How Does Your Garden Grow??

My family has had a very busy summer.  We moved to a new house, did a few repairs and re-modeling projects and a bunch of other things.  In fact we've been so busy I wasn't sure if I was coming or going on some days. 

Because we moved half way through the summer, so I had to leave my spring garden behind and plant a "fall garden".

Here are some pics.....

Watermelon...we may not have time left in the season, but my kids couldn't possibly imagine a garden without it and we did have some seeds left, so we planted them.  Should have plenty of watermelon if the weather holds out.  :)

Scarlett Runner Beans ~ this is my first time planting pole beans instead of bush beans.  So far we have TONS of beautiful red flowers!!

Pickling Cucumbers ~ we've made 4 quarts of Spicy Pickles, and we plan to add Bread & Butter, Lime and Cinnamon to that list. 

Tomatoes ~ TONS of them!!  

We've made some spaghetti sauce, but we need more - and some salsa too!!

My poor Pepper plants had a hard time this year, but they have given us just what we've needed!!

Zucchini!!

Good in soups, breads, fritters, and cookies {anything really!}!!

We have also planted sweet peas, broccoli, brussels sprouts and kale!!  They're pretty small yet and no much to look at though!  :) 

I'll be posting more recipes very soon!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We'd love to invite you to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.  Or you can choose to have our post delivered directly to your E-mail or RSS feed.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Homemade High Bounce Balls

Some days it's too hot to play outside, but what can you do with all those crazy, hyper, stir crazy kids??

Make your own high bounce balls!!  If you're going to have things bouncing off the walls it may as well be balls {as opposed to kids}....

It's super easy and lots of fun.  It's very similar to making "Slime". 

Join us over at Whole Intentions to find out how to make these really fun bouncy balls!!  

 

While you're there you may want to stick around and check out the place.  My friend, Paula has all kinds of great recipes and tips on whole living!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We'd love to invite you to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.  Or you can choose to have our post delivered directly to your E-mail or RSS feed.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Breakfast Skillet

This recipe is fantastic!!  We usually have this for dinner since we're not morning people.

All you need: {feeds a family of 6}

• 4 large potatoes ~ cut in small strips
• onion
• mushrooms
• green peppers
• jalapenos
• bacon/cubed ham/sausage
• anything you would normally put in an omelet
• eggs

Directions:

Cut your potatoes into long narrow strips and fry in olive oil with sliced onions, mushrooms and peppers.  You can cook your meat right along with it too, if you like.  I usually like to keep it all in one pot/pan, if I can, to save myself the cleanup. 

Season with garlic, sea salt and pepper.  Cook until potatoes are tender but not mushy, which shouldn't take too long if you slice them into thin strips.

Fry eggs your favorite way - sunny side up, over easy, whatever you prefer.  We prefer sunny side up because we think the yolk is really yummy running all over those veggies.  Place fried eggs over the top and let the yolk run down over it all...

Now, THAT is breakfast delight!!  Can you tell we like our eggs sunny side up??  The yolk makes this meal in my opinion.  :)

Fiesta Breakfast: A Mexican Twist

Follow the same recipe and directions, except you will only want to use potatoes, hot peppers, mushrooms, onions and garlic.  Sausage should be used rather than bacon or ham.  Then you can add some black beans, and cover with sour cream, a bit of shredded cheese, salsa, and eggs - sunny-side-up again.  Sound strange to you??  Believe it or not, it's a pretty good meal!!

A Few Healthy Tips...

• Free Range Organic eggs are best in quality and taste!!  The most inexpensive way to get some is to find a local farmer or raise them yourself.  We get ours for $2.00 a dozen from a friend.  
• I strongly recommend you get organic potatoes as they grow in the ground and soak up all the chemicals used in growing.  If you can't afford the organic ones, you can peal them before you cook them and that will cut back on a bunch of those chemicals.  
• Throw in a bunch of veggies!  If you have children that aren't fond of veggies, this may a great way to sneak a few extra into their diets.  
• Try to find meat that doesn't have any additional nitrates or hormones. 

 I'd love to know what you think of this recipe or any changes you made.  Do share your ideas with us!! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We'd love to invite you to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.  Or you can choose to have our post delivered directly to your E-mail or RSS feed.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cowboy Candy

If you love spicy, chances are, you'll love this recipe.  It was so easy and so quick!

The original recipe {found here}:

• 1 lb fresh jalapenos
• 2/3 cup cider vinegar
• 2 cups sugar ~ or 1.5 cups of raw honey
• 2 tablespoons mustard seed
• 1/4 teaspoon tumeric
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•  

Directions:

Slice jalapenos and set aside.   

Mix other ingredients and bring to a boil in a small pot.  

Reduce to simmer and add jalapenos.  Continue to simmer another 5 minutes.  

Fill jar - original recipe says this will yield 2 pints.  I only got 1 and a few leftovers for sampling.  

Process in a water bath for 15 minutes.

 And there you have it - one lonely, little, pint jar of Cowboy Candy!

We put it to the test.  In other words, the Treasured Hubby got to taste it and the verdict is................
it has a great taste, but it's far too spicy!   

So, I suggest you remove the seeds from the pepper as they are the spicy part.  {in my defense, I had a pepper plant last year that wasn't spicy at all...talk about annoying!!...so I decide to leave the seeds in these - just in case!  I wanted them to have some kick...and apparently I was successful} :D

I guess, we learned the hard way, and will be removing the seeds from now on....and, maybe we should quadruple the recipe too!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We'd love to invite you to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.  Or you can choose to have our post delivered directly to your E-mail or RSS feed.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Propper Way to Eat A Peppermint Pattie

Disclaimer:  

I think any and all people everywhere should eat healthy, non processed foods.  However, I love Peppermint Patties.  Yes, the first and second ingredients listed are sugar and corn syrup, I know this and it makes me very, very sad........ but every once in a while...  

Work with me, girls, work with me...I'm working very hard at justifying this whole thing.  ;)

I find it disturbing...

to watch my husband and my son eat a Peppermint Pattie...or any chocolate for that matter.  They shove it, or as much of it as they can, into their mouths and swallow it down without a thought!  And then they have the audacity to claim that it was good!!

Now, I ask you: {and them} how could you have possibly even tasted it that way?!?  Seriously!  There's an art to these things.  You have to take time to savor...

So, without further ado, I'm going to teach you all how to properly savor a Peppermint Pattie. 

If, and when eaten correctly, one peppermint patty should last you at least two days.  {We're talking the full size ones here.}  Maybe it's because they make me feel so gross when I eat too much at a time, but mine usually last about three days.  {As I said, I don't eat them as often as I used to.}

TIMING:  Timing really is everything when it comes to eating a peppermint pattie.  For instance you don't want to be savoring a bit of Peppermint Pattie around children because even though they may not ask, they have ways of letting you know they want some and I always feel so mean when I have to say no.  But, you know, a girl has to do what a girl has to do!  "Just say no" is a great motto.

You also don't want to be standing in the kitchen getting ready to take a nibble and your husband walk past, grab it and plop the entire thing in his own mouth!!  And what's worse than him stealing my precious Peppermint Pattie was that he didn't even take the time to enjoy it!! Just downed it all in one big gulp!!  :( 

Are you feeling my pain yet??

Step #1 ~ View the Peppermint Pattie  Isn't it lovely??   

{This step is very nearly always omitted by the men in my family}

Step #2 ~ Take the first nibble out of the edge...notice I said "nibble", not "huge chomp"!! 

 Just sayin'...

Step #3 ~ Take little nibbles out of the edges until the outside of the treasured Peppermint Pattie is completely white.  It usually takes me about a day to finish the edges off.  At this point, I put it away for a while, or until the next day when I feel the urge for more. 

This {above} is how your Peppermint Pattie will look when you're finished with Step #3.

Step #4 ~ Continue nibbling around the edges.  It make take you several "rounds", and even several days, but continue on until your Peppermint Pattie is quite small...like so.

At this point, you may continue nibbling until it's gone {which is my preferred method},  or, you may put the entire thing in your mouth and let it melt.  It's a great way to pass time while washing dishes or folding laundry.   I always try to see how many items of clothing I can fold or how much work I can accomplish before the minty goodness melts away.

Now that you all know how to properly eat a Peppermint Pattie, you may leave comments telling me how glad you are that I spent time researching this topic.  And, let me assure you: I did have fun with the research put into this post!!

Now, it's your turn to tell us all about your favorite "guilty pleasures". 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We'd love to invite you to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.  Or you can choose to have our post delivered directly to your E-mail or RSS feed.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Preservative Free Breakfast

I was asked to do a post on preservative free breakfast foods.  I will admit, I'm not a breakfast person.  If we eat breakfast it's usually for lunch {an egg sandwich or a bowl of oatmeal} or dinner {eggs with potatoes & onions and bacon}.   But I did some thinking and some research and here's what I came up with....

Keeping Breakfast as Natural as Possible!!

photo credit

Milk:  Just about everyone has milk with their breakfast.  It's a great thing to drink, especially for growing children.  The best milk to drink is fresh, raw milk that has come straight from grass fed cows to your breakfast table.  The milk you buy in grocery stores has been pasteurized, which simply means it has been heated to high temperatures that are supposed to kill germs and bacteria.  The problem with this is that they not only kill germs and bad bacteria, they also kill good bacteria and nutrients.  You can read more of the benefits of organic raw milk over at The Healthy Home Economist.  {Love that site!!}

Juice:  All juice should be completely natural without any added sugars of any kind - especially fake sugars such as aspartame. 

Toast and Jam:  I've been praying for a wheat grinder for a couple of years now.  Until I get one though, I am careful to get only bread that is "whole wheat" - stone ground is best and without any corn syrup or added flavorings and/or colorings.  **I also plan to make all kinds of fun things, like pancakes, waffles and muffins when I get my grinder.  Until then, you can buy whole wheat flour and mixes - just be sure the mix you're buying doesn't have any additional ingredients that you wouldn't add yourself.** 

As for jam, I make my own.  It's not hard, and can be quite fun!  So far this year we've made strawberry, peach, and a blueberry/blackberry mix.  Making it home saves you time and money and it's much healthier because it doesn't have any added ingredients!!  Making your jams with raw honey will only increase the health benefits {did you know honey is good for allergies of all kinds?} and it shouldn't affect the taste at all.

Eggs:  Organic, free range eggs are the best!!  In taste and in health they are absolutely the best!  Once you've eaten a free range egg you won't want to eat any other!  They are fantastic!  Like raw milk, they do cost a bit more at the store, so if you can skip the store and go straight to the farmer you will be able to save yourself a few dollars.  I get my eggs for $2.00 a dozen.  ~ Better still, raise your own chickens and trade your leftover eggs for raw milk or raw honey.  {Raising chickens is a dream of mine!  Maybe one day....}

Oats:  Oatmeal is quick and easy and very good for you.   It's also easy on the grocery budget, which is a big plus!  Be sure your oats are natural and without any added ingredients.  You can flavor them with homemade butter and sea salt, jam, raw fruit, honey, or peanut butter!  Yep!  Peanut butter oatmeal is one of our favorites!!

photo credit

Breakfast meat:  Sausage and bacon, and sometimes ham are all considered "breakfast food".  To be sure you're eating the best quality, you should go to your local farmer.  Check around for good deals, but be sure your meat was not raised on corn, or with any hormones.  If you are going to buy your breakfast meat in the store, try to avoid any added nitrates if possible.  I try to always get the Hormel, Natural Choice brand.  It doesn't have any preservatives, or artificial ingredients and they claim that their product is "minimally processed".

Cereal:  We buy Mom's Best Naturals brand in the organic section at Kroger.  Actually, it's not organic, but it is whole grain, and it doesn't have any artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.  They also don't have any hydrogenated oil or high fructose corn syrup.  AND...I like to stock up on it when they're on sale for $2.00 a box.  That's cheaper than any other cereal brands I know of!

photo credit

Fruit & Yogurt:  This really shouldn't need much explanation.  Fruit is good for you and so is yogurt.  We love all kinds of fruit and our favorite kinds of yogurt is YoBaby from Stonyfield.  It's organic and natural and filled with probiotics and healthy fats for brain development and cell growth.  I buy as much as I can of this when it's marked down and throw it in the freezer.  Works for us!  My kids love yogurt and we don't have a cow or goats, so this is the best I can do at the moment.  :)

When buying yogurt, be careful of all the added ingredients.  Avoid any and all yogurts {or foods for that matter} that claim to be "lite, fat free, or sugar free".  While this may sound good to the average consumer, it is not healthy.  Contrary to popular belief, some fats are good for you, such as the fat in fresh, raw milk.

The term, "sugar free", usually means that it's sweetened with artificial sweeteners that are more dangerous than sugar.  Our bodies know what to do with sugar.  They have no idea how to process those man made chemicals we like to call "sweeteners".  Because our bodies can't break them down and eliminate them properly, they {our bodies} tend to store them {artificial sweeteners}.  Which is why so many people have a problem losing weight. Also be ware of those special yogurts made for children, as most of them have added food colorings and other artificial flavorings.  Let's be sure the food we're eating is natural and not artificial.  I can't figure out for the life of me why anyone would want to eat artificial food anyway???

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We'd love to invite you to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.  Or you can choose to have our post delivered directly to your E-mail or RSS feed.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They Cry for Tolerance, Yet There is None!

photo credit

As an American AND a Christian, I strongly believe that every man and woman has the right to believe what they want to believe.  That belief didn't start with our Founding Fathers.  It started in the Bible.  Jesus never forced Himself on anyone.  He did say that He was the Way and there was no other.  But He never forced anyone to believe Him, or to be saved.

I'm a Libertarian.  As a libertarian, I believe that everyone has the right to do, say, write, and be whatever they want to.  You can live by your own creed - mine just happens to be the Bible!  The role of government is to protect the people.  So, if you are doing something that's harmful to another person, you should be stopped.

Abortion is harmful to PEOPLE.  

photo credit

Babies are people and abortion KILLS PEOPLE.  Abortion also has physical, devastating, and life changing effects on the mother.  I am against abortion.  PERIOD.  I don't argue with people about it, but I don't feel any person has the right to end the life of another for any reason.

Were you raped?  You can accept the child as a blessing that came from tragedy, or you can chose to place the child in a home that will love him/her.  Is there a chance that the baby or the mother may die in the process of pregnancy and/or birth?  Let God decide what happens.  Trust Him.  He knows what is going on.  He knew and allowed you to become pregnant.  Maybe He will use you and your experience - whatever the outcome - to bring souls to Him.   It may be that they see HIM through You and your Faith in Him.  He is able to work it all out, save you, save the baby, get the glory and in due time others may be reached with the Gospel!! 

Everyone is crying for "tolerance".

I looked up the definition of the word, "tolerance".  According to dictionary.com the term, "tolerance" means, a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry.

Ahhh, that lovely word, "bigotry"....  Last night I posts a status on my facebook page about Chick-Fil-A.  I didn't think it was going to be a big deal.  This is after all, supposed to be a CHRISTIAN site!  My status said something about the fact that we don't have a Chick-Fil-A in our area, but from what I had heard, this whole "scandal" had not hurt them any.  I didn't think there was anything offensive in that.  I was simply referring to the fact that so many people are out there were standing WITH Chick-Fil-A for whatever reason.   Perhaps some are just sick of the fact that we are slowly losing our freedoms!!  {Not so slowly, really!}  

I actually had to delete that status because I had ladies arguing with me, calling me hateful for that status...hateful because I mentioned that Christian restaurant chain  didn't lose any business over their Christian beliefs???  I even had a lady drop a pretty big "naughty word" right there on my page and then get angry with me when I deleted it!  I let her say her say even though I deleted that one comment and she still thought I was being a "hater".  

Why is that when Starbucks comes out with a declaration of supporting "alternate life styles" and I decide NOT to go there, I get bashed??  I never once went to their page and called them names.  I could have.  I never once said anything hateful about them at all, even though I could have done that as well.  I simply shared the link with the information explaining WHY I had chosen not to re-visit their store.  {this was on my personal fb page}  I was amazed at the people, CHRISTIAN people - FRIENDS - that were opposed to me stating my own opinion on my own wall.  

Was I shocked at some of them?  Yes.  Was I mad at them for offering an opposing view point?  NO!!  Did I get defensive and try to prove why they should be of the same opinion I am?  NO!  I gave the information.  I explained my thoughts and feelings.  I made my decision and I stuck with it.  I am free to do this and so are you - free to agree - free to disagree.  {Opposed to my opinion is fine.  Opposed to me voicing my opinion is NOT!}

So, Why Then... 

photo credit

do so many people get all defensive when others of us say we are still going to frequent a restaurant who's owner has Christian view points?  So he gave his money to a few causes that some don't agree with.  News Flash:  that's his right!!  Once you have given someone money it becomes theirs to do with as they see fit.  If you don't like what he's doing with your money; don't give it to him.  End of story.  That would settle it.  

But there are SO many people that have been all worked up over it.  They call names, and yell and scream.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, you can go to Chick-Fil-A's fb page.  {I'm not even going to link over there because I'm so over this whole thing!!}   For more information on Cathey's interview you can go here.

This post is not about Chick-Fil-A.  It's about "tolerance".   They're all saying that Christians are "haters".  Biggot, crazy church lady, and zealot were all terms to used to describe me last night when I gave my view point and the reason for it.  I didn't call anyone any names as I could have done.  I didn't ban any one or delete any comments - except for the one comment with the offensive language.  I didn't say or do anything that could have hurt anyone.  

And, don't give me that, "it could hurt someone's feelings" argument.  It's a tough world out there, people, if that little status hurt someone's feelings, we've got issues!!  {And, I'm pretty sure we do!}  

photo credit

What about my feelings?  Where's the tolerance for those of us that feel these things are wrong?  Where's the tolerance for Christian ideas and view points?  What about the fact that this is MY page?  MY site?  Am I not allowed to have my own opinion on my own site anymore?  I should be allowed to say that the sky is orange and green with blue and purple polka-dots on my own site.  I should be allowed to believe whatever I want. 

The problem is not that we hurt feelings with our Christian beliefs.  The problem is that Scripture is convicting.  No one wants to be told they're living in sin.  No one wants to be wrong.  I know I don't.  I don't enjoy going to church and hearing the preaching and feeling the conviction that the Holy Spirit brings...  I don't like it.  It's not comfortable.  But it is necessary.  It is GOOD, even.  

As far as tolerance goes, it's been Christians that were tolerant throughout History.  The American belief that all men should be free to believe the way they chose was NOT new with our founding fathers.  It is a Christian belief that came over with our fore-fathers on the Mayflower and was handed down to them by theirs.  They were looking for a place where they could be free to worship as they chose.  At the same time they didn't force others to believe because their way because they felt EVERYONE should be free to believe in God - or not to.  

Tolerance is a good thing.  It's a Bible thing - not that God will tolerate our sin.  He will not.  But that we should allow others to believe the way they want without being ugly to them.  I believe we should live out and preach the Bible.  We are not commanded to force our convictions and our beliefs on others.  We are commanded to share the Bible and the Gospel with them.   The problem with this is that Scripture is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.  It really does cut and hurt.  It really does "step on our toes".  You are free to preach your own beliefs.  But you are not, or should not, be free to stop me and my 'preaching'...even though I don't believe woman should be preachers....  Ooops, just opened another can of worms!! 

TOLERANCE, people, I need a bit here too....  :D  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We'd love to invite you to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.  Or you can choose to have our post delivered directly to your E-mail or RSS feed.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~