Search Results for: soup

Preserving Herbs

My Farmer’s Market is full of fresh herbs each week…..and that’s where I have to buy them. Herbs and natural remedies can be beneficial for your overall health. I had high hopes this year of growing my own. I picked out some really pretty plants at the Market and brought them home – thyme, rosemary, cilantro, and parsley. I was so tickled……and naïve. I know I can’t grow plants. What was I thinking? They died a slow, painful, dry death. Poor babies. My House = the place where plants come to die. So, I have been buying organic herbs here and there at the Market (see photo). I want to have some during the winter, so I decided to start freezing some. Here is the method that I use. I’ll also touch on a couple other options for you. This particular batch consisted of basil and cilantro. [Read more…]

Healthy Fats

Okay y’all. Let me get something out of the way. I am NOT a doctor (except for Annie’s boo-boos). But, I do have an opinion. And of course, my opinion is right…..everyone thinks their opinion is right – it is my opinion that I am right. Right? That being said, I have done a lot of research lately in the area of healthy eating and I’ve come to a conclusion…….there are a million different opinions and trying to read them will make your head explode and you might end up yelling obscenities at your computer. My research has centered around a healthy diet based on the foods that God put on earth for us to enjoy….and eating them in their most natural state. Because of that, I’ve been able to filter out a lot of the junk that I read….and yes, there are tons of junky opinions out there. It’s my opinion that they are junk. These are the fats that I am feeding my family. And I feel confident that they are the best out there. It is my opinion that I am right – right?PS – Take a look at the food pyramid. Does it make sense to you? We should eat tons of bread….more bread than vegetables? Uhhhhhh. Okay. I love bread, but even that doesn’t make sense to me. [Read more…]

Too Hot To Cook Recipe Listing

I got several entries for this recipe listing, but not as many as I had hoped. I guess everyone is as busy this summer as I am. 🙂 I’ve put some really great recipes below. They don’t use the oven and stovetop time is very minimal. Thanks to everyone who submitted! I also put several of mine below so they are all in one place for your convenience. You’ll also notice I put a few of my favorite recipes from other sites too. Enjoy! And if you’d like to have your recipe added, just let me know and I’ll include it. Make sure it’s a “whole foods” type of recipe that doesn’t use processed food. Thanks! [Read more…]

Crunchy Chicken Casserole

Yesterday we conquered the chicken by baking it in the crock pot. Today we’re using some of the leftover meat. I had four cups left after I picked the chicken after we ate dinner from it. I’m using two cups in this chicken casserole and I used two cups in this Chicken Salad from Life, An Epic Journey. I saw this recipe in Taste of Home, but I sorta used it and I sorta didn’t. It’s very good….not as good as my Grandmaw’s Chicken Casserole, but it’s a tad bit better for ya. My Grandmaw’s Chicken Casserole is the ultimate comfort food. [Read more…]

Crock Pot Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak is to the South like “Eh” is to Canadians (okay, I’ve never been to Canada, but Barry has and I think the analogy works). You cannot separate them. And buddy, does this family love Chicken Fried Steak. Yummo! So, I wanted to make some in the Crock Pot. They turned out fabulous but the next time I’ll do them a tad bit differently. I made the mistakes in advance for you. You’re welcome. You’ll need minute steak (also known as cube steak), flour, salt, ground mustard, garlic powder, oil, cream of chicken soup, and water. You could serve this dish over mashed potatoes or rice. We just had mashed potatoes on the side. I like to dip stuff. Yeah, it’s a disease. [Read more…]

Homemade Mayonnaise

I’m going to be honest with you. I hate mayo. It makes me want to gag. BLECH! In the words of Annie – Sheweeeeeeeeeeeeee! But, Barry likes mayo so I use to buy it for him. I also use it in recipes. Yes, I can tolerate it in stuff but you’ll not find me putting it on my sandwich plain….it must be mixed in something. But, now that I’ve switched to homemade, my tastes might change as it does with a lot of homemade items. This is SO easy you’ll wonder why you haven’t always been doing it. I just love making stuff at home. It makes me feel so…..so……homey. Not be confused with A HOMEY. I’m not that cool.

You’ll need eggs, OLIVE OIL, cider vinegar, yellow mustard, sugar, and salt. Olive oil is one of the very best oils for you. I know, I read stuff. I’m starting to go through a lot of it so now I buy it in a gallon jug. [Read more…]

Homemade Greek Yogurt

Annie can kick back the yogurt. Seriously. Applesauce and yogurt are her two favorite foods. If she even sees it on the counter, you’re a goner. If you had plans for that yogurt in a recipe, you’re outta luck. I’m going to have to start hiding yogurt in a paper bag like it’s liquor or something. And she really, REALLY likes Greek yogurt – but I DIDN’T……have you noticed that it’s a lot more expensive than regular yogurt? But following the fashion of most of my kitchen capers, I decided I would save money and make it myself (also going to show y’all how to make your own yogurt here in a week or so). It’s really very easy and will save you money that you can use at yard sales.

You’ll need cheesecloth and yogurt. That’s it. Are you surprised? You should know by now that I’m really not into difficult stuff. You can buy cheesecloth just about anywhere. It’s easy to find at fabric stores – mine is from Hancock Fabrics. You can use plain yogurt or flavored yogurt. Our family favorite happens to be plain ole vanilla…..and I’m a Dannon fan. [Read more…]

Meatless Monday

I’ll just tell you right now, I am NOT a vegetarian. I love meat. Some days, I can’t think of anything else in the world that would taste better than a hamburger. My daddy is a cattle farmer, so it would probably break his heart if I swore off meat. Yes, I know there are some of you out there who can live without it…..but I’m not one of you. Sorry. You stand alone. You and I can meet over a piece of chocolate cake. So, you might wonder why Barry and I go meatless on Mondays. Well, we do it on Mondays partly because it’s a national movement, but I’m going to get serious here for a minute. We do it on Monday because………….I like alliteration and I just like how it sounds. Meatless Monday. Meatless Monday. See? It totally works. Just like Fishy Friday. On Friday I used to always serve fish – until Annie came along and now most fish makes me want to be sick. Not sure why. Hope it’s a phase that passes. I still serve fish on Friday when I can stomach it.

Ya know, I don’t want you to think I’m this big environmental activist who is going meatless on Monday to save all the cows. Nope, not it at all. I do it because it’s cheaper. Big shock, right? Leaving meat out of one meal per week can save you about $20 a month. Think about how much you can do with $20! Well, me anyway – I can do a lot with 20 bucks. Depending on what type of meat you’re cutting out, it could be more than that. I know that I use reusable bags, make my own laundry detergent, use cloth diapers, dry my diapers in the sun, and use my bread bags over again…….but it’s not the environment that’s my main concern. (God calls us to take care of His earth, so act responsible, okay? If everyone would do that, there wouldn’t be an issue.). There are two reasons for all those things: 1. It’s better for my family. 2. It’s cheaper. There ya go. [Read more…]

Meatloaf in a Mug

See this plate? It was ready in 15 minutes. Ok, so my mom had already made the sweet potato casserole, but that doesn’t count. The veggies and the meatloaf were ready in less than 15 minutes. Wait! Doesn’t meatloaf normally take an hour? Who wants to wait an hour for a delicious hunk of meat? Add some ketchup and I definitely don’t want to wait! This meatloaf is made in a mug….in your microwave……in about ten minutes. Are you shocked? If you want a fast dinner, just go to your microwave. What did we do before the microwave? Gosh. I don’t want to think about it. It was the dark ages. Scary! Take away everyone’s microwave and we’d all pretty much be up a creek without a paddle. Sorry – I didn’t mean to interject that nightmare into your life. Don’t go to bed in the next few minutes. Let’s make meatloaf instead – in 15 minutes! [Read more…]

Deceptively Delicious – Turkey Chili

The second recipe I’m showcasing from the cookbook Deceptively Delicious is Turkey Chili. Please don’t run screaming from the room. I realize that a lot of people think that ground turkey is really gross – we are not among them. I use ground turkey a lot in our house…..especially when I find it marked down. My friend Kim will NOT use ground turkey because she tried it once and her family had nightmares for months. I keep telling her it was a loooooooooooooong time ago and she should try it again. Ground turkey has come a long way. It’s a great substitute for beef and pretty healthy to boot! However, if ground turkey makes you gag and fall down on the floor and have convulsions, then you can substitute ground beef. The verdict for this recipe? Not bad. I liked the finely chopped vegetables and the addition of cornmeal. Now ,it’s not the BEST recipe for chili I’ve ever had, but it’s great for sneaking in vegetables and getting your kids to eat healthy. Even my mom liked it and she’s really picky about her chili. So, let’s be sneaky shall we? [Read more…]