Yesterday my son woke up with a terrible cold and flu.  He was barely able to sit up in bed and I thought, “Oh my dear, this is going to be a bad one”.

Our plan for the day was for Luke to work with my husband and my daughters and I were going to attend a sewing/quilting circle at a friend’s house.   I decided to drop the girls off and come back home to tend to my sick son.  My friend Diane, who was hosting the event told me about an herbal remedy she and her family used a couple weeks ago and said it worked wonders.  So she sent me home with the recipe, the herbs and an herbal tincture for the achiness.  I made the herbal tea and gave it to Luke immediately.  I could not believe what happened.  Minutes after giving him the herbal tincture his achy bones where not in pain any more.   By evening, after giving him a total of 3 cups of this tea throughout the day, he was up, eating, talking, laughing… like he always does, and a little nasal congestion and a red nose was all that was left. 

Here is the recipe I used:

Ingredients:

½ tsp St. John’s Wort

½ tsp Elderberry Flowers

Pinch of sage

1 cup of hot water

Directions:

Steep all 3 ingredients in the hot water for 20 minutes covered.

I added a little honey

Thanks Diane!

~ Christa ~

Note:  Please exercise caution when using herbal remedies.  The recipe in this blog post is not a recommendation or a prescription.  Check with your healthcare provider or professional herbalist  before trying this or any other herbal remedy.

A Hay Ride, Bonfire and a potluck!

Way too cute, don't you think?

After being under the weather a bit this week, Lord willing, our family will be heading over to our friend's farm tonight for a potluck.  Crockpots will be lined up on our friend's kitchen counter full of delicious chillies and soups waiting to feed a hungry crowd returning from a hay ride.  The evening will continue with some great fellowship with our dear church family around a warm and toasty bonfire.  I'm so thankful to the Lord for these precious friends that He has given us.

Here is what the Smith family will be bringing to the potluck

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

1 medium onion

1 clove of garlic

5-6 chicken breasts

2 cans Rotelle tomatoes "original"

2 cans tomato soup

2 cans beef broth

2 can chicken broth

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. chili powder

1 15 oz can pinto beans or beans of your choice

Directions:

Saute' onion and garlic

Add everything except chicken and beans

Simmer 1 hour then add chicken and beans

Serve with any or all of the following:

shredded cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream, avocado, tortilla chips or make homemade tortilla strips, sliced olives...

Oh dear!  My mouth is watering right now!

It's so delicious!

This recipe came from my very, very dear friend Wendy in California.
Oh how I miss her so much!

Thanks Wendy!  Give those cutie pie kids a hug from us.

Have a blessed weekend y'all

~ Christa ~

Marian's Favorite Apple Dumplings

Take 4 juicy apples...

and take a recipe...

  to make this delicious apple treat!

 Let's get started

Ingredients:

4 apples of your choice.  I used Gala.

~

Syrup ingredients:

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp butter

1/4 tsp cinnamon

~

Dumpling Pastry:

1 1/2 cups of sifted flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp butter

3 or more Tbsp cold water

~

Dumpling Filling:

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Wash, peel and core apples

Boil syrup ingredients together and let sit while preparing apples and pastry.

 

Next,

Measure sifted flour into mixing bowl and add salt, mix together.

With pastry cutter or two knives, cut butter into flour mixture until coarse.

Using a pastry cutter

or

Using two knives

Sprinkle with cold water, one Tbsp at a time and mix lightly with a fork until flour mixture is moistened.

 

After flour mixture is moistened, press dough into a ball.  Then, divide into four smaller dough balls.

 

Roll out each piece of dough using a rolling pin.  I place my dough between two pieces of wax paper or parchment paper to roll mine out.

Roll out to approx. 8-10 inches, depending on large your apple is.

If your dough is too sticky, it may be because you handled it too much and may need to go into the refrigerator until it gets firm again.

If using wax or parchment paper, slowly peel paper off of the dough.

Place that delicious, juicy apple in the center and wrap the dough around the apple, making sure to leave a hole in the top.

Secret:  Do not wrap apple in a beautiful manner.  This is the time to make it look kind of ugly.  It makes it looks more delicious in the end.  Does that kind of make sense?  So, for you perfectionists, this may be difficult, but try anyway to make it look lumpy and bumpy.

Place all apples covered with dough in a baking dish.

See how ugly they look?  It's ok my dears, they will be delightful to look at in the end.

Mix dumpling filling (sugar and cinnamon) together in a little bowl.

Spoon dumpling filling in the hole of the apple.  Sprinkle a little around the top and add 1/4 Tbsp of butter inside the hole of apple.

Pour syrup into baking dish with apples.

Place apples in a 425 degree oven and bake for 40-45 minutes.

 

After baking apples, let them cool a little bit before serving.  They are very delicious on their own or you can add ice cream!

Oh my dear!  So yummy, they are soooo yummy! 

These Apple Dumplings are a family Thanksgiving tradition which started a few years ago when my friend Tracy and her mother, Marian, had an Apple Dumpling Making Day.  They shared their recipe and we love it so much, it has now become one of our family favorites.

Okay, here's another secret:  If you're just not that pastry making kind of gal, buy store bought pie dough and wrap your apples in those.  Follow the rest of the directions and bake!  Shh!  Just don't tell anyone I told you.

Thanks Tracy and Marian!

Bon Appetit!

~ Christa ~

Yummiest Pumpkin Dessert

I love trying new recipes for Thanksgiving, especially desserts. Here is one from Flowers in His Garden called Yummiest Pumpkin Pie. Camille is the creative person behind this blog and I have enjoyed getting to know her. Something I appreciate about Camille is her love for the Lord and her family. It will be evident to you when you visit her blog.

I hope you will stop by and meet Camille and try her delicious pumpkin dessert.

Blessings to you and your family,

~ Christa ~

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Home For Thanksgiving
By Norman Rockwell

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'm already looking ahead to our traditional meal. Will I try something new? Will I trade out a favorite recipe for a more nutritional version? How about adding a little twist to a certain dish? Even though I'm partial to keeping the good ol' recipes my mother makes, once in awhile I'll come across a recipe that spruces up an old. Cheesy Mashed Potatoes is such a dish.
I thought I would pass it on early in case you would like to give it a try before Thanksgiving and see if it deserves a spot on your table.
I hope you enjoy it as much as my family has.


Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

8 medium potatoes
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
1/4 lb. butter
dash of red pepper
dash of garlic salt (I add lots of fresh garlic as well)
1 tsp. chopped onion (I use 1 TBSP or more!)
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (Oh my dear friends, I must admit, we add way more than that)

Directions:

Cook and mash potatoes and add all ingredients except cheddar cheese. Mix well.

Spoon potatoes into a casserole dish.

Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top of potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

It's that easy!

I have even spooned the potatoes into my crock pot, and kept it on low for a couple hours. If I do this, I mix the cheddar cheese in with all the rest of the ingredients.

I have also brought this to our church fellowship meal and the crock pot is empty at the end!

Feel free to add more of the ingredients your family loves. When I add more cheddar cheese, I reserve the 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top, but the rest is mixed in with all the other ingredients.

Stay tuned for homemade jellied cranberry sauce!

Oh my dear! I just love the holidays!!! Don't you?

~ Christa ~

Katie's Monster Cookies

My husband and son are going on a Father-Son camp out at our friends' farm this weekend. I thought, hmm... Katie's Monster Cookies might be a tasty treat for them to take and share with their friends around the camp fire.
This recipe came from our sweet friend, Katie B. who made a huge batch of these for the 80 men who attended a conference in our area last Spring.
They were a hit!
I hope they will be for you as well.

Katie's Monster Cookies

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (12-ounce) jar creamy peanut butter

1 stick butter, softened

1 1/2 cups M & Ms

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 teaspoons baking soda

4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant) - If using regular oats, which is what Katie uses, more oats will be needed. Use approx. 5 1/3 cups. Add enough until the dough looks right.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line Cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the M & Ms, chocolate chips, baking soda and oatmeal.

Drop by the Tablespoons, 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Smash dough into the shape or size you would like the cookie to be. The cookies do not spread out, they stay the same way you place them on the cookie sheet. If you want a real monster cookie, make them 5-6 inches in diameter! Oh yummy!

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not over bake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool.

Thanks for sharing your recipe Katie!

What's Cooking In My Kitchen?

Yummy recipes are on their way to help you
with your holiday celebrations.

Here's what's coming up:

Best Ever Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Icing
Katie's Monster Cookies
Apple Dumplings
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
Mom's Stuffing
Pea Soup
Dutch Croquettes

and more!

~ Christa ~

Mary's Chicken Pot Pie

Umm, comfort food!

Each time we make this Chicken Pot Pie, I am reminded of my friendship with my dear friend and quilting buddy, Mary. I'm not sure where she got this recipe so I just tell friends it's from Mary's kitchen.
In fact, let's just call it Mary's Chicken Pot Pie!
Pie Filling Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup onions, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 pepper
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into cubes
1 10 oz. pkg frozen peas and carrots

Celery Seed Pastry:

2/3 cup, plus 2 TBSP butter
2 cups flour
2 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. salt
4-5 TBSP water

Instructions for Pie filling:

In a bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a medium pan, heat butter on low until melted.

Add chopped onion and sate for a few minutes.

Add flour mixture and cook on low to med. heat, stirring constantly
until mixture is smooth and bubbly.

Remove from heat.

Stir in chicken broth and milk and heat to boiling while stirring constantly.

Boil and stir for 1 minute.

Stir in chicken and frozen vegetables.

Reserve.


Instructions for Celery Seed Pastry:

Mix flour, celery seed and salt in a bowl.

Cut butter into flour mixture until particles are the size of peas.

Add/sprinkle water into dough, 1 TBSP at a time using a fork
until all flour is moistened and pastry cleans the side of the bowl.
If pastry is too dry, add more water, 1 TBSP at a time.

Gather into a ball.

Take and roll out 2/3 of the pastry into 13" or more circle
on wax paper or a lightly floured board.

Place pastry into a pie plate or a 9" x 9" x 2" pan.

Pour filling into pastry lined pan.

Roll remaining pie dough into and 11" or more circle and place over
pie filling.

Roll under and flute edges.

Cut slits in center of pie to allow steam to escape during baking.

Cook uncovered in a 450 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until
crust is golden brown.

Oh dear me, it's so delicious!
Thanks Mary

~ Christa ~

Italian Tortellini Soup

Italian Tortellini Soup

Hands down, this is my family's favorite soup!
I hope you will try it and love it as much as we do.

Ingredients:

4-5 mild Italian Sausage
red pepper flakes (see below)
1 Onion, chopped
4-5 Cloves garlic, minced
1 quart creamy tomato soup
2 quarts chicken broth
1 Lg. can diced tomatoes
1-2 cups carrots, sliced
green beans, fresh or frozen
zucchini
1/2-1 tsp. Basil, fresh or dry
1/2-1 tsp. Oregano, dry
1-2 TBSP. Parsley
24 oz. Tortellini
Salt to taste

Instructions:

Brown sausage and drain

Add red pepper flakes, onions, garlic, carrots and sate'

Add tomato soup, chicken broth,
diced tomatoes and green beans

Cook on low for 30 minutes

Add spices, zucchini and tortellini

Cook for 10 minutes

Serve immediately with
Parmesian cheese and bread

Note: For a spicier soup, add red pepper flakes.
1/2 - 1 tsp. should be good for the first time.
You can be the judge if you need to adjust next time.

Enjoy!

~ Christa ~

How About Them Apples?

Have you ever wanted to make apple butter?

I have two bushels of apples coming in a couple weeks and I'm going to try a great apple butter recipe from a great blog I just discovered.

Sneak on over to A Merry Heart Journal and find out her secret to great Crock Pot Apple Butter.

~ Christa ~

Broth, Glorious Broth!

It's been raining here in Middle Tennessee for quite some time now and my family is getting in the mood for those delicious soups.
I think I could live off of soup alone, I love it so much.

What makes a great pot of soup?
I think homemade chicken or beef broth can make or break a great bowl of soup .

During Fall, Winter and partly into Spring, making a big stock pot full of chicken broth is a weekly event at our house. Every Monday, our large pot, and the ingredients are set on the stove to simmer for at least 12 hours and sometimes 24 if I can make it work into our schedule.

This year, I have decided to do things a little different. I'm making multiple batches of broth and canning it. So the weeks that may be a challenge to make broth, such as weeks we are sick or whatever may come up, I can just pull out a couple jars of homemade chicken broth and make my soup or chicken pot pie.
If you are accustomed to buying your broth at the store, try a batch of homemade and see if you can tell the difference.

Here's how it's done my friends

Gather these ingredients together:

1 whole free-range chicken (any chicken is fine but free-range will give you a better broth)
Chicken feet (ok, this one is optional, but I do put these in mine because they are full of gelatin)
4 quarts of cold filtered water
2 Tablespoons of vinegar
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery sticks, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley

Follow these instructions:

Take your whole chicken and cut off the wings and legs and remove the neck, and gizzards from the cavity.
Place the chicken pieces, neck and gizzards in your stock pot with the water, vinegar and all the vegetables except the parsley.
Let it all stand for 30 minutes to an hour.
Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer (as low as it can go) for 6 to 24 hours. The longer you cook the stock/broth, the richer and more flavorful it will be.
Add the Parsley about 10 minutes before finishing the broth. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth.

Remove whole chicken, pieces and vegetables with a slotted spoon. Remove the meat from the carcass for other uses (I use mine for chicken pot pies or enchiladas).
Strain stock/broth into a large bowl and place in the refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals.
I then skim off the fat and reserve the broth in 1/2 gallon canning jars in the refrigerator and use throughout the week.

Freezing:
If I know I will not use all the broth in one week, I store the broth in the freezer in freezer bags.

Canning:
Like I said earlier, I am canning most of my broth now. If this is something you would like to do, it's best to make a double batch so you have enough to load your canner with 7 quarts with a quart or two left over for the refrigerator or freezer.

Stay tuned for Soup and Chicken Pot Pie Recipes you can make with this broth.
In the mean time, cook up a batch of broth so it's ready for one of my soup recipes, coming soon.

Enjoy!

~ Christa ~

Peach Pit Jelly

We just finished canning our peaches and we saved our peach pits and skins for making Peach Pit Jelly. This recipe came from The New Harvest Homestead newsletter and it is so yummy. If it's too late for you to make some, save the recipe for next year. You will be glad you did.

Peach Pit Jelly

Save all pits and skins from a days canning of peaches

Cover with cold water and let stand overnight in the refrigerator

Next morning, bring to a boil and cook for ten minutes

Drain off the juice through a jelly bag

Add 1 package of pectin and 5 cups of sugar for every four cups of juice

Boil according to directions on pectin package

Seal

This is a clear, mild and pretty peach flavored jelly

Last year I didn't can peaches but we saved all of our pits in the freezer until I thought I had enough to make jelly. It turned out great!

Enjoy!

~ Christa ~

Homemade Ranch Dressing

After having this Ranch Dressing, I just had to get the recipe from my friend Sherry.

I quadruple the ingredients below and store it in a quart size canning jar.

I hope you love it as much as I do.

1/2 cup Mayonaise

1/2 cup Plain yogurt
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt

1 small clove crushed garlic or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. finely chopped onions (I use green onions when I can)

1 tsp. dried Parsley

Chill and serve

Ummm Yummy!

~ Christa ~

Funnel Cakes

I visited one of my favorite blogs this morning and I just had to share what I saw.

Funnel Cakes!!!

Yum!

I love Funnel Cakes and can't wait to try this recipe for a special event. Luke's birthday is coming up, I think he may enjoy these scrumptious treats on his special day.

This recipe came from Farming on Faith. Check out this blog for the Funnel Cake recipe and enjoy the rest of Carrie's site.

http://farmingonfaith.blogspot.com/

~ Christa ~

Homemade Granola

This recipe is easy to make and much healthier than the boxed granola you buy at the super market. Purchasing organic rolled oats and raw honey in bulk through a food co-op helps keep the cost down. I put my daughter Cassaundra in charge of keeping our half gallon canning jars full of the tasty breakfast treat.

Ingredients:

4 cups rolled oats

1 cup shredded coconut (optional)*

1 cup sliced almonds

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

or

1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil (this gives it a coconut taste)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup of dried fruits (optional)*

*To cut costs, these items can be left out and the granola is still delicious

Directions:

Preheat ove to 350 degrees

In a large bowl: Combine oats, coconut, almonds and salt

In a small bowl: Stir together melted butter, honey and vanilla

Pour this mixture over dry ingredients in the large bowl and mix well.

Spread over baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 25-60 minutes or until golden brown. Stir occasionally so mixture browns evenly.

Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Note:

Wait until granola is completely cooled before adding dried fruit.

Gift idea: Put the granola in a jar, add a bow and a little card with the recipe on it.

Enjoy!

~ Christa ~