Menu for the week....

I made more cookies than would fit in my cake plate! My family took that as a hint to EAT THEM until then would fit!

Menu Plan Monday really helps me on weeks like these! Its almost time to go once-a-month shopping so I'm digging in the back of the freezer and into the beans and grains! It's always exciting to find things that I didn't even know was here! ;-)

SATURDAY:

-oats and grits

-whole grain spaghetti, toasted wheat cheese bread

-Boston Roast, lima beans, broccoli, toasted whole wheat cheese bread

-snacks- apples and dip, hot chocolate with bread and butter, German Chocolate Cake

SUNDAY:

-kids choice

-Minestrone Soup, cornbread, Wheat and Flax Cookies

- deer steaks in gravy, broccoli, cup of soup

-snacks- apricots, dried cranberries, homemade pickles

MONDAY:

- Coconut Rice

- homemade chicken nuggets, tater wedges, garbanzo beans(*soak)

- lean beef patties, stuffed celery, garbanzo beans

-snacks- blueberry smoothies, chili-cheese popcorn (parm. cheese and chili powder)

WEDNESDAY:
-cinnamon-raisin oatmeal, turkey bacon

- beans, potatoes, cornbread, onions

- chili with the leftover beans

-snacks- buttered popcorn, apples and dip, Coconut Chocolate Chip Spelt Muffins

THURSDAY:

- kids choice (oatmeal, waffles from the freezer, Cascadian Farm cereal*on sale at Walmart $1.50 a box))

- chili, cornbread

- Meatza Pie, lima beans, carrot slaw

-snacks- leftover muffins, blueberry smoothies, raisins and apple slices

FRIDAY:

- kids choice

- main dish macaroni, peas and carrots, steamed broccoli normandy

-Italian Baked Chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes

-snacks-popcorn, fruit salad

Giveaway...

Heads up on a very neat giveaway at The Morris Tribe! This is for a Mary Kay Satin Hands Kit. Be sure to check out her 'Feeding the Tribe' tab!

Veggie Dip...

Are your kids hungry all the time? Mine too. I think my older 4 boys could eat from sunup until sundown and then ask to take a snack to bed!

I'm always looking for good snacks that will fill them up and I came across something in Set for Life that I've tweaked to this: Whirl in a small blender or mini food processor:

1 cup of cottage cheese

1/2 t onion powder

3/4 t dill

1 t parsley

2 T plain yogurt

pinch of sea salt

Blend until fairly smooth.

Serve with carrot sticks, celery sticks, brocolli, cauliflower, etc.

Very good, almost a Ranch flavor.

I let my older kids do the veggies while I mix this up ;-)

Works for Me!

So much sugar, so little time....Fudge

Just when I think that I'm going to back off some sugar- they beg me to make them this!

Those little sneaks even got on HERE and looked up the recipes and wrote them up and brought them to me in the kitchen! How could I say no after all that trouble?

Frugal Peanut Butter Fudge and Brandy's Fudge

If your kids know my kids, then you probably shouldn't tell your kids about my kids doing this, or they're liable to teach your kids how to do this to you! Just sayin'... :-)

Soft Chicken Fajita Tacos with Creme Fraiche...

My family says that they could eat Mexican style food every night and honestly, it is my favorite "go-to" food when I'm in a pinch and need food fast! These were just my basic chicken fajita filling with lettuce, cheese, and creme fraiche- in tortillas. Yummy! And quick!

Menu: with some pics!

Welcome to MENU PLAN MONDAY! The first thing I did to prepare for this week was to make cookies for the cookie jar! Yummy! I used leftover candies from Christmas to decorate them- no one minded ;-)

SATURDAY:
eggs, toast, milk
tilapia, shrimp, potatoes, brussel sprouts in butter, blueberry cheesecake
meatloaf patties with cheese, boiled potatoes with butter, green peas

SUNDAY:
kids choice: grits, peanut butter granola
Beef Stew with cornbread, cookies from the jar
chicken tacos, spanish rice
Snacks: fish eggs-cream cheese-crackers, popcorn

MONDAY:

peanut butter granola

baked salmon, potatoes, brocolli, applesauce

turkey patties, speckled butter beans, corn, sliced cukes

Snacks: Carrot-n-fruit salad, apples and peanut butter-yogurt dip

TUESDAY:

soaked oatmeal

chicken stew, hard rolls

Roast, potatoes, carrots lima beans

Snacks: cherry-berry smoothie, popcorn

WEDNESDAY:

Buckwheat crepes

Black Bean Buffalo Chili, Chocolate Silk Pie

Boston Roast, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, spinach
Snacks: homemade pickles, apples, boiled eggs

THURSDAY:

bug oats

leftover Black Bean Buffalo Chili with crackers

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti, peas and carrots, green beans
Snacks: Laura's Cheese Crackers, apples, blue chips and cheese dip

FRIDAY:

Chocolate-carob Custard, toast

Hamburger Pizza, green beans

Baked Cod, potatoes, lima beans, mapled carrots

Snacks: Lemon Zest Cookies, orange slices, apples and raw cheese chunks

Buffalo Stuffed Peppers....

Stuffed peppers "sound" hard to make but they are really pretty easy. I usually prepare the peppers, stuff them in the oven to bake while I whip up the sides.

This time, I decided to use buffalo meat in them just to see how it would work, but you could use any ground meat.

1 lb buffalo

6 large peppers cut in half

take one pepper and chop

1 medium onion, chopped

Brown meat peppers and onions and the following spices.

1/2 t oregano

1/2 t marjoram

1/4 t rosemary

1/4 t black pepper

You will need 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice. (I used quick brown rice here.)

Mix cooked meat with rice and 1 can tomato sauce.

Pour another can of tomato sauce into 9x13, salt and pepper.

Scoop meat mixture into pepper halves and place in the 9x13.

Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese.

bake at 375 for 35 minutes.

When serving, scoop a couple tablespoons of the tomato sauce in the dish over the peppers.

*Served here with boiled and buttered potatoes, peas and carrots, and a slice of bread.

Keeping It Busy!

I made up some of the kids fave breakfast foods: Peanut Butter Granola and handy homemade Instant Oatmeal in various flavors. Yes, it has sugar, and no, its not soaked, but surely its better than what's in a box! ;-)
Baked up another loaf of Orange Bread....mmm!
I could eat this all by myself!

Can you see the orange in it?

Yummy! Think I'll go sneak me a piece now!

One of my favorite things...

You girls know how much I love my tea, right?

DH brought this in some time back and it has become one of my faves! What makes it really special is that I was planning on asking him for one for my next b-day! He read my mind- or 'my favorites'!

See..I didn't WANT to microwave my tea water- and I especially didn't want to heat up water for 6 kids in the microwave, one right after the other, right after the other, right after the other,...

And can you imagine trying to get them all to make the choice of drinking the same tea so I could just boil a pot of water on the stove?!?!!? (Hey! Look kids, here's some peppermint tea, want some or not!?)

Well, my nice little pot stops ALL the fuss!

Here's you a cup, and you a cup, and you a cup, and ....you wanna cup?

And - you know what else is really super neat about my li'l' teapot??

It whistles so I CAN'T burn the water!!!

Woo hoo!

I'm glad my dh reads my mind- or 'my favorites'!

And more importantly- I'm thankful to share hot tea with my favorite peeps on the planet, my kids!

****

For more about Gratituesday, visit Heavenly Homemakers!

Kefir Soda, instruc. and rec. from Eat Fat, Lose Fat

"You can use either water kefir grains or kefir powder. Use about 3/4 cup grains or 1 packet powder for 2 quarts of soda. Place all ingredients in a 2-quart glass container, add water kefir grains or powder, fill with water to make 2 quarts, cover tightly, and leave at room temperature for 48 hours. Strain the liquid through a non-metallic strainer.

If using grains, rinse them with water and either use again or store in a jar in the refrigerator with about 1/2 cup water mixed with 1 tablespoon Rapadura, Sucanat, or maple sugar. If using the powder, reserve about 1/2 cup liquid as a starter for the next batch- this will work for about 5 to 6 batches, then you will need to use powder again.

Store the soda in the original glass container in the refrigerator, or for extra bubbly results, transfer to glass beer or soda bottles capped with wire-held caps.

Note: Do not store soda in decorative vinegar bottles that have wire-held stoppers; these have a tendency to explode and can be quite dangerous! "(These are sold local at Good Shepherd.)

Kefir Cream Soda
1/2 cup Rapadura, Sucanat, or maple sugar
1 T pure vanilla extract
Slices of organic lemon, lime, or orange (optional)

Kefir Ginger Ale
4 T coarsely chopped fresh ginger
Juice of 4 limes
1/2 cup Rapadura, Sucanat, or maple sugar

Kefir Lemonade
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup Rapadura, Sucanat, or maple sugar

Kefir Limeade with Mint
1 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup Rapadura, Sucanat, or maple sugar
Several sprigs of fresh mint

Kefir Fruit Soda
2 cups juice leftover from making stewed fruit (page 260)
1/4 cup Rapadura, Sucanat, or maple sugar

Menu Plan Monday...

SATURDAY:

-soaked (chocolate) oatmeal (with coconut, chopped pecans, 1 t mini choc chips and honey)

-sandwich

-steak with butter, baked potato

Snacks:popcorn, apples

SUNDAY:

-kids choice

-natural sausage, biscuits, gravy, blueberry-banana coconut milk smoothie

-snack it

Snacks:sliced apples and oranges

MONDAY:

-soaked millet

- Beef Stew, yogurt muesli

- Soft Tacos, Spanish rice, black beans

Snacks: Fish Eggs, apples, orange slices

TUESDAY:

-fried polenta with butter and honey

-Black Bean Buffalo Chili, carrot and fruit salad

-Baked Cod, potato wedges, brussel sprouts in butter

Snacks: Lemon Oatmeal Bread, carrot and celery sticks with cottage cheese dip

WEDNESDAY:

-Peanut Butter Granola

-Haystacks, orange slices, dried apricots

- Calf Liver, Biscuits, gravy, cherry-berry coconut smoothie

Snacks: Blender Lemonade, Heart Shaped Cookies

THURSDAY:

- waffles with blueberry sauce

- Salmon I'm-afraid-so, Green peas

- Veal and Buffalo Stuffed Peppers, steamed brocolli, potatoes

Snacks: Orange Bread, apple juice from juicer, popcorn

FRIDAY:

-kids choice

-Shredded Chicken Sandwiches on Homemade Buns, oven fries, sliced cukes

-Ground Chicken Loaf, green beans, cabbage, mapled carrots

Snacks: homemade pickles, Nourishing Wheat-n-Flax Crackers

Be sure to check out Menu Plan Mondays for more menu plans!

Fermented Fish Sauce...

I have wanted to try this for a long time but I never EVER thought that I would pull this off, especially with DH with me! But- I bought a fish- with eyes! (No, not a goldfish- a fish on ice, from the meat department!)


See, I had some wonderful fermented fish sauce some time ago, that I have never been able to get ahold of again, so- I thought I'd make my own!


The lady at the fish counter kept telling me that it had been 'gutted'; part of me wanted to tell her that I really would have liked to have had the guts, but the other part of me was a little glad because -gulp- I wasn't sure if I had the guts!


How did I do making the sauce? Well, honestly, I almost backed out! First, I looked to make sure that it was gutted; I didn't want to find a beating heart, neither did I want it to suddenly fin me! But that was not the hardest part to get past. The worst part, was the eyes! Well- I didn't want it lookin' at me while I was trying to cut it to pieces!

(The kids had asked all the way through the store, "when we get home and dad's not lookin', can you show us the eyes?")

So- I covered the head with the plastic bag, put on a thick pair of gloves, and started cutting at the tail first, working my way up towards the head. Then- I stopped. I tucked the head in the jar because I was NOT going to cut near those eyes that kept looking at me!


I followed most of the recipe in NT, except I didn't have tamarind. Not even sure what that one is! Lemon, bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic, sea salt, whey, filtered water. Ferment 3 days at room temp, fridge for a while, strain, and I will let you know!
Oh and, the brown paper sack? Its staying in there until it is strained because I don't want to hear another word about those eyes!

Leading Children to the Lord...

Using the Truth and the Word of God is really all you need, but if you are like me and want something put together on a child's level, something to read at bedtime in small easy lessons, or perhaps are like I have been in that, you may not have been raised in church and really don't know how to deal with this issue with your children- then this book will bless your home! And- its good for all ages!

My 7 yr old and me got to be alone on a ride home tonight, very rare since he has FIVE siblings... but, he began to tell me that he didn't remember if he was saved. He remembered a night when he asked me to pray with him about something privately but he couldn't remember what the prayer was about. Well, I remembered, but he's the one that I needed to KNOW remembered! So- I talked a while to him about being saved, praying again, even pulling over right now, and about what happens to those who don't pray.

But- how this ties to the above book-
I've been reading it again at night (for the umpteenth dozenth time) to the kids. They use Scripture in this book, but I'm thinking there must have been some serious prayer and fasting by those who put this book together, because EVERY SINGLE TIME I've read this book to my children, at least one of them has been stirred, spiritually.

Now, I'm not just tryin' to sell you something. If I had money, I would buy all of these that I could find and GIVE THEM AWAY! - But, I just wanted to share it with you. Its been in our home for years and I can't even remember where it came from- but God has used it, over and over, to stir my children towards knowing Him personally as their Lord and Savior.

3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Kicked Up Cabbage...

This is a YUMMY way to eat cabbage!

I was listening to a talk radio program the other night and they were speaking on detox.

They said that there are 2 main detox enzymes in the liver, and cabbage helps to activate both of them- the more the merrier! Not to mention, cabbage is usually pretty frugal!!!

Okay, anyway, this way of cooking cabbage gets thumbs up from my whole crew ('cept one, he says he likes it better the 'normal' way-some people just don't like a change! hmp!).

Chop one head of cabbage and stir fry in a stock pot.

Use several tablespoons or so of fat. Beef fat, bacon drippings, coconut oil- I actually used a little of all 3!

Add some salt and pepper.

Now, here's the secret: horseradish sauce! About 2 to 3 T.

Stir it in real good and its just wonderful! And not to spicy.

The bummer part is that I noticed that the kind I had contained HFCS, grr.

Why would they put that in horsey sauce!?!!!?!!

(I have a request to make this again- tomorrow!)

Fun from the kitchen...

A couple of loaves of breakfast bread.
Shaking a little butter.

2 or 3 cups of sour cherries+2 1/2 cups yogurt+agave+milk= smoothie

Did you guys leave some for me?

Super:

turkey patties with cheese, fresh black eyed peas, marinated veggies which I snuck and added whey to, stuffed celery.

This is the way I strain the whey, strain the whey, strain the whey... and stuff the celery

To get whey and a 'cream cheese'...I line my strainer with coffee filters and set it over a bowl like this, overnight. Here it's in the microwave! I use yogurt or buttermilk. This batch was buttermilk. ...It had lots of whey so I will have to set it over another bowl to drip.Look in the strainer! See the wet 'cheese'?
Here's the whey. It has a yellowish tint to it. If it's milky, you will want to restrain through coffee filters to get all the milky stuff out ;-).

Here's my finished "cheese'' that I love to use in stuffed celery!

I mix in a teaspoon or so of flax oil, some dill, and some chopped pecans. Sometimes I add a dash of salt if the cheese is not real sour.

Here's the blended stuffing!

Mmm yummy!

Whey is very nutritious! You can use it to do lacto fermentation- great fun!

Interesting post about IBD...

Misinformation about Linoleic acid, Ulcerative Colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

This doctor deals with the link between these diseases and vegetable oils. Very interesting!

He also deals with "Misinformation about linoleic acid and red meat".

Can't help but to wonder, did these diseases take off right after they told us that margarine was THE food to eat!

Woo Hoo! A blog Award!

Michaela has so kindly blessed me with a blog award! Woo Hoo!

There are rules in accepting this award.

~Put the Lemonade logo on your blog or within your post.
~Nominate at least 10 blogs with great attitude and gratitude.
~Link the nominees within your post.
~Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
~Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

My ten picks:

REAL FOOD FOR LESS MONEY- Millie started this one a few months back and she's packing it with great Traditional Food ideas, and she keeps it frugal! Love what you are doing Millie!

Meal Planning with Connie- Connie always fixes up goodies that appeal to my Southern side! She's a great resource for recipes for things that are often 'on hand'.

Family Stamping Food- Candi does a great job of keeping up with deals, putting together 'on hand' meals, and she is even able to find organic coupons and deals from time to time!

Little Cowpokes in the Country- Joy has lots of attitude (the good kind) and gratitude and I love how she puts the Lord first on her blog and in her life.

Kolfinna's Corner- Anna is often cooking up something to tempt the tummy and you'll love the look of her blog.

Random Bits of Knowledge- Denai inspires me with her quest for good food, her gardening, and her sewing.

Knights and Maidens Gathering- Cinnamon has a beautiful family and she's been a blessing to me when I need a help with home remedies.

Shop Annies- You'll find great kitchen tips here as well as yummy recipes, along with fun ideas for the kiddies.

Glimpse of Sonshine- Sonshine always inspires me with her great shopping and her yummy recipes.

The Prudent Homemaker- Brandy's site isn't a blog, it's a dot com, but certainly worthy of awards and full of attitude and gratitude!

I hope you all can play along!-if not, know that you are appreciated!

Thanks again Michaela!

Oatmeal-coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies...

I needed to get some fridge space the other day so my (manipulating) sweet little children said; "If you will bake us lots of cookies, we will drink lots of milk!" Aren't they sweet to want to help me that way?!!?!
This is another recipe taken from More With Less. This is based on Oatmeal Cookies with a Purpose, but when I make them just like the recipe, they come out a little salty for some reason, so here's my spin on it:
Cream-
3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
Add:
2c rolled oats
3/4 c dry milk
1/2 c water
Blend well and add;
1/4 t salt
2 t baking powder
2 1/2 c unbleached flour
1/2 cup chipped coconut
1/2 to 3/4 c chocolate chips
Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake at 325 for approx. 10 minutes.
Cool one minute before removing from pan.
*may also add 1/2 to 3/4 c chopped nuts/pecans

Boys will be boys...

My oldest ds took a notion to want to go camo-- in his room! Well, dh says, "its his room, let him do what he wants." In case you haven't noticed....dh is the more permissive parent around here....if you ever come for a visit....remind me to show you the 'artwork' in the hallway downstairs that dh allowed about 4 years ago!

Cultures, Kombucha, and Duck Eggs

Bet you never thought you'd hear those three words together! Me either- but that's what I've been playing in today...what fun! Creme Fraiche, Greek Yogurt, and Buttermilk- culture away!
I love Kombucha! ..prolly cuz I like sayin' it more than anything- well, it is a cool word!

And these yum-yums are duck eggs fryin' up in the ol' cast iron skillet!

These were sooo yummy!

I had 1/2 a dozen duck eggs and my kids asked for a fried duck egg and leftover beans and cornbread for lunch- uh huh,... and you thought kombucha was weird!

Our Cookie Plate...

This is our special cookie plate. On it are the words "Love is a way of smiling...with your heart".

That's not the most special part about it. The most special thing about this plate is that it was handed down from family. I love that my kids are eating cookies from a plate that their uncles, aunts, and cousins have all likely had a hand in! Not to mention that it has Holly Hobbie on it too!

From what I've found out, this plate was probably made when I was 1!