Adult Popcorn

We enjoy popcorn and it doesn't really matter how it's made - caramel corn, cheesy popcorn, butter lover's, etc. But all of these come with extra calories so we don't make them much anymore. We needed to come up with a recipe for popcorn that had huge flavor without being high in calories. That's when my hubby thought of it - curried popcorn, a very grown up version of regular old buttered popcorn. Delicious (and simple)!

Jelly Biscuits

There are days when you're just in a rush. Maybe you woke up late or something took longer than

planned, which isn't a stretch when you've got 4 kids. Trying to figure out what to feed everyone for breakfast when you feel like you're making a mad dash to get out the door is difficult. I don't know about your kids, but mine take forever to eat a bowl of cereal and seem to do better with eggs. Here's one thing that we do when I haven't thought ahead, scrambled eggs and jelly biscuits.

Step 1 - preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2 - pop open a can of Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits, arrange them on a baking sheet, and place them in the oven for 13-17 minutes.

Step 3 - whip up a big batch of cheesy scrambled eggs with some pre-cooked sausage tossed into the pan.

Step 4 - remove biscuits from the oven and let them cool till they are easy to handle.

Step 5 - open biscuits and spread with jelly.

Step 6 - eat.

The kids will say things like "Mom, you made some great biscuits!" Everyone will be feed and happy. :)

[Gluten Free] Pumpkin Cake with Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

I love fall. In fact, it is my favorite season. I love the crisp, cool air and the changing colors. I love the foods - chilis, soups, pumpkin anything, apple anything, hot chocolate, etc. I enjoy hayrides and visits to the apple orchard. When it comes to fall, you name it and I probably really enjoy it. Loving fall made this recipe a no-brainer for me. Who doesn't love pumpkin and cream cheese? Who wouldn't enjoy some salted caramel along with it? I know, I'm probably making you salivate. So here you go. You're welcome. :)

Fall: Incentive Trees

Since we have chosen to homeschool our children, they don't always understand the concept of

Click on the picture for the PDF printable.

"homework". Their school day lasts until their work is done for the day and none of us enjoy it when they are still working to finish up after supper. They also struggle with learning to sit quietly and do their work during school hours. In order to help with all of this, we've decided to attempt an incentive program for October. The kids will each get to color a tree trunk picture (printed on white cardstock from Lilac & Lavender) and a page of maple leaves (also printed on white cardstock). I'll post their trees on the wall by their desks. As they accomplish different tasks (a day without "homework", no detention, etc.) they will get to add their leaves to their trees. When they have finished putting all their leaves on their trees, they will get to pick a prize (lunch out with Dad, etc.). We're hoping that this will spur them on to get their work done on time and help to correct their behavior in class. I'll let you know how it went once we're done but I wanted to share the idea and printables now. Let me know how it works for you if you decide to use the idea. 

Click on the picture for the PDF printable.

Zuppa Toscana

I have heard so many rave reviews about Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana. With all the kale our garden has been producing I just had to try making it. It turned out absolutely delicious and I have made it a couple of times now. Of course, if you're making a copycat Olive Garden soup recipe, then you've just got to serve it with some salad and breadsticks. :)

Pretzel Coated Fish and Tartar Sauce

We really enjoy a good fish fry but they can get really expensive for 6 people and sometimes they just aren't very good. So we came up with our own version of a Friday night fish fry, but with pretzels instead of batter. This coating gives the fish a nice crispy exterior while leaving a tender, flaky interior. It's also really quick and easy to make, which works well when you've got 4 starving hungry kids asking if the food is going to be ready soon. The homemade tartar sauce also adds a nice tangy flavor to your crispy, flaky fish.

Menu 2014: September 1-October 5

It's hard to believe that summer vacation is over and another school year is upon us. The summer has flown by far too quickly for my liking. Sigh. Has your summer gone the same way as mine? Don't get me wrong, we had a very enjoyable summer and did lots of fun stuff as a family, but it just went by so fast.
I've had wedding alterations up to my eyeball the last couple of months and the sewing work doesn't seem to be slowing down much, which is great for bringing in some extra money to pay for school supplies as well as supplement our income. Now there are lesson plans to be gone through and school desks to be organized. I have a crazy schedule over the next month so I need to keep things simple, which is actually quite difficult for me to do as I am known to over complicate things. Just ask my hubby or my good friend Sarah. I plan to throw together a few freezer meals and lots of crockpot or quick and easy dishes. Here's the printable version.

Peanut Butter Cookie Dip

Apparently, the kids enjoyed it. :)

I love "dessert" type dips with my apple slices (or celery), but a lot of them are high in sugar and thus high in carbohydrates. A couple of months ago I attended a meeting with a dietitian and she suggested this as a good low carb substitute to caramel dip. This dip is low carb, gluten free, and can be made sugar free. Plus, it helps that it's delicious.

Kale Salad with Lime Dressing

Yummy!

This summer we are sharing a garden with our neighbors and decided to grow kale as both our families enjoy it. I like kale in soup, salad, smoothies, etc. and our kale has done fantastically well. With the kale doing so well and us trying to eat healthier, I decided to make a kale salad for our ladies mission society's annual picnic. The nice thing about a kale salad is the fact that it really doesn't wilt. You can make up most of this salad the day before and then just add the remaining ingredients a couple of hours before serving. It also pairs nicely with some grilled chicken if you decide to make it a "Salad as a main dish" sort of night.

His Grace and Presence

I am going to leave my usual topic of food to share something that really ministered to me on Sunday. There are times that I focus on the difficulties in my life and I let myself get discouraged. In that discouragement, I often question God's plan for our family. In my head I KNOW that God's grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9) but it's harder to apply that knowledge when my emotions get involved and they've been getting involved a lot lately.