Summer is finally here! Pool days, watering flowers, brown babies, grilled burgers, long evenings, fireflies, shaved ice, cooking huge meals...huh? How did that one get in there??!!
One thing I have discovered about all this wonderful summeryness is that I rarely feel like standing in the kitchen. Especially now that my stomach makes reaching the cabinet a bit of a painful chore and I can't seem to find a cool place unless I lock myself in my deep freeze that is stuffed to the brim with sale finds;-)
So this incredible idea came to me last Sunday. I was planning my Monday. Filling it with clipping coupons, sorting coupons, grocery shopping, organizing all my steals, and then I realized that I would have to fit preparing dinner in there somewhere. So I begin to hatch a thought. Why not make the entire weeks meals in one evening? Jonny had stocked me up on ground beef and chicken so I had pretty much everything I needed to make anything I might have a hankerin' for.
So after doing all my couponing stuff ( I hate that word "stuff". I sounds so unimaginative.), I took a short nap and then put the boys and Molly at the table with crayons, paper, and stickers and started cooking up a storm.
I put a big pot of ground chuck on to brown, a big pot of chicken on to boil, filled the fryer with grease, pulled out all the casserole dishes and all the spices and started filling the kitchen with good things to eat.
I made Beef Enchiladas (my own recipe that my family later informed me needs a little tweaking), Fried Chicken, Chicken Spaghetti, and Sour Cream Enchiladas.
It may sound like a ton of work, but amazingly enough it didn't take me any longer than cooking one meal would've taken since everything was cooking at one time. I had Meghan helping me clean up and Ally helping me shred chicken and we had the best time.
It has been so wonderful each evening as dinner time approaches, knowing that dinner is sitting in the fridge waiting to be popped into the oven!
I have heard of ladies that prepare meals for an entire month and then freeze them, but Jonny absolutely despises leftovers and pulling a dish that's been sitting in the freezer for a few weeks is dangerously close to leftovers for my sweet husband. As it is, I wondered how he might feel about being served enchiladas that have been marinating for three days, but he has made no complaints and has appreciated not being asked to stop and get us burgers on those evenings that little "nameless baby" makes cooking seem very unappealing.
I am excited to put together next week's menu which I will try to remember to share with you.
As for right now, I will post the recipe for Sour Cream Enchiladas that many of you have requested. Similar to many of my recipes, I have no measurements for this one, I just dump ingredients in until it looks right. But given that it's little else than cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and cheese, the possibility that you will go wrong is remote.
I simply boil about three pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and let me them cool. Then shred them. In a large bowl, I combine a large container of sour cream and four cans of cream of chicken soup. Then I add about a cup and a half a grated extra sharp cheddar cheese and a small can of green chilies. Then I dump in the chicken and stir it all together.
Next, grease a large casserole dish and make sure your oven is preheated to 350 degrees.
Then put about a half a cup (more or less) in each flour tortilla shell, roll it up and lay it in the casserole dish. Repeat until dish is full. Then pour remaining sauce over shells and cover with grated cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly. Very easy and most delicious I might add.
Talk to you soon friends!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Reicpes, recipes, and more recipes!!
Hello out there to all of my faithful readers! I have had so many of you sweet people kindly ask me if I might ever possibly post again and I always feel so guilty because I promised you in the beginning that I would post everyday. That turned into once a week, and we are now somewhere around once every month or two:-(
I do have a good excuse though. Besides struggling to find the time to sit here for more than a few minutes at a time, I cannot seem to get my imagination to work like it use to. It takes me forever to come up with a fresh idea that I haven't used yet (is that redundant?) and then when I finally come up with one, I get interrupted fifty-eleven times and completely lose my train of thought. So when I read back over my post, I'm thinking "What on earth did I mean by that??"
I have decided to bring a recipe back that I get asked about the most often, fried chicken. I have had so many people tell me that they can't find a recipe that they like, or that they simply can't figure out how to fry meat properly. So I am going to explain my recipe step by step. I'm also going to add lemonade cookies and Asian slaw, two favorites that are not my own, but those I have borrowed from other wonderful cooks.
Fried Chicken first:
Step 1: Thaw boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Step 2: Heat an electric skillet filled about 1/3 full with vegetable oil to 350 degrees being sure to not put any chicken in it until sizzles when you sprinkle a drop or two of water into it. Putting plenty of oil in your pan makes the chicken cook more evenly.
Step 3: Find a good size bowl and put 2-3 cups of flour into it (depending on how much chicken you're frying) and then sprinkle in as much pepper as you like. Stir.
Step 4: Salt each side of each piece of chicken. I do quite a bit of salt being that I really like my chicken salty and it makes it more moist.
Step 5: Carefully place chicken in hot grease and cover. I always cover the chicken for the first side to cook, and then leave the cover off for the other side. This makes the crust crispy but keeps the chicken moist. Turn the chicken over as soon as the crust is nice and golden brown.
Step 6: Dry on paper towels to keep from getting greasy.
This is my best attempt at explaining my chicken frying method. If you still find that yours doesn't turn out the way you like it, then call me and we'll have a chicken frying date!!
Lemonade Cookies
This recipe came from one of my magazines, but I must confess to you that I, myself, personally, have never made these. Ally makes these for me on a regular basis and they are truly ADDICTIVE!!!
1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 and 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup sweetened lemonade powder mix
2 eggs
2 tsp lemon zest
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
In a large mixing bowl, combine first three ingredients. Beat at medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs and lemon zest beating well.
In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients. Add this mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed blending well after each addition. Divide dough into fourths wrapping each portion in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with wax paper. On a floured surface, roll each portion of chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Using the top of a small glass, cut dough into flat cookies. Place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake 6-8 minutes and cool completely. Icing recipe follows.
Lemonade Icing
3 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
6 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate thawed
In a medium bowl, combine sugar, butter, and lemonade. Beat at low speed until combined. Ice cooled cookies.
I highly recommend giving this recipe a try. It may sound long and tedious, but Ally has never messed it up even a little bit and she has been making this recipe since she was twelve. I guarantee that you will LOVE IT!!!!
Asian Slaw
I'm not exactly sure where this recipe originated, but I got it from my friend Kellye and it is one of my favorite summer salads.
It is very easy to make and gets better the longer it sits.
1 package of coleslaw mix
1 package of ramen noodles uncooked and broken into small bits
1 cup almonds 1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup craisens
1 apple cut up
Dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
Mix and toss with salad.
Super easy huh?!
One last little recipe and then I have to skidoodle off here before my midwife comes.
It's one of my favorites to serve with fried chicken;-)
Honey-buttered rolls
Super simple and takes less then ten minutes.
Simply cook a bag of Sister Schuberts rolls for about seven minutes making sure they're still soft.
While they're cooking mix together a stick of melted butter and around 1/3 cup honey. More or less depending on how sweet you like your bread. Then brush the mixture over your hot rolls. I've gotten a million compliments on these and they're so ridiculously easy!
Well folks,hope this makes up for the long absence and that these recipes keep you busy for the next few nights. Enjoy!!
I do have a good excuse though. Besides struggling to find the time to sit here for more than a few minutes at a time, I cannot seem to get my imagination to work like it use to. It takes me forever to come up with a fresh idea that I haven't used yet (is that redundant?) and then when I finally come up with one, I get interrupted fifty-eleven times and completely lose my train of thought. So when I read back over my post, I'm thinking "What on earth did I mean by that??"
I have decided to bring a recipe back that I get asked about the most often, fried chicken. I have had so many people tell me that they can't find a recipe that they like, or that they simply can't figure out how to fry meat properly. So I am going to explain my recipe step by step. I'm also going to add lemonade cookies and Asian slaw, two favorites that are not my own, but those I have borrowed from other wonderful cooks.
Fried Chicken first:
Step 1: Thaw boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Step 2: Heat an electric skillet filled about 1/3 full with vegetable oil to 350 degrees being sure to not put any chicken in it until sizzles when you sprinkle a drop or two of water into it. Putting plenty of oil in your pan makes the chicken cook more evenly.
Step 3: Find a good size bowl and put 2-3 cups of flour into it (depending on how much chicken you're frying) and then sprinkle in as much pepper as you like. Stir.
Step 4: Salt each side of each piece of chicken. I do quite a bit of salt being that I really like my chicken salty and it makes it more moist.
Step 5: Carefully place chicken in hot grease and cover. I always cover the chicken for the first side to cook, and then leave the cover off for the other side. This makes the crust crispy but keeps the chicken moist. Turn the chicken over as soon as the crust is nice and golden brown.
Step 6: Dry on paper towels to keep from getting greasy.
This is my best attempt at explaining my chicken frying method. If you still find that yours doesn't turn out the way you like it, then call me and we'll have a chicken frying date!!
Lemonade Cookies
This recipe came from one of my magazines, but I must confess to you that I, myself, personally, have never made these. Ally makes these for me on a regular basis and they are truly ADDICTIVE!!!
1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 and 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup sweetened lemonade powder mix
2 eggs
2 tsp lemon zest
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
In a large mixing bowl, combine first three ingredients. Beat at medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs and lemon zest beating well.
In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients. Add this mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed blending well after each addition. Divide dough into fourths wrapping each portion in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with wax paper. On a floured surface, roll each portion of chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Using the top of a small glass, cut dough into flat cookies. Place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake 6-8 minutes and cool completely. Icing recipe follows.
Lemonade Icing
3 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
6 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate thawed
In a medium bowl, combine sugar, butter, and lemonade. Beat at low speed until combined. Ice cooled cookies.
I highly recommend giving this recipe a try. It may sound long and tedious, but Ally has never messed it up even a little bit and she has been making this recipe since she was twelve. I guarantee that you will LOVE IT!!!!
Asian Slaw
I'm not exactly sure where this recipe originated, but I got it from my friend Kellye and it is one of my favorite summer salads.
It is very easy to make and gets better the longer it sits.
1 package of coleslaw mix
1 package of ramen noodles uncooked and broken into small bits
1 cup almonds 1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup craisens
1 apple cut up
Dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
Mix and toss with salad.
Super easy huh?!
One last little recipe and then I have to skidoodle off here before my midwife comes.
It's one of my favorites to serve with fried chicken;-)
Honey-buttered rolls
Super simple and takes less then ten minutes.
Simply cook a bag of Sister Schuberts rolls for about seven minutes making sure they're still soft.
While they're cooking mix together a stick of melted butter and around 1/3 cup honey. More or less depending on how sweet you like your bread. Then brush the mixture over your hot rolls. I've gotten a million compliments on these and they're so ridiculously easy!
Well folks,hope this makes up for the long absence and that these recipes keep you busy for the next few nights. Enjoy!!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Tea Time
These are my three girls having tea in Molly's room. I was looking for pictures on the Internet to put on this post, when I found these and decided that they are cuter:-)
What is it about tea parties that make girls and ladies feel so special? Why is it that no matter how old we get, we still get as excited about dressing up and eating delicate food and drinking sparkling drinks out of dainty cups, as we did when we were four?
I still find myself collecting pink cups and saucers for that special tea party, even though there is nothing in my dining room or kitchen that lends itself to matching pink.
Still I hold onto these things in the hopes that one of my girls will grow up and have a pink kitchen.
This week we had some dear friends come over for a sort of tea party. The sort of, being because between the two of us Mom's there were six little ones asking for more goldfish and juice boxes and bringing the toy tractors to the table to "show Mom!".
Still we had a wonderful time pretending during the brief moments of quiet, that we were dignified ladies sitting in the parlor, having a quiet luncheon together.
I served strawberry soup, chicken salad, strawberry spinach salad, and sparkling lemonade and if you will allow me to brag, it was most delicious!
I would like to share these recipes with you.
Strawberry Soup
2 cups of milk
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
3 cups of frozen strawberries
1/2 cup of sour cream
3/4 cup of sugar
Pour all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth and a lovely shade of pink.
I got this recipe some time ago, but have changed the amounts of strawberries and sugar to my taste. I encourage you to do the same! Once you put your spoon in the blender to try a taste, you will have a hard time staying out of it:-)
Chicken Salad
I have absolutely no measurements for anything in this recipe. I learned how to make it from it my Mom. I boil a three pound bag of chicken a little more than you think you should so that it will shred easily when you stir it into the salad. Then I put in tons of purple seedless grapes and about four stalks of celery chopped very small. (I personally do not care for celery, but find it essential in this salad to give it that wonderful crunch. This explains the "very small".)
Then I sprinkle in pepper and salt and some Lawry's seasoning salt. Then I add enough mayo to make it very creamy but in no way runny. Add a little at a time until you get it the way you like. Then I throw in a small bag of sliced almonds and stir some more. Be sure that you don't stir so hard that you smush your grapes. This salad is excellent on any kind of bread, in a pita, or all by itself.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
This is a very common recipe and more than likely, you've got your own version of it. But just in case this is the way I learned to make it.
Use a bag of fresh spinach, being sure to snap the little stems off. Add as many sliced strawberries as you like. Sprinkle in some sliced almonds and a little feta cheese.
For the dressing, in a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup of sugar, 2 tsp dry minced onion,
1/4 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp worceshire sauce, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 1/4 cup cider vinegar. Briskly stir together with a fork. Wait to pour on the salad until you are ready to serve it. Toss.
Sparkling Lemonade
Super simple! All you do is use two frozen cans of strawberry lemonade concentrate (or any other frozen drink that you like), pour in a two liter of club soda and add about 3/4 cup of sugar. You won't believe how deliciously refreshing this is!
Hope you enjoy these recipes and that you find your own excuse to have a tea party at your table very soon!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Blogging in the Rain
Today has, in spite of the rain, been a perfectly wonderful day. I got to sleep in this morning until...well let's just say I got to sleep in.
The house is all tidy which is a major accomplishment with my two little hurricanes who run around disguised as boys messing up everything that looks a little too neat.
The laundry for once was not piled higher than my head.
The boys are starting to seem like after three weeks of trying, they might actually get this potty training thing.
The rain is pouring out of the sky as though God has been filling the clouds with a ten million gallon bucket for the last four years, making everything a brilliant shade of green and sending with it, the hope that the flowers will be even more bright than they have ever been before.
I have only ten more days until I load my family up in the old suburban and head down to see my Nonny and Papa who I have not seen in seven years, and then after that, we're heading down to Destin!
Things seem unusually good today, especially after the meltdown I had just about a week ago at this time. I won't describe the day to you so as not to get you down. Just imagine a nightmare of a day, add gloomy weather and twin three year old boys, a disgusting mishap or two, and you'll just about be there.
Just a quick update on things around here. I am officially 21 and 1/2 weeks along in my pregnancy and we found out last week that the newest Jeppsen will be a boy that we will be naming William Dale Jeppsen and calling him "Billy". The Dale is after my Papa and the William is because it's the only name that Jonny and I could agree on and that goes well with Charlie and Danny.
We had a marvelous Easter in spite of the nasty weather. Our church had huge plans of a potluck and Easter egg hunt that got canceled due to the rain. So we just combined our food with a couple of other families food and had a great lunch here at our house. No egg hunt, but fortunately the three youngest seemed to forget about that and no tears were shed.
We let the kids have their Easter baskets the day before Easter for different reasons. The first was to keep the focus of Easter Sunday more on Jesus and less on the Easter bunny. The second being that we simply don't have time to let the kids dig through their Easter baskets along with cooking a big Easter meal, dressing everyone, making sure little nails are painted, and trying to keep the house in order for company coming. And the third reason is that there are simply no child care workers at Great Light that I hate enough to send three sugared up kids into their care. The kids were simply awful that morning after they spent the wee hours of the morning chowing down on chocolate bunnies, lollipops, nerds, and jellybeans.
The computer has been on the fritz for the past couple of months keeping me from being able to update more often, but I will do my very best to get back on here and give you the recipes for my favorite spring tea that some of us ladies will be serving at our mother/daughter luncheon we're having at church the end of June.
Strawberry Soup, Chicken Salad, Quiche, Fresh Fruit, Crusty French Bread, and Iced Tea.
I also need to give you the recipe for Ally's famous Lemonade Cookies. Yes, I will hopefully get back on here in the next day or two. Talk to you soon!!
The house is all tidy which is a major accomplishment with my two little hurricanes who run around disguised as boys messing up everything that looks a little too neat.
The laundry for once was not piled higher than my head.
The boys are starting to seem like after three weeks of trying, they might actually get this potty training thing.
The rain is pouring out of the sky as though God has been filling the clouds with a ten million gallon bucket for the last four years, making everything a brilliant shade of green and sending with it, the hope that the flowers will be even more bright than they have ever been before.
I have only ten more days until I load my family up in the old suburban and head down to see my Nonny and Papa who I have not seen in seven years, and then after that, we're heading down to Destin!
Things seem unusually good today, especially after the meltdown I had just about a week ago at this time. I won't describe the day to you so as not to get you down. Just imagine a nightmare of a day, add gloomy weather and twin three year old boys, a disgusting mishap or two, and you'll just about be there.
Just a quick update on things around here. I am officially 21 and 1/2 weeks along in my pregnancy and we found out last week that the newest Jeppsen will be a boy that we will be naming William Dale Jeppsen and calling him "Billy". The Dale is after my Papa and the William is because it's the only name that Jonny and I could agree on and that goes well with Charlie and Danny.
We had a marvelous Easter in spite of the nasty weather. Our church had huge plans of a potluck and Easter egg hunt that got canceled due to the rain. So we just combined our food with a couple of other families food and had a great lunch here at our house. No egg hunt, but fortunately the three youngest seemed to forget about that and no tears were shed.
We let the kids have their Easter baskets the day before Easter for different reasons. The first was to keep the focus of Easter Sunday more on Jesus and less on the Easter bunny. The second being that we simply don't have time to let the kids dig through their Easter baskets along with cooking a big Easter meal, dressing everyone, making sure little nails are painted, and trying to keep the house in order for company coming. And the third reason is that there are simply no child care workers at Great Light that I hate enough to send three sugared up kids into their care. The kids were simply awful that morning after they spent the wee hours of the morning chowing down on chocolate bunnies, lollipops, nerds, and jellybeans.
The computer has been on the fritz for the past couple of months keeping me from being able to update more often, but I will do my very best to get back on here and give you the recipes for my favorite spring tea that some of us ladies will be serving at our mother/daughter luncheon we're having at church the end of June.
Strawberry Soup, Chicken Salad, Quiche, Fresh Fruit, Crusty French Bread, and Iced Tea.
I also need to give you the recipe for Ally's famous Lemonade Cookies. Yes, I will hopefully get back on here in the next day or two. Talk to you soon!!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Want to know where I've been??
I'm aware that it has been positively forever since I've been on here and for that I apologize. Life in this house as been anything but fun or creative this past month and a half. As I have mentioned before, this baby has been a little unkind in it's treatment of it's Mommy this trimester.
I have been sicker than I was with any of the other babies. In the bed a lot and depending on my selfless daughters and husband to take over ALL the chores including: cooking, cleaning, laundry, school, shopping, and ironing.
Then the kicker came about two weeks ago. Charlie got sick. At this particular moment, my memory escapes me as to what exactly he got sick with. I just remember that he was the start of it all. He stayed sick with fevers, coughs, throw-ups, diarrhea, runny nose for a few days, then he gave it to Danny. Both boys were in my bed with fevers and Charlie still throwing up (on my nice, white, down comforter). A few days later Molly came home from a friends house burning up with fever and saying her head hurt. By that night her temperature had sky rocketed and she was throwing up. She threw up and had seriously high fevers for two days. Then I got the stomach flu and Jonny came down with a sinus infection. Both of us were in the bed bringing whichever little one was crying the hardest with us.
The next morning Meghan started throwing up. Then that same day Molly started having coughing fits and both boys started in with the diarrhea and throwing up again.
By Sunday (a week and a half into it) we thought we were on the mend, when Danny had a diaper blow-out and Charlie called me into his room that night saying "yook!". He was laying in throw-up.
We have watched Charlie lose more weight over the past two weeks than I've ever seen a two year boy lose, we've seen all the blood vessels on Molly's face break from the high fevers and having the dry heaves. We've dealt with crying, whining, fussing, fighting, and everything else that a two year old or four year old does to vent when he or she is feeling bad.
It's now Monday morning and I've taken Charlie to the doctor. He has an ear infection and possibly a little bit of pneumonia.
So far this morning all we've seen is a little coughing from Molly and Charlie, and a couple of diaper blow-outs. But all five kids have eaten very well today and as of yesterday, I am officially in my second trimester with high hopes of being on my way out of all-day sickness.
This is the sad but true most recent account of my life.
Hopefully next time I find time to sit here, I'll have something more interesting and educational to share with you!
I have been sicker than I was with any of the other babies. In the bed a lot and depending on my selfless daughters and husband to take over ALL the chores including: cooking, cleaning, laundry, school, shopping, and ironing.
Then the kicker came about two weeks ago. Charlie got sick. At this particular moment, my memory escapes me as to what exactly he got sick with. I just remember that he was the start of it all. He stayed sick with fevers, coughs, throw-ups, diarrhea, runny nose for a few days, then he gave it to Danny. Both boys were in my bed with fevers and Charlie still throwing up (on my nice, white, down comforter). A few days later Molly came home from a friends house burning up with fever and saying her head hurt. By that night her temperature had sky rocketed and she was throwing up. She threw up and had seriously high fevers for two days. Then I got the stomach flu and Jonny came down with a sinus infection. Both of us were in the bed bringing whichever little one was crying the hardest with us.
The next morning Meghan started throwing up. Then that same day Molly started having coughing fits and both boys started in with the diarrhea and throwing up again.
By Sunday (a week and a half into it) we thought we were on the mend, when Danny had a diaper blow-out and Charlie called me into his room that night saying "yook!". He was laying in throw-up.
We have watched Charlie lose more weight over the past two weeks than I've ever seen a two year boy lose, we've seen all the blood vessels on Molly's face break from the high fevers and having the dry heaves. We've dealt with crying, whining, fussing, fighting, and everything else that a two year old or four year old does to vent when he or she is feeling bad.
It's now Monday morning and I've taken Charlie to the doctor. He has an ear infection and possibly a little bit of pneumonia.
So far this morning all we've seen is a little coughing from Molly and Charlie, and a couple of diaper blow-outs. But all five kids have eaten very well today and as of yesterday, I am officially in my second trimester with high hopes of being on my way out of all-day sickness.
This is the sad but true most recent account of my life.
Hopefully next time I find time to sit here, I'll have something more interesting and educational to share with you!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
My girls
These are my big girls, Ally and Meghan. I could not be more proud of these girls if they grew up to be presidents. They are my gifts from God. They are living proof that if we take the time to train our children, they will use this training to God's glory and our benefits.
Starting last Saturday, morning sickness (or more accurately, all day sickness) began. It has gotten steadily worse each day, until no longer does food sound good and even slightly rocking in the rocking chair is enough to make my stomach turn.
I have been slightly less sick first thing in the morning, so I've been trying to quickly get myself and the babies ready, my bed made and the laundry going. Their school schedules are not difficult because I can make those from my chair.
When I was pregnant with the boys, I was so ill that I was completely bed-ridden for the first and last trimesters. This time around, I am trying my hardest to get myself prettied-up and down to the recliner if for no other reason than to be an adult presence for my kiddos.
In spite of this set back, I just walked downstairs where I found a sparkling house, happy boys, the washer and dryer both going, fresh banana bread baking, and dinner in the oven.
My girls wanted to see me happy and they have been successful.
I remember when they were little and they wanted to help cook or wash the dishes or do the laundry, thinking "I could do this so much faster and so much neater by myself!", but I would take the time to stand over them showing them how to do their jobs well. I was not always patient mind you. I still get frustrated when a job isn't done the way I like it done. Nearly six kids and I'm still way too uptight:-(
The rewards I am now reaping have made those hours well worth it. The girls do a better job at keeping house than I do. They sing while they work, they play games to while away the hours spent at the kitchen sink, they quote favorite movie lines. There is a general attitude of cheerfulness and contentedness while they go about their work.
God promises us that if we "Train up our child in the way he (or she) should go, when they are old they will not depart from it." Although my children are not old yet, I am already seeing Him fulfill His promise to me.
I am so proud of my girls, and so grateful that God gave them to me!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Delicious Dinner!!
Every time I sit down here to write, my first thought is "I wish I had time to do this more often." But life just seems to keep getting in the way of computer time!
Christmas was extremely busy, even though I kept on looking for ways to make it laid back. I will say, that this was the best Christmas our family has ever had. We enjoyed each other so much. Jonny got to take off work basically the entire week of Christmas, Nate and Steph came with their precious babies, the food was delicious, all five little ones were completely quiet while Papa read Luke 2, we got so many gifts that we kept losing children under all the wrapping paper, we watched all the Christmas movies, I made toffee three times due to the high demand, we were all healthy.
I felt God's blessings this year more than I ever have.
I don't usually have as hard of a time going into January as I have this year. I was really sad to see the Christmas decorations come down, to take down the lights, to stop baking, and to have to stop the general attitude in the house of vacation.
Starting school this year has been a little difficult for me and for the girls. This could be partially attributed to the fact that I discovered the day after Christmas that the sixth Jeppsen baby is on their way.
This particular pregnancy has exhausted me so far. No sickness as of yet, just that weary feeling that starts when my eyes open in the morning and lasts until they close again at night. Maybe it's because I'm getting older:-(
Well onto the purpose for this post. I mentioned tonight on Facebook that we were having a feast for dinner, and was asked to put the menu along with recipes on here. So here we go.
Tonight I made Roast Beef with pan gravy, mashed red potatoes, glazed baby carrots, broccoli with cheese sauce, rolls, and chocolate layer cake. I should technically be cutting way back on the fat intake after a rather rich December, but I just love cooking in January! Not to mention that I got a new double oven that I couldn't wait to use.
The recipe for the roast is on one of my first posts entitled "Regarding Roast" and the chocolate layer cake, I'm sad to say, was from a box, but the rest of the recipes I will put on here for you.
Glazed Baby Carrots
Put about 4 cups of baby carrots into a skillet full of boiling water and let boil just about five minutes. Drain the water and add a half a stick of butter to the carrots. Allow the butter to melt and then put in a cup of OJ and 1/4 cup of honey and let simmer about ten minutes stirring every couple of minutes.
Mashed Red Potatoes
My entire cooking life, I have used Russett potatoes for making mashed potatoes. That is until I went to my in-laws the week of Christmas and had my mother-in-laws mashed red potatoes. They were so delicious that I new I had to change my ways. I'm not exactly sure how she made hers, but I just scrubbed and boiled about six pounds of them until they were easy to cut. Then I drained them and put them in my mixer. I had to use the bread hook because they were to thick for my whisk attachment to handle. Then I slowly poured in enough whole milk to make them nice and creamy and added way to much butter and salt to tell you about. You put in as much as you like. They were amazing!! We poured the pan gravy over them that I made with the help of my sister-in-law, using the roast drippings, gravy mix, salt, pepper, and beef broth. Delicious!!!
Broccoli with Cheese Sauce
I just steamed a bunch of broccoli in the microwave for about six minutes and then made the best cheese sauce I've ever tasted. I've always just melted Velveeta and added a little milk to it, but this was a million times better! You put about a cup and a half of extra sharp cheddar cheese, a block of cream cheese, and four slices of American cheese into the food processor. Add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of whole milk and about 5 drops of Tabasco sauce. Blend it until it's completely smooth and then put it in a double boiler and slowly melt it stirring with a whisk until it's nice and creamy. Then pour over the broccoli. Even Jonny liked this recipe and he really prefers his broccoli without cheese.
It really was a delicious dinner although it took me about three hours to make, not to mention the time it's taking the girls to clean up from it. I usually try to keep the kitchen clean while I'm cooking, but because the girls were at art class and I had all three babies by myself, not to mention about ten different foods cooking at the same time, the place looks like a hurricane ran through it. Thank goodness for big girls;-)
I am off now to sit on the couch and try relax despite the fact that the boys destroyed the living room while "watching a movie" this evening. The question is, can I actually sit and ignore it, or will I have to clean it up first. Hhhmmm.....
Off to clean up!
Christmas was extremely busy, even though I kept on looking for ways to make it laid back. I will say, that this was the best Christmas our family has ever had. We enjoyed each other so much. Jonny got to take off work basically the entire week of Christmas, Nate and Steph came with their precious babies, the food was delicious, all five little ones were completely quiet while Papa read Luke 2, we got so many gifts that we kept losing children under all the wrapping paper, we watched all the Christmas movies, I made toffee three times due to the high demand, we were all healthy.
I felt God's blessings this year more than I ever have.
I don't usually have as hard of a time going into January as I have this year. I was really sad to see the Christmas decorations come down, to take down the lights, to stop baking, and to have to stop the general attitude in the house of vacation.
Starting school this year has been a little difficult for me and for the girls. This could be partially attributed to the fact that I discovered the day after Christmas that the sixth Jeppsen baby is on their way.
This particular pregnancy has exhausted me so far. No sickness as of yet, just that weary feeling that starts when my eyes open in the morning and lasts until they close again at night. Maybe it's because I'm getting older:-(
Well onto the purpose for this post. I mentioned tonight on Facebook that we were having a feast for dinner, and was asked to put the menu along with recipes on here. So here we go.
Tonight I made Roast Beef with pan gravy, mashed red potatoes, glazed baby carrots, broccoli with cheese sauce, rolls, and chocolate layer cake. I should technically be cutting way back on the fat intake after a rather rich December, but I just love cooking in January! Not to mention that I got a new double oven that I couldn't wait to use.
The recipe for the roast is on one of my first posts entitled "Regarding Roast" and the chocolate layer cake, I'm sad to say, was from a box, but the rest of the recipes I will put on here for you.
Glazed Baby Carrots
Put about 4 cups of baby carrots into a skillet full of boiling water and let boil just about five minutes. Drain the water and add a half a stick of butter to the carrots. Allow the butter to melt and then put in a cup of OJ and 1/4 cup of honey and let simmer about ten minutes stirring every couple of minutes.
Mashed Red Potatoes
My entire cooking life, I have used Russett potatoes for making mashed potatoes. That is until I went to my in-laws the week of Christmas and had my mother-in-laws mashed red potatoes. They were so delicious that I new I had to change my ways. I'm not exactly sure how she made hers, but I just scrubbed and boiled about six pounds of them until they were easy to cut. Then I drained them and put them in my mixer. I had to use the bread hook because they were to thick for my whisk attachment to handle. Then I slowly poured in enough whole milk to make them nice and creamy and added way to much butter and salt to tell you about. You put in as much as you like. They were amazing!! We poured the pan gravy over them that I made with the help of my sister-in-law, using the roast drippings, gravy mix, salt, pepper, and beef broth. Delicious!!!
Broccoli with Cheese Sauce
I just steamed a bunch of broccoli in the microwave for about six minutes and then made the best cheese sauce I've ever tasted. I've always just melted Velveeta and added a little milk to it, but this was a million times better! You put about a cup and a half of extra sharp cheddar cheese, a block of cream cheese, and four slices of American cheese into the food processor. Add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of whole milk and about 5 drops of Tabasco sauce. Blend it until it's completely smooth and then put it in a double boiler and slowly melt it stirring with a whisk until it's nice and creamy. Then pour over the broccoli. Even Jonny liked this recipe and he really prefers his broccoli without cheese.
It really was a delicious dinner although it took me about three hours to make, not to mention the time it's taking the girls to clean up from it. I usually try to keep the kitchen clean while I'm cooking, but because the girls were at art class and I had all three babies by myself, not to mention about ten different foods cooking at the same time, the place looks like a hurricane ran through it. Thank goodness for big girls;-)
I am off now to sit on the couch and try relax despite the fact that the boys destroyed the living room while "watching a movie" this evening. The question is, can I actually sit and ignore it, or will I have to clean it up first. Hhhmmm.....
Off to clean up!
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