GRATITUESDAY....

Its Gratituesday and there's so much to be thankful for!! When you have to wait on things, it can make you even more grateful!!!

I started my first garden in years, last year. I began to ask the Lord to make a way for me to have my own tiller because it would be too expensive and too inconvenient to have someone else do it. I'm a little stubborn see, and well, I want something done WHEN I want something done

This year I began to pray again as I began to plot a fall garden and knew I would need it re-turned even though I had already paid someone to turn it the first time.

Well, I saved up enough money to buy a used one and something came up and I felt the Lord wanted me to do something else with that money.

So, I began to save again!

This time, I ended up finding one-

and boy did I ever get a deal!

Would you believe I walked away, paying only $50?!!!?!!!

Now, excuse me while I go find a new place to till!

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Visit Laura's for more GRATITUESDAY!

KITCHEN TIP TUESDAY...room temp for baking

I make it a habit to grind extra wheat flour and store it in the freezer. This saves me time the next time I bake except for one little problem! The temperature!

I've found that if I can bring all ingredients to room temperature before mixing, my yeast is much happier- and faster- so I'm happier too!

For more Kitchen Tip Tuesdays, visit Tammy's Recipes!

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Confused about using grains?

Please read my post: To Use Grains, or Not to Use Grains- That Is the Question!

(Answers based on the Bible.)

More tales from Walmart....

We have 2 Walmarts in Smalltown USA. The one is new and seems quiet as it is off from the main part of town. The other...wow!...its like the Twilight Zone. The past 2 times that my DH and I have taken our children in there, we turned around and walked back out and drove to the other one!

The tale of our last visit:
We drive into the parking lot, and there, getting out of a van is not one, but two people- WEARING PAJAMAS GOING IN THE STORE AT THE GARDEN CENTER!
What happened to the day when people dressed UP to go to town? Maybe that wasn't real.

Well, we pull to the other side and there is a car that is pulling in the parking space and backing up, pulling back in the parking space, and backing up.... I strain my eyes to look and it happens to be an Hispanic man, whom upon exiting his car stumbles several times while attempting to walk towards the door. Hmmm.

We get out of the van, coral the kids and begin to walk towards the door. To our shock, there is this father, trying his hardest to get his kids buckled in on the passengers side of a big white Suburban and he's yelling things like; "are you stupid or something", "why did you get back out of your seat", "what's wrong with you"...And you can just tell that he's really about to lose it. Well, just when I think it can't get anymore interesting, from around the drivers side of the vehicle comes another little toddler who apparently has escaped! The thought runs through my mind "oh boy- he could run over one of them". Then I think of the humor, at this dad trying to get all these children in the car, then he yells out "I think I'm just going to leave you here". I look up to see the mother coming back from putting the buggy up and she just kinda snickers and almost shrugs, while giving me a kind smile. Her response made it all the more comical.

Well, we make it into the store and say hello to Ms. Ivey, a nice older lady who works there. The noise level in there is through the roof nearly. Talking, crying, screaming, beeping, it just seems too much. We try, very hard, to trudge on through.

We get to the pet isle and we make it part of the way down the aisle when a mother with three young children passes us and she also has another lady behind her, pushing the buggy, seemingly trying to help with the children. Well, within seconds, those three little children came unglued! Those three little children began to climb on the dogfood, under the buggy, over the buggy, and they almost appeared to multiply! The mother starts yelling at them by name but I've never seen children act like this respond very well to their mother yelling their name, have you?

My poor DH was trying to talk to me about something and I just looked and said, "You are missing a circus behind me!" My children acted as though they were watching The Three Stooges, they were too shocked to laugh, but they wanted too. Finally one of the three little children jumps up and lands on his back in the dogfood with his feet sticking straight up in the air and one of my DSs, who can't hardly hold his thoughts in, just started telling his dad in a loud, shocked whisper, "Did you see that? His legs were sticking straight up in the air!"

(These children continued to carry on- smacking each other and yelling at each other.)

DH said; "Okay, that's it. Let's go to the other Walmart."

We nearly ran to the van!

Carrot-n-Fruit Salad....

This was a nice twist on our fruit salads!

1 can pineapple (reserve some juice)
1 large apple diced, unpeeled
1/3 cup raisins
1 shredded or finely chopped carrot
Toss altogether using some of the reserved juice.
(This will prevent the apples from browning.)
Chill before serving.

Menu Plan......

Greetings! Its Menu Plan Monday and I couldn't be more excited this week! I found a new cookbook-well, an old cookbook- at a second-hand store and I can't wait to try out some of the new recipes! (Which means my menu may be subject to change!;)

SUNDAY:
-vanilla millet
-homemade pizza, Carrot-fruit salad
-Steak-n-peppers-n-mushrooms in homemade pita bread, carrots and dip
Snacks-Laura's breakfast cookies, homemade Cheese Crackers, yogurt mixed with fruit

MONDAY:
-pita stuffed with eggs and bacon, grapes
-Hamburger Soup, cornbread
-Lil Roasted Chickens, with potatoes and carrots, green peas
Snacks- leftover breakfast cookies and cheese crackers, apples, Honey Milk Balls

TUESDAY:
-soaked oatmeal, Cinnamon Scones with Homemade Apple Jelly
-Breakfast Burritos, Saucy Potato Wedges
-Creamy Chicken Spaghetti, sweet potatoes, green beans
Snacks- Raisin Bread, apples

WEDNESDAY:
-kids choice
-Salad, potato salad, salmon patties
- Monkey Meat on flatbread
Snacks-Watermelon Smash, leftover Raisin Bread

THURSDAY:
-Bug Oats (with whole oat groats)
- Acorn Squash, beans, corn, greens
-Salmon Alfredo, steamed broccoli
Snacks- Maple-Walnut Muffins, popcorn, raisins

FRIDAY:
- Buckwheat Crepes
- Indian Tacos
- Roast and Vegetables
Snacks-Strawberry Shortcakes, carrots and dips

TEN THOUSAND TIMES TEN THOUSAND

Ten thousand times ten thousand in sparkling raiment bright,
The armies of the ransomed saints throng up the steeps of light;
’Tis finished, all is finished, their fight with death and sin;
Fling open wide the golden gates, and let the victors in.

What rush of alleluias fills all the earth and sky!
What ringing of a thousand harps bespeaks the triumph nigh!
O day, for which creation and all its tribes were made;
O joy, for all its former woes a thousandfold repaid!

O then what raptured greetings on Canaan’s happy shore;
What knitting severed friendships up, where partings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall sparkle, that brimmed with tears of late;
Orphans no longer fatherless, nor widows desolate.

Bring near Thy great salvation, Thou Lamb for sinners slain;
Fill up the roll of Thine elect, then take Thy power, and reign;
Appear, Desire of nations, Thine exiles long for home;
Show in the heaven Thy promised sign; Thou Prince and Savior, come.

Sourdough Cheese-n-onion Strata...

(another recipe based on More With Less)

I cut up the sourdough bread that I made the other day and used it to make this yummy dish for lunch. This would be good with any bread...store-bought sandwich bread, homemade wheat bread, leftover artisan bread, french bread, Texas toast bread, ...the possibilities are endless! And it sure beats a plain ole sandwich!

Its good for lunch, breakfast, or even an elegant brunch! Its just that good and pretty!

First, butter a 9x13 very well! You don't want it to stick!

Lay out as many slices of bread as you are able to fit flatly. These are short loaves so I was able to place 9 flatly in the buttered dish!

Saute one large onion in several 3 tablespoons of butter and divide evenly on the slices.

Top with approx. 2 cups of shredded cheese or sliced cheese if you prefer.

Place another slice of bread on each topped slice to make a 'sandwich'.

Beat 4 eggs with 2 3/4 cup of milk. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of ground mustard.

Pour over bread. Sprinkle with parsley.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

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This is really super easy and frugal!

(This dish, with homemade bread, and cheap eggs from Aldi- probably cost me around $2!)

So many changes could be made to it and it can be a full meal! Or like this with a nice salad. I served it with steamed broccoli.

You could add some diced turkey ham, different veggies (peppers, mushrooms, peas, more onions, green onions, broccoli, cauliflower, etc just about anything/leftovers would be great as they would be lightly cooked or steamed already), extra cheese could be added, toppings could include zukes, tomatoes, eggplant, etc.

You can also assemble these, store them in the fridge overnight or just a few hours and then bake them at just the right time!

Its the little things that make me happy....

fresh eggs- that were a gift! I returned the gift with a jar of jelly, a few fresh tomatoes from my garden, and a small batch of okra.

Then look what I happened to find at the store! Do you know what they are? Wanna guess?

When I was a girl, I remember being taken on a long walk through the woods, just to pick muscadines!

These are muscadine grapes! Yummy!

To use Grains, or not to use Grains- that is the question!

From a practical standpoint, I have NO grounds to argue this- in fact, I don't desire to argue this at all! I just want to offer a different point of view and something to THINK ON! ;-)

My DH is the one who pointed this out to me some time back and its a verse from the Bible. This first verse doesn't deal specifically with grainss, but its where I want to start.

1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
.......1 Tim 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
1 Tim 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving....

NOW, what's interesting here is; you see that word "meats"???? Well, it is translated and defined in the Greek as "that which is eaten, food, meat, victual". If this is "food" then this verse goes on to tell us that "nothing to be refused".

Ok, now, Jesus in a couple of places (John 6:35 and John 6:48) called Himself "the Bread of life". Now I only want you to think about that. If He used bread as an illustration of "life", don't you think bread and what it is made of was pretty important to that day?

And in the Lord's prayer, we are instructed to ASK for daily bread! Not daily meat or daily fruits and vegetables, but daily bread. (Again, I use this to support the notion that grains are not to be forbidden.)

I also was thinking about a verse that cautioned about staying too long at the wine table, but nothing about staying to long at the grain (carb) table. (Ok, I just threw that in to be funny!)

BTW, do you know the word "bread" is mentioned 361 times in 330 different verses? Fruit is mentioned 208 in 184 verses and some of those times it means fruit of the womb. The word "vegetables" isn't mentioned at all. 'Herbs' is mentioned 18 times, while 'herb is mentioned 19 times. 'Plants' is mentioned 8 times. 'Plant' is mentioned 42 times in 41 verses but is a verb in many of those. 'Corn' is mentioned 102 times in 94 verses. 'Wheat' is mentioned 51 times.
(Ok, that gets a little boring to some...)

Let's look at a few verses that talk about grains.
2 Sam 17:28 Brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse,
2 Sam 17:29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine....
(See the food they brought? Legumes, dairy, and grains. BUT, the word pulse there does mean vegetables. Pulse is only mentioned 3 times in the Bible.)

In Gen 27:28, we see 'blessings' being pronounced and one of them being "plenty of corn". In Gen 27:31, we see him making savoury meat. Then on down in verse 37 we see this; "with corn and wine have I sustained him".

Do you remember what Joseph stored to prevent famine? Grains.
Gen 41:49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
Gen 42:1 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt,
Gen 42:2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt:
Gen 42:3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
Gen 42:5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn
Gen 43:2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn
Gen 44:2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money.
......Let's see, there's a famine, Egypt has corn, they keep going to buy corn...is corn all they are eating do you think? I'm not suggesting that we live off corn, just that it should not be forbidden.
Once Joseph's identity is known, here's what he does;
Gen 45:23 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father

Here's a little funny but just to illustrate the importance of corn and grain;
Exo 22:6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.
A law was made to protect it!

Corn seems to be recognized as pretty important;
Deu 7:13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
Deu 11:14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
Deu 33:28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
Ruth 2:2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn
Ruth 2:14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.
(Grains were the food she went after to keep her and her mother-in-law from starving.)
2 Ki 4:42 And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
2 Ki 18:32 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die:
Many places they tithed on their corn such as here,2 Chr 31:5.
Neh 5:2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
Neh 5:3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
(They mortgaged their homes to buy corn!?!!?!)

Well, what about wheat?
Deu 8:7 For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
Deu 8:8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
Deu 8:9 A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness,
Judg 6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
Ruth 2:23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
1 Ki 5:11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.
1 Ki 5:12 And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.
(Wheat brings peace?!)
2 Chr 2:8 Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,
2 Chr 2:9 Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.
2 Chr 2:10 And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.
(Wheat was part of the payment for the timbers needed to build the Temple!)
Psa 81:16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
Psa 147:14 He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.

As you can see, grains were very important! (There's many more verses!) There were many times in the OT where God would punish through their grains; sending rain on wheat harvest day, sending enemies to destroy their corn.

As you seek to learn how to feed your family, please don't neglect the Word of God.
Prayerfully consider the first verse I mentioned in 1 Tim.4.
May God bless your homes and kitchens!

(I'm posting this link on Laura's blog in response to a question that she asked. Laura's been a great blessing to me! ..I love learning about eating healthier for the sake of my family. And I've loved NT and Eat Fat, Lose Fat and a host of others....but I love the Word of God more. Its authority is higher, therefore I feel it must be considered on this and all issues. God bless!)

Now, to soak or not to soak- leavened and unleavened bread- ....maybe I'll do a part two sometime....:-)

A blog with a Southern touch and helpful meal planning ideas...

For all you southern food lovin' gals out there, I want to introduce you to a blog with lots of yummies!


Meal Planning with Connie has much to offer! She plans meals and gives you the recipes all at once!! She also has a wonderful knack for putting together some delicious Southern Comfort Foods. (my favorite! be still my grumbling stomach!)


I enjoyed reading through many of her posts and seeing the beautiful verses of the Bible posted often!

For you coupon lovers- she offers a link that will take you to a site that shows the next round of coupons! Talk about helpful planning!

And for you chocoholic, sugar loving ladies like myself; look at this Chocolate Peanut Buddy Bars.

Connie is also very generous, in that she has monthly giveaways! Her love for the Lord shines through in that she seeks to bless others with her giveaways.

So head on over to Meal Planning with Connie!

Gobblers in a Blanket with Cheese...lol

Gobblers in a Blanket with Cheese- I crack myself up! Anyway, this was our fun and not so strict lunch. The green salad is organic with homemade Thousand Island Dressing from homemade NT mayo....the rest compromise food! Bagged fries, canned biscuits with turkey dogs, with cheese over the top.

I also played some more in sour dough bread. It turned out quite pretty.

But quite sour!

I did cheat and use this little bag from the Mennonite General Store. Sourdough Bread Mix- just add yeast and water! ;-)

I don't know if I'll ever be able to get it right on my own! -gulp-

Buying from my winnings from Swagbucks!

This is what I've been able to buy with my accumulated, non-worked-for, Swagbucks! (We've checked these out from the library before but they are very worthy of our home library!!)

Swagbucks are earned simply by using their search engine. You load it to your computer and it will show up right above or below your google, MSN, or other search bar. It won't slow down your computer or get in the way. Its just sorta there!

As you use it to search for recipes and other things on the internet, swagbucks are given away sporadically, they will just pop up! You can win and buy various items with your Swagbucks.

I bought $5 Amazon giftcards. With 3 of them, I was able to purchase The Story of the World Volume One and pay for shipping!

It doesn't make me a ton of money/Swagbucks, but for doing nothing other than searching the internet, I earn enough each month to redeem one $5 Amazon card, on average!

There are other ways that you can earn more. You can sign up friends, turn in old cell phones, etc.


By clicking on the banner, you can enroll and I will earn a few extra Swagbucks! You can include links and banners on your site and in your emails too! There are no strings attached to Swagbucks...you don't owe them anything, or give your personal information, etc. You simply use their search bar! Easy Peasy!

Grocery deals this week.....

Leo's
-cabbage .29 lb
-potatoes 50# $7.99
-broccoli .99
-mushrooms .99 pint

Kroger
-homegrown cukes 3/$1
-homegrown squash and zukes .88lb
-eggplant .99
-Southern peaches (huge!) .97lb
-mangoes .68
-organic cantaloupe 2/$5
-Cascadian Farm Organic Cereals $2.49 (special 10 deal)
-El Paso shells and refried beans .99 (special 10 deal)
-Toaster Strudel and Scramblers 1.49 (special 10 deal)
-in store price org. carrots 2lbs 1.97

Food Lion
-ground beef 1.39 lb
-split chicken breasts .97
-green grapes .99lb

Walmart
-Jumbo Raw or Large cooked Shrimp $5
-Kraft Shreds or Chunks Cheese 8oz
-F.L. cereals .99

Have you heard about SCRIPTURE MEMORY FELLOWSHIP?

SCRIPTURE MEMORY FELLOWSHIP is a great program for the whole family!

It offers a fun and creative way to memorize God's Word! I can't think of anything better! Our family used this program several years ago, even before all of the children could read. This next time will be even more exciting (and easier for me) because now they all can read! Woo hoo!

Each person in your family can sign up! They will receive a memory book with scriptures to memorize. But that's not all!

There are 2 progress rewards- that you pick out! You get to give these as they progress along through the memory book.

And one final completion reward- that you can also pick out! This is the 'grand prize' so to speak, when all of the memory book is complete= all Scriptures are memorized.

The three rewards are your choice of -coloring books, jigsaw puzzles, games, and books.....even their very own KJV Bible is one of the choices!

So, here's what each participant gets (and adults can do this too!):

-the memory book with Bible verses

-2 progress rewards

-1 completion reward

And the price for the program is only $9 per person!

SCRIPTURE MEMORY FELLOWSHIP .....Works for Me Wedesday!

My ALL-TIME Favorite Banana Nut Muffins...

Mix in order:

4 ripe bananas

1/2 cup cane sugar

1 egg

3 T melted butter

3T olive oil

1 t vanilla

2/3 cup whole buttermilk

1 t baking powder

3/4 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 cup unbleached flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

For topping, mix:
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
3T softened butter
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle on topping.
Bake at 375 22 to 25 minutes.
*Can use all white flour.

Makes 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffins.

A great site for kids....

And its educational!

Its called:

FUNBRAIN.COM

Buckwheat Crepes (NT).....

Boy are these yummy and filling!

The crepe recipe is from NT.

1 cup buckwheat flour

1 cup fresh ground wheat flour (or spelt)

2 cups of buttermilk

(allow to soak 12 to 24 hours)

Stir in 3 beaten eggs, 1/4 t salt, 1 stick of melted butter, and enough water to make it the consistency of heavy cream.

Pour 1/4 cup of batter into hot, buttered pan and cook until almost set and flip. Cook approx 1 minute and remove to plate. (I used my cast iron skillet to cook these in. Next time I will use the big griddle so I can cook more at a time! But they cook up pretty fast.)

Here's what I stuffed them with;

1 8oz pkg of cream cheese, beaten

Wash and trim 1 16 oz pkg strawberries. Slice half and beat into cream cheese. Stir in 3/4 cup cane sugar about about 2 to 3 T heavy cream.

Stuff the crepes with the cream cheese mixture and top with the extra sliced strawberries.

A few more tips about wheat....

I just got some new wheat and it put my mind to thinking about some things that I've learned since I first got a bag of wheat some 13 years ago or so.

Like;

-when you get a new bag of wheat, be prepared for a little difference in moisture!

-most wheat bread recipes call for you to add SOME flour, creating a sponge, and allowing it to stand for anywhere from 10-20 minutes. This is an excellent idea . Doing this allows for moisture to be absorbed by the wheat, which means less chance of adding too much flour!

-allow for a long enough rising time. Most problems are solved with this one simple thing and its been the area of most questions about bread-making. "Why is my loaf short? Dense? Doughy?"
Allow for a good amount of rising time until you find the perfect recipe that works with your schedule. (I have one ole faithful that is a 7+hour rise, start in the morning and bake it in the evening. If you like to soak your wheat, that recipe is said to yield similar benefits. I also have one trusty quick-bake recipe for those times when bread must be done in a hurry and near perfect in a pinch for time.)

-For quick sweet breads, it is often best to use half white and half wheat. For example an apple bread with chunky apples would fair better with half white/half wheat, otherwise it would fall apart into a big pile of crumbs!

-if you bomb a loaf and it falls, don't throw it out. Slice it and allow it to cool, then run it through a food processor and store in the freezer when you need bread crumbs for fish, chicken, or meatloaf.

-wheat flour can be used in almost every recipe with little trouble.

-grains can be like beans when it comes to -uhm- tummy trouble, but as with beans, the more you eat them (and soaking them helps) the more your system can learn how to digest them!

-Clean most flour and mill parts up with a pastry (or paint) brush. The more you get up without the use of water, the easier it will be!

VISIT TAMMY'S RECIPES FOR MORE KITCHEN TIPS!

I found a great site!

If you are interested in the Sassafras tea that I mentioned or other things of an Amish or Mennonite nature, here's a site where you can order lots of neat things if you don't live close to a community that has a general store. YODER'S COUNTRY MARKET

That link will take you to the page that has the Sassafras concentrated tea for $3.15!

Wonder what wheat mill I bought to replace my old one?

Remember I had the Magic Mill III and it started doing weird stuff- like having a little flame inside?

Well, this is the one I replaced it with: Refurbished Whispermill.

It runs like a dream and will grind almost any grain or legume!

Also a great price and quiet, compared to most other mills.

These folks are authorized dealers, will answer all your questions, and the shipping is free!

An excellent company to work with!

(no I don't get paid for this, just being honest!)

Apple-Walnut Bread.....

This is another quick and easy recipe from More With Less. A great book for every frugal kitchen!

Sassafras Tea....

I've been wanting to try some of this and I found this little bottle the other day for a little over $2. Sassafras was once used in root beer. (NT talks about this.) This is a concentrated form and you add just a spoon or two to a glass of water and you have tea! A tea that tastes like root beer! Yummy!

If you remember, many months ago, I bought some sassafras and tried my hand at making my own root beer. It was OK, not like bottled, and sorta medicinal tasting.

This stuff here, however, is very mild and tasty.

A nice treat!

Daredevil mom: Chicken Feet

I've had sooo much fun over these things! First, all they way through the store the kids kept trying to take them out of the buggy and hide them. Then they kept dreaming up all the ways they thought I would trick them into eating them. Then there was the priceless look on their faces as the lady at the checkout told a story of old-timers deep-frying these and eating them whole! Crunch!

They went on to ask me if I had any idea where these feet had been and I told them to look at the feet- they looked sparkling clean! Nails and all! Probably just had a clawacure!

Nourishing Traditions says they make a great gelatinous broth, so that's where they are now- in the pot! But not before me using them to dance and trying to get one of the boys to take one to spook his brothers! hee hee hee Just kidding- well, sorta kidding. I did try to get the youngest to do it, but he would not and nearly ran out of the kitchen at the sight of a chicken foot coming towards him! ;-)

Menu Plan...

This week is another part of our month-long celebration of back to school- which simply means the kids helped me with this month's menu. :-)

Visit OrgJunkie for more Menu Plans!
SATURDAY:
-kid's choice
-potpie, fruit salad
-leftovers: turkey(Remember the story?), dressing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, bread
Snacks: bread and jelly, candy from Muddy Pond (we got to go get a sack of wheat! woohoo!)


SUNDAY:
-soaked oats
-Leftover Turkey, green beans, Apple-Walnut Bread
-Meatloaf, swiss chard, mashed potatoes, fried okra, Apple Crisp
Snacks: Laura's graham crackers, apples

MONDAY:
-kids choice
-Red Beans and Rice, Cauliflower Salad, Apple Crisp
-Steak Chapatis, fruit salad
Snacks: Honey-Milk Balls, apples, B-day cake! (DH)

TUESDAY:
-Millet
-Baked Breaded Fish, tots, slaw, Baked Apples
-Lil Roasted Chicks, yogurt Muesli
Snacks:Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins

WEDNESDAY:
-Soaked Oatmeal
-(turkey) Pigs in a Blanket, fries, salad, juice pops
-Meatza Pie, potatoes, okra, fruit salad
Snacks: boiled eggs, apples, leftover muffins

THURSDAY:
-kids choice
-Tuna Salad on homemade Pita bread, potato salad, pineapple chunks
-Italian Baked Chicken, Broccoli, cranberry beans
Snacks: Rugelach, apples, popcorn

FRIDAY:
-Buckwheat Pancakes
-Breakfast Burritos, salsa and chips, apple crisp
-Salmon Patties, mashed potatoes, green peas
Snacks: homemade corn chips, bean dip

Honey Milk Balls

This is another recipe taken from the More With Less Cookbook.

It makes a great snack or sweet after lunch or to tide over between meals! It gives energy from the honey, protein from the milk powder and peanut butter, and sustaining energy from the fiber in the oats!

And did I mention these are super quick and easy? Even your kiddies could whip them up!

***

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

1 cup of oats

1 cup milk powder

Stir and roll into balls.

I rolled mine in crushed graham cracker crumbs.

***

The original recipe suggests using graham crackers crumbs in the place of the oats and rolling in shredded coconut for variation.

We love these! And they are far better for you than a store-bought cookie or candy bar!

(The book says it makes a great lunch box treat too!)

Gayle's Peasant Bread....

I've been wanting to try this bread- and since I'm out of wheat- it was the perfect time!

I saw this recipe listed on Gayle's weekly menu but you can find the recipe HERE!

It makes 2 loaves and usually they are baked in a round dish but I wanted to use my oval dish!

It was very pretty and very good! I sliced it and the kids scooped it full of jellied plums and gobbled it down!

Lunch: Leek Soup and Vanilla Chocolate Chip Custard...

 Leek soup is easy and good!

This is an approximate recipe as I didn't measure, gulp.

12 cups chicken bone broth

2 large leeks, soaked in water and cleaned, sliced -tops too!

1 large carrot, finely chipped

5 potatoes, peeled and diced

2 t minced garlic

(The seasonings are approximate, but if you use these in the right proportions with chicken bone broth, you get a soup that tastes almost like Campbell's!)

Rosemary (about 3/4t)

Thyme (about 1/2 t)

Sage (about 1/4 to 1/2 t)

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Sea Salt to taste
Simmer for about 40 minutes and beat 3 egg yolks in a small glass bowl.

Scoop out one cup of hot broth and beat in to the yolks, then add back to soup pot and cook 10 more minutes.

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

We served the soup with this custard.

I offered to make Chocolate-carob Custard but they asked me to try Vanilla with Chocolate Chips! I'm game!

This one is made-almost- the same way!

6 eggs
1 cup of cane sugar (you could reduce this to about 2/3 cup and still be sweet)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup plain flour
pinch of salt
2 t vanilla (just 1 if not using carob)
Spray 2 pie plates. (May flour if you want a more crust-like bottom)

Pour into pie plates and sprinkle in 1/4 cup chocolate chips in each plate.

(They will sink.)
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes!

Cool slightly before slicing.

Butterscotch (Meringue) Pie....

I whipped up a couple of pies today. (Remember, eggs are .39?) These pies are yummy and frugal! (Especially if you have mastered the art of making your own crust! I confess, I don't often make my own.)

One pie was my old stand-by, Chocolate Meringue Pie! A most excellent pie!

I think I fell in love with this pretty pie when I took a course in Food Service, many many moons ago! I don't think I had ever been exposed to meringue prior to that.Okay, on to the recipe for the Butterscotch Pie! Yummmmmy!

And yes, it really does taste like butterscotch!

1 baked pie shell

1 c brown sugar

4 T cornstarch

1/4 t salt

1 1/2 c milk

3 eggs, separated

1/2 T butter

Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a double boiler*. Add milk slowly. Cook until thick, like pudding. Beat yolks, add to mixture and cook 2 more minutes. Add butter and stir until butter is melted. Turn into pie shell.

To make meringue, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Beat in 1 T sugar and a dash of vanilla.

Spread on pie and bake 15 minutes at 300 until peaks are lightly golden.

Cool before slicing.

Here's a messy slice of the Chocolate Meringue Pie:

Wanna see?

Want to see what I've been stuffing in those jars????
I followed Brandy's instructions. Covering them with syrup made with this ratio: 2 cups sugar to 4 cups water.

Birchermusli/ Yogurt Muesli

This is a yummy recipe based on one from More With Less.
Can be eaten for dessert or a main at breakfast.



2 cups plain yogurt
1 cup oats
1 t vanilla
-fruits of your choice, here's what I tossed in;

3/4 cup blueberries
2 sliced bananas
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 chopped apple with peel
1/3 cup chopped pecans
drizzle with a little honey and a dash of lemon juice, stir and serve.

(*Those who like to soak their grains may do so with this recipe!)

Chocolate-Carob Custard..

Its sweet and packed with protein, and its also very easy to whip up!

This recipe makes 2 pie plates of custard, which is16 servings.

I used 1/2 carob and 1/2 cocoa because the kids can be a little fickled about the strong taste of carob. I don't mind it but they seem to, unless I mix it and add an extra dash of vanilla. (Carob has calcium so I like to use it when I can!) You can use all cocoa!

Mix together:

6 eggs

1 cup of cane sugar (you could reduce this to about 2/3 cup and still be sweet)
2 T of carob and 2 T cocoa (or just one or the other;)

2 cups milk

1/2 cup plain flour

pinch of salt

2 t vanilla (just 1 if not using carob)

Spray 2 pie plates. (May flour if you want a more crust-like bottom)

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes!

Great for dessert after a low protein meal.

Eat hot or cold.

Serve the leftovers for breakfast or make it for breakfast and serve the leftovers for dessert at lunch!

(*You can leave out the carob and cocoa and just add vanilla and/or coconut too!)

 Job 6:6  Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

A Couple of Deals This Week....

Eggs- .39 Aldi

Baby Carrots- .69 Aldi

Whole Chickens- .69 Food Lion

VO5 Shampoo- .88 Kroger

4lbs Tilapia- (I think) $10 -Walmart (the price is great but I'm not sure it I have it right to the penny but the good thing about this fish is that it doens't say that its imported)

Link: Free Audio Books...

Looking around on the Robinson Curriculum Forum the other day, I found this wonderful link to free audio books! There are many classics on this site!



I thought it would be great for the car or during quiet times, and maybe for a few minutes at bedtime!


Check it out:
BOOKSSHOULDBEFREE.COM !

Menu:

This Menu Plan for Monday, is still part of this month's Back to School menu that the children helped me plan.



Saturday:
-kids choice
-Crescent sandwiches, carrots, walnut-brownies
-pizza

Sunday:
-grits
-leftovers, cantaloupe and honeydew
-Ribs and mashed potatoes

Monday:
-soaked oatmeal
-Haystacks, grapes
-Lil Roasted Chickens, carrots, potatoes, celery, okra
snacks: salsa and chips, pineapple
Tuesday:
-kids choice
-Breakfast Burritos, tots, fresh applesauce
-salmon loaf, potatoes, green peas
snacks: popcorn, apples
Wednesday:
-millet
-baked tilapia, tots, steamed broccoli
-Turkey, sweet potato cass, green bean cass.
snacks:apples and peanut butter-yogurt dip, pretzels
Thursday:
-kids choice
-Hamburger Soup, cornmeal muffins, fruit salad
-Leftover Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, pie
snacks: popcorn, apples
Friday:
-Coconut Brown Rice
-Meatza Pie, potatoes, carrot salad, cookies
-Beans, cornbread, corn, greens, potatoes
snacks: baked apples, carrots and dip, pretzels

A neat-tea treasure!

My DH came in the other day with a super neat little find, just for me! Whatever could it be?

Well, I'll say! What a lovely little piece! Its a silver-plated brass tea steeper and stir tea infuser!

You push the end and it opens! Neat! It just slides open and you can scoop and steep!

Ginseng and licorice root anyone?

Italian Baked Chicken....

Remember I told ya that I let the kids help make out the menu this month? Well, this is a request from 'the kid who doesn't care for chicken 'cuz it makes his teeth feel weird'!


I usually buy one big pack of chicken breasts and fillet them (sometimes 3 or 4 times each if they are really thick). For us, that's about  2.5 to 3 lbs.

I place the filleted chicken on a buttered pan and baste in Italian dressing, sprinkle with Parmesan-Romano Cheese, and lightly sprinkle with Italian seasonings; and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is lightly golden.

Easy and tasty!

**Served here with mashed potatoes and green beans.

**I sometimes serve this over spaghetti and sauce, or along side it.

Turkey Taco Pita Pockets, from the Crocky!

I make a big batch of this, as there is a big crew here, but most would want to half this recipe.

2 lbs ground turkey

1 bundle green onions chopped (about 7 or 8)

1.5 cups chopped or shredded carrots

2 pks taco seasoning (or make you own)

1 bag pre-washed spinach (or grow and wash your own, you'll need 2 to 3 bundles), chopped

1/2 cup salsa or diced tomatoes or tomato sauce or 1 fresh finely diced tomato

Mix, crumbling the turkey (don't precook) into a crock-pot.

Cook on high for 2.5 hours or low for about 4.

(You don't need anymore liquid in this, the veggies will provide much moisture.)

Scoop into warmed *pita pockets and top with cheese.

**Served here with chips and salsa.

*You can heat in 350 oven for 10 minutes.

What the Good Lord Gave Me.....

My neighbors are moving....that makes me sad. I have almost felt like they were family.

But being the kind and generous folks they are, they called me today and asked if I wanted some canning jars from their outbuilding. Why Of Course I Do! ! ! ! ! !

There were 43 jars in three plastic flats- which they gave me too!

WOW!

And as I pulled them from the dishwasher, all nice and clean and sparkling, I said under my breath; "Okay Lord, what are you going to give me to put in them?"

Well, five minutes later, or less, I walked out to the my little garden. It produces enough for fresh veggies several days a week, but not enough extra to can.

(Well, don't forget what I just asked the Lord.)
Another of my neighbors walked up and asked if I would like some unripe, 'drops' pears.

Why Of Course I Do! ! ! ! ! !

So tomorrow, they will bring me pears- a day or two with some brown paper and they'll be sweet!

I am so thankful for what the good Lord gave me!

These same neighbors gave me enough horse apples last year to make numerous jars of apple jelly.

And these jars- you should see them! Some of them are old and square, one just has "Mason" written on it and nothing else, and there is one that just has "Kerr" on it and nothing more.

Pretty neat, huh?

Visit Laura's for more about Gratituesday!

Menu.....

You never know how much you rely on some things -until you run out! This month was tricky for me as I began to plan out my menu and realized that I'm out of wheat! I didn't realize how much I used it, until I tried to plan my monthly menu without it! ...I even had to buy store-bought pita bread- hmmp! (yuck!) ...I confess, I'm spoiled! :-)

This month, as a special back to school treat, I let the kids help me plan the breakfast and lunch menus without much strictness (nutritionally speaking). ...Just in case you can't believe corndogs are on my menu! (I can't either btw!)



Sunday:
-pastries
-corn dogs, fries, carrots
- we took the kids, for the first time ever, to a drive-in at dusk we ate burgers from there and popcorn from a big bag that I had popped and filled before leaving- what a big time we had!
snacks: cinnamon snack bars, apples
Monday:
- pastries and milk
-Tomato Soup, grilled cheese, honeydew
- Roast, parsnips, potatoes, carrots, fried okra
snacks: banana nut bread, apples and grapes
Tuesday:
- bagels and cream cheese
- Breakfast Burritos, tots, apples
- Italian Baked Chicken, potatoes, green beans
snacks: apples, grapes, pretzels
Wednesday:
- soaked oatmeal with
-Taco Salad, grapes
- Turkey, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole
snacks: apples, popcorn, pretzels
Thursday:
-Cheerios and milk, boiled eggs
-Teriyaki Beef Pitas with shredded lettuce, black bean salsa, raisins
-Leftover turkey, gravy, dressing, mashed potatoes, green peas
Snacks: apples, carrots and dip, graham crackers with peanut butter
Friday:
-kids choice
-Baked Tilapia, tots, steamed broccoli, fruit salad
-Creamy Chicken Spaghetti, green beans, sweet potatoes
Snacks: grapes, celery sticks and dip, cheese with crackers

Joy, this pics 4 U!

This is my Turkey Polish Sausage Skillet Dish! But its sooo much more special in this pic and prettier, thanks to Joy who was so kind and shared some beautiful potatoes and peppers from her garden!!!

Almost like Christmas today....

Not only did I cook one of those .49 lb turkeys today, I got my order from the Bulk Herb Store!

Would you like to know what I ordered? ..Well, if you ordered, I would love to know what you got! ;-)

Okay, here's what I ordered:
(some were refills for my tea cabinet and one was new to me)
-arrowroot powder
-bentonite clay powder
-butcher's broom root
-chamomile flowers
-fenugreek seed
-ginseng root, siberian
-hops flowers
-horsetail, shavegrass
-licorice root
-passion flower
-rose hips

Waiting in line, when its worth it! ..another tale from Walmart

SUBTITLE: TOMS AND HENS

Turkeys were on sale, according to a sign, at Walmart. This wonderful little sign simply said "Tom Turkey .49 lb".

Well now- you know I can't pass up a deal like that! Right?!?!?

Well, I get my 2 turkeys to the check-out, along with a few other items, one being a bag of turnips which of course happened to not have the price sticker on them. So, cashier has to call produce- twice- and finally I send ds back to get another bag. You know he brought back the only other bag there without a sticker- right? Yep, so back he went. In the meantime she scans the turkeys and we discover that one is a "hen" not a "tom". So back ds goes to get the "tom" and return the "hen".

In the meantime we discover that the scanned tom turkey rang up on sale at .98 lb. Well, I tried to explain the sign and she discovers that the tag says .88 lb. Neither are right!

DS gets back with second tom while cashier has called the manager who calls the frozen meat department- twice. (Neither of those departments ever returned the calls!) So the manager then calls for another employee to come to the desk and she sends him after a price check-(guess my word isn't good enough-- just kidding-- I wasn't offended in the least). So the cashier and I then take turns telling people that I have the line tied up on a price check. :-) ...She really was a nice lady with great patience.

Well, employee returns and says that "hens" are $1.69! To which I reply that I don't have "hens", these are "toms". So he searches the whole entire turkey for one word: "tom"! And it is not to be found so manager comes back and gives me the price based on my testimony and the cashier's testimony, that this is indeed a "tom"! And employee of course chimes in that the "toms" are .49lb. And being the smart gal I am, I try to tell them that the "hens" are small- these are huge, which means they are "toms"! -sigh-

Do I get my price?
Yes! In the end I did and it was worth the whole fifteen minute standoff!
I got a $19+ turkey for $9+! And the other $22+ turkey for $11+!!! Yah!
Savings= over $20!

I sorta forgot how I made it...

This was a Butter Pecan Loaf of quick bread, made from wheat flour. I would love to remember exactly how I made it but....my memory fails me!

Fruit Salads.....

This salad had: 1 can crushed pineapple, 1 can of drained mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, raisins, and chopped pecans.
This salad had: 1 can drained peaches, 1 can drained apricots, 1 pint of fresh blueberries, and a sprinkle of shredded coconut.

This salad had: 1 can diced pineapple drained, 1 can mandarin oranges drained, 2 sliced bananas, 1 large chopped apples, raisins, and then I sprinkled with coconut after I took the pic! ;-)

Brandy has inspired me when it comes to fruit salads! Remember her post here about living from her pantry/food storage? Well, she makes a very pretty fruit salad and I've been whipping up a few as a means of weeding out some more of that naughty sugar in our diet! :-)

Beef-n-Cabbage Bake

Shred 1 head of cabbage and place in pot with about 3/4 cup water and cover and steam until wilted. (About 5minutes.)

Drain cabbage. Toss in salt and pepper. (What is cabbage without black pepper?)
Spread cabbage in sprayed 9x13.

Brown 2 pounds of ground beef with one chopped onion and one chopped bell pepper.
Salt, pepper, and a couple of tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce boosts flavor.
Drain. Spread meat mixture over cabbage.

Mix one can of tomato soup with one can of water and pour over meat mixture. Salt and pepper again.

Bake at 375, covered for 50 minutes. Yummy!

Go to Tammy's Recipes for more In Season Recipes!

Simple Stuffed Peppers

This is not frugal- unless you grow your own peppers or find a really good deal on them!
Sorry for the bad pic- camera is very moody!

2 lb ground beef, lamb, or turkey (or a mix)
brown with one onion chopped, drain

Mix in;
2 cans tomato sauce
2 cups cooked white rice (could use brown but I was in a hurry and 5 minute white couldn't be helped!)
1/4 cup honey
salt and pepper (be a little generous, especially with the pepper)

Cut peppers in half, seed. (Could stuff whole but kids won't eat a whole one and my peppers were huge!)
Scoop mix into peppers and place in baking dish with about 1/4 inch water or tomato sauce in bottom of pan. Bake at 375 just until peppers wilt.

Easy peasy!

Frozen Strawberry Cheese Pies

*2 baked pie shells, cooled

*3 cups mashed strawberries, fresh or frozen-thawed

mixed with *3 T lemon juice

Beat until fluffy;

*1 8oz pkg cream cheese

Add;

*1 can sweetened condensed milk

Mix milk-cream cheese with strawberries-lemon juice and fold in;

*1 container of whipped topping.

Pour into 2 pie shells and freeze for 4 hours.

Slice and serve, garnish with strawberries.

(The filling for both pies is about $4.75 total- plus cost of pie shells, homemade or bought. Not too bad for a very nice treat that serves 8 per pie, and makes 2 pies.)

Steak-n-Mushroom Rollups

I can often find packs of these thin little steaks for under $4. Finding different ways to fix them that will dazzle my family is the challenge!

I thawed some beef-bone broth, about 3 cups and poured it into the 9x13. I sliced 8oz of mushrooms, lightly sauteed them with some onions in butter. I placed a spoonful of the sauteed mixture in each steak and rolled them up and tied them with some plain floss. Place all the rolls in the pan in the broth, sprinkle with Lawry's, marjoram, and rosemary. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. Cut the floss and remove- serve.

Even my kids who are picky about mushrooms said they liked them this way! :-)