Oregano chicken

This a frugal yet tasty recipe!

1/4 cup butter, melted
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 broiler/fryer chicken (3-1/2 to 4 pounds), cut up
1 to 2 tablespoons dried oreganoCombine the butter, salad dressing mix and lemon juice. Place chicken in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Spoon butter mixture over chicken. Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover. Baste with pan drippings; sprinkle with oregano. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until the chicken juices run clear. Yield: 6 servings.

Shredded turkey and pinto bean burritos

I originally wasn't sure if I would like these but I LOVE them.Way better than you could get at any restaurant and pretty healthy ,too! I made ours with chicken.


1 tablespoon(s) canola oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
2 clove(s) garlic, minced
1 tablespoon(s) ground cumin
1 teaspoon(s) chile powder
1 can(s) diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 tablespoon(s) lime juice
4 cup(s) shredded cooked turkey or chicken
1 can(s) pinto beans, rinsed
6 10-inch whole-wheat flour tortillas or wraps, warmed
3/4 dash(es) grated Monterey or pepper Jack cheese
2 cup(s) shredded green cabbage
　Directions
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin and chile powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and lime juice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the onions are very soft, 16 to 20 minutes. Stir in turkey (or chicken) and beans and continue cooking until the mixture is heated through, 3 to 5 minutes more. Divide the turkey-bean mixture among tortillas (or wraps). Top each with cheese and cabbage, roll into burritos and serve.

Websearch Wednesday~ 4/20/11

Old and new testament curriculum for children~ http://children.calvarychapel.com/site/curriculum.htm

Daily grammar lessons~ http://www.dailygrammar.com/archive.html

Tapestry of Grace free 3 week sample of study of Egypt~ http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/sample/

Oswald Chambers daily devotionals~ http://utmost.org/

Cute and scrumptious looking cupcakes~ http://alittleloveliness.blogspot.com/2011/04/pink-lemonade-cupcakes.html

Delicious easy to make doughnuts~ http://www.southernplate.com/2009/01/melt-in-your-mouth-doughnuts-made-at-home-foolproof-and-great-for-beginners.html

My favorite book publishers~ Bethany House(Christian)~ http://www.bethanyhouse.com/ME2/Audiences/Default.asp?AudId=205F4A61B07648D98551934CA40DE116
And for children~ Harper Collins~ http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/Kids/

Lead Me to the Cross

http://youtu.be/9zuwm5H8-Kw

Websearch Wednesday~ 4/6/2011

Very informative Charlotte Mason "Lens"~ http://www.squidoo.com/CMbasics

Much more  CM "stuff"~ http://www.pennygardner.com/links.html

Yummy sounding (and looking) bread~ Irish brown bread~ http://familyfun.go.com/easter/easter-recipes/easter-breads/irish-brown-bread-688577/

Wealth of info for raising your own chickens~ http://www.backyardchickens.com/

Thought provoking"Would you survive as a pioneer?" article post~ http://frugalkiwi.co.nz/2010/02/would-you-survive-as-a-pioneer/

Informative breadmaking site~ http://www.thefreshloaf.com/

Sugared Pecans

~Sugared Pecans~

1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 pound pecan halves
1 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F . Grease one baking sheet.
In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat the nuts evenly. Remove the nuts, and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake at 250 degrees F  for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes.

I love ,love love this quote!....

by William Penn~

"I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again."

Spring thyme swap at prim pals

....with Amy(Cottage Prims)
http://bumblebeelanecottage.blogspot.com/

Praline Squares

These sound really good and really easy so I thought I would share this recipe with all of you.

24 whole graham crackers
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
　Preheat oven to 350°F.
Arrange crackers 1-layer deep on an ungreased 10" x 15" baking sheet.
In a small saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar; bring to a boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add nuts; mix well then spoon mixture over graham crackers.Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 2 minutes. Cut into squares while still warm. Store in tins or coffee cans.

Nifty little bookfinder tool

I have a feeling I will be using this often.


http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/

Enjoy!

Noteworthy blog of the day

Fantastic simple living blog by a sweet young woman~ http://aspiring-homemaker.blogspot.com/

Websearch Wednesday 2/23/11 Edition

Toddler and pre-school curriculum~ http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/index.html

Nutella cookies~(I really want to try these!)~ http://theyearofthecookie.blogspot.com/2011/01/nutella-butterscotch-cookies.html

Interesting "mouse" site~ http://mouseshouses.blogspot.com/

Nice prim life magazine~ http://www.asimplelifemagazine.com/

Nice, beautifully well-done prim decor magazine~  http://www.aprimitiveplace.org/APP-Magazine.html

"Old-Fashioned" Letter Writing

When is the last time you actually wrote a letter? Not an e-mail. An actual handwritten pen to paper letter?
This has truly become a lost but not forgotten art. I love writing letters and getting that special letter (just for me) in the mail(snail mail, that is).I have really never gotten on with this whole e-mail thing.Oh, and don't even get me started with texting! It all seems so impersonal to me. You can save letters forever and get them out again and again and read them through the years. My husband wrote me letters over 21 years ago when he was at Navy boot camp and I love reading those over and over.Who doesn't love getting mail(especially meaningful mail)? I loved it as a child and I love it now.My mom sends cards to our kids for the holidays and they just beam with delight. The 1 year old all the way to the 18 year old!Everyone loves to get a letter.Let me suggest some special people that you could write to today:
Your mom and dad,your children, your grandparents,your favorite aunt/uncle,those special nieces and nephews
How about an elderly friend? A special person who has been an inspiration to you.
Your pastor. The babysitter/caregiver. A special teacher(Yours or your child's).
Just a few to get you started.
Some things that you could add to make your letter special:
calligraphy,pretty colored ink, a handmade card or stationary,perfumed paper
Some tuck-ins you could  add:
teabags
bookmarks,
small pins
stickers
mail art
Just a few. I am sure the possibilities are endless!
Here are some letter writing themed movies I'd like to recommend:
Hallmark's The Love Letter
The Lake House
The Shop Around the Corner
Some letter writing blogs I'd like to share for inspiration:
http://www.missivemaven.com/
http://365lettersblog.blogspot.com/
http://ayearofletters.wordpress.com/


Go and get some pretty paper and a lovely pen and get inspired today!

Websearch Wednesday 2/2/11 Edition

cute kitty ornaments to make~
http://www.betterbudgeting.com/christmasornaments08/angelcatspompoms.htm

retro cupcake ornaments~
http://www.bakeitpretty.com/blog/2009/12/holiday-how-to-retro-cupcake-ornaments/

classical music site for kids~
http://www.classicsforkids.com/

Easy Funschool's Valentine's Day links and ideas~
http://www.easyfunschool.com/page1063.html

The Homekeeper's Journal 2/2/11

This week’s Homekeeper’s Journal is all about crafting and creating ……….
In My Kitchen this week ……
I will be making my chicken enchiladas recipe.I also plan to make some peanut butter cookies for a special treat and the sandwich of the week will be BLT's.
When I think about Crafting/Sewing/Making Things, I want to …
I want to jump right in but need to find the time.
My favorite creative outlet is ……..
papercrafting especially cardmaking.I also enjoy baking and making my meals special.
A Craft that I’d like to learn is ….
a few actually...sewing,knitting, crochet,rag-rug making
One Craft that I can do but don’t do much is ….
latch-hook and painting
An unusual Craft that I can do or would like to do is ….
Creating terrariums ...a miniature world of its own.
Another Craft that I secretly long to do but don’t right now is ….
Making "Prim"/(country) crafts and rustic furniture.
The Craft/Creative Work that I have no desire whatsoever to do ……
welding sculptures
Now its your turn!
1. Make your own entry at your blog using the prompts that are in bold type above.
2. Finish out the prompts with your own words.
3. Grab the Homekeeper’s Journal picture above and use it on your blog with a link to CHK.

1/17/2011

We have now been at our new home state for 3 weeks.We should be moving into our new(new to us) house by the end of next month.This is a beautiful area of the Midwest.The sun shines quite often here. It is almost unusual after living in Alaska the past 4 years with so much darkness in the wintertime.
Our things finally arrived yesterday from Alaska. My Kitchenaid mixer is here now so my dh is wanting me to bake chocolate chip cookies.They do sound good but I'll try not to eat many since I am trying to lose weight.I just began T-Tapping last week and am looking forward to taking off the inches and weight.My goal this year is to lose 90 lbs.,fix and eat healthier meals and snacks, and become more active.
Today, our baby turned 21 mo. old and I am still hanging onto this weight.Almost 2 years now!
My dh has been heavily hinting about having another baby but I said I just do not want to get pg while weighing this much knowing that I will gain much more.I feel bad about it but I am very out of shape and was borderline gestational diabetic with my last pregnancy. Our last baby was almost 9lbs. and 22" long.I don't know if this had anything to do with his size or not.
I am also having trouble finding modest,affordable clothes in the plus sizes.Any recommendations?
Our oldest is off at Bible college.He wants to be a youth pastor.He has been there a week now.It sounds like he is enjoying it.I am planning to send him a care/birthday package in March. Any ideas?
For our middle two kids, we are going to be using K-12.This isn't exactly MY idea of homeschooling but I feel we need a little more structure at this time.Do any of you use this program? Do you like it?
For those interested here is the link to t-tapp: http://www.ttapp.com/

and the cookie recipe:

2/3 C. shortening
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 egg
1t. vanilla
1 1/2C. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 pkg. chocolate chips(I recentlyused half semi-sweet chocolate chips and half chocolate chunks and they were wonderful)
Mix together shortening, sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture. Mix well.
Drop by rounded teaspoonsful onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE and these will be perfect!
This recipe can be easily doubled.

Have a blessed day and I hope you enjoy the cookies!