These menus weren't all served in sequential order-I just jotted them down now and then, when I remembered to.
Listed in order of breakfast, lunch, dinner-
Cold cereal
Leftover pizza and misc
Chicken salad with lettuce, grapes, celery, walnuts
deviled eggs, skillet-cooked broccoli, fresh homemade bread
Oatmeal muffins (using leftover cooked oatmeal from a previous breakfast)
Fresh popcorn with melted butter and sea salt, banana smoothies (did you know that frozen peeled bananas, when blended, taste surprisingly like thick vanilla ice-cream?!? I added a little yogurt and juice)
Chicken tortillas-leftover cooked chicken on homemade tortillas with cheese, salsa, and other toppings
Eggs and bacon
Peanut butter/jelly sandwiches, chips
Sirloin tip roast, mashed potatoes, steamed carrots & cabbage, homemade artisan bread
Cold cereal and toasted cinnamon bread
Leftover roast slices-sandwiches
Pan-fried tilapia, steamed veggies, fresh fruit salad
Coffee cake
Beef taco salad with Doritos
Leftovers
Bread pudding (made from donut holes that were getting a little stale!)
Crock-pot roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, steamed mixed veggies
Homemade macaroni and cheese
Cold cereal and English muffins
Egg salad on crackers, apple slices
Chicken Alfredo Pizza (homemade)
Pumpkin and Zucchini Bread, Apple Pastry
Hamburger Casserole with tator tots
Casey's Pizza
Rice/Sausage/Scrambled Eggs, Fruit
Sweet Italian sausage w/ sauteed peppers and onions, pasta with basil pesto
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Blueberry Cobbler
Laurel over at Grace and Glory asked if I would share the recipe I recently used to make this blueberry cobbler. I've tried many recipes in the past-some with lemon juice, or tapioca, or even cornstarch. I think I made it harder than it needed to be. So I turned to Pioneer Woman's Blueberry Pie for a basic, easy, tasty recipe! I was so happy with the results. I think the butter pats on top make a difference. That's what my Mom always did to her blueberry pies, and they were wonderful too.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Monday :: Baking Day with Amy
Monday of this week my sweet sister-in-love Amy joined me for an afternoon of baking. She's a good sport and loves to bake and make a mess in the kitchen like I do, so I think we make a pretty good team.
My goal was to use up the last of the frozen pumpkin, zucchini, and squash and the pumpkins I had recently cooked and pureed from storage...which amounted to quite a bit!
Before Amy came, I made two batches of zucchini bread:
The first was using a basic recipe containing nuts and coconut. I doubled it to make two loaves. It was good! I highly recommend it slathered with cream cheese.
Next, I whipped up two loaves of this chocolate zucchini bread. Okay people, if you have never tasted chocolate zucchini bread before I feel sad for you. I will definitely use that recipe again; the bread turned out very moist and chocolaty.
When Amy arrived, I began mixing up four pie crusts for two pumpkin pies and two squash pies. My pumpkin/squash pie recipe is an oldie but goodie from my mom's Joy of Cooking. This is the pumpkin pie of my youth. Oh wait, I'm still young. This is the pumpkin pie of my past, present, and future. It's ageless. Joy of Cooking just knows how to do it. (Look for the recipe at the bottom of this post.)
Meanwhile, Amy began mixing up a double batch (4 loaves!) of Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, otherwise known as the Mosher's Famous Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread. My friends the Moshers know how to make fabulous cookies and pumpkin bread, among other treats, and this recipe is a winner.
However, after making the chocolate zucchini bread I was out of chocolate chips. I was kind of winging it, looking up recipes online and in my recipe box as the inspiration struck. Not a lot of planning went into that afternoon, just a panicked realization that I had to use all that pumpkin and squash up or I would go crazy!
I did have butterscotch chips on hand, so we made two loaves with those and with the remaining two loaves we (I'm starting to giggle here because this was pure genius) added a cream cheese filling!
Now, after this things start to get fuzzy. I remember a lot of pumpkin splatters everywhere, and a film of powdered sugar and flour covered the kitchen as well. We mixed up some batches of pumpkin pie filling for the freezer, minus the evaporated milk (I ran out, of course). Now, when we want to make a pumpkin pie, we just thaw out our little Ziploc bag, whip in some milk, and bake it in a pie shell! With the remaining pumpkin, we made Pioneer Woman's Pumpkin Butter. We froze some too, with everything except the yogurt. Like the pie filling, it will be a cinch to mix in a little yogurt before serving.
I think that covers it. After dinner (which my good friend Rowena made, delivered, and served!), we all tested the pies to determine the difference between pumpkin and squash. We didn't really notice a difference, except the pumpkin pie was perhaps a little creamier since I pureed all the ingredients in a blender.
Amy was amazing. She calculated how to mega multiply recipes (my brain was fried) and contributed some stoneware and a nice, big Pampered Chef cooling rack to help out. Plus, she brought her cute baby Ryley and a bag of sugar, among other things.
Oh, and we used over three dozen fresh farm eggs! What an afternoon.
Mosher's Famous Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Combine in medium bowl:
3 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
In a large bowl, cream the following:
2 sticks butter or margarine OR 1 cup oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
Spoon dry mixture into creamed mixture slowly, alternately with 1 1/2 cup pumpkin, beginning and ending with dry. Mix well. Stir in:
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 package chocolate chips
Divide batter into 2 greased small loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min-1 hour.
And now for the fabulous filling~
Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Store any extra filling in the refrigerator until ready to use. Keeps for several weeks.
You can use this as a filling in your favorite brownie recipe, nut bread, coffeecakes, pumpkin bread, etc.
Pumpkin or Squash Pie
Line a pie pan with your favorite pie dough.
Mix until well blended:
2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin or squash
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk or rich cream
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger (I prefer 1/8-1/4 tsp ginger)
1/4 tsp nutmeg or allspice (we sometimes use both or 1/2 tsp of one or the other)
1/8 tsp cloves
2 eggs
Pour the mixture into the pie shell. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then lover oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake30-45 minutes longer or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Serve with whipped cream if you like!
My goal was to use up the last of the frozen pumpkin, zucchini, and squash and the pumpkins I had recently cooked and pureed from storage...which amounted to quite a bit!
Before Amy came, I made two batches of zucchini bread:
The first was using a basic recipe containing nuts and coconut. I doubled it to make two loaves. It was good! I highly recommend it slathered with cream cheese.
Next, I whipped up two loaves of this chocolate zucchini bread. Okay people, if you have never tasted chocolate zucchini bread before I feel sad for you. I will definitely use that recipe again; the bread turned out very moist and chocolaty.
When Amy arrived, I began mixing up four pie crusts for two pumpkin pies and two squash pies. My pumpkin/squash pie recipe is an oldie but goodie from my mom's Joy of Cooking. This is the pumpkin pie of my youth. Oh wait, I'm still young. This is the pumpkin pie of my past, present, and future. It's ageless. Joy of Cooking just knows how to do it. (Look for the recipe at the bottom of this post.)
Meanwhile, Amy began mixing up a double batch (4 loaves!) of Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, otherwise known as the Mosher's Famous Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread. My friends the Moshers know how to make fabulous cookies and pumpkin bread, among other treats, and this recipe is a winner.
However, after making the chocolate zucchini bread I was out of chocolate chips. I was kind of winging it, looking up recipes online and in my recipe box as the inspiration struck. Not a lot of planning went into that afternoon, just a panicked realization that I had to use all that pumpkin and squash up or I would go crazy!
I did have butterscotch chips on hand, so we made two loaves with those and with the remaining two loaves we (I'm starting to giggle here because this was pure genius) added a cream cheese filling!
Now, after this things start to get fuzzy. I remember a lot of pumpkin splatters everywhere, and a film of powdered sugar and flour covered the kitchen as well. We mixed up some batches of pumpkin pie filling for the freezer, minus the evaporated milk (I ran out, of course). Now, when we want to make a pumpkin pie, we just thaw out our little Ziploc bag, whip in some milk, and bake it in a pie shell! With the remaining pumpkin, we made Pioneer Woman's Pumpkin Butter. We froze some too, with everything except the yogurt. Like the pie filling, it will be a cinch to mix in a little yogurt before serving.
I think that covers it. After dinner (which my good friend Rowena made, delivered, and served!), we all tested the pies to determine the difference between pumpkin and squash. We didn't really notice a difference, except the pumpkin pie was perhaps a little creamier since I pureed all the ingredients in a blender.
Amy was amazing. She calculated how to mega multiply recipes (my brain was fried) and contributed some stoneware and a nice, big Pampered Chef cooling rack to help out. Plus, she brought her cute baby Ryley and a bag of sugar, among other things.
Oh, and we used over three dozen fresh farm eggs! What an afternoon.
Mosher's Famous Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Combine in medium bowl:
3 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
In a large bowl, cream the following:
2 sticks butter or margarine OR 1 cup oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
Spoon dry mixture into creamed mixture slowly, alternately with 1 1/2 cup pumpkin, beginning and ending with dry. Mix well. Stir in:
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 package chocolate chips
Divide batter into 2 greased small loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min-1 hour.
And now for the fabulous filling~
Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Store any extra filling in the refrigerator until ready to use. Keeps for several weeks.
You can use this as a filling in your favorite brownie recipe, nut bread, coffeecakes, pumpkin bread, etc.
Pumpkin or Squash Pie
Line a pie pan with your favorite pie dough.
Mix until well blended:
2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin or squash
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk or rich cream
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger (I prefer 1/8-1/4 tsp ginger)
1/4 tsp nutmeg or allspice (we sometimes use both or 1/2 tsp of one or the other)
1/8 tsp cloves
2 eggs
Pour the mixture into the pie shell. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then lover oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake30-45 minutes longer or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Serve with whipped cream if you like!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Drew :: Cute at Two
Hosanna took these pictures a couple weeks ago, right when the trees were budding out. They had a great time playing outside, with Drew running and jumping and in general being a ham for the camera.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Birthday Breakfast
Hosanna's 8th birthday was last Wednesday. We celebrated with fluffy heart shaped pancakes (a favorite family recipe!) topped with whipped cream and sliced strawberries.
After this picture was taken, more cream and strawberries were added before the pancake was devoured. :)
Saturday, May 9, 2009
It's a Saturday in May
Some of you may have heard that I had oral surgery last week to remove 3 wisdom teeth. Everything went well, and my good nurse friend and designated driver told me later that the anesthesia made me very, very happy.
However, I'm still on Motrin and other painkiller waiting, waiting for all this soreness to go away!
The kids have had a nasty cough the last few weeks-Hosanna especially. We are due to see our family doctor again on Tuesday. We've tried a round of antibiotics-something I am usually hesitant to do, preferring to use natural remedies instead-and lots of immune boosting supplements including vitamin C and zinc. No fevers, just this nagging cough that resists all my best efforts to eliminate it.
We are currently visiting my parents and siblings for Mother's Day weekend. Tom surprised myself, my Mom, and my Grandma with flowers and all the fixings for strawberry shortcakes and chocolate dipped strawberries, which he says will be served tomorrow morning. What a man!
Several of us siblings, plus Dad, went together on a group gift for Mom-a nice canopy glider for the patio. We've all enjoyed sitting on it in groups of twos or threes to read or chat or just watch the kids play. The weather has been beautiful, and the grass and flowers so bright and peppy. I love the month of May!
However, I'm still on Motrin and other painkiller waiting, waiting for all this soreness to go away!
The kids have had a nasty cough the last few weeks-Hosanna especially. We are due to see our family doctor again on Tuesday. We've tried a round of antibiotics-something I am usually hesitant to do, preferring to use natural remedies instead-and lots of immune boosting supplements including vitamin C and zinc. No fevers, just this nagging cough that resists all my best efforts to eliminate it.
We are currently visiting my parents and siblings for Mother's Day weekend. Tom surprised myself, my Mom, and my Grandma with flowers and all the fixings for strawberry shortcakes and chocolate dipped strawberries, which he says will be served tomorrow morning. What a man!
Several of us siblings, plus Dad, went together on a group gift for Mom-a nice canopy glider for the patio. We've all enjoyed sitting on it in groups of twos or threes to read or chat or just watch the kids play. The weather has been beautiful, and the grass and flowers so bright and peppy. I love the month of May!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Notes From 1998 :: May
1
Mara has contacts now and she loves them. :)
"The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness."
2
I planted some cosmos, bluebonnets, and other misc. flowers and herbs from seed. Helped Dad on the "chicken house"-lovely day! Mom went to a Ladies' dress up brunch.
3
Church-the A's came! I was so surprised. It was really good to see Jennifer and Emily again, after four years.
4
Fasted today-learned so much about it at the seminar-I want to make it a weekly habit. Certainly requires self control and diligence!
5
"It is kindness in a person, not beauty, which wins our love."
How true! It is seeing Christ in another. The inward attitude outshines the outward features.
6
"Nothing shows a man's character more than what he laughs at." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
7
G-ma N's birthday and G-pa T's birthday.
As Elisabeth Elliot always says-"You are loved with an everlasting love, and underneath you are the everlasting arms. "
8
Went to some garage/yard sales for the first time in ages! Surprise-I have a cedar hopechest! In the evening Aunt Robyn stopped by. Sang with the D's and H's.
9
G-pa T's retirement party. Mara and I watched the children while all the adults went to dinner. It was a very hectic evening!
10
We stayed at G-ma's for the day and got home around 8 in the evening. Uncle Steve and Aunt Robyn gave me some flowers to plant in my garden.
11
Esther has been sick. :(
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12
12
On death: "Who plucked that flower? asked the gardener. The Master , was the reply. And the gardener held his peace." - John Bunyan
13
"The supreme characteristic of courtesy is that thoughtfulness for others which is the very heart of Christianity. School of etiquette produce it by training; love does it by instinct." _Henry Durbanville
14
Lovely day
15
Softball at the park. We went to the D's to sing and brought home a bunch of plants!
16
G-pa and G-ma N came for a visit. We had a really nice time. G-pa gave me a driving lesson.
17
Mom is 39! We bought her a crock pot as our other one broke months ago. We fixed her choice of breakfast and then went to M springs park before church.
18
"Heaven must be full of answers to prayers for which no one ever bothered to ask." -Cameron Thompson
19
"Be still and know and know Him. Beware of the barrenness of a busy life."
20
"God cannot forgive excuses, He can only forgive sins." -Calvin Thielman
21
We spent the day running errands- I was able to buy some June birthday gifts- then went to art lessons. Hot!
22
"How did you learn to skate?" someone asked the winner. "By getting up every time I fell down," was the reply. Perseverance. Heard Pastor Abraham speak!
23
John Trapp said of the prosperous ungodly: "Envy not such a one his pomp any more than you would envy a corpse his flowers."
24
Church. Pastor Abraham shared about India and gave a teaching. We went out to eat as a family then drove to Turkey Hill for a visit!
25
We've been working outside most of the day. G-pa and G-ma T stopped by for a short visit.
26
Message on a church down south: "Where will you spend eternity? Smoking or non-smoking?"
27
Today was busy. We did school and baked bread for a customer. Summer is here! The days are long and hot.
28
We spent the whole day at the E home cleaning their new trailer. Ben and Grace are moving down tomorrow...
29
This evening we went down to sing at the D's. It was great to see Jessie again! Mara and I brought bread to sell and we stayed the night.
30
Helped butcher chickens! In the evening we went to an authentic Indian dinner prepared by Joyce Abraham. Visited with Jess and had a fun day.
31
Pastor Wurmbrand wrote: "...And may we live a life with a shining face, a smile, and a song, as people who have an eternity of paradise before us."
Mara has contacts now and she loves them. :)
"The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness."
2
I planted some cosmos, bluebonnets, and other misc. flowers and herbs from seed. Helped Dad on the "chicken house"-lovely day! Mom went to a Ladies' dress up brunch.
3
Church-the A's came! I was so surprised. It was really good to see Jennifer and Emily again, after four years.
4
Fasted today-learned so much about it at the seminar-I want to make it a weekly habit. Certainly requires self control and diligence!
5
"It is kindness in a person, not beauty, which wins our love."
How true! It is seeing Christ in another. The inward attitude outshines the outward features.
6
"Nothing shows a man's character more than what he laughs at." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
7
G-ma N's birthday and G-pa T's birthday.
As Elisabeth Elliot always says-"You are loved with an everlasting love, and underneath you are the everlasting arms. "
8
Went to some garage/yard sales for the first time in ages! Surprise-I have a cedar hopechest! In the evening Aunt Robyn stopped by. Sang with the D's and H's.
9
G-pa T's retirement party. Mara and I watched the children while all the adults went to dinner. It was a very hectic evening!
10
We stayed at G-ma's for the day and got home around 8 in the evening. Uncle Steve and Aunt Robyn gave me some flowers to plant in my garden.
11
Esther has been sick. :(
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12
12
On death: "Who plucked that flower? asked the gardener. The Master , was the reply. And the gardener held his peace." - John Bunyan
13
"The supreme characteristic of courtesy is that thoughtfulness for others which is the very heart of Christianity. School of etiquette produce it by training; love does it by instinct." _Henry Durbanville
14
Lovely day
15
Softball at the park. We went to the D's to sing and brought home a bunch of plants!
16
G-pa and G-ma N came for a visit. We had a really nice time. G-pa gave me a driving lesson.
17
Mom is 39! We bought her a crock pot as our other one broke months ago. We fixed her choice of breakfast and then went to M springs park before church.
18
"Heaven must be full of answers to prayers for which no one ever bothered to ask." -Cameron Thompson
19
"Be still and know and know Him. Beware of the barrenness of a busy life."
20
"God cannot forgive excuses, He can only forgive sins." -Calvin Thielman
21
We spent the day running errands- I was able to buy some June birthday gifts- then went to art lessons. Hot!
22
"How did you learn to skate?" someone asked the winner. "By getting up every time I fell down," was the reply. Perseverance. Heard Pastor Abraham speak!
23
John Trapp said of the prosperous ungodly: "Envy not such a one his pomp any more than you would envy a corpse his flowers."
24
Church. Pastor Abraham shared about India and gave a teaching. We went out to eat as a family then drove to Turkey Hill for a visit!
25
We've been working outside most of the day. G-pa and G-ma T stopped by for a short visit.
26
Message on a church down south: "Where will you spend eternity? Smoking or non-smoking?"
27
Today was busy. We did school and baked bread for a customer. Summer is here! The days are long and hot.
28
We spent the whole day at the E home cleaning their new trailer. Ben and Grace are moving down tomorrow...
29
This evening we went down to sing at the D's. It was great to see Jessie again! Mara and I brought bread to sell and we stayed the night.
30
Helped butcher chickens! In the evening we went to an authentic Indian dinner prepared by Joyce Abraham. Visited with Jess and had a fun day.
31
Pastor Wurmbrand wrote: "...And may we live a life with a shining face, a smile, and a song, as people who have an eternity of paradise before us."
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