Blueberry Muffins

Damon is my child who thrives on routine.  He also is a fan of quick and easy to eat meals.  So when this school year started, we decided that it might be a good idea to stock the freezer full of homemade breads and muffins that could easily be defrosted and eaten for breakfast before school.  He loves them, and he loves being able to choose which muffin he'll have today...Blueberry?  Zucchini?  Banana?  Pumpkin? Strawberry?  Apple?  So this morning he ate the last two of the blueberry variety, so it was time to make a new batch while he was at school this morning.  If you're looking for an easy and nutritious breakfast (possibly made more nutritious by substituting whole wheat flour and  3T honey instead of sugar), this recipe is for you!  Hope you enjoy it!

Blueberry Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins

1 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until creamy (about 3-4 minutes).  Add egg and milk, and mix well.
4. Add flour mixture, and continue mixing until well combined.  Stir in blueberries.
5. Divide evenly into 12 prepared (greased or paperlined) muffin cups.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Learning to Trust

By nature I'm a worryier. Will there be enough money for this month's bills? Will my children be healthy? Did my children remember to wash their hands after being out in public?

Or maybe it's just that I like to be in control of my world. I've been told I have a type-A personality...that is, I like to be in charge, and I'm good at it. So I find it hard to trust anyone else to do it right. After all, trust, I've been taught, is earned (a trait I may find helpful when my little ones become teenagers).

Everyday I struggle to trust God to meet my needs. I mean, trusting would require me to let go of my control of the situation, and let God do whatever He has planned. It's not that He has ever failed me, or given me reason to doubt. We have food on our table, clothes on our backs, warm beds. Trust just doesn't come easy for me. I'm so focused on the here and now, trying to make all the pieces of my life fit together in this neat little package, that I think sometimes I've missed a bigger blessing on the way.

I want my children be trusting of God, and I know that I must learn this first.  To take my eyes off of today's troubles and focus my attention on my Lord.  And let Him truly be in control. 

Lord, help me to be still today, and trust you.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

Just another Saturday night.

     So I've realized it's been a little while since I've written.  It's not that I don't have anything to share, it's just that I have had so much to share, and just so little time. Really, it's true.  So here I sit on a Saturday night, my kids are contentedly watching a Disney cartoon, hubby is on his way home from a football game and I've got the laptop in my lap typing away.  Makes me think back and remember all the crazy Saturday nights..fun times hanging with friends, going out for pizza or drinks, movies (not of the Disney variety), and dating my husband.   Those were the days...not a care in the world.  No responsibilities.  Thank goodness they're gone! 
     So here I am, at home with my 2 beautiful children, just chilling and enjoying being their mom. We're all snuggled in our jammies and blankets enjoying being together.  And I'm happy.  Really happy.  Oh, sometimes I miss the carefree days of no children.  Being able to go where and when I want to; being able to take a shower whenever I want to; sleeping in on a Saturday. But then I realize how blessed I am.   I wouldn't trade these moments with my children for anything.  I would miss their sweet kisses, watching them play, and listening to them pray. 

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of Heaven belongs to people who are like these children."  Matthew 19:14

Floodwaters, Sippy-Cups, and Coffee mugs

      Damon is growing. He eats more snacks. He has more energy than ever! And he is now over 4 and a half years old. Too old to be so dependant on his beloved sippy-cups. While I agree there are convenient, if not appropriate, places for him to use his sippies (in the car or for water by his bed), for the most part he needs to start drinking from a regular cup. We began this process a few weeks ago. We started by replacing his milk sippy cup at lunch and dinner with a plastic tumbler. While he tried so hard to be careful and use two hands, there were sticky spills at every meal. But we kept practicing...and then there was the flood.
      For the first time in over 7 years, our basement flooded. Our basement has weathered it's fair share of storms, and we've been fortunate that this is the first time.   So in the aftermath of the"Great Flood of 2011" ," we are still in clean-up mode. We've been going through boxes of treasures, deciding what is worth keeping, and what is junk. The flood certainly decided for us on many items...things like my entire personal library of books were destroyed. My husband's libraries of CDs and sports VHS tapes were also total losses. So we've been in sort of a state of re-evaluating what is important and what is just stuff.   In all this digging through boxes, I came across my collection of coffee mugs.  I've been collecting them my entire life.  There are mugs from almost everywhere I've traveled.  Places like the Strausburg Railroad, Williamsburg, Disney World, and even one from The Bahamas.   As I was sorting through all of these mugs, and deciding which ones were especially memorable or unique, and which ones were just mugs, it suddenly occurred to me that this might be an option for Damon and his milk.

Enjoying a snack and drinking from his mug.

     In typical fashion, Damon chose a coffee mug from the Strausburg Railroad with a whimsical train on it.  He feels so grown up using his coffee mug.  He's since chosen 2 more mugs: one from Myrtle Beach and another that has his adorable 4 month old face all over it.    And we've thrown away 2 sippy cups.   So in the morning my son and I sit at our kitchen table drinking from our mugs...juice in his and coffee in mine.  He's growing up way to fast! 

Hamburger Noodle Soup

     So on this rainy day, I've got a crock pot full of yummy soup cooking.  It'll be cooking and making my house smell delicious all day, and will be ready to greet my family with warm, yummy goodness at day's end. 

(for the slow-cooker)
8 servings
1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
2 medium onions , coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, cut into 1/4" slices
1 envelope onion mushroom soup mix
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
6 cups water
4-6 c. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
2 c. med. egg noodles

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until thoroughly cooked.  Drain well.  In a slow cooker, combine cooked ground beef and all remaining ingredients, except mixed vegetables and noodles; mix well.  Cover; cook on low setting for 6-8 hours or until onion is tender.  Stir in thawed vegetables and egg noodles.  Increase to high setting; cover and cook an additional 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender and noodles are tender. 

Peaches and Cream!

Peach Upsidedown Cake
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 c. peaches (sliced)
1/2 c. chopped nuts ( I prefer cashews or pecans)

4 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. sugar
2 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt

Home-canned peaches

Melt the 1/4 cup butter in a round cake pan.  Stir in the brown sugar until combined; spread evenly in the bottom of the cake pan.  Arrange peaches atop brown sugar mixture; sprinkle with nuts.

In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites and vanilla until soft peaks form.  Gradually add sugar.  Beat until still peaks form.

In a small bowl, combine egg yolds and 2 tbsp. melted cooled butter; stir into egg white mixture.  Add flour, baking powder and salt, 1/4 cup at a time.  Stir by hand (with spoon).  Carefully spread batter atop peaches.

Peach Picking 2011

Bake at 325 40-45 minutes or until done. Cool pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully invert cake pan and cake onto serving platter. Cool cake 30 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream!

Sugar and Spice

Apple Pie
Yield: 1 pie

Ingredients:
pastry for 2 crust pie
4-5 tart apples
1/2 sugar
dash nutmeg
1/3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbs. flour
1 tbs. butter
2 tsp. lemon juice


Mix together sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and flour.

Quarter apples, peal, and slice.  Arrange half of the apples in pie crust.  Sprinkle with half of the spices.  Repeat, keeping apples near center. Sprinkle with lemon juice and dot with butter.

Make small gashes in top crust to allow steam to escape.  Brush edges of bottom crust with cold water.  Add top crust, trim edges, and flute edges with finger to seal.

Bake at 450 for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350, and bake an additional 35 minutes.

Apple Picking 2011