My nephew called me this week to sing "Happy Birthday" and then he proceeded to sing "Jesus, Thank You", a song that they sing in church. So precious!
The one little boy I care for has been singing all week. "Twinkle, twinkle little star", "Rock-a-bye Baby" and any part of any Veggie Tales song he can remember are the most common.
The other child I babysit chimes in when I sing, catching the last word of every phrase of the Little Einstein's theme song.
Hearing each child sing is one of the sweetest things I've ever heard.
I wish I had an audio clip for you to listen to today, but I don't. So you'll have to imagine! On-key, yet off-key with that squeaky toddler sound. I just love it!
To me, hearing little ones sing is definitely one of the finer things in life!
**Thanks to Amy for hosting Finer Things Friday!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
We Have A Winner!
Thanks to my faithful readers who entered my giveaway. I appreciate you coming by to read my blog!
The winner of the purse is:
Lyn!
I've emailed her and as soon as I get her mailing address, I will send the purse to her!
Congratulations!
The winner of the purse is:
Lyn!
I've emailed her and as soon as I get her mailing address, I will send the purse to her!
Congratulations!
Creative Advertising
I laughed so hard when we saw this sign while driving to the church picnic on Saturday. Certainly an attention getter!
Followed by this one:
This sign was posted about 3 miles from the sale! Fortunately we were headed out that way so we stopped to see what they had. They had lots of stuff and certainly great prices although I only bought one small item.
The signs were still up the next day so I had to stop and take pictures! I got lots of funny looks from people in the cars stopped at the light. But, oh well, it's worth it for blog fodder!
This is almost as good as the yard sale ad we saw in the newspaper the other week: Come early, bring your truck!
Followed by this one:
This sign was posted about 3 miles from the sale! Fortunately we were headed out that way so we stopped to see what they had. They had lots of stuff and certainly great prices although I only bought one small item.
The signs were still up the next day so I had to stop and take pictures! I got lots of funny looks from people in the cars stopped at the light. But, oh well, it's worth it for blog fodder!
This is almost as good as the yard sale ad we saw in the newspaper the other week: Come early, bring your truck!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Kitchen Tip Tuesday: Kitchen Scale
Recently, I picked up a small kitchen scale at a yard sale. I had never seen one like this and almost didn't pick it up to see what it was!
I knew I would want to buy one eventually. It's just a nice addition to my kitchen. I use it to weigh fruits and veggies when recipes call for pounds and ounces. I use it to weigh some of the food I eat. "How big is an ounce of cheese, anyways?" I use it to weigh balls of bread dough to make more uniform loaves of homemade bread. It's much more exact than eyeballing everything. And it's so compact and comes with a lid(not pictured) that it fits right in my cupboard.
I'm sure as time goes on, I'll think of even more things to weigh on my little scale!
So that's my kitchen tip for today. Use a kitchen scale! Or at least, if you think you might use one, start looking for one at yard sales!
For more kitchen tips, visit Kitchen Tip Tuesdays at Tammy's Recipes!
**While you're here, please check out my giveaway that's open for entries through midnight tonight!
Labels:
fun finds and deals,
Kitchen Tip Tuesdays
Gratituesday: Scrapbook Paper and The Guy Who Gave Them To Me!
Today's my birthday. My husband presented me with a gift first thing this morning. I love birthdays. I love gifts. That's just how I am!
He always takes great pleasure in going on long drawn out shopping trips whenever he is shopping for me for a special occasion. During which, I will call him repeatedly on his cell phone and try to figure out where he is and what he's buying. I'm just really sweet and caring like that.
Well, he went shopping last week and came home awfully excited about what he had purchased and what a great deal he had gotten. Fortunately for him, we had a really busy weekend and I didn't have time to badger him about it. Well, not too much.
So this morning he handed me two gift bags. In the biggest bag were 5 packages of Martha Stewart scrapbook paper. I had mentioned that one thing I'd like is some big packs of 12 x 12 papers or those blocks of paper that I've seen at different craft stores.
If you're rolling your eyes right now and wondering if I'm really going to write a whole post about how thankful I am for scrapbook paper, I will tell you. Yes, why yes, I am!
You see, I'm frugal and practical. The man I married, not so much. When we got married, he barely knew what the word budget meant, let alone how to live on one. How far we have come! Nowadays, he looks for deals when shopping and is careful to live below his means.
So when he says he got a really good deal, I get excited about that! Again, it doesn't take much to make me very happy!
After I opened my gift of paper, he could hardly wait to tell me what he spent on it. It turns out he went to Michael's and saw a Clearance display of these scrapbook papers outside the front door. "These are nice," he thought to himself as he picked one out that was marked at $6.98 and went to pay for it. After ringing it up, he was surprised when the cashier said the total was $.98! He was shocked and went and picked out 4 more packages. "The ones I thought you'd like the best," he told me. "I left the ones that weren't very pretty."
So I agree, he did really, really good. Really. $.98 a pack! I'm going to have so much fun creating with this wonderful paper.
But of course, I'm not just thankful for the paper. The paper is just a reminder of my husband who loves me just the way I am and seeks to bless me with little things that show his love and care. And since he knows how excited I get over a good bargain, he gets excited, too.
This is just one more reason I'm thankful for this man who is my husband!
**This post is part of Gratituesday hosted by Heavenly Homemakers.
**While you are here, please check out my giveaway. It's open for entries through midnight tonight!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Happy Homemaker Monday
The weather in my neck of my woods:
--Very hot. In the 90's.
A simple pleasure I enjoy:
--Homemade chicken salad!
On my bedside table:
--Need to get to the library sometime!
On my TV:
--The Cosby Show.
On the menu for tonight:
--Eating at a church meeting.
On my to-do list:
For this week:
--Final details for coupon class.
--Pay bills.
--Celebrate my birthday!
New recipe I tried last week:
--Chicken Salad with peaches from Southern Living magazine. Delicious!
In my craft basket:
--Still need to work on finishing my skirt.
Looking forward to:
--My coupon class on Saturday.
--My birthday!
Homemaking tip for the week:
--A little straightening up and cleaning every day can go a long way to keeping the home more organized!
Favorite blog post for this week(mine or other):
--Making Lunch Special at The Pleasures of Homemaking.
Favorite photo from the week:
--Hmmm...I don't think this is a red bell pepper plant after all!
Lesson learned the past few days:
--Not sure at the moment!
On my prayer list:
--my husband
--our church fellowships
--opportunities to pass the hope of Christ on to others
Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." I Peter 4:10,11
**Thanks to Sandra for hosting Happy Homemaker Mondays!
**Be sure to check out and sign up for my giveaway!
Menu Plan Monday
We've got a lot going on this week so I'm trying to keep things as easy as I can. I'm also due for a stock-up of pantry staples at the beginning of the month so this menu is based on what I have on hand to use up!
My crock pot will come to the rescue this weekend as we will be busy. Letting the crock pot cook my meals is one of the best ways to avoid going out to eat when I'm tired and extra busy!
Here's what's cooking this week:
Sunday- My husband took me out for a pre-birthday steak dinner. Yum!
Monday-Eat at church meeting.
Tuesday-My birthday! I have several FREE birthday coupons to use so I think we'll plan a fun meal out with those!
Wednesday-Chicken gravy on toast, veggie
Thursday-Crock pot Shepherd's Pie(new recipe), bread
Friday- Eating on the go since we'll be set up at a show most of the day. I'm planning to pack the cooler with sandwiches, a main dish salad of some kind and some snacks to make sure we don't go hungry!This will be for both lunch and supper.
Saturday- Crock pot Sweet and Tangy Twisted Beef served over brown rice.
What's cooking at your house?
For more menu planning inspiration, please visit Organizing Junkie!
**While you're here, check out my giveaway. You could win a handmade purse!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Blog-iversary and a Giveaway!
This weekend marks my blog's 4th birthday!
To celebrate, I'm giving away one of my handmade purses.
I made this purse from a recycled denim skirt. Lined with cheery red gingham, this is one of my favorites!
Here's what you need to do to enter the giveaway:
--Leave a comment on this post. Make sure the comment includes your name and email address.
**I am unable to ship internationally. Winner must be a resident of the USA.
Giveaway will be open through Tuesday, July 28. I will then choose a winner through random selection.
Thanks to all my faithful readers who make blogging that much more fun!
To celebrate, I'm giving away one of my handmade purses.
I made this purse from a recycled denim skirt. Lined with cheery red gingham, this is one of my favorites!
Here's what you need to do to enter the giveaway:
--Leave a comment on this post. Make sure the comment includes your name and email address.
**I am unable to ship internationally. Winner must be a resident of the USA.
Giveaway will be open through Tuesday, July 28. I will then choose a winner through random selection.
Thanks to all my faithful readers who make blogging that much more fun!
Blueberry Picking
Last week we went blueberry picking at a local u-pick farm. This is by far the most affordable blueberry place we've discovered around here. Thanks to my friend Abbie for telling me about it!
Andy and I had such a good time picking blueberries. This was our second trip this season. We also went the week before and picked one gallon. They were so yummy that I wanted to get two more gallons to freeze!
We've had blueberry pancakes, several blueberry cobblers, blueberry muffins and I've been able to freeze almost 2 gallons for the winter. Before I froze them, I would grab a handful of berries everytime I walked by. They are so delicious! And healthy too.
Wonder who this nice lady is?!? Whoever she is, she looks like her mom!:-)
Fresh (unsprayed) and local blueberries. It doesn't get much finer than that!
Stop by Amy's blog for more Finer Things Friday posts!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
White Bean Salad
As requested, here is the recipe for my White Bean Salad that was mentioned in this post.
The real name for this is Blue Cheese Bean Salad but since I don't always have blue cheese on hand, I call it White Bean Salad and then add whatever cheese I want!
I'm printing the recipe as it is then I'll add my variations at the end.
Blue Cheese Bean Salad
Recipe courtesy of my sister-in-law, who always makes such yummy gourmet foods when we visit!
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 (16 oz.) cans cannellini or any white beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup diced tomato
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/3 cup fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Crostini, optional
Directions:
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oregano and garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add vinegar and remove from heat. Combine vinegar mixture and beans in a bowl. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
Add 1 teaspoon oil, diced tomato and the next five ingredients to bean mixture and toss well. Serve with Crostini, if desired.
Crostini:
24-(1/2 inch thick) slices french bread baguette
1 garlic clove, halved
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put bread on baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until toasted. Rub cut sides of garlic over 1 side of each slice. Spray with cooking spray. bake for 3 more minutes.
My variations:
--Other cheeses work well in this recipe. I have used feta with good results and shredded Parmesan cheese on top at serving time is delicious as well. Or you can totally omit the cheese altogether. My husband is very fond of blue cheese, so I like to add that whenever I can.
--I usually used dried and cooked beans. About 2 cups cooked beans for each can.
--Regular vinegar works ok.
--Add other herbs if desired. Basil is very tasty!
--If in a hurry, I'll skip the chilling step. Instead, I'll just add everything together and throw into the fridge until serving time.
Enjoy!
**Does anyone have tips for photographing white foods? I have tried to take photos of several different white dishes and they come out horrible. Any tips would be appreciated!
The real name for this is Blue Cheese Bean Salad but since I don't always have blue cheese on hand, I call it White Bean Salad and then add whatever cheese I want!
I'm printing the recipe as it is then I'll add my variations at the end.
Blue Cheese Bean Salad
Recipe courtesy of my sister-in-law, who always makes such yummy gourmet foods when we visit!
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 (16 oz.) cans cannellini or any white beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup diced tomato
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/3 cup fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Crostini, optional
Directions:
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oregano and garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add vinegar and remove from heat. Combine vinegar mixture and beans in a bowl. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
Add 1 teaspoon oil, diced tomato and the next five ingredients to bean mixture and toss well. Serve with Crostini, if desired.
Crostini:
24-(1/2 inch thick) slices french bread baguette
1 garlic clove, halved
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put bread on baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until toasted. Rub cut sides of garlic over 1 side of each slice. Spray with cooking spray. bake for 3 more minutes.
My variations:
--Other cheeses work well in this recipe. I have used feta with good results and shredded Parmesan cheese on top at serving time is delicious as well. Or you can totally omit the cheese altogether. My husband is very fond of blue cheese, so I like to add that whenever I can.
--I usually used dried and cooked beans. About 2 cups cooked beans for each can.
--Regular vinegar works ok.
--Add other herbs if desired. Basil is very tasty!
--If in a hurry, I'll skip the chilling step. Instead, I'll just add everything together and throw into the fridge until serving time.
Enjoy!
**Does anyone have tips for photographing white foods? I have tried to take photos of several different white dishes and they come out horrible. Any tips would be appreciated!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Yard Sale Deals
I haven't shared any of my yard sale finds in a while. But I found a couple of cool things this weekend that are worth sharing!
My husband found this in a FREE box:
It's a vintage 1950's Pyrex bowl complete with lid! I love the red. I love old bowls. The lid shows a bit of wear but still, I can't believe it was free!
I love the looks of Vera Bradley products but not the price so much. So I keep my eye out for these things at yard sales. I've found that if they're in really good condition, they're priced pretty high. If they're cheap, they're pretty worn. But occasionally, I'll find a Vera in the $1 purse box. In the past year or two, I've purchased an almost brand new Vera purse that I sold on ebay and a slightly worn Vera tote bag that I use and love! Both were $1.
This past Saturday, I found this for $1:
A Vera Bradley "Ditty Bag". It is just so pretty! I know I'll enjoy using it. Wouldn't this be a charming way to carry my lunch?
What kind of cool yard sale treasures have you found recently?
My husband found this in a FREE box:
It's a vintage 1950's Pyrex bowl complete with lid! I love the red. I love old bowls. The lid shows a bit of wear but still, I can't believe it was free!
I love the looks of Vera Bradley products but not the price so much. So I keep my eye out for these things at yard sales. I've found that if they're in really good condition, they're priced pretty high. If they're cheap, they're pretty worn. But occasionally, I'll find a Vera in the $1 purse box. In the past year or two, I've purchased an almost brand new Vera purse that I sold on ebay and a slightly worn Vera tote bag that I use and love! Both were $1.
This past Saturday, I found this for $1:
A Vera Bradley "Ditty Bag". It is just so pretty! I know I'll enjoy using it. Wouldn't this be a charming way to carry my lunch?
What kind of cool yard sale treasures have you found recently?
Monday, July 20, 2009
Happy Homemaker Monday
The weather in my neck of my woods:
--Relatively clear and very warm!
A simple pleasure I enjoy:
--fresh-picked blueberries
On my bedside table:
--Still finishing some books from last week and need to go to the library!
On my TV:
--Other than Super Why or Veggie Tales for the kiddos or a little Fox News, I really don't watch much TV, especially on Mondays.
On the menu for tonight:
--Eating at a church meeting. I'm taking blueberry cobbler.
On my to-do list:
For this week:
--Finish material for coupon class.
--Freeze peaches and blueberries.
--Bake bread.
--Weed garden and plant some more beans and possibly some fall crops.
New recipe I tried last week:
--Nothing new this week!
In my craft basket:
--Still need to work on finishing my skirt.
Looking forward to:
--A fun weekend of picnics, fellowship, swimming and a baptism with our church family.
Homemaking tip for the week:
--Make room for little splurges and touches of beauty in your budget. I saw the most beautiful sunflowers at the farmer's market this weekend. I bought 2 of them and they are so cheerful and fun to look at. At $1 a stem, this is an inexpensive simple pleasure.
Favorite blog post for this week(mine or other):
--I've been enjoying the Mommy,Come Home series at The Finer Things In Life.
Favorite photo from the week:
The blueberries we picked last Friday!
Lesson learned the past few days:
--When out in the sun for more than a few minutes, pack water and sunscreen. We went out blueberry picking last Friday and I foolishly didn't bring either. The water situation was easily remedied; the sunburn not so much. Ouch! On my list for this weekend: plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat!
On my prayer list:
--my husband
--our church fellowships
--opportunities to pass the hope of Christ on to others
Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
"In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." II Timothy 2:20 &21
This stood out to me this week because of the hope in Christ Jesus that is there for each person. Each person can be a a useful instrument for noble purposes!
These verses also remind me of my significance to God. He has made me holy and useful to Him! I pray that these simple words will encourage someone today. As you allow Christ to cleanse you, you also are made holy and useful to the Master, prepared for every good work He calls you to do!
**Thanks to Sandra for hosting Happy Homemaker Mondays!
Menu Plan Monday
Here's what's on the supper menu this week:
I use a simple meal rotation each week for easy planing!
Sunday-leftovers
Monday-church meeting; I'm taking a blueberry cobbler.
Tuesday-BBQ ribs in crockpot, corn on the cob, cucumber salad, sliced peaches
Wednesday-salmon patties, green beans, homemade bread
Thursday-chicken pot pie**, steamed veggies
Friday-homemade pizza
Saturday-picnic lunch; leftovers and smoothies for supper
**indicates freezer meals
Kitchen To-Do List:
1)bake bread
2)freeze peaches
3)freeze blueberries
4)cook chicken in crock pot
5)bake muffins
For more menu planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Switching To Google Reader
I'm in the process of switching all my blog subscriptions from Bloglines to Google Reader.
I've been using Bloglines for over a year. I love the idea of going to one place to read all the updates instead of hopping from one blog to another to find updates.
I've been very happy with Bloglines except for the fact that they have continually dropped feeds. Suddenly, I no longer receive updates to certain blogs. What is the point of using a reader if you are back to clicking around looking for updates?
Bloglines also gets confused regularly and suddenly I have several thousand new posts which are really old ones that are showing up as new. This is annoying.
So I've switched to Google Reader since I've heard good reviews about it. I'm planning to try it out for a while and see what I think.
What about you? If you use Google Reader, do you like and not like about it? What other blog readers do you use?
I've been using Bloglines for over a year. I love the idea of going to one place to read all the updates instead of hopping from one blog to another to find updates.
I've been very happy with Bloglines except for the fact that they have continually dropped feeds. Suddenly, I no longer receive updates to certain blogs. What is the point of using a reader if you are back to clicking around looking for updates?
Bloglines also gets confused regularly and suddenly I have several thousand new posts which are really old ones that are showing up as new. This is annoying.
So I've switched to Google Reader since I've heard good reviews about it. I'm planning to try it out for a while and see what I think.
What about you? If you use Google Reader, do you like and not like about it? What other blog readers do you use?
Summer of Picnics #3 & #4
I'm a bit behind on recording our summer picnics. We were so busy in June that we didn't go on even one picnic. And last weekend, our date was to Chick-fil-a. Hopefully, we'll get back to our picnic schedule this week.
In the meantime, here are the details on our two last picnics from May. Yes, May...I told you I was slow here. :-)I'm almost embarrassed to be posting them now but I guess it's better late than never!
For picnic #3, we decided to try a small park in town that we hadn't been to yet. When we arrived, only a few people were there for what looked to be baseball practice. We set up our picnic and began to eat. A few minutes later, park security came and told us that they were getting ready to lock up the park and would we please finish up? It was only a little after 7 pm, but we packed up and went on home. About a mile down the road, it began to storm so we would've had to leave our picnic early anyways!
On the menu:
--white bean salad with crostini
--cheese and crackers
--grapes
--Hershey's 100 calorie chocolate covered pretzels
Picnic #4 took place in our living room since we got rained out on Memorial Day. This is proof that you can have a picnic anywhere!
Our menu:
--chicken salad sandwiches(recipe below)
--carrot sticks
--tortilla chips
--watermelon
Mary Ann's Chicken Salad with fruit and nuts
This is more of a guide than an actual recipe as everything is added to taste. It is so yummy; one of our favorites!I concocted this simple recipe after something similar was served at one of my bridal showers.
--chopped cooked chicken
--sliced red grapes or apples
--walnuts or pecans-I like them chopped but still pretty chunky.
--chopped celery
--chopped onion, if desired
--mayonnaise
--yellow mustard
--garlic powder
--salt
--curry powder, if desired
Mix first 5 ingredients in bowl. Add a couple spoonfuls of mayo until the right consistency. I don't like it too runny, so I put in less or add more chunky stuff. Add a squirt of yellow mustard then stir in small amounts of the remaining spices. Unless you really like curry powder, add only a tiny bit of it. I like to add just a smidgen to add a different flavor. Taste and adjust seasonings until just right.
Spread on crackers, bread or serve a spoonful on a bed of lettuce.
Our cherished dog Rock joined us. I believe that he was hoping for a bite of people food but we ate it all ourselves. We're just selfish like that. ;-)
Our picnic entertainment: Nascar's Coca-Cola 600.
Fun times!
Picnic tip: Be flexible!
In the meantime, here are the details on our two last picnics from May. Yes, May...I told you I was slow here. :-)I'm almost embarrassed to be posting them now but I guess it's better late than never!
For picnic #3, we decided to try a small park in town that we hadn't been to yet. When we arrived, only a few people were there for what looked to be baseball practice. We set up our picnic and began to eat. A few minutes later, park security came and told us that they were getting ready to lock up the park and would we please finish up? It was only a little after 7 pm, but we packed up and went on home. About a mile down the road, it began to storm so we would've had to leave our picnic early anyways!
On the menu:
--white bean salad with crostini
--cheese and crackers
--grapes
--Hershey's 100 calorie chocolate covered pretzels
Picnic #4 took place in our living room since we got rained out on Memorial Day. This is proof that you can have a picnic anywhere!
Our menu:
--chicken salad sandwiches(recipe below)
--carrot sticks
--tortilla chips
--watermelon
Mary Ann's Chicken Salad with fruit and nuts
This is more of a guide than an actual recipe as everything is added to taste. It is so yummy; one of our favorites!I concocted this simple recipe after something similar was served at one of my bridal showers.
--chopped cooked chicken
--sliced red grapes or apples
--walnuts or pecans-I like them chopped but still pretty chunky.
--chopped celery
--chopped onion, if desired
--mayonnaise
--yellow mustard
--garlic powder
--salt
--curry powder, if desired
Mix first 5 ingredients in bowl. Add a couple spoonfuls of mayo until the right consistency. I don't like it too runny, so I put in less or add more chunky stuff. Add a squirt of yellow mustard then stir in small amounts of the remaining spices. Unless you really like curry powder, add only a tiny bit of it. I like to add just a smidgen to add a different flavor. Taste and adjust seasonings until just right.
Spread on crackers, bread or serve a spoonful on a bed of lettuce.
Our cherished dog Rock joined us. I believe that he was hoping for a bite of people food but we ate it all ourselves. We're just selfish like that. ;-)
Our picnic entertainment: Nascar's Coca-Cola 600.
Fun times!
Picnic tip: Be flexible!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Easy Crockpot Roast Beef
I wanted to cook a roast in the crock pot yesterday and wanted to add some kind of spices or a marinade to it. Since I was planning on using the meat as an ingredients in 2 other dinners this week, I didn't want it to be too overly spiced or drenched in salsa or anything.
I found this yummy recipe in my favorite crockpot book and poured it all together in the pot. The result was one of the best roasts that I've ever eaten!There was a slight kick to it but definitely not overpowering. The meat was so tender and flavorful! This smelled so good while it was cooking!
Easy Roast Beef
1 roast- I used a 3.5 pound chuck roast.
1/3 cup water
1 can (4 ounces)green chilies, with liquid
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Plop meat in greased crockpot. Combine all other ingredients and pour over meat. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Update on the grass-fed beef: This roast was from our recent beef order and was absolutely delicious! So far we've loved the beef that we got. Our first try was some grilled hamburgers and while they were delicious, we could detect a slight "grassy" flavor. I think it's something we'll get used to. The rest of the meat has been added to casseroles and such so we didn't taste anything different.
Due to the lower fat content, it's recommended that grass-fed beef is marinated and cooked slowly. I've also been following the farmer's advice to add a bit of olive oil when browning the ground beef since it produces so little grease in the pan. I've been careful to cook all of this meat at a lower temperature and so far it has all been wonderful and not at all dry or tough.
I found this yummy recipe in my favorite crockpot book and poured it all together in the pot. The result was one of the best roasts that I've ever eaten!There was a slight kick to it but definitely not overpowering. The meat was so tender and flavorful! This smelled so good while it was cooking!
Easy Roast Beef
1 roast- I used a 3.5 pound chuck roast.
1/3 cup water
1 can (4 ounces)green chilies, with liquid
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Plop meat in greased crockpot. Combine all other ingredients and pour over meat. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Update on the grass-fed beef: This roast was from our recent beef order and was absolutely delicious! So far we've loved the beef that we got. Our first try was some grilled hamburgers and while they were delicious, we could detect a slight "grassy" flavor. I think it's something we'll get used to. The rest of the meat has been added to casseroles and such so we didn't taste anything different.
Due to the lower fat content, it's recommended that grass-fed beef is marinated and cooked slowly. I've also been following the farmer's advice to add a bit of olive oil when browning the ground beef since it produces so little grease in the pan. I've been careful to cook all of this meat at a lower temperature and so far it has all been wonderful and not at all dry or tough.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Happy Homemaker Monday
It's been a while since I participated in Happy Homemaker Monday. I've missed it! I enjoy keeping track of these simple things from week to week! Hope you enjoy reading along!
The weather in my neck of the woods:
It's cooler today. 79 degrees and a bit cloudy and rainy. It's nice that it's a bit cooler. Summers can be quite hot here in the South!
One of my simple pleasures:
Homegrown tomatoes. They're so delicious!
On my bedside table:
The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace.
Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney. Love this book!
The newest Sisterchick book by Robin Jones Gunn.
(I raided my sister's library for anything that looked interesting last time I visited!)
On my TV:
Trivial Pursuit
On the menu for tonight:
Eating at a church meeting. I'm planning on taking some homemade cookies and a cucumber and tomato salad.
On my To Do List:
For this week:
--Clip and sort coupons.
--Pick more blueberries.
--Work on material for the coupon class I'm teaching in less than a month. Yikes!
New Recipe I tried last week:
I canned bread and butter pickles using my mom's recipe. Delicious!
In the craft basket:
I have a skirt that is half-sewed that I really want to finish. Not sure when that will be though. :-)
Looking forward to:
Having my house back after the last of the visiting family leaves tomorrow. Don't get me wrong-I love having family and friends visit. But it is nice to get back to normal again, too!
Homemaking Tip for this week:
Keep it simple and enjoy the little things each day. Even if your to-do list never gets done!
Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
The Biggest Kitchen Table series at down-to-earth.
Favorite photo from last week:
I love this picture of my brother with my nephew and niece, Knox and Leila. My sister took it last week while he was visiting them. Leila is 5 weeks old already!
Lesson learned the past few days:
Letting God be in control of every detail of our lives and trusting Him to work every single thing out.
On my Prayer List:
--my husband
--our nation and President
--friends and family
Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things."
I Timothy 4:8
For more Happy Homemaker posts, visit Sandra's blog!
Menu Plan Monday
I'm actually getting a menu plan post up this week! Yeah for me!
June was a very hectic month for us and so far July has been the same. We've had family in and out a couple of times, we've been here and there and then several other events and busy, busy weekends.
My brother is flying back home tomorrow morning, the last of the visiting family for now. Hopefully with this whirlwind behind us, I can get back to more regular blogging. Maybe. I have a list of posts to write; blogging just has not been a top priority during this busy season.
Our gardens are in full swing. I've canned some pickles and froze some green beans. We picked blueberries last Friday and I have a cookie sheet of them freezing now. We've been eating fresh zucchini, a few yellow squash and green peppers, lots of green beans and piles of cucumbers! Tomatoes are just starting to ripen and I have a small basket of them on my kitchen counter. There are very few things so delicious as a homegrown tomato!
Here's what's on the supper menu for the week:
Most meals accompanied by some fresh veggies from the garden.
Monday-Church meeting. I'm taking a cucumber and tomato salad and some homemade cookies. (My young cookie helper this morning pronounced the cookies "not yucky or gross." I am so glad!)
Tuesday-Crockpot roast beef
Wednesday-Beef and rice salad
Thursday- Beef and gravy over toast
Friday-Homemade pizza night
Saturday-scrambled eggs, toast, smoothies
My meal rotation is here. You will notice that I am not following it very closely this week. I'm using the crock pot on Tuesday so I'll have the meat cooked for the other meals!
For more meal planning inspiration, click on over to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Free Food- Not For Chikins!
What do we do for fun on a Friday night?
Dress up like cows and get a free meal!
Today was Chick-fil-a's Cow Appreciation Day and they were handing out free food to people dressed like cows. For wearing a cow accessory, you got a free entree and if you were dressed head to toe like a cow, a free meal.
We figured that if we were going to do it, we might as well do it right and get the whole meal! And we love Chick-Fil-A!
Our costumes were created using only stuff we had on hand:
--black fabric for the spots, ears and my tail
--Chick-Fil-A tie for Andy's tail
--bandana
--cardstock, markers and some recycled twine for my sign
--sewing thread, needle and tape
--our regular clothes-white shirts and khakis(closest thing we had to white pants!)
**No clothes were harmed in the making of these costumes!:-)
Thank you, Chick-Fil-A for a fun and free date night!
For more photos of Cow Appreciation Day participants, moo-ve on over to Money Saving Mom!
Dress up like cows and get a free meal!
Today was Chick-fil-a's Cow Appreciation Day and they were handing out free food to people dressed like cows. For wearing a cow accessory, you got a free entree and if you were dressed head to toe like a cow, a free meal.
We figured that if we were going to do it, we might as well do it right and get the whole meal! And we love Chick-Fil-A!
Our costumes were created using only stuff we had on hand:
--black fabric for the spots, ears and my tail
--Chick-Fil-A tie for Andy's tail
--bandana
--cardstock, markers and some recycled twine for my sign
--sewing thread, needle and tape
--our regular clothes-white shirts and khakis(closest thing we had to white pants!)
**No clothes were harmed in the making of these costumes!:-)
Thank you, Chick-Fil-A for a fun and free date night!
For more photos of Cow Appreciation Day participants, moo-ve on over to Money Saving Mom!
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
I Won, I Won!!
I was quite tickled yesterday when I received an email from Coupon Teacher telling me that I had won her June giveaway- a $10 CVS gift card. Yeah! What a blessing that is to us!
She has details on her July giveaway here, so run over and say hi!
She has details on her July giveaway here, so run over and say hi!
Works For Me Wednesday: Creamy Cole Slaw
Today's Works For Me Wednesday is the Summer Recipe Edition.
I'm sharing a quick recipe for cole slaw. It's delicious, cheap and easy to prepare and won't heat up your kitchen. It's a great side dish to many summertime meals, especially here in the South! If you have access to a food processor, this salad can be whipped up in about 10 minutes flat!
I've been making this for our church fellowship and other gatherings this spring and summer and it usually gets eaten right up!
Here's what you do:
Shred a medium sized head of cabbage and pour into a bowl.
Mix dressing ingredients together:
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
4 tablespoons oil
1/4 teaspoon onion salt(I use a little garlic powder or omit altogether.)
2 tablespoons vinegar
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
Pour dressing over shredded cabbage and mix. You can chill the salad in the fridge for a little while to let the flavors mingle or serve right away!
For more cool hot weather recipes, visit We Are THAT Family.
I'm sharing a quick recipe for cole slaw. It's delicious, cheap and easy to prepare and won't heat up your kitchen. It's a great side dish to many summertime meals, especially here in the South! If you have access to a food processor, this salad can be whipped up in about 10 minutes flat!
I've been making this for our church fellowship and other gatherings this spring and summer and it usually gets eaten right up!
Here's what you do:
Shred a medium sized head of cabbage and pour into a bowl.
Mix dressing ingredients together:
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
4 tablespoons oil
1/4 teaspoon onion salt(I use a little garlic powder or omit altogether.)
2 tablespoons vinegar
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
Pour dressing over shredded cabbage and mix. You can chill the salad in the fridge for a little while to let the flavors mingle or serve right away!
For more cool hot weather recipes, visit We Are THAT Family.
Labels:
In the kitchen,
Works For Me Wednesday
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