Potato Chips

 

I found this recipe(and can not remember where) and thought it was so easy I had to try it!  Thinly slice a cleaned potato and place onto a microwave safe plate.

 

Make sure thicker ones are towards the middle and thinner on the outer edge.  Sprinkle with whatever spices you want.  We chose Lawry's seasoned salt and garlic powder.

 

 

Microwave for at least 5 minutes.  If you want crunchy ones check after 5 minutes and add 1 minute at a time.  You will know they are getting crispier because of the brown spot popping up on them.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Word of caution: Make sure to keep your eye on them and use a microwave safe plate.  Otherwise you might end up with this....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:( The sad thing was, this was my second batch.  First one went perfect and we gobbled them up right away!  Second batch I ran to take D to the bathroom and came out to the kitchen filled with smoke!  Luckily no alarms went off, I was quick enough to open windows and doors.

Cut-out cookies, MY FAVORITE!

 

My mom used to make these cookies for every holiday.  They are so good, you do not even need the frosting on them!  Which can actually be a problem, the kids feel free to just grab them as I am making them!

 

This is all you need!  So simple! 

5 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs

2 cups butter flavored crisco

1 cup sour cream

2 tsp vanilla

 

Mix crisco, sugar together.  Add eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, sour cream, baking powder, baking soda.  Blend these well.  Add flour one cup at a time and mix well in between each.

 

Flour a rolling surface, I roll out about 1/3 of the dough at a time.  It is easier to handle in small amounts.  Mix with more flour until no longer sticky.  Roll out to 1 inch thickness.  Cut out with whatever cookie cutter you want.

 

Bake at 350* for 10 minutes.

 

On the subject of baking.  I need to figure out another means of storage for my recipes!  I can not even close the lid and there are printed off recipes that are folded up underneath my box!

and ANOTHER tooth!

If she keeps loosing teeth at this rate, she will need dentures by the time she is 10!  This one popped right out like the last one.  With one exception, there was quite a bit of blood with this one. 

Corn Casserole Bake

 

This is defiantly a favorite in our house.  I don't make it very often because it is not the healthiest dish in the world.  Dad is not happy with that!  Between this and my Peach cobbler(recipe will be up later) he would eat those all of the time!

 

It is so simple, just a dump recipe.  Coat any casserole dish(I never use the same size so I can't tell you a size) with non stick spray.  Mix together 1 can whole kernel corn(drained), 1 can cream corn, 1 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup melted butter and 1 box corn bread mix(I use Jiffy, and do not make it, dump it dry).  Mix all together and dump into casserole dish.  Bake at 350* for 40 minutes, until middle is no longer "Jiggly".  Top with a cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and bake for another 5 minutes.

 

That's it!  So easy and so yummy!

Moments like these...

Turkey Meatballs

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and thought it would be a great way to use the leftover turkey from thanksgiving.  Let me just say, it was better in theory.  You grind and mix up the turkey like hamburger, add in your eggs and seasons.  Then with these we filled the middle with mozzarella cheese and baked them.  They were so dry I could hardly choke them down.  Dad put BBQ sauce on his.  They tasted good, but we just couldn't eat them :(

 

 

C was so proud when I taught her how to use the antique grinder we have.  I know there are so many newer, easier ones out there.  But this was my grandmas and I love using it.  It is so simple to use because it is not sharp, so I am not afraid to let C use it. 

 

Yes we had a begger also.  Any little bit that dropped she was right there to pick it up!

 

 

C and I getting ready to mix up the messy meatballs.  Both wearing our Thirty One aprons.

 

And even D got in on it.  He was "shredding" the cheese.  For every piece he shredded, he ate one!

So proud!

Very proud Daddy!

Even D was brave enough to touch the deer :)

Christmas Decorations

The kids tree half decorated.  These are all kid ornaments or ones they made.

 

 

 

Concentration!

 

And we ended it with a dance party to 80s music!

 

 

Tooth Fairy is visiting.

C was brushing her teeth in the morning and came out yelling "MOM!!!!" .  This tooth has been bothering her for a little while now, it was right where she would always chew.  I was actually very happy to hear it had fallen out so she would cry every time she ate.

Our Thanksgiving

I love to share my recipes with anyone, but a big reason of me doing this post is because it makes it so much easier to look them up!  Honestly, my recipe box is so over stuffed I have trouble finding them, and a lot I do not write down it is all by memory.

The day before I started cold water brineing the Turkey.  So this actually started our first (and really only) issue.  I cook our turkey in my nesco so I can have my oven free for making pies and other goodies.  Well the turkey was so big that the lid would not fit on my nesco so I am currently improvising with a foil lid!  I told Dad now we know we can only have about a 18lb turkey. :)  Oops.

I also made the pumpkin pie the night before so it had time to cool.  I am excited because this is the first year I have actually made my own pumpkin pie(Grammy usually makes this and gives it to us).  I hard boiled eggs and let them cool(in their shells) over night.

I started at 5am this morning.  I know this seems crazy since it is just my little family of 6 that we do Thanksgiving with, but we had a HUGE turkey this year(23lbs).  I got it from a friend, which I was so excited cause she did not charge an arm and a leg and I knew how this turkey was raised and what it was fed!  I rinsed off the brine(I will do a specific post of recipes next) and placed the thawed turkey into the nesco.  Mixed a little water and butter in the bottom and sprinkled the turkey with different seasonings.  Covered with my "Lid" and cooked for 5 hours at 325*.

Next was Dad's favorite, Blueberry pie.  We always have those two kinds( blueberry and pumpkin) J an Dad argue about that and the rolls.  Dad like dinner rolls and J like crescent rolls!  Ah boys!  I also whipped the deviled egg filling and got the eggs peeled and filled.  Peeling the sweet potatoes and boiling them, right now.  I still have to make the corn bake and bake the rolls, but that will be closer to lunch time since I want them warm.  Last are the easy things, green beans and cranberry jelly.  Yes I used canned jelly, but that is how I grew up and I love it!  Dad hates the stuff, but C and I will probably eat the whole thing!

What was it like?

 

What was it like to live in a land where you could not worship freely? 

What was it like to turn from everything you have known and leave? 

What was it like to sail a ship with strangers to a place that had rarely been seen?

What was it like to watch people you love die one after another from sickness?

 

And finally, would I be willing/able to do it?

Through my genealogy research I found out some years ago, that mine and Dad's families are blood line descendants of a few Plymouth Pilgrims.  The original Mayflower.  I know a lot of people don't take stock in their history, but this makes me very proud.  My ancestors were brave enough to do all I listed above.  Would I be?!?!

 

The above painting is actually my ancestor, John Howland.  Through their treacherous journey he was swept over board.  What would make them want to keep going and not just turn around and go back to the known?

 

I admire them so much, obviously if they had not made this journey I would not be here today.  But not only for that, they showed courage and Faith in God.  Trusting him that he would bring them safely through their journeys.  They struggled, but never doubted God would provide for them.  If anything, it made their faith stronger.

Thanksgiving is about giving God thanks for what He has blessed you with.  NOT which sale you can get to first, NOT which family member has done the other wrong, NOT football....
Thank you God for your bountiful blessings you have bestowed upon my family.

A new project, a step into the unknown!

I decided to make C a bunk bed for her A.G. doll.  She has commented on them in the catalogs, but I just can't bring myself to spend $100+ on them.  I have used a few power tools before, but never to the extent of having to measure, cut, drill, screw....... So it is interesting! 

This is still very rough, I need to fill, sand, paint and add the accessories.

I am excited because I am half way done with it now.  I only have to finish sanding, painting and making the bedspread.  I have a few other projects in mind, we will see if I can get them done before Christmas. 

This bunk bed has cost me a total of $8.00!  We had some scrap wood pieces from an old bed frame downstairs, so my wood was free(Love that word!).  I had to pay for paint and material for the finishing touches.

Puppy Chow

 

I have had a craving for Puppy Chow for a few weeks now, but I never honestly remember to buy the Chex cereal.  With me, if it is not wrote down on my list, I NEVER remember to get it!

 

So we were at our local grocery store a few days ago and they had Chex cereal on sale.  I bought it but seriously not remembering how badly I wanted Puppy Chow(I know right!?).  I was making breakfast yesterday and had an epiphany!!  I made puppy chow at 6 in the morning, and I proceeded to eat a bunch of it also!  Oh it tasted so good!

 

I never realized how many different names puppy chow has, when I was talking with a few friends they called it everything.  Muddy Buddies(like in the chex recipe), and Chunky Monkey were too that stood out to me.

 

My 5am buddy

K is up with me just about every single morning.  If he is not out by 5:30am  I find it very odd.  He comes out stumbling but within seconds he is a smiling happy little boy!  It blows my mind every time.  I struggle waking any of his siblings up at 6:30am, and I struggle waking up at 4:30am!  I could learn some things from him with his attitude and happy spirit!

Our Thanksgiving Traditions

Oh I love having these little traditions now that we have children that are old enough to appreciate them.  I get so excited planning for them each season!

*Our day starts bright and early with the big bad heading out to hopefully catch us a deer :)

*I then rinse off the brine from the turkey and begin the slow cooking of it.  I also start making the pies and anything else that can be cool for lunch.

*C, K, and D watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade while I am out in the kitchen.

*A little closer to lunch they start cleaning and decorating the table.

*Around 10:30 or 11 the boys come back and we get everything set up for lunch.  The kids each say something they are thankful for and then Dad or  I pray.  DIG IN!  I always make way to much food, but we have some amazing leftovers(I will add recipes later).

*Hunters go back out and we clean up.  Then we re arrange the furniture and start taking down Fall decorations.  I bring the tree up(yes right now we have a fake tree, but hopefully we will be starting that tradition back up with a real one) and we get everything BUT the tree decorated.

*Hunters come home, I throw supper in the oven.  We turn on Christmas music and decorate the tree as a family.  The kids have a little tree for the kitchen that they put homemade ornaments on.  When I am done doing daycare I would love for each to have a tree in their rooms.

*Supper is done.  We sit down and watch White Christmas while eating leftover Turkey casserole.

I love doing this each year and now that the kids are getting older they remember doing things each year! 

Big Bad Hunters

 

J and Dad heading out for hunting on opening day(gun).  J was so excited to go out.  He ended up not making it the whole day.  He was heart broken when he was telling me, "Mom I really tried hard, but I got so cold!". 

 

They didn't end up getting anything yesterday, but a few friends and family did(my nephew got his first one).  They are hoping for better luck today!

 

 

 

J is not easy to wake up in the morning!  That is probably an understatement.  But when I walked into his room, I barely touched his leg and he was up and chatting away!  I love how excited he gets!  And it means so much to Dad to have him go with.  It will be a few more years before the others will get their chance(we will see if C even wants to go out).