1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
food coloring
Cream butter, shortening and powdered sugar. Blend in egg and extracts. Stir in flour and salt. Blend in food coloring, fill cookie press and press onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Dark pans go less, light colored pans go a little longer. Allow to cool 1 minute on pan and then cool completely on cookie rack or foil.
Butter Cookies
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 beaten egg
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix as usual for cookies - fat, sugar, egg, vanilla, dry ingredients.
Roll into small balls. Roll in colored sugar, place on ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes. Dark pans go less, light pans go longer. Cool for 1-2 minutes on pan.
Mixed Nut Bars
(Although I didn't have enough butterscotch chips these still turned out well and they were so delicious. Everybody loved these. Warren loved the edges where the butterscotch sauce cooked up a little firmer. I liked the gooey centers better. They were all around winners.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup + 2 T. cold butter (divided)
1 can (11.5 ounce) mixed nuts - I've used salted and unsalted with good results
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 light corn syrup
Combine dry ingredients and 1/2 cup butter in food processor until crumbly. Press into a greased 13x9x2 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with nuts. Melt butterscotcch chips in microwave in 30 second blasts stirring well until melted. Stir in corn syrup and 2 T. butter and throughly mixed. Pour over nuts. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool and cut into 1 x 2 inch bars.
I am always looking to add to our Christmas season collection of books and after last year's fiasco with over 20 of our books getting wet and then moldy it's even more important to me than ever to build up our collection again.
Replacing our old favorites and adding new titles is how it'll be done. Jesus Calling::The Story of Christmas by Sarah Young is a new book out this year and it is so sweet.
First off the dust jacket is sparklized. And who doesn't love sparkles at Christmas? Only Grinches and Scrooges that's who.
Then even better than a sparklized cover is the fact that there are three versions of the story on the pages of this book.
There's scripture on each page, which when in hurry tells the whole story in under 6 minutes. Busy parents still needing to wrap presents on Christmas Eve would never dream of only reading the scripture to get through the book quickly, but I tell you that just in case.
There's also a nice wordy story portion on each page. It takes the scripture and puts it into story form. Longer, yes, but beautiful and sweet and meaningful and all the things. This was my 5 year olds favorite storyline.
Then there is the Jesus Calling section on each page. This is written from Jesus' point of view in first person. Each page has a reminder of what Christmas is all about and what we should be waiting for or doing to get ready for Jesus.
So this is like three books in one. For super snowy afternoons reading all three sections is a meaningful way to cuddle up on the couch with the kiddos.
Choose to read only one "storyline" on busy days - if you ever have those.
OR
Crazier yet, let the kids look at all the pictures on their own and tell the story in their own words to their siblings. That's one of my favorites because they add in all kinds of embellishments.
WIN YOUR OWN COPY
You can find the signup form by following this link to enter to win your copy of Jesus Calling::The Story of Christmas.
And it's OK if you simply want to buy it. Here's my Amazon affiliate link (thank you so much).
It's currently 29% off!!
And since I'm always on the lookout for meaningful Christmas books, what's your favorite? Share in the comments. Thanks.
As most of you know I review all kinds of media from FrontGate Media. I especially love children's books and this boardbook was extra sweet.
Bedtime books rank high on my list. Most authors know that parents are more ready for their children's bedtime than the child is so most bedtime books are short. Long enough to have some cuddle time, but short enough to get those kids into bed.
God Bless You & Good Night has rhyming phrases which keep the flow going smoothly and really, what child doesn't like to guess what the next rhyming word will be? I know my kids love that when I read 3 lines of a 4 line rhyme and stop before the last word so they can fill it in.
How can you resist touching that cutsey hedgehog?
God Bless You & Good Night is also a touch and feel book which is so engaging for kids. Both my five and six year old have thumbed through this book many times just to feel the furry red panda, leathery elephant ear and glittery sky.
If this is sounding like a book you'd love to gift one of the littles on your Christmas list enter to win a copy first, then if you don't win hop on over to Amazon and pick one up.
Sometimes homeschooling doesn't always equate to idyllic days of multi-age learning. Sharing a good story with my kids is just about the best way to turn an upside down day into something we want to remember.
Yesterday when math wasn't going quite as planned I grabbed a new book, gathered the kiddos on the couch and began reading. It wasn't long before the bad attitudes evaporated and giggles were heard.
The Cow Said Neigh! is the story of some peculiar farm animals who wish they were like otheranimals on the farm. The cow wants to run free like a horse, the sheep wants a snout like a pig,the dog wants to be inside like the cat. Soon the entire farm is in chaos! With silly farm animal sounds, clever rhymes, and adorable art, The Cow Said Neigh! will havekids of all ages laughing out loud as they celebrate the unique strengths in each of us. This delightful picture book is sure to be read time and time again.
Here's part of the back story. Rory Feek is the father of a little girl, Indiana, with Down syndrome. What a beautiful thing how this all lined up. October is Down syndrome awareness month, Rory wrote this book for his little girl and I had a chance to read it (many times, now) to our son Joseph who also has Down syndrome.
Farm animal books always top the list of favorites at my home and I bet it does at yours, too.
The pictures are real and cartoony at the same time. The farmer has the greatest expressions and the kids especially loved calling out the animal sounds as I read.
Coloring pages. Oh how my kids love coloring pages and this book comes with a free download of 3 coloring pages. Joseph, Peter, and Maria had a blast adding their own details to the printable illustrations.
I received my copy of The Cow Said Neigh! in return for a review and link to the giveaway. All opinions are mine.
Hello!!! Are you here from YouTube? From the day I went back and forth homeschooling and cooking all day? I'm so glad you're here and you'll be happy to that all the recipes from that video are in one place. Right here!
First up the meatballs. In the video I showed me making Savory Meatballs, but I mentioned that I made meatballs the week before and everybody loved them. Well, here's the long story. I love trying new recipes and changing up existing recipes. My family would prefer I just stick with what they like and stop changing things up. The week before I made a different meatball recipe which we actually happened to like even better than these, but they are both good. As a bonus I'm sharing both recipes here. The first will be what you saw in the video. The second will be the ones I made "last week".
Savory Meatballs 6 pounds beef and venison mix 1/3 c. dry minced onion 1/3 c. beef bouillon 2 cups evaporated milk or regular milk Mix all together. Shape into small meatballs. I place mine on either aluminum foil or parchment paper so cleanup is a bit easier. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. To test this cut one in half checking for doneness. Use these in spaghetti sauce or brown gravy or however your family likes meatballs. You can even combine 2 c. ketchup, 1 c. brown sugar and 1 T. Worcestershire sauce in crock-pot with meatballs. NOW FOR THE RECIPE MY FAMILY LIKED EVEN BETTER Meatballs 4 1/2 pounds venison and beef mix 1 1/2 t. pepper 3 t. salt 3 t. parsley 3/4 c. diced onion 4 slices bread 1 1/4 c. milk Soak bread in milk for 10 minutes. Mix all above ingredients together and form into balls. Bake on rimmed cookie sheet(s) at 350 for 45 minutes or more until meatballs are cooked through. Chili click here for recipe Cheesy Potatoes (makes 1 9x13 casserole) 2 pounds frozen potato cubes 1 t. salt 1/4 t. pepper 1/2 c. chopped onions 1 can cream of chicken soup 2 c. sour cream 1/2 c. melted butter 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese Combine all ingredients except potatoes. Stir in potato cubes. If they are frozen together bang them on the counter a few times to loosen up the potato cubes. Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Top with crushed potato chips or buttered crushed corn flakes (if desired). I don't do that; I'm usually in too much of a hurry. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Crock-pot Scalloped Potatoes 2 pounds potatoes, sliced (make fast work of this in a food processor) 1/2 t. cream of tartar 1 c. water 1 small onion, sliced 1/4 c. flour 1 t. salt 1/4 t. pepper 2 T. butter 1 can cream of mushroom soup 2 handfulls shredded cheddar or colby cheese sliced ham Toss sliced potatoes in water/cream of tartar solution for 10 minutes. Drain. Grease 4 quart crockpot. Layer potatoes and onion. Sprinkle with flour, salt and pepper. Add ham slices and one handful cheese. Make another layer just the same except do not put cheese on yet. Spread cream soup over and add one more handful of cheese. Cook on low for 7 - 9 hours. Stove top Pepper Steak click here for recipe Although I never got to making the 7-Layer Salad that day I did just make it today and it was so good. Here's how I make it. It's quite forgiving 7-Layer Salad 1-2 heads of lettuce, torn into small pieces (it really depends on how big or little the heads of lettuce are) 1 very small red onion, sliced very thin 1/2 - 1 cup broccoli pieces 1/2 cup sliced carrots 1 c. frozen peas half a cucumber, sliced 1 package of pre-cooked bacon (approx. 3 ounces), cut into 1 inch pieces 1 pkg. ranch dressing powder mix 2 cups mayonnaise shredded cheddar cheese You can really use any veggies you prefer. Layer everything in a large glass casserole dish. I have a 10x15 Pyrex dish that works perfectly for this. Place bacon pieces on top. Sprinkle ranch mix over entire top. Spread mayo over all. Cover with cheese. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or until supper. You can toss the entire mixture when it's serving time, but we prefer to serve it as is and scoop out what we want. This is so good. I might go dish me up some right now. It's 11:00 p.m.
The full video can be seen here.
Classic Chicken Pot Pie is the most comforting of all the comfort foods in the world and this recipe is super classic with the very basic of ingredients which makes it a crowd pleaser. And it starts with a roux and we know that anything starting with a roux is bound to be DELICIOUS !!
CHICKEN POT PIE (recipe for 1 pie) 2 pie crusts (top & bottom) either homemade or store bought 1-2 cans Veg-all mixed veggies 1/3 c. butter 1/3 c. flour 1/3 c. diced onion 1/4 t. salt pinch of sage or poultry seasoning 1/4 t. pepper 1 3/4 c. chicken broth 2/3 c. milk 3 cups cooked chicken Roll out pie crusts if necessary. Drain veggies. Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour, onion, seasonings. Cook stirring constantly until mix is bubbly. Stir in broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in milk. Add chicken and veggies. Pour into pie crust. Sometimes there's a little filling leftover so just eat it because it's that good. Place top crust and crimp edge well.
Prick top crust and bake at 425 for about 35 minutes until crust is well done and prick holes bubble a bit.
Now for the ice cream cake. This is adapted from a recipe found in a Duggar book. This year we actually had ice cream cake for breakfast. A bit unusual, but fun for everyone involved.
Emily's Ice Cream Cake 24 ice cream sandwiches 2 small cartons of Cool Whip chocolate syrup caramel syrup 3 crushed Butterfinger candy bars Unwrap ice cream sandwiches and make one layer in 9x13 pan. Top with 1 carton Cool Whip. Squeeze chocolate syrup and caramel syrup over whipped topping (as much as you'd like). Sprinkle with half the Butterfinger crumbs. Create another layer just the same. Place in freezer until time to serve. You might need to let it thaw a little before cutting.
Our older kids all went to a Bible Camp up North many summers. This baked oatmeal was a breakfast staple. One that Emily loved and looked forward to.
This recipe was first shared on my bulk cooking video here.
BIBLE CAMP BAKED OATMEAL 3/4 c. vegetable oil 3/4 c. white sugar 3 eggs 1 1/2 c. milk 1 t. salt 1 1/2 T. baking powder 4 1/2 c. quick cook oats (regular work fine, too, it'll be a little firmer) 1 t. cinnamon 3/4 c. raisins or any dried fruit you like (optional) Mix all ingredients together. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar if you'd like. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes until oatmeal is set. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. I often split this into two smaller square pans, wrap with plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake I set it on the counter before bed and bake in the morning for a little less time than a full pan - about 25-30 minutes. This keeps well in the fridge once baked and can be warmed up on the following mornings. You can watch this recipe in action on A Country Life.
Stew. Is there anything more comforting on a fall day? I thought not!!
I first showed this Crock-Pot Venison Stew here on YouTube.
CROCK-POT VENISON (BEEF) STEW
3 pounds venison, cubed (1 inch) 6 med. red potatoes, unpeeled, 1 inch cubes 6 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch slices 1-2 large onions, cut into large chunks 2 cups V-8/home-canned tomato juice 3 T. quick-cooking Tapioca 2 t. Worcestershire sauce 1 T. beef bouillon 1/4 t. pepper Dredge meat in flour seasoned with garlic salt and pepper. Quick fry in hot melted lard or shortening just to brown the outside. Place in crock-pot (6 quart). Add all ingredients. Slow cook on low for 5 1/2-6 hours or until meat and veggies are tender. I've made a lot of stew recipes over the year and this one from my sister-in-law is always the favorite. I think it's just so simple and doesn't have any surprising flavors. Just good comfort food especially when served with warm crusty bread. The full video including the recipe can be found at A Country Life.
I'm a huge sucker for chapter books. Often, I don't know who enjoys the books more, me or the kids listening.
I've teamed up with FrontGate Media as a reviewer and I've reviewed some great books and DVDs. This time they sent a chapter book....Alleluia!!
Young Whit & the Traitor's Treasure by Phil Lollar & Dave Arnold
Adventures in Odyssey is a popular Christian radio program and now John Avery Whittaker has made his way to the pages of this first in the series historical mystery. Although the back book cover recommends this book for 10+, my 10, 6, and 5 year olds are all enjoying the story.
More important though, is that I'm enjoying it because let's face it, come bedtime story time if the book is a dud I'm going to nod off and start making up sentences not even written on the pages. You've done that, too, right?
FrontGate Media is giving away multiple copies so be sure to click over there and enter to win.
Enter to win here. Of course, if you don't win or would like to score yourself a copy today, you can click over to Amazon. If you'd prefer it's also available at Focus On the Family.
I recently had another 3 day bulk cooking session where I cook for about 3-4 hours with plenty of large family distractions each day. In the end I stock up the fridge and freezer with food that'll last 3 weeks or more.
A few recipes I haven't ever shared at my blog so below you'll find the recipes for:
Tater Tot Casserole
Savory Chicken
Chicken and Rice Hotdish
Pizza Crust (thin style)
Tater Tot Casserole (makes 3 large family size casseroles)
6 pounds ground venison (or beef or turkey, whatever floats your boat)
2 onions, diced
6 cans cream of anything soup or use the link above and make your own.
6 cans Veg-all, drained slightly
4-6 bags tater tots (depends on how many tots your family likes)
Brown meat and onion. Drain grease if necessary. Mix in large bowl: meat, soups, veggies. Divide into 3 greased foil casserole pans or 3 gallon freezer bags.
If freezing in foil pans, top with tater tots, saran wrap and then foil wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. To bake: remove casserole from freezer in the morning, set on counter to thaw throughout the day, bake at 400 for 40-60 minutes depending on how thawed the casserole was and how crispy you like your tater tots. Sometimes kids like this served with ketchup.
If freezing in bags do not add tater tots. To bake: thaw casserole mixture thoroughly in fridge, squeeze into greased casserole dish, top with tater tots and bake at 400 for 35-55 minutes depending on how crispy you like your tots.
Savory Chicken Sandwiches (I only made a single recipe of this - double or triple if desired)
3 pound bag of boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup italian dressing
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
2 Tbsp. minced dried onion
2 tsp. powdered bouillon or creamy soup base - chicken, beef or vegetable
Place all ingredients in crock-pot. Cook on high for 4 hours. Shred chicken and place back into liquid. Keep warm and serve on a bed of lettuce or buns. My kids like to add BBQ sauce to their sandwiches.
Cube raw meat into bite sized pieces. Combine soup and milk in large bowl. Grease 3 large casserole pans - 10 x 13 OR extra deep foil pans. Add about 2 cups of soup/milk mix to each pan. Add 1 1/2 cups rice to each pan, add about 2 cups of soup/milk mix. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese, add 1/3 of the cubed chicken, pour over remaining soup/milk mix (2 cups/casserole), dot with a couple Tbsp. butter and sprinkle with remaining cheese about 1 cup/casserole. Saran wrap and foil wrap each pan. Freeze flat; this will be quite soupy. I froze mine on a cookie sheet for stability.
**Be sure all the rice is "tucked in"; if it's out of the liquid it will get hard and not soften all the way.
**Since I'm freezing raw meat I like to buy fresh, unfrozen chicken so that I'm not refreezing raw meat. Doing so increases the chance of freezer burn.
To bake: Thaw completely in fridge (1-2 days); remove foil and saran wrap and bake at 275 for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Stir once early on and then no more stirring. Check to be sure meat is cooked thoroughly.
Dissolve yeast and salt in water; allow to rest for 8 minutes.
Combine flour and salt in large bowl.
Pour yeast mixture over flour and stir with a heavy spoon.
Turn dough onto floured surface and knead for 2 minutes.
Divide into 6 pieces. Wrap in saran or put into quart bags and freeze without letting it rise first.
To bake: Thaw dough. Roll out to desired thinness. We like very thin crust that gets crunchy so I roll it out to the edge of my 14" and 16" pans. Allow to rise if you like a thicker crust or bake immediately for a thinner crust.
Bake at 500 degrees for 5 minutes. Then add sauce, cheese and other toppings bake for 3-7 minutes longer until crust is done and cheese is bubbly.
Do you like devotion books? I love them. There's something about a book filled with short and concise essays. Start them off with scripture and I'm all in.
I think I like devotion books because there's no commitment to finish a whole book in a timely manner so that you can actually remember the beginning when you get to the end. Can I get an Amen on that one. If I had a dollar for every book I started, but never finished because I lost interest over time I'd be wealthy, like really wealthy.
That brings me back to devotionals. I can open one up read the page or two for the day, ponder it for a few minutes and go about my life.
Front Gate Media sent me Never Too Much | Always Enough by Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan to review and they are kind enough to offer a giveaway which I'll link to at the bottom of this post.
From the publisher:We’ve all been there. We know that sneaking, small voice in our heads all too well—you’re too loud. Too quiet. Too young. Too old. Too unimportant. Too ugly. Too silly. Too serious. You’re not as successful as she is—look at her perfect family, look at her high-powered job, look at her great hair and size 4 skinny jeans. Why can’t you be more like her—be more in general? Why do you expect so much from everyone? Why can’t you take up less space? Ask for less? Be less? The lies track well-worn paths in our minds and our hearts, wearing us down and making us question our role in God’s kingdom. Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan, bestselling authors of Wild and Free will help you replace those lies with God's truth. This devotional flip-book is designed for you, the woman who feels like she can be both too much and not enough—sometimes in the same day. When you banish lies and insecurities and find your identity in Jesus, you can embrace these truths: You are always enough. You are never too much.
When I opened the book I dove right in and read "Even When You Make Mistakes" then I took a look around the book and found that it's a flip book. I was on the Always Enough side. One look through the tables of content told me that the Never Too Much side was definitely for me.
I'm truly enjoying the style of these essays...Never Too Much....Even When You're Like a Tornado. Well was this written for me or what? How about another....Even When You Cry Easily. These essays are great reminders that we are all created by God for a purpose. Some of us are meant to be tornadoes and cry easily and that's ok.
You do you and own it is my biggest takeaway from this book.
So if you're a devo junkie like me why not enter the giveaway. You could be the winner.
And if you can't wait you can buy it at Amazon here.
Have you seen my other giveaway? You could win Paul: Apostle of Christ DVD or Blu-ray.
I have to confess I am not a movie buff, movie fan, movie critic, movie anything. I find myself getting pretty antsy midway through most movies wanting the storyline to "just get to the point."
So when FrontGate Media offered to send me a review copy I thought twice before responding back with a "yes, please do." But, you see, my family is full of movie buffs. The kind of people who watch a movie once and can recite line after line making them even funnier than when said in the movie. Those are the kind of people who would be all like:
What? You could've gotten a free movie and you turned it down. Are you nuts?
As you can tell from the blog post title I did indeed agree to view the film, form an opinion, write about it and offer a giveaway.
Let's get on with this, shall we?
I actually watched this movie at 5:30 a.m. because it's not for young kids and after the kids are in bed I'm tired and there's no way this non-movie girl is going to stay awake at 9:00 p.m. for any movie.
The basic premise of the movie is Paul has been imprisoned by the Romans for apparently contributing to the devastating and city destroying fire because of his belief in Jesus Christ. Nero is in charge and is clearly not a Christian for he believes in multiple Roman gods and wants Christians to be persecuted.
Luke visits Paul in prison to write another book. They have thoughtful conversations about staying true to their faith despite the difficulties.
Then all kinds of things happen. I know that's very vague, but I don't want to spoil it for you all.
This book that Luke writes is the Acts of the Apostles. I loved how I recognized many scripture passages and watching the events unfold helped to solidify the meaning of the scripture in my mind.
Movie checklist
thought provoking ☑
elicit intense emotions ☑
provide education ☑
high interest ☑
quality acting ☑
There's definitely a risk in sharing my takeaways from the movie. We are all different. Many people can watch the same movie, but what they actually see can vary greatly.
My Main Takeaways
1. Evil must be fought with love.
2. We bring others to Christ not by convincing them of Christ's love, but through our witness to Christ's love.
3. Being a Christian is hard - often isolating, uncomfortable, and confusing to others, yet we forge on in faith.
I also found myself asking a few questions:
Who can I love more?
Who needs more of my love?
Have you seen Paul Apostle of Christ yet? Why not?
Now for the details of the giveaway.
Fill out the form below and you could win 1 of 5 copies of Paul Apostle of Christ on DVD or Blu-ray.
