My Heart My Home

Thanksgiving 2009 in Pictures

Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday.Commercialism is low. Family time is priceless. We all get together at my parents' house on their 210 acre-wood in rural Oklahoma and have a grand old time. It doesn't get any better. Take a peek into Thanksgiving 2009...

My parent's house - lovingly called The Farm

The guys watching the game

The girls preparing the feast

The cousins

Oldest son Ryan

Son Colin (black shirt second from left)

Daughter Rachel

Brother Roland and sister-in-law Elizabeth

Sister Beth and brother-in-law Vince - shooting skeet

Fire pit behind house

Peace

Creekbed - Dry for now

More Fall beauty

My husband, Doug, and Dad putting the garden to bed for the winter

Minnie

Country sunset

I hope you and yours had a wonderful, memorable Thanksgiving also.

This post linked to Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers

Tuesday Tastiness #5 - Basic Muffin Recipe

I was going to take a recipe-posting break this week due to all the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving Day preparations, but decided that a quick breakfast muffin recipe for those of you who may be thinking about everything BUT breakfast this week might be a great idea!

This is my basic muffin recipe using honey in place of sugar. You can create different kinds of muffins using your limitless imaginations. This week would be a great week to make PUMPKIN muffins!

Basic Muffin Recipe

2 c. flour (using any combination of white, wheat, pastry, etc. that you prefer)

1 T. baking powder (I use aluminum-free)

1/2 t. salt (I use Real Salt)

2/3 c. honey

3/4 c. milk (I use raw when possible)

1 egg (farm-fresh is best!)

1/4 c. oil (coconut or light olive are my recommendations. Possibly butter, but I've never tried it)

Possible add-ins:

Nuts -and/or-

1 c. fresh fruit (bananas/blueberries,etc.) -or-

1 c. grated cheese and 1/4 c. cooked, crumbled bacon -or-

1 c. pumpkin, 1 t. cinnamon, 1 t. nutmeg (GREAT for Thanksgiving week or anytime during the Fall!)

Stir dry ingredients together in large bowl. In another bowl, combine honey, egg (mix w/fork), milk, and oil. Mix well and add to dry ingredients and mix w/fork until moistened. (Batter will be lumpy, but don't use mixer.) Stir in your add-ins. Pour into muffin pan and bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week!

This post linked to Real Food Wednesday over at Kelly the Kitchen Kop

Friday's Fave Five

I love the idea of Friday's Fave Five from Susanne over at Living to tell the Story. Here are mine for the week:

1. I am so excited that my blog is getting visitors - more and more each week. I love to check the stats and see that there are even a few "returning" visitors. lol. Of course, my only Bloglines subscriber at the moment is *me* but who knows what the future will bring. I love blogging and look forward to making lots of new friends in the blogosphere.

2. I am thankful for friends who invite me and my family to parties. Do you ever feel more loved than when someone invites you to help celebrate a special time in their lives? Happy 50th, Jim! We had a great time last night. Brenda is an amazing hostess and very good friend.

3. Watching my teenager struggle through the mess of whispers and rumors and teen drama is not one of my favorites. But helping him navigate the waters and being able to talk and direct and teach and maybe even impart some wisdom as he attempts to find his way through it is priceless to me. And to think that maybe he even listens and hears what I'm saying makes the whole mom-job worth the effort.

4. Growing a good friendship even deeper by holding each other up in prayer is a new favorite for me over the past couple of weeks. 

5. Watching the cold, drizzly day from my living room window while typing on my laptop in my favorite green recliner and listening to the dryer hum in the background (or squeak, as it were, due to a loose belt maybe?) is something I'm very thankful for at this precise moment. My kids are quietly going about their business, my husband is in his office working, my coffee sits beside me. Do I wonder how long it will last? Or do I just enjoy the moment while it's here? I think I'll just enjoy the moment.

Have a great day, everyone!

Thursday Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for my kids and the opportunity to homeschool them. They are the best.

Being a part of their daily lives and doing what I can in helping them become what they were created to be are my greatest joys. Getting them through the turmoil of the teen (and pre-teen) years has become one of my greatest challenges. But they have proven themselves to be responsible and worthy of trust. They are talkative, friendly, moody, respectful, obedient, moody, disobedient, funny, loyal, moody, and did I mention moody?

I wouldn't trade my life for anything. Love you, guys. You're totally the best kids I could have ever asked for. I am one blessed mama.

Ryan - mysterious & philosophical          Colin - crazy & fun                    Rachel - beautiful & creative

This post linked to Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers

WFMW - Swallowing pills

 

For some children, the pink, purple, and orange medicines are so delicious, they don't ever want to move up to the next level of "swallowing pills". For other children, they can't wait to graduate beyond the liquid because that stuff is just NASTY!

There comes a time to grow on up and move beyond the liquid. Be brave. Take a deep breath and go for it. And in our household, good old Mom has vitamin requirements that come only in pill form when the children get older, too.

When my daughter just couldn't bring herself to take one more swallow of the liquid medicines without almost getting sick, I was involuntarily assigned a mission. How to get those little pills down her without them also making her feel sick.

Enter...applesauce.

I gave her a spoonful of applesauce and stuck the little pill down into it until it was all covered with the applesauce. I told her to just put the applesauce in her mouth and swallow. Just one quick action without thinking to bite down or chew. We were so excited when it worked! She has now begun taking bigger pills with the applesauce and also has been able to do the same thing with a small bite of banana. Just stick the pill into the top of the banana, take a small bite, and swallow. It might also work with yogurt and other thick foods that don't require any chewing before swallowing.

This may not work for everyone, but it works here at our house and maybe it will work in yours, too! Give it a try. :o)

This also posted at We Are THAT Family

Tuesday Tastiness #4 - Pecan Pie

What is Thanksgiving without pecan pie? And is it possible that you can make a healthy pecan pie??

In my quest for a healthier diet for my family, I have begun looking for recipes that don't include white sugar, corn syrup, and most especially high fructose corn syrup as sweeteners. I know that all sweeteners should be consumed in limited quantities, but I do have a hard time believing that "sugar is sugar so it really doesn't matter".

So - how can you make a pecan pie without corn syrup? I've got a recipe! It calls for honey (raw would be best) and real maple syrup (not maple-flavored syrup). Honey and maple syrup are sweeteners that have had less refining and are in their more natural state. I would love to do a post someday on this topic, but for today, please do some research for yourself if you are interested at all in why and how any of this even matters. And in the meantime, enjoy this wonderful pecan pie!

Pecan Pie

1 unbaked 9 " pie shell, chilled (homemade with whole wheat flour and healthy fats or oils - not Crisco - would be best)
2 T butter
3 eggs
1/2 c honey (or a little less)
1/3 c maple syrup
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c broken pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Melt butter and let cool.  Beat eggs, then beat in honey, maple syrup and vanilla.  Add cooled butter and nuts.  Pour mix into pie shell and bake 10 minutes at 400, then reduce heat to 350.  Bake for an additional 25 minutes, until set, but not dry.  Cool to room temp before serving.

I love this pie!

This is also posted over at Cheeseslave - Real Food Wednesday

ann kroeker - Food on Fridays

Thursday Thankfulness

I started last week sharing something each Thursday in November for which I am thankful.

Today I am thankful for "the farm".

This is my brother's coffee mug and the front porch of my parents' house - "the farm".

When we moved to Oklahoma from Texas 7 years ago, we had no idea the road we were about to travel. We were excited, happy, even elated at the new life ahead of us. My husband had lost his long-time job in Texas but had gained one near my parents in Oklahoma. We were looking forward to building a wonderful new home on my parents' acreage and couldn't wait to be country folks after living in the city.

When my husband then lost the job in Oklahoma, the grief over the lost dream of my new home in the country was more devastating to me than the loss of his job. We have been living in town (in a very small house on an extremely busy road!) for the past 6 1/2 years now building a new business.

But the farm? It's still there.

We visit with my parents at their home weekly. Our kids have grown up taking walks with the dogs down the lanes and into the trees and hollers. They have spent many nights at Grandma and Grandpa's house over the weekends. Our daughter learned to ride her bike there. Our oldest son has built a deer blind and trails and cozy places to hide out, build a fire, and enjoy the solitude. Our boys both enjoy riding the four-wheelers and shooting skeet at Thanksgiving. We pick berries, grow a garden, and wonder each year if the frost is going to get the peaches on their peach tree.

This is my husband tilling the garden.

The farm is a solace in the midst  of a sometimes tumultuous life. We love it so much and are very thankful for the opportunity it affords us to be still, calm our spirits, and continue to dream our dreams.

This is my husband and me taking one of our weekly walks at the farm.

We're still dreaming of that new home.

This post linked to Heavenly Homemakers

WFMW - iGoogle

I may be the last person on earth to get on the iGoogle bandwagon, but just in case there are others out there like me, always a step or twenty behind all the technological advances, I just have to tell you about my exciting find.

I like lists. In fact, for me to actually get something done throughout the course of a day, my duties usually need to first be put on a list. I think it's simply a combination of my left-brain way of thinking and my need for the visual. (And watching my list get smaller and smaller as things get done helps give me the satisfaction that I do indeed "do things" when they haven't always been noticed by day's end by too many people.)

But how many times have I lost THE LIST and panic ensued? Knees got weak? Mind went numb? Yelling, trash dumping, oh, the awful memories of an out-of-control crazy woman. I can't function without THE LIST!!

And then one day, I found iGoogle. I am forever indebted to the friend who introduced me. I can organize my life ON THE COMPUTER and the list never gets lost! And since it is on the internet, I can pull it up on any computer and I don't have to hyperventilate over a computer crash! I use the My Notes gadget because I love the option of making more than one list. I have one for daily to-do's, one for my husband's to-do's, one for to-do later, and more. It is a listmaker's paradise. I am totally serious.

Also, while we're still in Google, I have my Google Bookmarks on my iGoogle page and my address/phone directory set up in gmail. Just knowing that a computer crash or any other catastrophe (say, losing a small piece of paper that contains my life for that particular day) will not adversely affect the most important things in life brings rest to my bones and calm to my soul.

iGoogle. Get it and sleep well tonight.

This post linked to We Are THAT Family

Tuesday Tastiness #3 - Beef Barley Soup

I made this delicious beef barley soup last night, alongside some homemade garlic bread rolls, and thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Very, very, very tasty. And yummy, too.

As usual, I doubled the recipe (used two pots) so we could eat it for lunches throughout the rest of the week or to possibly freeze in lunch-size portions to have available later on instead of buying cans of soup at the store. (Remember we homeschool and my husband works from home, so we're always here at the house for lunch!) And there's always the option of freezing the whole extra pot for another soup supper meal later in the month, but I don't see that happening.

Beef Barley Soup

1 lb. hamburger or stew meat (I use grass-finished beef as much as possible)

4 cups beef (or chicken) broth/bone broth* (I keep these on hand in the freezer)

1/2 cup barley (dry, not cooked)

2 cups of your own frozen or canned tomatoes OR 1 14 1/2 oz. can petite-diced tomatoes

2 cups corn

1 can Rotel (we use mild)

1 carrot, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

onion, diced

1-2 cups green beans

Mrs. Dash, to taste

Salt and Pepper, to taste (approximately 1 T. salt)

Water to fill a 7-quart stock pot almost full after all ingredients are in

As always, change up the measurements to suit your family's preferences. (If you prefer more corn and less green beans or what-have-you, just make those adjustments. Soup recipes are very forgiving!)

If using stew meat, I usually put the meat on to cook in some water at least an hour before I start adding other ingredients. This helps to make the meat tender and good. After cooking the meat, but before adding the other ingredients, chop it into small pieces or shred it. (Shredding is faster and easier and I don't even have to take it out of the pot, just use two forks and pull it apart. Personally, I prefer to shred.)

If using hamburger, brown it with the onions, carrots, and celery and then add all the other ingredients.

Simmer for about an hour (or more) to blend the flavors and then enjoy your wonderful meal.

*Using homemade broth serves at least two purposes. It brings a richness to your soups that you will not get from canned broth from the store. Also, it has nutritive properties that help boost your immune system and keep your body healthy.

This post linked to The Grocery Cart Challenge

My Health Journey - An Introduction

Since one of my primary passions at present is the state of my family's health, I will be spending a good part of my blog time talking about healthy living, specifically in the kitchen. I believe what we do for our families in our kitchen plays an enormous role in our family's overall health.

(See my Healthcare Reform tab for more insight into the way I think. Don't be frightened. I'm not a scary person.)

I have made slow changes over the past few years and - get this - I'VE KEPT A RECORD. (You may not know me well yet, but trust me when I say I make a list for EVERYTHING.) Today, I'll just summarize that list for you so you can see how easy it is to simply find a starting place and get moving, however slowly you may need or desire to go.

I will say right off the bat that not everyone will agree with my choices. I enjoy controversy (not really, but I do tend to do controversial things, so whatever), but I do not enjoy being confronted in an incredulous tone about my choices. So - be nice.

Here's my list:

- homemade granola and granola bars (to replace pre-packaged breakfast foods)

- fresh raw milk (from a friend's cow) (It's legal, friend-to-friend, in my state)

- fresh raw butter (friend's cow doesn't produce much cream, so when I am able to afford fresh butter from our food co-op, I go for it)

- raw cheese (from food co-op)

- fresh eggs (from another friend's chickens)

- local honey (straight from a local beekeeper)

- healthy oils (limited to olive oil and coconut oil)

- homemade chicken and beef bone stock (usually in bulk and frozen)

- homemade spaghetti sauce (usually in bulk and frozen)

- homegrown (organic) pecans

- homegrown (organic) peaches, pears, and sometimes apples (from family/friends' trees)

- wild blackberries growing on my parents' property (excited to find those last year!)

- homemade wheat bread (not exclusively at this point) (recently started buying freshly ground wheat from food co-op which is much better than buying it off the store shelf)

- aluminum-free baking powder

- homemade soups (no more cans)

- homemade dry mixes (no more packets)

- 100% fruit juice (no juice cocktails) (in limited amounts - don't buy juice often)

- Braggs vinegar (with the mother in it)

- fewer processed foods/boxed meals (pretty much non-existent at this point)

- Brita pitcher for our water

- natural peanut butter

- Real Salt (sea salt)

- brown or basmati rice (organic when possible)

- trying my hand at homemade vanilla (should be ready in January)

- aluminum-free/teflon-free cookware

- grass-fed beef (can't afford free-range chickens - boohoo)

- Spring/Summer vegetable garden (I can/freeze any excess)

- fewer processed meats with nitrates/nitrites

- dry beans cooked from scratch rather than purchased in cans (usually in bulk and frozen)

- fewer trips through the fast-food joints

- and a few other things, but this is getting long...

So what do you think? I know that some will think I'm a loon and others will think I am not doing enough. Actually, I'm just a mom and wife on a journey to do what seems best to me as I have researched and read and discussed these things with others who are more in-the-know than me.

Regarding the expense of eating a more healthy diet, I will say that much of it balances out. The more expensive meats and cheeses and organics are balanced out by less fast-food, less processed food, more homemade items, our vegetable garden and fruit trees, more beans and cheaper healthy fillers, and simply eating less of the expensive meats and other expensive foods. Our budget is very limited, so I just have to do what I can and not sweat the rest for now. Making myself anxious over not doing it all would adversely affect my health also and that's NOT what I'm going for! :o)

I will also say that none of the above are written in stone and sealed with blood. I'm an imperfect traveler down the road of healthy living and we fall off the wagon quite often. But I'm on a quest to improve my family's health and am very excited to learn more and more as we go!

I am looking forward to discussing time and expense factors, bulk cooking, food co-ops, why I have chosen the particular path that I have, etc. If you have a specific question, please ask it! I'll do my best to answer or direct you on a quest to find your own answers.

I hope you'll join me on my journey!