Canning Soup

Today was spent canning vegetable beef soup for my dad. We haven't had Christmas with my dad yet, will be seeing him on Saturday. As I was thinking about what to get for him (it can be hard as they get older) decided to give him some homemade soup. This makes a meal that is easy for him to prepare. This recipe made 16 pints. I know my dad will be happy with this, he likes soup but really has a hard time eating it out of a can from the store. Always says there is pieces in it that he is not sure what they are. Dad was use to mom making everything from scratch so eating out of a can is hard for him.

Beef Vegetable Soup

3 to 4 pounds beef stew meat or a roast
2 quarts sliced carrots (about 16 small)
3 cups chopped celery (about 5 stalks)
2 cups chopped onion (about 3 small)
3 quarts cubed, pared potatoes (about 13 medium)
1 - 1/2 T. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Beef Bouillon to taste
NOTE: Vegetables do not need to be precooked.
Cut meat into 1 1/2 inch cubes: brown in a small amount of fat.
Combine meat, vegetables and seasonings; cover with boiling water.
Pack hot into hot jars, leaving 1-inch head space. Remove air bubbles.
Adjust caps. Process pints 1 hour, quarts 1 hour and 15 minutes
at 10 pounds pressure.

From our house to yours we would like to
wish you a
HAPPY NEW YEAR

We will be having dinner with our friends tonight and spending a quite day at home tomorrow.
I will just enjoy having my dh home from work for a long weekend!

Winter Projects

With Christmas over and the New Year almost here I've been going through my cupboards and cleaning and getting rid of a few items. Today I went through my closets in the sewing room. Sorted through the scrap tub and got rid of most of it. I have not even looked in this tub for almost a year, time to let it go! Was a nice feeling to have the closets organized once again.

I am ready to settle in for a long winter! The temperatures are suppose to get colder this weekend and we were getting a few snow flurries. Our winters in Wisconsin are always long and cold, but I do enjoy the time it gives me for quilting and scrapbooking (I will admit that by the end of February I am ready for some signs of spring!) This is a picture of some of the projects that will get worked on this winter, don't want to even tell how far behind the scrapbooking is. Next I need to get the scrapbooking organized so it can be worked on also.

One of the things that I want to get back into doing is planning my day with my Grace Works planner. Was doing so good for a while and get so much more done when I keep my self organized. I will be working on this New Years Day.

Christmas Blessings

Merry Christmas to all!

I am looking out our living room window at the lights and watching it snow. It is so quiet and peaceful. Our area has been hit with snow and freezing rain, so we are celebrating Christmas with family tomorrow and my dh birthday. Today we just enjoyed a quiet day at home. Made a special breakfast of waffles with strawberries and whip cream and had homemade pizza for supper.

Have also taken some time to think about what God did for us by sending his son as a baby that first Christmas. How he grew into a man, willing to give his life for us on the cross and rose again so we could live forever with him some day in heaven if we only accept him as our personal Savior.

Pray you had a blessed Christmas!

Weekend Fun

Our grandsons had a sleep over on Friday. Always fun! The first thing they did was to help grandpa do some work on the chimney. Hmmm wonder if they told mom they were on the roof!

After they came in and had hot chocolate we decorated their ginger bread men cookies, Keiven put lots of frosting on, Jonathan did a little more decorating on his. They both enjoyed eating them when done.



After we did the ginger bread men, Jonathan helped me decorate some molasses cut out cookies. He did a great job. I thought we were going to just frost them white and put sprinkles on them, he had other ideas. So we got out the decorating tips and colored the frosting. We had a lot of fun. Every time there was a broken one he was trying to eat it on me, he did get his share.

Some of the cookies we decorated.

Jonathan also decorated the ginger bread house for me. Had a little trouble with the frosting to start with, but finally got it right. It turned out very cute.

Finished house

We also had a little celebration for Keiven's twelfth birthday. Where has the time went, it seems like it was just yesterday we were looking forward to our first grandson. They have both been such a blessing to our family.

We ended the weekend by attending our Sunday school program at church last night. They did a very good job telling the Christmas story and making the plan of salvation clear. The entire evening was a blessing.

Christmas Thoughts

I have been reading the passages from the Gospels of the accounts of the birth of Jesus. I wonder what it must have been like for Mary to have an angel give her the news that she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus. For Joseph to hear the news, the things that must of went through their minds, the questions.

What a wonderful gift mankind was offered over 2000 years ago, a Child was born to be the sacrifice for our sins. As we think about what God did for us when he sent his son, what will we do with the gift that was given?

For God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world
to condemn the world;
but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:16,17

Freezing Drizzle & Snow

Getting some freezing rain and snow right now. It closed schools in our area, perfect day for baking again!

It was a fun weekend, on Saturday went to the cookie exchange at my cousins, we had a lot of fun and was good to get together with cousins and my aunt. Always good to see family and spend time with them, I feel very blessed to be included with them as it is sisters, daughter and mom. Makes my mom seem close at Christmas to be with my aunt. Thanks Linda for the great meal and all of the work you put into it! Got lots of goodies, helps with the baking.

On Sunday we went to our grandson's church, they had a small program showing what they do on Wednesday nights, verses, a couple of songs, and the group recited the books of the Bible. It was good to see them growing in the Lord.

Today I am baking peanut butter cookies with Reese's Pieces cut up in them and Anisee Biscotti

Aniseed Biscotti
1 c. butter softened
1c. sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3-1/2 c. flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 to 3 tablespoons aniseed
1 c. chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening

1. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in aniseed. Combine flour and baking powder: add to the creamed mixture. Divide dough into thirds, shape into three
10 inch x 3 inch rectangles on a greased cookie sheet.
2. Bake at 325 for 25-30 m. or until golden brown. Carefully remove to wire racks, cool completely.
3. Transfer to a cutting board, cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 3/4 in slices. Place slices cut side down on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for 12-16minutes or until firm and golden brown, turning once. Remove to wire racks and cool.
4. Melt chocolate chips and shortening, stir until smooth. Drizzle over Biscotti. Cool until chocolate is set. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container with waxed paper between layers.

Back to the baking :o)

Snow!

Yesterday we had snow, wind, and cold a perfect day for baking! Turned on the Christmas music and started making Christmas goodies!

Mocha nut fudge

Sandies

Peppermint Biscotti

Chocolate Coconut Neapolitans

Vanilla Cherry Cookies

The fudge and neapolitans recipes came from a Taste of Home Holiday magazine that I subscribed to this fall. The rest of them are ones that I have been making for a while. Still have some recipes that I plan on making next week from the Taste of Home magazine, also need to make my cut outs yet. Each Christmas a big ginger bread man is made for the grandsons which they enjoy frosting and decorating. You would be surprised how many sprinkles can be put on one cookie!

The Vanilla Cherry cookies were made for my cookie exchange on Saturday. Looking forward to getting together with my Aunt and cousins.

Stay warm, off to watch a Christmas special with my hubby.

We had fun this weekend with the grandsons, they came on Friday afternoon to spend the night with us. The first thing on the agenda was homemade pizza for supper. While the pizza was baking they each decorated some cupcakes for me. Always fun when you can put on all of the frosting and sprinkles you want! They each decorated one that was just for them. We watched Christmas movies and had Carmel corn until late (we did let mom know how late we ended staying up).

On Saturday they helped grandpa put the tree up and we decorated it after lunch. Youngest grandson kept putting grandpa's Packer ornaments very low and hidden on the tree (he's a Viking fan) oldest one and Grandpa moved them to the front!

After the tree they were able to go to the range with Grandpa and do some target shooting, they all enjoy that. Grandma has to check out the target when they get home to see how they did and they are getting really good.

Busy week ahead will be subbing three days at the school and have more baking to get done. Looking forward to the snow they say we are to get!!!! It should hit the day I am at home, so my plans are to turn on the Christmas music and bake!

Wrapping/Baking

I love this time of year, with all of the Christmas preparations. Have the house decorated all except the Christmas tree and started my baking yesterday. I have a cookie exchange next Saturday so my dh has volunteered to be my taste tester for a couple of different recipes that I want to try. :o)

Today I wrapped gifts, most of my shopping is done, just have a couple of things to get yet. Nice feeling to have this out of the way, usually I wait until just a few days before Christmas to wrap. I plan on addressing my Christmas cards tonight after supper. I actually got all of my cards made a couple of months ago, a first for me.

Even with all that is going on this time of year, I don't want to forget the true meaning of Christmas. It is only because God sent his son Jesus to us as a babe in a manger that we have a reason to celebrate. When we feel the stress of the season we need to stop and think about the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

Behold, a virgin shall be with child,
and shall bring forth a son,
and they shall call his name
Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is,
God with us.
Matthew 1:23

Thanksgiving Day

Heroes of Faith

by Edgar De Witt Jones

By faith the voyaging Mayflower embarked
from Old England and found harbor off the
bleak New England shores.

By faith the Pilgrim Fathers set up a government
on a new continent dedicated to God and
inspired by a desire to do his will on earth as it is
done in heaven.

By faith Thomas Jefferson was stirred to strike a
blow for political independence and wrote the
thrilling document that declared that all men are
created equal and endowed with certain
inalienable rights.

By faith he said, "Love your neighbor as
yourself and your country more than yourself."

By faith George Washington left his spacious
mansion at Mount Vernon and espoused the
cause of the tax-burdened colonists.

By faith he forsook ease and comfort, choosing
rather to suffer hardship with his men at Valley
Forge than to enjoy the favor of a king.

By faith he became the President of the newly
born republic and endured as seeing Him who is
invisible.

By faith Alexander Hamilton established the
financial credit of the nation. In the eloquent
words of Daniel Webster: "He touched the
corpse of public credit and it sprang into life.
He smote the rock of national resources and
abundant streams of revenue flowed."

By faith James Madison gave richly of his
scholarly mind to form the Federal Constitution.

By faith Andrew Jackson fought the battle of the
impoverished and underprivileged many against
the privileged few.

By faith Abraham Lincoln bore the awful burden
of four purgatorial years seeking to preserve the
Federal Union.

By faith he carried a dreadful war to its
conclusion without hate in his heart, saying, "I
have not only suffered for the South, I have
suffered with the South."

By faith Woodrow Wilson in the dreadful
heartbreak of a world war dreamed a dream of a
war less world in which the nations should be
leagued together to keep the peace.

By faith he glimpsed that promised land which,
like Moses, he might not enter. And what shall I more say?

For time would fail me if I should tell of that unnumbered host,
the unnamed and obscure citizens who bore
unimagined burdens, sacrificed in silence and
endured nobly, that a government of the people,
for the people, and by the people might not
perish from the earth.

Only by faith in God has all of this been possible, lets remember to give God thanks today for all that he has done for us and this nation.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Contentment

We celebrated our Thanksgiving last Thursday with our family. It was good to have everyone together, even though we see each other all the time, there is something special about getting together for a holiday meal. We had all of the fixings so now we're enjoying the left overs!

I have been thinking about contentment. Are we really content with our lives? How many times do we say or think, "I would really be happy if only I had". How many times do we see what someone else has and think "I would really be happy if I had that". Hebrews 13:5 says, Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. True contentment is rooted in God.

Reading in Philippians 4 Paul talks about being content when abased (hard times) and in abounding (good times). It is so easy to be content when everything is going the way we want, but how do we react when things are not going so well. Our contentment should be independent of our circumstances. I am guilty of letting my circumstances sometimes dictate how content or happy I am. For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Phil.4:11b.

As I think over this past year, have I truely been content with what the Lord has done for me? I have so much to be thankful for, the Lord has been so good to us. I have a dear friend Tricia who chooses a word each year that she would like to work on in her life. This is something that I want to do , my word will be contentment. 1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and remember to count your many blessings.

Do It

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard,
and seen in me, do: and the God of Peace
shall be with you.
Philippians 4:12

Are there things in your life you know you should be doing but don't. What should we be doing with our lives, what really is important. Paul wrote to the Philippians , Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do. The same is true for us. If we listen to God's Word it will tell us what we need to do.

How many times does God have to tell us something before we do it. When God speaks we need to listen. After we have heard the word of God what will we do with it. There is a difference in hearing Gods word with good intentions and hearing God's word with obedience.

So many of us have become sermon proof Christians, we here God's word, we agree with it, but we don't follow it or "Do It". And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46.

The path to happiness and joy is by obeying God's word. What is it that God is saying to you right now that you need to do? Our Pastor challenged us with that question yesterday, it made me really think about what the Lord has been telling me to do and I need to follow Him and "Just Do It".

Friday

It's been a good week! Was able to get some sewing done. The top is a picture of the Tuffets that I have made so far, want to make a couple in Moda lighter colors also. Had fun working on them the pieces are so small. Now I need to find some cute pins to stick in them.

I also worked on a few other projects one is a panel from Red Rooster prints of the alphabet, this one I have pinned together, need to machine quilt it. Worked on a small disappearing nine patch table runner and a Christmas stocking.

Was planning on getting a few more items started for the craft show, but was called in to sub for a couple of aides in the special ed. room and pre-k at our elementary school.

Next week we will be celebrating our grandson's birthday here and an early Thanksgiving with our kids and grandson's. Did my shopping this afternoon, so I have everything that I need, just need to make the pies, rolls, and a chocolate cake. Our oldest grandson thinks it's not a meal at grandmas unless there is chocolate cake.

Plan on doing some baking and making some cards tomorrow.

Clear Dollar Stamp Challenge

My first time at entering a challenge! Clearly I Stamp blog is having a challenge. The theme is "Take 5" . I have used the Christmas Cardinal colored with Prismacolors and OMS, cuttlebug snowflake folder and 5 half pearls along the side. Sorry my camera is not taking very good pictures, need to check out my daughters!

Beautiful Day

Last night in the evening service the Pastor talked about our prayer life, it was very challenging. He preached from Luke 18:9-14 are we praying as the Pharisee, going to God and telling Him all that we have not done and all that we have done that is good and comparing our self with other people. Do we go to God with a proud heart thinking how great we are? Or are we like the publican and humbling ourselves before God and asking Him to be merciful to me a sinner. It makes you stop and think about how we are really coming to God in prayer.

It is a beautiful day here in central Wisconsin, about 50 right now. It seems more like spring than fall. I just cut apart the last six pumpkins and have them baking in the oven so I can freeze the pulp. Plan on making a pie later today.

Both of our grandsons still have the flu, mom is taking the oldest one back to the doctor, he has a bad cough now also. Hope there is something that they can give him, he sounds so miserable. The youngest one hasn't been as sick with it. But will be putting off celebrating his 10th birthday for a few days yet.

I am off to get some sewing done for the craft show that we are going to be in. I don't have a lot of items but need to get some of them finished:o) Have a great day!

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee.
Psalm 102:1

Doughnuts

Making Doughnuts
Anne Campbell
The kitchen with its well-scrubbed floor...Hollyhocks outside the open door...The curtains moving in the breeze that blew from Mother's cherry trees...

The patch of lettuce in the back...The plum trees! Oh, there is no lack of memories... While here I stand and labor with a practiced hand...
Making doughnuts.

Perhaps when you grow up at last...These quaint old customs will have passed...And you will never know the bliss...Of simple joyous hours like this...

But there will be a farmhouse still on some far isolated hill...Where one will stand as Mother stood...so generous, so sweet, so good...
Making doughnuts.

My mom gave me a little Ideals book before I was married that has recipes and a poem on one page and a picture that goes with it on the other page. I have always loved this little book and get it out just to read the poems. The book only has twelve pages in it. Today I decided to make the doughnuts from the book. Making doughnuts just seems like a fall thing to do, and my dh and dd will be happy to see them when they get home from work.

Doughnuts
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. sour milk, mixed with
1 tsp. soda
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 T. melted butter
5 c. flour

Beat the eggs and add sugar. Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt and add to the egg mixture. Add sour milk and soda along with the rest of the ingredients. Mix. Roll out on floured board. Cut with doughnut cutter. Drop into hot fat (oil 375), brown on one side, turn and brown on the other side. Takes about 3 minutes. Drain. Put sugar on them or frost.



As long as the deep fryer was out I decided to try and make some potato chips. Some of them got a little done, but they still taste good. :o) The potatoes are from our garden so that was fun!

We will have them with our supper of homemade Macaroni and cheese, meat loaf, and brown sugar carrots.

Our grandson is doing better today! Last night when his mom called his temp was up to 104.3 the nurse said not to worry until it gets to 105. That made mom very uncomfortable, she doesn't like the temp to spike so high, with Tylenol and cool compresses she got his temp down some. This morning she called at 7:30 and he was 100.2 and had been six hours since his last medicine. An answer to all of our prayers, the youngest one is starting to cough today so he is most likely coming down with it also. Praying they get better before the youngest birthday on the 10th, it's his golden birthday!

H1N1

I just got a call, our oldest grandson has the H1N1. He woke up this morning with a sore throat and a temp. His mom took him into the Dr. They are not to leave the house for 72 hours. The youngest one was to have his birthday party this weekend, but that is now on hold. Praying that he gets better fast and that none of the rest of them get this flu.

A few pictures of some of my fall decorations.

As I was decorating the house and thinking about the coming holiday the verse came to mind, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God. I was later reading Psalm 37, what a joy to know that we can vs.3 Trust in the Lord, vs.4 Delight thyself also in the Lord, vs.5 Commit thy way unto the Lord, and vs.7 Rest in the Lord.

Off to start supper, we are having vegetable beef stew over rice. Have a great evening!

Happy November

I love this time of year! With the holidays coming. My DH especially likes Thanksgiving. When I look back on this past year we have so much to me thankful for. The Lord has greatly blessed us, in these times when so many are struggling, the Lord has provided what we need. We may not always get what we want but He does provide what we need. We are trying to be good stewards with what the Lord has given us.

A friend came down yesterday and we went to a quilt show, was a lot of fun. The quilts were beautiful, so much work and time put into them. We had a lot of fun and was good to catch up with a sister in the Lord.

The grandson's are here today to watch the big game with grandpa, Packers/Vikings. Our oldest grandson is a Packer fan, the youngest is cheering for the Vikings. So right now he is happy! Not the rest of us!! It is fun to have them here for the game, they played football this fall (Jr. PeeWee) so they have gotten more into watching the games.

Tomorrow I plan on putting up my Thanksgiving decorations, I have up fall items already. We don't put up Halloween decorations. I love to have the house decorated for Fall, this is my favorite time of the year.

Back to the game!

Scones for my DH

My DH likes Scones, so yesterday made a batch for him. I found this recipe a few years ago and we have liked it the best of the ones that I have tried.

Scones

2c. flour
3T. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. cold butter
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. raisins
Mix together the dry ingredients, cut butter into small pieces and blend into dry ingredients with a pastrey blender. Add the raisins and the butter milk, stir together. Dough is sticky, so I put it onto a lightly floured board and knead for a few times. Shape dough into a round circle on a pizza stone or cookie sheet and flatten to about one inch, cut into wedges with a pizza cutter. Sprinkle a little sugar on top of the dough. Bake at 375 for 23 min.

I was able to get the garden cleaned out for winter, and the carrots dug. yaaaah! We are planning on getting a load of compost to put on the garden as soon as it drys off around here. We have been getting a lot of rain, which makes my garden very wet as we have a lot of clay in our soil. Last week when the grandson's where here they had chopped down a lot of the plants and that was a great help to me.

I am planning on working on some sewing projects this weekend. Was able to finish a fleece throw for one of the grandson's for Christmas and have another one to do. Also have some quilted projects to work on for the holidays. Christmas is getting close, in the grocery store they had out the Egg Nog ( I wait for this to come out every year) so I had to get some, my DD just laughed at me.

Have a great weekend, we will be spending it on projects and in the Lord's House on Sunday.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in they sight,
O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

Pumpkin Patch

Making the famous pizza!

Bear village in the corn maze.

Wagon ride through the woods.

I went along with the home school group that our grandson's are in to the Pumpkin Patch on Friday. We all had a lot of fun. As the first group went on the wagon ride the rest of us went through the smaller corn maze, petted some animals, and picked out their pumpkins. It was a beautiful day for the activities. After we were done the grandson's talked their mom into letting them stay over for the night, which worked out good for her as they were having a furnace put in on Saturday.

The boy's helped with some of the cleaning up of the garden, which consisted mostly of chopping down plants for them. When grandpa got home from work we made homemade pizza for supper. The youngest one likes to help grandpa make the pizza, as he says it's their famous pizza. Grandma makes the dough and gets everything ready and they put it together and bake it. The oldest enjoys eating it!!

Some how I have to figure out how to get the pictures where I want them. It keeps putting them at the top of my posts!

We are having a quiet day at home, we are both a little under the weather today. I miss being at church, hearing God's Word, and the fellowship. Have a wonderful Sunday afternoon!

Cleaning the freezer

My DH is on the mend, this was a short flu and hope it stays that way.

Made some scones this morning, it has been awhile since making them. My DH has been hungry for them again. We enjoyed the homemade hamburger buns last night, although I need to make them a little smaller next time.

Finally got to cleaning out our upright freezer this afternoon and getting it defrosted. Feels good to get out the out dated food and things gone through. I have pretty much everything stocked up to last us for most of the winter. The garden has done very well this year and have been getting staples bought up and stored away.

We are having a rainy cloudy day (has snow this morning) so left over chili will be on the menu for supper tonight.

The Flu

The flu has come to our house! My DH is home sick today. I am seeing to it that he gets a lot of rest and fluids. I have a pot of Russian Tea simmering on the stove, it is high in vitamin C. A friend told me about this tea about a year ago, she makes it every fall and gives it to her family to help fight off colds and the flu. It tastes very good and is good for you.

Russian Tea
8c. water
5 tea bags
3/4 c. honey
12 oz. orange juice
6oz. pineapple juice
1 tsp. cloves
Put water and tea in a kettle and bring to a simmer, simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add rest of the ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes.
Enjoy hot or cold

Have a roast in the oven that I will make B-B-Q Beef sandwiches out of for supper along with home made french fries and beets. My hamburger bun dough is rising on the stove.

O taste and see that the Lord is good;

Have a great day!

Welcome to my kitchen! The kitchen has always been a special place to me, it's were the meals are planned and cooked, then shared with family and friends. It is also a place where people gather just to visit over a cup of coffee or tea. Today when I look out the kitchen window I am greeted with beautiful snow flakes, I know it's early and don't want it to stay for the winter, but it is pretty to enjoy for the time.


It will be a busy week in my kitchen, there is applesauce to make and freeze, last of the tomatoes to can, along with some pumpkins to get baked and put in the freezer for pies and breads.

Today I was able to have our two grandsons here for a few hours while their mom was at an appointment. It is always fun to have them. We went to the cheese store, where grandma treated them to an ice cream cone. I did my shopping for our cheese for the month. I like being able to get fresh local cheese.

Supper is simmering on the stove, it is a perfect day for chili and cornbread along with pumpkin bars.

Have a wonderful afternoon!

Joyfully,
Cheryl