Delicious Whole Chicken Financial Blessing

I'd like to share how I bless my family with whole chickens, priced at my Walmart for $1.54/pound. We usually choose the largest chicken. The higher price per pound compared to what else is available is due to the absence of hormones and steroids in this brand.

How to Prepare and Save:

1. In roasting pan, place whole chicken, rinsed or not depending on your preference. I disinfect the sink and handles right after rinsing and I don't use my dishcloth in the process. Sprinkle the top of the chicken with garlic pepper and lemon pepper. Add liver to roasting pan if desired, or discard with neck. Roast with veggies if desired.

2. Roast at 350 degrees until the provided thermometer pops up. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes before carving. In the summer we use the crockpot on low for 7 hours, or high for 4 hours. The oven being on for 2 hours helps heat the house, so I don't mind.

3. After filling your family with the chicken, pull off the remaining meat (husband does this) and refrigerate for tomorrow's chicken noodle soup. We separate white meat from dark meat, and my husband takes the dark meat for two lunches, and we use the white meat in strips for the chicken soup.

4. Place carcass and bones in a crockpot or stockpot, and fill with water one inch over the carcass, or there about. Place older carrots and celery in with it if desired, or just peppercorns. I usually don't add anything because I spice the broth later. Simmer until morning on the lowest setting. Boiling is not desired, but that's hard to avoid with our gas stove, and with some crockpots.

Turn off heat and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Skim off fat and refrigerate broth until ready to use (within 4 to 5 days to be safe). I use my largest pitcher to hold the broth, plus an old pickle jar for the extra. Refrigeration will allow you to skim off more fat later. If you need it right away, just use it as is. It will have significantly more fat grams, but if you're in a hurry...oh well.

5. Do not discard bones! Just drain broth and fill up your stockpot or crockpot with water again, and simmer the bones for another 12 hours. Follow procedure above for broth, and use within 5 days for another type of soup. We make navy bean soup, black bean soup, etc. I do not freeze the broth, but that's just my preference. Instead, I label it with the date and use within the appropriate time. Some sites say it is good for 5 - 7 days with a tight seal and as long as you plan to bring it to a full boil before use, but use your discretion on this.

5. Place broth in stockpot that night for dinner, along with:

~ 1 tsp. garlic powder
~ 1 1/2 T. salt
~ 1 tsp. pepper
~ 2 T onion powder
~ 2 celery stalks, chopped
~ 15 baby carrots, chopped, or 2 large carrots, chopped

6. When veggies are halfway soft, add in large bag of egg noodles and set the timer as instructed on the noodle bag.

7. When timer sounds, turn off heat and add in spoon-sized strips of chicken from last night's roasted chicken.

8. Enjoy with cornbread. Use this link for cornbread and you won't be sorry. Everyone who comes here for dinner raves about this honey cornbread recipe. I use white whole wheat flour in it, or regular whole wheat flour. The wheat marries with the honey and it's heavenly. I don't use the heavy cream, but just 1 cup 2 percent milk instead.

To recap the savings, consider this return on my $13 - $14 initial investment in the chicken:

~ 1 meal for whole family the first night
~ 2 lunches for my husband
~ 1 soup meal for the whole family the 2nd night
~ 1 lunch of homemade soup for the kids and Mommy
~ Full stockpot of broth for another type of soup

That's value! Enjoy and let me know how it goes.

Family Bonding and Ground Turkey Haystack Dinner Recipe

I'm going to type two versions of this recipe. The first one is for the busier households, which calls for two cans of canned soup. Both my husband and I, along with Peter, have enjoyed the homemade version immensely, though two of our children put their noses in the air at the mushrooms and ate very little of anything but the meat and rice. The texture and rich taste from the brown rice and the homemade, non-salty flavor from the soups, married with the turkey, made the dish, so I can't vouch for the taste with white rice and canned soups. I've prepared this only three times but I think over time the children will get used to the mushrooms. I don't put them in other dishes often so it may take 15 or 20 offerings.

The recipe title comes from the concept of stacking. The bottom layer is rice; the meat, mushroom, soup mixture goes on top of that, then either peas or corn on top of that, ending with a dusting of grated cheese. It's delicious, trust me.

As you can see from the contrast in the recipes and in the preparation involved, a whole-foods lifestyle is about a more traditional notion of serving the family and about togetherness, rather than about a busyness that comes from carting the family around here and there. The idea is that the richness of life comes not from the events the family is taken to, but in the interaction that occurs while meals are lovingly prepared together, prayed and talked over together, and cleaned up together. The meal and the interaction are the events, and bonding and strength of character, mind, spirit and body are the fruits.

This manner of feeding the family and body and spirit stem from the belief that the family is the primary means by which God prepares parents and children to change the world for Christ. The nuclear family is primary, and the church family is secondary, with the secondary church family taking over, ideally, when there is no primary family available.

Thus, we open our homes in hospitality as much as we can when someone is missing a primary family for whatever reason. All the more reason to be home.


Haystack Dinner

original recipe here with photo

Ingredients (non whole-foods version)

2 lbs lean ground turkey
1 - 10 3/4 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1-  10 3/4 oz. can cream of celery soup
2 T milk
2 cups (16 oz.) cooked peas or corn
2 cups uncooked rice
Finely shredded cheese for topping

Directions

In a large pot prepare your rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, brown ground turkey in a large saucepan, then add both cans of soup and the milk. Stir until well combined and creamy. Cook until warm.

To serve haystacks, put some rice on a plate, top with meat mixture, then top with peas and finally top with shredded cheese. If your peas are warmed, the cheese, if finely shredded, should melt over them, but if not you can stick the plate in the microwave for 30 seconds. Enjoy.

Whole Foods Haystack Dinner 

Ingredients

2 lbs lean ground turkey (brown with minced garlic if desired)

2 cups uncooked brown rice & 2 T. butter (quick brown rice doesn't quite compare in texture and taste)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup finely diced celery

1/4 cup diced or sliced mushrooms

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (Homemade Broth: Water and celery & carrots or assorted veggies in stock pot on simmer all day, or for several hours.)

1 1/2 cups whole milk (I used 2%)

2 cups cooked peas or corn

Finely shredded cheese for topping

Salt and pepper to taste at the table

Directions

Brown Rice preparation: In a large pot bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add 2 T butter. Stir in 2 cups brown rice and turn heat to low. Cover and simmer 40 - 50 minutes. Let stand five minutes and fluff with fork before serving.

Meanwhile, brown ground turkey in large pan. Your pan needs to be large enough to add the soups to later. I added 2 tsp. jarred minced garlic to the turkey as I browned it since I wasn't using much salt in the recipe.

In a separate large pot, melt 1/2 cup butter. Add celery and mushrooms, saute both until tender. Whisk in 1/2 cup flour and let it cook for a minute until bubbly. Whisk in the 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth and allow mixture to come to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute until thick and creamy.

Add soup mixture to ground turkey and stir until well combined and creamy. Cook until warm.

To serve haystacks, put some brown rice on a plate, top with meat mixture, then top with peas or corn, and finally top with shredded cheese. If your vegetables are warmed the cheese, if finely shredded, should melt over them, but if not put the plate in the microwave for 30 seconds. Enjoy!

top image

sharing with Works For Me Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday: Baked Spaghetti Meatball Casserole

image via dreamtime.com

I found this recipe one day after I had already started cooking my own spaghetti sauce with lean Italian sausage. Thus, I left out the meatballs and it was still delicious. Admittedly, it seemed strange as I was putting it together and I didn't have high hopes, but wow! It was delicious and different and just the variety we needed in our Italian menus.

Other spaghetti casseroles I looked at were too much like the baked ziti I make; I don't use ricotta in my baked ziti so it's really more like baked Mostaccioli, but layered.

This casserole has a unique taste and even the kids ate heartily (okay...well...the five year old was underwhelmed, but otherwise it was a good night. She comes around eventually.)

Source for original recipe is spendwithpennies.com. It's a recipe site I highly recommend for families.

Ingredients for meatballs (Optional-- you could just use your own meat sauce)

1 lb lean ground beef (I use 93/7 lean ground turkey)
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 T. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
2 T. fresh chopped parsley
1 egg

Directions for meatballs:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all meatball ingredients and form into 1 inch balls. Place on a foil lined pan and bake 18 - 20 minutes. Remove meatballs from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Ingredients for casserole:

12 oz. package thin spaghetti

1 T. olive oil

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, (reserving 1 1/2 cups for casserole topping; 1/2 cup needed for casserole mixture)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (reserving 1/4 cup for casserole topping; 1/4 cup needed for casserole mixture)

1 large egg slightly beaten

2 T. fresh parsley

28 oz. pasta sauce (or more to taste; I used a cup more)

Directions for casserole:

Boil the pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with olive oil. In another bowl stir together egg, parsley, pepper, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and pepper. Toss with the pasta and place in sprayed casserole dish.

Yes, at this point it will look dry and unappetizing, but trust me--it turns out tasty. :)

Top with meatballs and pasta sauce. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes. Remove foil, top with remaining cheeses (1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan), and continue to bake until cheese is melted and browned.

Do you have a baked spaghetti casserole already in your repertoire? What do you love about it? How does it differ?

 

Crockpot Fiesta Chicken and Black Beans

As I mentioned, it's my lean grocery week and I'm using up what I have on hand, which is mainly frozen chicken breasts. I have another crockpot chicken recipe to share. This can be used for tacos, burritoes, or over rice or salad. Add tortilla chips, cheese, cilantro, anything mexican to top it off.
I love any recipe with the word fiesta in it. It means spicy and delicious and just what my appetite ordered. A fiesta is a celebration and that's just how I feel when eating fiesta-inspired food.

Celebratory.

Fiesta Chicken and Black Beans

Ingredients

3 boneless chicken breasts cut into strips
1 can 15-oz. corn, drained
1 can 15-oz black beans, rinsed and drained
1 T. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 can 14-oz diced tomatoes
1 can 6-oz tomato paste

Procedure

Combine all ingredients, mix well. Cover and cook on low 5 to 6 hours. As I mentioned, in my 6-quart crockpot, boneless chicken, even frozen to start, cooks in just 2 to 2 1/2 hours on high. I shred the chicken the last half hour of the cooking time.

My modifications:

~ 1 can diced tomatoes instead of chopped tomatoes. (Use mild Rotel to fire it up nicely. My husband is having heartburn issues so I can't use it right now. Salsa would work too.)

~ 2 cans black beans

~ 8 thin chicken breasts strips

~ About 8 ounces tomato sauce instead of tomato paste

~ 1 1/2 T cumin, and 2 tsp. chili powder

Enjoy and celebrate together!

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Maui Crockpot Chicken

I'm at that point in my grocery budget where I have to use what we have on hand as we wait for payday and a regular grocery run. These leaner weeks always inspire me to look for new recipes. In the freezer are two packages of individually frozen chicken breasts, so crockpot chicken breast recipes are the current topic of my searches.
And I found some intriguing ones this week! How does Maui Chicken sound? We found it delicious.

Let me first say that the experts will tell you not to put frozen chicken breasts in your crockpot, due to the risk of bacteria growing while they thaw and then heat up again.

However, I do it frequently and we're still alive. Miraculous, isn't it? Maybe it depends on your crockpot? Mine tends to boil broth on low, so it probably runs at a higher temp. than normal.

Most chicken breast recipes for the crockpot indicate a 5 to 6 hour cook time on low, and 4 hours on high. In my crockpot frozen chicken breasts are cooked thoroughly in two hours, therefore, I suggest you check them frequently after two hours.

Maui Chicken

Procedure:

Brown 6 chicken breasts and transfer into slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on high 4-6 hours (again, this is too long in my opinion...at least for my crockpot. I cook frozen breasts 2 - 2 1/2 hours on high).

Combine the following and pour over your 6 chicken breasts:

1 can chicken broth
1 can pineapple chunks with juice
1/4 cup vinegar
2 T packed brown sugar
2 tsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
3 T. cornstarch
1/4 cup water

I served this with plain brown rice. Enjoy!

source ckkitchen.com

No-Bake Cookies

One of our penpals sent this delicious no-bake cookie recipe. It's fast, easy, and it will quickly become a favorite at your house.

Ingredients

3 T. cocoa
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 stick of butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
2 3/4 cups quick oats

Procedure

In a small saucepan, add the cocoa, sugar, butter and milk. Stir well and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and oats. Stir well. Drop by tablespoon onto waxed paper, let cool. (I don't buy waxed paper, so we usually set them on foil and it works just fine.)

They harden and cool quickly. Oh, how mouthwatering they are!

Baked Potato Soup

For the love of soup, here's that recipe I've been wanting to share.

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

- 6 large russets (4 pounds) peeled and cubed

- 1 large onion, chopped

- 3 (14 oz) cans chicken broth with roasted garlic. Or add four cloves garlic, halved, then remove before mashing. I don't mess with trying to get garlic halves out of the soup. I just add 1 tsp. jarred refrigerated garlic to the soup, and leave it in.

- 1/4 c. butter

- 2 tsp. salt

- 1 tsp. pepper

- 1 cup milk (I use 1% milk, but any type would be fine I'm sure.)

- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (we use colby jack cheese)

- 3 T fresh parsley (or use 1 to 1 1/2 T dried parsley)

- 8 oz sour cream (I use light sour cream.)

- 4 bacon slices (I put this on the side, as I don't personally want the calories from bacon)

Directions

- Put first six ingredients in large soup pot (potatoes, onion, chicken broth, butter, salt, pepper). Cook until potatoes are tender.

- Turn off burner. Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is slightly thickened. Stir in milk, cheese, and parsley. Wait about 3 minutes to add the sour cream, to avoid separation.

- Sprinkle with bacon and extra cheese, if desired.

This soup is so yummy. Enjoy!

Christmas Potatoes, Choir Pictures, Gratitude Journal

This is my last post of 2013. I pray you have a Merry Christmas and Joyous New Year!

We are having our single friend, Dean, for Christmas dinner, and also for after-dinner entertainment, which will be a Christmas Nativity Play put on by the eager, budding actors and actresses here. They have been busy making shepherd staffs and a feeding trough to hold baby Jesus, and they're trying on sheets to try and simulate middle-Eastern clothes. They opened presents last weekend, and with that out of the way and the house cleaned up, we can concentrate on dinner and the Nativity.

I did some hunting for Christmas potato recipes, and found two posted on Paula Deen's site (sweet potato casserole and garlic mashed potatoes). In case you don't have your final menu planned, I thought you might want to take a look at these. Her recipes aren't healthy, but for a holiday meal, who's counting calories?

Sweet picture. My favorite of the sisters this year.

Sweet Potato Casserole

posted here

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup heavy cream, half & half, or whole milk

Topping

1 cup brown sugar

3 Tbs butter, melted

1/3 cup flour

1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Mix topping together with fork, and sprinkle over top of casserole before baking.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix every thing except for cream. Beat with mixer until smooth. Add cream; mix well. Pour into greased casserole dish (11/2 quarts). Add topping. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Serves about 8.





One of my favorite things about Christmas is the church Children's Christmas Choir. Here are my boys saying their Christmas verses, and here is one of Beth, too, singing Away in the Manger with other preschool church friends.

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I am so grateful that one of the church moms has been gracious enough to work with the kids for three years now, putting a short program on for a thankful, smitten congregation. The more often children are involved in worship the better; they help melt our preoccupied, adults hearts, so we can approach the Lord with a more childlike faith.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes posted here





I doubled this recipe:

6 medium potatoes coarsely chopped

2 tsp. salt to put in water

8 Tbs. butter at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream at room temperature

2 tsp. finely minced garlic

2 Tbs. milk (or to desired consistency)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Add butter and garlic and sour cream. Mash with potato masher or back of fork until desired consistency. Add milk, 1 Tbs. at a time, until desired consistency. 



Also on the menu is ham, whole cranberries, steamed green beans, corn (hubby has to have his corn), ambrosia salad, wheat rolls, and apple cider, and for dessert: pumpkin pie, apple crisp, and a chocolate pie.

Bless you, friends. Your friendship has been such a balm to my soul. I dearly love you.

Gratitude Journal:

~ My son Paul, who is such a kind, gentle soul, abounding in love and forgiveness.

~ A Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, who wants my heart for Christmas. Praise God!

~ Children singing about Jesus.

~ Dear friends who blessed us.

~ The way cheap candy canes light up my children's faces.

~ Hot cocoa on chilly nights.

~ Extra hours with hubby this week, as he gets a little rare time off. Unpaid time from the one job, but we still consider it a blessing.

~ Our heater and air conditioning guy's loving way with our children, especially with little Beth.

~ Apple cider 

~ Shepherds and wise men and stunning angels to make Christmas so exciting.

~ God news of great joy which shall be for all the people.

~ That every Christmas is a special opportunity for our unsaved relatives to become acquainted with the Christ Child, and His Good News. 

Please Lord, save our relatives?  May they be with us in Paradise, we beg of you. 

Let's Talk Meatloaf

image

The quest to expand my cooking horizons continues. Ya'll can come along for the ride, if only just for laughs at the novice cook.

On day one I made garlic cheddar chicken, on day two I made crockpot taco soup, and last night we had meatloaf.

My son Peter, who lives to eat though he's slim, loved the garlic cheddar chicken and said, "Can we have this more often?"

Peter and my husband, who also lives to eat though he's slim (how do they get away with that?), thought the taco soup was too fiery. Secretly, I loved the fire.

Already in my arsenal I had a wonderful upside-down meatloaf recipe that included oatmeal along with the usual suspects, baked on top of a tomato sauce/brown sugar base. After baking, I would flip it right side up to reveal the tangy, sweet topping, just like the pineapple upside-down cake phenomena. It was delicious and one of my favorite meals.

But alas, the oatmeal texture made my son Paul gag, literally. He's got a texture problem that really puts a damper on things, but I'm choosing to ignore it for now, hoping it goes away. He'll be ten this Sunday and it's time for him to brave uncharted culinary waters.

Anyway, for a couple years I stopped making meatloaf.

Enter a new recipe and a new generation of meatloaf lovers. All four kids looked at it doubtfully (meatloaf ain't the prettiest beast, after all), but in spite of themselves, they liked it. 

The thing is, this recipe calls for 2 pounds of meat and 4 eggs! I kept taking it out of the oven, expecting it to done, but still, it seemed too moist inside.

I enlisted my husband's help in deciding if the beast was actually done or not. He looked at it, tasted it, and commented, "I've tasted some dried out meatloaf in my time. Believe me, moisture in a meatloaf is a positive thing."

My own opinion is this: Extra moisture in a meatloaf is a positive thing when you're warming it for lunch the next day. Otherwise, cut some of those eggs, for heaven's sake! I did a search and found that overwhelmingly, the standard rule is 1 egg per pound of meat.

I will write this out with all the eggs, but you make your own decision as to cutting them. I'm going to make it again with three eggs, and then two eggs, and decide which combination works best.

Overall, a very tasty meatloaf with no offending textures to bother the kids.

Egg-Loaded Meatloaf (not the real title of course)

Ingredients

2 pounds ground meat (Combinations of meat give the best flavor. I prefer a lean loaf, so I use 93/7 ground turkey and/or beef)

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (make your own breadcrumbs for a more homemade flavor)

1/4 of a large onion, or 2 T onion flakes

2-3 cloves garlic, or 1 T garlic powder, or 2 1/2 to 3 tsp. jarred garlic

1 T Worcestershire sauce

2 T steak sauce

1 cup ketchup (or 8 oz. tomato sauce for less sugar, salt, and a more homemade flavor)

1 tsp. salt (I suggest leaving this out because of the salt content in the steak sauce and Worcestershire)

1-2 tsp. black pepper

1-2 tsp. dry mustard

In a 9 x 15 baking dish, combine all ingredients to form a loaf. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 - 60 minutes, or until juices run clear. Top will be slightly crispy but the inside will be moist.

Should you already have a similar recipe and want something new, here is my recipe for Upside-Down Meatloaf, from Saving Dinner by Leanne Ely.

Upside-Down Meatloaf

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

1 1/4 pounds extra-lean ground beef

1 3/4 cups oats

3/4 cups buttermilk (or 3/4 cup whole milk)

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1 onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. ginger

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 5 x 9 inch loaf pan.

On the bottom of the pan, press brown sugar, then spread ketchup over the sugar.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Make a loaf out of the mixture and place it carefully on top of the sugar/ketchup mixture in the loaf pan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until juices run clear. Turn meatloaf over onto a platter and serve.

Crockpot Taco Soup

image credit

I'm taking ya'll with me as I seek to expand our regular menu selections. Last time it was Garlic Cheddar Chicken, which my husband declared a restaurant-quality meal.

Last night we tried Taco Soup, which I loved and even had for lunch today. But let me warn you...it's mighty spicy! Try decreasing the cumin to make it more child-friendly.

There are a couple packaged-food items included in this, but below the recipe I'll give you whole-food friendly substitutions for those.

Crockpot Taco Soup

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey (93/7 lean; or ground beef)

1 packet ranch dressing mix (I will substitute for you below)

1 packet of taco seasoning (substitution below)

1 can corn (I used a whole bag of steamed corn)

1 can of diced tomatoes, not drained

1 can of tomato sauce

1 can of Rotel (a salsa-like tomato and onion mixture found in the mexican section)

1 can of water

2 cans of beans, not drained (I used 1 can black beans, 1 can pinto beans)

1 T cumin

2 tsp. minced garlic

Procedure

1. Brown the meat a little, and then add the garlic and cumin to blend the flavors.

2. Dump meat mixture in the crockpot with all the other ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours (or simmer in soup pot for one hour). It will look like chili to you, but really, it comes out as a unique soup.

Yeah, it's that easy!

I had never used Rotel and it took time for me to find it in the store, but Walmart did have it. I don't know if that made it so fiery, or the cumin, but if you find it too spicy, you can reduce one or the other.

I served with grated cheese to cut the spiciness, and with honey cornbread. You could serve with cheese quesadillas, or homemade bread, or tortilla chips.

I suggest vanilla ice cream with berries on top for dessert, to wash away the spiciness, too.

Okay, now for the substitutions:

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix (Store it and use for every recipe calling for taco seasoning mix. Use 2 T per 1 pound of meat. I usually triple the batch for greater convenience, but these measurements are for a single batch.)

2 T chili powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. paprika

1 T cumin

2 1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pepper

Ranch Dressing Mix (Makes 1 T; use for recipes calling for 1 packet of Ranch dressing mix)

1 tsp. dried parsley

3/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp. dried thyme


Honey Wheat Cornbread (the wheat and honey make this delicious)

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup white sugar

1 T baking powder

1 cup milk (I use the kids' 2% milk, but I've seen similar recipes written with 1 cup heavy cream instead of milk)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup honey

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.

2. In large bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and baking powder. Make a well in the center, and add the milk, oil, honey, and eggs; stir to combine. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.


* Image credit given above is for a good picture of taco soup, and shows ideal garnishes, but I didn't get this recipe at that sight. The recipe shown at that sight sounds equally good, though, and is for a larger batch.
 

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

I'm not a good cook.

I was single for far too long, and back then I would just as soon eat a bowl of cereal and read a good book, then make a full dinner.

Having admitted that, let me add that three years ago I decided to start cooking from scratch, for both health and financial reasons.

I don't know what the term scratch means to you, but to me it means buying no boxed foods or spice packs or anything containing suspicious chemicals. I purchase whole foods and prepare them myself; I want to know where our food comes from.

This doesn't mean I always bake my own bread, make my own yogurt, sprout grains, and buy steel-cut oats, for heaven's sake.

I don't even know what a steel-cut oat is, to be honest.

I also don't can produce. For one thing, I still lack the equipment, and secondly, I'd feel better watching someone do it first. My mother wasn't domestic and only did the minimum in the kitchen, though she wasn't a bad cook, just basic.

About now I'm looking for a domestic-goddess role model with time on her hands.

Though I don't can, I do check labels carefully on canned tomato products, and I only use canned beans when there's no time to soak beans overnight.

I don't buy organic produce unless it's fairly cheap, and although pesticides scare me, I only have so much money to spend on food, and by golly, the Lord is just going to have to protect us.

I tend to cook the same things week after week, unfortunately, because when I do start hunting for new recipes, I find ingredients lists that are full of spice packets and canned soups and the like.

It's discouraging and I give up too soon, instead of hunting for ways to modify the recipes. Time is never on my side.

But. I prayed and the Lord is helping! Recently I've had better luck hunting for whole-foods recipes, so our menus will find variety in the coming weeks, and as I use the oven more I'll stop shivering, thank goodness.

Today I have an easy, tasty recipe to share, which everyone liked and some of us really loved.

photo credit

Garlic Cheddar Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

4 cloves garlic

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs* (Italian style or plain)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ( I used colby jack successfully)

1/4 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp salt

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Procedure:

Melt butter over low heat, then cook garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.

In shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, pepper and salt.

Dip chicken breasts in the garlic butter to coat, then press into the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9 X 13 baking dish. Top with remaining bread crumb mixture.

Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees in preheated oven, or until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink.

*Making your own bread crumbs: Place whole pieces of bread, or torn bread, on a cookie sheet, single-layered. Bake at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Let dried bread cool, and then place in plastic bag. Crush with rolling pin (kids can crush them for you). 4 slices of bread make about 1 cup of crumbs. Boxed versions are salty, have chemicals, and taste processed.

Recipe originally found here. It says to pour the remaining melted butter/garlic over the chicken breasts before baking. I skipped that step to lower the fat grams and calories, and just discarded the butter mixture.

The recipe also calls for thin breasts. Mine were rather thick in parts but they were fully done and deliciously juicy at 30 minutes.

I served with plain brown rice and steamed veggies. Enjoy!

Baked Beans to Die For

I'm bringing baked beans to a Memorial Day bash, so I went searching. Bless my soul, what do I find but a delicious recipe with a photo tutorial on the Pioneer Woman website. You won't be sorry, friends. Try it. You'll need to bake it 2 hours, so plan ahead. Otherwise, it's easy.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/08/the-best-baked-beans-ever/

Pumpkin Pancakes, Oh Yes!

For a spiced holiday treat, combine:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I use white whole wheat)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

a pinch of ground cloves 

In a separate bowl, stir together 

11/4 cup milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree 

3 tablespoons melted butter  

1 egg

Fold mixture into dry ingredients. Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat; pour in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side; serve with butter and syrup or whipped cream.

Makes 8 to 10.

photo found here

Healthier, Homemade Hot Chocolate

Our expected high will be 39 degrees. Calls for some hot cocoa, yes? Here's a mixture far healthier than the store-bought variety.




Basic Recipe print here
2 cups powdered milk
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Combine in an air-tight container. To make a single cup, measure 1/4 cup of mixture and combine with hot milk or water.

~ Vanilla enhances the flavor of chocolate, so you could bury a whole vanilla bean in the mixture.

~ Dutch cocoa isn't preferred. The dutching process strips a lot of the healthy flavanols found in chocolate.

~ Add 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon to the mix. Not only is it a great flavor addition but cinnamon also helps to mitigate the impact of the sugar on your blood sugar levels.

Enjoy!

Multitude Monday, July 30

Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalms 118:28-29

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.” — Denis Waitley

Dear Lord, thank you for these gifts:

~ two excited sisters on the last day of VBS--an outdoor carnival

~ a hernia repaired

~ Beth singing songs to Daddy before they took him in for surgery (Twinkle, Twinkle, and Baby Bumblee, and Jesus Loves Me)

~ finally, a speech evaluation appointment for Beth tomorrow

~ four children behaving better (more used to Daddy's convalescence)

~ Beth singing her new favorite song over and over

I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee.
Won't my Momma be so proud of me?
I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee.
Ouch, it stung me! (shaking hand with a pained face)

I'm squishing up a baby bumblebee. (rub hands together)
Won't my Momma be so proud of me?
I'm squishing up a baby bumblebee.
Ew, I'm sticky! (looking at hands)

(Look around to see if anyone is looking)

I'm licking up a baby bumblebee. (pretend to lick hands)
Won't my Momma be so proud of me?
I'm licking up a baby bumblebee.
Oh, my stomach hurts! (rub tummy)

I'm never going to do that again!

~ Beth playing dress up

~ Paul baking a chocolate cake on his own

~ 6 in1 solar kit toy Peter got for his birthday finally working

~ laundry caught up

~ Beth night trained (no more diapers in my life; she night-trained earlier than the rest)

~ my preschoolers learning all their nursery rhymes and laughing with Momma at Mary Had a Little Jam And Other Silly Rhymes -- highly recommend this gem! It features many nursery rhymes rewritten with giggles in mind.



~ We love Madeline stories and also enjoyed a thrift-store bargain, Madeline, the movie. I laughed out loud a few times and found this surprisingly similar to the books, except that Miss Clavel has more heart in the movie--she loves the girls very much. There's a more spiritual feel to the movie.

~ teaching my children how to play foursquare with a playground ball

~ Our Compassion child, Nelson from El Salvador, getting a mattress, clothes, and food supplies

~ Peter turning in excellent photos for the library photo contest

~ making this fudge recipe with non-fat condensed milk (super easy, healthier, and no detectable difference)

~ Paul and Daddy playing Chinese Checkers and Chess during Daddy's convalescence

~ the Book of Jonah really speaking to our hearts

~ Peter and Mary catching crickets and butterflies together and looking for praying mantises

Linking with Ann for Multitude Monday

Baked Oatmeal For Breakfast

It was our turn to bring a breakfast food to Sunday morning fellowship. Our church fellowships from 9:30 to 10:00, right before church. I found this healthy, lowfat baked oatmeal recipe. Moist and delicious, it was enjoyed by all. Baking this the night before really cuts down on breakfast prep time. Just pop a piece in the microwave.

 Baked Oatmeal print recipe here

Ingredients

• 
  
• 2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats (or use regular whole oats and add 10 minutes baking time)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup raisins (or cranberries, or blueberries, or mashed bananas)
• 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts (I left this out.)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
• 1/2 cup applesauce  (or use 1/2 canned pure pumpkin and add some cinnamon and nutmeg)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Cooking spray

1. Procedure
2. Preheat oven to 375°.
3. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the milk, applesauce, butter, and egg. Add milk mixture to oat mixture; stir well. Pour oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

It is supposed to be very moist, but mine turned out soupy with just 20 minutes baking time. I added 4 minutes baking time and it was still very moist, but not soupy. Some people pour milk and fruit over it.

Nutrition information (If less than 30% of the calories come from fat, the dish is considered a lowfat food. We should try to keep our total fat intake each day at less 30% of our total caloric intake. I always figure about 3 grams of fat per 100 calories. Protein and carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram, and fat has 9 calories per gram)

Calories: 281
Calories from fat: 24%
Fat: 7.6g
Saturated fat: 2.8g
Monounsaturated fat: 1.5g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.9g
Protein: 7g
Carbohydrate: 48.8g
Fiber: 3.4g
Cholesterol: 47mg
Iron: 0.8mg
Sodium: 171mg
Calcium: 148mg

Today's Blessings

Blessings spill here every day. I'm so grateful for the Lord's faithfulness in providing grace and wonder.

First, my cousin came and fixed our leaky shower. The sight of Mommy in the tub filled my children with giggles for three days. "Mommy! Adults don't take baths!"

One day my three year old stripped down and invaded my bath, singing Barney's song: "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family. With a great big hug and a kiss from me to you, won't you say you love me too?"

Then she preceded to help me rinse my hair.

As sweet as I found that serenade, and as much as I'll remember it forever, baths use up a lot more water and more time. I'm so tickled to be back to showers.

Another blessing? Paul, who has earned more chore money than any of the four, heard the Ice Cream Truck and decided it would be a good use of a portion of his hard-earned money. Usually I would object, but this is his money.

He stopped hearing the singing truck and grew disheartened. He promptly prayed, and seeing his downtrodden countenance, I took pity and prayed as well.

Fifteen minutes later the Lord provided. Paul had begun to loose faith. I kissed him and told him that Jesus loved him. The ice cream truck coming back was a sure sign that his hard work on chores was pleasing to the Lord.

My excited children, all laden with chore money, partook of ice cream truck favors for the second time in their young lives. I would think that the ice cream in our freezer tastes far better, but you wouldn't know it by their cheery smiles.

Lastly, when the boys expressed interest in baking something, I suggested searching for recipes with Cheerios, since we had extra boxes.

Oh, these bars! So delicious.

Betty Crocker No-Bake Cereal Bars  print recipe here



Ingredients

1 cup light corn syrup

1cup sugar

1 1/4cups peanut butter

6cups Cheerios® cereal

1bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

Procedure

Step 1

Lightly butter 13x9-inch pan. In 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven, heat corn syrup and sugar to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. Add 1 cup of the peanut butter; stir until smooth. Add cereal; mix well. Immediately press in buttered pan. 

Step 2

In 2-quart saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips with remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over bars. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or cool completely at room temperature until chocolate is set. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. 


And what's better than a Psalm to go with a little praise and thanksgiving?

Psalm 107:1-9

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.


 

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, 

those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
 
Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.


 

He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.

Prayer Time: Dear Father, Thank you for your faithfulness and lovingkindness. You fill us to the brim with blessing and love. Thank you for my cousin, his skill, his help. Bless him in every way. Thank you for blessing Paul with an ice cream favor, and for building his faith. Thank you for confirming for him that you listen and answer prayer...that you love him and seek to bless him. Thank you for my boys' work in the kitchen. Thank you for "filling the hungry with good things", both spiritual and material. We love you. We worship you. May our lives bring you glory.

In Jesus name, Amen.


P.S.
Later this same day, Beth cut her wrist on a glass critter cage, meaning we spent three hours in emergency. It was a skin flap wound. They did their best to repair it, using four stitches, but a bit of skin stayed behind in the cage so it won't be the best looking spot on her arm. Good thing we have lines on our wrists anyway, to mask any scar. She did well--her strength is a miracle--until we came home at 10:00 PM, at which time she completely fell apart, along with one of her siblings (who can't take any change). As exhausted and disheartened as I feel right now, I know there will be grace in the morning. Grace enough that we'll all find many blessings to count. There will be many stories read, and lots of cuddles. A day to just be together, nurturing one another.

Thank you, Father

"Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;"
Hebrews 12:28

Thank you, Father, for...


...little girls and their dolls.
...little girls and their hugs and their tender emotions.
...trains and buses and all the other things children pretend with their preschool chairs.

~ For AWANA and its timeless lessons, thank you Father.
~ For victory and defeat, thank you Father.

~ For my sweet preschoolers and friends at AWANA, thank you Father. Beth on the left, a visitor at AWANA until next Sept., and on the right, Mary--watching her car win the Derby race. In ten years of parenting, no one had ever cut their own hair...until Mary decided to butcher her bangs, as shown in the picture. Yes, it could have been worse. They've grown a bit in the last month.

Thank you, Father, for...

...baking with children.

...being at home with them.

...the priviledge of shepherding their hearts through you.

...a warm, happy home.

...two good visits with our relative, in which the children shined your light.

...Peter introducing our Compassion children to our relative:

"This is Divya; she is from India. This is Raphael; he is from Burkina Faso, Africa. This is Nelson; he is from El Salvador, Central America. They are very poor and they don't always hear that they are loved. We love them and we write them letters and send them money. Our letters mean a lot to them, and we get letters back from them." 

I was so proud of him! Our visitor just said, "That's nice." But the heart of a child for other children, half-way round the world, maybe it planted a seed destined to bear fruit later, in her heart? I suppose I'm desperate for something to bring a heart change, but I know God is in control and I trust him. Hard hearts don't easily melt.

Thank you, Father, for...

...a husband who cherishes us and serves us with his life.

...giggling girls in bathtubs.

...the Geo Trax train set making a comeback in their playtime.

...never-ending grace.

...homeschooling.

...gingerbread pancakes (thank you, again, Jess, for the recipe)

...wrinkles and wisdom.

...nature-center classes.

...backyard nature.

...dressing dollies with my girls.

...the hope of spring.

...the upcoming gardening season and my children's enthusiasm.

...a simple life.

...a shampooed carpet.

...thrift stores to go to when Peter's jeans all have holes.

...fancy pink sparkly shoes and white fancy socks.

...babies in the nursery.

...a homemade chocolate cake, with Beth's love all over it.

...a bed for everyone.

...the worst of Beth's flare subsiding.

...hope of a letter soon from our Compassion children.

...the difficulties that force us to lean into You.

They want to start Beth on a low-dose cancer drug to address the swelling in her knees, which, apparently if left as they are, may be headed for cartilage damage. (I would demand an ultrasound to see cartilage damage before giving consent to this drug.)

She is not a good candidate for the drug, in our opinion. She has three siblings to pass germs onto her, and it suppresses the immune system, making it hard to fight infection. She is already terribly thin, and it can cause appetite and nausea problems. It can lead to hair loss, mouth sores, kidney damage, lung damage, and to certain kinds of cancer, later in life. It must be used for two years, with some of that time involving a lower, maintenance dose. It is administered by injection once a week (parents do it at home) or by pill if she would swallow one, but the pill causes more nausea.

It puts some children into remission, but this disease is a long haul. Remissions rarely last and then the drugs have to be repeated. If cartilage damage becomes a reality, there are total knee replacements that would possibly affect her life far less, in the long run, than these strong drugs at such young ages.

Although this drug has been used for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis for a while now, it is only FDA-approved for adults.

We want what is best for her...for her quality of life, for her long-term comfort, for the best overall health outcome. We don't know what would best achieve these goals. Normally, they offer a steroid joint injection into the knees, particularly the right one, which is more swollen and diseased, done under light general anesthesia, before pushing this methotrexate cancer drug. We would push for this before giving consent to the cancer drug.

To say we are unhappy with even the mention of this drug, this early in the disease, is an understatement.

Please pray for...

...wisdom and peace.

...a turn around in the weight issue. Although she's grown in height, there's been no net weight gain in the last seven months. Her clothes hide a lot, but she's extremely skinny--tall for her age (about 3.5 years) and only 29 pounds. And she's always been an eat-to-live child, rather than a live-to-eat one. That makes the battle even harder.

...a good relationship with her caregivers.

...peace with those we know who may not agree with our drug decisions.

...reduced swelling and no more flares, before our next appointment in early June, in which the cancer drug will come up again. I can more easily reject it if the swelling has lowered.

We thank you in advance for any prayer time you spend on our Beth. We'd be so grateful for your help, and would love to pray for you, too.

Counting My Blessings

I'm thankful...

...for these precious girls. 

...for their sisterly love.

...for this rocker. 

...for a little girl who is transformed by nursing and cuddling, and for God, who equipped me to comfort.

...for this delicious meal, which we finally got on the table at 6:00 pm (Late for this holiday, I know. We pull it off without any one to play with the kids. And yes, we forgot to dress for dinner before the photo.)

...a holiday that was, finally, not dominated by ADHD.

...for having my husband with us the whole day! The way to his heart?  Through his stomach. This cliche couldn't be more accurate in my marriage, though he's not picky. Almost any meal will do on a daily basis, as long as meat is included.

...for Paul, who woke up shouting Happy Thanksgiving everyone! He usually wakes up quietly, not saying a word for about twenty minutes. My heart smiled wide at his joy.

...for my Peter, who took charge of the decorations, humble though they are. He looked in every corner of the house to find four candles. Sweet and homemade trumps fancy (in my book). Don't even notice, please, that we drink out of jars gathered from Newman's Own Black Bean and Corn Salsa, which I put in my chili. Matching glasses have long since broken. And as I once said, these "glasses" never topple.

...for a (fake, pre-strung,) tree decorating session this morning not dominated by ADHD stress, thank the Lord!  The adults here wouldn't bother this early, but the kids love it and since it is a lot of work, it may as well be up 30 days. I love corners to hide that we don't have enough ornaments to go all the way around. Something tells me I'm not the only one who uses this trick? 

The picture looks like a fire hazard, but that fireplace is only used for storing puzzles and games up on the mantle, and stuffed animals and big books on the bottom. I keep it loaded up so no one else gets a scar on the forehead from falling against the brick. This is the playroom (mainly used by the kids). Miss Mary's scar (from three years ago) is still visible despite us putting sunscreen on it and keeping her in hats.

...for Lincoln Logs. Peter gets up first and lately he has a Lincoln Log surprise for us every morning. Here is his horse ranch.

...for leftovers in my favorite flavor--sweet potato casserole and sausage apple cranberry stuffing

...for delicious, non-bitter cranberries gently boiled for ten minutes with a cup of orange juice and a cup of sugar. Delectable.

...for letters from Burkina Faso and El Salvador on the same day, along with penpal letters from Wisconsin. Triple treat!

...for Raphael, who sent us a photo of his new jeans and matching shirt and new sandals, courtesy of the $15 we made at our late-summer garage sale. It was worth all that work, though I wish I received a photo of new clothes, plus a farm animal he was able to purchase for milk nutrition. I pray to be able to do this and more, and also that regular letters and small gifts sent with much love, will effectively combat the lies of poverty (you don't matter, God has forgotten you, you're not good enough)

...for a safe, warm home, plentiful space, nutritious food, hot water, washer and dryer and dishwasher, working plumbing (though don't ask about the toilets. My cousin has been busy, but will hopefully help us soon with those. His grandfather, age 93, just passed away and the whole family was very busy providing around-the-clock care for a few months, after colon cancer was diagnosed in late summer. He lived a long, blessed life)

I have more blessings, but husband took the kids to the park and I have, count them, four overflowing laundry baskets of clean clothes to fold. So much less stressful to do that on the few occasions I find myself alone.

Have a blessed time with your families this weekend! I wish you turkey soup tonight, with honey cornbread! You don't need the heavy cream it calls for. I substitute the kids' 2% milk and it's still delicious. I also substitute 100% whole wheat flour for the all purpose. The wheat blends wonderfully with the honey.