Sweet & Sour Chicken

So if you know me well, you know I make Rachael Ray recipes a lot. I get her magazine and love it! I took it with me to Wal-Mart to get a week's worth of meals.

Now, I must say I have never been a huge fan of sweet and sour chicken at restaurants. I have never enjoyed the sauce. Well, I thought I would give this recipe a try and it was mmm hmm good if I do say so myself. Here is the recipe:

Sweet-and-Sour Chicken
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Salt & Pepper
1 cup white rice
1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks, drained, 1/2 cup juice reserved
2 tbsp. white vinegar
2 tbsp. soy sauce
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. finely grated ginger (OR 1 tsp. dry ginger)
1 and 1/4 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (I added 1 green bell pepper too on accident but it tasted good with it, too)

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 and 3/4 cups of water and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil; stir in the rice. Cover, lower the heat and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, 2 tsp. of cornstarch, the ketchup, and ginger. In a bowl, toss the chicken with the remaining 2 tsp. of cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of pepper.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pineapple chunks and reserved chicken.
4. Whisk the pineapple juice mixture into the chicken mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve over the rice.

Here is a picture of everything but the rice, if you want to get your tastebuds ready!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=571520641#!/photo.php?fbid=10150186835775642&set=a.10150174722105642.300158.571520641&type=1&theater

ENJOY!

Strawberry Pickin'!

So, it is strawberry season here in Eastern North Carolina and we have been to two different strawberry patches to pick our own strawberries! It is so fun to do, and much cheaper by the pound - as in between $1-$.125/lb! After we went the first time, and brought the 7 lbs. home, I got to thinking....how do I freeze these guys? So, I thought if doing what I did with the blueberries we picked last year. I rinsed them, dried them, cut the stems off, and plopped them in a freezer bag. Well, when defrosting them, they turned to mush. So, I realized that would not work....although I could use the mush for some strawberry freezer jam.

I found a freezer jam recipe that does not need pectin. I haven't tried it yet but here it is if you're interested:

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Strawberry Jam

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Prep Time:
20 Min

Cook Time:
20 Min

Ready In:
40 Min

Servings (Help)

US Metric Calculate

Original Recipe Yield 5 cups

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled
• 4 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions

1. In a wide bowl, crush strawberries in batches until you have 4 cups of mashed berry. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C). Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace, and seal. Process in a water bath. If the jam is going to be eaten right away, don't bother with processing, and just refrigerate.

Footnotes

• To test for jelling
• Place three plates in a freezer... after about 10 minutes of boiling place a tsp of the liquid of the jam onto the cold plate. Return to freezer for a minute. Run your finger through the jam on the plate... if it doesn't try to run back together (if you can make a line through it with your finger) it's ready to be canned!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

ANYWAYS, if you don't want mush or jam and you just want to eat them, here are the instructions I followed from ehow online. We'll see how they turn out....

Instructions

things you'll need:

• Strawberries
• Freezer bags or containers
• Knife or huller

1. • 1
     Fresh you pick strawberries

     During strawberry season go to the nearest you pick farm and pick your own strawberries. The best time is in the morning while the strawberries are still cool. Choose the strawberries that are fully ripened with no green or white tips. Be careful not to crush the strawberries and keep them out of the sun.

   • 2
     Fresh strawberries

     When you get your strawberries home you will want to freeze them as soon as possible. Wash you strawberries in cool water and pat dry with a paper towel. Do not soak strawberries. Hull the strawberries with a small knife or huller.

   • 3
     Whole strawberry to enjoy anytime

     Place strawberries on a cookie sheet in a single layer and place in the freezer until hard. When strawberries are frozen place them into clean freezer bags or containers. Now you can enjoy fresh whole strawberries anytime.

Read more: How to Freeze Whole Strawberries | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5107502_freeze-whole-strawberries.html#ixzz1LEWqXQOA

Blue is the color of the month!

April is Autism Awareness Month. This holds a special place in my heart since my first job was working with some incredible children who have autism. In my mind, parents of children with any kind of disability are heroes. If you know someone who has a child with special needs, think about doing something special for them this month. And every time you wear blue, think about autism....and maybe even say a prayer for a family who is affected by it. The autism spectrum is HUGE, but so is every child's potential! Let's team up with these families by giving them our love and support.

HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD

A meeting was held, quite far from Earth!
It's time again, for another birth.
Said the Angels, to the Lord above,
This special child will need much love.
His progress may be very slow,
Accomplishments he may not show.
And he'll require extra care
From the folks he meets down there.
He may not run or laugh or play,
His thoughts may seem, quite far away,
In many ways he won't adapt,
And he'll be known as handicapped.
So let's be careful where he's sent,
We want his life to be content.
Please Lord, find the parents who
Will do a special job for you.
They will not realize right away
The leading role they're asked to play,
But with this child sent from above
Comes stronger faith and richer love.
And soon they'll know the privilege given
In caring for their gift from Heaven.
Their precious charge, so meek and mild,
Is HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD.
by Edna Massionilla

Rainy Days

Well, it is a rainy Sunday afternoon and I am in the presence of a sleeping household. (Yes, even the dogs are asleep.) It is quiet and peaceful...and I am actually enjoying being one of the only ones awake. Wait. Why am I not napping???

As you know from my previous "Cry Me a River" post, I have been somewhat gloomy as of late. I don't know if it's the weather (going from nice and breezy 70 degrees to yucky 45), or the usual tighter than tight budget, or the stress of my "part-time" job, or my child getting a runny nose...AGAIN...or other issues. Needless to say, it could be a combination of the usual, but nothing that should really make me extremely gloomy. There are others I know going through actual hard times....loss of family members, or health issues. Not me. So, why I am I so blue again?

What fascinates me even more about this is that the Lord is constantly trying to cheer me up! What is He blessing me for right now?? I am not being grateful, nor am I being extremely worshipful in my gloomy state. So, why are friends encouraging me with their amazing blog posts, or sending me incredible e-mails full of truths and songs that make my eyes well up with tears? Why does He love me so much?!?! It is just crazy for me to think that even though I doubt the Lord at times, and even though I have not had a quiet time in a long time (gasp!) - He still wants to bless me. The love He has for me is overwhelmingly wonderful, and does in NO WAY depend on ME or my puny little actions.

So, as I am hoping this is a short season in Gloom-ville for me, I just want to encourage you as so many others have encouraged me. If you are in a desert or a cave right now, I hope the Lord will show you just how much He loves you today. He is pretty awesome like that.

Here are two songs a sweet friend sent me in an e-mail (and by the way...she didn't even know I had been gloomy...she just had a rough day herself and wanted to encourage others). The first song included an awesome story with it. So, here is both....

Nothing seemed to be going right on the day this song was written. I was newly pregnant with my third child, and not feeling very lively. I looked around my tiny home. Not one thing was in its proper place. It was a disaster area, and my two children matched the mess. Grubby from head to foot, they seemed to make more mess with every passing second.

Feelings of self-pity welled within me. Surely I deserved better than this! I deserved a bigger house. I deserved to be able to afford to hire someone to come and clean up for me. I was certain of that. Where was the new baby going to fit? I had no clue. As I dwelt on my situation, I started to feel so sorry for myself that I actually started crying for poor me. That is, until my little ten-month-old boy, crawled over to me, gave me the biggest hug with his grubby arms, and smiled dotingly up at me.

At that moment, it occurred to me that I was the most blessed woman in the world. I had two beautiful children, a loving husband, and now God had rewarded me with another life growing within me. Thinking about all the blessings in my life, filled me with great joy. The words to this song flowed out.

I’ll add that I’m now expecting my fourth child and we are still living in that same small house. God has taught me to be grateful for it. The three children have managed to fit in perfectly and I know I’ll be able to find a corner somewhere for the next one.

Pearl Barrett

MY HEART IS FULL

Little arms reaching for me,

Grubby fingers touch my face

And love is what I feel.

Little eyes looking at me,

Chubby cheeks burst with smiles

And joy is what I know,

Peeking in while they sleep at night,

I thank God for the gift of life,

I thank God for more than I deserve.

CHORUS:

My heart is full, my heart is full,

Why would I want for more

When my cup overflows?

My heart is full, my heart is full,

This much I know.

Strong arms reaching for me

Circle my waist for the millionth time

And love is what I feel.

Strong voice talking to me,

Whispering dreams and sharing hopes

And joy is what I know.

Sometimes I watch him sleep at night,

I thank God that I am his wife,

I thank God for more than I deserve.

CHORUS.

Sometimes when discontent creeps into my soul

A still small voice reminds me of the ones my

arms can hold.

DON’T NEED TO FEAR

CHORUS:

I don’t want to fear any more,

I don’t have to fear any more,

I don’t need to fear any more,

For I am in the grip of your hand

forever more.

I’m so overwhelmed,

Desperation clinging to my bones

And You’re the only one

Who sees the pain I uncover when I’m alone.

I don’t need to let these shadows lurk,

Open my eyes, let your light flood in,

All the anguish of my soul is worth

Nothing when I remember you are King.

CHORUS:

I don’t want to fear any more,

I don’t have to fear any more,

I don’t need to fear any more,

For I am in the grip of your hand

forever more.

You were with them in a pillar of fire

And a cloud by night,

And you are with me, the Holy Ghost,

A still, small voice at night

Saying. . .

I’ll stay with you forever,

I’ll be there when you laugh or grieve,

I’ll trace your steps across the earth,

When you fall you can lean on Me.

Cry me a River

So, I am having one of those down-in-the-dumps-eat-a-lot-of-trail-mix-kind of days. I know, I am feeling sorry for myself and it's pathetic. How old am I again? Don't answer that.

But seriously, March....you have begun on a bad note. The minute school started today I was annoyed. Don't get me wrong, I love my students but there are days when I would rather be in Hawaii, sipping my blue drink with an umbrella in it rather than trying to cram grammar rules down their throats. I won't go into all the details of why today has been annoying, so let's just say it has not been my day by any means.

When I picked up Alina up from school today, my day did brighten up. Of course, getting her at noon puts a smile on my face anyway...but then as I put her in the car, who shows up? Joshua. He decided to come home for lunch, and swing by first to see if we were still at her school and we were. It was a much needed, happy surprise. Then he came home to eat lunch with us, and watch some Madagascar 2 for the zillionth time.

Compared to many, I have no right to even breathe the words "bad day." So, whenever I am down in the dumps, and feel the urge to eat all the Oreos in the cupboard, I have to remind myself that God is SO good to me. He brings me blessings when I don't ask for them, and loves me even when I am a grouch. Why is this so hard to remember sometimes?

Potty Training Blues

Soooooo, we started potty training. (DUN DUN DUN!) Yes, the rest of this post is about using the potty...so if this is TMI for you, just skip this one. I'll put up a recipe again soon and you can come back and check on that post. Haha.

I have heard from many a wise parent not to push your child into potty training, but to let it come when they are ready and interested (to avoid potty hatred). We have had a little pink princess potty (that plays music when you go) since Alina first showed some interest-when she was 18 months old. Then the glory of using the potty faded, and we didn't do much with the singing potty for a while.

Well, Alina is one of the youngest kiddos in her class at school, so many of her friends are using the potty now. So, she decided to go at school, and then wanted to go at home! So, I thought....if we are doing this, we are doing this for real this time. In the first few days, she was peeing every time we put her on the potty, and on the first or second day we got some number 2 in there, too! I was THRILLED! I was thinking....oh my word, this is the easiest and best thing ever!

Two weeks later we have a child who poops on the floor. Oh yes. This is a process. All my joy about this taking no time at all has vanished, and reality has set in. Unless you are home 24/7 for days on end, there is no way to do this quickly. So, I have to just be okay with it taking a while I guess. She is still peeing in the potty about every time she sits on it, though....and going in her diaper, too...but we are getting results so now we must power through! More mini M&M's (or "baby M&M's" as Alina calls them), more dancing and clapping when we see a drop of pee in the potty. Ugh. Wishing children came out potty trained. Maybe my next child....

I can hear you laughing. *flush*

Vegewhaaat?

Okay, okay. I confess. I watch "Oprah" sometimes. And I watch "The Talk" sometimes, too. All that to say, Kathy Freston (the author of "The Veganist") keeps coming on all of these television shows and telling the world the benefits of being vegan. A Vegan lifestyle sounds like an impossibility to me, because not only are you deleting meat from your diet, but you are deleting ALL animal products! So, no eggs, no dairy....you get the picture. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, I am just saying it sounds very difficult to do.

All of this has really made me start to think about what I eat. I know that my husband enjoys meat (okay, so do I). So, when I cook dinner, it is rare that there is no meat involved in the meal. Whether it be chicken, ground beef, or pork....there is usually MEAT. But now this lady comes on TV and tells me all these health benefits of taking out this yumminess. But, instead of just taking this vegan lady's word on how healthy being vegan is, I googled some "benefits of being vegetarian"...no, not vegan...because seriously...taking out meat in itself would be a miracle for me, much less eggs and dairy, too. (Let me make a side note of saying that I know googling isn't true research. It is more like "research on the fly." And I definitely have learned not to believe everything you read online.) Anyways, as you may know, there really are some good benefits. So, then to be fair, I googled "benefits of eating meat" and found some interesting information there as well. I'm not going to list it out for you, but you can see that there is a dilemma here...mainly the issue with the protein differences.

Then there is the issue of "food costs." To be honest with you, I would love to shop for organic foods, getting lovely items from the "Fresh Market" all the time, and enjoying my crunchy granola on my organic soy yogurt. But the truth of the matter is, we can't afford that right now. (I can say this because pre-child, and during the 2 full time jobs part of life, we did try eating mostly organic, and it was expensive.) So, if I cut out meat and want to purchase the "fake meat", won't that cost me some serious cash? I don't know. I am really asking. :o)

All that to say, I want to eat healthier, and cut out some meat in our weekly menu. This should actually save me money, and be healthier...right? Heart disease and cancer run in both of our family lines, and that concerns me.

Are any of my blog readers vegetarian or vegan? I would LOVE to hear from you. And all my fellow meat-eating friends....fill me in on your thoughts, too. Just lots on my mind today, so I thought I would blog about it. Now, go eat your tofu burger! :o)

Tutus

One of our friends in Greenville sweetly gave us a tutu she made before moving back up to Canada, and we love it! Recently, my mother-in-love gave Alina another cute pink tutu for dress-up. So, last night as we had music playing in the living room, we thought it might be fun to dress up together and dance. So we did.

Alina is probably thinking...My Mom looks kinda silly in that tutu!

At one point she looked at me and said, "We match!"

Man, I love having a girl.

Subs for Spices and Herbs

So, you find this great recipe and you start getting all of the ingredients together. Then you realize...aww crud...I don't have any more Oregano! And some spices are expensive, if you ask me. So, I have found this spice substitution chart most handy at times like these. This may be OLD NEWS to a lot of you awesome veteran cooks out there, but if you just started cooking a few years ago or are getting into it lately, this may help. You can copy/paste this into your browser and it should work...because I do not know how to link things yet. Sorry.

Spice Substitutions:

http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blspicesub.htm

Herb Substitutions:

http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blherbsub.htm

Here is a larger chart with more items on it. Yay! Enjoy the name of the site. (Sorry to whom it may offend) :

http://www.damngoodrecipes.com/substituti_66.php

You can also go to wiki.answers.com and ask.


Happy Spice and Herb Substituting!

"Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean"

You may have read this title and thought I was calling myself the Queen of Clean, but alas, I am not. And I promise I will not "talk dirty" either. Now, my hubby and I do like to keep our place tidy...as tidy as possible when you have a toddler...but sometimes things get dirty and you need some special "how to" tips to figure out how to clean something.

My mom gave me the book "Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean" by Linda Cobb a long time ago. Okay, maybe I stole it from her...I can't remember. But nevertheless I have the book, and use it from time to time for some really helpful cleaning tips.

One GREAT tip that I use over and over again is for the plastic shower curtain liners. You know...the fabulous things that grow stuff in the shower that you see whenever you take a shower, but you ignore it because the thought of cleaning it makes your stomach turn. Okay, so WHITE VINEGAR is the answer here. Here is what you do...

"To remove soap scum and mildew from plastic shower curtains and liners, fill the washing machine with warm water, 1 cup of white vinegar and your regular laundry detergent. Add the curtains, along with several old, light-colored towels. Run through complete cycle and rehang immediately." Oh yes. No more scrubbing your shower curtains with a sponge or buying a new one. I have been doing this for several years, and it works! When we had the top loader washer, I did this...and now that we are borrowing my parents' front loaders, I still put some vinegar in with the detergent, just with about a half a cup of vinegar since that's all that would fit.

Well, this is one tip I have used...and I haven't even dug through the entire book (all 162 pages of cleaning tips) but if you want to check it out, she has a lot of natural ingredients for cleaning, along with some essential non-natural ones.

Happy Cleaning!