Cooking shows and cooking techniques...Cast Iron Skillets

     Hmm...I am up early this morning and catching up on a few PBS cooking shows that I had had recorded on our computer.  Something occurred to me.  I can watch a great simple recipe being made and then try to replicate and end up with problems that really end up due to technique.  This is something I'm trying to pay more attention to now so that I can know the little tips and tricks to actually have food brown properly, for example.

      Here's an example of what occurred to me...it has to do with using cast iron or enameled cast iron in cooking. And no, it's not that fact that shows always show immaculate cookware that seems to be new out of the box every time. Sigh...that seems kind of fun though. Anyway, if you've tried cooking with cast iron you'll know that it takes it longer to heat up and once it does the heat is retained much longer than most other skillets, pots etc. You may have also noticed that getting the right temperature can be tricky which I believe has to do with how long it takes to heat up or cool down.

     In watching numerous types of cooking shows (despite not having cable or satellite TV) I have noticed a common thread. They always cook on gas stoves. Oh, you've noticed it too? That happens to work great for me as I do own a gas stove and really hope to never be without one!  (However, it does make me wonder how people adjust with electric stoves.)  What I have yet to see though, is someone explain and show how high the flames should be at different temperature recommendations when they are cooking.  Ok, I do realize that the knobs say Hi and Lo and have various points in between to choose from. Yet, when I cook I notice that the flame variations just aren't as simple. If I go too far on the knob I end up heating cast iron so high that while the first batch of browning meat, for example, may be fine, the second begins to get burned and all my great browned bits in the pan turn to black before getting a second batch down.  Have you noticed this too?  I'd love to hear someone's thoughts about how get the flames to the right heat to begin with.  Perhaps it's a trick to heat up and then reduce heat just a little after starting the cooking process?  Hmmm....

What I've done to compensate when this happens is to make sure the second batch begins where there was no meat prior and is thus almost surely to burn soon.  I move the food a bit at first to pick up the bits there and then situate to brown. I know this isn't technically proper as the food should just be set on the hot oil or butter and not moved in order to get a nice caramelization.  (Is that a word?) 

I love cast iron and enameled cast iron and will continue to perfect my technique to get proper temperatures. It may just be one of those things that you have to practice and practice.  Here's to happy cooking with cast iron!

Book Review : same kind of different As me. / Ron Hall & Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent

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NEW BLOG : HIS NOT SO PERFECT HOUSEWIFE   
"Because life is messy and imperfect - but HE isn't"

25 Random Things About Me

These were originally posted on Facebook about a year and a half ago...It seems there are a lot of things in life that I thought couldn't or wouldn't happen...and then they did.  Do you think God knows some things I don't? OK, maybe like EVERYTHING!

1.    I never wanted any pets, ever.  Somehow I ended up being the one to run out and pick out our dog Roxie. I even left church early and drove an hour away!  Then, I had to get chickens!  We lost one of them to our neighbors dog, but we currently have seven running around our yard. Hoping to have eggs in just a few weeks.  Roxie does amazingly well with the chickens too!

2.    Growing up I hated going to the garden to help my dad. It mostly meant pulling weeds!  Now, I am enjoying the planning of my own garden. So far it’s  mostly been container gardening, but I’m hoping to branch out to raised bed square-foot methods this year…if only I can keep the chickens from using the dirt for a dirt bath.

3.    I never thought I’d live long enough to get married, let alone have children. I’m about to celebrate my 11th wedding anniversary and we have five children! Isn’t God amazing!?

4.    My personality is one that loves quiet and peacefulness.  Chaos and clutter drive me CRAZY!!  Boy, has God been growing me in this area!  Somehow I have five children, I homeschool them, I work with lots of people through the ministry and we frequently have guests over to the house, and even teens once a month.  J

5.    I learned a lot about how to behave in a professional manner by seeing my dad interact with clients growing up. His office was in our home for many years and I learned by observing. (Wonder if he knew? Wonder how much, and what things, my kids pick up from observing me!?)

6.    I remember playing kickball in the back yard. It was the best and I was never picked last. J 

7.    Growing up  I played or participated in at some point; softball, basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, canoe racing, golfing, gymnastics, ballet/tap/jazz, swimming, tennis lessons….and I don’t even like sports! (Though I did enjoy gymnastics and dance for a little while, and swimming while I could.)

8.    I had more than one boyfriend tell me that they would never leave me and that anyone who did was a fool, then they left.  Hmmm….

9.    My husband tells me he loves me at LEAST 10 times a day.  If I don’t remember to give him a hug, often enough, he stops me by staring until I do. 

10.    The first thing I want in the morning is a fresh hot cup of black coffee. (Sweet coffee would make me sick in the morning!)

11.    I was a single mom with two kids from two different dads and was sure I would never find ANYone would want me as a wife, help me raise my boys and love me the way I longed for.  It wasn’t until I gave my life COMPLETELY over to God’s hands and control rather than my own did my life start to change dramatically.  I truly was satisfied in the Lord, then he blessed me abundantly and I met a wonderful man who loved the Lord and would stay. J

12.    As soon as my head clears up from this fog…(mom’s of multiple small children know what I mean)…I will start writing again, and hopefully finish several books! (regardless of whether or not anyone else reads them)

13.    I wish I had another daughter.  We casually have discussed adoption someday. We’ll see what God has for us in the future…

14.    I prayed that my last child would be another girl, so Liana would have a close sister. I also prayed for a very CALM and EASY baby.  Wooaaahhhhh….God has a sense of humor, and he definitely knows better than I do.  I couldn’t love Riley any more than I do. He is so much fun and so cuddly…but…just look for the Jungle Baby video in my posted items if you haven’t already seen the video clip.

15.    After years of struggles personally and as a single mom, then just being a mom, and also a homeschooling parent, I have realized that the hardest things in life are the most rewarding.

16.    I wish Daimeian’s mom had a chance to see the man he turned into, and I wish I’d had a chance to meet her.

17.    I love to cook and bake…but only because I really want to eat something good and because I enjoy serving my family and friends.

18.    I used to have this skinny little (12yo?) girl that came over to my apartment in MN all the time. She’d play with Tyler, dance and bounce and laugh and talk, talk, talk, talk. Now I have a 12 yo son to do all that for me, except he plays with Liana and Riley. J

19.    I wish cheese wasn’t so high in fat! I LOVE almost all kinds of cheese.

20.    It was really nice when the EPP team at Dell got an ice cream cake for my birthday.  However, there isn’t much I just really don’t like, but mint chocolate chip ice cream is one of them!

21.    I started having plant based allergy problems with bananas, cantaloupe, some avocados and other raw fruits and veggies AFTER Riley was born.

22.    I’ve tried allergy shots twice for well over 2 years each, and they didn’t help me.

23.    I’m hoping to move back to MN someday.  Although, I do wonder if I’m completely crazy when I hear HOW cold it is there this winter!

24.    For some reason, I suddenly remember my friend Kristine and how she got bit by a squirrel. To hear her tell the story will make you laugh ‘till you cry. 

25.    One of the things I  would most love to do would be to sit in a cool room with warm clothes by a desk (in a CLEAN and QUIET ROOM and HOUSE) with a fresh cup of coffee, rain hitting the windows or snow falling outside, and me reading a book or writing something.  (Maybe Daimeian could praise and worship songs in the background….)

Working on my kitchen blog...

I'm really hoping to get in a better habit of blogging.  I have this blog about all things going on at home, especially gardening, reading, homeschooling etc.  I have a separate blog for recipes I am trying in the kitchen and what I am learning by way of healthier modifications.  Summertime is a nice break from homeschooling to organize, prepare and try out new recipes! Recently we did Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Seven Minute Frosting from Martha Stewart's Cupcake books. I have some Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks checked out from the library and tried the Lentil Soup, which I liked but the rest of the family didn't because it's made with . . . lentils. Sigh. There's one legume out of the picture in trying to find healthy beans and rice type of recipes. Oh well. Could be worse. :)

Book Review : Never Let You Go by Erin Healy

If you like fiction, if you like mystery, if you have enjoyed fictional stories based on spiritual battles then a special welcome to Erin Healy’s first solo authored book, NEVER LET GO. Erin Healy has co-written two other books with my favorite author Ted Dekker. Her style is her own yet the suspense and twists will feel familiar to Dekker fans.

Lexi Solomon is a single mom struggling to make ends meet and is faced with tough decisions that could seriously affect her life and that of her daughter. Her troubles are familiar to many who have fought the road of parenting alone and to many who have fought demons of the past. Yet, there is an element that most of us don’t see as clearly as it is presented to Lexi. How will she handle it? Who will help her?

Ted Dekker is one of my all time favorite authors. His stories are quickly engaging and such page turners that you don’t want to stop. Most of them have a great deal of insight, plot twists and second level meanings that you could enjoy reading them again. NEVER LET GO is my first intro to Erin Healy and overall I really enjoyed the book and will likely buy more that she author’s. It wasn’t quite as engrossing as Dekker’s and it took me a little longer to really get to that “can’t put it down” phase, but still very good. However, once engrossed I really could not stop reading. There were several twists and exciting revelations that I really enjoyed.

Personally, I would have liked to have seen more depth in the spiritual aspect. In order to fight spiritual battles we need to have a firm grounding in the Lord and prayer and relationship with God is the key. There was such a light reference to anyone praying on her behalf that while I could feel some empathy for Lexi (mostly because I’ve been a single mom), I couldn’t feel a strong sense of the enemies defeat by calling upon the Lord for strength. I’m not sure if this was intentional in order to gain a larger reading audience, but I would commend anyone for standing stronger on the lines of direct references to the power of prayer and fellowship with the Lord and other believers. Frank Peretti’s THIS PRESENT DARKNESS and PIERCING THE DARKNESS are better examples of this.

Bottom line, I am glad to have another author along these lines of fiction to read.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their [...] book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] :

Garden Summary 2008 - 2009

It seems like I'm always trying to learn more about something.  Lately I've been pretty focused on learning more about gardening and yard care; gardening methods, gardening tips, landscape design, perennial plants that are drought hardy for the Texas area, and natural pest control.  My goal is to garden  and take care of our yard using natural and organic methods. I also want to provide our favorite veggies and herbs so that they will be on hand when I want to use them, they will taste better, they will be healthier for our family and eventually (after the initial cost to setup the garden) they will save us money at the grocery store.

I began my journey into gardening with several pots and my husband built up a retaining wall for a raised bed on either side of the sidewalk leading up to our house.  I had great success with tomatoes, peppers, rosemary and mint in the raised beds and success in pots with basil, chives, rosemary and lemongrass.  I've tried my hand at making our own earthbox.  This method just didn't work. I may try it again with some amendments, but maybe only one box instead of several.  Last year, I had slightly raised beds utilizing some wooden shelving that had been in our garage to hold videos.  They made neat rows and gave me some structure to get started.  Around this time my husband and our sons worked to build a fence around the garden area to keep out the chickens and to eventually provide a nice place to sit and enjoy the plants.

2008 Garden - Here are a few pics of the raised beds with the video shelves and plants in pots. 

Homemade Earthbox type container.  There is another bin under the soil. It is upside down with the top 2/3's cut off and holes drilled through. The center of the bin below is cut to fit a pond basket. The soil fills in the pond basket and is supposed to help wick the moisture to the roots.  I followed online directions but did not have much success with the plants. May try again with better soil amendments. Then again, maybe not.  

Slightly raised beds.  These were set in the fall of 2008 but not truly implemented until 2009.  The wood had been used for video shelves on the wall of our garage when our non-profit library was housed there.  The soil here is a mix of compost (partially unfinished) and native soil.   Plants in this mixture did pretty well. Would have been much better with a better regimen of fertilizing, mulching and watering.  These are elements being implemented now, in addition to building greater soil and utilizing natural disease and insect cures/repellents.

First shot of the potted plants in 2008.  Lantana and Basil.

I later learned how to properly care for basil, prune after every (or most) 2 sets of leaves on a stem.  This way the basil grows bushy and large. Without the pruning it will get tall and spindly. 

The Lantana did not survive the final shot of TX heat in this container. Will try again when I have a place to put on in the ground, or possibly another larger container.

Cilantro, sage, basil and Roma Tomatoes.  After trying cilantro for a couple of years I found out that in needs to be planted in the fall. It is a cool season herb and will bolt when the heat hits.  So...they sell it in the spring. Why? Things that make you go hmmm.....
 This picture was taken in October.  The basil got woody and the Roma's had hardly any fruit mature through the summer. I started too late for one thing.  A week or so later my husband picked all the green tomatoes and they ripened in my window sill over the next few months. I was amazed at how long some of them lasted.

Lemongrass, more Roma Tomatoes and more basil.  The Lemongrass died last fall or winter.  I am hoping to get new transplants but missed the window for doing so this year.

Finally, the beginning of our compost piles.  The cinder blocks are straighter now and are filled with dirt. Every year we get tomatoes that grow up all over the place. In the prepared beds where compost was used, in and around the compost pile and even in the cinder block holes or near by just coming up out of the ground.

Here are some cherry tomatoes that just grew up out of the ground near the compost pile, behind our shed.  They got tall and were falling all over the place so we grabbed miscellaneous pies of wood and string to try and hold them all up.  That didn't work too well but we had plenty of cherry tomatoes!  We had also had a cantaloupe plant growing out of the compost. Unfortunately, the one melon we got from it was disgusting in taste.

2009 Garden - Tomato, cantaloupe and zucchini plants planted in the shelving raised beds.  We had to try to keep our backyard chickens out of the veggies. They still got in as they pecked their way through the plastic and they ate up the melons, squashed and destroyed the plants and were an overall menace.  The peppers last year gave me only a couple of very tiny rewards.  Also, as you can see, Bermuda grass is a horrible weed. It is what our lawn is and it invades with a voracious appetite.

Most of this area got fenced in.  It was a mess trying to find scraps to cover and kill the grass.  However, in the back, along the fence, you can see several tomato plants along the fence.  Lots of green but little to no fruit. What fruit we did get was eaten by birds.

NOTE: Plant tomatoes in FULL SUN. These were too shaded to produce fruit.  I've experienced before so I don't know why I thought that location would work for them last year.  Will not try that again.

Finally, my loving and darling husband worked with our wonderful sons to build this fence around the garden area to keep the chickens out.  The door needed to be finished here and the taller segment will be part of what will be a covered sitting area.   Unfortunately, we would later find out that the chickens would find a way in by getting under the shed. This led to another problem with them roaming all of our backyard.  Just a couple months ago my husband penned them so we don't have that issue anymore. However, I do have a beautiful garden area to work with now!

Book Review : Thomas Nelson's Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts, 3rd Edition

•    Colorful maps and charts
•    Chronological representation of all books of the Bible
•    Short yet concise overview for each book of the Bible
•    Easy to use reference book for individual or small group study
•    Reproducible maps and charts available for sharing in a large group study

Thomas Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts, 3rd edition, met and exceeded my expectations as a handy resource book and possibly a text for a basic Bible Survey course.  This book could assist my children, my husband and me in personal study Bible study by providing additional insights and information to go along with the reading of the text.

The layout for each chapter is easy to read and covers information on the following components for each book of the Bible;  introduction, authorship, dates, themes and literature structure, the book at a glance (via a chart) and an outline.  If the authorship or dating of the book has more than one commonly held school of thought, different views are explained in brief.  

Following these consistent points of coverage, each chapter highlights various points for further study.  For example, Genesis includes subsections such as;  “The Six Days of Creation”, “God’s Creative Work”, “The Garden of Eden”, “Two Adams Contrasted” (Adam of Genesis and Jesus in the New Testament) and “Ages of the Patriarchs”.  Ruth includes subtopics called, “From Outsider to Royal Ancestress”, “Ruth-A Foreshadow of Redemption and “A Distinguished Descendant”. 

Numerous charts and maps are included throughout the book.   You will find maps on the patriarch’s journeys, Jacob’s life, David’s life, David’s kingdom, the return of the Jews from exile and so many more.  As far as the charts go, in the book of Hosea there is a chart showing Israel’s relationship with God as depicted in prophecies from Jeremiah and Ezekiel and the similarities with Hosea’s relationship with Gomer.  Psalms includes a chart on the images of God referenced.  Prior to the coverage for each gospel there is a detailed harmonization of the gospels that covers multiple pages.

Finally, Thomas Nelson also provides free content for some of their books when you purchase them.  Apparently this sometimes includes an eBook copy.  In the case of this book, ll the maps are provided as free downloads.  This free content can be used by your eBook reader (Kindle or Sony Reader) or just downloaded to your computer. 

One thing that I really wish was included but  wasn’t, however I don’t know of any reference book that does include this, is an alternate possible (and probable) location for Mt. Sinai (search for the movie “Search for the Real Mt. Sinai” to find out what I am referring to).   Regardless, this book serves its purpose well.  If you are looking for in-depth study, this is not it. If you are looking for a starting point for further study on any book of the Bible, this is a great option. I love how easy it is to use and the fact that introductory coverage is provided for every book of the Bible.  The price is right too!  Unlike many other reference books found in the Christian bookstores, you probably won’t see this title in the bargain bins anytime soon.

At the time of this review Amazon does not have sample pages posted. If you want to see sample pages you will need to search for the title at Christianbook.com. 

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255   : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

Uncommon Gratitude

Life can be such a roller coaster can't it?  So much is constantly moving around us as we try to keep up with all that is on our plates.  We're up, we're down. We get frustrated, anxious and downtrodden when things don't go right and sometimes we complain a little, or a lot. 

I was in a normal up and down day with the kids and finishing up another checklist item by getting something put into my mailbox.  Suddenly, it occurred to me that I had only taken a few steps to the mailbox.  I didn't walk two miles and I didn't have to drive to the post office. I just walked to the end of my driveway.  In addition, by simply writing an address and sticking a stamp on an envelope I could leave this object in a box, only a few steps outside my home, and...someone else was going to drive TO MY HOUSE to pick it up and then it would then be taken HUNDREDS OF MILES ACROSS THE NATION on my behalf...for 42 cents!  Isn't that truly marvelous?!  Seriously, can you consider how much gas money we save by not hand delivering a letter?  It's an amazing convenience to have the mail picked up from the comfort of our homes and  then delivered to another person's home or place of business for such a nominal fee.  That's less than you'd tip someone for bringing you a meal, when you had to go to their place of business to get it! 

Hmmm....that seems a bit uncommon to have such a suddenly grateful heart for paying so little to get my letter where it needed to go.  What else could I be grateful for that I haven't thought much about before?  Water!  It comes into my house ready to use and out ready to be cleaned up.  Wow...turn the faucet handle and there it is!  Thank you Lord for stamps and water!

What else?  My husband's passion. Often I'm not very grateful for this because the sharing of ideas puts me into task mode and almost instantly makes me feel burdened.  But, I don't have to feel that way.  I can, and am, grateful that the Lord has given him a passion to do whatever God has called Him to do.  God uses this in many ways to His glory.  For that I am extremely grateful.

How about you? What are you uncommonly grateful for?  I would love to hear the responses! Let's thank the Lord today for the things we often take forgranted.  I'm thinking that a little gratitude can go a long way in evening out the roller coaster of day to day living.

Book Review : Living Life in the Zone : A 40-Day Spiritual Game Plan by Kyle Rote Jr. & Dr. Joe Pettigrew

Buy or Preview Living Life in the Zone

Living Life in the Zone is an easy to read book that provides short snippets of encouragement and challenges to men in a number of aspects of daily living. These are provided as short chapters utilizing various sports analogies and terms that should make the information easily relatable and readable for many men. For those who are put off by the thought of a heavy study in theology, yet recognize their need for personal spiritual growth, this book may fit their needs and may even provide a spring board for further study, prayer and growth.

Though I am not a sports fan, or male, I find that the regular format used for each chapter will really help to draw in many men who otherwise would not pick up a non-fiction book. Most chapters are about 6-8 pages in length and provide an appropriate introduction to each topic followed by scripture to support the message, examples from other lives (mostly prominent sports figures) and personal challenges for further introspection.

When first provided with the opportunity to read this book, courtesy of Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze review program, my initial reaction was that it would be a book filled with little more than words on paper. However, I have come to find great value in this book and believe it has a purpose that could serve to minister to the hearts of many men. My prayer is that it would speak to men in such a way as to inspire them towards further study and growth with their Lord. In fact, I hope that it will be made available in an affordable audio CD solution so that those who are resistant to reading or strained for time will be able to benefit from the guidance and direction offered by Mr. Rote and Dr. Pettigrew.

Finding Balance : Goals vs Expectations

One of the wisest things I think I have ever read from somewhere other than the Bible was (I think) from Teri Maxwell in her book "Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit".  She was talking about training our children and she talked about how our expectations should not be the same as our goals.  Our expectations are what we expect out of our children as they are trained towards the goals.  Whoa. That really hit home for me. 

I am a driven person and often feel like everything within my children is intent on fighting against me in achieving and accomplishing what I want done. (oops, doesn't sound too good does it?)  I have high expectations for them in many areas of life, often too high. They are too high when those expectations are at the same height as my goals for them and thus become unrealistic.  Don't they need room to grow from, for example, having no idea how to clean a room to keeping it tidy and organized?  Isn't there a learning process that involves failure and trying again? Somehow I too often forget that they are human and sinful, that they are children and maturing, and that they need lots and lots of training to reach a goal. More than anything, I forget that they need grace from me, just as I receive it from the Lord.  This occurs on a daily basis.  May I do the same for my children.

It's a tough balancing act isn't it?  Discipline, training, grace...parenting.  Phew. In a constant desire to find balance I find myself swinging from one end to another, but to remain in the middle would be to become stagnant.

Oh Lord, please help me to more patient and to wisely discern proper expectations for my children as I train them towards wisely discerned goals in all aspects of life.  Help me to show firmness and swift action when necessary and grace and forgiveness when appropriate.  May my children learn more about you as I live my life to glorify You. - Amen

Our Christmas & New Year's Vacation (at home)

There are so many times I have all these great ideas to blog and by the time I can sit in front of the computer, POOF, those squirrely ideas have wandered off into the great abyss.  Rarely do any land on a shelf and wait for possible rescue.  In fact there are about six on a shelf now that are nearly ready to dive farther into the deep unknown never to be retreived again.  Sigh...

Perhaps I can at least take a a few minutes to share some of the highlights of the last couple of weeks, beginning with Christmas.  We didn't have family in town and we weren't to have my step-son, Christian, until noon the day after Christmas.  I was really thankful to be home and relaxing with the family on Christmas Day.  We had invited others to join us but none of them could attend. So, we still had a large breakfast of crust less quiche (oh my goodness...truly the finest breakfast I have ever had) and sticky buns.  I managed a full turkey dinner with parmesan mashed potatoes, green beans roasted with olive oil and seasoning, home made stuffing and gravy.  Yum! 

The children requested that gifts arrive Christmas morning despite the fact that they couldn't open them for a day and a half.  Tanner and Riley were up before 5 AM taking a look and cuddling up near the tree and fireplace in a blanket.  The children knew they could open stockings once everyone was up.  Daimeian and I got up around 6 and woke up Liana so the boys wouldn't have to wait any longer.  Liana and Riley were each given a requested Webkinz in their stocking. Riley's was a clown fish.  As he held his stocking with the fish sticking out of it, he proclaimed "I got a clownfish!!" He then immediately proceeded to look into the eyes of the fish and in a much deeper voice commanded the fish... "Tell me a joke."  Of course we all laughed pretty hard.

On Christmas Day Daimeian had to drive to San Antonio to pick up Christian.  The children were all very ready to open gifts as soon as he got here.  I think the most memorable moment for me was when Riley gave Liana his present.  He had it under the tree for a couple of weeks already and was so proud of it.  I had previously let Liana know that it was something he came up with all on his own and not to expect too much. She did such a great job in her reaction. At first she looked with a scrunched up face, "What in the world?".  Then she pulled out a black plastic hangar and a stick and was still confused.  Riley replied  in all seriousness, "What? It's a bow and arrow."  Another moment with plenty of family laughter. :)  I love that.

A couple days later we all headed to Goldthwaite to spend time with our friends in their beautiful family cabin.  We love hanging out with them and we love going to the cabin!  Tyler came with a friend for the first night and then they left. Tanner had a friend with us and Liana and Riley play constantly with our friend's daughters. Daimeian and Christian were set on hunting a deer and I enjoyed time to read, clean out email on my laptop and just relax.

After three nights and sights on several deer, the guys still hadn't gotten a good shot. We thought about leaving Friday night but they wanted to try one more time Saturday morning.  Christian shot one around 7 AM and they tracked it for SIX hours!  Finally, the guys all came in and ate and rested a bit then Daimeian and Christian went back out.  We had been packed and ready to go for awhile now inside the cabin, waiting for the guys to be done while the guys waited for a deer.  I'd been praying every day for a the guys to get at least one deer.  The whole time I had this feeling that God was going to show Himself in control in some way. I prayed that God would use the experience to speak to my boys, even if we didn't come home with a deer.

In the deer blind Daimeian and Christian prayed around 5 PM for a deer.  A few minutes later they saw a baby doe. They chuckled and someone stated that that must be God's sense of humor. Christian urged D' to pray more specifically.  So they did and only a few minutes after that came the perfect deer for them!  Christian shot it in the heart and it was down quickly.  This was at 6:05 PM and it was already getting dark. We still needed it loaded in the car and I had had the car packed already, including our coolers full of food and other items and at the bottom of everything.  The guys gutted it in the dark and Tanner and I rearranged the packing to fit the deer in a cooler. We were on our way out from the cabin just after 8 PM! 

On the way home Christian asked Daimeian, "Where did that deer come from anyway?"  As usual, the child we don't give thought to as being one to pay attention (Riley), speaks up and answers for Daimeian.  "Heaven."

Breakfast Idea : Oatmeal Bar

First, I should clarify that I am not referring to something you can hold with your hand or pack for a trip. Sounds nice though. What I am referring to is something to help stretch the budget, make breakfast easy and healthy and a way to take a break from cold cereal.

Once or twice a week, consider setting up an oatmeal bar. The idea here is to have oatmeal in an exciting way for breakfast.

1. Cook up oats for oatmeal (steel cut oats soaked overnight or the regular rolled oats, NOT the quick oats as they have a gooey texture).
2. Set out various nuts (almonds, pine nuts, pecans...)

3. Set out various dried or fresh fruits (raisins, golden raisins, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, mango...)

4. Let each family member serve themselves up some oatmeal and toppings.

5. Finish off with a small dab of butter or spray-butter and...
6. Something sweet if you desire, such as Sucanat, honey or pure maple syrup.

The idea here is to dress up oatmeal with some items you should have on hand. If you don't keep nuts on hand, consider keeping some of some kind to try in different foods. Store them in the freezer so they don't go rancid.

I like to make mine with dried blueberries and strawberries and may add some nuts next time. I usually do some spray butter and a very light drizzle of pure maple syrup. A little goes a long way so I recommend assisting your children until they know how to use a small amount.

*BTW - I have a trip for stretching the maple syrup too. Posting soon!

Enjoy!

"Julie & Julia" sort of a movie review from a mom & fellow self-learner

Rarely do I get out to see a movie. Even rarer is it a new movie where I fork over anything over $1. Today's matinee was $7 to see "Julie & Julia" with some friends. The money was worth it, for the chance to get out with some lady friends and to see a decent movie. Not fabulous, but decent.

Amy Adams portrays Julie Powell, a woman who decided to cook her way through Julia Child's cookbook "Masting the Art of French Cooking" in one year. A monumental task that I give Julie great kudos for. As much as I want to try new recipes and improve upon my culinary skills, or lack thereof, I'm not sure I'll ever try many of Julia's recipes. Well, except for perhaps the Bouef Bourguignon and the Buerre Blanc!

Meryl Streep does an incredible job at playing Julia Child. There were many scenes that had me laughing and chuckling throughout the movie and they all centered around Julia's personality characterized wonderfully by Meryl.

It's a foodie movie. It's a bit of a chick flick and it's yet another movie that has me saying, "Why?" Well, I'll explain that part later.

So the movie goes back and forth between Julie Powell who lives in Queen's, NY in 2002 & Julia Child, primarily in France, during the late 1940's and on for the next decade. Julie decides to go through Julia's cookbook in a year and blog about it. Julia Child begins to learn to cook because she loves food. Julie is obsessed with the task at hand and as she goes through the year she feels closer and closer to the Julia Child. Julia out-cooks the men at Le Cordon Bleu, begins to teach Americans to cook French food and works on a coookbook with two other women.

Julie appears to have a great husband who supports her through the whole process, though they have one fight resulting in his walking out for what seems to be a couple of days. When Julie realizes she has been self absorbed and not too nice she blog it, he reads it and he comes back. Julia Child meanwhile appears to have the perfect playful and loving marriage with Paul. They support and love each other through everything and she is truly the epitome of the phrase "full of life."

What is the point of the movie? Mostly just a feel good showing of two people's lives and how they found purpose through the love of food and cooking. Well, that's my take anyway. However, I was encouraged to be more supportive and loving to my own husband. It was encouraging to see the love and fun in the Child's relationship and to see Julie recognize her behavior as not so nice to her husband. May we all recognize how our attitudes and behavior affect others and be encouraged to be more gracious, loving and forgiving.

So, why the "Why?" WHY does Hollywood persist to throw in curse words and add sexual references in movies, especially one like this? Seriously, it was like having them thrown in like a dash of salt. But salt is supposed to bring out the best in food. In many cases, like this film, it ends up being more like acid in cream. It just boggles my mind why anyone feels the need to do that. Those who would get offended, like me, will be offended. Those that wouldn't, wouldn't care if it wasn't there. So who benefits?

I'd love to add films like this to Christian Home Library but I don't feel I can because of a few curse words, sexual references and a couple scenes where the kisses went further...and the camera followed. To remove these would have shaved maybe a minute or two from the film and I could then put the upcoming DVD on our shelves. Not so now.

By the way, before seeing the movie I looked up Julie Powell's most recent blog. She admits to being foul mouthed and she is...frequently. I didn't get very far with it as a result and I don't recommend it.

FINDING MEANING IN LIFE. Part of the underlying theme for the movie is Julie's search for meaning in life. It seems that with a book deal and a movie, she is still looking for meaning. Unless she finds out how much Jesus loves her and cares about her every minute of every day, until she calls out to the very one who Created her to be a masterpiece and testimony of His love, she won't ever find that meaning. No one will.

Psalm 8: 3-4 "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?"

Romans 5: 6-8 "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

TO JULIE - HE cares for you more than anyone; any editor, any man, any food, any star. May the most creative and capable lover and creator be revealed to you and may you find the meaning your life was meant to have.

Thinking creatively about breakfast

I really want to get away from cold cereals as much as possible for breakfast. Even with trying to get options that have less sugar in them and drinking them with fresh raw milk, cereal has so little in it that it doesn't make for a good start to your day. Let me put it this way. Daimeian tells this story about his mom. He would come to her for something to eat and say, "Mom, make me a sandwhich." To which she would promptly reply, "Poof, you're a sandwhich." When I see most cold cereal options I hear this little voice saying "Poof, your something to eat." Then there is a smaller voice that say, "Don't tell anyone that you're just disguised to look like something GOOD to eat when really, POOF, there's nothing there!" So, what shall I make for breakfast? It's time to break out of the cold cereal rut!

There are the stand-bys; pancakes, eggs (scrambled and fried) or toast. For some people yogurt might be a typical morning start but it is too high in sugar for me. I have to start my day with something that has more substance to it, and less sugar, or I feel awful . It is already a rare thing to have donuts or other store bought pastries on hand for breakfast. No pop-tarts and rarely a "Toaster Strudel" without icing. I used to really enjoy Amy's organic whole wheat pastries but they have doubled in price and I haven't found the recipe that I saw somewhere in this house to make my own. When I do, I will by trying to make my own with fresh ground flour, cr cheese and good preserves.
What I consider to be secondary stand-bys are bagels and english muffins (topped with peanut butter and honey or cream cheese) and oatmeal. BTW - I don't very often get the oatmeal packets. They are too pricey and have sugar that I can't control.Finally, while I keep searching my mind I come to further options; breakfast tacos, scones and muffins.
So what options do I choose and how can I make it more interesting? What I really need to do is keep an index card in my recipe card holder that just lists various breakfast ideas. There are few things I've tried recently but many more recipes that I'd like to try.

POACHED EGGS w/ SPINACH : The other day I poached eggs in some chickenstock that I had had frozen. I sauteed a bag of frozen spinach with a small amount of EVOO and salt and pepper. I put the spinach in the bottom of the bowl and put a poached egg on top of the spinach. Then I ladled some of the left-over poaching broth into the spinach. To counter some of the richness of flavors I threw in some tomatoes and cooked canadian bacon, but it could be just the spinach and poached egg too. Even though I cooked the tomatoes on the griddle I could have just spooned up some salsa. Should you use one bag of frozen spinach ($.99-$ 1.49) and four eggs ($ .50 - $ 2) for four healthy portions, you would have spent under $ .38-$ 1.80 per person. This would depend on what type of eggs you buy and where you get your groceries. You would have also had a great vegetable and protein source to start off your day!

MUFFINS : One of my goals is to try to make muffins more often. Maybe once a week? I'd like to keep trying a variety. I have a bran recipe I like from Sue Gregg that includes raisins. Recently I made blueberry muffins from Liana's Strawberry Shortcake recipe. Of course I substituted. :) I used 1/3 organic all-purpose flour, 1/3 ground kamut flour that was stored in the freezer and 1/3 coconut flour. I also substituted 2/3 of the sugar with sucanat and 1/2 of the butter with coconut oil. They were a little too crumbly, but wonderful!
There is another muffin recipe from Cooking Light that I've really enjoyed. It includes a little jam or preserves in the middle of the muffin. These are great to grab and go!
CREPES/BLINTZES : One thing I made for a time and have forgotten to try again are cream cheese blintzes. These require an easy drippy crepe batter that you cook on one side (like a thin pancake) and then flip. Once flipped add a little cream cheese (or cottage cheese, or ricotta, or kefir cheese) and a little jam or preserves right in the middle. Take off the heat and fold bottom over the cheese portion, then the left and the right and cover everything with the top fold.

WHEY PROTEIN SHAKES : We have used a fabulous whey protein powder from Mercola.com to make shakes for breakfast. I used the strawberry powder with kefir and milk and it was very filling. None of us have liked the chocolate one. The other day I found another source of what appears to be whey powder in very much the same level of quality (no hydrolyzed anything, no soy etc.) for half the price. I'm going to try these guys soon. http://www.swansonvitamins.com/

OATMEAL : How to dress up your oatmeal? This morning I had fabulous oatmeal! That's not something I've said more than one other time when my sister made baked oatmeal dish that I loved. I cooked oatmeal with a little added salt and added a few dried blueberries, home dried strawberries, a dab of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup. I even ground up some flax seed to throw on top for extra health benefits. YUMILICIOUS!

WAFFLES : I have two waffle makers and don't use them a whole lot. However, I'd like to make a goal to do it maybe once a month. I like to make large batches at one time and freeze as many as I can for later use. I use Sue Gregg's recipe, http://www.suegregg.com/, and use oatmeal and brown rice. No wheat. they come out crisp and yet moist. So delicious.

RUSTIC BREAKFAST : I LOVE to saute up rough chopped zuccini, onions and garlic with a little butter and Canadian Steak Seasoning (from Sams Club). I toss in a few cherry tomatoes to roast on the griddle at the same time. Then I cook up some over easy eggs and Canadian Bacon (best price to date is Sam's Club). Top the zucchini mix with cooked and chopped bacon and then the egg.

BREAKFAST TACOS : Why do we get these when we go out places but forget to make them at home? So easy and tons of possiblities. Refried beans, black beans, ranch beans, potatoes (not my favorite), eggs, bacon, sausage, chorizo, salsa, tomatoes, onions, green salsa....

Other tips and thoughts : think about different dried fruits and nuts you might be able to add to oatmeal or to top off pancakes or waffles with. What about fresh fruits that might be around? To stretch your money on using pure maple syrup, without resorting the syrup sold on the shelves, make your own and mix it with the pure stuff. I make it with water, Sucanat a dash of salt and little maple and vanilla extracts.

Those are a few of my thoughts. I'll share more as they come to me!

Eye boogies, ear pain and hours of crying....

Well, that's where Riley was. My vibrant, bouncing 6 year old Riley-dude has had some eye gunk at night time for a couple days. I'm treating with Similisan pink-eye relief even though I think it's probably allergy related. Then he went swimming with my neighbor yesterday and came home crying.

This was about the time I was to go into my dentist's office for a filling. I could hear him cry because I was on the phone with Daimeian who stopped home briefly. It was so hard to sit in the dentist office knowing he was in pain.This visit was the longest at the dentist in awhile. They were short an assistant which delayed my appointment by 45 minutes and the whole filling ordeal took longer than we've experienced before. By the time I got home Riley had been crying for 2 hours inconsolably. Poor dude! He promptly dropped the bag he carried over from across the street and flung himself on the couch in tears. I gave him some ibuprofen and cuddled him and caressed his back. Within a few minutes he was sound asleep and taking those deep interrupted breaths in that a child does after crying for so long. This went on for hours. The guy slept 12 hours straight through so I was happy to let him watch a movie at close to 6 AM this morning after he woke up!

We prayed over him last night and are praising the Lord for a speedy recovery. This morning he is back to his bouncy, squirrelly self! I love it. Thank you Lord for my Riley dude, just the way you made him. Oh, and help me to remember this next time I'm frustrated with his energy level!

Thoughts on Whole Wheat Pasta

I have been working through making decisions on what type of pasta to use with different sauces. While most recipes already tell you which pasta to use, it is helpful to know what kinds of ingredients pair well together in case you are called upon to create something on a moment's notice and don't have time to look up a recipe. I am also interested in creating sauces from scratch with what is available to me at that moment. As I learn things I want to note them here to share with you.
One of the most important things to remember with whole wheat pasta is that it seems to get dry easier. It soaks up more liquid than white pasta. If you are making a sauce for your pasta you should keep in mind that you may need 1/3 more liquid than the regular recipe calls for. This is especially true for dishes that require baking after the ingredients are put together.
In addition, it seems to me that due to the dense flavor in the whole wheat pasta itself sauces may need additional seasonings or stronger flavors to get the same impact that you might get with a white pasta. This may also vary by brand of pasta. Some are more gritty and denser than others. The jury is still out with a verdict on brand preference for me. Mostly because I haven't paid enough attention. Although I have purchased Ronzoni often have found it to be good for many uses.

Previously from the Happy Healthy Homemaker....

Why Happy, Healthy, Homemaker?

Well, some of that should seem obvious right? Maybe, maybe not. Let me just start by telling you that I am not always happy! However, I am grateful for a Lord who loves me and carries me through daily struggles and stresses. With His help and His peace and the joy He gives me in my heart, I can get back to happiness when I'm not.

Happy? Because it is my goal to be a happy person to be around as a result of God's love and peace within me. I want to live a life that glorifies Him and when I'm not happy, well, it's time for His hand to lift me up AGAIN.

Healthy? Well, I'm not always healthy either! Getting regular exercise is a real challenge for me. Pies, cookies and sweet treats call out to me. However, for those who know me, you know I am always learning more about ways to help our family to be more healthy through food and in our environment.

We certainly are not strictly organic in our eating and we do not avoid all sugar, however, I am trying to do so more and more. As much as possible I am finding ways to make it economical and feasible to make our eating and living healthier. It is my belief that we are to honor the Lord with our bodies and that we have been given the task of taking care of the planet that He has given us. As Psalm 115:16 tells us, "The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man." and in Genesis we hear God say to Adam and Eve "“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

And at last...homemaker. Yes, a care taker at home. Taking care of husband, children, house and all that that entails. Again in Genesis we find, "Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for[1] him.”

Lord, I ask you to help me to be a good homemaker for my husband. May my life be glorifying to you in all I do. May my words and deeds serve my family well and therby give you glory.

OK, now with that said and I am ready to begin! It is my goal to use this blog as a way to capture the things I am learning with regards to cooking, baking, gardening, being a godly wife and mother and all things homemaking. For specific comments on recipes tried, please check out javajokitchen.blogspot.com.