Cracker Candy

This sounds strange but it is so delicious. Much like a heath or score candy bar.

Saltine Toffee Chocolate Cracker Candy

30 or 40 saltine crackers

1 c. butter (NO substitute)

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. milk chocolate chips

Bits of toffee(optional)

Arrange saltine crackers on foil on a jelly roll pan. (Line it with aluminum foil)

Melt butter and brown sugar in pan and boil 3 minutes.

Pour over crackers.

Bake for 5 minutes in preheated oven at 325 degrees.Pour chocolate chips over and let stand 5 minutes to melt.

Spread around with knife.

Sprinkle with Bits of toffee.

Place in refrigerator until hard.

Break up into bite-size pieces.YUMM!

Pumpkin Seeds

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

One medium sized pumpkin
Salt
Olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut open the pumpkin and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds.

2. In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a half tablespoon of salt for every cup of water (more if you like your seeds saltier). Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.

3. Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer. Bake on the top rack until the seeds begin to brown, 10-20 minutes. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way down before eating.

Silken Chocolate Tofu Pie

Silken Chocolate Tofu Pie

Ingredients

1 block silken tofu
1 regular size bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup strongly brewed black coffee
1-2 tablespoon vanilla flavoring
graham cracker pie crust
fresh raspberries (optional)

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave or on stovetop.

2. Blend together: tofu, chocolate chips, coffee, and vanilla.

3. Pour into graham cracker crust and chill 1-2 hours in the freezer, or 4 or more hours in the refrigerator.

4. Garnish with fresh raspberries when serving.

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 15 minutes plus 2 hours chilling

Black Bean Burgers

This one might be a little too spicy for the younginsbut i just leave out the hot stuff and they love um. INGREDIENTS:
* 1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
* 1/2 onion, cut into wedges
* 3 cloves garlic, peeled
* 1 egg (ex-large)
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 tablespoon cumin
* 1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce
* 1/2 cup bread crumbs OR crushed crackers work even better to stick the beans together.

DIRECTIONS:1. If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and lightly oil a baking sheet.2. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.3. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.4. In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.5. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.6. If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

Rosemary Homemade Bread (just like Macaroni Grills)

~Rosemary Bread~

I am eating this bread RIGHT now as i type this and its so amazing i had to run right here to post the recipe for you! You will LOVE it and the best thing about it is how easy it is to make. The bread machine does all the work. :) Not the healthiest bread but darn yummy!!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS
Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select white bread cycle; press Start.

~Fat Burning Soup~

INGREDIENTS:

2 large carrots, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid

1/2 large head of cabbage, chopped

1/2 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix

1/2 (15 ounce) can cut green beans, drained

1 quarts tomato juice

1 green bell peppers, diced

5 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 (14 ounce) can vegetable broth

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place carrots, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, peppers, and celery in a large pot or crockpot.

2.Add onion soup mix, tomato juice, beef broth, and enough water to cover vegetables. Simmer until vegetables are tender.

May be stored in the refrigerator for several days.You can add potatoes, if you need more of hearty meal, but know that it won't be as low-fat. : )

~ Home Made Cherry Cough Syrup~

Home Made Cherry Cough Syrup

A friend told me her hubby says this works better then codeine. ;) Here is her blog for more information, pics and what each herb does in this wonderful syrup. http://concoctionsandwhatnot.blogspot.com/

Take 2 clean quart jars. In each jar put:

1/2 c. wild cherry bark

1/4 c. mullein

1/4 c. red raspberry leaf

2 T. lobelia

2 T. slippery elm

Stir all the herbs together then pour a little hot water over them to moisten. Then fill one jar with vodka, leaving about 1 inch headroom. Fill the other jar with glycerin. Put the lids tightly on the jars & shake. Store them in a dark place for at least 2 weeks, shaking the jars once daily. After 2 weeks you can strain the herbs out & discard. Store the liquid in a dark jar and take as needed.

A dose is about 1 tablespoon

Sweet Potato Fries

SWEET POTATO FRIES

Here are two different ways to make these yummy and healthy fries. The first one is mine and the kids favourite and the second one is Brian and Kenzie's favorite.

Sweet cinnamon wedges:

3 large sweet potatoes

1 1/2 sticks of butter

cinnamon

brown sugar (optional) I don't use it and they still taste great.

Wash and cut sweet potatoes into wedges

Lay wedges into a glass baking dish in a single layer

cut butter into chunks and lay all around and on top of the wedges

sprinkle cinnamon all over wedges

sprinkle brown sugar across top of wedges

Bake on 400 until very tinder. Turn the wedges once while baking to make sure they get done evenly and are covered in the butter cinnamon mixture.

Cajun Sweet Potato Fries:

3 large sweet potatoes

extra virgin olive oil

cajun seasoning (its a little spicy)

wash and cut potatoes into wedges

Lay in a single layer into a glass baking dish

drizzle EVOO all over the top of the wedges

sprinkle cajun seasoning across tops of wedges

Bake on 400 until tender, turning the wedges once while baking.

~Squash Casserole~

A squash casserole with pecan or bread crumb topping, along with cheese and onion

We loved this yummy side dish.

Ingredients:
2 pounds yellow squash, cut in 3/4-inch cubes
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
water
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup saltine crackers, crumbled
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped, or buttered bread crumbs

Preparation:
Place the squash, onion, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan. Add a small amount of water. Cover and cook the squash until tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary. Drain the squash and onions; return to the pan and stir in the butter. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper to your taste.
Butter a 1 1/2-quart baking dish well. Stir the crumbled crackers into the squash mixture, and turn into the buttered casserole. Pour the milk over the squash and sprinkle with the cheese and chopped pecans or crumbs. Bake at 350°, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the milk is absorbed and the squash casserole is bubbly. Serve hot. Serves 4 to 6.

Vegetable Casserole with Tofu Topping

Vegetable Casserole with Tofu Topping

Makes 6 to 8 (side dish)
Active time:1 hr
Start to finish:1 1/2 hr

Sounds kinda gross? WRONG!! It taste GREAT! My 6yr old didn't like it but my husband, 15yr old and 3yr old did. :) Check your teeth for green after this meal cuz its HEALTHY!!

For Vegetables

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 lb cabbage, cored and cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices (4 cups)
1 lb kale, stems and center ribs removed and leaves coarsely chopped (12 cups)
1/2 lb carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt


For Topping
1 1/2 cups fine fresh or dried bread crumbs, preferably whole wheat
7 oz firm tofu
1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup; see Tips)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon paprika
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt

Sauté vegetables:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat oil in a deep 12- to 14-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and add cabbage, kale, carrots, water, soy sauce, and salt. (Skillet will be full, but volume will reduce as vegetables steam.) Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish.

Pulse all topping ingredients together in a food processor until combined well. Alternatively, mash ingredients together in a large bowl with a potato masher. Sprinkle tofu mixture over vegetables in baking dish and bake, uncovered, until topping is golden brown and vegetables are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.
Recipe by Ian Knauer...whoever the heck that is. ;)

~Stuffed Peppers~

STUFFED PEPPERS

These are so much better then they sound. I couldnt believe how yummy they were and they are so healthy too.

Salt
8 medium red, yellow, or orange bell peppers but i used green anyway cuz im bad like that...
1/2 –inch trimmed off tops, stemmed, and seeded
1 cup long-grain white rice but i used brown, uncooked
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 14.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup frozen or fresh corn (if frozen, make sure to thaw)
1 cup 2% shredded cheddar or pepper Jack cheese
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
Fresh ground black pepper

1) Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat your oven to 350F.
2) Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and bell peppers, and cook for three minutes. Remove peppers from water, drain, and place cut-side-up on paper towels. Bring water back up to a boil, and add rice. Cook for 13 minutes, stirring occasionally, then drain and add to a large mixing bowl.
3) Meanwhile, in a large, nonstick saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeno, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Onion should be soft at end.) Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, until just fragrant. Add black beans, tomatoes, and corn, and heat through, 2 minutes. When finished, pour mixture into the bowl with the rice.
4) Add cheese, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste to the bowl. Mix throroughly.5) Carefully and loosely stuff each pepper until filling is even or slightly over the top of the rim. Place peppers cut-side up in a baking dish (not too crowded together), and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until filling is hot.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price Per Serving320 calories, 4.7 g fat, 6.6 g fiber, $1.57

~Turkey Chili~

VERY healthy chili with lots of fiber and very low in fat

1 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 1-1/2 lbs leftover turkey, cut into ½” chunks OR use ground turkey or ground chicken
21 oz diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can kidney beans, liquid included
1 14 oz can black beans, liquid included
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
1-1/2 T chili powder
2 t cumin
dash cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

1) Over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft.
2) Add the turkey and cook just long enough so it’s warm.
3) Add the tomatoes, beans, oregano, basil, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, Stir.
4) Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45-50 minutes.
5) Remove cover and let liquid reduce for 15-20 minutes.
6) If necessary, season to taste.
Serve with grated cheddar, sour cream and corn chips if you are feeling saucy. ;)

Frosty Lemon-Strawberry Dessert

Frosty Lemon-Strawberry Dessert

This was so delicious and refreshing.

1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened

1can (12 ounce) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

2tsp grated lemon peel

Place strawberries in a food processor; cover and process until pureed. Transfer to a large mixing bowl; add the ice cream, lemonade concentrate and lemon peel. Beat until blended.

Pour into an ungreased 13-in. x 2-in. dish. Cover and freeze overnight. Remove from the freezer 15 min before serving.

Yield: 12 servings

Egg White Bites

~Egg White Bites~

ready in 15min. Makes 8 servings

Nonstick cooking spray

8 fresh eggs, separated

2 plum tomatoes, chopped, seeded and drained

pinch dried basil

Preheat oven to 350

Prepare a muffin pan with cooking spray.

Drop 1 egg white into each of the muffin cups.

Place 1tsp of chopped tomato on each egg white and sprinkle with basil.

Place on center of rack and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until reaches desired doneness.

A great snack to refuel your muscles after a workout!!

Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Chicken with sun-dried tomatoes

ready is 4 to 6 hours. makes 4 servings

2oz sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)

1lrg onion

8oz whole baby carrots

3 stalks celery, sliced

1tsp dried thyme

1/4tsp salt

1/8tsp black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup fat-free chicken broth

2 cups cooked brown rice

1. Slice sun-dried tomatoes and place in the bottom of a slow cooker alone with the onion, carrots, celery and seasonings.

2.Place chicken breast on top of the veggies and pour the chicken broth on top over the top.

3.Cover slow cooker and cook on low or med for 4 to 6 hours or until chicken is no longer pink and carrots are tender. Serve with the rice.

Crust-less Pumpkin Pie

Crust-less Pumpkin Pie

This dessert lets you have all the flavor of pumpkin pie without any of the negative nutritional impact. Who needs crust, anyway?

ready in 1 hour. Makes 4 servings

1 package silken tofu

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 1oz box sugar free, fat free vanilla instant pudding mix

1tsp pumpkin pie spice

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and blend until smooth. Refrigerate before serving.

Nutrients per serving: calories:90, total fat:3g, sat fat:0g, trans fat:0g, sodium:263mg, total carbohydrates:12g, dietary fiber:2g, sugars:2g, protein:4g, iron:0.5mg

Broccoli Cheese Cornbread

Broccoli Cheese Cornbread



When i made this cornbread i halved the recipe to just make one pan. This cornbread is so good though that you may want to make the whole batch. :D



4 eggs, beaten

2 sticks of melted butter

1 med onion, chopped

1 12oz carton of cottage cheese

1 pkg chopped broccoli, thawed

1 handful of shredded cheddar cheese

2 boxes jiffy cornmeal mix



Take a 12-inch cast iron skillet and grease it with oil. Preheat skillet to 350

Mix the eggs, melted butter, onion, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, and broccoli in a bowl. Add jiffy mix and stir until blended. Pour the mixture into the greased skillet. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour.

Cut and serve

Oatmeal Raisin cookies with banana and zucchini

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Prep: 20 min....Total:35 min.....makes 2 dozen cookies

Nonstick cooking spray (i use the olive oil kind for better health)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup old fashioned oats

1tsp baking soda

1/2tsp salt

1/4tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

6TBS trans-fat-free soft tub butter (smart balance)

1/2 cup banana puree

1/2 cup zucchini puree

1lrg egg white

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Coat two baking sheets with cooking spray or line with cooking parchment.

2. In a bowl or zipper-lock bag, combine the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and shake or stir to mix.

3. In a large bowl beat the sugar and butter with a wooden spoon until just combined; do not over mix. Add the banana and zucchini purees and egg white. Then stir just to blend. DO NOT use an electric mixer or it will make cookies tough. Add the flour mixture, raisins, and walnuts, if using and stir to combine.

4.Drop the dough by heaping heaping tablespoonful onto baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch in between. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 min. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 4 to 5 min, just until they are firm enough to handle, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Banana Pudding Pie with hidden fruits and veggie

Banana Pudding Pie

(with cantaloupe and yellow squash)



Prep time:20 min .....Total 75 min (3hr refrigerated) ......serves 8



2(3-OZ) pks instant banana pudding mix

1/2 cup cantaloupe puree

1 cup banana puree (mushed up over ripe bananas work well)

1/2 cup yellow squash puree

1/4 cup water

1 large banana, thinly sliced plus one more sliced for garnish

1(9inch) store-bought graham cracker crust (Arrowhead mills makes a healthy version)

1/2 pint fresh raspberries



1. In a large bowl combine the pudding mix, cantaloupe , banana and squash purees and add water. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.



2. Spread the banana slices in a single layer over the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the pudding mixture over the bananas and smooth top. Cover and chill until firm, about 3 hours, or freeze 1 1/12 hours.



3. Just before serving, decorate with raspberries and banana slices. :)

Homemade Pink Pancakes with beet

Pink pancakes





First you will need to steam some beets and after they cool, you puree them in a food processor or get a can of beets and puree it in a blender if you want it to be faster. Don't get beets with vinegar added. :) You will need 1/4 cup of the puree and you can freeze the rest for later.






These pancakes are very healthy and a full protein meal.





Dry Ingredients





1/2 cup whole wheat flour


1/2 cup white four


1tsp baking soda or powder


1/4tsp of salt








Wet Ingredients





2TBS butter


1 egg


1 cup milk or buttermilk


2TBS maple syrup ( i didn't use any)








Ingredients to add later





1/2 cup of ricotta cheese


1/4 cup of beet puree


1tsp pure vanilla


1/2 tsp of cinnamon


Fresh or thawed frozen raspberries








Take the dry ingredients and mix them all together.





Melt the 2TBS butter in a pan or microwave and mix it with the wet ingredients.





Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until there are no lumps.





Add the beet puree, ricotta cheese, cinnamon and vanilla to the mixture. If it seems to runny then you can add a little more flour to make it like normal pancake batter.





Now using 1 tab of butter in your skillet, pour the batter in small amounts into the skillet. Once the tops bubble, slip the spatula under them and flip. Use more butter each time you add another pancake to the skillet.





After each pancake is done, put it on a plate and cover to keep warm. When all pancakes are finished cooking, add a dusting of powdered sugar if you like and sprinkle with the raspberries. They are delicious and melt in your mouth. I like mine with just butter, but honey or pancake syrup is yummy also. :)

GOOT: topical meds for healing colds, flu and skin ailments.

How to Fight Colds and Flu with Garlic Based GOOT

Garlic gives GOOT its healing power

Garlic has long been touted the king of natural healers. In the home remedy GOOT, garlic is used, along with coconut oil and olive oil to make a healing salve. This all natural salve has been used successfully to fight colds and flu. Each ingredient has the ability to fight infection. Together this trio creates a synergy that makes the powerhouse of germ fighting, healing GOOT.



Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
3 TBSP coconut oil (heated enough to melt it)
3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
3 TBSP minced garlic (about 3 to 4 good sized cloves)
Small blender or coffee grinder
small lidded jar for storage

Step1 Blend warm but NOT hot coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic in the blender or coffee grinder OR just crush and chop the garlic.

Step2 Strain this blended mixture into a small jar to remove any of the bigger pieces of garlic that didn't get blended in. Place a clean lid on the jar.

Step3 Place the jar of GOOT in the refrigerator and in about an hour it will be solid like a salve. Keep this refrigerated until ready to use.

Step4 Rub the GOOT onto the bottoms of the feet of the person who is sick. Put socks on the feet to keep the salve from rubbing off on furniture or carpet. Rub the GOOT onto the chest of a person who is coughing. Keep warm clothes over the area that has the GOOT on it. Rub the GOOT onto the neck of a person who has a sore throat or strep.

Step5 Continue using the GOOT until the person reports feeling better or is no longer displaying symptoms of cold or flu. People have reported feeling some relief from cold and flu symptoms after the first use of GOOT.

GOOT can also be used for rashes, stings, burns, bites, earaches, hemorrhoids, yeast infections and just about anything you can think of that calls for medicine. Its safe and works wonders. You can put it anywhere and i do mean ANYWHERE on your body. :)

TIPS:

You may want a second person to help you put socks on children after you slather goot on their feet. The GOOT turns to liquid when it touches skin and can be messy.

GOOT should be labeled and tossed after 2 weeks. Keep in fridge.

Breakfast Quiches to GO

Breakfast Quiches to Go
"All the great flavors of quiche are combined in a hand-held crescent cup."

PREP TIME
25 Min
READY IN
45 Min
Original recipe yield 16 appetizers


INGREDIENTS
2 (8 ounce) cans Pillsbury refrigerated garlic butter crescent dinner rolls
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 Eggland's Best eggs
1 small onion, chopped
1 (9 ounce) box Green Giant frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese


DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 16 (2 3/4x1 1/4-inch) muffin cups with CRISCO Original No-Stick Cooking Spray.
Separate each can of crescent dough into 8 triangles. Press 1 triangle on bottom and up side of each muffin cup.
In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in onion, spinach, salt and pepper until well mixed. Fold in cheese. Fill each cup to the top with egg mixture (do not overfill).
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and edges of rolls are golden brown. Remove from pan. Serve warm.

Summer salad

Summer Salad

INGREDIENTS

spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
sliced strawberries
warm morning star grilled chicken strips (or use real chicken if you wish )
soy nuts or almonds
dried cranberries, raisins or both ( i like cranberries best)
Ranch dressing or a vinaigrette one would also be good.


Toss all ingredients together and pour on dressing.

Valentines day week menu :)

So, we had a wonderful weekend again....kinda. Brian was in a mood Saturday so it wasn't as much fun as it could have been but it was still nice to get out. We went to Target and to eat at Calhouns. My stomach had been hurting really bad that day and the day before so i just had a southern style chicken salad. The kids ate great and after we left we had to run by the hospital to see my little nephew who had broken out in hives. He was so itchy. It was sad. :( After that we had to go get groceries.

Today we went to get the kids their valentines presents (they weren't with us) and we found out my cousin was close to us so we snuck up on her and surprised her. We hung out with her and her hubby for a while and then we had to go get our stuff for the kids. Then we came home and grilled out on the grill. The kids have their valentines day party tomorrow so i had to get stuff ready for it. :) I will post a picture of Cobi all dressed up in her Valentines day clothes when i get one.

Sunday- Salmon on the grill and a HUGE salad

Monday- Taco's with meatless ground and corn on the cob

Tuesday- Potato Broccoli and cheese soup

Wednesday- Veggie Omelette's with cheese and fried potatoes and onions

Thursday- Black Bean Burgers on wheat buns and baked potato fried

Friday- Pizza

Saturday-HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!! heart shaped meatloaf, pink mashed potatoes and creamed corn......for dessert its chocolate fondue with fresh strawberries and the kids will make yummy heart shaped cookies and drink pink milk. :)

yummy sugar body and face scrub

This scrub will exfoliate your body and face without breaking you out. It feels amazing and smells delicious!

You will need:

Sugar (white or course brown....you can also mix the two)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Your choice of essential oil: The sky is the limit but here are a few that i have tried.

Lavender- The health benefits of lavender oil for the skin can be attributed to its antiseptic and anti fungal properties. It is used to treat various skin disorders such as acne, wrinkles, psoriasis, and other inflammations. It heals wounds, cuts, burns, and sunburns rapidly as it aids in the formation of scar tissues. Lavender oil is added to chamomile to treat eczema. Its very relaxing and known to help people sleep.

Peppermint-Peppermint oil contains Menthol, which is good for skin. It gives a cooling effect. Further it nourishes dull skin and improves oily skin. Like most other essential oils, peppermint is able to provide relief from stress, depression and mental exhaustion due to its refreshing nature. It is also effective against anxiety and restlessness.

Tea Tree Oil- acne, athlete's foot, blisters, burns, cold sores, dandruff,herpes, insect bites, oily skin, rashes (nappy rash), spots, verrucae, warts,wounds.


Lemon oil- balances overactive sebaceous glands that lead to oily or blemished skin, helps clear acne and controls oily hair and dandruff. It revitalizes underactive and mature skin and helps with cellulite by improving circulation and encouraging the elimination of wastes. Lemon oil encourages the exfoliation of dead skin and enlivens the complexion.Lemon oil is cooling, refreshing and uplifting. It encourages clarity, concentration and recall. It can calm or prevent emotional outbursts. It fights depression, eases fear, strengthens resolve and assists in communication and decision-making.

Orange oil-restores balance to dry or oily skin. It maintains healthy youthful skin by promoting the production of collagen.
. It reduces puffiness and discourages dry wrinkled skin. Orange oil stimulates circulation to the skin surface and softens rough skin. It also clears blemishes and improves acne-prone skin. It tends to increase perspiration, thus assisting the release of toxins from dull or blemished skin. Orange stimulates the circulation of lymphatic fluids and helps relieve tissue swelling and fluid retention. It improves cellulite, which is sometimes called orange-peel skin.

Take 1/2 cups of sugar and pour into a small jar with a lid. Pour EVOO into the jar until it covers the sugar. I usually pour close to a cup of the oil on top of the sugar. Then choose which ess oil you want to use and shake about 4 drops into the sugar/oil mixture. Then stir or shake until mixed well. You can add as little or as much of the ess oil as you like.

For a face scrub i like the lavender or tea tree oil and i just scrub softy all over my face and wash off with warm water.

For a body scrub i love how the peppermint makes me feel all tingly and wakes me up. I use it in the shower and just scrub as hard as i want. It feels so good on itchy skin. :) Then i wash it off but still feel so soft. I leave it in the shower or on the sink and it last for a long time. EVOO has been known to spoil though so toss out if it smells funny or looks different after a few weeks. Mine has never gone bad though so i wouldn't worry to much about it.

Harmful Chemicals in our products

As most of you know, I'm into natural skin care because i know the big secret about all the harsh chemicals that go into store bought products. Take a look around your bathroom.

"The average North American woman uses 10 or more personal care products every
day. From toothpaste and soap to antiperspirant and moisturizer, personal care
products are made from 10,500 chemical ingredients. like most things that happen
before a mug of morning coffee, it’s easy not to think about them too
much.
But researchers and women’s health activists are sounding the alarm
bell about the makeup of makeup. Women and girls are particularly susceptible to
exposure to certain chemicals that mimic hormone activity. Because our bodies
have a greater percentage of fat in comparison to men, chemicals that are
fat-soluble are more easily absorbed. Breast tissue is one such site where
chemicals can accumulate.
“As more and more women are diagnosed with cancer,
we have to question, where is this all coming from?” posits Carol Secter, a
board member of Breast Cancer Action Montreal. With an emphasis on breast cancer
prevention, Secter’s group is part of a North America-wide movement to have
harmful chemicals banned from personal care and household products."

The European Union, driven by consumers' concerns, has banned or heavily restricted hundreds of toxic substances in recent years yet we in the USA still use those products. Its so dangerous to our health. Lotion, shampoo, makeup and lots of other things seep into your skin and go into your blood stream. They are killing us but many people still don't know this and continue to use them. I cant say that in don't ever use some of these products but I'm trying to cut back as much as possible. I want to share some ways of doing that with you too. I will give you some ideas on how to save money and save your health by making your own products. I have already posted my home made laundry detergent, and all purpose cleaner. Its so much cheaper to make these then to buy them and they work just as well as store bought stuff but without the chemicals.

Gingerbread Spice Cake

Gingerbread spice cake

(with broccoli and carrot)

This cake is SOFT and yummy. You would never know there is hidden veggies in it.

Nonstick cooking spray

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1tsp baking soda

1tsp ground ginger

1tsp cinnamon

1/4tsp ground cloves

1/4tsp allspice

1/4tsp salt

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive or coconut oil

1 LRG egg

1 Cup broccoli puree

1/2 cup carrot puree

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/4 cup molasses (i never used this because i didn't have any and it turned out fine)

2tsp pure vanilla extract

1TBS grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 375 and coat a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a bowl, mix the flours with the baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil, and egg until smooth. Beat in the vegetable purees, yogurt, molasses, vanilla, and orange zest. Add the flour mixture and mix until smooth.

Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake, 45 min to 50 min. Cool 5 min in the pan before turning the cake out onto a rack to cool completely.

Menu time again

We had a really nice weekend. It was time for us to buy a new mattress because ours was sinking in the middle and killing my back. Every morning i would wake up hurting and it was hard to sleep because it woke me up so many times. Me and Brian left the kids with K and went to pick out a nice one. We had to compromise because he doesn't like it to soft and after sleeping on a rock for 10 years i wanted a soft one. We found one we both love and when we took ours off the bed we could NOT believe how hard that thing was. We had put an egg shell pad thing on it to help it not be so hard but it didn't help much. Anyway, it was so hard we just laughed at it. Then we saw how bad it was sinking in the middle and i realized what that had been doing to our back. I cant believe how much this new mattress has made such a difference in my sleep. I have woken up the past two mornings with no back problems and feeling great. :)

Yesterday me and Brian took M out to have breakfast. K didn't want to go so she stayed home and kept C. They had some sister time and K made a tea party and watched a movie with C. Me and Brian took the baby and got groceries and then ran around after we dropped them off at home. R was a doll. She was so good and sweet. Everyone kept smiling at her and she kept telling me she loved me over and over. Then she would say...Your my baby Neika. LOL!! Im your baby and you my baby...i love you Neika. I said stop calling me that...I'm mommy to you. ROTFL! She is to sweet. I had some Christmas money from my grandmother and i bought myself a pretty blouse and skirt. I haven't had a skirt since having R so it was about time. I love it! I am so blessed to have a husband i can call my best friend and have more fun with then anyone in the world. I love him so much. It was just the BEST weekend and last night we laid in bed on our new soft mattress and watched a movie snuggled together. God is so good to us.

Monday- Cabbage FAT burning soup :) I will also make some home made bread with kefir and coconut oil to go with the soup.

I will have to take the kids to school and pick them up from now on so that's a lot of being in the car...i figure this soup will be best for today because i can just have it cooking in the crockpot all day.

Tuesday- butter bean burgers on wheat buns.

I will be cleaning all day and doing school with the kids

Wednesday- salmon on the grill with baked potatoes and peas and carrots.

Today me and Erica have a lunch date. YAYYY!

Thursday- pumpkin french toast and cheese eggs

I have mops so i get to go out for a few hours with no children. That's always nice. :)

Friday- bean burritos and movie night :)

I'm excited because we are going to watch a movie i have been wanting to see and its always nice to spend time with my family.

All Purpose Cleaner

White Vinegar
Mildly acidic white vinegar dissolves dirt, soap scum, and hard water deposits from smooth surfaces, yet is gentle enough to use in solution to clean hardwood flooring.
White vinegar is a natural deodorizer, absorbing odors instead of covering them up. (And no, your bathroom won't smell like a salad! Any vinegar aroma disappears when dry.) With no coloring agents, white vinegar won't stain grout on tiled surfaces. Because it cuts detergent residue, white vinegar makes a great fabric softener substitute for families with sensitive skin.

Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE)

Natural Disinfectant
Besides it's multiple uses within the human body, GSE has many more applications. Tests at the University of Georgia, confirmed by labs and clinics around the world, have shown that it is a first class disinfectant. Not only does it kill germs effectively, but unlike most disinfectants, it has virtually no toxicity, making it far safer to use.
Already it is being used by hospitals in America.
At home it can safely be used to wash fruit and salad vegetables, to clean chopping boards, and to sterilise food utensils (or your toothbrush) when needed.

Cinnamon oil

kills germs and gives this cleaner a wonderful clean smell.

Homemade Spray Cleaner Recipe

Mix in a sprayer bottle:

1 cup white vinegar

1 or 2 cups water (whatever fits your bottle)

10 -15 drops of GSE

5 drops of cinnamon ess oil (or more if you like a strong smell)

In the kitchen, use vinegar-and-water spray to clean counter tops, lightly soiled range surfaces and back splash areas.
In the bathroom, use vinegar spray cleaner to clean counter tops, floors, and exterior surfaces of the toilet.
For really tough bathroom surfaces such as shower walls, pump up the cleaning power by removing the sprayer element and heating the solution in the microwave until barely hot. Spray shower walls with the warmed generously, allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes, then scrub and rinse. The heat helps soften stubborn soap scum and loosens hard water deposits.

Chicken Stew

CHICKEN STEW

I just found this recipe again. I had lost it and we used to make it all the time. Its so yummy!!

Prep time: 12 minutes

3 Med potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups baby-cut carrots

1 package (8 ounces) fresh whole mushrooms,cut in half

12 boneless, skinless organic chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 med chopped onion

3 cloves, chopped garlic

1 TBS tomato paste

1 jar (15 ounces) roasted chicken gravy

1/2 cup of dry white wine or water

Toss potatoes, carrots and mushrooms in 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker.

Arrange chicken on top.

Add salt, onion and garlic.

Stir the tomato paste into jar of gravy.

pour gravy mixture and wine or water all over.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until veggies are tender.

Crock-Pot Potatoes

Crock-Pot Potatoes

1 large bag frozen hashbrown potatoes (we like the southern style, cuz they aren't stringy)

2 cans cream of chicken

8 oz sour cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

-Mix everything together in a crock pot, cook on high for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Muscle Rub

This is a muscle rub that really works. It gets a little hot but that's great for pulled muscles or helping with kinks in your neck. You get a great rub but without all the harsh chemicals you would find in store bought rubs.

Put 8TBS cayenne pepper, 4TBS ginger root and 4TBS mustard powder into a mason jar. Pour 16oz of wintergreen alcohol on top of that and shake it up really good. Let it sit for two weeks. Strain out the herbs and spices and then add 6oz of menthol crystals. (You don't have to add all 6oz if you don't want. You could try 3 and see if that works well enough because it is pretty warm anyway.) If you have trouble getting the crystals to dissolve you can set the jar in a warm place and that should do the trick. :)

You can get the wintergreen alcohol at walmart. Its very cheap. The herbs you can get at a health food store like wild oats or buy offline in bulk. You can get the menthol crystals from Mountain rose herbs or check around and you may be able to find them somewhere around where you live. They are the most expensive ingredient but a little goes a LONG way.

Ginger Crinkles

Ginger Crinkles

These are really healthy and yummm!!

2 1/4 cups flour (i like King Arthur unbleached)

2 tsp baking soda

1tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2tsp ground cloves

1/4tsp sea salt

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cups coconut oil melted

1/4 cup dark molasses

1 large egg

raw sugar for rolling balls in

preheat oven to 400

Combine egg, brown sugar and molasses and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add coconut oil and continue mixing until all of the oil is incorporated into the first mixture.

Sift together flour, baking soda, spices and salt and then add to liquid mixture. Mix on low-medium speed until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated and it forms a smooth oily dough. Make walnut sized balls of dough and drop them into a bowl of raw sugar and roll around until coated on all sides. I use a #40 disher to make uniform balls of dough and to speed of this process. Using this disher a single batch produces 24 cookies.

Bake about 2 inches apart on parchment paper for about 10 minutes or until cookies puff up and split apart on top. After removing from oven, slide parchment paper from cookie sheet onto a cooking rack and allow cookies to cool before removing them.

Jacobi's birthday

We have had a pretty hard week because Cobi got sick before her birthday. It started with her saying one of her ears hurt so i made up some garlic/EVOO and put it in her ear. After an hour she said it didn't hurt anymore but i noticed she still didn't seem to be able to hear well. That's when i should have given her garlic/ginger tea but i only did that once and because she didn't have a cold and her ear didn't seem to hurt i got busy and didn't give her anymore. I noticed she started getting a cough pretty bad at night after that but the cough meds we always use were making her stay up all night on a high. UGGG!! She also got a fever. I prayed that she would be well by her birthday which was just a few days away. The day before her birthday she was doing great....no fever, still coughing at night but not in the day and her ear still didn't hurt but she couldn't seem to hear us unless we yelled or stood right beside her. I was worried about that.

The day of her birthday came and she was feeling great. We went with my mom, stepdad and best friend cousin to eat at Macaroni grill. Then we went to Chuck E cheese to play, eat cake and open presents. Cobi still felt great but she went into the tunnels and got overheated. That's when she started coughing so hard she threw up. I thought we would have to leave right then but she cooled off, ate cake and opened her presents. She was happy as she could be. By the time we left she was pretty tired and we found that her fever was back. I felt so bad cuz i figured it was because she wasn't ready to have such a big day yet. We got her fever down at home but that night she coughed so badly i was in tears. Me and Brian were up all night with her trying to prop her up, give her anything we could think of to help such as honey, peppermint, children's NyQuil and Vick's. I even did a breathing treatment on her just in case she had asthma. Nothing helped much but she was sleeping through a lot of it. I have no idea how she slept through that terrible coughing but the poor thing was exhausted. We got up super early and took her to the doctor the min the opened.

Believe it or not, Cobi was so excited to go to the doctor. LOL! She was so happy but was so annoyed about the waiting room. She said "This is more complicated then i thought!" Then she knew her doctors name was Carrie and i guess she thought that was odd because he is a man and only heard of women named that so she forgot his name and later asked me and Brian if his name was Sally. We were like WHO??? She said, my doctor...is his name Sally? ROTFL!! Then when he finally came in she was like...FINALLY your here. LOL! She told him he was her friend and kept showing him her new toy puppy she got for her birthday. She also cracked us up asking if the nurse was a nurse, why didn't she have on her hat. She has only seen nurses on tv and they always wear a hat. She looked at the nurse like she was a fake or something. LOL!

The doctor said she had a double ear infection and it was normal for her not to have felt pain. He said everyone is different and some hurt and some don't. He said the ears draining were causing her to cough. He also said she was getting a head cold. He gave me antibiotics for her which make me sad. It goes against what i believe to give her those. I know the garlic/ginger tea would have kicked it out if i had only known from the start. I decided to give them to her though because the infection was so bad i didn't want to mess around with that. This will be the first time she ever had antibiotics in her life. We went and got her some acidophilus to take with the antibiotics that way it will put the healthy bacteria back into her gut. Antibiotics kill all the bad AND the good stuff. It also kills the immune system a little more each time you take them. :( She also got some good cough meds to help her sleep at night. PRAISE the LORD!!!

We got a much better nights sleep (my mom stayed the night to help) and she is doing much much better. Last night she slept through the whole night and whats funny is that she is still asleep at 11 am. She must have been worn out.

Jacobi got a new bed day before yesterday so last night was her first night in it. Its a twin but she has been in a very small bed until now so this bed seems big. Her mattress is so soft and she has drawers under her bed for storage. Brian also went and got her princess sheets and shams to make it pretty for her. We will get her a new princess comforter when they get them back in. I will try to post pics of her in her new bed soon.

Chicken Nuggets

Singing for her supper =D

Home Made Chicken Nuggets
(With spinach, squash or cauliflower)





When i make these nuggets i do two different kinds because my 6yr old wont eat the spinach ones because she See's green. For her i use pureed squash or pureed cauliflower instead. I also always seem to run out of the breadcrumb mixture before I'm done so i have to make more. You may wanna have more bread crumbs on hand just in case this happens to you. Its not fun stopping in the middle to make more.





1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs (i just grind up bread in my food processor instead of buying it)


1/2 cup flaxseed meal (this is cheap and i found it at Kroger by the flour)


1TBS grated Parmesan cheese


1/2 cup paprika


1/2 tsp of garlic powder or better yet use fresh :)


1/2 tsp of onion powder


1 cup of pureed spinach (again my food processor)


1 cup of pureed squash or cauliflower (food processor or blender works great)


1 large egg, lightly beaten


1LB of boneless, skinless organic chicken breast or chicken tenders, rinsed, dried, and cut into small chunks ( I always buy more for my family of 5 because that wouldn't feed us all)


1/2 tsp of sea salt


nonstick cooking spray (i use the olive oil kind)


1TBS olive oil (you may need more)





1 In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, flaxseed meal, parm cheese, paprika, salt,garlic, and onion powder and mix well with your fingers.





2. In a shallow bowl, mix the vegetable puree and the egg (if your doing more then one puree you will need separate bowls and another egg) with a fork and set the bowl next to the breadcrumbs mixture.





3. Dip the chunks into the egg and puree mixture and then toss them in the breadcrumbs until completely coated.





4. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add oil. Place the chicken nuggets in the skillet in a single layer, being careful not to crowd the pan, and cook until crisp and golden on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Then turn and cook until chicken is cooked through, golden brown, and crisp all over, 4 to 5 minutes longer. (cut into peaces to check that its cooked through.)


Serve warm.

Prep: 10 minutes---Total: 20 minutes-----Serves 4