Molasses Cookies and Eggnog Chai

The other day while at a coffee shop a friend told me how chai tea was described to her, 'Christmas in a cup'. I like it! This little pair is sure to make you think of Christmas!

For the chewy molasses cookies you'll need:
14 Tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups raw sugar, divided
1/3 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten

I like them 'spicy' so I add approximately 1/2 teaspoon allspice or pumpkin pie spice. :)

Preheat oven to 350*. Cover two baking sheets with foil and set aside. In a medium size saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the sugar along with the molasses. Cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt in medium size bowl. Beat the egg into the butter mixture in the saucepan, then gradually add the flour mixture and stir until well combined and a soft dough is formed.

Pour the remaining sugar into a small bowl. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in the sugar. Place the balls on the foil covered baking sheet about 1 inch apart.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Do not overcook. As they cool they will become chewy. Makes 3-4 dozen.

Now, for my favorite holiday tea...truly 'Christmas in a cup' when paired with the above cookies.

You will need the following ingredients for each mug:
1 Chai tea bag (my fav is Tazo's organic chai)
6-8 ounces boiling water (depending on how strong you like it)
1 teaspoon turbinado or brown sugar
2-3 ounces eggnog

Yep! It's that easy. Get out your favorite mug, place the unwrapped tea bag inside, pour the boiling water over the tea bag. Let steep 4-5 minutes. Remove tea bag. Add the sugar and eggnog and stir. Delicious!

Merry CHRISTmas!!!!!

Homemade Laundry Soap

Grab your food processor (or cheese grater), a large glass or stainless steel bowl, a large metal spoon, a box of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda, a box of Borax, and 4 bars of Ivory soap or 2 large bars of Zote (which is hard to find thus the reason I use Ivory).

Grate the bars of soap and let dry out for a few hours. I then transfer the soap flakes back to the food processor with the blade and chop into small pieces. Mix the boxes of washing soda (note: NOT baking soda), Borax, and soap flakes together. Store in an airtight container.

Wasn't that easy?! You just made an ample supply of laundry soap for pennies per load!

You only need 1 Tablespoon per load, 2 Tablespoons for heavily soiled loads. Use 1/4-1/3 cup vinegar in your rinse cycle and not only are you saving money but you are keeping the toxins out of your home! Yea for you!

National Playdough Day

September 18th is National Playdough Day! It doesn't take long to whip up a batch of this fun stuff...and let me tell ya...the results are quite rewarding. Rewarding? Ummm...yes...I call hours of uninterrupted peace while the children entertain themselves with dough, cookie cutters and whatever utensils they dig out of the drawers is quite rewarding!



Grab the following ingredients and put in a 2 quart saucepan:

• 1 cup flour (not self-rising)
  
• 1/2 cup salt
  
• 1 cup water
  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• Food coloring (add last after you've mixed thoroughly)*

It will be lumpy but that is okay. Stir on medium-low heat until a ball forms. This doesn't take long. Turn onto your kitchen counter or a table and cool slightly. Let the kids knead and play until their heart's content. Each batch yields approximately 2 cups of dough. Make multiple batches of separate colors!

*Note: You can add a packet of dry koolaid drink mix in place of the food coloring for a smell good effect.


Try the following for an edible safe dough (the above is non-toxic, obviously but doesn't smell or taste quite as nice).

Peanut Butter Dough

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  
• 1/4 cup honey
  
• 1 cup instant nonfat dry milk*
  

Mix together until smooth. *For milk allergies, you may substitute flour for the instant nonfat dry milk.
**For peanut allergies use the first recipe only.

ENJOY!!!

Super Speedy Supper 8/28

This is an introduction into my new series of posts called 'Super Speedy Supers'. Since I am the queen of 'don't make a plan for dinner til hungry' I thought I'd share some of the fun, quick meals we have.

Above we have 'poor man's steak', a nice broccoli and lettuce salad with roasted red potatoes.

Here's what you need to feed 4:
1 lb ground beef, formed into 4 patties and seasoned with all purpose seasoning
2 lbs red potatoes, washed and cut in about 6 wedges each, patted dry
Salad fixings incld. romaine lettuce, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, golden raisins and sliced almonds
seasonings: all purpose, salt, and pepper
Your favorite salad dressing (Try my poppyseed dressing)

Preheat the oven to 450*
Fire up your heavy skillet and get those 'steaks' cooking.
In a large bowl toss the red potatoes with 2 TB olive oil and salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes (turning once) until tender and browned.
Flip those 'steaks' now. ;)
Meanwhile, wash and cut up your salad ingredients. Toss with dressing.

In no time the meat and potatoes will be done and wa-lah: A healthy super speedy supper!

August Sunrise

Matthew 5:16

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

(The beautiful view from my backyard this morning!)

Life Skills 101

I believe ALL children should help out around the house. They live there, they make messes, they should help with the housework. It teaches them responsibility and gives them a sense of accomplishment when completed.

Here's a neat list of age appropriate chores.

I personally do not think children should be compensated with money for their daily household chores but that's completely up to the individual family. I believe children should have the opportunity to do extra chores that result in a reward whether monetary, a special outing or treat of their liking.

I also believe children should be exposed to a variety of household tasks not based on their gender. Children can and should learn how to do a wide array of tasks. For example, boys should learn how to do laundry, mending and cooking while girls should be taught to change the oil or tire on the car, repair various household items and work in the yard. I know this is not as big of an issue as it was in the past but still feel it is worthy of mentioning.

What kind of things do you know how to do that you are grateful you learned? What do you wish you had learned? Does/did this have an effect on what you are training or trained your children in?

Berry Greenalicious Smoothie

Throw those nasty meal replacements in the garbage...that's what they are anyhow! They are loaded with artificial flavorings and sugars as well as synthetic vitamins that your body has a hard time digesting. My personal rule of thumb: If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it!

Here's a great alternative that is not only superior health wise but tastes good too!

Get our your blender and add the following:

1 cup yogurt or kefir
1/2 cup orange juice (not from concentrate)
1 cup frozen fruit (strawberries and blueberries are our favs)
1-3 tsp high quality whole food Greens powder (or throw in a handful of fresh spinach leaves)
1 TB Agave Nectar, optional
1-2 tsp ground flax seed, optional
1 scoop Whey Protein powder, optional

Blend together and enjoy! I make a blender full because even the kids beg for it.

To Do It By Hand...Or Not

So the question remains unanswered...or answered with many viewpoints. Does running the dishwasher use more water and energy then washing your dishes by hand? Well, here's my answer. It depends. Before you hit the 'X' at the top of the page give me a chance to explain.

Running water non-stop to rinse your dishes either before putting them in the dishwasher or after washing them in a sink full of water by hand uses a lot of water. Unless you are very conservative, running a sink full of hot, soapy water and rinsing under the running tap could use as much, if not more, water then running your dishwasher.

Newer dishwashers are now more energy efficient and therefore are meant to do the job using less energy therefore assisting you in being more 'green' and saving green. I'm sure if you can run some water in a medium sized bowl, wash all your dishes, rinse in 'super' speed and air dry it's possible to use less then your energy star rated dishwasher.

But, for most people, myself included, it's probably a sure bet that's not going to be the case. So, here are a few easy tips to help save energy and wash your dishes 'GREEN'.

1. Only run the dishwasher when it is completely full.

2. Use a plastic scraper to dispose of food particles on the dishes rather then rinsing under running water.

3. Change the setting on your dishwasher to 'air dry' rather then a heated dry.

And there you have it. My personal opinion on hand washing vs. using a dishwasher. :) Don't you feel much better already?!

Little To Big Blueberry Parfait

Put approximately 1 cup of plain or vanilla yogurt into 4-5 dishes, top each with a handful or two of fresh, antioxidant loaded blueberries. :)

Next, get out a heavy skillet. Put in 1 Tablespoon butter. Once melted, add 1 cup of rolled oats and 1/2 cup of slivered or sliced almonds. Stir constantly over medium heat until lightly browned.

Let cool slightly, if you wish, before adding to each parfait.

Yum! From Little to Big...Enjoy!
You might even forget about your apple-see 2nd pic. ;)

Pineapple Walnut Chicken Salad

Another one of my creations to 'use it up'. This is a quick, easy chicken salad that is tasty enough to take to a ladies luncheon.

Mix together in medium bowl:
2 cups shredded chicken
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup walnuts, chopped fine
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup plain, yogurt
salt and pepper to taste

optional: dried cranberries would be a wonderful addition (my sweetie doesn't like them, therefore I left them out this time)

Serve on a bed of lettuce or a slice of fresh bread.

Have you tried my Ultimate Chicken Salad yet?

Cucumber, Tomato & Corn Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

My generous neighbor brought over a bag of cucumbers before heading out of town for the 4th...yippee! I love yummy surprises. Since we had a party planned ourselves and I'd been wanting to try out GrammyGoo's delicious looking recipe anyway...I decided to get creative and use up what I had in my refrigerator. And, now that you know the story behind my latest creation I'll tell you how to prepare it.

Add to a large bowl:
4-6 cucumbers, peeled and sliced
2-3 tomatoes, cut up
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 of a medium red onion

Mix well after adding 1 cup Poppyseed Dressing. Allow to marinate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Mel's Sweet n Spicy Chili

I know it's a tad hot out for chili but I'm thinking in terms of chili dogs! Yum! A bit of cocoa and strong coffee give this chili a taste that is sensational.

Here's what you'll need:
2 lbs ground beef
2 -15 oz cans beans (your choice)
4 cloves garlic, minced or chopped fine
1 cup chopped onion
2 -28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 cup strong coffee
2-3 TB chili powder
1 TB bouillon (from health food store- without MSG)
2 TB ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp sugar or agave
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa
1-2 tsp salt, to taste
hot sauce to taste

Brown beef, then add in onion and garlic until softened. Add in remaining ingredients except salt and hot sauce. Heat through. Add salt and hot sauce to taste. Simmer and enjoy! The longer you let the flavors simmer the better it will be. Try making this ahead of time and then transferring to your crock pot to simmer on low for 4-8 hours. Serve with cornbread, crackers or over hot dogs (preferably without nitrates). :)

It's an insect not a spider
it has 6 legs instead of 8
3 on this side 3 on that side
and it's crawling on your plate.

1 ant, 2 ants , 3 ants 4
our picnic is their grocery store
5 ants 6 ants 7 ants 8
they are crawling on my plate
8 ants 7 ants
stomp around
6 ants 5 ants
on the grounds
4 ants 3 ants
on the run
2 ants 1 ant
no more fun.

Don't despair! Ants in your house doesn't mean you are a bad house keeper. Here's a great, very frugal way to get rid of them.

Grease/Protein Ants:
Mix 1 tsp boric acid and 1/4 cup bacon grease or butter and dip cotton balls in jar (see instructions below)

Sugar Ants:
Mix 1 1/2 tsp boric acid, 1/3 sugar, and 1 cup water

Soak cotton balls in solution and put in small bottles/jars with a lids - poke ant size holes in lids and lay jars on side under sinks or behind appliances. This is good to prevent pets from getting to it.

Place your pets food bowl in a larger dish (ex. pie plate) filled with water (like a moat) to keep ants out.

I place the jars on my counters too at night when I go to bed or anywhere I see them.

*****Keep out of reach of children and pets.******

Wondering why you must keep it away from pets and kids and it's supposed to be low toxic?
Read this.

A Lovely Motto

Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves.
- Edwin Teale

Simplicity is the essence of happiness.
- Cedric Bledsoe

Straightforwardness and simplicity are in keeping with goodness.
The things that are essential are acquired with little bother;
it is the luxuries that call for toil and effort.
To want simply what is enough nowadays suggests to people
primitiveness and squalor.
- Seneca, Letters from a Stoic

Finally! Natural Homemade Deodorant that really works!

Are you wondering why anyone would want to make their own deodorant? Here's an article from Dr. Mercola on the dangers of antiperspirants. Not only is it important for your health but it's more frugal then buying and trying several from the health food store that you aren't sure will even work!

Thank you, One Long Adventure for testing this out for us and to Cheap Like Me for the idea of using tree tea oil for natural antibacterial properties!!

* Place 5 tablespoons of coconut oil (unrefined from natural food store) in a pot and liquify over low-medium heat. This happens very quickly.

* Remove from heat and add other ingredients.

* Add 1/4 cup of corn starch

* Add 1/4 cup of baking soda

* Stir continuously until smooth

*Add essential oils drop by drop until desired scent is reached (I would suggest at least 5-7 drops of tea tree oil for its natural anti-bacterial properties and then another for scent if you'd like)

* Pour into a 4 oz canning jar.

*Leave lid off until cool. Re-stir once cooled, as essential oils sometimes float to the top. Can refrigerate for a couple days to solidify.

Dab a bit onto your fingers and apply to underarms.

If you prefer a spray you might try this one:

• ¼ cup witch hazel extract
• ¼ cup mineral water
• ¼ cup aloe vera gel
• 1 tsp. glycerin
• 6 to 8 drops of essential oil of your choice (again, I'd use a few drops of tea tree oil)

This spray should last about 2-4 weeks. Re-apply during the day if necessary.

I would love to know how these work for you! Please come back and leave a comment.

Who Needs Delivery?

Not with this recipe! Make several and freeze before cooking for a quick meal any time.

Here's what you'll need:

*Crust:
4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp honey
3 cups warm water (110*F)
2 tsp salt
1 TB Italian seasoning
1/4 cup olive oil
6 1/2-7 1/2 cups bread flour

Sauce:
1 large can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1 TB Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp honey


Toppings:

Whatever floats your boat - I used raw milk cheese topped with chicken, bacon, red onion, and fresh tomatoes drizzled with a bit of olive oil.

Other favorites:
Chicken, tomatoes and pineapple
Spinach, red onion and tomatoes
Beef, red onion and green bell peppers

Directions:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast, honey and water. Let sit 10 minutes.
• Stir in about 3 cups of flour along with the salt, italian seasoning, and oil.
• Turn dough out onto a clean, floured surface and knead in more flour until dough is moist but not sticky. Put back in bowl, cover with damp cloth and let rise until double; about one hour.
• Meanwhile, stir together sauce and grate cheese.
  
• Punch down and form a tight ball. Allow to relax for about 5 minutes before rolling out.
• Coat pizza pan with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal.
  
• Top with sauce, cheese, and goodies. :P
• Bake at 425* for 15-20 minutes.

NOTE: If using a pizza stone top and bake immediately. If not, let rolled out dough rise for about 15 minutes before topping.

*Makes 3 large pizzas.

Family fun: Make small pizzas and let everyone top their own! You can also do this for a get together.

A New 'Friend' For Tea

After months of researching, I finally decided to purchase a Bissell steam mop. I really, really like it! I liked it so much I decided to share a cup of tea with her. :P

For general cleaning I just use the steam mop after a thorough sweeping. For tougher jobs I use my homemade all purpose cleaner to spray the areas that need a 'pre-soak' and then plug in my new friend and within moments (30 seconds) she's rearing to go! When finished, toss the washable microfiber pad in the wash for the next time.

I've used it on my ceramic tile and our concrete that has been painted and coated with poly-urethane. It's great! It's easy! It's better for you and better for the environment!

Quick & Easy, Fun Lunch

We try to avoid over processed, preservative filled, pre-packaged foods from the store. I'm sure you're wondering what in the world we eat then, right? So do I, sometimes!

Fresh fruit, boiled eggs, fresh veggies, cheese sticks with crackers, fresh bread, or tortillas is what we eat a lot of during the warm months. Here's what we had today!

Next time you make sloppy joes or spaghetti, save out about 1 1/2-2 cups of the sauce. We purchased the whole wheat mini bagels, shredded some cheese and that's all you need! I sprayed the pan with oil to avoid cheese drips sticking to the pan and preheated the broiler on the oven (you can use your toaster oven too).

Split the bagels in halves and lay on pan, spoon on about 2 TB leftover sauce, top with shredded cheese and place under broiler for a few minutes until bubbly and the cheese is lightly browned in spots.

Cut up an apple and banana, throw in a bowl with grapes and wa-lah a quick, nutritious lunch!

More-With-Less Peanut Butter Cookies

More-With-Less is one of my favorite cookbooks! It focuses on eating healthier and being good to our planet with lots of frugal from scratch recipes. I use the recipes as a base and be creative adding flavors and spices as desired. Here's one I tried today.

Cream together:
1/2 cup shortening (I used softened butter)
1 c. peanut butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg (I used the flax replacement*)

Add to creamed mixture:
1 c. wheat germ
2 tsp. vanilla
6 TB water

Combine and add:
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour (I used white wheat)
1 c. dry milk solids (I omitted this and added a bit more flour)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda

Roll into balls and flatten with fork in criss cross pattern. Bake at 375* for 8-10 minutes.

These aren't the kind of cookies you take to a potluck where everyone is used to eating store bought processed, high fructose corn syrup laden junk. These taste healthy, aren't very sweet and are a wonderful snack or even breakfast with a tall glass of ice cold raw milk and a piece of fruit.

*2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds & 3 Tablespoons water -mixed well

The Goodness of FRESH Tortillas

You won't believe the difference in store bought vs. homemade until you try it!

Mix 4 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder together. Using fingers, work in 1/2 cup of softened butter until crumbly.

Mix in 1 - 1 1/4 cup water until soft dough is formed. Turn out onto floured surface and knead a few times. Meanwhile, heat a cast iron griddle or skillet on medium heat.

Separate into 12-16 balls and cover with damp cloth. Take 1 ball at a time and roll out onto a floured surface until about 1/8 inch thin. We like ours a little thicker then store bought.

They don't have to be a perfect circle! Place on hot, dry griddle until brown spots appear.
Watch closely and don't burn!

It's a unspoken rule that you must eat one immediately with butter! ;) You might consider sharing one with each of your loved ones.

Easy Breezy Green Cleaning

For daily cleaning all you need is a clean rag and warm sudsy water...I just squirt a small amount of dish soap (preferably one w/o surfactants like 7th Generation - I use Ivory) on a rag and get it wet to wipe down table/counters etc. This will work in the bathroom for daily maintenance or use the below spray.

General cleaning in kitchen and bathroom - 1 cup vinegar, 2 tsp. liquid castile soap, fill spray bottle with water (optional 5-10 drops of essential oil such as orange or lavendar) Use this for everything and I mean everything...all surface all purpose cleaner. Leave a bottle in each bathroom and the kitchen. It only takes a minute to make!

For disinfecting things such as a counter where you just cut raw meat or a bathroom- take 1 dark colored bottle of pure 3% peroxide (the cheap spray bottles at walmart-the spray part unscrews off the clear bottle it comes on and fits perfectly on the large peroxide bottle) and one spray bottle of pure Heinz distilled vinegar (it must say made from grain or it's toxic). The combination of these two sprays simultaneously are stronger and more effective then chlorine bleach and if your child drank either or both they would be fine. Use this as a fruit/veggie/meat wash. You don't even have to rinse if you don't want!

I use the above sprays and just go crazy, one in each hand, spraying once a week, sink handles, faucets, counter tops, etc...just to disinfect and use a warm sudsy rag the rest of the time. I'm not sure if there's an effect on certain surfaces so test a small area if unsure. :)

So see?! It's not hard to clean green! One all purpose cleaner and a bottle each of pure vinegar and peroxide. You don't need a million homemade potions for separate things!

What Simplicity Means To Me

We Christians must simplify our lives or lose untold treasures
on earth and in eternity. Modern civilization is so complex as
to make the devotional life all but impossible. The need for
solitude and quietness was never greater than it is today.

-- A. W. Tozer

Simple living is not staying in your own little shell away from the world but embracing your community and volunteering with the time you have by doing only the things you love and saying no to the things you don't.

Simple living is not going without. It's enjoying the things you do have and not constantly needing to update and purchase bigger and better.

Simple living is not being 'cheap' but saving until you can afford the best and then using it until it can be used no more. There are far too many usable items being thrown into the landfill due to the consumerism views of America today thinking we constantly have to update to the newest items out! Think electronics, cars, children's toys, houses, the latest clothing fad and more!

Speaking of children's toys...what happen to the stick and ball of yarn? Most toys or gadgets out today do not require any imagination. Purchase dress up clothes, legos, art & craft supplies, blocks, puppets, and doll houses. What does a young child do with a new present? Play with the crinkly papers and put the box on his head! Imagine that. ;) Keep the junk out of your home and the land fill!



Simplicity is downshifting so you are able to turn your long work hours into fun with who matters most, your family and friends! If you have a large mortgage payment, 2 vehicle loan payments, as well as all the bills that go along with that you will have to work longer hours to pay for it all! It seems to me like the more you get the more you want. Discontent.

True happiness, I believe, comes from making a difference in your home and community. When you establish good relationships you will be a happier person. This requires quality and quantity time.

Simplicity requires you to think about your values. Some of the most important issues for me are spending time with God, growing to know Him more and more and knowing His Word. I work towards this by attending church reguarly and having a daily quiet time.

Spending time with my husband and children are important. Sitting in front of a television is not quality or quantity time. Playing games, working in the yard together, camping, fishing and boating are fun family times that help us grow closer to one another.

Being good to the environment is something I feel we should all do our part in. I try to reduce our trash by not buying products with lots of packaging such as individual bottles of water or snack packs. Reusing items by purchasing second hand or thinking of new ideas to use or restore what we already have. Taking your reusable bags to the grocery store is a simple thing you can do each week. I try to reduce our energy consumption by opening windows and using fans as much as possible in the summer as well as keeping lights turned out and using the energy saving bulbs. Making homemade cleaners is not only better for the environment but better for your family's health! This is a whole other topic that I won't continue with but you get the idea.
Simple living is this and so much more! We are all individuals that can do what we feel lines up with our family values. It's a continual process and a regular 'values check'. Don't despair! Take the time to have a family discussion and see what steps you can take towards simplicty.

I would love to hear what you are doing. Is simple living new to you? Have you been doing it for years and want to share some tips?

Vinegar ROCKS!

It is absolutely amazing what you can do with vinegar! It's the best tub cleaner, just warm in the microwave and either put in a spray bottle or rub on with a rag, let sit about 15 minutes, reapply and your tub/shower will be clean as new! It is a natural disinfectant and deoderizer so don't worry about mildew remaining or funky smells. As soon as it dries the smell disappears too!

You can use it in the rinse cycle for a laundry softner without any remaining smell once dried. The chemicals in commercial softners are awful! Not to mention the money you'll save.

Check out these amazing tips from Heinz!

Make sure it is made from grain and not that poison ethanol stuff. If it doesn't say it on the bottle, don't take the chance.

Now, as a nutritional supplement you'll need the good Apple Cider Vinegar that is raw, unfiltered, with the mother from the health food store. This helps level out your insulin levels and balances your bodies PH level. Add a dab a raw local honey and you've got yourself a allergy potion.

An Award For Me!

Thank you, Ella for the 'Lovely Blog Award'. You are one of the sweetest ladies I know! God bless you and yours. You are precious!

A 'Green' Clothesline Pin Hanger

So, I'm hanging out the laundry yesterday and thinking, 'Oh, I really need to look into making or buying one of those cool clothespin hanger thingees.'

Then, what happens next? I go to the library and check out this book called 'Organic Housekeeping' by Eleen Sandbeck and what awaits me inside? A cool idea for this gadget.

It literally took me about 2 minutes to make. My empty milk jug was already rinsed and calling out 'Please re-use me!' ;)

So, I snatched her up, *cut a hand sized hole in the front and cut through her lil handle that had previously been grasped by chocolate chip cookie laden hands, and wah-lah! She smiled with glee and so did I.

I proudly hung her on the line filled with wooden pins and there she was, no longer bound for the recycle bin.

You fancy crafty gals can doll it up any way you'd like. I'm more of the not so crafty, don't care as long as it's doin' the job kinda gals.

*Note where the hole is cut - it's the best place to keep everything sturdy and hanging properly on the line.

What's for dinner? Ummm...food!

You might think it's really quite sad but I don't feel bad about it...at least not bad enough to do anything about it. Sometimes I see all these wonderful menu plans and such but it's so limiting. I want variety! I want what I want, when I feel like eating it. Sure, you can plan 7 entree's and eat them when you want but in my opinion it's still not all out freedom!

There's nothing like going into the kitchen thinking, 'Wow, I'm so blessed with a freezer and pantry full of food, what should I create for my family tonight?!' And, this is how the above pictured dish came about.

I put 4 chicken thighs into the crock pot with a little all purpose seasoning this morning with no clue to what I'd create (see notes).

1 large can diced tomatoes, slightly drained
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups)
1 6 oz can diced green chilies
2 cans cream soup (I use a homemade equivalent)
2 TB Taco seasoning (1 pkg)
4 cups cooked rice (I used leftover wild rice)
2-3 chicken thighs or breasts, cooked and roughly shredded

When using a homemade equivalent cream soup you must mix this up first in a deep skillet or just dump you cans undiluted in and stir on med. high heat. Once warmed, add the beans, chilis, and seasoning. Simmer about 5 minutes and then stir in the rice and chicken. Taste test and adjust seasonings to taste. Heat through and serve.

Optional: Add in 1 cup frozen corn (when adding the beans).
Top with shredded cheese or a dollop of sour cream to each bowl.

Notes: Save the chicken broth out of your crock pot for later use. I only used two thighs so I have two left to freeze for later use.

Best part? It's quick, it's easy, it's healthy and it's frugal! Any complaints? ;) Let me know how your family likes this.

Buttery Popcorn, Sweet Popcorn, Who can resist yummy popcorn?!

Okay, so we are out of yellow popcorn...what? Whew...good thing I found that black popcorn on sale and decided to try it out. So, what to do with it? Hmmm...out of butter...that means no cinnacorn either. Oh, Rachel Ray, thank you, deary! She sent me an email just in time...Spicy Popcorn! No butter needed.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 15 cups hot unsalted stove- or air-popped popcorn (½ cup unpopped)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, paprika, cayenne and salt. In an extra-large bowl, drizzle some olive oil over the popcorn and sprinkle with some of the spices. Mix with your hands; repeat until the popcorn is evenly coated.

rachelraymag.com

I'll share my infamous Sweet & Salty Cinnacorn with you soon. Until then...Enjoy! :)

Mud, Mud, Go Away!

It has rained 20 days STRAIGHT here in Oklahoma!!!!!!!! I'm trying to stay optimistic and of course I always REJOICE in the Lord! I have to admit...I'm so tired of this rain...the mud puddles covering my yard and my Golden, who LOVES the mud. My children can't play on the swing set without getting muddy...then my house muddy, then the bathtub muddy, then another load of laundry to do. Yikes!

Mel's Ultimate Chicken Salad

This is my favorite chicken salad! It not only tastes divine it is very good for your body! I originally started making this because I needed to go to the grocery store and was using up odds and ends. I don't measure ingredients so I will do my best to give approximate amounts...it will turn out lovely regardless. ;)

2 1/2 cups of shredded, cooked chicken (or 2 cans)
2-3 boiled eggs, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 cup shredded cole slaw cabbage mix
1/2 of a medium red onion, chopped
1/2-3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2-3/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds or walnuts
3/4 cup poppyseed dressing (see recipe HERE)
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp celery salt (or use garlic/onion salt)
1/2-1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Mix it up. Place on a bed of fresh spinach leaves. Add a couple of tomato slices. Enjoy!

Mel's Poppyseed Dressing

Mel's Poppyseed Dressing

1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1-2 tsp Basalmic vinegar (optional)
2 TBLS finely chopped or grated red onion
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 TBLS poppy seeds

Place the sugar, mustard, salt, vinegars and onion into the blender and mix on low for 30 seconds. Remove the middle of lid and slowly add the oil in a stream. Turn off. Stir in poppyseeds. Use scraper to put into jar and store in refrigerator.

This is wonderful on a fresh spinach salad!

I took several recipes I found online and created my own. I'm not good at following recipes and always like to 'do my own thing'. This got rave reviews from my family who think they only like ranch. Enjoy!

SISTERS

To my sisters in Christ: We need one another. We need each other for support, a hug, a shoulder to cry on. I am thankful for old friends and new. I am here for you, just an email or phone call away; to pray, to listen, to encourage. ~Melissa

Enjoy the following quotes:

Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world simply by being there for each other.
Carol Saline Quotes

Sisters are blossoms in the garden of life.
Author Unknown Quotes

In the cookies of life, sisters are the chocolate chips.
Author Unknown Quotes

A sister is one who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.
Author Unknown Quotes

I'm baaack!

I have had a lovely time away from the computer but I thought you should be warned in advance....I'm back! hee hee So, prepare yourself to check one more blog reguarly. ;)

EASY Homemade Honey Peanut Butter Granola

This is what you'll need:
12 cups rolled oats (1 large container)
1 1/2 cups honey
1 can apple juice concentrate
1/2 cup oil (I use EVOO)
1 1/2 cups peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)

Mix the wet ingredients with a mixer in a large bowl. Add the oats and stir until combined.

Preheat oven to 300* F. Place the granola on two cookie sheets or
I use glass 9x13 pans because it's easier to stir. ;)

Place in the oven (300*F) and stir every 20 minutes until lightly browned, usually about an hour but it's important to check it every 5-10 minutes towards the end so you don't burn it.

Once completely cool, store in an airtight container. At this point you can add dry fruit or seeds. We like to keep it plain and add fresh fruit or nuts to our individual bowls.

Eat this like any cereal or our favorite, top your yogurt with this yummy treat!

Variation: Omit honey and add 1 cup brown sugar. Stir the wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Place the oats in a large bowl and stir in the brown sugar before adding the wet ingredients to the oats. This is fabulous but of course adds in refined sugar.

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the BEST cookies! You can add peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, and/or nuts. These are the kind you must not make often. ha ha

1 cup rolled oats
4 1/2 cups flour
1 TBLS baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
2 cups (4 sticks) butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups granulate sugar
1 TBLS vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice
4 eggs
5 cups chocolate or peanut butter chips or a mix
2-3 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350*
You can grind the oats in a food processor until smooth (I leave mine whole). Combine the dry ingredients in medium bowl.
Cream together the butter, sugars, vanilla, lemon juice with a mixer in a large bowl. Add the eggs and mix well.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and blend. Add the chips and nuts until well incorporated.
Spoon 1/4 cup portions onto an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 16-18 minutes until light brown and soft in the middle. Store in an airtight container after completely cooled.

This makes a large batch. :)