With the weather changing around us, it makes it so pleasant to be outside.  Our dear neighbors moved this week and they couldn't take their trampoline with them, so the girls have been enjoying our new, but used trampoline in the backyard.   Juggler was up ever so early the first morning bouncing all by herself.  Soon, Rubber came and joined her.  The Doodler likes the trampoline, but she'd rather have it all to herself, telling everyone around her that they bounce too hard.  Even Little Woman and Little Bear made it out to bounce.

It was a bread baking day today.  Two loaves of whole wheat bread and a loaf of zucchini bread.  I thought I'd include the bread recipe because it turned out so delicious.  It's a shame that no one else in the house enjoys it as much as I do.

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded raw zucchini
• 3 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation:

Put zucchini in strainer and press or squeeze with hands to get some of the excess liquid out. In a mixing bowl beat eggs, sugar, and oil together. Stir in the flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and walnuts, mixing just until all ingredients are combined. Add drained zucchini. Mix well. Pour into 2 greased and floured 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes at 350°, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out with very little or no crumbs clinging to it.

Early this morning, I spent time reading a recent find at the library, A Mom Just Like You, by Vicki Farris.  In one of the beginning chapters, she expressed how intensely this one verse continued to help her during her days homeschooling.  Later, when I sat down at the computer for a moment to check my email, this same verse came in on my email.  God is so gracious and so generous to supply my every need, exactly when I need it, so I began to ponder the significance of this revelation.  It seems that I needed a lesson in "leaning."  The word lean means, "to cast one's weight to one side for support."  So often I find myself saying, "I can do it or I'll get it all done," never once recognizing the strength that the Lord grants me to fulfill my daily tasks.  I also haven't been leaning on His infinite wisdom and plan for our family.  I struggle desperately with wanting to have more children, but I forget that I've laid this in His hands, His timing, not my own desires and timing.   Proverbs 3:5 - 6. . . . .. . . Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.   In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

I pray that you will let God direct your path and while He is doing so, lean on His understanding and not your own.

Blessings,
Michelle

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We were preparing food for our potluck fellowship dinner tonight at church.  I thought I'd share this favorite recipe of ours with you.

Chicken and Dumplings

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
2 tablespoons butter
1 russet potato, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced or thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 rib celery, diced
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1/3 palm full
2 tablespoons flour, a handful
1 quart chicken broth or stock, canned or paper container,

1 cup frozen green peas

Dumplings:

1 c flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vinegar

shake of salt and pepper

3/4 c milk

Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Dice tenders into bite size pieces and set aside. Wash hands.

Place a large pot on stove over medium high heat. Add oil, butter, vegetables and bay leaf and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season mixture with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Add flour to the pan and cook 2 minutes. Stir broth or stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Add chicken to the broth and stir.

Mix biscuit mix in a bowl.  Drop tablespoonfuls of prepared mix into the pot, spacing dumplings evenly. Cover pot tightly and reduce heat to medium low. Steam dumplings 8 to 10 minutes. Remove cover and stir chicken and dumplings to thicken sauce a bit. Stir peas into the pan, remove chicken and dumplings from heat and serve in shallow bowls.

We had a wonderful day of school, exploring God's creation today during our nature study.  The Juggler found us an interesting specimen to observe today in the backyard.  We were looking for our friend the toad that hangs out in our garden, but instead she came across this. . . . . .

Green Lynx Spider

God, in His infinite wisdom, created an amazing spider to rid us of those pesky insects that destroy our crops.  The spider's only downfall, that we could discover, was that he also eats honey bees which are beneficial to all of us.  For what would our world be without honey!

I hope your day was wonderful!

Blessings,
Michelle

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Fresh Blueberry Pie was just what we needed to accompany our Corn Chowder tonight for the potluck at church.  Summertime is by far the best time for a slice of pie, iced tea and potlucks!

So I tied on my apron and went to Warm Pie, Happy Home and began making the doubled pie crust.  Split the dough in half and put one side in the fridge for the topping.

Add in the blueberry mixture which includes:

6 cups fresh blueberries

3/4 c sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup flour

Mix all those together in a bowl, pour into the pie crust and top with 1/4 TBSP lemon juice and 1 TBSP Butter.

For the top crust, use a star shaped cookie cutter to make the design.  Pinch the bottom and top crusts together and flute the edges. Cover pie edge with foil to prevent too much browning.

Cool for two hours before eating, so the juices have a chance to firm up. When you are ready to slice and serve, you can warm your slice up in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Don't forget a dollop of Vanilla Ice-Cream!

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You'd think that I'd planted 20 Roma Tomato plants or something with the multitudes of tomatoes we are picking.  But, really, we only have 2 plants.  Last week I canned 8 jars of spaghetti sauce and yesterday I got 3 jars of salsa canned.  It's amazing that all this started from one small 4 x 4' square garden. With the heat of the southern, summer sun, we aren't getting much of anything else.

It seems as if my energy level has been draining since we've been done doing school.  I just can't seem to get motivated to do much of anything productive.  Anyone else having that problem?  Maybe, it's the heat, which is slowly creeping up into the high 90's again.

Here is by far the best salsa recipe I've used.  It doesn't have any catchy name, so feel free to leave me name suggestions in a comment.

_____________________ Salsa

• 8 - 12 Roma Tomatoes
• 1 Green Pepper
• 1 Medium Red Onion
• 1 Jalapeno Pepper (optional)
• 1 - 2 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 c fresh Cilantro
• 1 TBSP Lime Juice
• 1 tsp Salt

Grind vegetables altogether in a food processor, then add in the lime juice and salt.  The longer the salsa sits, the hotter it gets!

Blessings,

Michelle

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My sister (the aunt that "rocks" according to my girls) sent me an assortment of Numi Tea.  I tried the  "Bushman's Brew - Honeybush" and it was very good.  The best thing about these teas is the fact that you can steep them for a long time and they don't get bitter.  My sister also tells me that you can use the tea bag over a second time (but the flavor might not be as strong).  Be sure to check out the site and enjoy some tea!

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Today was a day for baking.  As you can see I got quite a bit accomplished.  I needed to make two loaves of wheat bread because the girls are eating through it so quickly.  I think they are asking for more sandwiches lately. 

I also made some blueberry muffins (no, blueberries were not on sale, but I had a craving for them).  Here is the the recipe:

The Best Blueberry Muffins

6 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups plus 2 TBSP flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 c blueberries

Preheat the oven to 375; butter large or small muffin tins, and set aside.  In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add egg, egg yolks, and vanilla; mix until well combined.  Reduce speed to low; alternate adding reserved flour mixture and milk to mixer, beginning and ending with flour.  Remove bowl from mixer; gently fold in berries by hand.  Divide batter among muffin tins; sprinkle generously with sugar.  Bake until light golden, about 45 minutes for large muffins, about 30 minutes for small muffins.  Cool in pan 15 minutes.  Remove from pan; transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.

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Anytime I can make Sloppy Joe's for my DH, he is in hog heaven!  I thought I would share the recipe with you.  I need to credit The Duggar Family for the recipe.  Michelle Duggar has some really wonderful recipes on her website.

Sloppy Joe's

1 lbs. ground beef

1/2 c. ketchup

1/2 c. barbeque sauce

2 tsp. liquid smoke

1/2 pouch of dried onion soup mix

Brown the ground beef in a skillet.  Pour the cooked meat into a crockpot, and add in the remaining ingredients.  Cook on low for a couple of hours.  Serve on hamburger buns.  Enjoy!

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We have found a great recipe for whole wheat bread that my girls LOVE!  It's from The Family Homestead .  Be sure to check out all of Crystal's other great recipes.  Thanks Crystal for making my girls happy with homemade bread!

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