Posted in In the kitchen
 As the end of winter rolls around, my meal planning loses its steam. Fortunately, some ladies from church and I got together to discuss meal planning, and new ideas are always a motivator! I realized that my biggest struggle is not setting down and making the menu! When I can’t scrounge up a good dinner for the current day I start making a grocery list from a half-hearted menu. So, I decided to post my meal plan for the week to help my family and anyone who happens to need some ideas, too. You can find some great menu planning forms at DonnaYoung.org.
Monday: Grilled pork (marinated in Worcestershire sauce),
Tuesday: Pasta with Alfredo sauce, steamed fresh broccoli &
Wednesday: Beef and noodles – I’ll cook a roast in the crock pot all day; I’ll pour the broth out in a pan and cook the (store-bought) egg noodles in it right before dinner; Peas
Thursday: Taco salad (red leaf lettuce, spinach, hamburger with onion and spices, cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, salsa & ranch dressing)
Visit Abi at lighter side to see the Thinking Spring Edition of THC which is full of gardening and food ideas!
If you'd like to contribute to the next Homesteading Carnival, click on the rooster icon at the top!
Be blessed, Danielle |
Posted in In the kitchen
  I’ve noticed a few online comments about people being cold recently, so I thought I would share what I’ve been using when my feet are cold at the computer or when I go to bed. I wish I had a picture of this for you, but we don’t have a digital camera; hopefully my directions will be good enough! Large, colored men’s tube sock, new 2 ½-3 cups rice (something aromatic) Nylon rope, 3/16 or 1/4”diameter, 12 inches in length (2 pieces, optional) (You could probably use heavy twine or cotton rope.) Sewing machine or heavy needle & thread or yarn Fill the sock with the rice. You’ll want the piece of nylon rope in a circle with the ends melted together. Fold the open end of the sock over the rope and stitch closed. The option is to add another piece of rope to the other end, which you could always do later if you find the need. To use: Microwave for 1½ to 2 minutes then place around your neck or feet! Cozy and aromatic! Do not overheat, or you’ll cook the rice ;-)
Thanks for stopping by! If you'd like to tell us about your family, farm, kitchen or crafts, click on the rooster above! Visit ElCloud Homeschool to see the entire Homesteading Carnival this week. |
Posted in In the kitchen
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As I was looking through the cookbooks this week, I came across a few recipes that reminded me of my aunt, Priscilla, who everyone called "Pete." As a young girl, I just couldn't bring myself to call her "Pete," as I really don't like nicknames, yet I never called her "Aunt" either! I called her Priscilla, until I was in my 20's. "Pete" taught me how to cross-stitch, buying me my first little kit; she loved to read and bought me my first Trixie Belden mysteries, which was the beginning of my reading the entire series; and she loved to sew. Pete died about a year and a half ago of cancer, so I'm dedicating this post to her and her love of sewing, cooking and food, in general  .Pete brought these to a get-together once; we're having them tomorrow: Water Chestnut-Bacon Wraps 1½ 8 oz. - cans water chestnuts 1 lb. lean bacon strips, cut into thirds ½ cup ketchup 6 T brown sugar 2 T vinegar 2 T prepared mustard Cut whole water chestnuts in half, no smaller than a marble. Wrap 1/3 slice of bacon around each chestnut half and fasten with a toothpick. Place on rack in broiler pan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes, or until bacon is cooked. Remove and place in a shallow casserole. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar and mustard. Pour mixture over bacon-wrapped chestnuts. Return to 350° oven and bake 30 minutes. Sauce should be thick but not browned. Serves 8 to 12. Years ago I gave this recipe to Pete, misplaced it, called her to get it, and I now have that hand-written copy from her. Mini-quiches 1 15 oz. pie crust 1 cup broccoli - chopped fine 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped fine 1/4 cup bacon bits, or fresh bacon, diced and fried 1/2 cup green onion, sliced or chopped fine 1/2 cup milk 2 eggs 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese 1-2 cloves garlic, pressed ground pepper Okay, I don't have official directions! You bake these in a mini-muffin pan; cut the pie crust in 3" circles and press into each muffin cup. Mix the remaining ingredients then use a small scoop to fill the pie crusts with mixture. Bake on 375° for 12-15 minutes. I think it makes 24 mini-quiches. Southwestern Savory Muffins 10 bacon strips, cooked until crisp then crumbled (I do not like this recipe with bacon bits!) 1/3 cup oil (plus 1-2 T bacon drippings) 2 cups flour (I usually use 1 cup wheat, 1/2 cup white, 1/2 cup cornmeal) 1/4 cup sugar 1 T baking powder 3/4 cup milk 1 egg 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 cup diced green chilies In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder. In a mixing bowl, beat milk, egg, oil and drippings; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the cheese, chilies and bacon. Fill greased muffin cup 3/4 full. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  If you'd like to share homemaking ideas or homesteading tips at your blog click on the rooster icon at the top of this post. Be blessed, Danielle |
Posted in In the kitchen
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Welcome to The 76th Homesteading Carnival "Making a Plan" edition for December 29, 2008. With the new year quickly approaching, it is time to make some plans for the future. I thought I would check out the Bible to see what God has to say about plans. In Genesis, Chapter 11, the Tower of Babel has begun being built. In verse 6 the Lord said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them." I would say that God acknowledges how communicating a plan can produce powerful results! Wow! What does this say about Making a Plan today with your spouse for your family? Our first plan is from Cindy S. She presents Gift to My Readers: Garden Planner Spreadsheet posted at Oh My Aching Debts, saying, "If you are like me, determining when and how much to plant is always a challenge. These automated spreadsheets will tell you which dates to plant each vegetable and how much seed to buy and plant." Abi presents Recipe for the New Year posted at The Treasure Box -; scroll down a bit to find, "A different recipe for all to see." There's definitely some great insight here that you won't want to leave out of your plan! Carole DeJarnatt presents Gifts for the Backyard Chicken Keeper or Birding Lover in Your Family posted at Fowl Visions, but you can also use this post to plan what you will need if you're considering a venture of raising chickens or beginning birdwatching. Carole shares much great information at her site! How about making a plan to keep a few gifts on hand? HowToMe presents How To Make an "Angelic" Kitchen Towel Set posted at HowToMe. Now maybe we can Make a Plan to learn a new hobby or try some new recipes. Sam presents Enjoy a Home Aquarium, the Tropical Fish Hobby posted at Surfer Sam and Friends, saying, "Home aquariums look like living pictures. They are relaxing and soothing to watch, and they bring living nature into your home. Raising fish in the home aquarium teaches children the importance of ocean conservation. Fish will thrive in your home aquarium, if you provide them with natural living conditions, take care of them properly and give them the right food." Miss Amanda at SuperAngels Blog has some recipes for Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood. While you're there, you'll have to look around a bit and find many of her other yummy recipes. Check out Walking Therein where Jacque has shared Recipes for Seasonal Beverages and make yourself a warm mug of your favorite while you write out your plan for the new year! I encourage you, even challenge you, to set aside a time to make a written plan for your home and your life. If you need some guidance with your general planning, visit Cindy Rushton who says "Live Life on Purpose" and view her article that encouraged my hubby and I to set goals, or download Purposeful Planning with Phyllis Sather, who has many helpful ideas.
Be blessed, Danielle |
Posted in In the kitchen
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This is the recipe I made one year for Christmas breakfast that has now become our tradition for Christmas breakfast. I don't think the kids want me to make it any other time. I think holiday breakfasts will be a tradition for our family, as we started a Father's Day menu this year. 10-14 slices (1-inch thick) French bread 1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened; right - I use about 8 ounces!!! 1 can (29 oz.) peach slices, drained 1/4 cup nuts, chopped 1 cup milk 1/3 cup maple syrup 3 eggs 2T butter, melted 1T sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla Preheat oven to 400°. Spread cream cheese onto both sides of bread slices, then place into 9x13 pan. Prick bread slices so they can soak up milk/egg mixture. Top bread slices with peach halves; sprinkle chopped nuts over peaches. Combine remaining ingredients and whisk together. Pour egg mixture over bread. Bake 20-25 minutes or until egg mixture is set. Serves 6. Options: We've used two cans of peach halves for more "peach per person." The recipe says you can substitute one large apple for the peaches. We have breakfast meat, milk and orange juice, and maybe some fresh fruit. We now double this recipe, and I'm hoping to be adventuresome this year and make the bread from scratch! If you'd like to share homemaking ideas or homesteading tips at your blog click on the rooster icon at the top of this post. You will also be able to find the posts for other Homesteading Carnivals where you can glean much information. Have a blessed Christmas, Danielle |
Posted in In the kitchen
 I wanted to post a couple of recipes for THC, so here you go! My kids love ranch salad dressing, but they all will eat spinach and/or pasta salad with this, too: Dressing for Spinach Salad 3T olive oil 2T veg oil 2T red wine vinegar 1 clove garlic 1/4 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp salt I received this recipe originally as a dressing for a Spinach Pasta Salad. The ratio was 8 oz. pasta, 4c spinach, 4 slices cooked & crumbled bacon, and 6 oz. mozzarella cheese. We now use it for any spinach salad. The kids love black olives and most of us love tomatoes on it. ♦♦♦ ♦♦♦ ♦♦♦
I thought I'd better get you a dessert this time:Rich Chocolate Chip Toffee BarsIngredients:
Directions: ♦♦♦ ♦♦♦ ♦♦♦
Thanks for stopping by! If you'd like to tell us about your family, farm, kitchen or crafts, click on the rooster above!Be blessed, Danielle |
Posted in In the kitchen
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I haven't participated in THC for awhile, so I thought I'd better get with it and share some recipes! First, I want to share my brilliant idea (LOL) of "Single-serving mulled apple cider." I just love warm cider, but no one else around here really does. A friend gave me some of her homemade apple juice, not cider, and I wanted to spice it up. I grabbed a Celestial Seasonings Mandarin Orange Spice tea bag and steeped it in my warmed juice, and it was fabulous! I'm out of juice and cider right now, so the best I can get is a warm apple cider candle! Next is one of the the recipes I'll be making 2-3 times over the next 2 weeks for: our church's Thanksgiving carry-in; my husband's family Thanksgiving, because his Grandma really likes it; then maybe my family Thanksgiving. Crunch-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole
I think this is really a dessert, not a "vegetable" side dish! I always bake my own sweet potatoes (3-5 pounds), then follow the rest of the recipe, but I'll write it for you as written in the cook book. 2 cans (16 oz. each) sweet potatoes, undrained 1/4 cup melted butter 1 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 2 eggs, well beaten 1/2 cup milk 1/2 tsp. vanilla topping: 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/4 cup butter 1/3 cup flour 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup chopped nuts In a saucepan, heat undrained potatoes to the boiling point. Drain. Mash potatoes with butter. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Turn into a 9-inch square glass baking dish. For Topping: In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, flour and cinnamon. Heat gently over medium heat. Remove from stove and stir in nuts. Spread over sweet potatoes. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Can be made ahead. Serves 10 to 12. If you bake fresh sweet potatoes yourself, do them ahead of time so they have time to cool, so you can peel them. You can always peel, dice and boil them instead of baking. When we're taking this away from home, I've put it in the crock pot to keep warm after baking it. Thanks for stopping by! If you'd like to tell us about your family, farm, kitchen or crafts, click on the rooster above! Be blessed, Danielle |
Posted in In the kitchen
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I know this recipe may not be very special, but I have fond memories of it, so it is what you get this week! I must have been around 12 when I copied this recipe down. I was at Susie's, our family friend, learning that you could make a quick bread with zucchini. Back track a bit here: Apparently, Susie dated one of my uncles, and she and my mom did not like each other. Soon thereafter, they became best of friends, and I have pictures of me as a baby at Susie's house. Susie was present at the birth of my first child. Without going into detail, now would be a great time to pray for Susie's salvation. Thanks! Zucchini Bread Makes 2 loaves (325° for one hour) or 2 dozen muffins (375° for 22 minutes). We doubled the recipe and made two loaves of bread and two dozen muffins then froze some for later. 3 eggs, beaten light & foamy 1 cup oil 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 cups peeled, grated zucchini 2-3 teaspoons vanilla 3 cups flour (we use 2 wheat, 1 white) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup nuts Beat the eggs 'til light and foamy, mix in the oil and sugar; stir in zucchini and vanilla; Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl (with a whisk), then add to previous mixture. Stir in nuts, if you like. Grease pans/tins. If you'd like to share recipes, homestead tips or something you've learned about gardening, barn animals, home-making or the outdoors, visit The Homesteading Carnival. Enjoy! Danielle
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Posted in In the kitchen
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I'm finally getting to The Homesteading Carnival. I had misconceptions about what it was before Miss Jocelyn explained it to me; I thought I had to live in the country and really be homesteading! Fortunately, no, so here I am! My friend, Kattie, and I made this a few weeks ago; alas, I have no pictures, but I didn't want to put it off any longer! Zesty Salsa We received the tomatoes and peppers for free! The tomatoes were from a friend of a friend who had already canned approximately 100 quarts, and the peppers were from my Uncle Ben, who had 86 various pepper plants! What a blessing! Thank you! We used a combination of Jalapeños and Hungarian Hot Wax. There's some great safety information at Pepper Fool about brining, pickling and canning with peppers. We found some great information at this food preservation site about acidity levels in canning tomatoes vs. salsa, which explains why recipes use so much vinegar or lemon juice, and knowing if you need to use a pressure canner instead of a hot water bath. Truth be told, we didn't find all of this great information until afterwards, so our hot water bathed salsa is in our refrigerators, just to be safe! Live, study, and learn! Blessings, Danielle
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Posted in In the kitchen
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I thought I'd write a quick post for the holiday, as we're getting ready to head out once nap time is over. We're going to my in-laws to swim, and the kids get to see their cousins. No fireworks for us, but I'm not upset about that! Sleep is a bit more important these days, as we don't want a grouchy mama (or daddy, who has to work Saturday)! I was realizing how much my MIL is going to like me today; I'm making two of her favorite foods. Maybe not "all-time" favs, but if she had a "what Danielle makes that I like" favs - ha! Pineapple cheese ball 8 oz. cream cheese 1/4 cup green onions, sliced thin, chopped if you want 1/4 cup pineapple, drained, crushed or chopped 1/4 cup sweet pepper, green or colored, chopped fine Let the cream cheese soften or pop it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Mix it all together, chill for a bit to let flavors mix and serve with crackers (we like wheat thins type, or triscuits). Green pepper is cheaper but a red pepper turns the cream cheese a bit red, so it's prettier if you're taking it to a carry-in. We always double this recipe! Dessert today is Oatmeal Scotchies. A rich dessert even though it's not chocolate! We just buy the Nestle brand and use their recipe on the back. And I only make bar cookies because they're faster. 2dd10, Sierra, helped and even commented how fast it was. Of course, that was working together, also. Have a great holiday! Danielle
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