Farm Fresh

It's usually garden fresh veggies that I come home with

from mid-week Bible class...

But, last night, I received a dozen brown eggs.

What a treat!

"The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man."

~Author Unknown

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Spring Morning" by Alfred Augustus Glendenning

Spring Cleaning Help

This morning I printed out a wonderful, free Spring Cleaning e-book to put in my home keeping binder. You can click on the following link to get one, too!

Free Spring Cleaning Book

Enjoy! :-)

"A loving person lives in a loving world.

A hostile person lives in a hostile world.

Everyone you meet is your mirror."

~Ken Keyes, Jr.

"We do not see things as they are.
We see them as we are."
~Talmud

"The world is what we think it is.
If we can change our thoughts,
we can change the world."
~H.M. Tomlinson

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com
"Looking Glass River" by Jessie Wilcox-Smith

Christmas in April

Currently working on my mother-in-law's gift,

and loving the yarn color..."oatmeal". :-)

Alfredo Chicken and Biscuits

4 servings

1 cup chopped onion
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 carton (10 ounces) refrigerated Alfredo sauce
2 cups biscuit/baking mix
2/3 cup milk

Saute onions in two tablespoons butter until tender. Stir in chicken, seasonings and Alfredo sauce; heat through. Transfer to a lightly greased baking dish. Combine the baking mix and milk just until moistened. Drop twelve rounded tablespoonfuls onto chicken mixture. Melt remaining butter and pour over biscuits. Sprinkle with extra pepper if desired. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 18-22 minutes or until bubbly and biscuits are golden brown. Serve with a green salad and enjoy!

This dish is an adaptation from Taste of Home. I was planning to follow the recipe, but as I began to prepare it I just kept thinking that my family wasn't going to enjoy it. So I made several changes as I cooked to make it more family friendly to my family! ;-) They liked it! You can find the original recipe here.

Peaches and Cream Muffins

Peaches and Cream Muffins

(from Taste of Home magazine)

1 dozen

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can sliced peaches, drained
4 ounces cream cheese
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/2 cups bran flakes cereal

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside. Cut the peaches and cream cheese into 1/2 inch cubes; set aside. Beat eggs, milk, honey, butter and lemon peel until blended. Stir in the bran flakes, peaches and cream cheese. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Enjoy!

Supper Menus
April 27th-May 2nd

Monday
alfredo chicken and biscuits, lettuce and tomato salad
Tuesday
hamburgers, spicy potato wedges, baked beans, coleslaw, strawberry shortcake
Wednesday
summer sub sandwich, potato chips, pickles
Thursday
ravioli with marinara sauce, caesar salad, garlic bread sticks
Friday
fajitas, pinto beans, spanish rice, tortilla chips, guacamole, pico de gallo, sangria punch, tres leches cake
Saturday
out for supper

Please visit Menu Plan Monday for more menu planning inspiration.

Foods from Around the World

Last fall, our co-op semester ended with a medieval feast. Today we are attending the last meeting for our spring semester. The theme is "Foods of the World"!

Our contribution ~ tea time treats from England. :-)

shortbread

scones with lemon curd

cucumber tea sandwiches

and

chicken salad tea sandwiches

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 large cucumbers, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 loaf thinly sliced wheat bread (Pepperidge Farms is great)

Combine the first eight ingredients; beat until blended. Stir in the cucumbers, red pepper, onion, olives and parsley. Cover and refrigerate. Remove crusts from bread; cut each slice into two triangles. Spread with cream cheese mixture. Enjoy!

Heritage Schoolhouse Chicken Salad
6 servings

2 cups cooked chicken
1 stalk celery
1 apple
1 cup seedless grapes
1/4 cup mayoniase
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt, pepper, and sugar to taste

Chop chicken, celery, apple and grapes - finely for tea sandwiches, more chunky for serving on regular bread or lettuce leaves. Combine mayonaise, lemon juice, and seasonings. Toss with chicken and enjoy!

Springtime Penne

Springtime Penne

4 servings

3 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 pound cubed fully cooked ham
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute asparagus and onion in butter for 5-8 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Add the ham, cream, pepper and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook over low heat for 1 minute. Drain pasta. Add to the asparagus mixture; toss to coat. Serve immediately and enjoy!

To be so simple, this was very tasty! The boys immediately added parmesan cheese, though. ;-) It was a really nice meal to serve on a Wednesday night before Bible class - we eat early and no one ever wants anything too heavy. It was also so quick and easy that I was able to meet my Wednesday night goal of "supper served, kitchen cleaned and dishwasher going by 5:30" - love that! :-)

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup.

Best Brownies

Best Brownies

2 dozen

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 can (16 ounces) chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

for glaze
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, cubed
1/3 cup milk
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup miniature marshmallows

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and salt until blended. Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (top of brownies will still appear wet). Cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes. For glaze, combine sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows until melted. Pour over the brownies and spread evenly. Refrigerate for 5 minutes before cutting and enjoy!

Best brownies I have ever had! :-)

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup

Look who I caught enjoying the sunshine today...

...Miss Daisy girl.

All this relaxing can be a little tiring. ;-)

Doesn't she have the life?! :-)

Touch of Spring Muffins

Touch of Spring Muffins

(from Taste of Home magazine)

12 servings

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sliced fresh rhubarb
for topping
6 small fresh strawberries, halved
2 teaspoons sugar

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat egg, milk and oil until smooth. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in strawberries and rhubarb. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Place a strawberry half, cut side down, on each.* Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375° for 22-25 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm and enjoy!

I was looking forward to trying these muffins with the "mysterious to me" rhubarb - I've never cooked with it. ;-) Unfortunately, my grocery didn't have any this morning and the produce man said another local grocery was out as well. So, I went ahead and made them with just the strawberries. I will be keeping my eye out for rhubarb, and planning to make them again when I find some! :-)

*I completely forgot to save some strawberry halves during my zealous strawberry chopping, so I skipped this part! I still sprinkled some sugar on top to give them a "bakery" appearance. :-)

Welcoming Spring!

You can find lots more paper crafting ideas at Kelli's blog, There Is No Place Like Home.

She hosts Paper Crafting Wednesday!

Supper Menus
April 20th-26th

Monday
chicken with lemon sauce, spring vegetable medley, strawberry spinach salad, dinner rolls
Tuesday
hamburgers, spicy potato wedges, baked beans, brownies
Wednesday
springtime penne, garlic bread sticks
Thursday
cheese enchiladas, spanish rice, pinto beans, ice cream sundaes
Friday
out for supper
Saturday
kung pao chicken, white rice, jasmine passionfruit iced tea

3rd 5K to participate in...

...and 1st 5K to run *most* of!

Hoping to run all of the next one! :-)

And, let's see, that would be when I'm NOT -

running in the rain, thunder and far away lightening

running through ankle deep water and mud

running with clothing stuck to my body

running while trying to not twist my ankle in a deep hole

running looking like a very drowned rat! ;-)

Finish line! :-)

April Showers Bring May Flowers!

So thankful for lots of rain!

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Strawberry Spinach Salad

6-8 servings

8 cups torn fresh spinach
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried, minced onion

1/4 teaspoon paprika

On salad plates, arrange the spinach and strawberries. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the remaining ingredients; shake well. Drizzle over salads; serve immediately and enjoy!

This is a delicious recipe to use with the spinach I recieved from my friend's garden! :-)

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup.

A Morning in a Spring Garden

A friend of mine (that I have known since I was the age my daughter is now!) invited me and the children over to enjoy her wonderful garden today. We jumped at the nice invitation! :-)

First we met her very sweet bunny.

He ate this whole carrot! Very quickly!

The children picked spinach greens,
and beets,

and lettuce.

They helped to plant some corn.

The onions weren't quite ready.

But the potatoes were!

The children dug some up...

... and our hostess prepared them for our lunch.

The very best potatoes I have ever eaten! :-)

What a wonderful time we had in a spring garden!

Spring Cleaning Day 10

location ~ kitchen

cleaned and organized ~ dishes and glasses cabinets

I think with Day 10 I will stop posting each day. I do plan to continue a small cleaning and organizing project on most days throughout the rest of April and May. I will be working in our master bathroom next. I hope you continue to tackle a small thing each day. I enjoyed reading what each of you were working on. Did you discover how much can really be accomplished in regular, small blocks of time?

Little by little our spring cleaning will bring big rewards!

What did you work on today? Please share! :-)

Meanwhile back at the ranch... ;-)

A quick little trip out to my in-laws ranch this evening,

for our turn to feed the cows.

Here they come - they know the sound of supper! ;-)

I've always loved cows.

Always.

It's something about their sweet eyes.

It's like they're trying to tell me something. :-)

Well, except for Samson the Bull.
All his eyes are telling me is that he's onry. ;-)

The ranch hands always take a spin on the 4wheelers,

after the work is done.

It's tradition. :-)