
50,000 IU per day
Vitamin B6*:
100-200 mg per day
Pantothenic acid:
100-200 mg per day
Vitamin E:
400-600 IU per day
Calcium:
1,500 mg per day
Magnesium:
800 mg per day
Fatty Acids:
2-4 gms per day
*Note: Vitamin B6 should only be taken along with a B complex supplement.

In studies, vitamin A has proven beneficial in reducing some PMS symptoms. Be sure to use a natural source of this nutrient, such as cod liver oil, as synthetic versions can be toxic. Vitamin B6 is a natural diuretic and thus helps with PMS-related bloating. B6 also aids in reducing estrogen to normal levels. Pantothenic acid is always desirable for treating stress. Vitamin E is good for sore breasts and for regulating hormonal levels. This vitamin is also good for irritability and depression. Calcium and magnesium are pivotal in reducing stress, as well as encouraging proper muscle function. Painful cramping and nervous tension are almost always lessened or eradicated with calcium and magnesium supplementation. Long-chain fatty acids prompt the release of anti-inflammatory substances known as prostaglandins. A particular fatty acid, gamma-linoleic acid or GLA, has been shown to be of special value in resolving PMS and other ailments. It is found in evening primrose oil, borage oil or black currant oil.

FOODS RICH IN KEY NUTRIENTS FOR PMS
Vitamin A:
Cod liver oil, liver, butter, egg yolks.
Vitamin D:
Oily fish, lard, cod liver oil.
Vitamin B6:
Brown rice, liver, beef, whole wheat, rye, lentils, alfalfa, tuna, peas, bananas, cashews, turkey, oats, blackstrap molasses, cabbage.
Pantothenic Acid:
Brewer's yeast, brown rice, sunflower seeds, corn, lentils, whole wheat, rye.
Vitamin E:
Fresh wheat germ, wheat germ oil, whole wheat, raw nuts, olive oil, peanuts, broccoli, pecans.
Calcium:
Raw milk and raw milk cheeses, bone broths, sesame seeds, kelp, sardines, almonds, Brazil nuts, blackstrap molasses, watercress, dark green leafy vegetables, salmon, broccoli.
Magnesium:
Kelp, beef, blackstrap molasses, sunflower seeds, all nuts, oats, brown rice, dark green leafy vegetables, corn, bananas, tuna.
Fatty Acids:
Cod liver oil, salmon, sardines, mackerel, egg yolks and borage, black currant or evening primrose oil.

HERBAL HELPS
The following herbs may be taken in capsule, tincture or tea form. If using packaged capsules or extracts, follow the directions on the product's label. For teas, steep 1-2 teaspoons of herb in 1 cup of very hot water, covered, for 10 minutes.

If bloating and sore breasts predominate, chamomile and dandelion are both effective diuretics. Diuretic foods include celery, watermelon, asparagus and parsley. To stabilize depression and mood swings, chamomile, lavender, and peppermint are excellent. These herbs, along with red raspberry and kava kava, are good antispasmodics as well, making them excellent for cramps.
If headaches occur, these herbs are also indicated: fennel, sarsaparilla, squaw vine, licorice and wild yam, which are all hormonal balancers. They may help in relieving hormone-caused symptoms but should not be overused.

HOMEOPATHICS TO CONSIDER
Pulsatilla is probably the most famous of all PMS remedies. It is indicated for mood swings marked by weepiness. Mag. Phos. should be used for cramping and nervous tension. The cell salt Kali. Phos. is also indicated for frazzled nerves. If there is intense pain marked by anger, homeopathic Chamomilla is the remedy of choice. If the pains become worse after getting angry, this remedy works best. Homeopathic Belladonna is indicated if there are cramping pains made worse by motion. The pains may extend from the uterus to the back accompanied by frequent headaches. Lachesis is the best pick for PMS symptoms that improve dramatically or completely disappear once the menstrual flow starts. With this condition, the pains may extend into the upper abdomen and chest.

For all of these remedies, the 6C-30C potencies should work best. Take them twice a day, or as needed. When using all homeopathics, avoid caffeine, menthol and camphor as these substances act as antidotes to the remedies.

EXERCISE
Daily exercise, even 15-20 minutes of brisk walking, increases oxygen consumption. This helps to improve health, as well as to remove toxins from the body. Exercise also helps to keep hormone levels stable.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
As we know, PMS can have many different causes. Women who suffer from PMS should investigate the possibility that other conditions, such as endometriosis, candidiasis, food allergies, and heavy metal poisoning may be contributing factors. Candidiasis should be suspected if strong sugar cravings are present. See your natural health care provider for more help with these other causes.

Eggs IN Ham!!! literally

Sometimes I get these crazy ideas......

Perhaps you've seen my 'eggs in a holster'?.....

Maybe you've also seen my post about the little turkey hams that I buy?

Here you see something similar with my thick-sliced Turkey Ham (with cut-outs from a biscuit cutter) and eggs in the center.

It certainly made things interesting! :-) The kids thought they were neat.

...But the eggs did run out a bit, I needed the pan hotter when I poured them in and some of the slices a little thicker.

*Served here with hot peaches, wheat biscuits, grits, and the turkey ham cut-outs!

Total meal cost approx. $5.00 to feed a full crew.

Bologna Cups- kid's fave

These are an old favorite and probably on my blog somewhere else, but today we had them with some garden veggies.My kids love these little bologna cups and I use turkey bologna so minus the nitrates- they're not so bad:-).

Lightly grease or spray a muffin pan.

You heat/fry the bologna in a pan (U can microwave it and it will become flexible) to make it sort bowl up so it goes in the muffin cups.

Once the bologna lines your muffin pan, crack an egg and pour one egg into each bologna 'cup'.

Salt and pepper (and paprika if U like) and bake at 400 12 to 15 minutes until egg is set.

Your kids will love them!

*Served here with corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes, fried horse apples, and green beans with onions.

The total meal cost was approx. $2.75 for my whole crew since some was free garden veges!
***********
Below, Turkey Bacon Cups, done the same way ;-)

Blessings and Salsa!

My day started off with several blessings!

My neighbors called with some yard eggs--yipppeee!

Then a very dear lady from church called and had several sacks of tomatoes, horse apples, and a bag of corn for me to run over and pick up.

I love going to her place. She raises cattle, has a cool barn, and the whole works.

Beautiful place.

She took time to show me some of her plants today, one kind was a 'snake plant' that is supposed to keep the snakes away. Really neat looking plant!

She was drying apples in her front yard the old-fashioned way. She had a piece of metal laying on some stands with the apples spread out on it and a screen laying on top of the apples. I saw another lady several years ago do something like this except she covered the apples with a large sheet and weighted it down with rocks to keep the flies out.

But, she so kindly and generously gave me a large bag of tomatoes....so U gals know my kitchen was a mess by bedtime right? But for about 45 minutes to an hour's worth of work....


this is what I got!

Plus splattered walls and a dirty stove top....but well worth it!

Yummy salsa, with several different kinds of peppers from my garden.

Do U ever get a Sub-way?

DH decided to give me 'a break' (although he first said he was craving hamburgers;-) and run out for a sack of burgers since I had 'been so busy all day'.

Well, he knows that I can't hardly do the burger thing so he always offers to get me a Sub. But I'm always teased about it before it's over because my subs always turn out to be a SALAD ON A BUN! lol See???

(BTW, I ate half of it and the kids had me cut up the rest for them...must not be too bad, huh?)

Crazy little pepper plant...how do U grow?

My pepper plants look like they belong in the tropics right now. They are just so lively!

It's hopefully easy to see the banana peppers that are very mild at the bottom, but a little harder to see on the top is the hottest little peppers that I've ever had in my life! Right now they are green but they surely will turn red as hot as they are...they are amazing! I'm going to have a hard time figuring out what to do with them as hot as they are but I'm sure I'll come up with something!

I just can't believe how hot they are!

A fun serving of fruit without the flies!

Having trouble with fruit flies or are you finding apple cores in your couch? Then this post is for you!

(5 pieces of fruit for 6 kids!)

I chopped these up, mainly to ensure that these fruits were eaten.

My younger children are apt to leave their fruit, before it's all gone so I decided to minimize the risk of finding a half eaten plum!

These are leftover containers that I use just for this type of stuff and if you're wondering if these cups are sitting in a soup pot, the answer is yes!

A couple of my kids will not eat their food if a fruit fly so much as flies over it and given that I just brought in several things from the garden and all the fruit flies that could sneak in with them....I figured I better come up with a plan to protect the fruit!

So, while supper was cooking, I cut up the fruit, placed it in the cups, then in the pan with the lid and set it on the table for them to guess what was in it....fun! fun!

For more frugal tips, visit FRUGAL FRIDAYS!

Let's Bake Bread!

4 fresh, whole wheat, loaves from the oven - thanks to my new handy pans, I was able to bake all four loaves at the same time.
Yippee and Yummy!
1 1/2 loaves were gone in one setting.

RHUBARB SHORTCAKE

Chop 4 stalks of rhubarb and place in a buttered baking dish.

1 1/2 cups of sugar (can use cane or half white/half cane)

3/4 stick butter

Cream butter and sugar.

Blend in:

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

Then add;

2 cups unbleached flour

1 cup milk.
Spread over rhubarb.

Then mix 1 cup sugar and 2 T cornstarch and sprinkle over batter.

Top with 2 cups of boiling hot water.

Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes until top is lightly golden.

This is what's Working for Me on Wednesday! Next week, it'll have to be exercise to work this off! :-)

Go here for moreWorks For Me Wednesday!

Stuffed Tomatoes 2

I really like these but I can't win the kids over completely, but they eat the stuffing very well...it's just the tomato that that troubles them. Oh well, perhaps one day they'll acquire a taste for them! (Especially if I keep offering them!:)

Slice the tops off the tomato and scoop out the pulp and seeds into a bowl. (You can use these for something else or toss them out. I cook them and can them, then add them to soup later.)

For the stuffing:

1 lb ground beef, cooked

3/4 cup leftover cooked brown rice

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 t rosemary

1/2 t basil

salt and pepper

Stuff the tomatoes with a spoon. Place in a baking dish and bake until tops are lightly browned and tomatoes just begin to 'wilt'.

*Served here with leftover brussel sprouts, red kidney beans, and spaghetti squash with butter and parmesan.

My (Meatless) Stuffed Baked Tomatoes can be found HERE!

Turkey Hash

I love this recipe for a busy day.

1 bag of frozen (no added fat) shredded potatoes (or fresh) -thawed

1 lb ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

3/4 cup chopped bell pepper

1/2 t thyme

1 t marjoram

dash of cayenne

salt and pepper

Brown ground turkey with onions and peppers. Add other ingredients with the exception of the potatoes. Stir add potatoes and cover. Allow the potatoes to steam for a few minutes then stir and continue stirring until heated and soft.

*Served here with fried okra and steamed yellow squash.

Turkey hash...in a flash!

A Great non-food Find at Kroger!

I've been wanting more of these for quite a while!

With a house full of peeps, just one wasn't cutting it anymore.

I have a real dark pan and a glass one besides my other ONE like these but they can be moody to cook in to say the least.

Well, I ran to Kroger the other night and to my surprise, these 3 babies were on clearance-- for .89 cents each! Yippeeeee!

I can hardly wait to use them!

*My tip is, look everywhere you go for bargains and have patience!

Good things really can come to those who wait!

For more Kitchen tips, visit Tammy's Recipes!

GRATITUESDAY..........

,

Looking through some books and recipes recently, I thought to myself; "I wouldn't even know what this stuff is, if it hadn't been for that course I took in high school!"

Well, the funny thing about that is, when I took the course, Food Service, I wasn't reallllllly all that mindful about cooking. I just wanted a 'crip course' to get my credits and get out of there! (And this course gave me 3 hours a day!)

I NEVER dreamed about having half a dozen kids and cooking every bite they eat! In fact, I didn't think that I really ever wanted to be a 'mom'. (I know, I know.....I'm not the same person...:-)

I'm not only grateful that I'm not the same person, but I'm also sooooooooo grateful for how God works. I have NEEDED a lot of the information that I gleaned from that course!

I NEEDED to know how to 'cut in fat', and that Thousand Island could be made from scratch, and delicious dinner rolls could be made with my own hands, how to make meringue, and what Lasagna was, how to crimp a pie crust, and that I could really decorate a cake myself!

God is so good to allow a very lost, wandering teenager, to take a course to prepare her for the future that He knew she would have! OH -He's sooooooo precious!

This week, I'm so grateful for the course I took in high school; Food Service!

(*I'm also grateful for the rain last night.....we were almost a month without it!)

For more about Gratituesday and to see what others are grateful for, visit LAURA'S!

HAPPY GRATITUESDAY!

Stuffed Mushrooms with Brown Rice

These are so easy and a bit fun! 1 large pkg stuffer mushrooms

-pull stems off and chop

Brown:

1 lb hamburger meat

1 medium onion

1/2 cup bell peppers

and the stems

Stir in:

3/4 t rosemary

1/4 t basil

dash of red pepper

and black pepper



Once meat is browned, stuff the mushrooms with the meat mixture.

Set mushrooms aside.

With remaining meat, make sauce by adding tomato sauce, canned spaghetti sauce, etc. I used one can of tomato sauce and one can of cream of mushroom and 1 cup tomato juice. Along with a few dashes of Italian seasoning.



Once the sauce is made and mixed well, pour into baking dish and then place the stuffed mushrooms in the sauce.

Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake at 375 until cheese is golden.

*Served here over brown rice with brussel sprouts.

Orange-Almond Raisin Muffins

2 cups plain flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/4 cup whole milk

1/2 t vanilla

1 T orange zest*

1/2 cup chopped (crispy) almonds

3/4 cup raisins

1/2 t ground ginger

1/2 t cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients, then wet.

Bake at 425 until tops brown, then butter them! Yummy!

Laura's Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

These were a big hit at our house!

I love peanut butter; life-long fan here.

I ate peanut butter nearly every day as a kid!

These are super easy to whip up and bake. I doubled Laura's recipe and baked about 25 minutes. Yummy!

Please go HERE for her recipe! :-)

Turkey-Bologna-Yellow-Tomato Sandwiches

DH requested these on our menu this week. This is a sandwich that his aunt used to fix for him as a boy.

She used garlic bologna but I used Turkey Bologna to make these.

There's also cheese, red onion slices, mayo, yellow tomatoes, salt, pepper, and the kids wanted pickles and mustard too!

A nice summer sandwich.

*I served these with fresh cantaloupe.

Cabbage and a big sack of okra......

Were we sooooooo excited to bring in this beautiful little head of cabbage! Yippee!It's relieving to still get a nice big sack of okra, in the middle of a very dry and hot part of the summer! Thanks B 2 God!

Breakfast Sandwich

Whole wheat English muffins- $1

Cheese- .65

Eggs- .50

$2.15+1happy mom= 6 happy kids!

*could add onions, green onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, etc

*and broil them for a couple of minutes

***************

Make with Homemade English Muffins!

Monday's Menu!

MONDAY: 2-step oatmeal
salmon loaf, okra, potatoes
stuffed mushrooms, brown rice, brussel sprouts

TUESDAY: Coconut Rice
Stuffed tomatoes, celery sticks, spaghetti squash, red beans
Turkey Hash Flash, okra, steamed yellow squash

WEDNESDAY: grits
Polish (turkey) sausage casserole, green beans and corn
Roast potatoes and carrots, pinto beans, cornbread

THURSDAY: eggs, fried apples, turkey sausage and/or turkey ham
Turkey bologna-yellow tomato sandwiches, potato salad
Cheesy Chicken Noodles and Broccoli, veggies from the garden

FRIDAY: Kid's choice
Bologna Cups , barley, fruit/smoothie
Turkey Patties , potato wedges , garden veggies, Onion Flatbread or rolls (whole wheat)

SATURDAY: cream of home-ground wheat ( I may cook a turkey, depending on how hot it is..... If it's real hot outside, that baby is stayin' in the freezer! No need heatin' the kitchen up to the 90's, makin' me all cranky and stuff! :-)

To read what others are cooking up this week, visit: OrgJunkie!!!!!!!!!

She's also doing a super cool ebook giveaway! Yippee!

Guess what the FDA is gonna do to our spinach and lettuce!

On Google News, there's a couple of links about this, thought U might like to know a little more about it. Seems they wanna use a little radiation on more of our food, oh joy! Go here to read more.

From Wikipedia:
Irradiation is the process by which an item is exposed to radiation. The exposure can be intentional, sometimes to serve a specific purpose, or it can be accidental. In common usage the term refers specifically to ionizing radiation, and to a level of radiation that will serve that specific purpose, rather than radiation exposure to normal levels of background radiation or abnormal levels of radiation due to accidental exposure. This term also applies to 'non-ionizing radiation as microwaves or to low frequency (50/60 Hz power supply), high frequency (as cellular phones, radio and TV transmissions).

Food irradiation[1] is the process of exposing food to ionizing radiation in order to destroy microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, or insects that might be present in the food. Further applications include sprout inhibition, delay of ripening, increase of juice yield, and improvement of re-hydration. Irradiation is a more general term of deliberate exposure of materials to radiation to achieve a technical goal (in this context 'ionizing radiation' is implied). As such it is also used on non-food items, such as medical hardware, plastics, tubes for gas-pipelines, hoses for floor-heating, shrink-foils for food packaging, automobile parts, wires and cables (isolation), tires, and even gemstones. Compared to the amount of food irradiated, the volume of those every-day applications is huge but not noticed by the consumer.
The genuine effect of processing food by ionizing radiation relates to damages to the DNA, the basic genetic information for life. Microorganisms can no longer proliferate and continue their malignant or pathogen activities. Spoilage-causing micro-organisms cannot continue their activities. Insects do not survive or become incapable of proliferation. Plants cannot continue the natural ripening or aging process.[1]
The speciality of processing food by ionizing radiation is that the energy density per atomic transition is very high; it can cleave molecules and induce ionization (hence the name), which is not achieved by mere heating. This is the reason for both new effects and new concerns. The treatment of solid food by ionizing radiation can provide an effect similar to heat pasteurization of liquids, such as milk. However, the use of the term "cold pasteurization" to describe irradiated foods is controversial, since pasteurization and irradiation are fundamentally different processes.
Food irradiation is currently permitted by over 40 countries and volumes are estimated to exceed 500 000 metric tons annually world wide.


*and my kids wonder why I want to garden :-)

Another book I found - free on net

I love Gutenberg!
There's bunches of free books. You can read online or print. Lots of stuff that can be used for homeschool and cooking! I just found one about cooking eggs and it has bunches of ideas!
If you'd like to check it out, here it is MANY WAYS FOR COOKING EGGS BY MRS. S.T. RORER. Oh and by the way this lady lived 1849-1937!

Ever had Smelt?

My DH talks about this from his childhood and I was finally able to find some at Kroger the other night.

It is quite a treat and even 'fun' for kids!

After breading (cornmeal, dash of flour, salt and pepper) and deep frying for 7 minutes, you allow them to cool for just a minute or two, then pull them slightly apart down the center and pull out the little spine. You could eat them (but you know, that'd take some of the adventure out of it! :-)

A favored breakfast.....

My kids love scrambled eggs and applesauce for breakfast.

But - Do you know what's even better? Scrambled eggs and stewed apples topped with a pat of butter! Yummmmmmmmmy! And a great way to start their day! :-)

Fresh from the garden......

CANTELOUPE!Yeppers, cantaloupe from our garden!

These were doing so well and there's still a few more laying around...but, our nutty beagles got into the garden and tore the vine apart.
I was not happy with them but at least the melons on the vine were unharmed and seem to be gradually ripening in spite of the incident. :-)

DOES YOUR KITCHEN EVER LOOK LIKE THIS?

Do you ever look at the clock and realize it's bedtime and your kitchen still looks like this?!?! The stove is piled up with leftover roast, chicken stock, 2 batches of pinto beans, and a jar that was hoping to have some kefir in it.
And beside the sink, there's a few okra that was too tough to fry, an odd melon, vinegar for a recipe that I was going to make, my grater, my fruit -fly trap-jar, dishes drying, and some lovely tomatoes!

And looking down at my feet, horse apples to fry!

Whew!

Now, there's 2 ways of lookin' at this....1) It's a mess! OR 2) It's a blessing!

I pick #2!

For it is the Lord's provisions being put to good use and provisions waiting to be used!

Not only do I have 'daily bread' today, but enough around the kitchen for tomorrow's daily bread as well!

Oh, and I found these little treats for $1 when I got out for $1 eggs at Kroger, and they are REAL whole wheat and they even have 4 grams of fiber to prove it!

The Lord is good!

Honey Muffins-orange cranberry or choc chip

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/4 cup buttermilk or kefir
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 egg
1/2 cup honey

ADD IN: two ways that I've made them today
1) 1 T orange zest and 1/2 cup dried cranberries
2) 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Bake at 375 15 to 20 minutes.

Leftover Oatmeal

So you ever make baked oatmeal?

Well, these little cups are similar.

I used about 3 1/2 cups of leftover oatmeal and mixed in;

1/2 cup wheat flour

1 egg

1/2 t baking powder

1/3 cup chopped (crispy) almonds

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup cream

cane sugar to sweeten

Baked at 400 until toothpick checked clean.

These will hold the shape of a muffin but they are moist in the center like baked oatmeal.

Gratituesday!

This week I am so thankful for our Public Library!

I love books and I love studying different things- all the time!

I love playing 'let's find out' with my kids OR 'whoever finds out what this (bug, leaf, etc) is, gets a prize outta the prize box'!

The library has been a huge blessing to our home and it's one of our FEW outings, which makes it more valued and prized by the kids.

My kids often ask/beg to 'go walking', play tennis, or go to the library!

I love that.

-and I'm grateful for that too!-

(my kids loving the library that is:-)

For more about Gratituesday, visit Laura's!

Old Fashioned Fish Fry

The kids begged for this meal, so after church, we had an old-fashioned fish fry!

This time we even had shrimp and hushpuppies.

And baked potato wedges: I dip them in a well beaten egg, season them, and placed them in a lightly greased pan and bake until soft.
I coated the tilapia/fish (and shrimp) in a homemade cornmeal mix and deep fried for 4 minutes!
They are so good!
An easy and fun meal that my whole crew loves!

Same ole dish....but sneaking in liver!

Here's a link to the recipe !

This dish is a great way to sneak in liver! I've made it without but I've discovered that it's really tasty with chopped/ground liver.

For you Sally Fallon lovers, it's a great way to sneak in all sorts of weird meats because you can really spice dishes like this up!

You can flavor dishes like this in any way your family likes; Mexican, Italian, American, etc.

Monday Monday- Monday's Menu

Sunday:
Soaked and soured oatmeal :-)
Liver and Beeficelli, green beans and onions
Fried Shrimp and Tilapia, hushpuppies, potato wedges

Monday:
Oatmeal pancakes
BBQ Beef-n-liver Meatballs, yellow squash, beets
Salmon Loaf or Patties, mashed garlic potatoes, green peas

Tuesday:
Creamy (fresh ground), soaked, whole wheat
Split Pea Soup, pops, pears
Mexi-Chick, guacamole and chips, yellow salsa

Wednesday:
Coconut Rice
beans, potatoes, corn, greens, cornbread
roast, potatoes, carrots, leftover beans

Thursday:
soaked oatmeal
Chili, fruit
Chicken Casserole, corn, rolls

Friday:
soaked polenta
chili, carrot sticks, strawberry pops
Steak-strips over saucy noodles, brussel sprouts, freezer veggie

Snacks:
Homemade Cinnamon Hazelnut Biscotti , grapes, bananas, popcorn, pretzel sticks, peaches, smoothies, homemade yogurt, various muffins, broccoli and carrot sticks with dip, pumpkin pie(will be posting more about these from the garden), clementines, raisins, kiwi, fresh coconut, soaked almonds, spice teas with tea biscuits, cheese and homemade crackers

For more about Menu Plan Monday, visit OrgJunkie!

Cinnamon Hazelnut Biscotti

I couldn't wait to post about these! They are such a treat!

I will be posting the recipe but I wanted to get a pic up to remind me:-)- not that I'm forgetful or anything!

Pasta-black bean garden salad....

Little salads like these can be whipped up in a flash, to complete a quick meal.

I base these on whatever leftovers I have. A great place to start, huh?

1 to 2 cups leftover whole wheat pasta
1 red tomato, diced
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
chopped onions-purple, green, white, whichever U have on hand
2 to 3 peppers, chopped (again, whatever peppers U have on hand; bell, banana, etc)
1/4 cup salsa
2 T of olive blended with
3/4 t basil

Toss together and serve over spinach or lettuce leaves.

*Served here with baked tilapia and spaghetti squash with butter and parmesan.

Steamed Cabbage Wedges- yummy

Remember that bamboo steamer that I told you about?

Well, here's another fun way to use it!:-)

Simply cut your cabbage in wedges, lightly salt and pepper and lay them on the trays and place over a pot of simmering water!

Vist Tammy's Recipes for more In Season Recipes!!!

A Chicken Dish -topped with leftover cornbread

This is a great way to use leftover cornbread!

I keep a bag in the freezer just for my leftovers so I can have for dressings or whatever I dream up! :-)

The casserole is made from leftover roasted chicken(about 1 1/2 cups),
1 1/2 cups of sour cream,
1 can of cream of chicken,
1 can of milk,
1 medium onion sauteed
in butter with
2 stalks of celery,
1 t minced garlic,
fresh ground black pepper,
and salt to taste.

For the topping, I melted about 

1/4 cup of butter, tossed in 

about 2 cups of crumbled cornbread, 

1/4 cup chicken stock (or water or whatever you have on hand), 

1/2 t thyme, 

and 1 t sage.

Bake until top is golden and filling is bubbly!

I served this dish with my favorite veggie, fried okra with green tomatoes!

And steamed cabbage wedges!

A super frugal meal since the chicken was leftovers and most of the veggies were free or from my own garden! Total meal cost approx. $1.25!