Hen and Chicks

* our weekly menu 2 *

I've made my first menu in more than two months -- life must be getting back to normal!

Saturday:  Breakfast - Blueberry Scones with fruit/yogurt.  Lunch - Taco Salad.   Dinner - Malay Chicken Wings w/ Rice (in the rice cooker) & green salad.  Lemon Buttermilk Poppy Seed Cake for dessert.

Sunday:  Breakfast - Dutch Babies with sliced fruit, scrambled eggs, sausages.   Lunch - Chinese Cabbage Salad.  Dinner - Beef Enchiladas with Spanish rice (in the rice cooker), Corny Bread (in the bread machine - recipe from TBMC II), and a green salad.

Monday:  Breakfast - Raisin Buttermilk Coffee Cake with fruit.  Lunch - Tuna Casserole.   Dinner - Spaghetti w/ Meatballs, green salad and Quick Sourdough Bread (in the bread machine).

Tuesday:  Breakfast - Amish Baked Oatmeal.   Lunch - Sack lunch at the park.   Dinner - Kabobs with Pilaf and Honey Wheat Berry Bread (in the bread machine - recipe from TBMC II).

Wednesday:  Breakfast - Millet Muffins.   Lunch - Leftovers.   Dinner - Chicken Pasta Salad.   Pumpkin Cake for dessert.

Thursday:  Breakfast - cereal/fruit/yogurt.   Lunch - Sandwiches/Tuna & Crackers.   Dinner -  Stromboli Sandwiches with Ranch Coleslaw.

Friday:   Breakfast - Peanut Butter Oat Muffins.  Lunch -  OUT!!  Dinner - Grilled Chicken & Vegetables with Injera or Ezekiel Bread

* chocolate banana muffins *

I don't know whether you've noticed yet, or not, but I'm a muffin kind of gal, girl, lady, woman, person, I like muffins.   Here's a new recipe that I made this morning and they were promptly gobbled up.   Two were left over and Dear Husband declared when he got home and tried them - "Oh, my favorite!"  (click on the link below to see a photo of these yummy muffins)

Chocolate Banana Muffins

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1  1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
• 3 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars.  Beat in eggs, bananas and vanilla.  Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture just until combined.  Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips.  Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups half full.

Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans.

Note:  I have a child who doesn't do nuts in baked goods, which makes it hard for him because Dear Husband thinks everything should have Extra Nuts!  So, when I can, I make things without nuts - this, breakfast when DH was already gone to work, was one of those times.

Another Note:  In all of my baking, I now use organic cane sugar or Turbinado (raw) sugar.  They are less processed and actually have their natural minerals intact, as well as requiring MUCH less processing and chemicals than regular white sugar or brown sugar which in most cases is simply white sugar with brown coloring.

Here are a few more Muffin recipes for you - just in case you haven't seen them yet ;-)

Peanut Butter Muffins

Millet Muffins

High-Protein Blueberry Muffins

* planting a garden *

How To Plant a Garden

First plant five rows of peas:

• Patience
• Promptness
• Preparation
• Perserverance
• Purity

Next plant three rows of squash:

• Squash gossip
• Squash criticism
• Squash indifference

Then plant five rows of lettuce

• Let-us be faithful to duty
• Let-us be unselfish
• Let-us be loyal
• Let-us be true to obligations
• Let-us love one another

And no garden is complete without turnips

• Turn-up for important meetings
• Turn-up with a smile
• Turn-up with good ideas
• Turn-up with determination to make everything count for something good and worthwhile.

By Katie Miller, taken from the Amish Country Cookbook, Bethel Publishing 1979

* bacon cheeseburger buns *

Now, I don't have a picture of these - in all honesty they were gone before I ever thought of pictures BOTH Times!! - but since Mrs. C has requested the recipe, I'll go ahead and post without photos.  You'll just have to make them for yourself to see how yummy and delicious they are!

Bacon Cheeseburger Buns

Dough:

• 2 pkgs.  (1/4 oz. each) active dry yeast
• 2/3 c. warm water (110 - 115 degrees)
• 2/3 c. warm milk
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. shortening
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. salt
• 4 1/2 c. all purpose flour

Filling:

• 1 lb. sliced bacon, diced
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 lb. cubed cheese  (it calls for Velveeta but I use cheddar)
• 3 - 4 Tblsp. melted butter

In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add milk, sugar, shortening, eggs, salt and 3 1/2 c. flour;  beat until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining flour to form soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 - 8 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels.  In large skillet (no bacon grease) cook beef, onion, salt and pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Add bacon and cheese;  cook and stir until cheese is melted.  Remove from heat.

Punch dough down.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface;  divide into fourths.  Roll each portion into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle;  cut each into six squares.  Place 1/4 cup meat mixture in the center of each square.  Bring corners together in the center and pinch to seal.

Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets.  Bake at 400F for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned.  Brush with butter.  Serve warm.

NOTE:  This is a nice tasting dough recipe but you may use any bread dough you like, and/or make it in the bread machine, too!  (On the dough cycle,of course  ;-)   These are great for the freezer, if they make it that long.   The first time I made these, we were heading out camping so I wrapped them in foil and then in a towel and brought them along.  We enjoyed them after we had unloaded and set up camp and all thought they were just about the best thing we had ever eaten -- but you know, being outdoors makes just about everything taste better!  I made them again when we were home, just to confirm, and they disappeared once again.

* stamping delight *

* homeschooling vote *

Found this information at the Welcome Home Blog :

Go HERE to read and to Vote on whether parents should have teaching credentials in order to homeschool their own children.

* santa claus - the great counterfeit *

From a friend's pile of book giveaways, DS3 picked up a gem.   Small and unassuming, this little 20+ page booklet is packed with wisdom and a scriptural comparison on all of the ways that the mythical santa claus seeks to take the place and personal attributes of Jesus Christ as his own.

I'll run through just a few for you:

Jesus Christ is eternal - no beginning and no end.  Rev. 1:8,  Isaiah 9:6,  John 1:1

Jesus Christ is omniscient (all knowing).  Heb 4:13

Jesus Christ sees all things.  Psalm 139:12,  Ps. 33:13

Jesus Christ hears our petitions.  Phil. 4:6,  Matt. 7:7

Jesus Christ desires that we be 'as little children' with a trusting faith.  Luke 18:16,  Mark 9:36-37

Jesus Christ has power over all creation.  Col. 1:16,  Rev. 4:11  (He once made a donkey to talk, Numbers 22, guided the actions of a large fish, Jonah 1:17)

All have sinned, there is only one who is sinless - Jesus Christ.  Romans 5:12

We know where Jesus Christ lives (in his Father's house) but we cannot find it ourselves.  We must wait for him to return.  John 7:34

Jesus Christ, in His glorious ressurection, will have hair of purest white.  Rev. 1:14

Jesus Christ, in His glorious resurrection, will be clothed in red.  Isaiah 63:2

Jesus Christ rewards those who have faithfully served him.  Rev. 22:12

These are only 11 of the 37 points presented in this booklet, which goes into wonderful details on the Lordship of Christ and how satan has perverted those attributes to lead people astray into worshipping and serving an idol.

One last thing while we are near the subject;  Do you know what the heathens, worshippers of Baal, did in their worship?

2Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

5They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

May we not be deceived by idols, not distracted by seasons and celebrations that have little to do with the life and purpose of Christ.  May we be focused on Christ each day, worshipping him in Spirit and truth, giving thanks to the Father for his Son, his sacrifice, and his promise of eternal life to them that are called according to his purpose.

For more information on this booklet, part of The Lost-Cause Series, please visit The Preaching of the Cross.

* father & son: a love story *

I saw this amazing video at Connie's Smockity Frocks - Please be prepared to cry at how amazing and beautiful this is.

Here is the story behind this father's love:

* stamping mania - lots of pictures *

My thoughts this past week (or two!) have been nearly single minded:  Gotta Stamp!  Gotta Stamp!  Am I going to get to Stamp?  When can I stamp?  Would you like to Stamp with me?  What stamp set should I use?  Gotta Stamp!   

Well, you get the idea.  And all of this even though I have sewing to do, and a pile of laundry nearing the size of the Himilayas.   But, really, it's okay because on Father's Day we cleaned and cleaned like nobody's business and so the house looks great and the laundry is out of sight (out of mind ;-)  In addition to the fact that I only stamp three or four times a year - I know that soon enough other things will take precedence and everything will drift back to the stamp cabinet to await the next invitation or burst of inspiration.

So, by demand - yes, you, who calls and tells me to hurry and update because you're tired of looking at Lifestyle of Learning!! - may I have a show and tell of all the stamping fun I've been having.

After stamping THESE cards, I got to work on A Tree For All Seasons:

Then I made this boyish/young man's birthday card from the Loads of Love set:

At piano lessons last week (Yes, I even stamp during piano lessons!  With all three children taking lessons, we are there for an hour and a half and now that I'm finished with the afghans I needed something to do!) I made these cards with Friendship Blooms  (note to self : have to buy the square punches!!  Cutting 48 little squares on the cutting board not once but TWICE - when I miscalculated the size - is NO Fun!)

I really don't want to buy more stamps and instead would like to use the ones I have more creatively.  So, that thought spurred me to pick up this Special Day stamp and use it with the color Groovy Guava that I have but haven't used - I like the result.  Do You?

Next up were a few of these cards - just fun and bright -

Again, using what I have, I pulled out a never used set called Flowers of Gratitude and made some 'toile' cards with it.  I was experimenting and so all six of them are different but they all turned out very nice:

There are some cards that I just really like and so will make a new set of them once a year.  These next two sets are an example of that. 

First up is what may be my favorite stand-by card.  Stamped with the Sweet & Sassy set in Bashful Blue and Chocolate Chip:

Next I used the Best Blossoms set and a variety of colors to make these cards.  Six cards in each color, with two cards each of three different tags.

Dare I go an and show you the last set of cards or is it all too, too much? 

Okay - deep breath - we're almost finished.

My wonderful friend Mrs. D had a stamping party this week and one of our projects was a little baby card shaped like a onesie.  Too cute!  Here is the fun we had later that day making more and more of them (note: these are unfinished- not stamped, not ribboned or buttoned or eyeleted or anything.  Just cut and glued! - except the first one ;-) :

Then, finally, the 'piece de resistance' -- as we were finishing up, Mrs. D says "Wait a minute!  I have an idea and the perfect paper to do it with!"  She very graciously shared half of her paper with me so that I could have one too.  Aren't friends great?

Sweet Simplicity!  Although you know what this means, don't you?  Now I need to go and find some great scrapbook paper to make more and more of this sweet dress!

Do me a favor - please leave a comment and tell me which card is your favorite and why.  You just may end up with a set of them!

12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;   13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.   14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.   15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.   16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.   17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.    Colossians 3: 12-17

* lifestyle of learning *

Today we went to a Homeschool Used Curriculum sale and found some great things!

One of my treasures is a set of books by Marilyn Howshall, her series on Wisdom's Way of Learning which I've read about for a few years from Barb Shelton, but have never come across.  Well, I'm 24 pages into the first book, The Science, Art, and Tools of Learning; Understanding the Biblical S.A.T.'s, of a four book set and I can tell that great things are in store.

I don't know if I have shared these before, but here are a few links for you to read on your own, if you are interested in a more natural, biblical way of learning for yourself and your children:

Barb Shelton's main site - Homeschool Oasis

Information about Lifestyle of Learning

A review of Marilyn's Wisdom's Way of Learning

And another one: Homeschooling with a Lifestyle of Learning

Introduction to Barb's Homeschool Course

Season of Re-Education & Renewing of the Mind

A long but excellent and very thought-provoking article that every Christian homeschooling parent should read - Obeying the Law, Testing & "Qualifying" to Homeschool

I would love to hear your thoughts on any of these subjects.

"The Lifestyle of Learning message is not about how to homeschool, even though it gives many practical guidelines to help you facilitate the education of your family.  More than that, it is about learning how to live a principle-based life, where parents seek God for wisdom, and commit to upgrading their own education so that in turn they will be able to implement a self-diciplined education into their children's lives, and train their children in every area of need which will include academic disciplines.  If your beginning premise is to develop a rich lifestyle of purpose to which you add good things as the Lord leads, you will never overdo it with curriculums and programs.  Rather, you will keep any such aid in its proper place and use it instead of it using you.  The Lifestyle of Learning message has been lovingly prepared to equip homeschooling parents to provide a distinctively Christian education for their families - one uniquely suited to their individual circumstances and needs - a way that is not burdensome."    Marilyn Howshall