Making a Bola - Part 1

A bola is a fun fashion accessory you can make! It is a fluffy, feminine scarf - not a western tie that men wear, which is what I first thought! You can use a bola to dress up a sweater, dress, or jacket. And they are very warm. No knitting skills are involved - all you need to know how to do is weave. The picture below shows the first bola I made last fall. You can't tell here, but it has a little mistake in it. But don't worry - you won't make the same mistake because you will listen to instructions, unlike I did. ;-) After this bola, I went on to make many others sans mistakes :-) and gave them as gifts. But, I was thinking that I would like to have my own to wear this winter. One that I don't have to worry about constantly adjusting to hide my mistake. :-)

If you would like to make one, too, this is all you will need -

four skeins of fun fur

yarn in a matching color

5 straws

a paper clip

scissors

and tape

The straws need to be the "over sized" ones like for shakes and malts. You can find these at Whataburger, McDonalds, Starbucks, etc.

The fun fur can be purchased at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, JoAnnes or other sewing/crafting stores. Wal-Mart even has a small selection. Fun fur can range quite a bit in price. I've seen some brands as high as $6 or $7 dollars a skein! And, that would be a pricey little bola! The brand I'm using today is Moda-Dea from Hobby Lobby - originally priced at $1.99. After the third clearance mark down, it was only $0.42 a skein.

To make your bola, first cut 5 equal lengths of yarn (not fun fur) about 5 feet long. It doesn't have to be exact. Next, cut a 1 inch slice into one side of each straw. Thread one piece of yard through the paper clip. Drop the paper clip into the non-cut end of one straw. Tap the straw on the table to force the paper clip to drop to the other end of the straw. (You are threading the yarn through the straw using a paper clip "needle".) Once the yarn is through the straw, remove the paper clip and pull about 1 inch of yarn down through the part you cut out. Tape the yarn securely to the outside of the straw as shown here.

Do the same thing for the other four pieces of yarn and straws.

Line up the straws evenly and

tape them together securely near the bottom, leaving some space in between. (Part of my problem with my first bola is that I taped my straws too tight - give them a little breathing room. :-)

You have completed making the straw "loom" that you will weave the fun fur on. (The straws will be removed at the end of the project.) Next, tie your fun fur on to one straw, knotting it a few times.

Now you are ready to weave! Holding the base of the straws in your left hand, place your skein of fun fur on your right (or reverse if left handed). You want to weave the fun fur over and under the straws from one side and then back to the other. See how the tops of the straws are spread open a little wider to make it easier? That is where the fun fur goes in and out. You will also need to make sure your straws are adjusted right so that the fur doesn't snag on the open cuts, or it'll drive you crazy. :-) After a minute or two you'll get your natural style and rhythm down and the weaving will go very quickly.

Continue weaving until most of the lower part of the straws are covered.

You can now remove the tape that is holding the straws together at the bottom. It is not needed anymore since the fun fur is anchoring the loom. Keep weaving until the straws are filled. Then, push the lower part of the fun fur off the straws and onto just the yarn, but leave enough on the straws to keep it secure. As you continue to weave, continue to push more fun fur down the straws, but never push all of it off - always have some on the straws. And, do not, I repeat do not, pull up on the straws. Only push the fur down gently. (I was told this, too, but I didn't listen! I was almost finished with my first bola when I pulled up on the straws and one of the yarn pieces broke! Disaster ensued and my bola was never the same. Learn from my mistake!)


When you finish the first skein, simply tie the start of the next one on to the end of the one you are finishing up and keep weaving.

Stay tuned for "Making a Bola - Part 2". It will included instructions on how to take the straws off the yarn and complete your bola!

Jalapeno Chicken Enchiladas

Jalapeño Chicken Enchiladas

5 servings

1 can (15 ounces) red enchilada sauce
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
10 flour tortillas

Spread 1/2 of the enchilada sauce in a 13 in. x 9 in. x 2 in. baking dish; set aside. Combine soup, sour cream, jalapeños, onion salt and pepper. Stir in chicken and 1 cup cheese. Spread about 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in prepared dish. Top with remaining sauce; sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until edges are bubbly. Ole'!

Oh, were these good! The original recipe called for tomato sauce (blah!) instead of the enchilada sauce and boy am I glad I made the change. They tasted like a yummy cross between green chili chicken enchiladas and my usual cheddar cheese enchiladas with red sauce. My husband said he liked the new combination a lot!

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup.

Roasted Corn Salsa

2 cups

2 ears sweet corn
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet red pepper
1 teaspoon minced seeded jalapeno pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
tortilla chips

Grill corn. Cool. Remove corn from cobs and place in a bowl. Add tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, peppers, salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

I purposefully bought a few more ears of corn than I thought we needed for our July 4th cookout, so we would have left overs for this recipe. ;-)

A Month Of Proverbs

Proverbs Chapter 8

Wisdom's Call
1 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud:
4 "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding.
6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
12 "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.
13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.
15 By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just;
16 by me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on earth.
17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
18 With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.
19 My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
21 bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
22 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old;
23 I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began.
24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water;
25 before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth,
26 before he made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world.
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29 when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30 Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.
32 "Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.
34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.
35 For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.
36 But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death."

Moving a Mountain - One Small Stone at a Time :-)

Yeah! I tackled "my pile" in the garage! The one I've been putting off for far too long. What a difference a few hours can make when you set your mind to it. :-) My husband has great plans for organizing our garage, but he has been hindered by a 6 foot by 4 foot pile of "my stuff" that I needed to make some decisions about - should I store, should I give away, or should I throw away? When I started, I made sure to round up my "sorting buddies" -

~ trash bags, note cards, hole punch,

sharpie, and twist ties ~

After a few hours and some concentrated effort

I present the results -

2 bags and 1 box for the attic, 1 bag of trash,

and 11 bags that will be leaving my home!

(I giggled when I thought about having an "I'm Outta Here!" shelf like Laura, the Organizing Junkie, suggests. For this pile I would need an "I'm Outta Here!" room.)

The "outa here" bags -

4 bags to Goodwill (men's clothes, children's clothes, toys, and household items)

4 bags to my sister (boy's clothes, girl's winter clothes, girl's summer clothes, and toys)

1 bag of borrowed girl's clothes I'm returning to a friend

1 bag of boy's clothes I am passing on to another friend

1 bag of books to return to the church library

Whew!

I am participating in The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Please visit The Simple Woman for more Daybooks.

~ for today ~

Monday July 7th, 2008

Outside my window...

is a sunny summer day.

I am thinking...
about how blessed I am to live in America.

I am thankful for...
my husband being home this week since his business trip was postponed.

From the kitchen...
homemade pizza for supper.

I am creating...
a "bola" scarf to wear this winter. Instructions coming soon to Heritage Schoolhouse. :-)

I am going...
to the grocery store this afternoon.

I am wearing...
a white t-shirt, a denim skirt, and hot pink flip flops (those wal-mart ones that are now on for $1 a pair - between the two of us, I think my daughter and I have every color!)

I am reading...
favorite blogs.

I am hoping...
to tackle "my pile" that is waiting patiently for me in the garage to sort - "to store" / "to give away" / "to throw away".

I am hearing...
the washing machine.

Around the house...
my husband is working in his office, the children are playing, and Daisy is sleeping.

One of my favorite things...
is homemade cinnamon rolls. :-)

A few plans for the rest of the week...
the children have chess club at the library tomorrow afternoon and other than that I'll just be piddling around the house...and tackling that pile in the garage. :-)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...
a frame on my kitchen windowsill.

A Month Of Proverbs

Proverbs Chapter 7

Warning Against the Adulteress
1 My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding your kinsman;
5 they will keep you from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words.
6 At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment.
8 He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house
9 at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.
10 Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)
13 She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:
14 "I have fellowship offerings at home; today I fulfilled my vows.
15 So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let's drink deep of love till morning; let's enjoy ourselves with love!
19 My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon."
21 With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22 All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose
23 till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.
24 Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.
26 Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.

Independence Day in Pictures

fresh corn on the cob

plates stacked and ready for the feast

old fashioned coca-cola on ice

a surprise gift from my husband!

a thoughtful bouquet from our guests :-)

glow bracelets for the kiddos

and a patriotic puppy just waiting for that bar-b-q to hit the floor!

"My country, 'tis of Thee,

Sweet Land of Liberty

Of thee I sing;

Land where my fathers died,

Land of the pilgrims' pride,

From every mountain side

Let Freedom ring."

Supper Menus
July 7th-12th

Monday
homemade pizza, lettuce and tomato salad
Tuesday
jalapeno chicken enchiladas, black beans, roasted corn salsa, tortilla chips
Wednesday
summer sub sandwich, potato chips, pickles
Thursday
tacos, spanish rice, Texas caviar, tortilla chips
Friday
invited to dinner at friend's house, taking oatmeal cookies
Saturday
invited to dinner at friend's house, taking summer dessert pizza

If you would like to see more menu plans, you can visit Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at www.orgjunkie.com.

Skillet Chicken Spaghetti

Garlic Chicken Spaghetti

4 servings

1 package (8 ounces) angel hair pasta

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1 cup boiling water

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, place tomatoes in a small bowl; add boiling water. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain and chop tomatoes; set aside. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour and garlic salt. Add chicken and shake to coat. In a large skillet, saute chicken in oil until done. Add the broth, parsley, basil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir in the tomatoes and heat through. Drain pasta. Add chicken mixture and cheese; toss to coat. Enjoy!

We all really enjoyed this! I think I will call it "summer-time" chicken spaghetti and save my regular, oven baked, chicken spaghetti for the fall and winter. :-) Thank you to Laura, at www.orgjunkie.com for recommending this delicious spaghetti.

A Month Of Proverbs

Proverbs Chapter 6

Warnings Against Folly
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another,
2 if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-
11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.
12 A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13 who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,
14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart he always stirs up dissension.
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed without remedy.
16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
Warning Against Adultery
20 My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
21 Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,
24 keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.
25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,
26 for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?
29 So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
32 But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away;
34 for jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is.

A Month Of Proverbs

Proverbs Chapter 5

Warning Against Adultery
1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight,
2 that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.
3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;
4 but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.
6 She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not.
7 Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say.
8 Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house,
9 lest you give your best strength to others and your years to one who is cruel,
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich another man's house.
11 At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.
12 You will say, "How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction!
13 I would not obey my teachers or listen to my instructors.
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly."
15 Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer — may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.
20 Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife?
21 For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths.
22 The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast.
23 He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.

Independence Day Beauty :-)

mommy and daughter have

patriotic fingernails and toenails!

Happy Birthday America!

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
~ The Declaration of Independence

“May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this our own country!”
~Daniel Webster

“We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls.”
~Robert J. McCracken

“Those who won our independence believed liberty to be the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty.”
~Louis D. Brandeis

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"The Declaration of Independence" by John Trumbull

Independence Day Cooking

4th of July Cookout Menu

on the grill
chicken breasts
jalapeño cheese venison sausage
corn on the cob

the sides
potato salad
coleslaw
baked beans
potato chips

also
white bread
bar-b-q sauce
cheddar cheese
sliced onion
dill pickles
pickled okra
jalapeños

to drink
iced tea
bottles of coke and rootbeer on ice

and for dessert
chocolate covered strawberries cake
chocolate chip cookies

A Month of Proverbs

Proverbs Chapter 4

Wisdom Is Supreme
1 Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4 he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor."
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
11 I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Independence Day Table Decorations

paper napkin rings from Martha Stewart Living

drink parasols for the kiddy table (also Martha)

flags and daisies for centerpieces

~ simple, easy, quick, and festive! ~

Independence Day Reading

The 4th of July Story

by Alice Dalgliesh

Fireworks, Picnics, and Flags - the Story

of the Fourth of July Symbols
by James Cross Giblin

A Month of Proverbs

Proverbs Chapter 3

Further Benefits of Wisdom
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
11 My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed.
19 By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place;
20 by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew.
21 My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;
22 they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble;
24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" — when you now have it with you.
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you.
30 Do not accuse a man for no reason — when he has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways,
32 for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.
33 The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.
34 He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame.

McDonald's Cheeseburger Buns

These taste just like McDonald's cheeseburgers! Really!

Cheeseburger Buns
12 servings

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast (or 4 1/2 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water
3/4 cup warm milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons mustard
6 slices process American cheese, quartered
24 thin dill pickle slices

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, sugar, shortening, egg, salt and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat; drain. Stir in ketchup and mustard. Lower heat and simmer. Punch dough down; divide into 12 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, gently roll out and stretch each piece into a 5 inch. circle. Top each circle with two pieces of cheese, about 3 tablespoons beef mixture and two pickles. Bring dough over filling to center; pinch edges to seal. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers. Enjoy!

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup

Independence Day Decorating

It's starting to look like the 4th of July around here!

Some Independence Day decorating took

place this afternoon at Heritage Schoolhouse.

First, I made a banner for the hutch. This was inspired by Kelli's banner at There Is No Place Like Home. Thank you so much for the instructions Kelli! I love how the banner turned out!

I also made a star garland for the mantle. You can find the instructions at Marth Stewart Living. Once you get the hang of making the stars, they go very quickly!