Tasty Tues~Ice Cream Cakes

     Birthdays here mean ice cream cakes!  Everyone in this house is an ice cream addict, except myself.  I am definitely a seasonal eater of the treat. I don't eat much of it in the colder months.  Anyhow, a few years ago the requested cake for my hubby's birthday was an ice cream cake.  I drove the 25 minutes to the closest Dairy Queen and purchased a 25 or so dollar cake.  After seeing the cake myself up close and personal I thought that I would try to make one.  It didn't look that hard at all and I figured that it wouldn't cost that much.  I spend about 16-18 dollars per cake and can personalize with different flavors.  Definitely a bonus!

           What you need:  2 days, 1 pan, mixer, Saran Wrap, jar of fudge, 1 pack of Oreo cookies, 2 half gallons of ice cream, 2 tubs of cool whip icing and what ever toppings you want to add.     

          What do you do:  First of all, you need to decide what size pan you want to use.  I use the bottom of  a Tupperware dish that I have had for ages.  I use a 9 inch round pan that is about 2.5 inches deep.  Keep in mind that the amount of ingredients I used was to fill this pan.


  I purchase 2 half gallon size tubs of a store brand ice cream any flavors.  Make sure that it is not a whipped or churn style.  We found out the hard way that this kind doesn't hold up too well when it melted in my freezer!  I have used Kroger and Meijer brands with success.  I grab a jar of hot fudge sauce and then ask the birthday kiddo (or hubby)  what they want in the center.  We have used peanuts and M &M's however Oreos are the most popular.  Don't forget the topping!  Have you seen Cool Whip Icings?

They make this so much easier!  You can use regular icing (not a favorite on ice cream cakes here), regular Cool Whip or this Cool Whip Icing.  Check your local grocery store for availability and flavors.  I use two of these as well.  I like to put it on a little thicker and then do some kind of trim.
      Finally, you need to decide what kind of topping if you want.  This time I used sprinkles.  In the past I have use crushed candy bars, cookies and nuts.  Really you can do what ever you want at each step.
     So how does this go together?  Take out the first flavor and let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes. You want the ice cream to soften but not be soupy.  While you are waiting for it to soften take your Saran wrap and lay it in the bottom of your pan and make sure it goes up the sides too.  This will allow for easy removal later.
     Once your ice cream has softened place the entire half gallon in the mixer bowl.  You want to mix it up to make it a creamier consistency to spread it in the pan.  You guess your next step!  Spread it evenly over the Saran wrap in the bottom of the pan.  You need to put this in the freezer to freeze.
      Next take your cookies and crush them.  With the regular size of Oreos I use 2 rows.  Remember, you are going to have to adjust this based on the size of the pan that you are using.  Take your crushed cookies and sprinkle them onto the frozen ice cream.  Next, take your fudge and melt it for about 20 seconds in the microwave and pour over the cookies.  Return this to the freezer and freeze overnight.   
     In the morning, take out your second half gallon of ice cream.  Let it sit out for about 20 minutes again and repeat process as with the first half gallon.  Once spread out return to freezer and let freeze at least 4 hours.
    Now you are ready to "frost and decorate".  Take your cake and set it on the counter for about 10 minutes.  Turn your pan upside down on a plate/platter or whatever you want to serve your cake on.  It should remove fairly easy from the pan.  Then gently remove the Saran wrap.  Your cake isn't going to look very pretty at this point.  Don't worry about the grooves in it, remember you have 2 containers of the icing!  Next you want to ice it just like you would a sponge cake.  If you are feeling creative or know how to actually decorate cakes (not I) you can then either leave it with the Cool Whip spread on it, make a decorative border or whatever.  I tried to pipe a border, as you can tell.  Finally I sprinkled it with Mr Sprinkles!

     This cake was made for Jacob's 16th birthday.  He chose cookies and cream ice cream with cherry cordial as his flavors.  As you can tell from the picture below, the two flavors are not always equally distributed in mine!  They are just as delicious though! Give it a try!

Tasty Tues~Smoked Paprika Chicken and Dumplings

  I love to try to make food stretch.  Raising 2 teenage boys has never been easy in the food department.  Can’t wait until the 3rd and 4th ones gain that growing appetite!  While the men in my family are really plain meat and potato kind of men, I try here and there to make something a little more creative. 
   So this week I thought I would my version of Chicken and Dumplings.  Everyone LOVED it!  I only  used 2 chicken breasts instead of the usual 4 or 5 that I cook when making a baked chicken dish!

     What you need:
     2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 T olive oil, 1T garlic, 1tps red pepper flakes, 1 Smoked Paprika, two cans of carrot, 2 packs of biscuits

What you do: 
  Cut your chicken into cubes and saute in skillet in olive oil and seasonings, until no longer pink.  Add to the chicken 8 cups of broth or stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 60-90 minutes. 
                                        
     Make a roux.  This is a mixture made with fat (like butter) and flour.  You want to use equal parts of each.  For this I used 3 T of butter and 3 T of flour.  This is a basic recipe and can be used in soups and gravies to thicken them.  Add  this to the soup and then add your carrots.  Bring this to a boil and let it boil for about 10 minutes to thicken a bit.  As it is thickening cut your biscuits into 6 or 8 pieces each, depending on size of biscuit to start with.  Drop the biscuits pieces into the pot a couple at a time.  You will want to stir continuously.  Stirring the pot will keep the biscuits from sticking together.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy with a salad and crusty bread!

Homemade Laundry Detergent!

     In my quest to find more natural cleaning products I came across the Duggar Family laundry recipe.  I have been using this recipe now for about 3 years and I think that it works BETTER than my old orange bottled detergent, keeping the name to myself!    Since this recipe makes so much I find myself making it only about 3  times a year!  You can check out their recipe here.   

     When I decided to give this a try I went out and purchased the Felts Nap soap, a funnel and a grater that I could keep with the soap making stuff, and Joe picked up a 5 gallon bucket with a lid.  Wasn't that sweet?

 

Once you have your stuff gathered, you are ready to go!   

     First you need to grate the soap.  The reason that you grate it is because you are going to melt it on your stove top.  I do  have to admit that I never thought that I would be grating bars of soap!

Then you are going to take your mound of soap and put it into a sauce pan with water and boil it, stirring until all the soap is dissolved.  Don’t worry it only takes a few minutes.

Once all the soap is dissolved put it in the 5 gal bucket filled half way with hot water and stir.  Then you add your washing soda and borax and stir some more. Once all that is mixed, fill the bucket the rest of the way with water.  This is what it looks like,  very watery!

     So we wait!  And wait!  Did I mention, you wait! Yep, you need to let it cool so that it can all jive together.  Put a lid on it or wrap it with Saran Wrap and wait until morning.  I don’t have a picture of this, sorry.   However, it gels together kind of weirdly looking.  You will see.  You should stir it a bit.  Now, I have seen recipes where people have purchased a paint stirrer that attached onto a drill and they mix it up this way.  I don’t have one of those.  I use a very long handled Spaetzle tool.  It stirs up really easy.  I have also just used my hand!  I suck my hand down in the bucket spread out my fingers and mixed it up.  It is soap after all! 

       Now you have your very own detergent!  You can do what ever you want with it, like add essential oils. I  love Lavender!  You can also use Tea tree oil or really any scent you like!   It doesn’t smell bad without the oil so this is optional.  It has a light clean smell to it.

      The only thing I don’t like about this product is that it does clump back up.  I have seen many recipes where people fill those plastic water containers that you can slide into your fridge with the spout on them.  I wouldn’t want to have it gel back up in that.  When I knew that I wanted to try this out I started keeping my detergent bottles.  So now I just fill those up when I am finished.  Then before each use I give the bottle a little shake just to keep it all mixed up, not a big deal at all, especially when you realize how easy it is to make it and how much money you save by using it.

  By comparison I have found that it costs between .01 and .09 cents per load of homemade laundry soap and .25 and .35 cents per load of store bought brands!  We all like saving money, don’t we? 

I have also read other recipes where people have successfully used Ivory, or actual homemade bar soaps.  I did try it with Ivory and I have to say, it didn't turn out like this does.  I just stick with this one.

I hope that you enjoy making your laundry soap as much as I have!

Tasty Tues~Texas Ranch Chicken and Pasta

    

     I love making dinner in the crockpot!  It makes dinner so easy whether you have a crazy or lazy day.  I have used salad dressing packs to season or flavor dishes so why couldn’t I use a dip packet?  I thought I would experiment.

     What you need:  6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 3 large cut in half as I did)
                            2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
                           1 packet of Texas Ranch Dip Mix (I used it from Heavenly Dips.)




       
All you need to do is put the chicken in the crockpot.  Mix the soup and dip packet in a bowl until blended.  Pour the mixture over the chicken and cook on low for 6-8 hours. 



    
        When the chicken is finished it has a nice gravy with it.  Serve over mashed potatoes and gravy or your favorite pasta.  I chose angel hair pasta and steamed broccoli for this dinner. 
    The verdict is in and the fact that there were absolutely no left overs I think says it all!
Don’t like Ranch?  Try it with other dips!  
Enjoy!

3 Things Thursday!

   Is it Thursday, already?  WOW!  The time is flying by, I guess that is what happens when you are having fun. For this week’s Three things, I thought I would share Do It yourself (or DIY) projects.  Why you may wonder?  Well, first of all I learned a new skill.  I learned how to knit!  This wasn’t an easy task for the uncoordinated gal in the past.  I got invited to a Knit night and thought I need to go give this a try again.  Now let me paint a small picture for you.  A few years ago my G-ma in law attempted to show Joe and I how to knit (or maybe crochet I just know it was yarn and a non sewing needle).  Anyhow, it was Joe and I at her kitchen table.  She was so patient with me and explained a few times the process.  Well needless to say, Joe had made a long string that he couldn’t get the second row, however that was by far a lot better than mine!  I just couldn’t get it, let alone master it like Joe {well he did master compared to me }.  I never picked up the large needle again, until now.  So I am making a pink scarf for my daughter for Christmas.  I am so excited about it.  She doesn’t know it is for her yet so please don’t share.  Check it out!

     Now on to the 3 things I like about these projects:

    First of all, when you work on the project with your family you either make memories or have
quality time.  Why is there a difference you ask?  Well, I remember a time a few years ago when we decided we wanted to plant a natural fence of pine trees.  Well my hubby had the trees delivered and they left a dolly for us to use.  Let me just say I was so grateful for the dolly.  Now Joe had a friend plant 7 of the first 10 with him.  However the last 3 trees I volunteered to help with the next day.  BIG MISTAKE!  So, Joe got the tree on the dolly and pushed it to the hole.  Next he gives it a tug  while turning it to get it in the hole.  All I needed to do was to hold the dolly…easy enough, right?  NOT!  In one big motion Joe slips and goes in the hole, said tree goes in the hole, dolly tree was on goes in the hole and then I go on top.  Yep!  I felt like we were in a 3 ring circus.  No one was hurt in this process, including the tree.  As you can see in the picture we accomplished that natural fence between our house and the road!  Many, many memories have been made as we have added, changed and made our house a home.   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
Secondly, you can be a creative as you want.  Whether or not you are using and idea you found on the web, the home improvement store or your BFF you can customize it any way you want.  We custom made shutters for our house.  Joe took 3 panels of wood and then laid a cross bar to connect them.  Okay that may not explain it very well.  Here is a picture of a similar one.  We both cut the wood, the older kids and he nailed them together and I stained them.  Then the two of us hung them.  Now every time I look at them I know that it was something we made and remember the time we spent together working on it.

  Finally, how cool is it to say that you did it!  Especially when it comes to your family or your home.  I love to look around my house and see how we have made it a home.  My hubby and son made a sofa table for a 4-h project. It sits behind my couch an is a reminder of the time they spent making that for me.  We could have paid the nursery to plant the trees and purchased the shutters at the local hardware store.  I think it is more special when you DIY!  

Tasty Tues~Cheezy Chicken and Bacon Tortillas

                I am always looking for different things to make for lunch.  As I was browsing the pantry I found a can of chicken.  I knew I had bacon in the fridge so I thought I would experiment.  I took the chicken and put it in a bowl.  To that I added cooked, crumpled bacon and shredded cheese, and threw in a dash of salt and pepper and mixed it up.

.

I have put the flour tortillas in the oven before and they have dried out a little so I spritzed them with oil and placed one on a foil lined cookie sheet. 

I divided and spooned the mixture on the tortillas, placed a tortilla top on each and spritzed it with oil.  Popped it in the oven until they were warm, turning after the first 3 minutes, and viola!

    

                                                      It was hit! Hope you enjoy it too!

Three Things Thursday!

  

  Since I am back in the swing of running I thought I would share 3 things about running.  First of all let me just share a few things….I was NOT coordinated as a child, teen or young adult.  I tell people …as a child I couldn’t chew gum and walk at the same time.  Obviously that is a bit of an exaggeration, however it really isn’t that far off.  Believe it or not, running does take some coordination.  I don’t consider myself a runner.  I am more of a running hobbyist, I think.  I like to run and I have worked up to 5 miles a day 6 days a week in my past.  Now I am starting over and currently only do 3.1-3.5 miles.  Not bad for only two weeks into it, right?  I will get there eventually!
So here are three things I like about running!
        Stress reliever.  My best runs have actually been when I was feeling overwhelmed, stressed or upset about something.  I actually went 15 miles one time when I was stressed out.  I have yet to hit that mileage again in one run!   Fortunately,  I am not usually upset.  However, I am  a wife (of 17 years) a mother {of 4~two teenagers and two tweens plus 2 labs they each count for 2 do they not?  By my calculations I am a mother to like 8 kids! }, a homeschooler, an active church member as well as the wearer of many other hats.  I know this is the same scene for many.  I have yet to hear anyone says something like “Oh My, this is the 15th day in a row where I don’t have anything to do but sit on the couch.” I wouldn’t like 15 days of that, but a day or two may be nice.  Anyhow for me, give me my headset and my treadmill and I am good!  I feel so energized, relaxed and a sense of calmness after a run!  I recommend it to anyone. I know that not everyone shares this same desire.  My husband is one of those people on the other side of the fence.
       Health benefits.  I don’t think there is really that much to say about this that doesn’t apply to any physical activity.  As we all know it is healthier to move a bit every day than to not. So here is a public service announcement:  Get up and get moving to some form or exercise!  It doesn’t have to be running! That it for this announcement!  I am not going to bore your with the health statics of exercise either.  We have all heard or read them at some point.
      Challenging.  Running can be very challenging!  You can set weekly or monthly goals for yourself like running so many miles by a certain date or so far in a certain amount of time.  I personally have on my bucket list to run a marathon.  I don’t’ know why but I have wanted to do this since I was about 20 years old.  My hubby says “You want to run for that long? Why?”  Yep that is me!  Like I said I don’t know why I just have wanted to do it for a few years.  One day I will make it!
SO those at three of the things that I like about running!  Want to share your 3 Things Thursday or read others?  Hope on over to Heidi's Head and check it out or link up your list.
Happy Thursday!
                                               

Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing By Sally Lloyd-Jones & Jago

              I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review by Zondervan.
       Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd Jones and Jago is a beautifully illustrated, well written book of thoughts on faith.  It has truths from the Bible in a stand alone story format.  This format give the book a lot of flexibility.  I think it makes a great bedtime story or evening devotional that you can do. 
   
Each story has a bible verse that it is highlighting with that verse listed on the page as well.  For example, one story talks about a donkey and how stubborn they are and how they don’t like to be led.  It goes on to explain how God doesn’t want us to be like a donkey.  The verse for this particular story is Psalm 32:9 that states “Don’t be like a horse or donkey, that doesn’t understand.  They must be led with bits and reins, or they will not come ear you.”
     I think that Sally Lloyd-Jones does a great job of explaining and painting a picture for the reader or child of that particular thought, verse or story.  For kids, this puts the Bible into perspective.  One story talks about a donkey.  Sally uses a stubborn animal who doesn’t like to be led or close, to explain that God wants us to be close now stubborn and always running from him. What a great example for kids! What a great book of Biblical truths!

You can purchase this book alone or in this nice little set of the book story cds. The deluxe set comes in a sturdy, nice box with Velcro closure.  Would make a great gift!
            You can check out this book and other titles like this from Zondervan!
                                Thank you to Zondervan for the opportunity!

Wizzy Gizmo Fast Track Bible Pack~Review

 

As a Christian, Catholic, homeschooling mom, it is very important to me that my children know the  bible, after all it contains our commands and instructions that we are to live by does it not?
    Deuteronomy 6:4-9 states:  Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. 
     There is a great Christian educational resource, Wizzy Gizmo out there to help us out.  What is it?  It is a series of Bible study tools for your children.  You can check it out here. Thank you to  Home & School Mosaics for giving me the opportunity to review the Fast Track Bible Pack~New Testament!
       This pack makes it very easy to get your children into the word.  The New Testament Series is recommended for ages 2 and up. Really for a 2 year old?  Yep you can use it as a bedtime Bible story for them!  My children (ages 8 and up) used it for morning devotion/reflection time.  We gather in the morning and do our bible study and read these cards.  They have a lot of information on them!  You can also use them with older children a Bible study, teaching resource, Bible outline and a devotional, to name a few of its possible uses. 
     This set comes with 27 sturdy, colorful, heavy cardstock cards.  The front of the cards tell you a summary of the book, how many chapters are in the book, the time frame it was written in, the theme of the book and a verse from the book.  The back of each card highlights key people, key doctrines, key passages, key chapters and an outline.  Great information to use for a memory game too!
     Wizzy’s Gizmo has other teaching tools also for kids Bible.  Audio dramas allows your child to listen to the Bible practically anywhere.  You can download a digital copy or order a cd.  Finally that have a book for the children who like to have the physical book in their hands.
The Fast Track Bible Pack is available for only $14.99!  What a great price for the jammed packed info that you get from them!  These will also make a great stocking stuffer!
About the Wizzy Gizmo Company: 
   Mission:  To bring glory to God by providing engaging, Biblical content.
  Vision: Our vision is to be excellent artistically and creatively, yet unwaveringly firm in our commitment to the Biblical record and doctrines of the church.
Objectives: Our objective is to teach children and their parents the content of Bible, doctrine, theology, church history, customs and manners, and to provide educational resources for Sunday school, home and Homeschooling
                             Where can you find Wizzy Gizmo?
                                             Website
                                              Facebook
                                                                                                     Pinterest
                                             
  One set of these cards will go to one lucky reader!  Just comment below and you will be put into the drawing!  Winner will be chosen on Nov 9th!
   Check out what my friends are saying at Home & School Mosaics here!
 
Thank you again to Home & School Mosaics and to Wizzy Gizmo for allowing me to review this product!
 
                            I received a copy of the above mentioned product to help facilitate the
                           writing of a frank and honest review. A positive review is not
                            guaranteed. All opinions are my own.  Your results and opinions may vary.

Three Things Thursday!

I

                               It’s time for 3 Three Things Thursday!

  Since it is fall I thought I would be real generic and do three things I love about fall.

  The first is the colors.  When I was little I actually disliked fall.  It was too cold and too gray looking as everything changed for it's winter nap.  Then it was obvious that winter was coming bringing the really cold temperatures! (I do like the snow though)  As I have grown I have learned to appreciate this beautiful season that God created.  I love driving and seeing all the different colors of leaves.

The second thing I love about fall is bonfires!  Sitting around that crackling fire with family and friends, laughing, talking eating smores!  I  love to set my marshmallow on fire.  The center then is just oh so gooey!  Yum! How can you not like that?

Finally, I love the harvest.  Reaping what you sow is so rewarding!  My kids ask when we are having something for dinner that we had grown in our garden if we are eating garden_____ when we first sit at the table.  That question comes even this year when we didn’t have a garden due to summer traveling. I really missed the garden, including the weeding!  When people ask me what brought me to the country to live after growing up in the city, my response is always "My husband wants to be a farmer when he grows up!"  Well, let me just say, that I can't wait until he farms his first acre (other than our garden)!

Want to join the hop?  Would you like to read what my friends are saying?  Hop on over to   Heidi's Head to check it out!

Tasty Tues~Roasted Chicken

Look at that delicious bird!  You have got to try this chicken recipe.  It is always a winner at our house.  I think they really like it because this is a chicken that we raised too!  I am not one who ate it, but there wasn’t much left from the other 5 after dinner.  I think that says something.  This is super easy to make too.  First you need to preheat your oven to 450 degrees.    Then you need to take your chicken and rinse it off (don’t forget to to get the gizzard, neck and what every else is in the center).  When I had these hens processed I asked her to keep that stuff.  I don’t use it for anything at all!
    After you have washed and dried your chicken place it in the roasting pan that you will be cooking it in.  Drizzle olive oil on it and rub it in.  Don’t forget about the legs!  Then you want to take 2 lemons and quarter them.  Then stuff them inside the bird.  The parsley comes next.  You just want to fill that cavity with the parsley.  Depending on the size of your lemons you may want to stuff a lemon then some parsley then a lemon (you get the idea).  You just want to make sure your cavity is stuffed.  I then took a sprig or two and stuffed them down the neck area.  Now, I have used fresh and dried before.  I think the fresh is better, but in a pinch the dried also does the trick.

Finally, you want to salt and pepper that bird.  The olive oil that you previous rubbed in will allow that salt and pepper to stick to the outside and really season it.  I use more pepper than salt just because that is the way we like it.  I have also used Paula Dean’s House seasoning on it as well as other seasonings.  You can really change it several times before you make the same roasted chicken again.  Lemon and Rosemary are also good together as well as garlic and thyme.  Just to let you know.  We have raised and had process (or slaughtered) 19 chickens so we have roasted chicken a lot in the colder weather.  I am finished with the processing part as we mainly eat chicken breast. 
Now you need to cook it.  Pop that bird into your preheated oven and cook it for about 15 minutes.  It is fine if you forget and it is 20 just don’t leave it at that temp for the entire time.  Yep I did that one time.  The bird was very dry and very pretty.  At least it wasn’t burnt, as my kiddos said .  After the first cook is finished drop that temp to about 375 degrees and cook for about an hour.  Once your second cook time is complete take that roasting pan out of the oven and set aside.  Don’t open it yet!  Let him rest for about 20 minutes.  Go ahead and make your sides now and it will be ready when you are finished with those.  Great timing right?  Serve with your favorite sides.  If your family doesn’t consume the whole chicken in one meal just debone it and pop in the fridge.  You can make chicken pot pie, chicken noodle soup or another chicken recipe later in the week.

Enjoy!

Tasty Tues~Homemade Oven Potato Skins

     Who doesn’t like potato skins?  I love potato ~skins, baked, mashed, fried, however you want to fix them I haven’t found a potato that I don’t like, yet.  Potato skins are our appetizer of choice on  the few occasions that we go do go out to eat, so I thought I would try to make my own.  It was such a hit that Joe ate over half of the 24 that I made!  I though I would share with you!  Lucky you!

  SO here goes!  I used Russet potatoes for these.  Take your potatoes and scrub them up.  You will make 2 out of each potato so you can decide how many to make.  Once they are scrubbed, poke them and pop them into the oven at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes.  You can also pop them in the microwave for about 6-10 minutes and that will cut your cook time to about 20-30.  You just want to make sure they are cooked.  Now depending on your time schedule,  you can let them cool a little or a lot. 

     Cut each potato in half length wise and scoop out the middle. The more you scoop the thinner your skin will be and the crispier it can get.   I like my skins on the "meatier" side.   

  Once they are all centered /hollowed out or what ever you want to call it, place them on an aluminum foil lined and sprayed cookie/ baking sheet.  Side note:I took the inside that I scooped out and placed it in a sealed container for a later meal. 

  I then took some olive oil and rubbed it on the outside of each skin and sprinkled slightly with seasoned salt.

You are almost done!  Just take the skins, turn them over and fill with cheese!  Then pop them back in the oven.  Your final oven time will depend on how long you cooled them. You want to cook them just until they are hot and the cheese is melted.  

I love garlic so when they were done I sprinkled garlic powder on a couple of them just to see what it tasted like.  It was delicious!  You should try it!

Hope you enjoy as much as we did!

Love Letters from God by Glenys Nellist

  I received a copy of the above book from Zondervan in exchange for an honest review of the book. 
    



     Who doesn’t like to receive communication from a friend?  Whether it be a letter in the mail, an email, a phone call or a text we all like to be talked to and included in conversations.  How lonely would this world be if you never talked to another person?  I know that I wouldn’t survive!  I have to have contact with people!
     In the unique children’s bible, Love Letters from God by Glenys Nellist and illustrated by Sophie Allsopp, your child will receive letters from God!  Okay, maybe not directly from God but tastefully written letters to your child from the author stating things that God’s promises of love, hope and encouragement.  The book has 18 bible stories in it covering 9 from each of the testaments.  Each story comes with a lift the flap format letter for your child.  These letters even come with a place to write your child’s name on the letter to personalize each one.  My favorite one accompanied the story of Noah.  The letter says that God is so happy that Noah listened to him and build that ark.  The letter then explains that God wants us to be like Noah, listen to him.  and try to do as he wants us too.  Your child will be reminded that God carried Noah thru this difficult situation and that he will carry your child too!  We all know how tough life can be as an adult.  What a great comfort for a child to hear that and know from a very young age that God will never dessert them!
   This book, written for children aged 4-8 is the first book that I have seen of it’s kind and I think that it is such a great addition to anyone with children in this age group.  When you look at the world today and see all the less encouraging stories,events and activities that do no support what God wants for our lives, it is nice to know that there are still books being printed that do help us to teach our children what is expected from us from our heavenly father.  Teaching our children when they are young how much God~ loves them, has a purpose for their lives and that he will always be there for them to fulfill that purpose will only strengthen their spiritual journey.

About the author:  Glenys Nellist was born and raised in a little village in northern England.  Her stories and poems have been published in children’s magazines where her writing reflects a deep passion for bringing  the Bible to life for young children.  Glenys lives in Grand Rapids MI with her husband, David

About the Illustrator:  Sophie Allsopp grew up in a small English village and Hong Kong, where she particularly enjoyed living in a hotel and going to school on a tram.  After studying for her illustration degree Sophie won several awards and has now been illustrating for over 20 years.  She lives in England with her husband, son and a cat called Sadie.
                        You can purchase this book from Zondervan for 16.99.
                       Check out what other great books Zondervan has here.

Thank you to Zondervan for giving me the opportunity to review this book!

Squeaky Clean~Homemade cleaning wipes

       For several reason, I have been on a mission to make my own household cleaning products.  For one they are healthier.  We do not have peanut allergies in our home, however do understand the importance of knowing what you are putting in your bodies and homes when you do have them or any other allergies.  Little Miss was allergic to Pampers when she was little! Really who is allergic to diapers!  Well that was our reality.  Thankfully it was only Pampers, and fortunately for us we haven’t come across anything else at this point.    I hope that we don’t.  I did come across an article recently that I thought would fit here well.  It is regarding nut oils and cleaning products produced by our very own Procter and Gamble here in Cincinnati.  You can read that article here. 
  Anyhow, I have been making my own glass cleaner as well as laundry soap and fabric softener, and like the previous posts dishwasher soap and waterless dog shampoo.  Now, I am onto the next product:  Cleaning wipes! 
     There is just some sense of pride when you know that you made said product.  I also love the fact that I can say with confidence that I know what is in my cleaning products!
     Here at the Clubb farm the kiddos are assigned weekly chores.  I have never liked the idea of the kids using the chemicals that our cleaning products are filled with, however who doesn’t like a clean home, right?  I always try a couple of different recipes.  I like them to be easy to make and the cheaper they are the better.  I also like them to use things I already have around the house.  This recipe fits all these points!

     So how do you make your own cleaning wipes?  First, you want to make sure you have an air tight container.  This is the only thing that I had to purchase for this.  I chose to purchase the Ziploc brand.  Then you need vinegar, dish soap, paper towels and water.  That is it!

    You will want to cut your paper towels.  Originally, I wanted to cut the paper towels in half, however they wouldn’t have fit in my container with the lid tightly closed.  This is something that you want to consider when deciding what container size you need.  I decided that the one-third size of the roll would work. 

                          

                      Next, I took the container and added to it the liquid ingredients.  (Don’t worry I didn’t forget how much of the ingredients.  I put a link at the bottom to take you to the site since the recipe isn’t mine.)  I stirred it slightly with a fork, then I put the paper towels in the container and turned it upside down to let the solution soak the paper towels entirely.  I let them sit for about 20 minutes and check them out. They were completely saturated. 

  Now it was time to test them out.  I hit the bathroom.  With three boys in the house do I need to say more?  I have to say that I couldn’t tell a difference in the homemade and the Clorox as far as cleaning EXCEPT the smell.  No “bleachy” smell and no worries about the kids using that harsh chemical!  I think this is the one! 

I want to say thanks to the ladies over at Fabulessly Frugal!  They made my task easier by testing and tweaking this recipe until it worked.  Thanks ladies!

Tasty Tues~Chicken Fajita Casserole

     I would rather have too much food than not enough, wouldn’t you?  Because of this, once a week we have leftovers for dinner when they don’t all get eaten during weekly lunches.  Tonight was one of those meals.  I had some left over chicken from a whole chicken that I cooked.  I wanted to do something different than just the normal heating up and serving it with sides.  You know add a little pizzazz to that boring old Tuesday night chicken dinner.  I hit the kitchen and started to browse the cupboards.  Not a whole lot since I needed to go to the store.  Bingo! Fajita seasoning!  We haven’t had those in a long time!Then I realized that I didn’t have the fajitas   This is what happens around here when I slack with the meal planning.  However, I can guarantee that no one has missed a meal.  So, I thought who doesn’t like a casserole, right?  Toss  little of this in and a little of that in and see what we have.  It will at least be edible.  I promise! 
     So, I took one can each of corn and black beans and added it to two cups of rice that I quickly cooked.  I shredded what chicken we had left which amounted to about 2 and a half cups.  I then mixed up 3 packets of fajita seasoning with the 1 and a half cups of water and stirred until there were no more clumps.  Then I took that and poured it over the rice, chicken and veggies and stirred until everything looked evenly mixed.  This made enough that I had to put it in my lasagna dish  (15x11x2.5) instead of my 9x13 baker.  Like I said I like to make big meals for the hungry men that live here.  With two teenage boys the refrigerator door never seems closed!
Back to the food!   I added about 1/2  jar of medium salsa and mixed again.  Once that was all well mixed.. into a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes (or until the it is heated through) it went.  Twenty minutes later Viola!  Shred some cheese and call it dinner!  Now you don’t have to rub it in but you can always use this to fill tortillas with. 
  So was it good?  You bet!  This was such a hit here!  Remember that I put this in that lasagna dish that I used and there was about enough left for hubby to take some to work tomorrow!  Wow!
Try it out and let me know what you think!

Tasty Tuesday~Oven Baked Ranch Chicken Salad

Okay,  first of all, I usually associate salads with more summer fare.  Second, I absolutely love salads!.  Nope I wasn’t always that way.  In fact I remember a time when I used to eat salads with no dressing because I wasn’t sure what dressing I liked!  Yeah, I was a weird high schooler!  Anyhow,  I am glad that my taste buds haven’t changed and I did venture in the dressing realm also so now I compliment my salad with a Ranch, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Italian or whatever we have.  A few years ago I started making my own Shake n Bake style chicken and pork.  I thought I would experiment with this style and see what I could do with salad.  So, here goes…
    First, I took the chicken breasts rinsed them and patted the dry with a paper towel.  I sliced the chicken breasts into strips (you can cube or strip the chicken whichever you are in the mood for).  Once the chicken is cut take one sleeve of Ritz crackers and place the in a food processor and pulse until your crackers are crumbled fine.  If you don’t have a food processor or chopper you can place the into a plastic bag recloseable or even an old bread bag will work and beat with a wooden spoon or roll with a rolling pin until crushed.  Add to the crushed crackers a packet of the Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix.  Close bag and shake slightly to mix.
     You want to then take your chicken strips about 2-3 at a time and place them in the bag.  Close the top and shake to coat the chicken strips.  Place coated strips on a greased cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining strips until they are all coated. 
     Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until no longer pink in the center (or has reached the internal temperature of 165 degrees). 
   Once chicken in cooked place on a plate/platter to cool. As the chicken is cooling it is time to prepare your salad.  I use a few different greens when I make salad.  I love romaine and the hubby likes the Iceberg so I started to mix those two together.  To that I add baby spinach and carrots.  I do at times cheat and purchase the pre-bagged salad mixes.  When buying pre-bagged I purchase the same lettuce. 
    Once the salad greens are mixed you are ready to assemble.  Lay out a bed of the greens, top with cucumbers, hard boiled eggs, green peppers, peas or whatever else you like on your salad.  Finally add the chicken strips, the cheese and the croutons.  Viola!  You are finished!  Grab your favorite dressing and enjoy!
     My favorite dressing is one that my friend found and brought to a get together (thanks so much Sharon!).  It is a classic vinaigrette made with garlic and apple cider vinegar here in my home state of Ohio.  That is kind of cool I think!
Note:  The chicken can be made ahead of time and placed in the fridge.

Tasty Tuesday~Farm Fresh Hard Boiled Eggs!

Do you like hard boiled eggs?  We do!  We use them for egg salad, a salad topping, or just whole as a snack!  The first time I boiled  an egg that was fresh from the farm I was one of the hardest tasks.  I thought there was something wrong. They were so hard to peel!  The second time I boiled them longer thinking that it was because they were fresher than the store bought eggs.  The third and final time I tried it I put 6 eggs in the fridge in the basement and waited about 3 weeks.  Don’t worry you can keep them for several months when you get them fresh.  They usually don’t last more than a week at our house, though.  
    So I boiled these “older” eggs, and ya know what?  The shells were still hard to peel. 
     We haven’t purchased eggs in the store for almost 3 years, I can’t bring myself to start now!  Our hens have light and heated water containers so even in the winter they lay pretty regularly.    However if we have period when the girls slow down we just do with out.  
   As I was browsing thru kitchen stuff at our local Kroger Marketplace, I came across this product that looked like it would solve my hard boiled egg problem!  Have you seen these things called Eggies?  They are little plastic cups, that allow you to make hard boiled eggs very easily without having to peel the egg shells off after.

These little plastic  things allow you to make hard boiled eggs very easily with your farm fresh eggs! 

Are they easy to use?  Let’s find out.  First, you want to wash them with hot soapy water before your first use.  When you are ready to make your eggs, take a paper towel and dab a little bit of oil (vegetable, canola, olive it doesn’t matter) on it.  You want to rub the oil on the inside of the Eggie.  This will prevent the eggs from sticking when you are trying to get them out. 

  Secondly, you want to crack one egg into each Eggie.   

     Now they are ready to boil!

I think they look funny!

You will want to boil them for about 10 minutes.  These little things float too!

          

   Once they are finished boiling and have sat for a minute you can take them right out and let them finish cooling.  Then you want to store them in the fridge like any other egg. Now, because of the shape of the Eggie, and the way that it is cooked,  your hard boiled Eggie eggs will not look exactly like the traditional hard boiled eggs.  They have a flat side to them.  I think they look kind of funny don’t you?

Good think their shape doesn’t change their taste at all!  Then you can do what ever you want with them, slice them put them on salad, eat them whole, make egg salad or what ever you do with your hard boiled eggs.

  Now, this was a fun experiment and I still have my Eggies.  They come 6 in a box and are really easy to use.  However, I found out a trick that works really well when peeling the eggs.  If you peel them under running water they peel really nicely too!  So if you choose to try the Eggies or use the water method, I hope you find hard boiled eggs easier to have in your home. 

Comparing the two cooking methods, here they are together!

Yep, each one of these is one egg!

Comparing the two cooked/finished products on taste, they are equal.  When going on appearance and performance, if you will.  I think the traditional hard boiled egg is much more pleasing to the eye.  So it would be totally up to you and what your intended purpose is.  I think that the hard boiled eggs are easier than the Eggies, however those are not really all that difficult.

Enjoy!