Thursday Thoughts ~ Open Arms

This song is so inspirational to me! It speaks of loving others around us, but to me it also serves as a reminder to be actively seeking to be a representative of Jesus Christ to all those around me. The chorus of the song has been written and composed in a way that touches me deeply, because I feel like my faith in God is sometimes tightly held in a personal way, but just like a lit candle, I can't really serve a greater purpose unless my light is uncovered and out of hiding. As a stay-at-home Mom, it can be even more difficult to have an active, growing spiritual life. Finding time to read the Bible, reflect, and pray, is pretty difficult. I recently made a new personal goal to read, even just a few verses, from the Bible everyday! I want to grow spiritually, and I believe the way to do that is to nourish my spiritual life through connection with God. There are so many ways to connect with God, but reading His Word, the Bible is one of the very best ways. Praying to Him, talking to Him and asking Him for help is another way to grow closer to Him. It reminds me of a dating relationship, which without communication, give-and-take, it is likely to end. The society we live in has so many ways to fill up our time, which leaves very little "quiet" time to connect with God and focus on His plan for us--which ultimately involves us going to heaven with Him to end all the sin, pain, and death on this earth. I want that, I don't want my only "life" to be lived here on this sin-filled earth. That is so so so much less than the AMAZING, AWESOME eternal life God has planned and prepared for us. Reading the Bible and praying should never be a forced activity, if we are seeking to be in a relationship with God, then we will love to spend time with Him, just like we love to spend time with our family and closest friends. That's not to say we shouldn't put some effort into it, because we will have to--just like it takes effort to plan fun familiy gatherings, find quality time for our friends, and make nice food and other special things for our families. But, we do these things out of love for our family and friends, and so whenever we commit to spend time with God, we do that out of love for Him also. Now, let me get back to what I was saying about that song "Open Arms". I need to be growing spiritually, and have a healthy spiritual life in order to have anything to offer those around me. If I'm a bread salesperson, but don't have any bread, that won't work. I want to follow the verse that says, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) I have felt that my spiritual life has gone through a roller coaster, with being a new Mom and all that comes with this wonderful new role, it's been hit and miss with taking in spiritual food. I am making more specific efforts now, and I pray that God will help me to be drawn closer and closer to Him. Then, as I try to have what the song says, "Open Arms" to all those around me, I can reflect Jesus, because I have spent time with Him, surrendering to Him and asking for Him to live in my heart. One more thought for today, I like to watch the Today show on NBC in the mornings sometimes, and they have all these experts on their talking about all kinds of subjects. They remind me of people who have "Open Arms", because they are openly sharing what they know to benefit other people. I have no idea if I will ever get to be on a TV show like that, but I want this blog to be a place where I share recipes i have developed, talk about what I'm learning as I study the Bible and other Christian books, and also just share some fun things that me and my family like or things we've done recently that might inspire someone who is reading this blog. Someone like you! Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings!

Friday Food ~ Nana's Blueberry Muffins

Nana's Blueberry Muffins

1 egg (I use Egg Replacer, which can be found in the natural food section of most grocery stores)
1/2 cup milk (I use soy milk)
1/4 cup margarine
1 1/2 cup flour (I usually add about 1/2 cup wheat germ in place of part of the flour, that makes these muffins a little extra hearty, healthy)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Apply non-stick cooking spray to one standard sized muffin tin.

Mix all dry ingredients first, then add the liquids, and last the fold in the blueberries gently. Pour the batter into the muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Tues. News ~ Then . . . and . . . Now

I was recently back home in Kentucky where I grew up. We stopped by the little elementary school where I went to school for nine years! It was so fun to see this place where I made so many memories! So, so much has changed there, but there are also many objects and scenes that are the same and oh, so familiar!

I took a photo with my son, Isaac, because I remembered taking a photo in that same spot with my favorite doll! The "Then" photo was taken when I was 4 years old. I was not even a student at the school yet, but we were probably there for an event or to pick my big brother up from school. At that time I couldn't really imagine being a Mommy, although I loved to play with my dolls! Now, I am a Mommy to a "real doll"! God willing, there will be so, so many more memories to make with my "real family"!

Monday: Mommy Menu ~ Veggie Egg Rolls

Today's Mommy Menu has a bonus recipe! You have got to try my Veggie Egg Rolls! They are easy to make and taste really great with sweet & sour sauce!

Veggie Egg Rolls
1 head of cabbage
4 carrots
1 onion
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth (vegetarian chicken broth is available at health food stores or the natural foods section of most grocery stores)
1 small can water chest nuts
1 can bean sprouts
1 package egg roll wrappers
canola oil


Start by shredding the cabbage, carrots, and onions in a food processor. You might have to do it in two batches. Coat a large fry pan with canola oil, add all the shredded veggies and the 1/2 cup of broth. Cover and let cook for at least 5 minutes. Stir, then let cook until all the veggies are soft and fragrant, about another 5 minutes. Next, add the water chestnuts.

Add the bean sprouts. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Turn the heat off on the filling, and take off the burner. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Add about 1- 1/2 inches of oil to a fry pan. (You could also use a deep fryer) Turn the heat on medium. Place an egg roll wrapper on a plate or cutting board.

Put the filling in the middle. Have a small bowl of water nearby to use for sealing the edges.

Fold the bottom up completely over the filling.

Fold the edges up, making sure that the corners are not bulging out, but are sealed nicely.

Use small dabs of water along the edges, and roll up completely. Check the oil by dripping a drop of water in. If it pops and hisses, it's ready.

Place seam side down into the oil. Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes. As you cook these, the time needed to fry them will be less and less, because the oil will get hotter and hotter.

Watch them to see how golden they are getting. The filling is already cooked, so you are mostly just browning the exterior.

Serve with some yummy Stir Fry!

Monday: Mommy Menu ~ Stir Fry

Today's Mommy Menu is for my friend, Jennifer! This is a yummy way to use tofu, and of course includes lots of veggies, too! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Stir Fry

1 onion chopped
olive oil
1 bag frozen California Vegetables (you can use fresh, too --carrots, broccoli, cauliflower)
3 carrots, sliced (optional . . . the frozen veggie mix never has enough carrots for my taste)
1 package rice noodles (angle hair pasta works, too)
1 package firm or extra firm tofu
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. seasoned salt
10 dashes soy sauce

Pour about 1-2 TB of olive oil into a large, hot fry pan. Add the chopped onion.

Chop the tofu into 1 inch by 1/4 inch cubes. Once the onions have begun to soften, add the tofu and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Shake the garlic and onion powder and seasoned salt onto the tofu.Next, steam the frozen veggies for 2 minutes to defrost. If you plan to use the extra 3 carrots, chop them and steam them until tender (4-5 minutes). Place your rice noodles into hot water, let sit for 10 minutes. Drain. Add the noodles to the fry pan. Drizzle with olive oil and pour 5 shakes of soy sauce onto the noodles. Mix in, and use the edge of a spatula to cut through the noodles, making them smaller segments, and helping to combine them with the tofu and onions. Add all of the steamed veggies. Pour 5 more dashes of soy sauce over the veggies, and combine everything together. Allow the stir fry to cook for about 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Check the flavor at this point, and add a little more soy sauce, seasoned salt, or regular salt. If it seems a little dry, you could also drizzle in a dash or two of olive oil.

Friday Food ~ Banana Almond Pancakes

Banana Almond Pancakes
1 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 banana, pureed
3 cups milk (I use soy milk)
1 TB lemon juice
1 cup sliced almonds
Canola oil



Mix all ingredients well. Add a little more milk if the batter seems too thick. Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium heat for about 4 minutes. Add a small amount of canola oil to the pan and pour about 1/2-1 cup of pancake batter into the frying pan. Cook both sides until golden brown.

Food Friday ~ Magic Bars

I'm not going to claim this recipe as "mine", because the original recipe came off a can of sweetened condensed milk. These cookie bars were always my absolute favorite growing up. I have made them for my family as a little girl, for my friends as a college student and young bachelorette, and now I make them for my family! If you haven't tasted these yummy sweets, try this recipe and it will likely become one of your favorites, too!

Magic Bars

1 package of graham crackers (not the whole box)

1/2 cup melted margarine
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (I usually use the fat free one--tastes the same to me)
1 small package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
9 X 12 casserole dish, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crush the graham crackers in the package, or by using a blender or food processor. Pour the melted margarine into sprayed casserole dish. Dump the crushed graham cracker crumbs into the pan and press to form a smooth, layer. Layer in the rest of the ingredients in the order listed above. Press down gently to combine everything. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is very lightly golden.
Dump the graham crackers into the baking dish, and press firmly. Next, layer in the sweetened condensed milk and sprinkle with the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Cover with coconut and chopped pecans.

Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly golden brown on top.

Friday Food ~ Herbal Mint Tea

Herbal Mint Tea

4 cups water

9 herbal mint tea bags (see below for my favorite brand)

3 large bowls of ice

1/2 cup sugar

You can use a tea maker and follow their instructions for the amount of water and ice. Keep the 9 bags to 1/2 cup sugar ratio. If you make this tea in a tea pot or sauce pan, follow the measurements above. Serve with lots of ice! Ahhhhhh. . . so refreshing!

Tues. News ~ Brand new . . . gorgeous faucets!

Gorgeous, isn't it!? This is the new look in our master bedroom bathroom!

This is the old one. . . err . . . ummm . . . err . . . not sure what to say . . .

Before . . . This is what the old faucet looked like. One of them was leaking, and couldn't be fixed. My husband is really, really good at fixing things around the house, so he took on the challenge of replacing both of our faucets in the master bedroom bathroom! I am so happy with the results! Gorgeous, just gorgeous!

After our baby boy, Isaac, watched his Daddy replacing the faucets, he decided to try to do some work under one of my kitchen cabinets. He removed a bunch of my stuff, mostly picnic supplies, and then tried to lean back like he had seen Daddy doing! There is a small shelf in there, so he couldn't really do it, but he sure did try!

He likes to hang out under this cabinet, but recently I did an overhaul and completely reorganized all the picnic supplies, so now he really can't get in there very easily. Now he's on to other adventures, like climbing up on our bed without help! It's a tall bed, too! What's next!?

Friday Food ~ African Horned Melon

I absolutely LOVE to try new things! I am very adventurous when it comes to trying new food, especially fruit! I'm a vegetarian, so there are some limits there. But, I digress. This African Horned Melon caught my attention at the grocery store today! I love the color orange, and it's spiky exterior was very intriguing. I was desperate to find out what it looked like on the inside, and better yet, how it tastes!
We cut it open and were shocked to see it's green, slimy, seedy flesh! Wow, that was a surprise! Let the adventure begin! I had a few quick thoughts . . . hmmm I hope it is ripe . . . hmmm I hope I'm not supposed to cook it or something . . . (you know some food, like rhubarb, can be poisonous if not cooked). A quick search on google, assured it was meant to be eaten fresh and raw. So, after I slowly dismissed each of my worries, I got a spoon out and dug in! Wow, no not wow, yummy, more like . . . Wow, that's funky! It tastes as slimy as it looks! Those seeds taste like you are eating nothing but the seedy part of a cucumber, in mass quantity. The flavor is kind of lightly sour. It's not gross, but I can't say it's yummy either. I would say it is interesting.

Monday: Mommy Menu ~ Vegetable Curry & Mango Lassi

Vegetable Curry and Mango Lassi

* Disclaimer, I'm not from India or any other country where curry is commonly served, but I LOVE it, so I made up this recipe based on what my family and I have enjoyed at the homes of friends and eating out at Indian food restaurants.

5 potatoes, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 can Fri Chik (vegetarian chicken of your choice), chopped

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 can garbanzo beans

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. turmeric

2 tsp. curry (yellow kind found in any grocery store, Walmart, etc.)

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

In a medium sauce pan, cook the chopped potatoes until soft. Saute the onion and celery on medium until soft. Add tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and spices. Simmer medium/low for 5-10 minutes. Add the vegetarian chicken and cooked potatoes, and continue to simmer 5-10 more minutes or until ready to serve.

Chop the onion and celery . . .

Cook up 1-2 cups of basmati rice to serve with this curry.

Add the tomatoes and garbanzo beans to the sauted items.

Add the cooked potatoes and vegetarian chicken and continue to simmer on low/medium.

Mango Lassi
1 30 oz can of mango pulp

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

2 cups of ice

Whiz in the blender until smooth. Enjoy!