Tomatoes

Tomatoes. It was the first time in nearly a decade that they haven't come from my own garden - planted, weeded, picked and hauled in by the basketful - which only made them a greater blessing to receive. Our summer was not marked by the soil this past season, not by the last frost, ripe radishes, bean or pickle harvests, or the excess of sweet corn and spaghetti squash to share. Instead, I only had to put my coffee cup down and open the door to a friend who was more than glad to rid himself of his overabundance. An afternoon washing, peeling and canning was spent beside a rather grumpy teenage girl (No names need be mentioned since this is a public blog and all. Protect the ornery people, right?) who obviously does not see the benefits of homemaking in her future.

Sigh.

I'm tired.

My third teenager in a row, with one more to go, Lord willing, and the gament of creative discipline is running thin. Hand cuffs were the next threat. This girl who, as of only a couple days ago, wanted nothing else but to crawl into my bed and stay close teeters the very next minute to puberty hormones and all that entails. The knees of my heart will soon be wore out with all the prayers that have been going Heavenward.

Sigh.

I'm tired.

Tomatoes. Sustenance for our bodies to be enjoyed in the upcoming cold winter months. Pure torture, if used in the right context, for training up the next generation.

Monday Morning

 

It's Monday again. How the days go by so fast, I don't know. This chilly morning brings with it extra kids snuggled double in a bed, cousins excited for doughnut day at Aunt Terri's house (click here for the recipe if you, too, find the desire to add an extra five pounds to your hips). The noise level is a bit higher in this old farmhouse, and the boy energy has been flowing since before eight o'clock. I make my face smile, squeeze extra tight with the hugs, and clench my coffee cup as I push the dog off the recliner while seeking a quiet corner to right my heart before my Savior.

The conviction of luke-warmness, with a dollop of bubbling anger, has boiled to the top lately. I now wake up without immediate thoughts of a son in Heaven. I wonder how the funeral predictions could actually be coming true that eventually you do go on and begin to survive without the ever-pressing force of grief. The normalcy of life without Trent is forcing its way in. Still not a day goes by without tears, or a fervent missing and crying out to God, but they are going by with less intensity.

As appealing as that sounds, I fear for the lack of impact it has on my soul. The expectation of eternity has waned, the realization of this mist of a life has dwindled and is being replaced by thoughts of paint colors and decorating schemes.

...anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Matthew 10:37a-38

That verse may not challenge anybody else, as my dear {young teen age daughter with no children} daughter pointed out that she doesn't have any problems with it or loving Jesus the most. But this old mother was convicted to the core. I imagine standing before the throne of God on that day that my name is called to give an accounting for my life, especially for this time that I was granted the privilege of suffering in order for God to do "his will, and work in me what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever" (Hebrews 13:21).

I've realized, recently, how unwillingly I have taken up this cross to follow in the path of Jesus. How quickly I would take back my easy life, pre-child death, and live contently until the ripe old age of ninety-two without a care or thought of eternity. The outcome would be not seeking Jesus this way. Not counting the cost. Not being forced to look the powerful truth of Scripture square in the eye. Not having to acknowledge who I love the most, Jesus or fill in my own blank. Not knowing if I would be found worthy.

Not being tested means never realizing the worth or validity of your faith. Not being tested means not seeing God's power revealed. Not being tested means remaining stagnant. Not being tested means risking your eternity.

And what do you do with that?

I plead with God to right my motives and make my days count. Somehow pursuing eternity, investing here only as much as is absolutely necessary, and making sure my salvation. I ponder how to store up those treasures there, where moth and rust will not destroy, while treading this earth and needing it's resources to physically live. I pray and trust that my children will not be warped as we refuse to indulge them with the goods this life has to offer, but would instead constantly find their joy in and turn their attention to an unseen Judge and Savior.

As Rob read Scripture to the kids the other night, pondering in the book of Acts about Jesus ascending to Heaven to take his seat at the right hand of God, I sensed a precipice of sorts. I recalled, not so long ago, five young children squirming on the couch listening to their father proclaim the promises of life ever after. Now one child is living the reality of the words while the rest of us try to imagine it; try to live our lives expecting it.

I wonder how to lay out the importance of it to the rest of them. Failing on my own, and instead relying on prayer and God's grace. Longing to impress upon their young souls the foundation of loving God the most, assuring them that it is easier to start serving Him young rather than when the stubbornness of age has established it's rugged path in their daily lives.

Sigh.

The reality of how to live out these Biblical truths reveals itself in the smiling faces before me. Investment into those whom God brings into our lives. Being where He calls us, faithfully serving where He leads us. Counting the minor things as major.

The houseful of children get nervous when I finally rise from that old, worn out chair, two cups of coffee later, with an opera song rolling sweetly {annoyingly?} from my lips as I dance with the smiling blonde girl. It's time for doughnuts, kiddos. I'm sure the extra sugar will make this Monday all the sweeter.

Micah's Secret Pumpkin Bar Recipe

 

Well, it's not technically a secret because it originally came from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, but to an eight year old is has the power to hold something above his older siblings to be the only kid in the family who knows how to make our favorite pumpkin bars. It's our special secret that only he is allowed to mix for whatever reason that it happened to be him who initially mixed up a batch. Yet, Micah never fails to remind us that Trent was better at making pumpkin bars than he is, so when he gets to Heaven Trent will still be the best pumpkin bar maker, other than God of course. How God blessed us with this sweet little boy from half way around the world! But I digress, the recipe, with no further ado (tweaked just a little to use our own homegrown pureed pumpkin):

 

4 beaten eggs

1 cup cooking oil

2 cups pumpkin

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

 

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

 

Cream cheese frosting

 

Mix all ingredients as listed, spread into an ungreased, deep cookie sheet (also works well for cupcakes). Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Let cool and frost with cream cheese frosting. Yummy!

Copycat Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Yum! Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum! When Cole's turn came to bring treats to confirmation the only thing he wanted me to make was Copycat Krispy Kreme doughnuts. A few hungry boys, a few dozen doughnuts, and requests for the recipe have proven again that these are delicious.

Copycat Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
4 1/2 tsp. of yeast
1/4 cup water (105-115 degrees)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk (scalded then cooled)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening
5 cups all purpose flour
canola oil for frying
*
Directions:
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in 2 1/2 quart bowl.
2. Add milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 cups flour.
3. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly.
4. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
5. Stir in remaining flour until smooth.
6. Cover and let rise until double, 50-60 minutes.

7. Dough is ready when indentation remains when touched. Turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour.

8. Gently roll dough 1/2" thick with floured rolling pin.
9. Cut with floured doughnut cutter.
10. Cover and let rise until double, 30-40 minutes.

11. Heat oil in deep fryer to 350 degrees.
12. Slide doughnuts into hot oil with wide spatula.
13. Turn doughnuts as they rise to the surface.
14. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side.
15. Remove carefully from oil (do not prick surface); drain.

 

16. Dip the doughnuts into creamy glaze and set on a rack, then when slightly cooled, spread chocolate frosting on top (if desired).
17. Dip in sprinkles or other toppings after chocolate (if desired).
*
Creamy Glaze:
1/3 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
4-6 Tablespoons hot water

Heat butter until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.
*
Chocolate frosting:
1/3 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
4-6 Tablespoons hot water
4 ounces milk chocolate chip or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat butter and chocolate over low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in water 1 Tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.

This just might become an addicting habit.

 

School Lunches

In an attempt to become organized and make our lives easier with the new busy home school schedule, I created a two week revolving lunch menu. Based on our four day school week, a menu was planned of items that could either be froze ahead or easily prepared by the older kids if I am busy teaching the younger ones. Most of the meals can stand alone if need be, or a simple vegetable or fruit could be added to round it out. We have a designated school shelf that is stocked with the ingredients needed to make the meals that aren't in the freezer. The other benefit of this plan is that there should even be plenty of left-overs for Rob to take to work the next day. For one afternoon of working in the kitchen we have a whole month of school meals prepared without wondering "what's for lunch today?"

Week 1:

Make your own pizza
Tator Tot Hotdish
Pancakes
Spaghetti Hotdish

Week 2:

Hot Dogs and Macaroni
Chicken and Broccoli Hotdish
Egg/Sausage/Hashbrown Bake
Chili

*Make your own pizza
Monday's are usually easier days for us, because everybody is excited to start a new week of school, which means that {hopefully} a couple of kiddos will be done with their work early in a race to make the pizza dough. The school shelf is stocked with our favorite pizza toppings, and there is pepperoni in the freezer.

*Tator Tot Hotdish
Rather than the typical hamburger and tomato hotdish, this one uses sausage, cheese and sourcream. A family favorite here.

1# ground sausage, browned
1/2 tub of sour cream
1 bag Tator Tots
Shredded Cheddar cheese

Layer in a 9x13 pan as listed, bake covered at 375* for 30 minutes, uncover and bake another 15 minutes or until the cheese is browned.

*Pancakes
Most of our kids can whip up a batch of Grandma Lee's pancakes by themselves and have them ready for me to fry. The school shelf is stocked with extra flour, baking powder, and syrup (plus frozen strawberries are in the freezer) and eggs are usually in abundance around here.

2 Eggs
2 cups of Milk
1/2 cup Sugar
2 cups of Flour
4 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

*Spaghetti Hotdish
1/2 box of Spaghetti noodles, boiled until soft
1# browned hamburger
1 jar Spahetti sauce
Shredded cheddar, parmesan and mozzarella cheese
Black Olives, sliced

Layer all ingredients in a 9x13 pan as listed, bake covered at 375* for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is browned.

*Chicken and Broccoli Hotdish
1/2 package frozen Broccoli
2 cups cooked, cut chicken
1 can sliced water chestnuts
12 pcs. of American cheese slices
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can of milk
1 package Dried Onions
Serve with White Rice

Layer chicken, broccoli, and water chestnuts in 9x13 pan. Layer cheese on top evenly. Mix mayonnaise, cream of mushroom soup, and milk- pour over the top. Bake covered at 350* for 30 minutes, uncover and sprinkle with dried onions. Bake an additional 15 minutes. Serve with white rice.

*Egg Bake

There are many versions of this egg bake. It can be changed up everytime you make it to use whatever you have on hand. This time I made it with sausage and extra eggs, but you could also use ham or bacon, and even add spinach, black olives, salsa, peppers, onions, etc. I have never tried freezing it before, so it will be a good experiment to use up eggs.

12 eggs
1 pound of browned sausage
1/2 pkg. of frozen hashbrowns
1/2 tub of sourcream
1/2 cups of milk
Shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients, pour in a 9x13 pan. Bake at 375* for 45 minutes, or until eggs are set.

*Chili

2 Quarts of tomatoes (home grown are best:)
2 pounds browned hamburger, seasoned with chili powder and garlic
2 cans kidney beans
1 can chili beans
1 chopped onion
chopped celery
chili seasoning to taste

Mix all ingredients and simmer for several hours. It's always better the next day. Serve with crackers, or sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. To freeze my chili I did not cook it down, just browned the hamburger and mixed it all together then let it cool and put it in gallon freezer bags.

Valentine's Cookies

May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love

and Christ's perseverance.

2 Thessalonians 3:5

Sugar Cookie's

1 cup soft Butter

1 1/2 cups Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Eggs

3 cups Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

Bake at 350* for 8-10 minutes

Frost cookies when cooled. Enjoy!

14 Gallons Later

Apples, apples, apples, apples, apples. One of the things I enjoy about Fall is the abundance of ripe apples. As a family, we were able to go pick apples from a friend's tree over the weekend. Then the kids and I spent a day washing, peeling, chopping, and freezing apples. Everybody had a job to do which made the work go quickly.

This handy peeler that a friend found at a flea market for us last summer even makes the work fun. Grace was the official apple bagger. Micah started out as the official apple washer, but given his history with sinks and sprayers we quickly found him another job.

We taught him how to spell "apple" and let him label the bags.

And then we put Alexis in charge of the sink and the sprayer.

In the end, we had 14 gallons of apple's in the freezer, which will be used to make lots of apple pies this winter, and a clean kitchen again.

Making Muffins

No spectacular recipe~ just a cute kid helping to make blueberry muffins from a box and lots of good memories with them.

Egg Custard

Ever since Cole bought his Silkie Chicks last fall he has been dreaming about the day he would get enough of his own farm fresh eggs to make Egg Custard. Well the day finally came and he enjoyed every little bite of it. He has become a master at making Egg Custard and even made another big batch for everybody else to enjoy for breakfast. Mmm-Mmm! Good stuff Maynard! Egg Custard
(Recipe from the Better Homes and Garden New Cook Book)
*** 3 Beaten Eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Ground Cinnamon
***
Beat until well combined but not foamy. Place in glass baking dish and bake in 325 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. Serve warm or chilled. Serves 4. For variety you can add 1 cup of cooked rice and/or 1/2 cup of raisins before baking. Enjoy!

Mmm... Mmmm Oatmeal Bread

We were all hungry for oatmeal bread after being at Cathy's house to help her with her quilt. Paige had made some beautiful loaves of oatmeal bread and was gracious enough to send a loaf home with us. It didn't even make it home Paige! It was delicious! The next day I dug through my Better Home's and Gardens New Cook Book and found a great recipe for Oatmeal Bread.

Oatmeal Bread

*

4 1/4 - 4 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 pkg active dry yeast (I used 2 tsp)

1 3/4 cup water

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 Tablespoons margarine or butter

2 cups quick cooking oats

*

Combine 2 cups of flour and the yeast. Add warm water (120 degrees), brown sugar, and margarine. When mixed together add the oatmeal and enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. I usually spray the bowl down then roll the dough ball around so that all sides get greasy.Cover the dough and find a nice warm place for it to rise until double (1 - 1 1/2 hours). Punch down the dough (or in my case, settle the fight over which kids' turn it is this time to punch down the dough). Turn onto a lightly floured surface, divide in half. Let the dough rest while you send the kids on a mission to find the missing bread pans. Spray or grease 2 pans. Roll into loaves and place them into the bread pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double (45-60 mn).This is a great time to start a bit pot of Cheesy Broccoli Soup to go with the bread for supper.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

*

Boil some water and lightly cook desired amount of broccoli. Strain, reserving the water. Next make a rue~ melt some butter in a big pot (can be the same broccoli pot to save dishes), when it is completely melted add some flour to make a thick globby paste. Add milk and keep stirring/heating until the base is as thick as you like. I don't always like such a milky base so I add some of the broccoli water as well. Add your choice of seasonings~ we like garlic, pepper, salt and chicken boullion. In the middle of the thickening process add as much cheese dip (the kind in the jar) as you like for taste. I have also made this soup base with cream cheese and some shredded aged cheddar. And it's not only good with broccoli but with all kinds of vegetables, or potatoes and brats~ yummy!

Once that bread has raised nicely bake it at 375 degrees (starting in a cold oven) for 40-45 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pans and enjoy it warm or let it cool and toast it in the morning. Good stuff!