~Olive Garden~ at home!

We ate at "Olive Garden" this evening...

except we didn't leave the house. :-)

I tried a few recipes from the

Jamie Cooks It Up! blog

Olive Garden bread sticks

and

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana

paired with our family favorite

Olive Garden Salad

The recipes were big hits!

Especially the soup.  

Mr. H. said that Zuppa Toscana is his very favorite soup and he knew he would like it no matter what, but he was thrilled that it tasted exactly like the Olive Garden's.  He loved it!!

Thanks Jamie!

"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, 

through which God speaks to us every hour, 

if we will only tune in."

  ~George Washington Carver

Chocolate Strawberry Parfaits

Chocolate Strawberry Parfaits
6 - 8 servings

1 box chocolate flavor instant pudding
2 cups milk
1 package frozen strawberries
1 container cool whip topping
6 - 8 fresh strawberries

Prepare pudding according to package directions. Set aside. Place strawberries in blender and process until smooth. Combine strawberries and cool whip. Layer pudding and strawberry whipped topping in parfait glasses. Top each with a strawberry and enjoy!

Treats for the Girls

They treat me with eggs every day,

so I try to treat the girls, too. :-) 

A dish of dry oats and strawberries is always a hit

for a mid-afternoon snack!

Bible Quiz Day 68

Answer to question 67 - James (Acts 12:1-2)

Question 68 - In Samaria, Philip baptized many people.  Among them was __________, who had been a sorcerer.

Menu Plan Monday

Supper Menus
March 21st-26th
Monday
tropical lime chicken, hawaiian sweet rolls, pear gorgonzola salad
Tuesday
mexican frito salad
Wednesday
chicken pesto french bread sandwich
Thursday
out for supper
Friday
invited to friends house for supper
Supper 
tba

Muffin Monday

Heart Healthy Honey Oat Muffins
12 servings

1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2/3 cup skim milk
1/3 cup applesauce
1/4 cup honey

Combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Combine egg, milk, applesauce, and honey. Stir wet ingredients into to dry just until blended. Pour batter into greased or paper lined muffin tin. Bake at 400° for 15-18 minutes or until muffins test done. Allow muffins to cool 5 minutes and then remove from pan. Serve warm and enjoy! 

These muffins are low in fat and calories, if your are looking for more of a bakery type oatmeal muffin please try these favorites. :-)

It's the First Day of Spring

Enjoy!

Springtime Planting

Mr. H. and I planted a garden today.

We borrowed a tiller from some friends,

and Mr. H. made quick work of tilling up the ground.

This pic is totally staged!

I wasn't a good tiller.

Definitely Mr. H.'s department! ;-)

He hoed four nice rows,

and fertilized.

And we planted!

Corn, okra, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers

roma, bigger boy, and grape tomatoes

bush beans, carrots, squash

watermelons, pickling cucumbers, and slicing cucumbers.

Grow

veggies

grow!!

March 19th is National Poultry Day!

Rodeo Houston!

My birthday present from Mr. H. 

were tickets for a day at the world's largest

livestock show and rodeo!

Taking in all the exhibits.

Enjoying my favorite 

fair foods -

roasted corn

and candy apples!

Enjoying the carnival!

The rodeo!

And the Alan Jackson concert!

He sung lots of my favorites -

Where I Come From, Country Boy, Little Bitty,

Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning, Remember When,

Drive, Small Town Southern Man, Don't Rock the Jukebox,

Chattahoochee... 

Sunshine Smoothie

so simple

1 bag frozen fruit, topical blend

2 cups no sugar added almond milk

makes 2 servings, 200 calories each

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup.

Kitchen Herb Garden

~ basil, cilantro, dill ~ 

~ lavender, marjoram ~

~ oregano, rosemary, thyme ~

All About Herbs

"There are exactly as many special occasions in life 

as we choose to celebrate."

 ~Robert Brault

Healthy Carrot Muffins

Healthy Carrot Muffins
12 servings

3/4 cup skim milk
2 egg whites
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup shredded apple
3/4 cup shredded carrot
1 cup flour (part whole wheat/part white - to taste)
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Combine milk, egg whites, and applesauce. Blend in apple and carrot. Combine flours, oat bran, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until just combined. Pour into greased or lined muffin tin. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until done. Enjoy! 

Spring has Sprung!

~at our house~

Delicate blooms on the bradford pears

greeted me this morning!  

Bible Quiz Day 67

Answer to question 66 - Ananias (Acts 9)

Question 67 - Herod beheaded __________, the brother of John.

"The best portion of a good man's life - 

his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love."  

~William Wordsworth

Coconut Truffles

• Coconut Truffles
• 2 dozen
• 
  
• 2 2/3 cups flaked coconut
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup finely chopped almonds, toasted
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• chocolate candy coating

Combine coconut, sugar, condensed milk, almonds, butter and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.  Roll into 1 inch balls, place on waxed paper lined cookies sheets and refrigerate for at least one hour.  Dip candies in melted chocolate; let harden on kitchen counter. Refrigerate until serving.  Enjoy!