Making Sense of the Chaos and Clutter

Damon proudly displays his art folder

     I love being a mom!  I have the two most wonderful children in the world!  However, there are plenty of challenges to keep me guessing.  Before I had kids, I was very regimented about keeping a clean and orderly home.  Everything had a place, and everything in its place.  Then my first child came along.  During my pregnancy, a rough one, I slacked off a bit with the cleaning and organization, promising myself that after the baby was born, I'd get back on schedule.  Ha!
     Now that I've had my second child, who is now 2 1/2, I've come to appreciate the chaos and clutter that now so beautifully graces my home.  But as much as I love having my children's artwork around decorating the doors, walls and refrigerator...at some point we needed to find a way of organizing it, and keeping the mess under control.

     This is our solution:  We buy a standard sheet of poster board...which are usually 2/$1 at the dollar store.  Then the kids decorate them, I add a label including their name, the year, and grade.  We fold it in half (decorations on the outside), and staple it together, making a HUGE folder to store all of the papers and crafts they make.  It keeps everything together and in its place.  The folder is artwork itself, and makes a great keepsake and place to store all the papers that we just can't bear to throw away.

I'm not a moron. Really.

"Show respect for all people: Love the brothers and sisters of God's family, respect God, honor the king." 1 Peter2:17 

I am blessed to live in the greatest country in the world.  I am thankful to be an American, or should I say a citizen of the United States of America.  I am thankful for the men and women who have fought for my freedom, and continue to fight for it's sake today.    Recently, I have been saddened.....no, sickened...by the disrespectful posts I've read on a certain "social media site."  The Anti-Obama statements are just plain distasteful...whether you agree with the man or not.  As a citizen of God's family, I am required to respect the people He has placed in authority over me...and this includes Mr. Obama.  I believe that God is sovereign, and yes, He placed our current president in office for a reason.  You and I may not ever understand His reasons for many things, but I have faith.  So while the purpose of this blog is not to stand on my polital "soapbox," I do have a few things to say:

1) Please stop telling me that "the right to bear arms" means it is my responsibility to carry a gun.  I grew up in a home with guns.  My dad was a hunter.  Thankfully there is not a tragedy written into our story because of a curious child.  My dad was careful.  So I am not against you owning a gun, nor do I think your choice to carry a gun makes you pro-crime, pro-guns.  Just as my choice to NOT own a gun does not make me anti-guns.  It is a personal choice that I am thankful to have the freedom to make because I live in the USA.

2) Please stop implying that I am a moron because I do not think exactly like you.  I do not think you are a moron because you have your own opinions.   Yes, you have the right to have your own opinion and you can express it.  But those who disagree with you also have that right, and they are not morons.

3) Please stop discriminating against Mr. Obama because you believe he is Muslim.  Maybe he is.  Maybe he isn't.  Does it matter?  One of the most amazing things about this country is freedom of religion...for me, for you, and for the President.  I am thankful to live in a country where I am permitted to worship God anyway I want.   And if the President is Muslim, or Mormon, or Christian, I am sure he is happy to be able to practice his religion without discrimination.

And if being a free thinker makes me a moron...then I wear the label proudly.

My Favorite Granola

     So I've been working on this recipe for a little while now, and I've finally perfected it.  It is super easy to make, and super delicious to eat.  Enjoy!

Pecan and Raisin Granola
3 cups old fashioned oats
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup pecans
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup canola, olive, or vegetable oil
2 tbs. water
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup raisins (or dried cranberries)

Preheat the oven to 250*F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

In a medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Set aside

In a small saucepan, combine oil, water, and syrup.  Over medium heat, bring to a boil, then pour over the oat mixture.  Stir until thoroughly combined.  Spread mixture out on prepared baking sheet.  Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until dried and lightly toasted.  Allow to cool.  Add raisins; package. 

Thanksgiving countdown: Tuesday

     So today the baking frenzy continues.  I've got apple pie baking...a recipe I've shared previously.  Later I'll be making gluten-free pineapple upside down cupcakes...or at least attempting to make them.  If they turn out as yummy as I imagine, I'll share that recipe with you too. 


    In the midst of all the Holiday preparations, I still need to feed my family daily, but I really need it to be as easy as possible, and it would be great if the meals I'm making for our nightly dinners could use some of the excess ingredients (celery, carrots, and onions) I have on hand from the Thanksgiving feast I'm busily preparing.  That's where this delicious, and healthy, recipe comes from.   So get out your crockpot and in a few minutes you will have a meal that is sure to satisfy the whole family happily cooking away with very little effort from you. 

Vegetarian Minestrone Soup (for the slow-cooker)

4 c. vegetable broth
4 c. tomato juice
1 tbsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
dash pepper
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
3 medium celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 c. fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 c. uncooked rotini pasta

1. Combine all ingredients, except pasta, in 5 qrt. slow cooker
2. Cover and cook on LOW 7-8 hours, until vegetables are tender.

3.  Stir in pasta.  Cover and cook another 15-20 minutes, until pasta is tender.  Serve with breadsticks if desired.

Pineapple Upsidedown Cupcakes

Thanksgiving Countdown: Monday

     First off, let me just remind you that if you are going to be cooking a frozen turkey this year (as I am), and you haven't taken him out of the freezer yet...please stop reading NOW, and go put Mr. Tom Gobbler in your refrigerator so he can thaw before cooking him up for Thursday's feast.
     Now that that is taken care of, it's time to begin baking some of the goodies for the dessert table.  I don't know about you, but oven space and time is going to be somewhat limited in my house come Thanksgiving day, what with a 19 pound Turkey slowly cooking for the better part of the morning.   Today, I've got two pumpkin pies baking.  And I am perfectly aware that the easiest way of preparing said pies is to purchase a mix from Libby's, but I firmly believe that everyone should make one from scratch at least once.  Quite honestly, it isn't that much harder that mixing together the a fore mentioned mix, and here's the recipe that I use:

Pumpkin Pie
Yield: 1 pie

2 c. pumpkin
2/3 c. sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs
2/3 c. evaporated milk
1 pastry pie crust

(Note:  Once upon a time, I cooked and pureed fresh pumpkin...now, I use commercially canned organic pumpkin puree).

     In a large mixing bowl combine pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.  Beat lightly with mixer.  Gradually add milk and evaporated milk.  Mix well.
     Pour into pastry lined deep dish pie plate (9").  Bake at 375* for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack, and either serve immediately or refrigerate.
     Optional: Serve with whipped cream. 
     Store in refrigerator.

Baked Peaches

I've been experimenting in my kitchen again...with delicious results!  I'm wondering if this dish might make its way on to the Thanksgiving dessert table? Yes, a whole table in my house will be dedicated to desserts this year...Pumpkin Pies, Apple Pie, Pinepple Upside Down Cupcakes (look for the recipes next week)!   And now I had to go ahead and be a mad scientist and create this!   I'm wondering if anyone would mind if I skip the Turkey and stuffing this year, and just serve desserts? 

Baked Peaches
Yield: 2 Servings

1 can sliced peaches, well drained
2 tbs. chopped pecans
2 tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
pinch of ground allspice (freshly ground if you prefer, and I do!)

1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. Place peaches in a 1 qrt baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar, orange peel and allspice.
4. Sprinkle over peaches.
5. Bake for 20 minutes

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Yield: 6 servings

1 c. chopped onion
1 c. butter
1 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3 c. chicken broth
6 c. milk
4 c. chopped and cooked fresh or frozen broccoli
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

In a large pot, saute the onion and butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper; cook and stir until smooth and bubbly. Add broth and milk all at once; cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Add broccoli. Simmer, stirring constantly, until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted.

Stir with a wire whisk until smooth and  bubbly.

I use the food processor to coarsley chop the broccoli

Stir consitently until mixture boils and thickens. 

Alterations: Instead of salt, I use whatever savory herbs I have on hand, and lots of them. I also replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, and double up on the cheese!