Monday, August 17, 2015

Copycat KFC Cole Slaw


The operative word when talking about our little garden is little, however, 
we've been enjoying some big taste from the veggies that we've been picking.
We've had several cabbages, not big ones, but several nonetheless.
It was one of our cabbages that gave us this delicious cole slaw.
So, little garden for the win!



Now, I am a little picky about my cole slaw.
I like it sweet, not vinegary.
James likes it both ways.
We both looove BBQ and cole slaw is an absolutely perfect side to go along with it.
(Or ON it!  Have you ever done that?  Piled the cole slaw right on top?  Try it!)
I don't always make it from scratch, but when I do, this is my go-to recipe.



My sweet daughter-n-law, Abigail, was over one afternoon & we were cooking ...
so she actually made this batch.
It was her first time to make from-scratch cole slaw.
(She liked it so well, she's made it again using cabbage from their garden.)
Isn't it colorful & pretty?



Here is the original recipe that I got at a Weight Watchers meeting years ago.
It's only 5 ingredients!

1 cup fat free Miracle Whip
1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute 
8 cups cabbage, shaved or finely chopped
2 Tbsp. carrots, shredded
2 Tbsp. onion, finely chopped

Place all the veggies in a large bowl. 
In a small bowl, mix the Miracle Whip & sugar until the sugar is dissolved. 
Pour the dressing over top of the veggies & toss until combined.
Cover & chill.

Serving size:  3/4 cup
Points: 1.5
Calories 57
Fat: 0

Now, here are the changes I made.
I used light Miracle Whip & Stevia.
That altered the calories a bit, but not the flavor.


This is a good recipe.
Share it, pin it, make it, eat it!





Who doesn't love a good party?!
You can find me here linking up with these great blogs.

Monday           Amaze Me Monday  The Dedicated House
                     I Should Be Mopping the Floor     The Hankful House     The Modest Mom
Tuesday        A Delightsome Life    A Bowl Full of Lemons  
                                    Titus Tuesday  A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style      
                              The Thrifty Home   A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Thursday    Between Naps on the Porch    Katherines Corner 3D Lessons for Life
           Hope in Every Season     Lamberts Lately
Friday      Rooted in Thyme  The Thrifty Groove   Farm Blog Hop  Missional Women
 Best of the Nest  Anything Blue Friday   French Country Cottage  The Girl Creative
Sunday    Nifty Thrifty Things   Simple Saturdays    Sew Many Ways

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Milk Can Makeover


From drab to fab!
   One person's trash, another person's treasure!
That, my friends, is what this blog post is all about!


See this pretty blue milk can?
Well, all it needed was a little TLC ... and to think someone tossed this out into the trash!


 
 This is what it looked like when James found it sitting alongside the road, waiting on the trash truck.
I was so excited that he brought this home!
There was always a black milk can sitting on our porch when I was growing up,
so having one of my own now just feels right.




The previous owner had added some country touches by gluing wallpaper border along the edges.
I'm pretty sure that was at least 20+ years ago though.
And it looks like there was lettering of some sort, but I couldn't figure out what it said.




All I did was peel off the paper, which came off like a charm, & lightly sanded the whole thing.
Like 5 minutes or less of sanding.
I was ok with more of a rustic finish.



 And just look at how pretty is turned out!!
I am in love <3


 I chose the blue {aqua} just cause it was fun ...
and I wanted something a little out of the box ...
out of MY box, that is.


 So, I've been having fun with my little blue milk can.
I've been moving it around ...
putting my pail of geraniums on it ...
and then taking it back off.
Ya know, just trying to decide what looks best.


 I ended up moving the pail of geraniums back down into the flower garden ...
and now the milk can is sitting on the opposite side of the porch.



Next spring, I may get a wild hair to paint it another color ...
or put a 'P' on the front of it, who knows.
The possibilities are endless.
It's the perfect porch accessory any which way.









Monday           Amaze Me Monday  The Dedicated House
                     I Should Be Mopping the Floor     The Hankful House     The Modest Mom
Tuesday        A Delightsome Life    A Bowl Full of Lemons  
                                    Titus Tuesday  A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style      
                              The Thrifty Home   A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Thursday    Between Naps on the Porch    Katherines Corner 3D Lessons for Life
           Hope in Every Season     Lamberts Lately
Friday      Rooted in Thyme  The Thrifty Groove   Farm Blog Hop  Missional Women  Best of the Nest
                                French Country Cottage  The Girl Creative
Sunday    Nifty Thrifty Things  Sew Many Ways

Monday, August 10, 2015

Easy Peasy Pesto!


Can anyone guess what I'm making?



I have to say, there's something pretty cool about walking out the patio door to my little raised bed garden,
picking my basil, washing it off, & in just a few minutes flat, having homemade pesto!





It was that easy.

Well, considering I had already purchased the additional necessary ingredients ;)
(And those pesky pine nuts aren't the easiest thing to find!)
(I've heard you can use just about any nut & I think I'd like to experiment & see.)

If you want something fresh, flavorful, quick, & easy to add to grilled chicken, shrimp, or pasta
(or a hundred other things), look no more!




Ingredients
  • 1 cup packed basil leaves
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Add all ingredients, except oil, to a food processor or blender & put on the lid.
Stream in the oil through the opening on top as you are pulsing the ingredients.
Do so until smooth. 
{You want it to come together & be creamy, but not too runny.
Adjust the oil, if necessary.
If you want to be conservative on the salt, start with ¼ teaspoon, but these amounts are pretty spot on.
Extra lemon juice can be added for a more lemony flavored pesto}

Serve immediately or cover and store chilled. 

Yields:  approx. 1 cup of pesto.

And there ya have it ... Easy Peasy Pesto!






Monday           Amaze Me Monday  The Dedicated House
                     I Should Be Mopping the Floor     The Hankful House     The Modest Mom
Tuesday        A Delightsome Life    A Bowl Full of Lemons  
                                    Titus Tuesday  A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style      
                              The Thrifty Home   A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Thursday    Between Naps on the Porch    Katherines Corner 3D Lessons for Life
           Hope in Every Season     Lamberts Lately
Friday      Rooted in Thyme  The Thrifty Groove   Farm Blog Hop  Missional Women  Best of the Nest
                                French Country Cottage  The Girl Creative
Sunday    Nifty Thrifty Things  Sew Many Ways

Thursday, August 6, 2015

There is NO Confusion in Truth!





I joined Tony Evan's 'Praying God's Names for 30 Days' this week
and the starting day for me was yesterday.
Each day, you get an email that includes one of the names of God, what it means,
& a prayer that goes along with it.
Short, sweet, but oh so power packed!

I can't seem to shake yesterday's, so I thought I'd share the good word.
{And encourage you to sign up and start praying these wonderful & powerful names of God with me!}
{Sign up HERE}


The name of God for yesterday was:


Jehovah El Emeth



It means LORD GOD OF TRUTH!
The verse:  Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
 You have ransomed me,
O Lord (Jehovah), God (El) of truth (Emeth). Psalm 31:5


Here's where it especially got good ... the prayer!

"Jehovah El Emeth, thank you for the perfect purity of truth.
Thank you that there is no confusion in truth.

Truth is your viewpoint on a matter, and thank you that you have not sought to hide your truth
or make it difficult for me to grasp.

Your truth is readily available to me in your Word.
Thank you for giving me the ability to read, Jehovah El Emeth,
and for giving me the ability to discern your truth from what the world tries to paint as truth,
 but rather is a lie from the devil.

Thank you for the power of your truth that makes life’s choices easier to make
when aligned under your truth."


Oh my word!
How could so many POWERFUL sentences be packed into one prayer?!
If that doesn't make you want to seek for HIS truth, I don't know what will!

The sentence that stuck out overall to me was, "There is no confusion in truth!"
That applies in every area of life.

You've heard of people who tell so many lies to so many different people
that they can't keep their story straight?
They can't remember what they've told to whom & before long, they've gotten themselves a confused mess!
So much easier to just tell the truth!

{I'm sad to say that I even know professing believers who stretch the truth, twist the truth,
embellish the trust, exaggerate the truth ... none of which is ok!}
{If this is you, STOP!}

You know what they say about honesty, it's the best policy.

If you apply the statement "There's no confusion in the truth" to the world today,
that makes a statement all by itself.
Seems like folks are confused on what gender they are, what a real hero looks like,
who marriage is between, should they stay married or just act like their vows meant nothing,
what's worth saving: a baby or a lion, where they stand on important political issues,
or should they just flip-flop back & forth on based on public opinion.

And let's not even get started on politicians.
They tell bold-faced lies, & we have news reel after news reel to prove it, & are never held accountable!
Yea, we could all go on all day right here.


Reverse it:  the further you get from the truth, the more confusing things will be.

I heard the statement years ago, if it doesn't make sense, it's not true!
Pretty cut & dry, but I've seen that prove out over & over.
The further things get from the truth, the more confusing they become.
Kinda sounds like the world we're living in, huh?!

I can't imagine not having a personal relationship with Christ & trying to filter through all the garbage
that politicians & people in power are painting as the truth.
So many people are being deceived.

I encourage you today, pray to Jehovah El Emeth, Lord God of Truth!
If you are confused, about anything, pray for Him to open your eyes & for the truth to be revealed to you.
Distance yourself from dishonest people & dishonest doings.
Desire to know the truth ... seek after it.
And lastly, dig into the Word, our trusted source for all that's true.



  Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; 
unite my heart to fear your name.
 Psalm 86:11









Who doesn't love a good party?!
You can find me here linking up with these great blogs.

Monday           Amaze Me Monday  The Dedicated House
                     I Should Be Mopping the Floor     The Hankful House     The Modest Mom
Tuesday        A Delightsome Life    A Bowl Full of Lemons  
                                    Titus Tuesday  A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style      
                              The Thrifty Home   A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Thursday    Between Naps on the Porch    Katherines Corner 3D Lessons for Life
           Hope in Every Season     Lamberts Lately
Friday      Rooted in Thyme  The Thrifty Groove   Farm Blog Hop  Missional Women  Best of the Nest
                                French Country Cottage  The Girl Creative
Sunday    Nifty Thrifty Things  Sew Many Ways




Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Our Master Bedroom




Our ever changing master bedroom.
...Sigh

Not everything changes.
Certainly not the BIG things.

But little things like pillows & wall decor.

I just can't seem to nail it.


Here are some of the past looks.




The chevron pillows were the first ones that I ever made.
And the large antique frame to the right, I added chicken wire to the back so I could clip things to it
like keepsakes, cards, pictures, etc.
I made the banner that swags from the top with strips of burlap & chevron fabric left from the pillows.

I took the frame down this spring ... wanting less of a shabby look, I suppose.



Here's what my side of the bed look like now.
I love the wall hanging filled with pictures taken in South Carolina in 2013.
I made this a few months after that vacation & I'm pretty sure I took pictures so I could blog about how to make it, however, the pictures are nowhere to be found ... thus, I never blogged about it.




The general idea:  I bought 9 frames {8x10} at the Dollar Tree & spray painted them cream.
I outlined/hot glued each frame with rope, tying a knot at one end.
I bought a piece of foam board & glued on each frame after placing the picture inside.
Lastly, I made a 'hanger' on the back with twine & hung it on the wall.
It hung on James' side of the bed til I just moved it to mine.

When we purchased our 2nd house about 18 years ago, we bought this cherry sofa table
& the matching round coffee table.
So, in place of a nightstand, I use the sofa table.
It goes perfectly with our cherry bedroom set.

I'm currently lamp shopping, but not finding what I'm looking for.




Also on my side of the room, the armoire with the TV inside & the sofa.
I always wanted a sofa in my bedroom & seeing how this room is SO huge, I got what I wanted.




We bought this sofa when we bought the cherry tables, so it's a few years old.
Guess the crooked seam that bugs me just shows that this sofa has been well-loved ;)

My mother-in-law made my cream curtains about a year after we got married,
making them about 23 years old!
Classic cream tab tops that haven't gone out of style.
In fact, I loaned Gunnar & Abigail a set of these to use at their house.




There's one more thing on my side of the room ... our treadmill  =/
I've never been a fan of it in our room, but that's where it had to be.
Now that we have 2 empty bedrooms, we'll probably move it out sometime or another.




James has a chair on his side, along with his nightstand and basket for books.
I should've hidden those cords.
Bad blogger.

I took a piece of the same chevron fabric that I used on the pillows to cover the center
on the cream wall hanging for an updated look on a piece I've had for years.



And this plant ledge, well, I've switched things out many time over, but never seem to get it right.
I love that there are two outlets up there so I can flip the switch & it's all lit up.




Right now, the plant ledge is missing this big clock that sat right above the door.
I've moved it to the living room, but I think I'm putting it back cause it's a bit too small for the space.




We replaced the flooring in our master bathroom a while back & it's a big improvement
over the vinyl that was there before.


We also painted it the lightest grey we could find.
It's just a hair from being white.



I bought these sheets last spring {I think} cause I went NUTS over the orange gingham.
And I found them just at the time I had decided that our bedroom needed some orange.
{James' favorite color and a good accent with the light aqua walls.}
I use them from spring to early fall, but I have to say, I'm always glad to have my white sheets back on.




Here's what the bed currently looks like.
The sweet bicycle/basket pillow was a recent gift from my sweet DIL, Abigail.
She know how much I love bikes & baskets.
And the fact that the bike is parked on the beach, bonus!

I replaced the smaller cream fleur-de-lis with a big dark one {it used to hang in the living room}.
{I also have a thing for fleur-de-lis.}




Across from the bed is this fun wall, complete with a new bicycle wall hanging.
All the framed pictures were taken on vacations in South Carolina.
The aqua bicycles in the oval frame were the inspiration for the master bedroom color scheme.



Live in the sunshine ~ swim in the sea~ drink the wild air.


And so although I can never get our room how I want it {maybe I'm not sure how I want it},
there is one thing I am sure of ....


This room brings us so much comfort! 





In the evening, when come upstairs to close out our busy & tiring day,
this room serves it's purpose perfectly.

With the rest of the room dark & whimsical lights twinkling in the palm tree, it kinds feels like a warm hug.

So while it may have seemed for a minute like this was a blog post about decorating ...
or it may have even seemed like a blog about being discontent with the room, the decor ...
or about how it just a hodge podge of mix-match stuff that we've had for years
& isn't nearly what I want it to be ...

It's really about NONE of those things.




It's a blog about being grateful.

At the end of the day when we crawl into our comfortable bed, with a mattress that feels amazing,
sheets that are clean, a room that's cool when it's hot outside & warm when it's cold,
I feel abundantly blessed.
More than I deserve.

I may never get each piece of decor just right.
I will definitely never have a magazine-worthy look.

I will, though, have a heart of thanks for the many blessings that have come my way.
I am thankful for a husband that provides.
I love our home & all it's imperfections ... the shelter & comfort it that our 'home sweet home' brings.
Cause it's filled with love.
Always has been, always will be.

And that, my friend, money cannot buy.




**My style has changed so much through the years that I'd love to start from scratch.
I feel like not much in our current home is representative of my style, at this point.
We will be 'down-sizing' in a year or so & are currently deciding to build or buy/remodel.
I'm biding my time with all my current furniture/decor until that time comes.
I can barely contain my excitement at the endless possibilities.





Who doesn't love a good party?!
You can find me here linking up with these great blogs.

Monday           Amaze Me Monday  The Dedicated House
                     I Should Be Mopping the Floor     The Hankful House     The Modest Mom
Tuesday        A Delightsome Life    A Bowl Full of Lemons  
                                    Titus Tuesday  A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style      
                              The Thrifty Home   A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Thursday    Between Naps on the Porch    Katherines Corner 3D Lessons for Life
           Hope in Every Season     Lamberts Lately
Friday      Rooted in Thyme  The Thrifty Groove   Farm Blog Hop  Missional Women  Best of the Nest
                                French Country Cottage  The Girl Creative
Sunday    Nifty Thrifty Things  Sew Many Ways

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Vinegar Soaked Cucumbers





I like cucumbers plain ... James, not so much.
James loves vinegary stuff ... me, no way, Jose.

However, this is a recipe that brings us together on two things we aren't crazy about!
It's so good!

On Saturday, James decided to grill out for us & all the kids.
He went to the store, bought everything for the meal, & cooked the whole thing!
He decided that he wanted to do something along these lines with our plenteous cucumbers,
so after checking out a few recipes, this is what he came up with.

As for the rest of the meal, he had shrimp cocktail for appetizers, huge  T-bone steaks, grilled onions,
baked regular & sweet potatoes, and these vinegar soaked cucumbers.
It was quite a spread.




I wanted to share this recipe with you because it was just that good!

  • 4 large cucumbers, peeled & sliced
  • 1 small onion, sliced
  • 1/2 tsp. each salt & pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Tuscan seasoning
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 2 cups water


Place peeled, sliced cucumbers & onion in medium glass dish.
Sprinkle all dry seasonings over top.
Next pour in vinegar, then water.
Gently stir til combined.
Cover & refrigerate for the flavors to combine & marinate the cucumbers & onion.
This can be eaten in a few as a couple hours or kept in the fridge for several weeks.


Tips:
This is a guide.
All of the seasonings can be adjusted according to taste.
If you do not have a Tuscan seasoning, any type of Italian seasoning blend with provide great flavor.

This is great as a snack or served alongside about anything, especially grilled meats & BBQ.





Who doesn't love a good party?!
You can find me here linking up with these great blogs.

Monday           Amaze Me Monday  The Dedicated House
                     I Should Be Mopping the Floor     The Hankful House     The Modest Mom
Tuesday        A Delightsome Life    A Bowl Full of Lemons  
                                    Titus Tuesday  A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style      
                              The Thrifty Home   A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Thursday    Between Naps on the Porch    Katherines Corner 3D Lessons for Life
           Hope in Every Season     Lamberts Lately
Friday      Rooted in Thyme  The Thrifty Groove   Farm Blog Hop  Missional Women  Best of the Nest
                                French Country Cottage  The Girl Creative
Sunday    Nifty Thrifty Things  Sew Many Ways

Monday, August 3, 2015

Refrigerator Pickles





Here's a quick and easy recipe for Refrigerator Pickles.
What's especially nice about this one, you don't need a canner!
{Good thing cause I don't have one.}

I hunted down a recipe for Refrigerator Pickles for that very reason ...
I don't have a canner, but have plenty of cucumbers coming on.

I remembered seeing an episode of the Duggar's where they'd experimented in canning their own pickles.
It looked easy enough & I'm glad to report, it is!
I made several batches last year was completely pleased.

Aren't these so purty ;)



Now, I have searched HIGH and LOW for the exact recipe I used & I am so sad that I cannot find it!
{and mad that I spent so much time trying to find it ...grr!}
{Anyhoo, sorry for venting about that.}
This one is pretty close though.

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds of cucumbers
  • 1 large red onion, sliced
  • 8 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh dill  
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seed
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
  • 2 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp. black pepper
  • 8 cups water
  • 3/4 cups cider vinegar
Instructions
  1. Combine the water, vinegar, salt, mustard seed, and dried dill in a large kettle and bring to a boil. 
  2. Heat until the salt dissolves.
  3. Meanwhile, divide all the remaining ingredients between 4 quart jars.
  4. Pour the brine over the cucumbers and put the lids on the jars. Give each jar a shake to mix all the ingredients together.
  5. Let the jars sit on the counter until cooled, about an hour, and then put them in the fridge. They are ready to eat in 24-48 hours & will last for 4-6 weeks in the fridge.

*You can taste your brine before you pour it over the cucumbers.
If it's too salty, add a bit of sugar til it balances out.

**Also, pickles can be sliced or speared, whatever your preference.
And garlic cloves can be whole, sliced, or diced.
Again, up to you.
Lastly, if you don't want your pickles spicy, leave out the jalapeno &/or red pepper flakes.



My daughter-n-law, Abigail, has been making refrigerator pickles too.
I'm not sure what recipe she used, but ours look pretty similar.







Who doesn't love a good party?!
You can find me here linking up with these great blogs.

Monday           Amaze Me Monday  The Dedicated House
                     I Should Be Mopping the Floor     The Hankful House     The Modest Mom
Tuesday        A Delightsome Life    A Bowl Full of Lemons  
                                    Titus Tuesday  A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style      
                              The Thrifty Home   A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Thursday    Between Naps on the Porch    Katherines Corner 3D Lessons for Life
           Hope in Every Season     Lamberts Lately
Friday      Rooted in Thyme  The Thrifty Groove   Farm Blog Hop  Missional Women  Best of the Nest
                                French Country Cottage  The Girl Creative
Sunday    Nifty Thrifty Things  Sew Many Ways