Pickled Cukes.....

Here's some more of my creations from when DH was gone and I went crazy in the kitchen. Pickled Cucumbers! Mmm!

Just water, onions, dill, mustard seeds, and a little whey...went a long way!
Ok, so I'm not so funny but my pickles make up for what I lack in the entertainment department! :-)

Yummy Broth.....

Remember all those wonderful Mason Jars I told you about on Gratituesday? Here's the lamb and beef broth and made up to put in some of them!

I cooked the bones for about 24 hours and its almost effortless broth!

Sweetened, Stewed Pumpkin

Here's some more early pumpkin, cooked with pumpkin spice in a bit of butter and cane sugar.

Funny things come out of a garden....

Kemuel holds up a pair of entwined carrots, straight from our garden. Crazy,huh?

Laura's Breakfast Cookies....mmm

Breakfast and Cookies? go together? Certainly with this wholesome recipe from Laura!

We loved her Giant Breakfast Cookies so much that we made TWO batches so we would have some for snacks as well as one big one to eat with breakfast!

Can I introduce our guest?

This little guy came for a visit the other day. Isn't he beautiful? God's creation is so marvelous!

Do you know who he is? He is Mr. Lunar Moth!

An old dish...

Steak Casserole:

I've posted this recipe before but this time I made it with shoulder steak, purchased on sale, along with potatoes and onions. This steak is a bit tough so it needed to be cooked a couple of hours. *Served here with buttered peas.

For the love of fish......

Have I told you how much I love Tilapia?Ahhh, it is my favorite!

I simply baked it in a buttered dish until flaky and seasoned with Emeril's.

*Seen here with steamed broccoli, buttered brown rice with onions, and cukes with plain yogurt and cumin.

Easy and good, and yes, healthy!

KIDS LOVE TILAPIA!

Another Summer Snack Bowl

Sliced Cukes, Carrot Sticks, Green Grapes, Tossed Cukes, and some dry crunchy (supposed-to-be-healthy) cereal. Oh, and there's some dip in the middle for the veggies!

This snack was whipped up after my little girl (forced) asked her brothers to come to her 'art school'. This turned into quite an event.... as soon as they came in the room and she told the youngest that he had to sit here instead of there, he started crying. Then she had me print her up some how-to-draw sheets for here 'students'. Which led to snap and nap time for her class....... sigh.....but this is the special snack that I whipped up for her class. She was so excited that I used the special snack wheel!

Fun Snacks -just for kids

Graham crackers, green grapes, roasted peanuts, and homemade pickles made for a delightful snack for my kiddies!

MONDAY MENU

MONDAY: Soaked Oatmeal

Butter Beans with Turkey Sausage, fresh green beans, sauteed Zukes

Steak, potatoes, carrots, bread


TUESDAY: Soaked Grits

Beef Liver and Ground Beef BBQ Meatballs, cabbage, Cuke Salad , Apple Muffins

Oven Crispy Chicken, pinto beans, corn on the cob


WEDNESDAY: Oatmeal-Wheat Pancakes

Chicken Casserole, crowder peas

Quick Fish Dinner


THURSDAY: Soaked Millet

Tortilla Roll-ups, celery and carrot sticks, fruit crisp (Berry or Apple)

Beefy Spaghetti, bread sticks or rolls


FRIDAY: Banana Bread, milk

Split Pea Soup with Onion Flat-bread

Brown Rice and Turkey Sausage Cass., green beans, fried okra and green tomatoes

*Snacks will be: popcorn, apples, grapes, fresh-pumpkin pie, pretzels, graham crackers, muffins, smoothies, (homemade) brown rice cakes, homemade baked goods (I've got a list of 'wanna-tries')

For more menu plans, visit: OrgJunkie!

Gratituesday!

Would you share in my joy!?!

This week I'm so thankful for these little jewels! Some very kind friends dug these out of a barn on their parents property-just to give them to me!

I moved several years ago and had to leave mine behind. Well, this being my first garden here,....... you gals know that I'm going to put these sweeties to good use, right?!?!

Yeppers, this week I'm thankful for Mason jars!

For more about Gratituesdays, visit Laura at Heavenly Homemakers!

*As of this posting, I used almost all of them making lamb and beef broth! I couldn't wait! :-)

Double Berry Smoothie

Kids (and some adults too) can be finicky about the seeds in blackberries. This is one way to make them irresistible!
-1 pint of blueberries
-1 cup blackberries
-2 cups rice milk (or any other liquid of your choice)
-1 cup fresh spinach (a great idea from Laura!-I didn't get caught!)
-sweeten to taste (I used about 1/2 cup of cane sugar)
-1 to 2 cups of ice

Whirl in blender or smoothie maker and your kids will think you've been to Sonic!

Corny Snack Bowl

Yes, I meant literally! :-P

One of the great things about having a Family Garden (where everyone helps) is that the kids will eat anything at anytime, that they've helped to grow!

They were excited to see home-grown corn on the cob in the snack bowl, as well as some soaked and lightly toasted pumpkin seeds!

A Quick and Easy (Healthy!) Fish Meal

Buttery Sauteed Veggies, Baked Tilapia with a some seasoning, and (leftover)Brown Rice with a dash of Lawry's Seasoning whipped up in about 20 minutes!

*Bake fish at 400 approx.15 minutes until it flakes when pricked with a fork.

Beef and Liver Meatballs

3/4 to 1 lb. of ground chuck

1/2 carton chicken livers

4 to 6 slices of whole grain bread (this will depend on consistency)

1 1/2 T Emeril's (or your favorite all-purpose seasoning)

1 medium onion

1/2 cup green peppers

Use chopping place to mix all ingredients in food processor, beginning with the liver. Be sure to add enough bread slices to make mixture workable. Drop by spoonfuls on sprayed baking ban. Bake at 400 until cooked through.

- Can use these in numerous ways. I tossed them in BBQ sauce and my kids loved them.

-Would work in spaghetti sauce or mushroom sauce over noodles.

-Could use as meatloaf.

-How about just meat patties?

They do have a different flavor so I've found that I have a better time if I disguise them with the kids.

*Served here with Cucumber Salad and Mushroom Sauce over Angel Hair.

Living with Ulcerative Colitis

I've been wanting to post about this for a while but due to the embarrassing aspects of it, I debated whether it would be appropriate. But considering my blog is primarily about food and you 'are what you eat', I think this certainly can tie in and hopefully be a blessing to someone if they happen to stumble across this post on my little blog!:-)


When I was 17, and eating very poorly, I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Around the time I turned 27, the problems became much, much worse and I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and then Ulcerative Colitis. This involved several dozen trips to the bathroom a day as well as bleeding. I tried to shrug it off as long as possible but I became pregnant with baby #3 and lost a bit of weight and became very sick. (6 weeks of terrible sickness and bleeding, without any let up.) The doctor became so concerned at one point that he actually took the time to send me a certified letter urging me to seek more medical attention and try more medicines. (I had already tried 3!) It was making me feel very emotional and causing a great deal of contention around me. I felt desperate and helpless.


I researched the drugs, prayed, decided to try to eat better, and just left it in God's hands. I told the Lord that I trusted Him more than I did the medicines to take care of me and the baby. He did, the baby and I were fine. The U.C. went into what they call a remission stage.


But, with lots of stress in my life and making only minor dietary changes, I got sick again. And again. There were days that I didn't feel like I could leave the house because I would have accidents, losing all control of my body. I was humiliated. This sickness was ruining my life.


I then began to make more drastic modifications to my diet. I began to keep more mental notes about what would make me instantly sick. Fast food, McDonald's in particular, was like food poison to my system. White flour caused constipation problems which led to diarrhea problems. I began to make my own bread, then went on to grinding my own wheat.


I did pretty good for a couple of years, then with baby #6, it all came back. Looking back, I must say that stress, seemed to be a huge factor in these 'episodes' for me. Now that I am more free from daily heavy stress, I am much better.


But I have made more and more radical adaptations to my diet and my family's diet.


Now, I must say, that when a person is having a flair-up with this disease, the intestinal track is very sensitive and more caution must be taken.


But, I really believe that the changes in my diet have helped me stay 'healthy'. I haven't had a big flair-up in over 7 years now.


What have I done?


Well, I continue to eat whole wheat as often as possible. I do mix half and half sometimes but I resist eating a big portion of white flour like the plague! I also eat many other whole grains.


One of the best things that I ever started doing was incorporating ground flax into my diet. This really helps my belly and I can sneak it into almost anything. I have found it very helpful if I feel the least bit-well, you know- to take a spoon and mix it into a cup of water and drink it at bedtime.


The BEST way to avoid any upset for me is to avoid becoming the least bit, umm, irregular. It starts a terrible cycle, so I have learned to make sure that I get a daily big dose of fiber.


Breakfast is a great place to get a good dose of fiber-- oatmeal with a little ground flax. I also enjoy 5 and 7 grain hot cereals. I have recently discovered 'soaking my grains' from many other bloggers and books that has helped me to tolerate these high fiber foods even better. I will elaborate more on this.


If I don't get a high grain in at breakfast, I usually try to make sure that I serve a whole wheat pasta or bread later in the day.


I also do not drink pop. I only have it once in a blue moon if we're out as a 'treat', but never on a daily basis. If that stuff can clean a toilet, what can it do to our tummy?!?!


I have also worked very hard over the last couple of years to up my family's fruit and vegetable servings. I try to make sure lunch has 1/2 a plate of veggies and/or fruit and our dinner has 1/2 to 3/4 veggies and/or fruit. At least that's how it normally works out!


I have also been keeping less junky stuff in the house like chips and more things like carrot sticks.


I try to make sure that 'smoothies' are a part of our regular menu. That gives an allowance for lots of goodies; flax, yogurt, fruit, and even spinach on occasion! :-)


I even try to make more of my desserts with fruit and grains, rather than white sugar and white flour.


While I have not had a big flair-up in years, I still go through times where things aren't quite right. I sometimes will have a couple of days of colic like symptoms every evening and I can't figure out why.


But one thing that I've done that seems to help with this is more cultured/fermented dairy foods such as yogurt, kefir, and buttermilk. I try very hard to make sure to get one hefty serving a day and several little ones in this and that.


I am in the process, through bloggers and books, of learning more and more about fermenting foods which I believe will only continue to help me.


This week, I've made something called Rejuvelac that seems to have a really positive effect on how I feel.


There's so much to learn!


But there is so much hope! God is so good and He's given so many wonderful foods that promote healing.


I hope to post more about this in the future. Until then, here's a few links about this subject and there are many great articles on this site! http://www.westonaprice.org/tour/index.html


Here's a link to Wikipedia, dealing with probiotics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Probiotic#Reducing_Inflammation


And here's one more dealing with a possible (and weird) cure for many auto-immune diseases:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helminthic_therapy

Do I eat perfect? All the time? No- but I sure do feel better when I eat better! :-)

Just Veggies in Butter

Veggies don't have to be a task to prepare. Just throw them in a little butter and cook until tender! So yummy! *Mushrooms, Onions, Broccoli, Green Peppers

Homemade Ice Cream

Who needs Baskin Robbins with a bowl of this?!?! The kids said it tasted like McD's!

I think this was the best batch yet!

2 cans of sweetened condensed milk

1 T vanilla

1/2 cup cream

2 quarts milk

Process in your ice cream maker.

Random Thoughts ......just for Laura!

1. 
   
   DH is outta town and he took MY laptop that his brother gave HIM and I don’t want all my pics on his pc soooo…I’m gonna have a bit of catching up to do when he gets back with MY/HIS laptop. AND, the sweet little lappy is acting up on him so maybe he won’t take him, I mean it, with him next time. (Yes, I have a personal attachment to the laptop- it’s got all of MY stuff on there!)
2. 
   Since he’s gone, I’ve been working like a mad woman AND making the kids work, which they are SO happy to do (since they had the choice of school work or Mom’s work). I’ve made about a dozen quarts of lamb and beef broth, pickled/fermented about 5 quarts of cukes (with more to go) and 1 quart of green tomatoes, made kefir-so yummy, put up some mushroom soup, snuck some ground liver in the kid’s spaghetti, let them make their own pizzas again (a great idea from Laura!), got some major cleaning done-including my very messy sewing area, made several quarts of Rejuvelac and lovingly persuaded (some with force and some with chocolate) the children to take a couple of drinks and even gave some to a neighbor-friend, and I did not put on fresh make-up today but if you repeat that I will carefully place chewed bubblegum on your favorite shoes!
3. 
   I am drinking a nice cup of herb tea and I have had wayyyyyy too much coffee today and I even let my kids have some with tea biscuits. Well, it’s organic!
4. 
   My sweet little princess has an insane animal for a pet, that I really think has a mental disorder—he does crazy things! Picture this, we bring this ‘puppy’ home (‘cause “she’s the only girl and doesn’t have a sister”—I cannot believe we fell for that one!), and until we ‘break him’ (he’s broken my patience more times than I can count!), we decide to keep him in the front bathroom at night (after he cried ALL NIGHT LONG the first night, in my room!)….okay, okay, I really am going to tell this….so, okay, in the bathroom he goes and being the nice animal lovers (–just completely suckered by a kid is really what I mean here)….sorry, ...........Ok, so we put him in there, place a baby gate over the doorway and you know what happens, right? He climbs out! This little, tiny fur ball, that weighs all of a pound, comes right up and over the gate! Ok, that’s realllllll cute! But being the smart and sleepy person I am, I put TWO baby gates up there---one on top of the other—there’s only a few inches at the top, ya know? Well, doofus, I mean Captain, climbs over BOTH gates! Needless to say, all of my animal sensitivity went right down the toilet of the room he was in and I shut the door! I’ll tell ya more stories about THAT dog sometime…nutty creature!
5. 
   My daughter asked me for a cat. After the dog she picked out, she’s thinks that she’s going to get a cat!?!?
6. 
   My neighbors think that dog is adorable. I’ve offered to give him to them. Well?!?!?
7. 
   My zucchini plants are killing over and I don’t know why. Are they done? Are they sick? Did I do something to cause their demise?
8. 
   Back to that dog…..Laura, mm-hmm, if you still have ‘the touch’ would you care to dog-sit for me? :-) (If you don’t know what I am talking about, you’ll just have to go read Laura’s Blog!)
9. 
   I often get a kick out of finding contentment with what I have, but my kids don’t always. You know, sometimes they (forget and) say “I’m bored” and then I tell them “there’s lots to do around here” and then say “come on” while I lead them to weed the garden or hand wash the kitchen floor. You know, stuff like that.
10. 
    ….you know that stupid dog, I mean Captain, really gets on my nerves. Me and DH were being quiet one night, watching one of our episodes of The Waltons and that brainless dog, I mean Captain (who really thinks I like him, which makes him even more pathetically pitiful-well, just pathetic) has made the back of MY recliner his ‘place’ during this nice-QUIET time at night…..well, right when all is quiet this dumb dog, I mean Captain, who is asleep, falls right off the back of my chair, nearly giving me a heart attack.
11. 
    Ok, one more stupid thing this dog does. If you open the front door, he dashes out as fast as he can. BUT- if you say his name (he’s so dumb that he can’t even figure out how to stop his body when it’s in motion) he will stop running but his body DOES NOT STOP MOVING and he slides and drops right off the porch like Wile E. Coyote when Roadrunner plays tricks on him and I NEVER hear a Beep! Beep! -so I know it’s just because he’s stupid that he does this.
12. 
    Do you know what I call that dog? I suppose you know it’s not Captain by now, right? I call him Super Doofus; Super-Do for short.
13. 
    I am currently memorizing this verse: Prov 12:10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
14. 
    I like to play in the rain-always have. As a little kid, I played in the rain. 15 years old, played in the rain. 17, played in the rain. Newly married, played in the rain with one of my friends. Now, I let my kids play in the rain while I sit on the porch, wishing that I could be out there but knowing what will become of the paint on my face and the spray in my hair if I do-- I just sit.
15. 
    We are normally up late and everyone who knows us knows that about us. Well, my oldest turned 16 last week and 6 of his friends (including the Preacher) showed up at midnight to sing Happy Birthday to him at the top of their voice on our front porch. I thought it was funny. DH did not think it was so funny. But you know what wasn’t funny to me? That goofhead dog, whom my daughter adoringly calls Captain, ran out the door and I had to carry him in by the nape of his neck because he was about to bite one of the singers. Stupid dog!
16. 
    The cows are moo-ing across the street. Wonder how they like poodles?
17. For more Random Thoughts- visit Laura's! She'll crack you up!

gRaTiTuEsDaY

As school is starting and things are being reorganized for those wonderful and busy days ahead, I stopped again, to thank the Lord for His Provision.

I promised Lyn a little more about this story so here goes; Many years ago, I noticed the RC (Robinson Curriculum) and was intrigued by it but never thought I could do it for several reasons. 1. I thought I had to have a curriculum that looked kinda like a 'real' school curriculum. 2. I thought I would need everything else plus this to make it all work. 3. I just tried to trust God to provide and guide because there's just so much out there that looks good and when it comes to books--- I AM THAT BIG FAT KID WITH CANDY! I want it all! :-)

But years went by, more kids came, I had kids tested, etc. I became more confident to a certain extent in my abilities and in theirs.

Then harder times hit, and still more. We found ourselves looking for resources to homeschool for free and also at homeschooling scholarships. Well, I ran across a dear lady who...to cut this short...was able to get me the Robinson Curriculum.

I loved the idea of it, but at first glance, I panicked a little thinking "I gotta print all this?!?!"
But I learned, a lot and fast. And I knew I had to have a laser printer or I would never be able to get it done with an ink jet. (Slow and couldn't make it through one book without running out of ink and I broke the one that I had, trying!)

I prayed for days....it's even written in my Bible, as I waited for God to move. Well, we got access to a little extra money after a good bit of waiting and we went to Staples. I knew we'd have it tough, especially when I'd heard that they would be nearly $300 on average and maybe a sale for $200 on a lower name. Not to mention the ink/toner was something like 50 to 75-yikes! But I soon learned that they can print thousands of pages..... but, we didn't have that much money. What we had was set, and we needed God to do something.

So, my DH just finally told the kid we really need something really cheap. Well, the precious little lad said, "There's one in the back that's actually a fax, along with a scanner and printer. It's not exactly what you are looking for. It's older, a little slower, but its on clearance and to be honest with you, I was going to buy it myself." Well, low and behold....it was only $50! And it was a laser printer!

But the best part is God's signature on this whole deal.....lemme explain. When we got done and checked out, the total that we had verses the total of our purchase was just pennies away from one another! We didn't get over that for days!

But now, the really cool part is, you can get toner refill online now for between $5 and $10! (with S+H) That prints around 2000!

So my Gratitude this week is over what God has given us for school. He knew what we needed. He knew how long we would have the need. And for those of you who don't know much about the RC, it takes them all the way through 12th with even a few college courses on it. So, this year, my only spending was our 5-cent notebooks to write in (a little over $5 worth of them) and a box of copying paper! Oh, and a few more 5-cent portfolios.

How's that for frugal?

And the best part of all, is that my kids love it! They actually have a blast reading these books!

I am so thankful to the Lord! He has been so precious to my kids! Hasn't he been to yours too?!?!

More Gratituesday? Click HERE!

***p.s.

Please don't think that I am knocking ANY other curriculum, I'm not. My post is simply to share about God's Provision. We have many different things around here from other publishers that we've picked up over the years from all sorts of places, prior to getting the RC, some of which are still used. My little ones are using a Mennonite phonics program from which I had leftovers from the older kids. Again, my post is about God meeting a need and how much it has blessed!

From the garden....

My goodies from the garden!

Got pumpkin?

If you have some nice early pumpkins in your garden, consider frying them! I seeded the pumpkin, sliced it, then removed the peel, cut into pieces, and dipped it into flour, with salt and pepper. I then dropped these pretties into some hot oil and wallah! Fried pumpkin!

*Served here with roast, potatoes, and carrots.

For more kitchen tips, please visit Tammy's Recipes!

A Frugal Tip....carrot tops

Don't toss your carrot tops out! Use them to season your roasts and soups! They have a great flavor!

Vegging Out!

After a day of not so good food, I had a request for a veggie dinner!

Tossed Cukes Sauteed Squash Sweet Potatoes and Golden Broccoli Salad .

Don't Just Feed 'em, Teach 'em!

U R WHAT U EAT!

(Click on the pic and you'll see this fella certainly is!)

Sometimes being 'frugal' and eating healthy can collide! With 6 kids (5 are boys) and a DH who can REALLY do some serious eating, I know how hard it can be to make the grocery budget work, especially when you really want to fix your family healthy meals. You cannot afford wastefulness!

One thing that I have found to be helpful, is incorporating a "Health and Nutrition" lesson from time to time, during our homeschooling. This serves many purposes!

It doesn't single out any one child who may be struggling, it simply teaches how different foods benefit the body, as well as encourages them to make healthier choices when given an option.

(I do this during our 'writing time' and have them take notes!:-)

Here's a little sample from one of the last lessons that I put together last year:

-Unpeeled apples have a protective effect from colon cancer. One medium apple has 10% of your daily requirement of vitamin C, which is important for disease prevention.

-Beans are a good source of protein, starch, and fiber. Protein is for muscles. Fiber keeps away tummy troubles. They help fight cancer, stabilize blood sugar, and help control your appetite! They reduce the risk of heart disease. If you combine them with a grain, you have a complete protein.

Reminding my kids of these types of things from time to time, as well as pointing out to them how they 'feel' after eating things like 'fast food', has made an impact on some of their choices. When my older children are away from home any length of time, they have asked me to pack them some 'good food' to take along with them because they say they 'don't feel good' after a day or so of eating 'junk foods'.

In the last 2 1/2 years, we've only had to visit the doctor once for illness. They had the flu, but the doctor was very impressed at how well they looked, how mild their symptoms were, and not to mention how fast they got over it!

So, I say again, DON'T JUST FEED 'EM, TEACH 'EM!

For more frugal tips, visit FRUGAL FRIDAYS!

Giveaway

Homestead Originals is having a Giveaway!

What are they giving away?:
"Win a bar of our FANTASTIC Farm Fresh Oatmeal Soap and our signature slotted hardwood soap shelf!"

Visit Lisa's Blog for your chance to win!!!

Farm Fresh Oatmeal Soap, what could be more delightful? I can just imagine it now..........
*Must sign up and wait for password in your email, but well worth the wait
girls!
********************************************************************
She also has a Giveaway for a free copy of the HOMESTEAD SIMPLICITY EBOOK! Here's the link: LISA'S BLOG!
*Remember, you'll have to register and wait for a password in your email!

REAL STRAWBERRY MUFFINS

Of all fruits, I think the strawberry is my favorite! So when I ran across Sonshine's recipe for REAL Strawberry Muffins, I knew I would have to try them! Here's the link to her post with the recipe: Strawberry Muffins .

Yummy!

*I used half cane sugar and half wheat flour.

WACKY BANANA CAKE

I call this 'Wacky' because the topping is different from other bananas cakes that I've made. Easy and well worth a try!

1/2 cup oil

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 t salt

2 1/2 t baking powder

1 t soda

3/4 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

1 cup plain white flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup ground flax (Opt exchange for flour if you like.)

1/4 cup milk

1 T lemon juice

1 1/4 cups mashed banana

Mix oil and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add dry ingredients and milk. Mix and stir in lemon juice and banana. Bake in 9x13 at 350 for about 35 minutes.

TOPPING

1/3 cup butter,melted

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup coconut

2 T milk

Mix and spread over cake. Broil just until brown.

*It will bubble, but you want it in there just until the coconut begins to get toasted.

A Southern Dinner

Fresh from my garden; corn on the cob, green beans, fried green tomatoes, with seasoned pinto beans over cornbread.

About these beans.....I cooked (in a very large pot) about 4 lbs of beans. (Soak overnight first.)I also did something REAL Southern by adding about 2 cups of leftover ham (from the leftovers of the one I bought for $5 for DH). Now I'm normally not a pork person but it IS really good in beans! (and since I had some anyway...) Also, remember not to salt until beans are basically done, as the salt can keep them from getting nice and soft.

Triple Berry Fruit Crisp

Remember that Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook that I told you about winning from their site? Well, it came today--its a real treat--lots of goodies. Well, as the Lord would have it, I also got in my gallon of fresh blackberries from the neighbor's farm. Their children picked them for us, right there on the farm! Talk about fresh, we're right across the street! I didn't waste too much time and set right in to looking for a recipe for those little jewels, after we ate a few of course.;-)

And please click this pic below, it just doesn't do this dish justice. You guys know that I have the sweet tooth (teeth is more like it) of a Townhouse Baker, and I also have many Chocolate Sweet Teeth, well, this dish was right up there with my gourmet chocolate loves and I'm not kidding. My little girl said, "Mom this dessert belongs in a 10-star restaurant, if they have one." (Ain't she precious?!?!)

Ok, so here's how I made it, much like the one in the book with a few differences.

About 5 cups of berries, mostly all blackberries-about 3 cups, with only about a cup of strawberries and 1 cup of blueberries.

-the zest of one orange. mixed in with berries

In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar with 2Tcornstarch and toss over berries.

Pour berry mix in sprayed 9x13.

For the crisp topping:

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 1/2 stinks of butter

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 t salt

1 t allspice

Mix all of the dry ingredients. then cut butter in until crumbly. resembling cornmeal.

Sprinkle over berries. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes.

Serve warm--It's outstanding! The zest really sets off the berries. It and the allspice bring a fancier twist to other versions of fruit Crisps.

More Works for me Wednesday HERE!

"Who needs hamburger helper?"

3/4 to 1lb ground beef

1 can red kidney beans

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 onion, chopped

1 can beef broth

1 can of water

2 T Worcestershire sauce

1/2 pkg egg noodles

dash fresh ground black pepper

Brown hamburger and onions, drain. Toss in mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce. Stir a couple of minutes and add remaining ingredients. Simmer approx 10 minutes until noodles are done.

Who needs hamburger helper with a Frugal Mom?

:-)

*Served here with Tossed Cukes - A nice, easy lunch!

Tossed Cukes

Nothing like Southern meals! These easy cucumbers could go with lots of meals!

1 cucumber, sliced

1/4 of a red onion, sliced

about 1/3 cup vinegar

salt and pepper

Toss!

Gratituesday--THE LITTLE THINGS

Are you thankful for the little things? Do you even pray about what many would call the little things or even 'insignificant' things? If people around you knew about some of the little things that you pray for, would they think you're silly?

Well, just in case you've been tempted to believe that, allow me to tell you about a few little things!

See that box up there? Yeah, a couple of tomatoes, a few cukes, a few home-grown apples, and some little peaches....(the BEST peaches that I've ever tasted by the way)...Well, this little box was given to me today by a friend. (There were a few more in here by the way but my kids get real excited over little things too so they dug right in!) I don't know about you but for me, it's in these little things that God seems to speak to me the loudest! It's in these little things that He seems to say the most clearly: "I care for you and I am your Provision!"

It also seems that when I am faithful with these little things along the way that He gives me more or in some cases the little things seem to say:"I know you need more and help is on the way". Do you ever hear it? Am I the only one? :-)Mat 25:21

I remember (this is going to be REAL silly) once when I said; "God, I really would like to see some flowers around here. I'm thankful for my yard Lord, you know I am, but I would love to have a few little flowers outside".

Well, stupid me, I told someone that God cares about the little things and that I prayed about little things often and then told them about this teeny little request (to the God that owns Streets of Gold) and you know what they said?! They told me that He didn't care about such foolishness and He had a lot of real issues to deal with and that He was basically absent through many of life's day to day issues. (Hhhmmp! Not my God!--I thought.) Do you think God cared? Do you think that He heard me and that He wanted to show His love for me in my simple little request?!? Do you think He hears you? Do you think that He doesn't want you to know that He loves you? Do you think He's too busy to show YOU a little love today?

Well, 2 days later, this little pack of flower seeds arrived in the mail for me to 'sample'!!! My heart was filled with joy as I thought "He does, yes He does! HE DOES CARE ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS!"

Now Please, I know that flower seeds are a little silly. I do know, really, but the Lord and a few others around me, know that there were some pretty terrific things going on around me at that time and well, we all want to know God is there and hearing us when we are facing something tough........and what better way for Him to show it than in the LITTLE THINGS!?!?!?

Today, I'm SO thankful for the little things! May God show you His love in the little things!

1 Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Prov 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.

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Getting ready.....

We spent a couple of hours organizing some of our school stuff today. That's a very important job to get done before school starts! Who wants to add more to a mess?!?:-)

These are some of our school books. As you can see we have some 'regular' books and then we have those in the folders that have been printed from the Robinson Curriculum. I was amazed to see how many books had been read last year! WOW!

Robinson is a 3R's curriculum and this is the 'reading'. For Math, we use Saxon books and the children write or do copywork in their notebook. I have been so surprised at how much poetry the kids have been exposed to by doing copywork during their writing. A couple of them have written some of their own! They've learned so much so stress-free!

We only took about 3 weeks off and we are getting back in the swing. We still may take a few more days to garden and maybe go to the lake. I've found that taking a whole summer off allows a lot to be forgotten and makes for some lazy brains, so we usually just work through the summer. The children have come to accept this as our way and they don't mind so much and it allows me extra days throughout the school year if something comes up that we want to do.

It is so exciting to me, watching them all grow and learn! And I'm so thankful for all that they've gotten out of this curriculum, I don't think that I could have asked for more!

Banana Pops!

I got this neat little idea from Sonshine's. (Sorry I couldn't find her exact link again...Sonshine if you see, please post the link:-)!)It's really good and really simple!

I just mixed some homemade yogurt with a bit of sweetener and vanilla, put a popsicle stick in the bananas, rolled them in yogurt, placed them on a lined (foil or wax paper) pan and froze. Big hit!

Freezer Pickles

Here's a recipe that I found for some friends. I haven't tried it yet but I thought that I would share it with you since I had it typed up. I got it from a book at the Library.

Freezer Pickles:
About 5 small cucumbers, washed and thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, crushed
8 sprigs of fresh dill
Layer the cucumbers and onions in two 1-quart freezer containers. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, water, and garlic. Blend well. Place the dill on top of the cucumbers. Pour the mixture into the freezer into the freezer containers, leaving 2-inch headspace. Cover and freeze.

This book is in the News...

This book is in the News and here's a link to it and the scoop on it : LINK

What do you think?

Ahh Shucks!

This pic reminded me of a Norman Rockwell,lol. It's just my kiddos shuckin' corn.:-)

They were excited to do it this (first) time....but what about the 5th or 6th?

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES ANYONE?

You guys do know about Fried Green Tomatoes, don't you?

These are lovely dainties to me!

I'm not usually one to fry anything but these....mmmmmm. Well, these are reason enough to grow tomatoes!

Chop or slice them, dip them in a flour and cornmeal mixture with salt and pepper. Then fry them in a little oil until golden!

A Southern delicacy!

-fresh from our garden-

SOUR CHERRY PUDDING PIE

Almost a cobbler, but not quite! This is really a treat! My kids asked me to use less sugar next time! 'magine that!

1 c sugar
1/3 c butter
2 t baking powder
1 c milk
1/4 t salt
2 c flour
Cream sugar and butter together. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Pour evenly into a 9x13 greased pudding pan.
2 c pitted sour cherries (fresh or frozen are better)
2 c sugar
1/3 c butter, melted
2 c hot water
Mix all ingredients together until sugar is dissolved and pour over batter in pudding pan. Try to distribute cherries. Bake in 350 oven for 45 minutes. Serve warm (with cream or vanilla ice cream if you like).
*I found this recipe in an old Smokey Mountain cookbook that I picked up at the Goodwill. A great find!

For more kitchen tips and recipes, visit TAMMY'S RECIPES!

1st Pot of Green Beans from the Garden!

Seasoned very simply with onions, salt, and pepper. MMmmm!

Several of my kids ask for them this way.

Sandwich on a Roll!

I like to make a sandwich out of just about any kind of bread.......

These were some Whole Wheat Rolls, picked up for a nice bargain at the bread store and I just sliced them open to make them a really neat, hand-sized (kids) sandwich.

I stuffed them with some leftover shredded chicken that I mixed with chopped pickles, chopped red onions, light mayo, mustard, and pepper.

Served with carrot sticks and strawberries! Yummy!

Do you have a Cash'n'Carry Store near you?

If you do, you may want to stop by there sometime to look for great grocery bargains, especially bulk food!

We went today and here's a little list of my finds:

25 lb bag of pinto beans =$15

50lb bag of plain flour=$10

50 lb bag of white sugar= $15

5 lb jug of raw clover honey=$9.99

2 lbs frozen chopped peppers=$2.20

4 lbs frozen cherries= $8

6 lbs carrots=$3

A great trip, to the Cash'n'Carry!

More Frugal Friday Fun HERE!

Peaches and Cream Pop

These were today's popsicle treat.

Homemade yogurt mixed with a little sweetener (cane sugar) and vanilla; blended with a can of peach nectar to make 6 yummy pops.

A good way to get some calcium, some other vitamins from the nectar, and cool off at the same time!

(Mom and) School Supplies

I was so excited when WalMart's school supply sale finally started a couple of days ago.

We use Robinson Curriculum, so the main things we need are copying paper and spiral notebooks.

Well, these precious jewels are on the best sale ever FIVE CENTS EACH!

Made my day! We bought over $5 worth of them, about 100! All of my kids were sooooooo excited!!! (We were down to one!)

My kids keep 2 notebooks for their school work, one for Math and the other for Writing/Vocabulary assignments.

But they also have a 'special' one they keep in their 'special drawer' (the drawer that no sibling can get into without permission that also has special things that they don't have to share -and probably candy,lol); and yet one more that is their own 'creative notebook'. They can draw or whatever they want in there but most of them love to write their own comics, an idea started my the newly-nine year old.

I personally keep about 7 of them going at once. One that is used for my 'once-a-month' grocery shopping, one for recipes(often the ones that I make up on the spot and I write down what I'm doing, just in case it turns out good enough to share;-) and menu ideas, one that I keep Bible study ideas for the kids in-my own curriculum you could say, one for letters to the kids (I'll tell ya more about this in another post sometime), one is a 'to-do' list, etc.

So as you can see, this is a great find for us!

Sandwiches--a good place to sneak in some veggies

These sandwiches are made from whole wheat and flax bread, turkey bologna, swiss (or pepper jack) cheese, lettuce, thinly sliced purple onions, mustard, pickled banana peppers, and dill pickle slices. On the plate you see a couple of slices of fresh cucumbers.

A great way to get your veggies in!

Tomorrow's Bible Study for the Kids- rebellion

2 things happened today that led to the following outline for tomorrow's Bible Study for the kids. The first thing was that one of my children made a couple of 'complaints' about a gift from a sibling and he did not understand nor 'get' that what he had said was wrong. (That's always fun isn't it moms?) (BTW,"Phil 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings". Complaining is a 'no-no' at my house,lol.)The second thing was running into a young fellow who basically confessed to living in rebellion to his family's teachings and causing much trouble in his home. (A very troubling encounter and I'm sure you don't wanna hear all the details...:-)


But all of this led to tomorrow's Bible Study for my kids (lest they think his parents did not have a legitimate reason to deal strongly with HIS behavior). It is as follows;

Prov 4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Prov 4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

Prov 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Prov 23:13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.Prov 23:14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.Prov 23:15 My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. (A spanking helps you to understand that there is a consequence to bad behavior. (*see also Prov. 20:30)It is unpleasant but: Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.) (***I'm talking swats on the fanny here not a literal beating****)

Prov 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

Isa 7:16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good,..................A parent is required to teach a child, they are not born knowing. Sometimes children do not know things are wrong and maybe do not feel that they are wrong, but God gave parents the job of teaching right and wrong and He gave His Word to help parents teach the child.

1 Sam 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee.......When we reject the Word of God (whether it comes from our parents or the preacher), we place ourselves in a very grim position with God.

It seems to be very important that children understand that parents don't just make up rules. There is a God and there is a final authority that we all are under, adults as well. Rules and discipline are not 'because I said so'.

I try to always bring the Word of God into training my children. In this case, I felt it necessary to show them what God's Word said vs. what a child said. :-)
This is what will work for us today! Hope someone else can use the verses/lesson.
Visit ROCKS IN MY DRYER for more WORKS FOR ME WEDNESDAY!

A black bean + salad, whipped up with some garden veggies

I love to keep canned black beans around for 'salads' like this.

I used;

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 zucchini, diced

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/3 cup chopped purple onions

1 large green onion, chopped

3 T Italian Dressing

3/4 t dill

pinch of ground mustard (I just try to sneak this in since I read of its anti-cancer properties)

1/2 t parsley

Stir and serve!