This recipe smells delicious while cooking all day long. I love to make homemade biscuits with it & have him in the evening after dinner. I store the leftovers in a mason jar in the fridge!
5 pounds Gala or Granny Smith Apples, peeled cored & quartered
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup orange juice or water
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/4 ground cloves
1 tbsp butter
{1} in a 5 quart slow cooker, combine apples, sugar, orange juice or water, cinnamon, & cloves. cook on low for 8 hours or until apples are very tender. drain well. cool. in the work bowl of a food processor , add apple mixture ; process until smooth or desired consistency. stir in butter. I haven't tried this in a mixture, but I think this will work too. makes about 4 cups!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Banana Foster Fritters with Warm Banana Rum Sauce
One of my Husbands favorite desserts!!
1 (17.5oz) Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
1 large egg
1/2 cup chopped banana
1 tbsp banana liqueur (or banana extract can be substituted)
veggie oil for frying
warm banana rum sauce (recipe follows)
{1} prepare cookie mix according to package directions, omitting butter. stir in egg, banana, & liqueur. Mix. (This is easier to mix up using a mixer)
{2} in a heavy skillet, pour oil to depth of 1 inch. heat over medium heat until hot but not smoking. drop batter by tbsp into oil & fry each batch until golden brown. about 2 minutes. remove with slotted spoon, & drain on to paper towel. serve hot with sauce!
Warm Banana Rum Sauce:
5 tbsp of butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp banana liqueur (can be substituted as above)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp light rum (optional)
{1} In a saucepan, melt butter, add rest of ingredients until dissolved. keep warm.
This is a delicious & very simple recipe that looks & tastes delicious!!
1 (17.5oz) Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
1 large egg
1/2 cup chopped banana
1 tbsp banana liqueur (or banana extract can be substituted)
veggie oil for frying
warm banana rum sauce (recipe follows)
{1} prepare cookie mix according to package directions, omitting butter. stir in egg, banana, & liqueur. Mix. (This is easier to mix up using a mixer)
{2} in a heavy skillet, pour oil to depth of 1 inch. heat over medium heat until hot but not smoking. drop batter by tbsp into oil & fry each batch until golden brown. about 2 minutes. remove with slotted spoon, & drain on to paper towel. serve hot with sauce!
Warm Banana Rum Sauce:
5 tbsp of butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp banana liqueur (can be substituted as above)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp light rum (optional)
{1} In a saucepan, melt butter, add rest of ingredients until dissolved. keep warm.
This is a delicious & very simple recipe that looks & tastes delicious!!
In Regards To My "We're Expecting" Post
Just to clear up some confusion: Adam & I talked about it & we decided that it's best for me to stay home for now, & then I decided that's where Id like to stay. He was concerned about me working too hard or stressing out while being pregnant & brought up the fact that anytime I get a job (I usually work in childcare facilities) that I get reallyyy sick & that wasn't good for me right now. So I decided to nanny part time @ home. That way, I can still be @ home, have children in my home (which I love) & help out with any bills that I can. Im so happy that I prayed about it...I was feeling as though what I was doing wasnt enough. Just goes to show, God will always show you your path! I do enjoy working & making money to help my family out...but if I can do it at home, then that is where Id like to do it. Even in Proverbs 31 it says that the wife sees her trading is profitable! Therefore, I think if you can contribute in making money for your family through something that you can do at home, then by all means, go for it!
"Do you think your some kind of Stepford Wife or something?"
While speaking to a group of people recently about my beliefs on marriage & the roles of husband & wife someone asked me "so...what? do you think you're some kind of stepford wife or something?" I stopped talking for a moment & thought. Then, told them that I did not think that & that I believed that was a stereotype of stay-at-home wives & mothers that society has put in our minds. If a woman is happy at home & loves cooking, honoring her husband & keeping her home beautiful, she must be some kind of mindless robot. I let them know that I was certainly no robot! I had feelings, opinions of my own & I was intelligent & educated. That I believe in Gods word & the plan he set out for marriage. I told them that I was not a Stepford Wife...but rather a Proverbs 31 Wife. And that if they had a problem with how I conduct myself in my marriage, then their problem didn't lie with me, but with God.
That person didn't have much to say after that. Women who stay at home & are happy there, should not let others make them believe that they are less than "working" wives (quotes because a stay at home wife/mother work PLENTY!). I have felt before that I wasn't contributing like I should...I started praying about it, & asking God was He thought I should do. I started reading my Bible & I re-read Proverbs 31 & remembered that this is Gods plan. We are a shining light of traditional values in a dark world. And if my belief wasn't rooted in the Lord, then thats all they would be, traditions of another time. However, this is the blueprint that God has set out for marriage. If you walk with the King & follow his instructions, your marriaage will be blessed!!
That person didn't have much to say after that. Women who stay at home & are happy there, should not let others make them believe that they are less than "working" wives (quotes because a stay at home wife/mother work PLENTY!). I have felt before that I wasn't contributing like I should...I started praying about it, & asking God was He thought I should do. I started reading my Bible & I re-read Proverbs 31 & remembered that this is Gods plan. We are a shining light of traditional values in a dark world. And if my belief wasn't rooted in the Lord, then thats all they would be, traditions of another time. However, this is the blueprint that God has set out for marriage. If you walk with the King & follow his instructions, your marriaage will be blessed!!
The Good Wifes Guide: 1955
I have found a few websites showing these "guidelines" in a condescending way that shows that whoever was contributing them didn't really care about the values that they stood for. Then I came across this one on a Christian Wife blog & decided to share them in my own. I think that these "guidelines" are a good way to show your appreciation to your husband when he gets home from a long, hard day at work. And knowing how hard my husband works, I want his home to be as comfortable & warm with love as possible! So here they are!
1. Take a look in the mirror an hour before he gets home. Put yourself back together after your long day. An hour leaves time to hop in the shower if needed.
2. Go light on the perfume, but use sweet smelling soaps & lotions to not be overbearing ( this is a good rule of thumb in any situation! lol)
3. Put a little makeup on if you wear it before he comes home. You want to look refreshed & radiant not overdone!
4. Dress in feminine clothing. Get out of those sweatpants & oversized t-shirt & put on something that looks nice on you.
5. Have housework done when he comes home & try to have noisy appliances such as the dishwasher & washing machine off by the time he gets there.
6. Put aside your problems & be cheerful when he comes through the door. He is probably looking forward to seeing your smile, so give it to him!
7. Make sure the bedroom is neat. This is his haven & should be treated as such.
8. Ensure the TV is turned down so that your home is peaceful for his arrival.
9. Prepare dinner before he arrives-nothing like the smell of a homemade meal after a weary day.
10. Have pots & pans washed (or at least in the dishwasher) before dinner is served so that the kitchen is just as presentable as the meal.
11. If you have a problem that needs his tending, wait until after dinner.
12. Greet him @ the door with a hug & a kiss
13. Look at him while he is talking to you so that he knows you are listening. Put away the computer & end the phone call & texting.
14. Do your best to have the house picked up at all times (at least when he is there to see it!)
15. Dont be angry if he is working late-appreciate the long hours he is putting in for you.
16. Dont nag his bad habits, instead spend too much time refining your own so that you do not have time to criticize his.
The dishes will not be done every day, you will not look neat & put together every day. But greeting him at the door with a kiss & hug with flour all in your hair from cooking is just as endearing. The point is to show him that you love him. Treat him with respect & kindness. Show your husband every day that he means the world to you & your marriage will be blessed!
1. Take a look in the mirror an hour before he gets home. Put yourself back together after your long day. An hour leaves time to hop in the shower if needed.
2. Go light on the perfume, but use sweet smelling soaps & lotions to not be overbearing ( this is a good rule of thumb in any situation! lol)
3. Put a little makeup on if you wear it before he comes home. You want to look refreshed & radiant not overdone!
4. Dress in feminine clothing. Get out of those sweatpants & oversized t-shirt & put on something that looks nice on you.
5. Have housework done when he comes home & try to have noisy appliances such as the dishwasher & washing machine off by the time he gets there.
6. Put aside your problems & be cheerful when he comes through the door. He is probably looking forward to seeing your smile, so give it to him!
7. Make sure the bedroom is neat. This is his haven & should be treated as such.
8. Ensure the TV is turned down so that your home is peaceful for his arrival.
9. Prepare dinner before he arrives-nothing like the smell of a homemade meal after a weary day.
10. Have pots & pans washed (or at least in the dishwasher) before dinner is served so that the kitchen is just as presentable as the meal.
11. If you have a problem that needs his tending, wait until after dinner.
12. Greet him @ the door with a hug & a kiss
13. Look at him while he is talking to you so that he knows you are listening. Put away the computer & end the phone call & texting.
14. Do your best to have the house picked up at all times (at least when he is there to see it!)
15. Dont be angry if he is working late-appreciate the long hours he is putting in for you.
16. Dont nag his bad habits, instead spend too much time refining your own so that you do not have time to criticize his.
The dishes will not be done every day, you will not look neat & put together every day. But greeting him at the door with a kiss & hug with flour all in your hair from cooking is just as endearing. The point is to show him that you love him. Treat him with respect & kindness. Show your husband every day that he means the world to you & your marriage will be blessed!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
We're Expecting!!
Adam & I would like to officially announce that we are expecting a Lil Bean in June!! We are so excited! We have been talking about having babies for the past year now & now that we are pregnant we couldn't be happier. I am 12 weeks now, & my risk for anything happening has decreased dramatically so I figured it was safe to announce it. I have been incredibly sick however, pretty much the whole 3 months but Im feeling much better now. I have more energy & Im honestly bored with sitting at home. I have decided Im going to try getting a job to help Adam out. I can do my "nesting" on the weekends, & if I feel too overwhelmed, I can always decide to just stay home instead. However, the baby isnt here yet, and I WANT to work. There's only so much cleaning & cooking that can be done...then Im just sitting...or on Facebook...the rest of the day. I want to feel like Im contributing, & although Adam says I contribute plenty...I don't feel like I am. So I have decided to work until the baby comes & help save for our little bundle! I am def already showing which is both scary & exciting! Im in that awkward "is she fat or pregnant" stage. But soon enough I will be out of that, Im getting bigger every day!!! Although I havent gained a single pound, everything must just be shifting. lol But we are so excited, & God has blessed us so much. I have so many hopes & dreams for this child...this child could be anything & thats such an amazing thing to think about! I want to raise this baby with values, putting God first & more love then he/she knows what to do with
!
!
Monday, November 21, 2011
How I Organized My Grocery Bags
This worked out so well for all those grocery bags that I knew once I threw away...Id need. The objective: take your grocery bags & roll them together & put them into a container so they come out like wipes. Here's how:
What you will need:
-used coffee can
-used grocery bags
Step 1: Take one grocery bag, and lay it flat on the floor & push all the air out. Fold it in half "hotdog style" & pull the handles to one side so they poke out. This will be your middle bag in your roll of "wipes" so you want to be able to see them poking out from the roll.
Step 2: Do the same with about 15 more bags-but you dont have to pull out the handles on these, just on the first one. Overlap the bags a bit so that when you roll them, they roll up together.
Step 3: Roll the bags from the first bag (the one with the handles out) to the last bag. Youre going to want your bag with the handles out in the middle.
Step 4: Place the rolled grocery bags inside a coffee can & cut an X in the lid. Pull the handles of the middle bag through the X.
Step 5: Peel off the paper & decorate as you wish! Ta-Dahhh! Awesomness in a can!
You can also do a mini version of this one with an old wipes container to keep in your car!
A Wife Of Noble Character
None of us can be the best wife possible without a strong faith in God & faith in his word. As wives, I believe it is our job to uphold Gods word in our home, lead by example, & praise him in our households by being rightous women. Ive read somewhere once that read "I want to be the kind of woman that when I wake up, and my feet hit the floor, the Devil says, "Oh Crap...She's Up!" I love it! Keep God as the center of your marriage, believe in him, and thank him everday for the blessings. Ask him for help with the problems! And believe in the power of love & faith!
Proverbs 31:10-31
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate
Proverbs 31:10-31
New International Version (NIV)
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10 [a]A wife of noble character who can find?She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate
Pantry Love!
Keeping with the theme of getting my house organized, I didnt want to just stop with the sink...my pantry needed a serious makeover! So I started with just expanding the shoe rack idea. This time I used the whole rack over the door for all my small stuff, like spice packets, nuts, marshmellows, mashed potatoe packets, ects.
Then I put all my extra, unopened packages that I dont use daily on the top shelf. The shelf below that is used for boxed items that I plan on using that week & my pasta. (There was a sale @ Publix!)
The next shelf is for canned goods which I plan on stockpiling later & organizing into more detail. But for now, this works. I also label the tops of the cans so I know whats on the back row. I dont know exactly what the shelf elow that one will be used for, right now, it s my baking stuff, and my cake plate with extra trash bags stuffed inside. :)
I got the containers on the shelf below that @ the Dollar Store. They work fine & I labelled them pretty so they look nice. I need to get a few more, but I will do that another time. The containers @ Kroger were $11.99!!!! Whaaaaa?!?! No thank you. So the Dollar Store ones work fine for me! Having my often used items in these containers freed up so much space & look way better than the bins I had the packages sitting in before. In the bottom of the pantry, I used the newly unused bins to put the extra dog food & treats in, another for potatoes & sweet potatoes & another onions, garlic & our brown paper lunch sacks.
I am so in love with this organized pantry! It makes my life so much eaiser & it makes me happy to look at it everyday!
My Under The Sink Organization
This week it is MY GOAL to start getting my house organized! Especially my kitchen, since although we moved into a bigger house, the kitchen is smaller. So I have to find a way to make do. Thanks to Pinterest, I finally did it! My "under-the-sink" area was a disaster area. I was just throwing my cleaning products under there, along with extra vases, bags from the grocery store that I "may need one day," the fly swatters, the pushpins, nails, & everything else that I didnt have anywhere to put. So I went to Wal-Mart, bought a plastic shoe rack & let the magic begin! First, I had to cut the shoe rack to fit the inside of my cabinet doors (which meant only using three rows of the shoe rack & cutting off a side piece because it was too wide. I just used push pins to hang! And ta-daaa! All my cleaning products hung, organized & out of the way!
I didnt label the pockets, I thought that was going a little too far, & I may need to move things around a bit later. Instead of wasting the two rows that I had to cut off because the rack was too wide, I just hung those on the inside of the wall inside the cabinet. Then I took a tray (that was thrown in this cabinet along with all the other stuff) & placed all the extra little things on it, & lined the extra vases up in the back!
Then I hung a small bag on the other side of the other side for my scrubby brushes, brillo pads & vacuum cleaner bags. I always keep a small fire extinguisher in the cabinet here...because you never know! :) I even put my fly swatter (that my mother in law made me to match my kitchen-sunflowers!) in a pretty vase!
I didnt label the pockets, I thought that was going a little too far, & I may need to move things around a bit later. Instead of wasting the two rows that I had to cut off because the rack was too wide, I just hung those on the inside of the wall inside the cabinet. Then I took a tray (that was thrown in this cabinet along with all the other stuff) & placed all the extra little things on it, & lined the extra vases up in the back!
Then I hung a small bag on the other side of the other side for my scrubby brushes, brillo pads & vacuum cleaner bags. I always keep a small fire extinguisher in the cabinet here...because you never know! :) I even put my fly swatter (that my mother in law made me to match my kitchen-sunflowers!) in a pretty vase!
I wish I would have taken a before shot so that you could see the difference. But imagine everything you see here, just thrown inside. Basically. I show everyone thiswhen they come over because I think its amazing. Its the little things in life! :)
Saturday, November 19, 2011
My First Blog Post!
Just some background info to get me started, I guess. I never thought I would start a blog because I didn't think anything I wrote would be interesting enough, but I think it will be good for me! If nothing else, I can look back on it later & remember what was going on when I was writing a post or posting a picture. And maybe family & friends who are too far away to be a part of our everyday lives can be now.
A little about me...I am a newlywed who really enjoys doing all those "wifey" things! I actually enjoy cleaning my house, cooking dinner, making my Hubbys lunches & being thrifty. Even though I think I already think I have a jump start on knowing the basics of "housewifery," I know there is always room for improvement. I want to be more organized, save more money, learn to cook more delicious dinners & coupon to develop a stockpile! I want to do more crafty things, make my own cleaning products, keep scrapbooks of our lives & journal more often. Hopefully, on my journey to becoming an amazing wife I can somehow find a way to fit all of these things into my life, & blog all about it on the way!
A little about me...I am a newlywed who really enjoys doing all those "wifey" things! I actually enjoy cleaning my house, cooking dinner, making my Hubbys lunches & being thrifty. Even though I think I already think I have a jump start on knowing the basics of "housewifery," I know there is always room for improvement. I want to be more organized, save more money, learn to cook more delicious dinners & coupon to develop a stockpile! I want to do more crafty things, make my own cleaning products, keep scrapbooks of our lives & journal more often. Hopefully, on my journey to becoming an amazing wife I can somehow find a way to fit all of these things into my life, & blog all about it on the way!
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