My Little Corner of the World

Tree Down....

2012-01-28T16:32:00.001-05:00

This tree bordering our property fell over into the neighbor's yard last night. Thank God that it didn't land on their house. I'm praying that none of our trees do the same with the current high winds we are experiencing here.

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Crispy Peanut Butter Cups

2012-01-28T16:27:00.001-05:00

I found this recipe on Lauren's Menu . They are very good! I did change the recipe a bit and used reduced fat peanut butter instead of regular peanut butter. With regular peanut butter each is about 2.5 points, I haven't plugged in the recipe at WW yet, but I'm guessing it is a bit less with reduced fat peanut butter. Here's the recipe:

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

2 T unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 cup JIF reduced fat peanut butter

1/2 cup powder sugar

1 t vanilla

3/4 Rice Krispies

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray. Sprinkle about 12-15 chocolate chips in each muffin cup and place in the oven for 3-5 minutes, careful not to burn them. Once they come out set aside.

In your mixer, cream the butter and peanut butter until smooth, about 2 minutes. Then add the powder sugar and the vanilla, mix until combined. Finally add the Rice Krispies and stir to combine.

Add about 1 T of the peanut butter mixture to the tops of the melted chocolate chips. Spray the back of a spoon with non-stick spray and press the peanut butter mixture down on top. Place in the fridge for about an hour. Store covered and in the fridge.

Enjoy!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Sunday Brunch

2012-01-22T17:24:00.006-05:00

I hosted a brunch today for my parents' 41st Anniversary. In the photo above they just opened the gift of a new roaster from us. At Christmas my dad was going on about how they needed a new roaster while doing the dishes, since their 30+ year old one was chipped, so I thought it would be the perfect gift. ;0)

I did a love theme, using hearts and snowflakes. The menu included French Toast Casserole, Egg and Sausage Casserole, Apple Cinnamon Muffins(ww) and Fruit Salad. I had coffee, tea, and juices for beverages as well.

I also decorated the house this weekend for Valentines' Day. I found this printable via Pinterest. I mounted it on red paper and framed it for the buffet area. Of course, I forgot to take pictures of the food!

Thank you for stopping by!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Crescent Chicken Make Over

2012-01-15T15:48:00.003-05:00

Photo from Comfy in the Kitchen

Crescent Chicken has become one of our family favorites. If you visit Comfy in the Kitchen you can view the regular version there. In order to make it a bit healthier, and keep in tune with WW, I "remade" the recipe using low fat/no fat versions of most of the ingredients. Remade it is worth 7 points a roll. I made the recipe serve 6, but actually have 8 rolls, so the points could be a little less.

Crescent Chicken Remake

1 package low-fat refrigerator crescent rolls

2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast

1 cup low fat cheddar cheese

1 can Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can of fat free milk (using soup can)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare soup using milk and set aside. Separate crescent rolls. Spoon chicken and cheese onto each crescent roll and seal to enclose filling. Place in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour soup over rolls. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

~Peace and blessings~

Lisa

Low Fat Chocolate-Chip Cookies

2012-01-15T15:38:00.003-05:00

I started Weight Watchers Online 8 days ago. I have lost 4 lbs. so far. I'm eating better and exercising more than before. I've been on the hunt for "made-over" recipes and have found some great sites. Two of my favorite are http://www.skinnytaste.com/ and http://www.laurensmenu.com/ .

This recipe is from skinnytaste. I only made two changes. I only had whole wheat flour, not whole wheat pastry flour, so I used that. I also used cinnamon applesauce because that is what was on hand as well. The cookies are good. I like that they are crispy outside and chewy inside.

Skinny Low-fat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings:12
• Size: 2 cookies
• Old Points:4 pts
• Points+:5 pts

Calories:170.7
• Fat: 5.0 g
• Protein: 1.4 g
• Carb: 34.5 g
• Fiber:1.4 g
• Sugar:25.4 g

Sodium:113.1 mg

Ingredients:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg white
2 tbsp apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheatoven to 350°.
Linetwo cookie sheets with non-stick silicone baking liners such as
Silpats(I highly recommend for best results) or
lightlyspray cookie sheets with cooking spray.

In a large bowl,
combinethe flour, baking soda and salt and stir to blend. In another bowl,
whiskthe sugars, butter, egg white, applesauce and vanilla together until light and fluffy.

Whiskthe dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions until the batter is very well blended. If the batter looks more “crumbly” than smooth,
addjust a drop of water at a time (ONLY if needed) until it smooths out.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by level spoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets.
Bake 8 - 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven, and let them
stand 5 minutes before removing the cookies from the pans to cool on wire racks.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Scrapbooking Calendar 2012

2012-01-08T17:22:00.004-05:00

I spent this afternoon making my annual scrapbooking calendar. This year I used a kit from Recollection. The theme is devoted...love that for my family!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

General Tso's Chicken

2012-01-08T17:14:00.006-05:00

Yesterday was my first attempt at home cooked Chinese. I made General Tso's Chicken since the entire family will eat it. It's my favorite Chinese dish. Here's the recipe that I found at Tasty Kitchen. There are step-by-step photos here. The only thing I changed was that I substituted dried ginger for the ginger root. I used 1/4 tsp. for the 2 Tbsp. of grated ginger.

General Tso's Chicken

FOR THE CHICKEN:
1-½ teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 whole Large Egg White
¼ cups Plus 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
Canola, Peanut, Or Vegetable Oil For Frying
FOR THE SAUCE:
1 Tablespoon Peanut, Canola Or Vegetable Oil
2 cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced
2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Fresh Ginger Root
1 cup Chicken Broth Or Stock
¼ cups Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 teaspoon Chinese Chile-garlic Sauce
3 Tablespoons Raw (turbinado Or Demerara) Sugar
FOR SERVING:
4 whole Scallions, Thinly Sliced
Steamed Rice
Steamed Broccoli

your chicken:In a mixing bowl, stir together the sesame oil, soy sauce, egg white, and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until a thick slurry forms. It will look gummy but smooth.
Add the chicken pieces and stir until all are evenly coated. At first it may appear that it will not come together but it does!Set chicken aside, covered lightly with plastic wrap, at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Begin the sauce:Add the tablespoon of oil to a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Stir the garlic and ginger into the oil and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining sauce ingredients until smooth. Pour into the garlic and ginger, stirring, until the sauce becomes thick and shiny. Once the sauce thickens, lower heat and keep the saucepan over a low burner partially covered to stay warm.
To fry the chicken:Heat 1/2-inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed, high-sided frying pan or skillet over high heat.
When the oil is shimmering, add one piece of chicken at a time, taking care not to crowd the pan. Cook chicken for 4 minutes on each side, or until deep golden brown and crisp on both sides**.
Transfer the fried chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat the process until you’ve cooked all the chicken.
Then slide all of the fried chicken into the prepared sauce and toss to coat. (If desired, add some steamed broccoli to coat with the sauce also.) Increase the heat to medium, stir and cook just until hot all the way through.
Sprinkle with sliced scallions and serve immediately over white rice.

Enjoy!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

31 Days to Pray for Your Spouse Challenge

2012-01-01T16:08:00.001-05:00

Join me in this challenge praying for your spouse. The e-book is available on Amazon for the Kindle or you can dowload it by visiting the site above.

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T09:41:00.005-05:00

I'm not one to make resolutions. I tend to set goals for myself in the areas of spirituality, family, friends, marriage, self, and home. These reflection questions were posted at (in)courage. I'm going to take some time today to reflect on these questions with my husband. There's also a download at simplemom.net of the questions.

20 Questions for a New Year’s Reflection
1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?
3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?
4. What was an unexpected obstacle?
5. Pick three words to describe 2011.
6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2011 (don’t ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).
7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their 2011 (again, without asking).
8. What were the best books you read this year?
9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?
12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?
13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?
14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?
15. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
16. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?
18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?
19. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?
20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2011 for you.

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

The Christmas Story House

2011-12-29T18:40:00.003-05:00

Digital slideshow made with Smilebox

Here are some photos from our trip to Cleveland to visit the Christmas Story House. We had a nice family day and the guys even got to have wings on the way home at their favorite place...Quaker Steak and Lube.

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T15:00:00.002-05:00

I hope that everyone had a lovely Christmas! I hope Santa was good to everyone too!

We had a nice holiday.

Here's our annual Christmas Eve family photo...this was the best of the bunch. My fat is hidden, my teeth aren't too awful and my double chin isn't taking up the whole picture ...yep, love holiday pictures of myself. I had hoped to get a closer shot, but my brother was struggling with the camera...lol.

The elves brought the kids new jammies on Christmas Eve.

Here's Miss M modeling her new Christmas jammies! She is such a hambone!

H with his gift of the year...an iPod touch.

Miss M with her Barbie camper from Santa. It is by far the hit of Christmas 2011!

Thanks for stopping by!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Snowman Face Cookies

2011-12-18T16:10:00.003-05:00

Miss M's Dance Christmas Party is Tuesday. I agreed to bring in some cookies for the party. Of course, I couldn't just do regular cookies. I found these cuties at BettyCrocker.com and made them today. Here's the recipe:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 container (12 oz) Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
Red string licorice
Assorted candies

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms. On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart.

2. Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

3. Frost and decorate 1 cookie at a time. After spreading frosting on cookie, add licorice for band of earmuffs and candies for ear "covers" and snowman face.

Enjoy!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Cute Teacher Gift Idea

2011-12-18T16:05:00.004-05:00

I saw these on Pinterest from the blog My Sister's Suitcase. I just had to make a few for my colleagues at school. I filled each cup with assorted chocolates (kisses, butterfinger bells and peanut butter cups), and will deliver them on Monday morning with a can of soda. It's going to be an action-packed week in middle school. I hope this helps the week feel a bit less crazy!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Holiday Lights on the Lake 2011

2011-12-18T15:56:00.007-05:00

On Friday evening, we visited Blue Spruce Park's Festival of Lights. The Festival is in it's 20th year. We've been attending annually for about 8 years now. This year's theme is Santa's Tropical Holiday.

Here are Rudolph and his friend in the hot tub.

Our kids on the dock with Santa peeking at them.
I'm still learning how to use this camera!

A view of the lake and light display.

Merry Christmas!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Christmas Tree 2011

2011-12-18T15:50:00.006-05:00

Hunter decorating the tree.

Miss M adding her Precious Moments Little Mermaid to the tree.

Christmas Tree 2011

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Handmade Christmas Cards

2011-12-08T12:54:00.003-05:00

These are a few of the cards I made for the Christmas Card Exchange that I participate in each year. I used the K & Company Die Cut Cardmaking Pad and Elizabeth Brownd Layered Accents for these cards. I think they are coming together nicely...only 15 to go!

~blessings and peace~

Lisa

Visit with Santa and the Festival of Trees

2011-11-28T11:29:00.004-05:00

We went to our township light up night. They had a tree decorating contest. The one above was done in pink and silver. It was beautiful.

This one was done by the Cub Scouts. It was called "All Tied Up" and was decorated with ropes tied in a variety of knots. I love the red, white and blue lights.

Miss M with Santa Claus

Miss M putting her letter to Santa in his mailbox. We will hear back from him by Christmas!

~blessings~

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday 11.28.11

2011-11-28T08:20:00.003-05:00

It's been quite awhile since I've participated in MPM. I'm still menu planning weekly, just haven't had the time to post my menu to the blog. Life is crazy busy, so I don't get as much computer time as I had in the past. Here's the plan:

Sunday~Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Monday~Chicken and Dumplings, Salad

Tuesday~Slow Cooked Beef Tips in Gravy over Egg Noodles, Green Beans

Wednesday~BBQ Pork Stuffed Baked Potatoes (new recipe), Salad

Thursday~Turkey Clubs with Oven Fries

Friday~Dinner Out

Saturday~Ham Pot Pie

Have a great week!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

First Sunday of Advent

2011-11-27T16:50:00.010-05:00

We lit the first candle on our Advent Wreath today. We will light it each night during dinner. I used dollar flameless candles and wrapped them with purple and rose ribbon. It makes it safer for the little ones.

Miss M with our Advent Wreath

We also made an Advent Chain to countdown the days until Christmas. Each link has something special written on it to do each day of Advent. Today's link says: "Light the first candle on the Advent wreath." Here's a printable version of my activities that are written on the links:

Advent Chain

On the sheet with the star it says:

Each evening after prayers are said
Take off one loop and hop in bed.
When only the star is left to shine
Then you will know it's CHRISTMAS time!

I found the printable at Catholic Parenting.

~blessings and peace~

Lisa

Pumpkin Gobs

2011-11-13T14:53:00.003-05:00

Pumpkin Gobs

Cookies
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) sugar cookie mix
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 egg
Filling
2/3 cup marshmallow creme (from 7-oz jar)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix and flour. Add remaining cookie ingredients; stir until stiff dough forms.
2. Onto ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by 36 rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart. Lightly press tops with floured fingertips to flatten slightly.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
4. In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer until light and fluffy. For each whoopie pie, spread about 2 teaspoons of the filling on bottom of 1 cooled cookie. Top with second cookie, bottom side down; gently press together. Store tightly covered in refrigerator. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar just before serving.

Enjoy!

My little Gob Monster!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

The Landscaping continues....

2011-11-06T18:33:00.002-05:00

We now have shrubs and trees planted in the front of the house. These are pics before more dirt was spread and mulch is put in. That will happen this week. You can see before pics here. We were worried that we would not be able to plant, since it is November, but the nursery said it would be fine and we are trusting that they are correct.

Here's a view from the steps...and with my shadow. The tree is a red maple that won't get much larger than it is right now. I think it looks more like a home with the plants...

Another shot, a bit closer. I can't believe this area was covered in snow last Saturday! DH added in the dirt and put in a few landscape lights later today, but it was too dark to take photos.

Thanks for stopping by!
~blessings and peace~

Lisa

Hunter's 13th Birthday

2011-11-06T18:25:00.006-05:00

Happy 13th Birthday to our sweet, intelligent, thoughtful son! We are so very proud of you! You are a blessing to our family and we look forward to the teenage years now upon us!

We celebrated with a small family party for him last night. We had a Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard Ice Cream Cake, Pizza Dip and Chips, and Nachos with Cheese. A good time was had by all...especially the birthday boy who got everything he asked for and more!

~blessings and peace~

Lisa

Give Thanks Calendar

2011-11-01T15:17:00.004-04:00

The idea for this Give Thanks Calendar was posted at Comfy in the Kitchen. I followed the instructions in the post. I used a yard of burlap, 10 pieces of felt in 5 colors, and 3 packs of presto felt. To create my numbers, I made tracers using my cricut. Each night at dinner we'll each take a turn sharing what we are thankful for that day. Then we'll write them on the slip of paper inside each day. I'm planning on keeping the slips so we can look back at them in the coming years. Thank you for stopping by!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T14:47:00.004-04:00

Digital scrapbook generated with Smilebox

We had a spook-tacular Halloween, despite my fight with a stomach bug. We visited the grandparents' houses for trick or treat, ate Mummy Face Pizzas for dinner and then ate Monster Foot cookies for dessert! I had hoped to make some Halloween S'mores using some huge pumpkin marshmallows, but the family filled up on treats instead!

Thank you for stopping by!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

October 29th Nor'easter

2011-10-29T20:27:00.003-04:00

We were hit with a snow storm today...

...it was wet and very heavy. I had tried to take a picture this morning when the trees were heavy with snow, but my camera battery was dead. SIGH!

Winter is arriving early this year. So much for grass and landscaping!

~peace and blessings~
Lisa

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-23T17:16:00.002-04:00

Digital scrapbook customized with Smilebox

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

On the hunt...

2011-10-22T18:12:00.008-04:00

...for a chair for my den. I want to have a place to sit and read, watch tv and correct papers. I am torn between the style I'd like for the room. This chair has been on my radar for months now....

...well this isn't the exact chair. This is the new version of the chair. It's actually much lighter in color with a paisley imprint in the fabric and the legs are a bit chunkier, but you get the idea. The price is reasonable, too. It appeals to my traditional style. The den is traditional too.

I am considering this style chair as well, with an ottoman and NOT in this awful plaid. It was comfy and cozy when I sat in it today (and dd and I both fit!).

Then, there is the EKTORP chair from IKEA. I love te way it looks, especially with the ottoman, but IKEA is about 2 1/2 hours away. I could just have it shipped, but I am worried that it won't be comfortable. I would also purchase the ottoman and get it in a color.

Decisions, Decisions!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Randomness

2011-10-16T18:52:00.003-04:00

My guys were filling in the beds today for our landscaping. It's starting to look like a yard!

The dirt pile is diminishing...love it!

Here's the sidewalk with the dirt filled in on the other side. We're planning on planting some StoryBook Roses in this area.

Just some flowers I bought yesterday...love sunflowers and the bouquet smells so great!

Thanks for stopping by!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Homemade Apple Sauce Recipe

2011-10-16T18:47:00.004-04:00

Homemade Apple Sauce
4 med. cooking apples, pared, quartered & cored
1 c. water
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Heat apples and water over medium heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; heat to boiling. Let cool to room temperature and serve or refrigerate.

Enjoy!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

My Halloween Door Decor

2011-10-16T18:45:00.001-04:00

Welcome ghosts and goblins!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Fall...Before and After

2011-10-16T18:37:00.004-04:00

Some fall photos from the forest behind our house on a sunny, fall day...

...with plenty of leaves still on the trees.

Then...

...the rain and high winds came and the leaves came falling down.

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Caramel-Peanut Butter Bars

2011-10-16T18:31:00.004-04:00

This recipe comes from Betty Crocker. It reminds me of a Snickers bar, with the cookie layer, caramel, peanuts and chocolate. They were a bit time consuming, but well worth it!

Caramel~Peanut Butter Bars

Cookie Base
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
15 miniature chocolate-covered peanut butter cup candies, coarsely chopped

Filling
36 caramels (from 14-oz bag), unwrapped
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup peanuts

Topping
1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy milk chocolate frosting
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms. Stir in candies. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

2.Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat caramels and milk over medium heat, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted. Stir in peanut butter. Heat to boiling. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup peanuts. Spread over warm cookie base. Cool completely, about 2 hours.

3.Spread frosting evenly over filling. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. For bars, cut 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.
Makes 36 bars

Enjoy!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday 10.10.11

2011-10-10T16:23:00.003-04:00

It's been quite some time since I last posted a menu plan. I have been busy with the day-to-day events of life and have less time to spend on the blog now that school is in full swing. Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday~Chicken Cordon Bleu, Mashed Potatoes with Gravy and Green Beans

Monday~Fried Pork Chops, Haluski and Homemade Apple Sauce

Tuesday~Tacos, Salsa Rice and Beans

Wednesday~Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Thursday~Chinese Take Out

Friday~Stromboli

Have a great week!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

October 2nd Snow!

2011-10-02T09:10:00.003-04:00

It's snowing! We're under a snow advisory until 11 am...the joy of living at a higher elevation!

~peace and blessings~
Lisa

Crumb Topped Apple Pie

2011-10-02T08:51:00.003-04:00

My dad sent home with us a large bag of apples from his apple tree. We made a Crumb Topped Apple Pie for yesterday's dessert. First, J and Miss M peeled and cored the apples using our Apple Peeler Corer from Pampered Chef. I love that gadget!

We filled a ready made pie crust (I use Marie Callender's Deep Dish Pie Crusts.) with 5 cups of peeled and sliced apples. I would recommend using a tart apple because the topping is sweet.

Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon for the filling and sprinkle it over the apples in the pie pan.

Next, combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle that over the filling. Be sure to use cold butter in the topping. It will make it crumblier. (Is that even a word?!)

Bake on an aluminum foil covered baking sheet on 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce to 350 degrees and back for an additional 50-60 minutes until filling is bubbly.

Enjoy!

Crumb Topped Apple Pie

1 pie shell for a 9 inch pie (I used a frozen Marie Callender's Deep Dish Pie Shell)

FILLING:
5 large tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced
2/3 cup sugar
5 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

TOPPING:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cold butter

Directions

•For filling, place apples in crust. Combine the sugar, flour and
cinnamon; sprinkle over apples.

•For topping, combine flour and sugar in a small bowl; cut in butter
until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling. Bake at 450° for 10
minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 50-60 minutes longer or until
topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack.
Yield: 8 servings.

Thank you for stopping by!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Love Notes for Hubby

2011-09-26T18:58:00.003-04:00

I'm always looking for ways to keep our marriage fresh, as well as ways to show my husband I'm thinking of him. I purchased Mr. Love Notes from Dayspring about 2 weeks ago. The booklet is filled with 32 affirmations for your husband printed on tear out sheets. There is even space on the back for a personal note. I've given 3 to dh over the last 2 weeks. I put one in his drawer in the bathroom, one next to his coffee cup and another between his contact case and solution. He has really reacted positively to the notes! They are only 4.99 a pack or you could make your own...which I've done in the past.

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Sidewalk

2011-09-22T16:57:00.002-04:00

This is the layout for the new paver sidewalk to our front porch.

Here is the work in progress. The sand is used as the base for the pavers.

The pavers look all gray, but there is a variation in the colors. The edge is gray, the center is a blend of brown and gray.

Weird angle, but you get the idea.

This is the view from just above the steps. J still needs to do the step to the porch and backfill, but the rain is stopping that process. Landscaping is next!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Twins!

2011-09-12T19:26:00.002-04:00

A friend of mine had twin girls. Here is Miss M with the girls. Aren't they the cutest?

~blessings~

Lisa

My Favorite Season is quickly approaching....

2011-09-11T13:23:00.002-04:00

...FALL. I'm not usually into Halloween, but figured since we live in a rural area now and the kids don't get to trick or treat, I'm going to host a Halloween party for the kids, family and friends. I purchased the above magazines for some inspiration and ideas.
A new wreath for our front door from Sam's Club...

..and a Halloween photo holder from Pier 1 to display photos of the kids in their costumes.

Are you ready for Fall and Halloween?

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Counter Stools for the Island

2011-09-11T13:13:00.005-04:00

Since we moved in about a year ago, we had wanted to buy some small counter stools for the island. We thought they'd be great for the kids to use for breakfast, snacks, homework time and just to hang out on while mom is in the kitchen. I saw these Chagall counter stools at Pier One in July. They were on sale for 20 dollars off the original price of 69.99. I thought that was fair, but wanted dh's opinion on them and left the store without purchasing them.

Fast forward to yesterday, and I finally returned to Pier One to check out the items in their Wonderfall catalog. Lo and behold, the stools were on clearance for 29.98. We purchased two...and dh was with me. :0) I think they are the perfect size for the space.

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

First Day of School 2011

2011-09-11T13:04:00.003-04:00

Our Seventh Grader ready to head out the door.

Our First Grader

Running home after the first day! I'm so happy that I was able to meet the bus on the first day of school. Miss M was just as thrilled I was that her mama get meet her bus.

I'm a bit behind on my blogging for a million reasons, but one of them is that I've taken on a position as a Middle School (grade 6)Math teacher. Much of my time is taken up with preparing for each day's lessons.

~peace and blessings~
Lisa

Never Forget...9.11

2011-09-11T13:01:00.003-04:00

On this solemn day, we remember those our nation lost and the heroes of that tragic day. Ten years later, we remember. We will never forget.

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday 5.11

2011-09-05T14:52:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday for the week of September 5th. Here's our plan for the week:

Sunday~Bow Tie Pasta with Italian Sausage and Vegetables, French Bread

Monday~ Crescent Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans Almondine

Tuesday~Philly Cheesesteaks, Homemade Fries, Baked Beans

Wednesday~Hot Dogs and Macaroni and Cheese

Thursday~ Pizza and Wings

Friday~Fair Food

Saturday~BBQ Pepper Jack Chicken, Baked Potato Salad, Corn on the Cob

Have a super week!

Be sure to check out the other menu plans at http://orgjunkie.com

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Enjoy Today! - Gooseberry Patch

2011-09-05T09:45:00.001-04:00

Enjoy Today! - Gooseberry Patch

~peace and blessings~
Lisa

Odds and Ends

2011-08-28T19:29:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, I celebrated my 40th birthday. DH bought me a new camera as my gift, so I took a few photos around the house/property last night. The above is a shot of the forest behind our house. I didn't see any interesting creatures out though.

Black Eyed Susans

Perennial Geraniums

The steps that will lead to our new brick paver sidewalk.

It's that time of year! I returned to school last Tuesday for four days of in-service and training. Students start tomorrow. Our children start on Tuesday. H will start 7th grade and Miss M will start first grade. I'm hoping for a great year for all of us!

Thank you for stopping by!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Christmas in July Goodies!

2011-08-15T20:34:00.003-04:00

I won a Christmas in July goodie box from Lana at I Luv Cooking and Crafting! The box was filled with lots of goodies including ornaments, recipe cards and books. a candle, a mug and other goodies! Thank you Lana!

~blessings~

Lisa

Crayon Wreath for My Classroom Door

2011-08-15T20:19:00.004-04:00

Crayon Wreath

Materials:

3 boxes of 24 crayons or one box of 64

(since crayons are on sale for 40 cents a box at Walmart, the smaller boxes were more economical)

1-8 inch embroidery hoop

1-10 inch embroidery hoop

ribbon of your choice

hot glue gun and glue

1. Line up the smaller hoop inside the larger hoop on a flat work surface.
2. Lay all crayons on the hoop in the desired color order. This helps with placement when you begin to glue them all down.
3. Glue down each crayon. I made sure they were all facing the same way, but that isn't that important unless you are a crazy crafter like me.

4. Thread a piece of ribbon through the top hoop, between the crayons, to use as a hanger.

5. Create a bow and tie it or hot glue it to the wreath.

~blessings~

Lisa

Reunion 2011

2011-08-15T20:08:00.004-04:00

The annual Grata-Gelesh reunion was held on Saturday. Above is a poor photo of the centerpiece. It was a bit breezy.

Here's the pavillion decked out in the American West theme decor.

Aunt Vera turned 80 on the Fourth of July. Here she is wearing the necklace we bought her...it says Happy 80th Birthday!

This is our niece, our nephews and our son.

The kids are lined up for the three-legged race.

J and Miss M are partners for the race.

A good time was had by all. It was nice to catch up with family!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday 8.15.11

2011-08-15T08:27:00.003-04:00

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday, hosted by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie. This is my final week of summer vacation. Where did the time go? I have several evening events going on this week, so dinner will be light on a few nights.

Sunday~Dinner Out

Monday~Bow Tie Pasta with Italian Sausage and Vegetables

Tuesday~Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken, Tortellini Pasta Salad, Roasted Veggies

Wednesday~Ag Progress Days at Penn State

Thursday~Back to School Party at a friend's

Friday~Pigs in the Blanket (stuffed cabbage rolls)

Saturday~Dinner at my favorite Italian Restaurant

Have a great week full of blessings!

Lisa

Gummy Candy Skewers

2011-08-12T15:39:00.003-04:00

We made Gummy Candy Skewers today for the Family Reunion. We used five different candies, but I think next time I'll use 6-8 varieties.

Here's one of the first skewers we made...

...and here it is wrapped in a cello bag.

The candy skewer bouquet. I just filled a glass cylinder with paper shreds in red, white and blue and arranged the skewers in the vase. Then I tied a red, white and blue ribbon around the vase. I think it looks pretty cool!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Family Reunion Centerpiece

2011-08-11T20:12:00.002-04:00

Our family reunion is on Saturday. This year's theme is The American West. Above is one of the centerpieces I made for the tables. We'll have the red and white checkered tableclothes on the tables and top them with the centerpiece. I'll sprinkle each table with some red, white and blue star confetti.

~blessings and peace~

Lisa

God's Girl Basket

2011-08-11T20:03:00.004-04:00

I made this "basket" for a basket party to benefit a family who just lost their 23 yo son to cancer and complications. The basket is a lunch tote from Thirty-one Gifts embroidered with "God's Girl". I thought it was the perfect size to carry a bible to bible study. I filled it with a book light, a note pad, and two devotional books for women. I hope it does well at the party.

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

My 700th Post and Art for the Classroom

2011-08-08T16:19:00.005-04:00

I'm working on decorating/decluttering/organizing my new classroom. I found this subway style art at Restlessrisa . I printed it and framed it in black three dollar frames from Wal-mart. One is for boys and the other is for girls. I think they'll be perfect for middle school!

~peace~

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday, 8.8.11

2011-08-08T09:39:00.003-04:00

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday, hosted by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie. Not much cooking went on last week at our house, because we were at picnics, baseball games and museums. It was a fun week! This week is another busy one, but I'm planning on eating at home as much as possible. I'm also using lower fat and sodium ingredients to help with weight control and hypertension. Here's our plan:

Sunday~Spaghetti and Meatballs

Monday~BBQ Chicken Burritos, Oven Fries and Fruit Salad

Tuesday~Grilled Ham Steaks, Twice Baked Potatoes, and Salad

Wednesday~Sloppy Joes, Tator Tots and Baked Beans

Thursday~Slow Cooker Roast Pork with Sauerkraut, Mashed Potatoes and Veggies

Friday~Pizza with Homemade Crust, Salad

Saturday~Family Reunion

Have a week filled with peace and blessings!

Lisa

Curtains for my Classroom

2011-08-06T19:55:00.003-04:00

Here's the print that I picked. The dots don't come through on the camera very well, but they really go perfectly with my dot theme.

~peace~

Lisa

Visit to the 'Burgh

2011-08-06T16:06:00.003-04:00

This picture slideshow created with Smilebox

We visited the busy city of Pittsburgh for 2 days. We had a great time at the Pirates game, despite their loss, and at the Carnegie Science Center. It was a trip filled with firsts...Miss M's first Pirates Game, her first trip to the Science Center and a first memorable night in a hotel room. She was quite fascinated with the hotel room. It was so fun to watch her discover things in the room! It was also our first trip to the Science Center as a family. We visited the Science Center, the USS Requin (a submarine), and the Planetarium as well as saw the IMAX movie, Tornado Alley. If we lived closer to Pittsburgh, I would buy a yearly membership to the Science Center. It would be a great place to take the kids year round because there is so much to do and see. We were wiped out by the end of our two day trip, but look forward to returning to the city again for some more adventures!

Thanks for stopping by!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Zucchini Gobs (Whoopie Pies) with Cream Cheese Filling

2011-08-02T20:23:00.004-04:00

The whole gob

The inside...YUM!

I made these Gobs today to use up some zucchini in a new way. The recipe is from Tasty Kitchen. They taste really great and rich! The only adjustment I will make in the future is to use only about an 1/8 cup of batter for each half. My cakes spread and were huge using the 1/4 cup measurement.

FOR THE CAKES:
2 cups Coarsely Grated Zucchini
2-½ cups All-purpose Flour
1-¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
1-½ teaspoon Cinnamon
½ teaspoons Nutmeg
½ teaspoons Salt
¾ cups Buttermilk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 stick Unsalted Butter, Softened
1 cup Light Brown Sugar
1 whole Egg
_____
FOR THE FILLING:
8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
½ sticks Unsalted Butter
1-½ cup Confectioner's Sugar
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoons Rum
¼ teaspoons Salt

Instructions

MAKE CAKES:

Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Butter 2 large baking sheets.

Squeeze handfuls of zucchini that have been wrapped in a kitchen towel in order to remove moisture. Set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt until combined. Set aside.
Whisk together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and beat until combined well. At low speed, mix in flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until smooth. Mix in zucchini just until incorporated.

Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of batter 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through, until tops are puffed and golden and spring back when touched, 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer with a spatula to a rack to cool completely.

MAKE FILLING:

Beat together cream cheese, butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla, rum and salt with cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

ASSEMBLE Gobs:
Spread a rounded 2 Tablespoons of filling on the flat sides of half of the cakes and top with remaining cakes.

Enjoy!
~blessings and peace~
Lisa

Our Weekend at the Lake

2011-08-01T10:16:00.003-04:00

A beautiful day at Lake Raystown. I love the blue skies!

Miss M and J on the tube

J doing what he loves the most....skiing!

H loves being in the water. He's too big to call him my water baby! ;0)

My little sweetie pies!

Thanks for stopping by!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday, August 1st

2011-08-01T09:49:00.005-04:00

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday, hosted by Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie. Can you believe that August has already arrived. August is a busy month for us...back to school prep of my classroom, back to school shopping for the kids, my 40th birthday, a family reunion, a trip or two and of course, camping and boating! Here's our dinner plan for this week:

Sunday~Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken, Rice Pilaf and Fried Zucchini

Monday~Beef Patties in Gravy, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans

Tuesday~Steak and Veggie Kabobs and Baked Potatoes

Wednesday~Work Picnic

Thursday~Going to see the Pittsburgh Pirates! Go Buc-o's!

Friday~Pizza and Salad

Saturday~BBQ Ribs and Macaroni and Cheese

Have a super week!

~blessings and peace~

Lisa

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-07-28T13:36:00.002-04:00

I am a huge fan of the blog Comfy in the Kitchen. Her recipes are easy and homestyle, which I love. Janelle has a wonderful food ministry and is a Christian wife and mother. This recipe is from her blog. I'm always on the search for the perfect recipe and this one is it! Not one cookie was left over and they were gone in about 3 days. That's amazing in this house!

The only changes I made to the recipe was that I used milk chocolate chips and that I made my cookies a bit smaller using a cookie scoop, so I got about 24 instead of 18. The bake time was the same. These cookies were soft, which I prefer my cookies to be. I failed to take a picture of these beautiful cookies, but if you visit Janelle's blog, you can view a photo there.

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (18-24 cookies)

2 1/2 c all-purpose Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg vanilla instant pudding
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375
Combine flour, baking soda and salt..set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugars, vanilla, and pudding mix. Beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs. Add flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour. Place heaping Tbsps of batter onto un-greased cookie sheet and bake until golden appx 10-12 mins. Take out of oven and let sit 2 mins on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack.

Enjoy!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Christmas in JULY!!

2011-07-28T13:30:00.003-04:00

My new sign for Christmas

My Celebrating Home Consultant is cleaning out her "case" and had this goodie up for sale. I love it and thought it would make a great addition to an evergreen wreath.

Happy Christmas in July!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Cousins

2011-07-27T15:52:00.006-04:00

Yesterday, we took the kids and their cousins to a nearby amusement and water park. Our niece and nephew live a few hours away, so it was a rare opportunity for all of the cousins to get together for some fun. The above photo is for my MHH friends! Happy Christmas in July!

After a long day in the wave pool, we snapped some pics of our boys....

...and our girls waiting for pizza!

Walking to the water park section

We stopped at one of our favorite ice cream shoppes for a snack before heading home.

Thanks for stopping by!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

The Retaining Wall

2011-07-27T15:39:00.002-04:00

The area where the retaining wall will be placed.

The wall in progress

J using the skidsteer to backfill the wall.

The wall is just about complete and steps are installed. Next step: sidewalks!

Thanks for stopping by!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday, July 25th

2011-07-25T07:44:00.003-04:00

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday, hosted by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie. It looks like the massive heat wave is going to retreat for part of the week. What a relief! When it's that hot I don't feel like cooking or eating. Here's our plan:

Sunday~Crescent Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Creamy Green Bean Bake

Monday~Beer Battered Fish, Pierogies Au Gratin, Salad

Tuesday~Amusement Park Day

Wednesday~Homemade Pizza and Tossed Salad

Thursday~Cheeseburgers, Waffle Fries and Baked Beans

Friday~Mountain Pies

Saturday~Grilled Hot Dogs with choice of Toppings, Steakhouse Potato Salad, Baked Beans

Thanks for stopping by!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Cream Cheese Croissant Squares

2011-07-20T16:31:00.005-04:00

I made this yummy treat for our Sewing Group. They were very good and well received. Rich, but not over the top!

Cream Cheese Croissant Squares

2-(8-oz.) cans Pillsbury® Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
Directions
1 Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll 1 can of dough; place in ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Press in bottom to form crust; firmly press perforations to seal.

2 In medium microwave-safe bowl, combine cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Microwave on HIGH for 30 to 45 seconds or until warm. Stir cream cheese mixture until smooth; spread evenly over dough in pan.

3 Unroll second can of dough on work surface. Press to form 13x9-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. Carefully place over cream cheese mixture.

4 In small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Sprinkle with pecans. Pour melted butter evenly over dough.5 Bake at 375°F. for 20 to 27 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Cut into squares. Serve warm or cool. Store in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Linking up to Feasting in Fellowship Friday at Comfy in the Kitchen!

~blessings~

Lisa

Little Dresses for Africa

2011-07-20T16:27:00.003-04:00

Create your own digital collage

We gathered today to sew some dresses for girls in Africa. The dresses are very easy to sew, even for a beginner like myself. We made 7 dresses in little over 2 hours. We'll meet again in August to sew a few more. The website is www.littledressesforafrica.org

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Colbie Callait

2011-07-18T10:45:00.006-04:00

I just bought this cd and love listening to it in the car. I highly recommend it. If you visit her facebook page, you can print a coupon to buy it at Best Buy for 7.99.

Here's a video of her song Brighter than the Sun

Enjoy!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday, July 18th

2011-07-18T10:25:00.003-04:00

It's looking like a hot, busy week in our household. Here's the Menu Plan for this week:

Sunday~ Spaghetti and Homemade Meatballs, Salad and French Bread

Monday~Citrus Grilled Turkey Cutlets, Salad and French Bread

Tuesday~ Tacos with the fixings, Mexican Rice and Corn

Wednesday~ Slow Cooker Steak with Gravy over Noodles, Green Beans

Thursday~BBQ Jack Chicken, Steakhouse Potato Salad and Fruit Salad

Friday~Pizza and Grilled Wing Zingers

Saturday~Camping!

~Join in the linky party at Finding Joy in My Kitchen~

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

2011-07-14T20:37:00.002-04:00

I baked this bread today. It's very moist and delicious. I just love the cinnamon swirl in the middle of the loaf. I used to make this bread in the bread machine, but thought it would be neat to attempt it by hand. I'm pleased with how it turned out.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
2 cups warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups raisins
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
GLAZE:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, 1/3 cup sugar, oil, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add raisins and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.

Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours. Punch dough down.

On a lightly floured surface, divide in half. Roll each into a 15-in. x 7-in. rectangle. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over dough. Sprinkle with water. Starting with a short side, roll up tightly, jelly-roll style. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place, seam side down, in two greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over loaves.

Enjoy!

~blessings~

Lisa

Our Weekend

2011-07-10T17:18:00.002-04:00

On Friday, John and I celebrated 16 years of marriage. I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful husband to share this journey called life. On Saturday, we attended the wedding of our friend's daughter. We've know her since she was 8 years old...

Above is a picture of the beautiful bride Heather and her groom, David.

Joe and Elaine, parents of the bride.

John, Virgil and I are at the reception. It was soooo hot!

Drinks in at the club house before the reception

We were also able to do some shopping during our weekend at the Prime Outlets. I got to visit my favorite home store....Kirkland's! I bought the arrangement above for the mantel, but it is too tall. It may just stay on the hearth. The colors are perfect. I also picked up a nightlight and a mat for the porch with a monogram. I just love monograms!

Thanks for stopping by!

peace and blessings,

Lisa

Another Garden Added

2011-07-10T17:05:00.005-04:00

The second part of the back porch border garden is in now. Above is the Oak Leaf Hydrangea and some hosta on the side.

The red flowers are Astilbe. In the center is a Bleeding Heart plant and the plant on the right is a perennial geranium. Soon the lattic will cover the stuff under the porch.

Peace and blessings,

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday, July 4, 2011

2011-07-04T09:23:00.002-04:00

It's another busy summer week here in my little corner of the world. Here's our plan for dinner:

Sunday~Philly Cheesesteaks and Macaroni and Cheese

Monday~Grilled Kielbassi Sandwiches, Baked Potato Salad, and Baked Beans

Tuesday~Hamburgers, Foil Packet Potatoes and Salad

Wednesday~Ham Steaks, Mashed Potatoes with Gravy and Green Beans

Thursday~Summer Sub Sandwiches, Chips and Fresh Fruit

Friday~Our 16th Anniversary~Dinner Out

Saturday~Wedding Reception

Have a week full of blessings!

~PEACE~

Lisa

Funfetti Cookies

2011-07-02T14:28:00.007-04:00

Miss M and I made Funfetti cookies for the Fourth of July. They were easy to make and a yummy sugard cookie! The recipe is at the end of the post.

Miss M adding the sprinkles to our frosted cookies.

The finished product!

Funfetti Cookies

1(18.9-oz.) pkg. Pillsbury® Moist Supreme® Funfetti® Cake Mix

1/3cup oil

2eggs

1/2(15.6-oz.) can Pillsbury® Creamy Supreme® Funfetti® Vanilla Frosting.

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs; stir with spoon until thoroughly moistened. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. With bottom of glass dipped in flour, flatten to 1/4-inch thickness.

2. Bake at 375°F. for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

3. Spread frosting over warm cookies. Immediately sprinkle each with candy bits from frosting. Let frosting set before storing. Store in tightly covered container.

Enjoy!

~Peace and blessings~

Lisa

More plants!

2011-07-02T14:04:00.003-04:00

Uncle Sam hiding out in the deck planter

Oak Leaf Hydrangea

A closer look at the foliage and flowers

Other plants for the shade garden include hostas, astilbes, geraniums and a white bleeding heart plant.

I'll post pictures when they are planted later today or tomorrow.

~Peace and Blessings~

Lisa

Herb Garden

2011-07-02T13:50:00.006-04:00

Another free photo collage by Smilebox

The herb garden is finally in the ground! I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I can't wait to get the border put around it and the lattice up along the decking to hide the mess behind it. We planted Echinacea, Black Eyed Susans, two types of Bee Balm, Lemon Balm, Curly Parsley, Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Cilantro, Basil, Lavender, Thyme, Garlic Chives and Chives. I think that's it! I can't wait to start using them in my cooking!

~BLESSINGS AND PEACE~

Lisa

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

2011-06-29T18:18:00.003-04:00

This recipe was in the June 2011 edition of The Food Network Magazine. It was a yummy, quick from scratch dessert that my family enjoyed. I used 7 ounce ramekins and found they worked just as well, but took about 5 more minutes to bake.

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

Brush four 4-ounce ramekins with butter. Sprinkle brown sugar in the bottom of each and line with sliced pineapple. Whisk 1 egg, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 3 tablespoons melted butter and a dash of vanilla in a bowl, then stir in 1/2 cup flour, 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda and a pinch of salt. Divide among the ramekins. Bake at 350 degrees F, 20 minutes. Let cool, then unmold and top with confectioners' sugar.

Enjoy!

~BLESSINGS~

Lisa

Wheels n' Wings 2011

2011-06-25T15:45:00.002-04:00

On Thursday evening, we went to Wheels N Wings in a nearby town. It's part of the city's Thunder in the Valley Motorcycle Rally. This is not my usual scene, lol, but we had a nice time before the rain drenched us. Above is a photo of the rainbow that appeared after the rain quit.

The Shock-Top Bug...love their Raspberry Wheat Ale and I am not a beer drinker.

Dh and DD checking out a car

One shot of the street lined with motorcycles. It's hard to see how far they go up, but it's at least 3 blocks.

One of ds' s favorite cars

Thanks for stopping by!

~blessings~

Lisa

Movie Day~Cars 2

2011-06-25T15:41:00.003-04:00

The family went to see Cars 2 yesterday. We all enjoyed it. I wanted to get a pic of ds with the poster, but he is "too cool" for that. LOL I think the movie is great for kids and has a nice theme of friendship. It's definitely a MATER movie, but who doesn't love MATER?

blessings,

Lisa

Summer Home and Patio

2011-06-22T19:22:00.005-04:00

My new cloche...not sure if I love the display or not. I think I need to add some fabric to it...

I just love burning a candle on my kitchen island. It reminds me to say a prayer for my family each time I walk by it. I just changed the berries for summer and added the sticker to the candle jar. A little country for me, but I love it.

The tray is from Thirty-One, the birds from Michael's and the lantern from Lowe's. This is on the porch coffee table.

My display on the porch plant stand. I did have a plant there, but the chipmunks dug in the pot and chewed the stem of it. Darn chipmunks!

Blessings,

Lisa

Bandana Dress Part Two

2011-06-22T10:09:00.003-04:00

Here is dress number two. I love this one! I'm very partial to patriotic patterns and colors. I discovered that Miss M has grown quite a bit, so the dress is a bit short. It's more like an oversized top. We paired it with leggings and I think it looks too cute on her!

Miss M in her "dress". I'm going to make another using red bandanas for her to wear to our western themed family reunion in August.

peace,

Lisa

Bandana Dress

2011-06-21T19:50:00.005-04:00

I made this dress today for Miss M. I used 2 bandanas from Walmart that were 1.00 each and some ribbon that I had at home from other projects. I think it came out pretty cute! I'm going to do a patriotic one next. I can't believe I actually sewed something! I used this video from You Tube for the directions:

Peace,

Lisa

Closet Before and After

2011-06-20T15:43:00.002-04:00

My children are messy. It's tough for me because I'm not. Last week dd and I tackled her closet. Since our chaotic moves last fall, things just never got put into order because life happens. Thank goodness for summer vacation. As you can see in the above photo things were just thrown into her closet....

...and now things are neat and orderly. We labeled clear shoeboxes, using my Dymo Lectratag, with the names of her small toys and sorted them accordingly. I also labeled baskets for books and coloring books. The pink bin holds all the baby dolls and the green bin holds assorted toys. We ended up with two bags to donate to St. Vincent DePaul's Thrift store. I'm so glad that job is done! I hope it stays this way.

Blessings,

Lisa

Father's Day 2011

2011-06-20T11:24:00.004-04:00

DH's gifts from the kids waiting to be opened....

The Lemon Meringue Pie I made for DH

My Love

My husband and our precious children

My dad <3

We had a nice family day. We went to mass, then came home to eat our donuts and read the paper. Afterwards, we went to visit our dads. Following the visits I made dh his favorite dinner and then we watched a movie together.

Thanks for stopping by!

Peace and blessings,

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday, June 20. 2011

2011-06-20T11:11:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday, hosted by Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie. This week will be another busy week with projects, hockey, summertime fun and family time. Here's our dinner plan for the week:

Sunday~Father's Day~Chicken in Cream Sauce over Linguine, Salad and Fresh Bread

Monday~BBQ Grilled Chicken, Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Green Beans

Tuesday~Grilled Steaks, Twice Baked Potatoes and Salad

Wednesday~Turkey Vegetable Parmesan , Salad and Rolls

Thursday~BBQ Bacon Hot Dogs, Homemade Fries and Baked Beans

Friday~ Pizza Night

Saturday~not sure yet....may be camping!

Peace and Blessings,

Lisa

2011-06-15T16:10:00.002-04:00

We took a trip to the local paving stone manufacturer and picked out our stone for the retaining wall and the front sidewalk. Above is the stone we chose for the retaining wall. It will be in by the end of next week.

Above are the pavers we chose for the walkway. I chose the colors to coordinate with the retaining wall. The granite on the left will edge the sidewalk and the blend on the right will be in the center in that same pattern only using the smaller block like the granite colored ones. I am hoping that it all coordinates well with the house.

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lisa

The Tooth Fairy Visits Us!

2011-06-15T16:05:00.002-04:00

Miss M lost her first tooth on Saturday night at camp. She was so excited! The tooth fairy visited us at home on Sunday night and left Miss M one dollar.

You can barely see it on the bottom.

Blessings,

Lisa

Braised Pork Chops with Peppers and Onions

2011-06-15T15:55:00.007-04:00

I made this dish last night for dinner. The pork chops came out moist and tender and even my picky eaters loved them. I love the look of the red and yellow peppers together. I substituted organic chicken broth for the wine called for in the recipe. I served the pork with rice pilaf and steamed green beans.

Braised Pork with Peppers and Onions

Recipe from PorkBeInspired.com

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork loin chops, about 1-inch thick, trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 small red bell peppers, or yellow bell peppers, quartered and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 small red or yellow onion, quartered and cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry red wine, (for non-alcoholic, substitute chicken or vegetable broth)

Cooking Directions:

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, warm oil. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove chops to a plate and set aside.
Add tomato paste to skillet and cook, stirring, for 15 seconds. Add bell peppers and onion to skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.
Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping up and stirring in any browned bits in the skillet. Return chops to skillet, nestling them in the liquid, and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook 4 minutes. Turn chops, cover, and cook until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a 3-minute rest time.
Serve pork with pepper and onion mixture spooned on top.

Enjoy!

Peace and blessings,

Lisa

Fresh Peach Cake

2011-06-15T15:45:00.006-04:00

In case you didn't know, when summer rolls around I am a magazine addict...okay, well I'm a year-round addict, but in the summer it really gets crazy. I bought the Food Network Magazine for the first time ever on Friday, along with 3 other magazines. I sat at camp on Saturday and read it cover to cover. I love food and all things food, and yes, I do read cookbooks like novels, so this magazine was perfect for me! I found several recipes that I'd like to make in the June issue and below is one of them... Fresh Peach Cake. It's so delicious and moist. YUM!!

Fresh Peach Cake

Ingredients
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch-square baking pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar for 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, then the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until the batter is smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon.

Spread half of the batter evenly in the pan. Top with half of the peaches, then sprinkle with two-thirds of the sugar mixture. Spread the remaining batter on top, arrange the remaining peaches on top and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture and the pecans.

Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Blessings and peace,

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday, June 13th

2011-06-13T09:26:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday, hosted by Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie. It's the first week of summer vacation! I'm so happy to be off for the next few months. Here's the plan for the week:

Sunday~Pizza on the way home from camp

Monday~ Perfect Beef Burgers, Tortellini Antipasto Salad, and Fresh Fruit Salad

Tuesday~Braised Pork Chops with Peppers and Onions, Rice Pilaf and French Style Green Beans

Wednesday~Weeknight Taco Salads

Thursday~Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Paninis and Oven Fries

Friday~Pizza and Wings

Saturday~Dinner out after Jekyll and Hyde at the Benedum

Have a week full of blessings!

Peace,

Lisa

A porch in progress....

2011-06-07T20:07:00.001-04:00

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lisa

Dance Recital 2011

2011-06-05T15:08:00.005-04:00

Miss M after her performance. This year was her second recital. They danced to "Hey, Mickey" and were dressed as cheerleaders.

This is an action shot from rehearsal....no flash photography allowed.

H and Miss M before the show

Miss M and Daddy

Miss M and Uncle Buddy (my brother)

Miss M and my parents

Thanks for stopping by!

Peace and blessings,

Lisa

End of the Year Gift

2011-06-04T11:46:00.002-04:00

One of the nurses in my classroom, made me this mug full of lollipop flowers as an end of the year gift. I think it's pretty cute!

Blessings,

Lisa

This and That

2011-05-30T14:51:00.004-04:00

Miss M and I made ourselves some new flip-flops for the summer. Just enough bling for us!

One of my black urns, that I searched high and low for and found at Michael's of all places. The plants look a bit wilted due to the excessive sun and heat.

These are the same plantings, but in a regular pot on the porch. I hope to have pictures of the porch loaded later today!

Happy Memorial Day! I have such respect and gratitude to those in the armed services today and every day! God Bless America!

peace and blessings,
Lisa

Menu Plan Monday, May 23, 2011

2011-05-23T18:53:00.003-04:00

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday, hosted by Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie. This week will be pretty simple and the usual fare:

Sunday~Bisquick Oven Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Country Gravy, Green Beans

Monday~Spaghetti with Meatsauce, Veal Parmesan and Salad

Tuesday~Grilled Chicken and Rice Pilaf, Carrots

Wednesday~ Conservation District Banquet

Thursday~Hot Dogs, Ranch Potato Salad and Baked Beans

Friday~Pizza and Wings

Saturday~undecided

Have a super week!

Peace and blessings,

Lisa

Oreo Stuffed Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-05-15T12:58:00.003-04:00

Who doesn't love peanut butter and chocolate? These cookies combine the both into a huge, tasty cookie loved by young and old alike. Deidra at MHH shared the link to these cookies over at Tasty Kitchen . I used regular peanut butter and they turned out really good. Next time, I'd use about half a scoop of cookie dough to make them a bit smaller.

Oreo Stuffed Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

•2 cups Unsweetened Natural Peanut Butter, Well-stirred
•½ cups Sucanat (or Brown Sugar)
•2 whole Large Eggs, Lightly Whisked
•2 teaspoons Baking Soda
•1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
•½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
•12 whole Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the peanut butter, Sucanat (or brown sugar), eggs, baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt until well-mixed.

Using an ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop out two spoonfuls of the peanut butter cookie dough and place each on one side of a sandwich cookie. Using your hands, form the peanut butter dough around the cookies until they are sealed in. Place the cookie on the prepared cookie sheet.

Repeat with the remaining dough and cookies.

Bake cookies for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve with milk!

Enjoy!

Blessings,

Lisa

Deck Update

2011-05-15T12:51:00.003-04:00

My contractor and husband

Rafters are on....

....soon there will be a roof!

If the weather improves, it could be done by next weekend. I ordered our new patio furniture and am itching to get some landscaping started in the front and back of the house.

Thanks for stopping by!

Peace and blessings,
Lisa

Miss M's 6th Birthday

2011-05-11T19:22:00.002-04:00

Miss M celebrated her 6th birthday with a Cowgirl themed party. Above is a photo of her Pony Cake. Our guests dressed in Western attire, we had hot dogs over a fire, smores, too and even campfire baked beans.

Here's the cupcakes with the cowgirl and horseshoe toppers I made myself. Love them!

Here's the birthday girl waiting to blow out the candles on her cake. Precious!

Miss M and her Cowboy

I'll share more pictures when I get the Smilebox made this weekend.

Thanks for stopping by!

Peace and blessings,

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday, May 9, 2011

2011-05-09T09:40:00.004-04:00

It's been a few weeks since I've posted MPM, hosted by Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie. Life has been incredibly busy, with little time left for the things I usually do. This week should be fairly calm...but I won't hold my breath. Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday~Happy Mother's Day-Brunch at 11, then Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Salad and Garlic Toast for Dinner

Monday~Happy 6th Birthday Madison! We're having a "Cowgirl" dinner...Hot Dogs roasted over a fire, Baked Beans, Cheesy Potatoes, S'mores, and a Pony Cake.

Tuesday~Mini Meatball Sandwiches, Fries and Corn

Wednesday~ Grilled Chicken Paninis, Cheesy Potato Packets, and a Pickle

Thursday~Grilled Pork Chops, Rice Pilaf and Green Beans

Friday~ Pizza and Wing Night

Saturday~ Cheeseburgers, Cheesy Potato Packets, Baked Beans

Have a week full of blessings,

Lisa

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-08T17:00:00.003-04:00

The kids and I

My mom and the kids before brunch.

I hope your Mother's Day was wonderful! We had brunch with my parents today. I served French Toast Casserole, Fruit Salad, Sausage, Bacon and Struesel Coffee Cake for dessert. My parents bought me a lovely card, an electric tart warmer, a prayer book for Mothers and some tarts in my favorite scents. My mother loved her quilted purse. I hope she loves the matching wallet and change purse my brother bought her.

Peace and blessings,

Lisa

Teacher Appreciation Gift

2011-05-01T19:32:00.003-04:00

I saw this cute memo pad holder at Domesticated Lady and just had to make one for dd's teacher. Tuesday is Teacher Appreciation Day and I wanted to get her something useful. I thought this met that criteria. You can download the printables on Domesticated Lady's site. In addition you'll need a 3x3 post-it note pad, a 5x7 acrylic photo frame, ribbon and mini clothespins. I bought all the materials at Wal-mart and Dollar General.

Blessings,

Lisa