If I can be known for two things in life, let it be soup and cookies. Okay, and maybe bread and buttercream.
I don’t know if there is any sight more dear to me than just out of the oven, ever so slightly undercooked chocolate chip cookies. And these will make you go weak in the knees. They’re the consistency of brownies, but in a cookie form and the white chocolate chips are HEAVEN. SO good. [Read more…] about Chewy Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies {& a brand new blogging course}
I’ve never quite had a baking center like this but it was a priority when we rebuilt our house. I’ve had various versions of one for a long time and here’s the truth of the matter—-if your supplies are easily accessible and organized, you’ll bake more. (You might also like a full tour of the kitchen and a list of my 10 favorite kitchen tools!)
The flour and sugar that are sitting on my counter are practically begging me to bake something. AND, I never run out of stuff because I always know when I need it. So, besides chicken stock, apparently I hoard baking supplies too. But, let’s look on the bright side, there’s always flour.
So, it’s worth the effort to think through your spaces and see where you could incorporate and organize your supplies. Here’s my advice. [Read more…] about How to Set Up a Baking Center
The sun was pouring into the east sky, scattering orange like a blanket over everything. She was sitting in the front seat, unable or unwilling to look at me, her head turned decidedly away and her body clinging to her side of the car sending its message loud and clear. Was there a tear in the corner of her eye? I don’t know because I was too angry to ask. We were on our way to a rare social gathering and I just needed her to get over herself already. What I was really thinking is that I wanted her to show my friends how well homeschooling was working out, how smart and well adjusted she was, how pleasant and kind to be around—all of which would translate into some imaginary points for me. What I didn’t want was for her to sulk through the whole thing and make me look bad.
And we were running out of time, because we were almost there and neither of us seemed capable of moving toward reconciliation. [Read more…] about The Most Important Thing to Remember About Parenting
Welcome to the well stocked pantry!
Okay, I’m not saying I’m a hoarder but what I’m saying is—I like a well stocked pantry. My sister hoards paper products so it runs in the family. At this very moment, she’s probably got 120 rolls of toilet paper. And I could be underestimating here.
But then, who am I to talk, I just bought a case of chicken stock and 14 cans of tomatoes. And more chicken stock is being added to my grocery list as we speak because as a girl heads into football season, there’s two things she can’t get enough of—her favorite SEC team (Go Vols!) and chicken stock. There’s Rocky Top chili and Italian Sub Soup to make, dear ones. I do not want to be caught with my orange and white checkered pants down.
(If you’re more interested in Game Day fashion than Game Day food, visit my friend Melanie, who has attended to all your orange attire needs.)
Okay, drum roll please. I almost hate to tell you this because every time I tell someone about my chicken stock, they start hoarding it too and then I can’t get it at my grocery store. This is not a word of a lie—I drove to 3 different stores in my little town last week in order to get my chicken stock. Which is why I always buy all they have, be it a carton or a case. Because this brand is amazing. I wish they were paying me to say that, but they aren’t. It’s better than homemade stock, in my humble opinion. It’s dark and rich and full of tasty goodness. I use it ALL the time in almost everything I cook. I get very nervous when the stash gets low. If you ever wonder what to get me for Christmas, you can never go wrong with this chicken stock. Or something from Tiffany’s. Either one is fine.
Kitchen Basics stock—chicken in bulk, a couple beef (I don’t love the vegetable or seafood stock but you might!)
Tomatoes–28 oz cans of San Marzano and 14 oz cans of fire roasted, tomato sauce, tomato paste, marinara, spaghetti sauce, Rotel
Canned Beans–black, pintos,garbanzos, cannelini, white northern, chili beans
Dried Beans—navy, pintos, lentils, black
Grains–I keep jasmine rice, brown rice, wild rice, long grain, risotto, quinoa. Pasta–lasagna noodles, fusilli pasta (I use this for my lasagna soup), macaroni, orzo, spaghetti, angel hair, linguine, barley
Soups—cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of whatever’s on sale, tomato
Oils–I buy olive oil in large vats, canola, peanut, coconut, sesame, chili oil
Vinegars—red wine, balsamic, distilled, apple cider, rice wine Sauces–chili sauce, Sriracha, cholula, Sweet Baby Ray’s, Country Bob’s, local honey!!!!, maple syrup, various hot sauces, every kind of mustard this side of the Atlantic
Peppers and Olives–chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, roasted red peppers, black olives, green olives, kalamata olives
Bread Crumbs—panko, regular and eye-talian
Jellies and Jars–pepper jelly, apricot, marmalade, pesto, jalapeños, pepperoncinis, pickles, hot cherry peppers
Misc—canned artichokes, canned pumpkin
Nut Butters–I have about 5 varieties of peanut butter, almond butter, and of course, Nutella.
Nuts–Trader Joe’s has a superb selection of nuts and we keep every kind imaginable on hand.
Dried Fruits–I always keep jumbo raisins, dried cranberries and dried Tart cherries for my cherry chocolate chip cookies!
Don’t forget the onions, potatoes, garlic, and shallots.
There’s no end to the yummy goodness that can be made and shared from a well stocked pantry. Buy in bulk and watch for sales, especially buy one, get one free. I’ve always got my eye out for pantry items that are on deep discount.
With a well-stocked pantry, you eliminate the first road block to cooking. If you have things on hand, you’re much less likely to give in to the temptation of eating out. Your family will be happy and well nourished with good, home-cooked meals and you will be like super woman. Only without the corset.
Click here to print this list!
To make the labels, I just print the words I want in my favorite font (Champignon) on card stock or even regular computer paper, cut them to size and then tape them (with packing tape) onto the containers. I usually resize the font to 150 ish to get the size I need. This is a great job for an eager (younger) helper! I got my containers at Walmart and my local grocery store.
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ps. In case you didn’t know, this family doctor took the plunge into the world of natural health and essential oils and these oils are BLOWING MY MIND. If you want to feel better, sleep better, strengthen your immune system, reduce your stress, and clear some of the common toxins out of your life, I’d love to walk with you as you get started.
In the month of December (2016) I’m giving away a signed copy of my book along with a $10 product credit (to repay you for the cost of your shipping) to anyone who joins Young Living with me with a Premium Starter kit.
Young Living is giving away a free bottle of Christmas Spirit (my ABSOLUTE favorite Christmas scent and SO GOOD for mood!!) with every starter kit purchase. It’s a great time to join!!
I’m writing this in part to tell you that if you ever wonder what you’ve done in your life, and everyone does wonder sooner or later, you have been God’s grace to me, a miracle, something more than a miracle. ~Marilynne Robinson, Gilead
It was a crisp October day when we stood on the back porch of our brand new house looking out on this near perfect landscape.
We could hardly believe that this was the exact same place we had stood nine months earlier and watched our house burn to the ground. We were overwhelmed with gratitude at how these ashes had turned to beauty—not just how God has raised up a house, but how He had once again raised hope in our hearts. We wanted this house to be a house of blessing. We prayed that maybe we’d even be able to adopt another child. We went so far as make an appointment with an attorney because we had always felt this sense that our family wasn’t finished—that we wanted to raise a son together. I would dream about “him” and in my mind, I knew just where I wanted the nursery. More than anything else, I wanted the chance to raise a child without the added pressure of working a high stress job.
I already had a name for him. John Elijah Wadsworth. We’d call him Jack after C.S. Lewis.
While my dreams for another child were bubbling over in my heart, we kept on living our life. We homeschooled our girls. We lived hard in these rooms—cooking, sewing, crafting, reading, learning. And a few months into enjoying our new place, my husband’s son moved across the country to live with us and get his life back on track. He moved into our guest room with his oversized backpack, his barrel o’ monkeys mustache, and his heartache.
Those early days were long and hard. There were so many tears. There were days we weren’t sure we’d make it. And we were often unsure if he would.
There was that fight in the garden when he yelled and I cried. There was that time he ran off and we worried we’d never see him again. There were those times I should have reached out and didn’t. All the mistakes, the misunderstandings, the failings. And then there was that day we made salsa in the kitchen—the first time I thought that maybe, just maybe this was all gonna be okay. There were those hundreds of meals he and I cooked together. The food that tastes so good that you know it had to be made by someone who loves you.
And then there was that day.
The one I couldn’t have prepared for in a million years.
The day he left.
I stood outside and watched him load the last of his things. I promised myself I wouldn’t come apart. I was so happy for him—that he’d come this far, that he was standing on his own feet so well. And that’s when I saw the miracle. God had given me another child to love. Not one born of my flesh but one so stitched into the fabric of my heart that he will never be anything to me but a son. I told him how grateful I was for him—how he had so blessed us by being here. I told him I couldn’t love him anymore if he were my own. I watched him drive away and cried for two hours straight.
Turns out God answered my prayer. There was no cute nursery to decorate. There were no baby blankets to wash. But the sacredness of this life intertwined in mine is no less a miracle.
And to think I almost missed the grace of God because it came dressed up like a wayward boy.
Maybe I’m finally learning that grace almost never looks like grace at first glance.
I hate to even mention this to some of you who live in the northwest or midwest or northeast and have really short summers but here in the South, all we can think about is fall. It’s been summer since April here and we’re over it. AND? It’s almost football season (Glory Hallelujah!) which means GO BIG ORANGE, and boots, and soup, and did I mention FOOTBALL?
So, before we throw ourselves headlong into everything pumpkin and bonfire, I wanted to make sure you get this kitchen gadget.
I use it ALL the time. As in, almost everyday. It’s part submersion blender, part food processor. I use it for all my blended soups, of course—like my spicy tomato and the broccoli cheese—but when I bought it, I could not have predicted how much I would use the mini food processor.
OH MY WORD. I’m 100% sure that I never want to live without this chopper/blender EVER again.
Anytime I need something chopped up, as in almost everyday, I use this little handy thing.
When I make guacamole, I use it to chop up everything but the avocado. I used it the other day to make a quick pesto with fresh basil from my garden. I use it to chop up garlic and ginger whenever I’m making anything Asian or Indian. I use it chop up pickles whenever I’m making egg salad. I use it so much it’s almost ridiculous.
I’ve been meaning to tell you about it forever but then I saw it’s 50% off on Amazon today. Order it up, my friends, and we’ll make so much tasty food this fall it’ll make your head spin. Also, if you already have one and have not figured out how wonderful it is, take my word for it and pull it out of retirement.
(This is NOT a sponsored post but it is an affiliate link!)
Also? While we patiently hum Rocky Top and wait for the first kick-off, I thought you might enjoy some cute little bibs and t-shirts and flour sacks from my friends over at Collard Queens.
