Angel's Blog - Homeschool Blogger

Pumpkin recipes

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:25:00 -0600

A friend asked me what she can do with some pumpkins she has, so I'm posting my favorite recipes here:

Sweet Dinner Rolls

see these here

½ cup honey

¼ cup warm water

1 cup milk

1/8 cup melted butter

1 cup cooked pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon salt

3 T orange juice

5-6 cups whole wheat flour

3 ½ teaspoons yeast

Mix all ingredients except flour, then slowly add flour until dough is elasticy and not sticky. Let rise about 1 hour in a warm place, then form into small balls. Place on baking stone and let rise 30 more minutes. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes

Chocolate pumpkin cake

1 ½ cup flour

2/3 cocoa

2 teaspoons baking bowder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup buttermilk

1 cup pumpkin

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ sticks butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs plus 1 yolk

375 for 35 minutes. Makes 2 8” round cakes

Fudgy Frosting

8 oz softened cream cheese

½ stick softened butter

3T milk

3 cups powdered sugar

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat until fluffy

Pumpkin Bread

2 cups sugar

1 cup olive oil

3 eggs

2 cups pumpkin

3 cups flour (must be WHITE flour)

1 ½ ts salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Cream together top (wet ingredients first) then add dry. Put into loaf pan(s) (I make 2 small ones) Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour

Update on us

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:52:00 -0600

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2

I'm learning this the hands on way lately! Washing dishes by hand for over a month now due to a broken dishwasher. This morning I washed baby clothes in the bathtub due to a broken washing machine. We've had a few power outages due to the horrible weather. I had no computer for over a week, but Praise be to God, it miraculously started working when my husband pulled into port and was able to Skype! Our roof is leaking.. the list goes on and on! But the Lord keeps on answering prayers! In physical ways (the computer fixing itself is just one of many examples!) and through His Word! It's been such a beautiful time of growing in my walk with Him!

Hear my cry, O God; Give heed to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength Psalm 61

Do not FRET (worry) it ONLY leads to evil. ...rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him Psalm 37

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul Psalm 94:19

Craft for Little girls-tutus

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:01:00 -0600

At various times I have made and sold tutus for a little extra money. They are adorable for little girl dress up, they photograph well and the secret is, they are EASY (though time consuming to make).

I start with 1 1/2 yards of tulle for baby tutus, 2-4 yards for toddler and older. Walmart has some starting at .99 a yard (I prefer the shimmery kind to the regular which is a bit more) but Joann's has a lot more colors to choose from.

I use elastic for the waist band, but I have also seen ribbon used. I measure the waist of whomever I am making it for, then tie my elastic around the back of a chair.

Then I start cutting my tulle into strips. How wide the strips are determines how puffy your tutu will be. I prefer puffy and say go no skinnier than 2". You can also buy precut rolls of tulle, which saves you a TON of time, but is less economical (about 3 times more expensive). I did this once, and found it in the wedding/cake decorating section at Walmart instead of with the fabrics.

You just cut the tulle to twice the length you want your tutu to be (I try for knee length). I actually vary my lengths a little too. The unevenness helps it to be frillier and poofier!
Then you loop it over your elastic/ribbon, and tie it on in the center of the tulle. And repeat until it is nice and full and fluffy! That sounds more complicated than it really is!

I've also embellished the waist with flowers, glued pom poms on for lady bug or polka dotted themes. You can have so much fun, and it is a fun, easy, inexpensive gift idea!

Homemade CHRISTmas Idea -Hot Chocolate

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:44:00 -0600

I bought organic cocoa in bulk early this year at a great price, not realizing just HOW MUCH was in 5 lbs! So I was looking at my huge bag of cocoa and decided to make hot chocolate gifts. The kids and I mixed up a HUGE batch and started filling all sorts of random pretty jars I have collected.

Here was the first batch!

I'm hoping to get around to maybe making homemade marshmallows again too! We made them last year but would like to try again now that I have an actual mixer, and I think we'll use corn syrup this tie around too. I'm opposed to foods containing corn syrup, but they just didn't turn out right without it last year so for this one treat I think it will be ok!

Last Year's marshmallows

Mothers are Missionaries

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:03:00 -0600

A Missionary's Vision

After marriage God called me to the mission field -
A little bundle needing all my care,
A disciple in touch with my life, obedient to all he hears.
Then came some more all in a row.
Everywhere I went, six little arrows in tow.
God had to call me again to His mission field.
I answered, "To China, to Africa, to Israel, oh where?"
His voice was clear, soft and gentle. My ministry arranged -
"My child, you are to polish our arrows,
Preparing them for My call to spread my
Words of life for other nations to see."
"Lord," I cried, "Loneliness surrounds my soul,
No other woman stands with me answering your call.
The sacrifice is great."
Women give way to another's voice, pulling them away
from their home, far from the quiver."
Once more I pleaded, "May I go too, Lord, I feel the call
To share with the lost, Life giving words,
To feed the hungry a satisfying meal."
"My child," Jesus replied, "You share with your
children salvation and truth.
Feed them meals under your roof.
Discipline them, train them and then lie down in peace,
For sacrificial love have you given to make the world right.
Arise in the morning, open My book,
Teach them into My eyes they must look."
"Yes, Lord, I replied, "But should I serve you in a more obvious way?"
"Child, my sweet child," God spoke once more.
I anointed you to do this work - the high calling of Motherhood.
To show our children the need for my love."
"Lord,", I sought out, still not fully convinced,
"Should I sew for those in thread barren clothes, a Dorcas, a Martha?"
"Sit at my feet, my child, listen to me.
Your daughter needs dresses, your sons warm shirts,
The button of your husband's coat still lies on the table.
Pick up your mantle, the rod of Aaron.
Lead my women back to their home.
"Yes, Lord." Filled and content, I took my position in God's mission field.
Hungry faces graced my bedside.
Clothed in God's mantle, children at my side,
I prepared breakfast.

~Mrs. P Muller~

A deployment soup recipe

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:57:00 -0600

My computer is down, occasionally I can beg 5-10 minutes out of it before it crashes, but most of my computer usage is limited to the library for now :(

But until I have regular access again, here is a yummy recipe that Daddy would never eat but we all loved! I doubled it just fine. Thanks Mrs. Ro for sharing it with us!

Tomato tortellini soup

2 cans chicken broth

4 oz cream cheese spread with chive and onion

1 can condensed tomato or tomato bisque soup (We use Progresso tomato basil which is on sale at Safeway! )

9 oz package refrigerated tortellini

Fresh chives

Bring broth to boil add tortellini and reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. In a bowl wisk 1/3 cup of hot broth into cream cheese until smooth. Return all of it to saucepan along with tomato soup and heat through. Sprinkle with chives when serving. Serves 4.

My favorite easy gift! VASES

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 00:14:00 -0600

So I developed an obsession with sweetened green tea this summer, and as I was indulging in this treat I noticed the bottles were a pretty shape, so I started washing them and saving them, and they have become one of my favorite new mom, new neighbor, have a happy day gifts! Just add in one or a few flowers (either from your garden or Albertsons and other grocery stores sell a small bunch for about $4)
I was so excited at first that I didn't take pictures of the super cute ones before giving them away but I have snapped pictures of a few of them!

and that one in use

Are you growing?

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 23:33:00 -0600

Go to God in prayer daily.
Read God's word daily.
Obey God moment by moment.
Witness for Christ by your life and words.
Trust God for every detail of your life.
Holy Spirit - allow Him to control and empower your daily life