Recipes for Linda....

Goodness, I've been lax. I think you wanted Jodi's Garlic Pull Apart Rolls, here's my version of it...I think you can switch it easily enough to normal ingredients if I put strange things in it. I can't remember. Really, the technique and the garlic are the key - you could use any bread dough. You could also do this as cinnamon and sugar rolls...but then that doesn't fit well with my new resolve to lose weight. LOL

Yvonne's Lemon Chicken
Throw the whole chicken in the crock pot. Rub a bit of butter all over it. Sprinkle paprika, parsley, thyme, and salt over the chicken. Then squeeze a lemon over all. Cook on high for an hour and then low for four or five more hours. I cooked it on low for 8- 10 hours. I think I planned 8 and it was 10 before we sat down. ::snort::

And Buttery Parmesan Rice Mix
Yvonne directed me to Hillbilly Housewife's site for this recipe. This is meant to be made into a mix for quick dinners. I used it...but plan to make the mix to keep on my pantry.

1 C long grain brown rice or white rice (I used 3 Cups for our dinner).
2 tsp vegetable or chicken flavored bouillon (I used veg)
2 T dry milk powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder (I used way, way more)
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese - from a can (I used fresh)

Combine all and put in a resealable plastic container. Label and seal. Store in the fridge or freezer because of the cheese. This is enough for 1 package of mix.

To Prepare:
2 T of margarine (I used butter)
1 package of above
2 C of water

In a 2 qt saucepan combine the butter, rice mix and water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place a lid on the pot. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible flame. Simmer, covered until done or for about 45 minutes for brown rice or 20 minutes for white rice. Serve hot.

This was YUMMY!!!! Was really good for stir fries later too. I threw it all in the rice steamer. I had to triple this to get enough for dinner and some for lunch the next day. You may find one mix is not enough for your family - or it could be that I have three teen aged sons....

For BBQ Chicken Pizza: I use either Jamin's crust or the Deep Dish crust and the sauce from this recipe. This sauce IS our BBQ - I make extra and have it on hand.

Did I miss any recipe you'd like, Linda? ::snort::

Grams' Apple Cake

Cake:
1 C Sugar
1/4 C shortening
1 Egg
1 C Flour
1 tsp Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 C Nuts
1 C grated Apple

Mix all - put in a greased and floured 9 x 9 pan. Bake in 350* oven for 25-30 minutes.

Sauce:
1 T Cornstarch
1/2 C White Sugar
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Butter
1/2 C Coffee Cream (I don't KNOW what this is - I just use cream and it's yummy)
I add vanilla - as much as I want ::snort::

Mix well. Cook until thick, serve hot over cake.

I LOVED this cake. Michael doesn't like caramel and the kids seem to follow his tastes on this one so this was a company cake. The thing is - I've not tried it with our healthier ingredients yet....now I'm going to have to...and the weight gain will be my friend, Michelle's fault! ::snort:: If any of you crunchy moms try this with things such as whole wheat, butter, honey or rapadura - do tell how it turns out and what you did. LOL I worked on the chocolate pecan pie last holiday. LOL

Wednesday

I'm exhausted! I must have done something today - it's only 8:24 p.m.

Hmmm....well I watched "Hanged on a Twisted Cross" from Netflix last night. It was a documentary about Dietrich Bonhoeffer (which I'm sure I spelled wrong). I enjoyed it. The children that attempted to watch it with me - did not. LOL

Today was a weigh in day at Curves. I have to do that weekly for the next 6 weeks. After voicing on Monday that I didn't think this was going to work for me; I was pleased to have lost 2 lbs this week. My fat percentage went UP - I don't get that....but I'm not going to fret just yet.

We did school.

We met a friend and her children at the park for a couple of hours.

I took Jamin, Arielle, and Nolan to that nasty store that is the cheapest around and bought tennis shoes, got hair cuts, and even found a few shirts, pants, and a DRESS that Arielle assures me she will try to wear.

Back at home we hustled Arielle and Nolan out the door with Deja and kids. Emma and Eric had invited them to AWANAS. This may have been their first experience at that? I forget that the younger ones haven't been at a base they remember where we had huge family programs. LOL They had fun. Michael is still out of town so it worked well for them to be out on one of our "family stay home" nights. Which is really a misnomer since the older boys rarely ARE home when the rest of us are. ::snort::

Jamin, Jared, Zander, Stacia and I ran out for a couple of more errands. We're getting the two young men ready to go to World View Academy on Sunday. Back at home Stacia and Zander bathed, Jamin lifted weights, and Jared went for a run. I cut both younger ones hair - sort of a progressive thing. I do as much as they can stand and then attack it again later. LOL

All are home now and I'm hoping to get Stacia down early. I'd love to catch Miss Potter tonight. LOL

Mummies for Michelle

::snort:: Don't you love the title? Michelle here's the link with photos from when we started the project. I first saw this in one of the library books we'd checked out. I didn't want to use baking soda so I googled "apple mummies" and came up with lots of instructions. Most said to use baking soda and salt mixed together. Two said it was optional; I left it out.

Cut your apples in 1/2.

Dig out the insides (talk about brains through the nose and internal organs if you have kids that like those sorts of things).

Put one apple on a plate.

Put an inch of salt in the bottom of an airtight container. Put the other apple on top of this. Cover with salt.

Cover container.

Set on a shelf.

Compare at 2, 4, and 6 weeks. I think it might be good to put them in a dark area - but ours are sitting on my fireplace mantel. It's working.

I really thought the apple on the plate would become ant bait but so far - all's well.

Scenes from HERE....

A friend grabbed me outside of Mom's Night Out last night and asked me if I'd like this (see below). Wow! This makes my sneaky "strewing of books" so much easier. The little ones have been grabbing books all day. I was able to eliminate one basket of books. Thanks friend, am I allowed to say your name on the blog? S....friend S....

The boys think that I've brought them stairs... "just like the pyramids" and I begin to wonder if I'll have to make a giant plywood pyramid before this is over.

Filled with our butterfly and jungle books

Apple Mummies at 2 weeks....one on the right has been exposed to air...

Tuesday

Before you all think I've gone bonkers, before friends and daughters begin to call and email me holding me accountable to "staying home and getting my home in order"....may I say that this is the FOURTH WEEK OF THE MONTH!??!! I've blogged about this several times. I am NO LONGER out of control. I'm very careful about what I agree to do outside of our home. I even shared tonight at Bible Study how Lynn helped me to gain control and focus when I lost it heartily in AK (teaching so often, etc). This is simply the fourth week of the month on a military base, in a military chapel. EVERYONE knows that all monthly activities and meetings must be planned for the 4th week of the month. ::snort:: THAT is why we have PWOC Project nights on the SECOND week of the month!

Today we had school.

I had a PAC meeting.

We had more school.

I had Bible Study.

Now I'm going to sleep.....the rest of the week is also going to be busy!

Sermon Thoughts

I have been mulling over some thoughts from my favorite's preacher's Sunday sermon. ::wink::

Michael spoke on Luke 19:1-10 - Zaccheus

He gave some great background on Jericho...we are finding our Bible reading is coming alive in new ways now that we are studying ancient Civs again..... I'm just going to share the points. You can probably read the passage and fill in the blanks for yourself if so led. Mike gave two titles for each point. I'll put the one I liked first and the alternate second. LOL

1. When you can't see - CLIMB A TREE or When Obstacles Abound Seek Higher Ground
~Ok I can't give points alone - what really stuck with me here were the questions "What keeps you from seeing Jesus?" and "What do people see when they see me coming? Forgiveness or judgement? Jesus or a Pharisee?"

2. When You See a Sinner Invite Him to Dinner or When Jesus Came He Knew My Name

~Wow - that Jesus KNOWS us and that he dines with sinners.....
~I never see Jesus shunning a repentant or seeking sinner, but I've seen Christians and whole Protestant Evangelical churches shun "sinners" and say they are treating them like "sinners and publicans" - this HIT me....Jesus knew Zaccheus was a sinner - He invited him to dinner...not a lot of shunning going on. (Note - I mention Protestant Evangelical because that is what I am and my objective is not to be pointing fingers at any denominations - but the personal way we treat "sinners" - like we aren't sinners.)

3. Where there's Grace there's an About Face - can't remember the other title....things began to pick up intensity in the service here and I was otherwise focused. LOL

~Who was looking for whom?
~Jesus came to seek the lost -

LOST - destroyed, devastated by something that occurred in the past and has ongoing results - THIS is what this Greek word means. Jesus CAME to SEEK those who are walking through current devastation because of past occurrences in their lives. Grace was unasked for, it was unearned....Jesus wanted fellowship with a sinner and it led to repentance.....

In conclusion, Mike shared about our experience with Stacia in the pool. He shared how he was desperately trying to reach her and yelling "get the baby" and how everyone was simply watching him try to reach her....the fear, the desperate longing, the striving....and how that night he couldn't sleep. God spoke quietly to him as he prayed, "Mike, I feel the same feelings you did when you were trying to reach the baby, for the lost around you. Get the baby!"

It was powerful.