Food on Fridays: Vague Granola Directions

May 28, 2009 By 6 Comments

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome. Just write about how well your peas are coming up in the garden, snap some pictures of your compost bucket full of egg shells and corn cobs, or share your best dieting tips—it is, after all, swimsuit season, so I know I could use a little inspiration.

In other words, the Food on Fridays parameters are not at all narrow. I think of it as a virtual pitch-in where everyone brings something to share; even if the content of one item is unrelated to the rest, we sample it all anyway and have a great time.

When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or the new smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.

Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

(I think Mr. Linky is working, but if it’s still having technical difficulties, leave your link in the comments and be sure to visit other people’s sites from there):

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).

You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.

 

Food on Fridays Participants

  1. Hoosier Homemade (Black Forest Cupcakes)
  2. Newlyweds! (Homemade Salsa)
  3. Like Mother, Like Daughter (The Secret to Braiding Bread)
  4. Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker (Magic Apple Pie)
  5. Cooking During Stolen Moments (Italian Chicken Sausage Spaghetti)
  6. Glimpse of Sonshine (Marinade)
  7. It’s All About Love (Avocado Mango Salad)
  8. Better Is Little (Peach Crumb Cake Mix)
  9. Cook with Sara (Toasted Almond Granola)
  10. It’s Frugal Being Green (Cream Cheese Strudel)
  11. Gravity of Motion (Divine Desserts)
  12. Cents to Get Debt-Free (Garden Update)
  13. Outward Expression (Work vs. Sugar Cookies)
  14. Cutting Coupons in KC (Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar)
  15. My Practically Perfect Life (Eggs for Dinner)

Food on Fridays with Ann

My friend and I were talking about making granola from scratch, and as soon as I got off the phone with her, I made my shopping list.

I follow the Belgian Wonder’s mom’s directions. If you need more precise directions, try this recipe. It’s similar.

Start with a bunch of old-fashioned oats (flakes, not steel-cut).

A box of All-Bran.

Freshly grated coconut (yes, they buy an actual coconut, poke a hole through the shell to drain the milk, crack it open, and grate it; the Belgian Wonder performs this duty for our family).

I add some Grape Nuts, because I like them, and slivered almonds, because I love them (the Belgian Wonder’s mom doesn’t add those).

Then blend honey (my mother-in-law uses brown sugar heated on the stove in place of honey) and oil, about equal parts, some vanilla, a little water (not much), and I should have added cinnamon, but I didn’t. Anyway, whisk that together and pour it over the granola, stirring to coat.

Spread a single layer of the mixture into some pans and bake at 250 for a while (stirring occasionally) until it looks toasty.

Pull out the pans and let the granola cool. Store in the emptied oatmeal canisters or other airtight containers.

Serve however you like, adding dried fruit or other mix-ins.

When it’s in the oven, the house smells like a bakery.

Eat healthy!

More Friday Carnivals

Is Food on Fridays not fun enough for you?  Not in the mood for food? Check out these other great carnivals!

 

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Filed Under: Food, Food on Fridays, home, simplicity

Creative, Creation-Lovin' Kids

May 27, 2009 By 4 Comments

Many of these ideas complement topics in a message I gave to a MOPS group a few weeks ago about getting kids out in God’s creation and encouraging creativity. I offered this for their newsletter, and now I offer it to you.

kidwithglass

Inspiring creativity and a love of God’s creation in kids doesn’t mean you have to move to a ten-acre farm in the country and raise goats. This summer you can take small steps to acquaint your family with life outside the air-conditioned walls of your home.

It starts with placing a high enough value on getting kids out in God’s creation so that you are willing to carve out time and create appealing opportunities. Once you’re convinced it’s worth the effort, start experimenting!

Moms who aren’t sure where to start or have very small children might like to simply step outside to watch the sunset each evening, even if the kids are already in their jammies. Or stay up even later one clear, warm night, toss a big comforter on the ground, and watch the stars come out. Learn a few constellations. Read aloud the creation account from Genesis 1 through 2:2.

Another small step toward enjoying the outdoors is to take a daily walk. As toddlers progress toward grade school, the daily walk provides the continuity of a slow, healthy family tradition. Dress for the weather, and the kids will log strong memories of tromping through the winter snow and popping open umbrellas in the rain!

Every once in a while stop and listen to a birdsong or ask what the air smells like. Touch tree bark and comment on its texture. This outing won’t get you too dirty (unless you let them roll down a muddy hill at some point!), yet you’ll heighten observation skills.

magnifiedpinecone

Have your child select a tree on the path. Each time you pass it, note how it changes with the seasons. Find out what kind it is so that she knows “her” tree by name: “Let’s check on my shagbark hickory tree, Mom!”

Add to the experience by playing “I-Spy,” (Person A: “I spy with my little eye, something brown…” Person B: “Is it that squirrel?” A: “Nope. Guess again!” B: “Is it that tree?” and so on.). Or launch a nature treasure hunt, listing things you’ll spot that time of year (e.g., tracks, chipmunks, flowers, birds, seeds).

Trips to the zoo or a farm are fun and remind kids that the world is full of amazing creatures. Or, on a stormy day that forces you inside, nature shows and books can enhance understanding and appreciation of God’s creation, as well.

Creativity is often taken to a new level when combined with outdoor play, so don’t forget the power of a simple cardboard box. It could become an airplane, bus, or spaceship. Or your child might turn into a turtle, crawling across the yard with the overturned box on his back and slipping under it to hide.

Moms with energy and initiative may enjoy leafing through activity books and websites for ideas like making vinegar and baking soda volcanoes, folding paper to make pinwheels or whirligigs for the garden, or blowing bubbles!

bubbleblowing

One final thought:  Moms aren’t the only ones to get kids out and about. This week at a nearby park, I saw a young dad walking the path with a baby in a Snugli. Next to him toddled his slightly older child who was sucking on a pacifier while watching my kids splash in the creek.

That dad is a reminder to us all: We aren’t solely responsible for getting kids out in God’s creation—ask a grandparent or your spouse to take them from time to time, so they can share the fun (and you can get a break)!

Enjoy the summer!

On the off chance that your child would utter the words “I’m bored” at some point this summer, here are some websites with creative ideas:

Filed Under: children, creativity, family, frugality, home, lifelong learning, motherhood, nature, parenting, simplicity, slowing

Make-Do Mondays: Memorial Day Story (WWI)

May 25, 2009 By 5 Comments

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At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.

It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity.

Mr. Linky isn’t working.

To participate, write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to include the link in the comments. I’ll try to pop back in and update the post by hand with your links.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

  1. Sunnydaytodaymama (Stick Puppets)
  2. My Practically Perfect Life (Bathroom Towel Hanging Solutions)

Make-Do Mondays with Ann

This post is a bit of a departure from the practical suggestions that usually mark my Mondays.

I hope that in a small way, sharing this family story will serve as a kind of decoration on Memorial Day by remembering publically a family member who served in WWI.

This is not a story of great valor or sacrifice—in fact, it’s rather lighthearted, and I hope that it doesn’t in any way diminish the solemnity of Memorial Day, which is set apart to commemorate those who have given their lives in service to our country.

Perhaps today part of showing our respect, admiration and gratitude can include the sharing of war stories of all kinds, even those that make us smile.

On our brief trip to Washington, D.C., we ran over to the World War I memorial to gain shelter from a downpour during our rainy tour of the monuments. While huddled under the small structure, I asked the kids, “You know that both of your great-grandfathers on my side of the family were in World War I, don’t you?”

“Really?”

“Really! And there’s a pretty good family story about your grandma’s dad. He passed away when I was little, so I never knew him. But I’ve heard the story many times.”

This is the story:

My grandfather joined the Army in 1917 and was overseas with the Motor Transport Corps in France doing a lot of convoy work.

One assignment was to transport to Paris some high-powered Cadillac and Buick cars for General Pershing’s staff, and my grandfather was in charge of assigning the drivers.  He decided it would be nice to see Paris, so he assigned himself to drive one of the cars—one version of the story has Grandpa driving Pershing’s personal vehicle.

Well, the convoy was flying down the road at top speed, and Grandpa had never driven a fast car like that. He had trouble keeping up.

Speeding down a hill, he suddenly saw that the entire convoy had stopped for some trucks to pass.

“I knew I couldn’t stop in time and had just about decided to ram the rear truck,” Grandpa explained one time (adding that he probably would never get out of the guardhouse for wrecking Pershing’s car), “when I spotted a possible way out. Just before I crashed into the convoy, I veered to the side, careened along the convoy and ran upon a pile of cinders that had been left by the roadside for winter emergencies.”

The soft landing left the Cadillac undamaged, wheels spinning as it perched atop the heap.

When Grandpa got out, the convoy leader ran up, shook his hand and said, ”That was one swell piece of driving!”

Grandpa was too weak to answer, but said he was thinking, “You mean that was one swell piece of luck!”

WWIGrandpa

Behold the man who very nearly crashed General Pershing’s car. (I apologize for the low quality. It’s scanned from a newsprint copy of the original, which was taken in France.)

Thank you to all who have served or are serving in our armed forces. Share your stories with someone today.

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Filed Under: family, Make-Do Mondays

Food on Fridays: Cheese, Tea and Soup

May 21, 2009 By 22 Comments

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome. Just write about a great waiter who served you recently, snap some pictures at the farmer’s market, or describe the best cheese slicer you’ve ever owned.

In other words, the Food on Fridays parameters are not at all narrow. I think of it as a virtual pitch-in where everyone brings something to share; even if the content of one item is unrelated to the rest, we sample it all anyway and have a great time.

When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or the new smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.

Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial

(Mr. Linky is having technical difficulties. Please leave your link in the comments and I’ll update this post myself throughout the day):

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).

You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.

 

Food on Fridays Participants

  1. Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker (Peach Cobbler in a Muffin)
  2. Like Mother, Like Daughter (Who Wouldn’t Want Darling Corningware? A Giveaway)
  3. Stretch Mark Mama (Chile Rellenos Burgers)
  4. Glimpses of Sonshine (Creamy Pork Loin over Noodles)
  5. Finding Joy in My Kitchen (Ranch Pretzels)
  6. Inside the White Picket Fence (Wilted Lettuce)
  7. Hoosier Homemade (Spaghetti Sauce & Cupcakes)
  8. Beauty in the Mundane (Weddingness: Cream Cheese Mints)
  9. Better Is Little (Basic Meatloaf Recipe)
  10. It’s Frugal Being Green (Oven Barbequed Chicken)
  11. Outward Expression (Simple Tomato Sauce)
  12. My Practically Perfect Life (Whisking Again)
  13. This Pilgrimage (Froggy Cupcakes)
  14. Butter Yum (Stuffed Shells with 3 Cheeses)
  15. Frugal Homekeeping (Artichoke & Almond Dip)
  16. God’s Smallest Graces (Loaded Potato Salad)

Food on Fridays with Ann

Yesterday a friend needed me to watch her kids while she went to an appointment. When she returned, we sat for a while and caught up.

I made tea.

A lot has been going on in her life, so we sipped for a while.

In fact, I made a second pot.

(Don’t worry; I was in my safe caffeine-consumption range).

Eventually, though, we realized that it was past lunch time. So I scrounged in my fridge to see what was on hand.

I found homemade soup that started as chicken and rice soup, but I didn’ t have enough rice, so I snapped spaghetti noodles into bits and turned it into chicken-noodle soup … with rice. So it was kind of odd, but we heated it up and ate it anyway.

Sandwiches with lunchmeat.

I attempted to slice some cheese, but it had been previously frozen, and you know how block cheese kind of crumbles after it’s been frozen and thawed? Well, that’s what happened. No nice, smooth slices for us. I had to pile bits and shreds of cheese on top of her salami.

Apple slices.

Water with ice.

It was a pretty humble offering.

But I remembered what another friend of mine told me once. She said, “Hospitality isn’t the same as entertaining. I think of hospitality as sharing whatever I have, no matter how little it is.” She told me that while she was cutting up a tiny block of sample cheese from one of those gift packs you get at Christmas with the summer sausages and tiny mustards. She served me a small piece of pumpernickel bread, tiny slices of cheese, and tiny slices of summer sausage. It’s all she had, but she shared.

I thought of that morsel of pumpernickel as I shared my odd soup and cheese crumbles with this friend.

We shared stories. We shared life. We shared bits of cheese, tea, and some soup.

It would be easy to feel a little embarrassed at my lunch offering.

But in the end, I like to think we enjoyed hospitality at its richest.

Because most importantly, in those hours around the table, we shared friendship.

More Friday Carnivals

Is Food on Fridays not fun enough for you?  Not in the mood for food? Check out these other great carnivals!

 

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

A Note about Friends

May 21, 2009 By 3 Comments

After reading yesterday’s post, alert reader Marci at Overcoming Busy pointed me to The Creative Mama, who had a post about learning and keeping track of the little details reflecting our friends’ likes and dislikes.

She e-mailed her friends a form (available for download HERE) and asked them to fill it in and send it back in order to have a record on hand. She pointed out that it was helpful when shopping for birthday gifts to know details like a friend’s favorite color.

It reminded me of a friend of mine who scheduled volunteers for her work. She kept 3 by 5 cards in a file box, one for each person. If a volunteer would phone to explain that she was having surgery and wouldn’t be available, my friend would note that on the card. Next time she contacted that volunteer, she didn’t have to rely on memory; she could pull out the card to be sure to follow up and ask about the surgery. This became a way for her to really connect with people. Her volunteers felt known and loved.

I store contact info in Outlook, and the “Notes” section on the contact form is ideal for this same purpose. It’s great for recording details that might come up in a conversation or e-mail—important events in a friend’s life that might otherwise slip my mind. The old noggin’ ain’t what it used to be, so I can’t rely on brainpower alone to pull these things up on demand.

Here’s an example, if you can read it:

SampleNotesSection2

Clicking on a friend’s name on my Outlook contacts page and scanning the Notes section jogs my mind. I can ask about a recent vacation or a child’s strep throat or other important events. And if I want, I can note her blouse size, favorite color, likes and dislikes, the gifts I give her each Christmas, and her kids’ birthdays, because the space in Notes is unlimited.

My dear friend who thoughtfully handed me lemonade instead of tea dislikes nutmeg and loves to collect mugs and books. I remember that on my own, for now, but the “Notes” section is there if I need to lean on a memory aid.

It’s an extra step, but if the effort helps me know and love my friends in specific ways, it’s worth it.

Many thanks for Overcoming Busy and The Creative Mama for such practical ideas.

Filed Under: creativity, frugality, home, lifelong learning, mind, self-discovery, simplicity

To Be Known

May 20, 2009 By 18 Comments

Yesterday I stopped by a dear friend’s house on the next street over to return something, and we started to chat. She slipped inside for a minute and came back out with a glass of iced tea and a glass of lemonade.

“This is for you,” she said, handing me the lemonade and keeping the tea for herself.

Now, her lemonade is great, but I love, love, love her sweet tea. I haven’t sampled widely, I think she makes the best sweet tea in all of Indiana. In fact, hers might even hold its own in Tennessee or Alabama.  

She knows how nuts I am about her tea, so why was she handing me the lemonade?

As she held it out, she said, “This is for you, because I know you can’t have caffeine this late in the afternoon.”

I glanced at my watch. It was after 5:00 p.m. She was right! She knew me better than I knew myself in that moment, remembering that I told her how caffeine affects me. If I drink tea after 1:30 or 2:00 p.m., I’m wide awake until way after 1:30 or 2:00 a.m.

I felt known.

And to realize I was known, I also felt loved.

Filed Under: self-discovery, simplicity, tea

Make-Do Mondays: Running Spikes Take on New Meaning

May 17, 2009 By 6 Comments

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This Week’s Make-Do Mondays Quote

There are two ways to get enough:

one is to accumulate more and more.

The other is to desire less.

–G.K. Chesterton

At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.

It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.

Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

 

Make-Do Mondays Participants

  1. Gravity of Motion (We’ll Play Come Hail or High Water)
  2. Sunnydaytodaymama (Recycled Notebooks)
  3. My Practically Perfect Life (Onion Ring Sauce Helper)
  4. Small Town, Simple Home (Bibs)
  5. Coupons, Deals, and More (Stockpile Recipe)

Make-Do Mondays with Ann

Back in high school, I was on the track team. My coach suggested I jog with light hand weights to gain arm strength simultaneous to the lower body work of running. 

Being a lifelong “make-doer,” I didn’t run out and buy the ready-made “heavy hands” that were available in stores. Instead, I rummaged through the odds and ends clunking around in the garage and found several railroad spikes we’d collected from the nearby abandoned tracks.

I wrapped them with black electricians’ tape for a smooth grip.

Decades Just a few short years later, I still use them.

spikes

I wrapped two individual spikes for the lightest option.

singlespike

They fit nicely in my hands and can be used as weapons, if necessary.

doublespikes

I also created a heavier option by wrapping two together.

My running spikes complement my pathetic but functional humble make-do home gym.

How do you make do?

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Filed Under: creativity, exercise, frugality, Make-Do Mondays, simplicity Tagged With:

Stick of Renown

May 16, 2009 By 3 Comments

stick

We went for a walk at a nearby park. As always, the kids spread out in search of sticks.

One of the girls found this one. For a small person, it could serve as a staff.  

She used her staff to steady her step while walking on slippery stones in the creek. She leaned on it as she climbed up the bank, pushing against it for stability. It was straight, strong, and just the right size.

Her siblings were jealous. Yes, they were jealous of a stick.

In fact, at one point, the owner of the stick was offered two real dollars and two stuffed animals in exchange for the straight, strong staff.

“That must be some stick!” I exclaimed when I heard about the offer.

“It is!” the girl who made the offer moaned. “I never find good sticks, and she always finds good sticks. But she won’t take the offer!”

“So let me get this straight,” I said. “You’re offering her two dollars and two stuffed animals for a stick.”

“Yes.”

“And what’s even more shocking is that she’s not going to take the offer?”

“No, she won’t!”

I turned to the stick-girl. “Take the offer!” I advised. “It’s a stick! You can get an easy two dollars and just go find another stick!”

“No way! This is the best stick ever!”

Amazed, I took to calling it the Stick of Renown for the rest of the afternoon.

I was thinking about the Stick of Renown today and how a simple stick could be so highly valued.

It reminded me of Moses’ staff. When he ran away from Egypt and became a shepherd, he would have found himself a stick; or, more accurately, a staff. 

And throughout his years of shepherding, I’m guessing he continued to look for the perfect stick, coming across another even better to replace the first, and yet another to improve on the one before, and so on.

At some point, he must have found his favorite, and like my stick girl, I’ll bet a shepherd greatly values his favorite staff. It would probably be straight, strong, and just the right height to lean on, steady himself, and beat away wild animals from the flock. 

So by the time Moses saw the burning bush, he must have found a fantastic stick.

God appeared to Moses, sending him to Pharoah, to bring God’s people out of Egypt. God told Moses what to say to the people, and Moses asked, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?”

The LORD said to Moses:

“What is that in your hand?” 

“A staff,” he replied.

The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.” 

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. “This,” said the LORD, “is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.” (Exodus 4:2-5)

That is some stick. It was to show the people that the God of their fathers appeared to Moses.

Apart from the LORD, I’m sure it was an excellent staff.

With Him … it was a Stick of Renown.

Your name, O LORD, endures forever, 

your renown, O LORD, through all generations.

(Psalm 135: 13)

But you, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; 

your renown endures through all generations.

(Psalm 102:12)

Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws,

we wait for you; 

your name and renown 

are the desire of our hearts.

(Isaiah 26:8)

Our Good Shepherd knew all about the importance of a good staff, and His staff is the only true Stick of Renown.

And His name and renown are the desire of my heart.

Filed Under: Bible study, children, family, simplicity

Food on Fridays: Turkey Tetrazzini

May 14, 2009 By 13 Comments

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(alternative button below)

Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome. Just write about a peanut allergy, snap a picture of your broken toaster, or describe your first attempt at once-a-month cooking.

In other words, the Food on Fridays parameters are not at all narrow. I think of it as a virtual pitch-in where everyone brings something to share; even if the content of one item is unrelated to the rest, we sample it all anyway and have a great time.

When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or the new smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.

Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).

You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.

 

Food on Fridays Participants

  1. Trish Southard (Hummus)
  2. Cooking During Stolen Moments (Chicken Confit & Asparagus Pasta Rags)
  3. Stretch Mark Mama (Spicy Grilled Chicken)
  4. Glimpse of Sonshine (Romantic Meal & Recipes)
  5. Hoosier Homemade (Chicken Phillies)
  6. Newlyweds! (Zucchini Quesadillas)
  7. It’s Frugal Being Green (Does Cooking at Home Actually Save You Money?)
  8. Like Mother, Like Daughter (Food for Thought: Discipline)
  9. The Finer Things (Baby Shower Menu)
  10. 4 Boys, a Husband, and God (Chicken Lime Soup)
  11. Lavender *Sparkles* (Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix)
  12. My Practically Perfect Life (Homemade Sour Cream)
  13. Gravity of Motion (Food Allergies)
  14. Life Signatures (Ponzu Sauce)
  15. It’s All About Love (The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever)

Food on Fridays with Ann

For Mother’s Day, the Belgian Wonder and I decided that turkey would be a relatively easy main course. So we pulled out of the freezer one of the birds we bought on sale after Thanksgiving and stuck it in the oven to cook while we were at church.

Later that day, I boiled the carcass with some past-their-prime veggies and ended up with a pot of great stock. I pulled off the remaining bits of meat to use in soup. The past few days, we’ve been heating up turkey leftovers or using slices for sandwiches. I didn’t follow Trish’s 7-day Turkey Couture instructions precisely, but she certainly inspired variations on a theme.

Thursday night we diced up what was left of the meat and made Turkey Tetrazzini (also tapping into the stock I made to use in place of broth). We gobbled it up so fast, I forgot to snap a photo.

I posted the recipe back in December, but here it is again:

 

tetrazzinirecipecard

This is the Turkey Tetrazzini recipe from Peg Bracken’s “I Hate to Cook” book.

Now, don’t get scared off when you read this through. It may sound a little complicated, but after you make it once, you’ll see that it really isn’t (especially if you already know how to make white sauce). I do have a lot of pans to wash afterwards, but it’s worth it. We polished off a big casserole dish and started digging into the second.

Turkey Tetrazzini

1/2 lb spaghetti

5 T butter

(some of the butter is used to saute the mushrooms, and some is used to make the cream sauce; I substituted oil when making the cream sauce)

2 C turkey or chicken broth

2 T sherry

1/2 C grated Parmesan

1/4 lb fresh mushrooms

(I always add lots more; and if you possibly can afford it, they’re really best fresh, not canned)

1/3 C flour

1 C light cream

2 C diced turkey

Salt & pepper

Slice and saute mushrooms in 1 T butter till light brown.

Cook spaghetti.

Make cream sauce: 4 T butter (I used part olive and part canola oil replacing the butter entirely) mixed with 1/3 C flour. Stir or whisk that until it makes a smooth base (or roux). Heat on medium until it cooks a little, then add broth and stir constantly (I use a whisk) on medium (or medium-high) heat until is smooth and thickens. Add cream, salt & pepper, and sherry (you simply must add the sherry–it’s not much, but makes a huge difference in flavor). By the way, don’t boil the cream sauce after the cream is added. Just heat through.

Divide sauce in half–in one half, put turkey meat. In the other, put the mushrooms and spaghetti.

Put spaghetti-mushroom half in a greased casserole dish. Make a hole in it (easier said than done with sauce-coated, slithery spaghetti). Pour turkey half in the hole. Top with Parmesan.

Bake uncovered 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Dish it up alongside a simple lettuce salad with vinaigrette and some french bread, you may not hate to cook anymore!

(By the way, I always double this recipe.)

As you know, I’m committed to decluttering the house.

Looks like I started with the freezer.

More Friday Carnivals

Is Food on Fridays not fun enough for you?  Not in the mood for food? Check out these other great carnivals!

 

(a slightly smaller Food on Fridays button)

fof

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Simplicity & Slowing: Decluttering

May 14, 2009 By 7 Comments

[Update: Books offered at bottom of post are no longer available]

A friend said the other day, “I don’t know how you do all that you do, Ann.”

“The only way I do all that I do,” I replied, “is by not doing it all.”

What I meant was—and I expanded on this with her—is that I cannot do it all. I don’t do it all. I have limits and make choices accordingly.

But writing and speaking are on my list of things I do. Given my limited capacity, I have to choose not to do other things. Here are some examples of things I don’t do, or at least limit:

  • Shopping. I rarely shop (except for Goodwill). One time I had to buy a specific piece of clothing for an event and couldn’t believe how much time it took to go from store to store in search of what I needed.
  • Hobbies. Writing is my main hobby as well as my ministry. Many activities interest me, like scrapbooking and handwork, but I’ve decided to zero in on just a few things, with writing as my main focus.
  • TV. We watch very little television, which frees up a lot of time.
  • Exercise. I keep exercise as simple as possible and jog. I like jogging for lots of reasons, one of which is that I can just head out the door and do it. This wouldn’t work for a very social friend of mine who needs people and a class to motivate her, but it works for me. I’m out and back for the duration of the workout without transit time or chit-chat. After a few crunches on an exercise ball and some stretches, I shower and move on.

That list reflects some intentional choices. There is another category of not doing things; it’s called neglect.

Yes, I also neglect things; in particular, the house.

Now you know.

Fortunately, the Belgian Wonder has a pretty high tolerance for clutter and mess. Six of us live under one roof. When I’m not paying attention because I’m editing up a storm, rooms can get out of control faster than you can say “comma splice.”

When my deadline passes and I’m back to reclaiming our space, I find myself making resolutions.

Scrubbing away at grimy, neglected areas of the bathroom, I resolve to declutter and simplify. It’s almost always top of the list of things that bug me about my life.

Clear out the clutter!

Toss the junk!

Send off stuff!

I crave organization and order, but neither of those traits comes naturally.

I’ve read almost every book on organization and decluttering out there. You’d think the principles would sink in so deeply that I’d automatically practice them, but I don’t. The house is still cluttered. And I’m still longing for a simpler space to complement my slower pace.

A couple of years ago, when I was starting to work on Not So Fast, my editor wrote me a note that she was decluttering all weekend. She said, “I think slowing down and living simply go together. Don’t you?”

I do.

I do think that living more slowly and living simply are very complementary. When we simplify, I think it’s easier to slow down our pace. And when we slow down our pace, I think we start to see the beauty of simplicity in our schedule, relationships, activities, and space.

The most pressing area I need to work on is simplicity of space.

So when school is out, my summer goal is to achieve some of my decluttering and organizational goals.

Will you hold me to it?

Remind me?

Hold my hand?

Set up and manage an eBay account for me?

Pay shipping for boxes of books that I pluck from the shelves to release to the world?

Actually, my life is slow enough at the moment, I think I’ll grab a few books right now.

freebooks

 

Does anyone want:

If you cover shipping, they’re yours.

First come (let me know in comments with an e-mail to contact for arrangements), first served.

Filed Under: books, change, exercise, self-discovery, simplicity, slowing