Kitchen Know Hows: Cooking Pinto Beans

In the south, we love pinto beans. We love them with onions and ketchup on top. We like eating them with cornbread and cole slaw. We like them in chili beans and taco soup. Pinto beans in a can are okay, but they are much better and healthier if you start with dry pinto beans. The only problem is how to cook the perfect pinto bean. 

It has taken me years to perfect the perfect cooking method for pinto beans. I have tried many ways of soaking them. I have followed the advice of the older women in my life. I have read other professional cooks advice and tried it. I have researched ways on the internet and tried them, but the pintos never came out just right. They were either mushy or still hard as a rock. However, over the past year, I have found the method that works for me. 

Here is my method for cooking pinto beans and what you will need. 

• dry pinto beans
• a large bowl to wash them in
• a large bowl to soak them in
• a large pot ~ preferably a cast iron or enamel pot

Pour the amount of pintos you want into a large bowl. Fill with water and stir a little. Hand full by hand full lift pintos out of bowl looking for blemished pintos and sorting out the broken beans, then place in the other large bowl. 

When the pintos have been washed and placed in the other bowl, pour water into the bowl making sure the pintos are covered with 1 to 2inches of water. Soak for 8 hours. 

After 8 hours, pour the pintos and water into a colander to drain off the water, then rinse off the pintos with clean water. Pour the pintos in the large pot. Cover the beans with 1 to 2 inches of clean water. Place pot on a burner and turn on high to bring the pintos to a boil. When they come to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cover with the lid. Let the pintos simmer for an hour and a half. After a hour and a half, remove the pot from the burner and allow them to sit for 30 minutes, then you will have the perfect pintos to eat or add to a dish. 

This is the best way I have found to cook pinto beans. If you have a foolproof method or a tried and true method, I would love to hear it. I have found my way to be the best for me, but the pintos can still turn out mushy. So I am forever looking for ways to perfect pintos! 

Living life simply and enjoying simple dishes like pinto beans and cornbread! Enjoy!

Kitchen Know How's: Charring Bell Peppers

Over the next few days, I am going to share some kitchen know how posts. These are know hows are just simple little things that any wife and home cook should know how to do. Some of them, I have just recently learned myself. I also have a board on Pinterest filled with charts, measurements, ideas, and tips that have I saved to help me run my kitchen more efficiently ~ Kitchen Know Hows.

For years, I have watched people on their cooking shows char bell peppers on their gas stove top. They talked about the flavors its brings out in the peppers and that charring was a good way to help reduce the indigestion factor that is common with bell peppers. This was a great interest to me, because bell peppers is one of the things that cause DH to have indigestion and we eat a lot of them. The only problem was we didn't have a gas stove and I really didn't know that it could be done any other way. However, one day while watching "Pati's Mexican Table" the solution to my dilemma was solved by Pati Jinich. She said if you didn't have a gas stove you could char bell peppers under the broiler in your oven. A solution so simple, I am ashamed I didn't think of it. 

I was learning all of this as last fall as our bell peppers in the garden really started coming in. So I set about roasting peppers. It was surprisingly easy to do. It also did help cut down on some of DH's indigestion problem. 

Here is what you will need: 

• bell peppers
• a baking sheet 
• a baking pan that will fit over the baking sheet
• tongs to turn peppers with

To start with, you will need to turn the broiler on in your oven and get it good and hot. 

Wash off your peppers and arrange them on the baking sheet. When the broiler is up to temp, place the baking sheet in the oven. When the peppers turn black on the side facing up, turn them over using the tongs. When the peppers are charred black on all sides, remove them from the oven, then place the baking pan over the top of them for about 10 minutes. This helps them to sweat and will allow the thin skin on the outside to easily peeled or wiped off. 

All charred and ready to be sweated.

A pepper mostly peeled. 

When the thin skin is removed, slice the pepper in half to remove the seeds. They will come out easily by using a knife to scrap them out. 

Now the pepper is ready to be sliced and used in any dish. Or sliced to be put in a freezer container for use in the future. 

All sliced and ready to use.

Charring peppers do enhance their flavor and give the dish a hint of a smoky taste, which I like. Charring also seems to have reduce DH's indigestion a little. It is an easy thing to do and can be done when you are doing other things in the kitchen. Charring peppers is just one of those simple kitchen know hows every wife should know how to do!

A Week Of Veggie Side Dishes: Sauteed Mushrooms

I love sauteed mushroom, but it is hard to find a recipe that does finish them off with a splash of wine. I do not like wine, nor do I like the taste of it in any dish. It took me a ling time to find a recipe that left out the wine, but I did and it is a good. Of course with most recipes, I tailored it to our family's taste. 

Here is what you will need:

• a small shallot, minced (optional)
• 1 - 8oz. package of button mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• 1 - 8 oz. package of baby portebello mushrooms, stemmed and sliced ( or buy the already sliced ones)
• 1 Tbsp of olive oil, (or you could butter, I have used both)
• garlic salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste

Over medium to high heat, add a Tbsp of olive oil to a frying pan or skillet. When oil is heated and shimmering, saute the shallot until tender, then add all of the mushrooms. (If you don't want touse the shallot, just add the mushrooms when the oil is heated.) Stir occasionally until they are browned. Add garlic salt and black pepper. Stir to incorporate the flavors, then they are ready to serve.

I like serving them with beef, especially grilled steak. Don't they look yummy! The best part NO wine!

 

 

A word of caution, wait to add the salt until the very end.  If you add it too early, the mushrooms will release moisture which will steam the mushrooms instead of browning them.  

 

Give this simple, yummy dish a try! 

A Week Of Veggie Side Dishes: Sauteed Veggies

I love a medley of veggies steamed, grilled, or sauteed. I have steamed veggies. DH has grilled veggies. However, I have never fixed sauteed veggies and I wasn't quite sure how to do it. As I started looking through recipes, I was pretty sure I come up with some edible. This following recipe is the result of my efforts. As with most recipes, it can be tailored to your family's taste. I have also found that adding the ingredients in a certain order that allows the veggies to get the cooking time they need.

Here is what you will need:

• 3 to 5 Tbsps of butter
• a medium onion, sliced (I use a white or yellow onion, but if I have a red one on hand I use it.)
• a half of a big bell pepper, sliced (I use a combo of different colored peppers. I don't put in as much bell pepper as I do the other veggie, because it gives DH acid reflux.)
• an 8 oz container of white button mushrooms, sliced (I remove the stems.)
• a small bag of baby carrots or 1 to 2 carrots sliced diagonally in to planks
• several florets of broccoli and cauliflower cut in to bite size pieces 
• garlic salt, black pepper, onion powder, and red pepper flakes (just a few flakes to give the dish a little bit of a kick.) ~ all of this to taste or add your favorite spices and herbs 

Start with melting about 3 Tbsps of butter in a frying pan or saute pan. While it is melting slice the onion up, then add it to the pan. Do the same with the bell pepper. Stir occasionally. 

 

 

While the onion and bell pepper is cooking, look over the baby carrots for bad spots and cut the bigger ones in half length-wise or peel and slice the carrots. Add the carrots to the pan. Stir occasionally. If you find the pan getting low on moisture add more butter.

 

 

Start on the mushrooms next. Remove the stems, then slice up the mushrooms. Add to the pan. I start adding the herbs at this time. Stir occasionally. 

 

 

The broccoli and cauliflower are the next items to prepare. Cut them into bite size pieces and add to the pan. Stir occasionally.

 

 

At this point the onions, bell peppers, and carrots should be getting soft. The mushrooms should be changing color. I continue sauteing until the broccoli had changed into a darker green and the cauliflower has softened. Be sure to taste check the dish along the way to see if you need to add more herbs or spices.

 

The finished product.

 

This dish is family tested and approved, even by our picker eater ~ our DD. It is good with any kind of meat. It also goes great with any kind of meat and potato meal. It is relatively healthy, even with the butter. It is not that hard to make, although it does require a lot of slicing. It is just simply a great dish to know how to make!

A Week Of Veggie Side Dishes: Vegetable Salad

Growing up, DH and I ate a lot of cooked veggies; from all sorts of beans, to peas, to corn. We did have some raw veggies; such as tomato slices, cucumbers, and an occasion salad. When we first got married, I served the same types of veggies. However, when we started on our journey to eating healthier, I looked for ways to include more raw veggies and other types of cooked veggies to our diet. I discovered some new ways to serve raw veggies and new recipes to try. So, all this week, I am sharing some of our favorites. 

The first recipe is a twist on a salad, but it doesn't use any salad greens. I call it a vegetable salad. I use 3 raw veggies as the base and then you can add other veggies to it. I add radishes and broccoli to it when I have them. How much you add of each is up to you and your family's taste. 

Here is what you will need: 

• a cucumber 
• a carrot  
• several florets of cauliflower
• radishes
• several florets of broccoli 

The ingredients. 

I start by cutting up the cauliflower florets into tiny. bite size pieces. I don't add as much cauliflower as I do other the veggies. 

Cauliflower cut up into bit size pieces.

Next, I grate the carrot, chopped up the cucumber, and slice the radishes. If you are adding broccoli, cut it up into bite size pieces ~ like the cauliflower. 

When you have all the veggies you want cut up and in a bowl, add ranch salad dressing to it. Again, you add as much or as little as you want. I like to add enough until all the veggies are well covered and slightly swimming in the dressing. 

This is a great side dish to serve on those hot summer days. It goes great with almost anything, but we really like it with roast beef or some sort of pork. An add plus is that it doesn't take much time to throw together. It is simply a yummy thing!  

A Week Of Misc. Recipes: Italian Dressing

While I don't like or use Italian dressing on my salad, I do like to marinate chicken that we are grilling in it. It helps keep the chicken moist and makes it very flavorful. We use to use Kraft's Tuscan House Italian Dressing (and still do in a pinch.) However in our continued effort to eat healthier, I went looking for a good homemade Italian dressing recipe. I found one at "The Family Homestead." Like most recipes, I have adjusted it to our taste. You can find the original recipe here. 

Italian Dressing

• 1/2 cup of olive oil (I use a little less than a 1/2 cup.)
• 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar (I use a little less than a fourth of a cup.)
• 1/2 cup of water (I use a little more than a 1/2 cup.)
• 1 Tbsp of maple syrup (I use about a tbsp and a half.)
• basil, garlic salt, seasoning salt, onion powder, parsley, oregano, black pepper, cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes all to your taste

Mix all the ingredients together. If the olive oil taste is still too strong, add a little more water. 

 

I don't know how good this dressing in on a salad, but it awesome to marinate chicken in. I love making a big garden salad and topping it with grilled chicken marinated in this dressing. It is simply a good thing! 

Healthy: A Word To Live By In 2017

Healthy is an important word for me. I inherited high blood pressure from my daddy's side of the family and have had it since I was 21. I have to take two medicines and keep an eye on it. I am also borderline diabetic. Although by today's standards I am not extremely overweight, I still have several, several pounds to lose. While I have lost quite a bit of weight my doctor assures me if I lose more, the diabetic threat will lessen. I also don't want to end up like my paternal grandmother, extremely overweight and unable to move around much. That is not how I want to spend my golden years. So for my health and so I can enjoy the life I have left, I want to get healthy and healthier. 

We have already taken several steps in improving our diet to healthier options, but we need to go further. For one, I need to reduce the amount of Cheerwine I drink and drink more water. I need to look closer at labels and reduce our amount of chemical intake even further. I need to continue to look for healthier alternatives to those prepackaged sugary and salty treats. That means buying more fruits, nuts, and seeds. It is a process and a journey, but it is worth it.

I also need to exercise more. I need to reduce the amount of time I sit on my rear and move every opportunity I get. I need to walk the dogs and walk with DH every chance we get, even if it is too cold, too hot, or too windy. Besides walking with DH as soon as he gets home is a great way for DH and I to reconnect and catch each other up on our day.

One thing I need to add to what we are already doing is to learn to take a little time for myself. I need to let go of my OCD tendencies and realize my house doesn't need to be spotless. I need let DD and DH do more things even if they don't do it the way I want to. I need to learn to take a few minutes to myself, take more time for prayer and meditation, time so I can destress and decompress.  I truly believe a healthy, peaceful soul and mind is the key to a healthier body. 

Part of taking care of myself, especially since I am getting older, is to take better care of my skin. I need to see those few minutes a day it takes to apply a little moisturizer and lip balm for what it is - a few minutes. A few minutes out of my day to do something for myself is NOT a waste of time.  

In the Bible, we are told that our bodies become a temple when we accept Jesus as our Saviour, because the Holy Spirit dwells within. We are admonish to take care of our temple not only physically, but mentally and spiritually. There are also other scriptures that give us great advice for our mind, body, and soul. 

These are the verses I have choose to focus on this year as I strive to become healthy/healthier:

1st Corinthians 6: 19-20 

"...do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."

1st Corinthians 10: 31
"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

Proverbs 17: 22

"A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones."

Proverbs 3: 7 - 8

"Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.  It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones."

I have no promises to myself or resolved to become healthier. It is something I want to and willing to work for. Here is to a healthier version of me! 

Simply looking forward to what this new year has in store for me!  

Words To Live By In 2017

New Year Resolutions are not for me. Why say you are going to resolve to do something, when most likely you want keep your resolve. I see resolutions are unattainable ideas that we can never live up to. I do like the idea of setting goals. Goals are something you can work toward, but don't feel guilty is you don't make it all the way. Sometimes, the striving for a goal is as rewarding as reaching the goal. 

As I was thinking about goals to set for myself this year, I ran across a blog called Casey Leigh or The Wiegands. As I spent the better part of a month reading her blog, I came across her New Year's posts where she prays about a word for the upcoming year. The word God gives her each year is an area in her life she needs to work on. As she steps out in faith, she sees ways every day that God is helping her in that area. 

I liked her idea and began asking for guidance from God in the areas I need work on. As I reflected, two words kept coming to mind; healthy and intentional. When I tried to pick between the two, it became an impossible task. So I am claiming two words for the year; healthy and intentional. 

I picked healthy because I frankly need to take better care of myself. I need to take more time for myself. I need to make healthier decisions. I need to work on body, mind, and soul. 

I picked intentional because I need to be more deliberate and have more purpose behind the time I spend with my family. I need to take a little extra time to let them know in small ways they are special, loved, and very important to me. I also need to do this with the fur babies and egg laying ladies in my life. DH, DD, fur babies, and our egg laying ladies need to be more important than our house or chores. I need to be more purposeful behind FB and blog posts too. Most importantly, I need to be more intentional when it comes to my relationship with God and time I spend with Him. 

Healthy and Intentional are my words to claim for this new year. I hope to see progress in my life as I work on these areas in my life. It is going to be a good year and I am ready for the challenge. 

Join me tomorrow and Thursday, as I expand on these words and the scriptures I have found to use for inspiration. 

Here's to living an intentional, healthy, simple life in 2017!

Simply Perfect Product: Whole Grain Pasta

In our effort to eat healthier, we have tried to switch all of the pasta we eat to whole wheat pasta or whole grain pasta. We have found that we actually like the texture and taste better than regular pasta. When it is reheated or frozen, it stays firmer than regular pasta. 

Muller's pasta use to be our choice of pasta and we still use it in a pinch, but I would much rather use Barilla pasta. I like the it cooks up better and it has a better taste than Mueller's. Barilla pasta comes in all the usual types of pasta and a few different kinds. All of their pastas are also GMO free. Barilla's website has a ton of info about their pastas, from how to cook it to how to measure it. They also have a recipe section full of recipes for every skill level of cooking. 

Barilla whole grain pasta is simply one of perfect products! Enjoy! 

Halloween Safety Tips & Ideas

Happy Halloween, everyone! As the little ghosts, goblins, firemen, and princess are getting ready for a night of trick-or-treating, it never hurts to review a few safety tips to keep everyone safe. So as a review for everyone, I am sharing a few of the tips and ideas I have come across. 

Tips For Trick-Or-Treaters

• Avoid billowing costumes or a costume with a long train that could catch fire easily. Buy costumes that are fire resistant or if you are making your own use fire resistant materials.
• Use a flash light, glow sticks, or a battery operated jack-o-lantern to light your way as you trick-or-treat. 
• Make sure to look to your left, right, & left again before crossing the streets. Try to cross the street at corners, using traffic lights & cross walks if possible. Walk, don't run, when you are crossing a street.
• While trick-or-treating put your cell phone down. Keep your head up and be aware of your surroundings. 
• Children 12 and under should be accompanied by an adult. If they are responsible enough to go out alone, make sure they stick to familiar areas and go with a group of trick-or-treaters. 
• Decorate your bag or container for your candy with reflective stickers or tape. 
• If given a choice between face paint and a mask, go with the face paint. Masks can obstruct your view. 
• Make sure costume doesn't pose a tripping factor, such as being to long.  
• Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.  
• Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers. 

 

Tips For Hosting A Party

• Keep dried flowers, corn stalks, crepe paper, and hay away from open flames and other sources of heat. 
• Never use "indoor only" lighting sources outside. They could shock someone or do something worse. 
• Never block exits or escape routes. 
• Keep candle-lit jack o' lanterns and luminaries away from doorsteps, walkways, landings, and curtains. Place them on sturdy tables, keep them out of the reach of pets and small children, and never leave them unattended.
• Make sure your porches, walkways, and yard are free of anything that a person could trip on. Masks make it harder to see things clearly.

 

Tips For Driving On Halloween Night

• Slow down and keep alert. Excited children will move in unexpected ways. 
• Take extra time to look for children at intersections, around curbs, and medians. 
• Enter and exit driveway and alleys slowly. 
• Eliminate distractions inside your car so you can put your focus on the road and your surroundings. 
• Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.
• Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.

 

Be safe out there everyone and have fun! Try not to overload on candy! Happy Halloween!

 

Safety Tips Resources & Links:

1. Halloween Safety Tips
2. Halloween Health And Safety Tips
3. Are Your Halloween Traditions A Trick Or A Treat?
4. Halloween Party Safety 

My Pillows

While I was in high school, I had a wreck in a Volkswagen Beetle and flip it several times. I almost got a ticket for driving left of center while I was flipped upside down. Yes, it sounds ridiculous but it is completely true! I was banged up and bruised but had no major injuries. However, the effects of that wreck began to show up years later in my neck. 

About 15 years ago, I started having a terrible time with my neck and shoulders. I went to the  doctor and he diagnosed me with bulging disks in my neck. He prescribed anti-inflammatories along with pain pills. The anti-inflammatories tore up my stomach and weren't helping. The doctor then gave me exercises to try. They helped some but the problem still remained. It was getting worse and I was losing sleep. 

After one very bad week, DH made me an appointment with a chiropractor. I was amazed at the relief he provided me. I have been going for 15 years now. I started out going every 4 to 6 weeks, then I was able to push my appointments out to 6 to 8 weeks and now I am up to every 8 to 12 weeks.

Besides giving me adjustments, he has given me advice of what to do or not do. He has advised me on when to ice or apply heat. He also recommended two different types of pillows for me. A D-shaped Cervical pillow for my neck and a body pillow to help with hip joint pain I inherited from my daddy's side of the family. 

The D-shaped Cervial pillow has a d-shaped hole in the middle to lay your head in while the lobe supports the neck. The design is to help restore the natural curvature of the neck, which it does. This pillow has provided me with a more comfortable night sleep. An added plus is that Miss Oakley loves the pillows too. The hole in the middle is just the right size for her to curl up in. 

Pic via Core Products

Most of my daddy's side of the family seems to have a hip problem of some sort. Whether it is a sciatica nerve issues or inflamed hip joints. My is more of the inflamed hip joint issue. Going to the chiropractor helps me out a lot. The adjustment relieves a lot of the pain and gives me some relief, but what has helped me the most is using a body pillow which was recommended by my chiropractor. I sleep with the pillow between my knees when I lay on my side or use it to prop up my right side (which is the problem side) while I am on my back. Since I have started using a body pillow, I have had a lot less issues with my hip. 

Pic via Walmart

Both of these pillows go with me where ever we travel. I don't think I would sleep very well without them. I have even got DH hooked on using a body pillow. Both these pillows are simple good thing!

Living life and loving every minute of it! 

My Go To Beauty Products: Olay

Growing up, the soap of our household was Jergens soap. It was the only soap that didn't break my momma out. When I got married and set up a household, we started out using Jergens. It wasn't that soon before, DH started breaking out. So, we tried all different kinds of products from Dove to Ivory to Dial. All of those products dried me skin out terribly. We finally landed on Olay soap. It didn't dry my skin out and DH didn't react to it, so we had found our new soap. 

Pic via Olay

As I have gotten older and getting closer to 50 with each passing years, I started noticing littles wrinkles and that wrinkles that kept appearing. My skin is really in good condition because I don't smoke, drink, or lay out in the sun or tan. I rarely wear make-up due to seasonal allergies that affect my eyes. Yet, my skin is changing with age. So when I started looking products to help out with wrinkles and bags under the eyes. The first product I tried was Olay products and I am very pleased with them. I use 3 products from the Regenerist line of products. 

As a moisturizer, I use their Olay Regenerist Regenerating Lotion W/Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15. It doesn't have a heavily scented smell. It is easy to put on. It makes my skin feel soft and moisturized.  I also like that it has a sunscreen in it. I use it when I am going to be outside instead of regular sunscreen which makes my stings my skin. 

Pic via Olay

For a face cleanser and exfoliant, I use Olay Regenerist Regenerating Cream Cleanser. It is easy to use. It cleans and exfoliates my skin gently. I like the tube it comes because you can get every last (or almost every last) bit of cream out of it.

Pic via Olay

Around the eyes, I use Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum (which I just found out that they are discontinuing.)  I really liked this product. It did make my eyes look better and it didn't sting when I accidentally got some in my eye. I am really disappointed that it is being discontinued. I guess I will have to switch to Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Eye Swirl, Eye Treatment. When I buy some and try it, I will let you know what I think about it. 

Pic via Olay.

Pic via Olay.

Aging is a natural process and I believe in aging naturally as gracefully as possible. However, it never hurts to take care of your skin and using products out that are out there to do so. While products like this do help, I still believe the best thing you can do for your skin is to not smoke, not drink heavily, not lay out in the sun or a tanning bed, eat a health diet, get plenty of rest, and wear make-up as little as possible. 

Simply aging as gracefully as I possible can and loving every minute of it!

Simply Perfect Products: Dawn Dish Soap

I grew up using Dawn Dish Soap. We tried others in my childhood home, but after I started breaking out in bumps on my hands and arms we switched solely to Dawn. It is the dish soap we use today. It is one of the gentlest and the best for handling greasy pots and pans. 

Pic via Walmart

Dawn is environmentally friendly and is biodegradable. It has been used for years in rescue efforts of birds and other affected by oil spills and other man-made disasters. It helps get rid of the tough messes but it is gentle on the animals' skins. While I am not a tree hugger, I appreciate the work of Dawn in adding in the rescuing of animals God put here on the earth for us to take care of.  

Dawn's web page has a wealth of information for it users. It has ideas on other uses for Dawn beside dishes. You will find other tips and ideas on how to wash dishes and those collectibles. If you want to learn about the safety of Dawn and their sustainability efforts, they have pages with info on it as well. 

Dawn is one of those products that is a great product and does it job well. However, they are also concerned with its impact on this earth and how it can help animals in trouble. That makes Dawn a simply perfect product! 

Summertime Meal Ideas

Yesterday I posted about summertime cooking. Today I am posting summertime meals ideas. Most of them are easy and somewhat quick to fix. However, the main focus is sharing meals that are light and cool. Meals that don't require a lot of cooking so you aren't heating up your house on those hot, hazy, humid summer days. 

Cold Meals: Food doesn't have to be warm to be fulfilling. There are quite a few foods out there that can be eaten cold.

• Hillshire Farm Beef Sausage, crackers w/ cheddar cheese, veggies w/ dip, cold fruit (watermelon/cantaloupe) or fresh fruit (apple slice/fresh peaches/grapes.)
• Tuna Salad/Chicken Salad served on crackers, veggies w/ dip, assortment of nuts, fruits
• There are variety of cold soups recipes out there to be served on a hot summer day. Serve with a small sandwich or a piece of crusty bread, or cheese with some sort of cracker.

Sandwiches: There are all kinds of things you can make sandwiches out of. They don't have to be complicated sandwiches. One or two ingredients will do just fine. You can also get the whole range of the food groups in one sandwich. So whether served on a sliced bread, rolls, or in tortillas; sandwiches are simply a good thing. Serve them with chips w/ salsa, chips w/ dip, assorted nuts, popcorn, veggies w/ dip, or fruit. 

• Peanut Butter & Jelly - Most kids love this sandwich. 
• Banana Sandwich - Slice the banana long ways. Arrange on a piece of bread covered in Duke's mayo. Top with another piece of mayo covered bread, then enjoy! I love eating these sandwiches with original Doritos. The flavors complement each other. Give it a try!
• Tomato Sandwich - Nothing can beat a fresh out of the garden tomato on bread covered with Duke's mayo. This is the food of the gods in the South. 
• Sub Sandwiches - Use an assort of meats, cheeses, veggies, and condiments. Subs are your all in one sandwich. 
• Deviled Eggs Sandwiches - Boiling eggs doesn't heat up the house much, so Deviled Eggs sandwiches are a good fit for summer. 
• Tuna/Chicken Salad Sandwiches or Crab/Lobster/Shrimp Rolls Sandwiches
• Sandwich Wraps - Use your imagination when it comes to wrap sandwiches. Use deli meat or leftover chicken/turkey/steak/roast beef. Use slice cheese or shredded cheese. Use all kinds of veggies. Create and enjoy.  
• BLT Sandwiches - BLT are at their best when you can use a homegrown tomato, so summer is the perfect time for these sandwiches.  

  

Salads: From salad with greens, to pasta salad, to bean salad, to potato salad to fruit salads; salads are the perfect type dishes for those hot summer months. Serve them with meats for supper or make them the star of lunch served with some sort of crusty bread. You have the makings of a great meal.

• Garden Salad W/ Chicken - Using salad greens as your base; add all kinds of veggies, some shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and crutons. Grill chicken tenders that have been marinated in Italian Dressing. When they are finished, cut up and top the salad with the pieces. Pour on some ranch dressing and enjoy. Try the same thing with marinated steaks. 
• Meatless Taco Salad - Using salad greens as your base; add grape tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese & Monterey jack cheese, and corn chips; then toss. Warm up a can of black beans, a can of kidney beans, and can of corn. When warm, drain water off of them. Toss them with a little taco seasoning. Add them to the salad and toss. Serve with ranch dressing.
• Vegetable Salad - Cut of some of your favorite veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, and place in a bowl. Pour ranch dressing over the top to coat the veggies well and stir. This is a great alternative too a salad with greens. 

Stir-Frys & Sautees - These are two great ways to take of advantage of the fresh veggies of summer. Neither of these methods will heat up the house too much, plus you can always turn on your stove top fan to minimize some of the heat. 

Fried Or Pan-Fried Meats: 

• Steaks and pork chops can be pan seared in a little butter until they are done, then served with a salad or light pasta side dish. 
• Hamburger patties can be pan-fried in their own juices, then served with some steamed onions on top or fried peppers and onions. Serve with some cold potato salad and fruit. 

Grilled Food: Besides your usual meats and fishy type meats, grilled veggies are delicious too. Again this is a great way to take advantage of the fresh summer veggies. 

• Yellow Squash or Zucchini - Allow to come to room temperature if they have been in the frig. Wash them off. Cut into thick slices leaving the skin on. As they grill brush on a flavored butter or a mixture of flavored butter and olive oil. 
• Other veggies to grill include; Portabella Mushrooms, Red/Purple or White Onions, Bell Peppers.

Side Dishes: They don't have to be too heavy. Beside pasta salads, there are light pasta dishes to consider. Of course, summer lends its self to finger foods. There are always assorted nuts, pickles, all kinds of fruits served in a variety of ways, all kinds of crackers and chips, all sorts of dips, salsa, cheese salsa to serve on the side.  

I hope some of these ideas will be found useful.  Most of them have been tried and tested by my family. Although, I can't speak as a seafood expert. (I was NOT cut out to be a seafood connoisseur.) I would love to hear some of your summertime meal ideas. Leave me a comment and I will give them a try. 

 

Enjoying the simple summertime tastes and trying to live through the heat and humidity of the days!  

Summertime Cooking

Summer in our area of the South is more often than not; HOT, HAZY, and HUMID. Although we aren't in the deep South, the misery factor still prevails. None of us can take the heat and humidity. With all of us suffering from asthma issues, we try to stay in during the hottest part of the day. 

The heat and humidity effects us in another way. It effects what we want to eat. We don't want anything really hot and nothing heavy. We like light, cold foods. So today, I thought I would share some of my tips for preparing food on those hot summer days. 

One of the biggest things I do is to try to avoid heating up the house by using the oven. Summer is the perfect time to take full advantage of your grill, crock pot, stove top, microwave, and toaster ovens - if you have one. Another way to avoid heating up the house is to serve cold foods. 

When it comes to summertime grilling there are so many different kinds of food to choose from. Steak, chicken, pork chops, and shrimp are good light meat choices for summertime grilling. Of course, hamburgers and hot dogs are always an option. The wealth of summertime veggies are also a great option. Add a cold pasta salad to grill meats and veggies, you have a great summertime meal. 

If you still want to have roast beef, pork roast, or baked chicken; put them in your crock pot instead of the oven. This will help keep the house cool and use less electricity. It takes a little planning, but well worth the effort in trying to keep your house cool. 

The stove top is another option, but it can make the cook hot. Frying meats is another option to putting it in the oven. Whether it is in a little butter or some sort of oil. Pasta is a good thing to keep on hand during the summer. It comes to a boil and boils for a short time, which means little heating. There are a wide variety of pasta salad recipes out there to choose from. 

Although I seldom use my microwave, it is a great option to use in the summer. You can bake potatoes in one. It is also good for popping popcorn which is a wonderful summertime snack. If you are looking for some microwave meal recipes, here is a link to some healthy meals ideas.  

If you have a toaster oven, you can find all kinds of things you can fix in it besides toast. It is also is more energy efficient than the oven. I found a great website with some great meal ideas for the toaster oven. You can find it here: Toaster Oven Recipes. 

More often than not on those really, really hot days with high humidity, DH doesn't want anything warm. So I opt for cold foods and meals. One of our favorites is smoked beef sausage served with cheese and crackers. I add some raw veggies with dip and a cold watermelon/cantaloupe. This meal is filling and best of all cold. 

One of the best tips I can give you is to take full advantage of all the summertime goodies available at the farmer's market or your grocery store. There are so many fresh veggies to choose from, not to mention fruits. It is a wonderful way to slip in those healthy eating items with little fuss from anyone. There is nothing better than homegrown  tomato slices or fresh peaches with a little sugar. 

I hope these ideas help to spark some creativity in you when it comes to cooking those summertime meals. Tomorrow I will share some of our favorite and go to summertime meals. 

Living life simply and enjoying every minute of it! 

Simply Perfect Product: Real Butter

As I mentioned before in my post about healthier eating, we switched from margarine to butter. I know this isn't a popular choice in the health care community, but for me it come down to the number of ingredients (chemicals) found in the foods you eat. Margarine just has TOO many for it to be good. Not to mention the fact that it is said it is one ingredient away from plastic. 

I didn't think we would see a big difference in the taste of our food, but switching from margarine to butter made the food I prepared taste richer and added more depth of flavor. Adding real butter to baked goods made then taste out of this world better. To keep the salt level down in the foods I add butter to, I always try to use unsalted butter. Butter costs more that is true, but the cost is easy to take when your food tastes better and you are putting less chemicals into your body.  

So if you are looking for ways to decrease the amount of chemicals you put in your foods and increase the depth of flavor to your food, real butter is the way to go! 

Living life simply and enjoying all the yummy food I fix using butter!  

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Over at "A Life Lived Simply" FB page, I am sharing what kind of soft butter or spreadable butter we use. It is one with the least amount of ingredients. So be sure to check it out! 

A Journey To Weigth Loss

Like most Americans, I am over weight. According to the medical world, I am obese. However, I have seen many truly obese people and I don't come close to that, but I am over weight. Being over weight has effected my health and my energy level. I don't like that feeling and have set out to make changes in my life, our life really. 

The first step was changing the food we eat. Over the past several years, I have made significant changes to our diet. Nothing drastic, but small changes that made a difference. You can read about those changes here. 

The second step happened 5 years ago. I had a hysterectomy. It was the BEST thing I have ever done. 

With each passing year, my menstrual cycle became steady worse. The blood loss I experienced was so severe that I was very anemic. I was also experiencing severe cramps and a nagging pain in my back on the right side. A trip to the chiropractor usually eased the problem, so I never connected the pain to my cycle. The week before my cycle was to start and the week of, I had no energy. I spent most of the time on the couch. Doing what was necessary, but nothing else. I hated feeling like that. I hated it. 

After one particular bad month, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. DH was tried of seeing me in pain and drained. I had an appointment coming up with my OBGYN, so when the visit came we discussed a hysterectomy. My doctor consented and we scheduled the surgery for May. 

The surgery took longer than expected. As the doctor progressed with the surgery, he found I had endometriosis so bad on my right ovary that it had itself to the pelvic wall. He ended up removing most of that ovary, but my left was fine. He said that was the reason for the pain on my right side. 

My recovery from surgery went beautifully. I took all the advice I had received. I rested and I walked. Several weeks into my recovery, I noticed I had started losing weight. I also noticed I wasn't as hungry as I use to be and wasn't eating as much. 

The surgery had given me my life back. The tried, drained feeling was gone. I didn't want to go back to the way I felt again. So, we started to walk more. I continued to cut back on the amount of food I ate. That along with the changes in our diet begin to show up in my body and on the scales. My biggest total lose is 29 pounds. That number fluctuates from week to week, but I don't let it worry me. 

People have noticed and asked me what I was doing or what diet was I on. I tell them it isn't any special diet or program. I just cut back on the amount of food I eat, but I eat what I want. I incorporated more fresh fruits and veggies into our diet. I avoid processed foods as much as I can.  I drink a LOT of water. I limit my soft drink intake to one glass at each meal, but drink more if I feel like it. I walk, walk, and walk; when I can. I work outside in my flowers and garden as much as I can. I give myself one day a week to eat as much as I want and what I want. There are plenty of times I don't stick to my plan, but I don't beat myself up over it. 

I still have a LOT more to lose, but I know it is a process. I also know that the slower you lose weight the easier it is to keep it off, so I happy at the pace I am losing. I am also motivated by other families members who health has suffered due to being over weight. I don't want to go down the same road they have went down. 

Weight lose is a journey that you have to decide to go on. The trip may take awhile, but it so worth the time. It may just be simply one of the best journeys I have embarked on. 

Living life simply and enjoying every minute of it! 

On The Road To Healthier Eating

In preparation for our homeschooling journey, I began reading a lot of homeschooling blogs. I noticed a trend right away and that trend was healthier eating. Homeschooling moms shared their concerns about all of the chemicals found in our foods. A lot of families were grinding their own wheat, raising animals for meat/dairy/eggs, and growing their own food. All of this peaked my interest and I began doing some research. 

I found numerous reports and opinions on the danger of the chemicals in our food. I read reports on growth hormones, USDA manipulations, and the food industries deception. I began looking around at people and thinking about how much change has taken place in people' bodies since I was young. The more I read the more I was convinced all those people were on to something.

Another thing spurring my research was increasingly bad lipid panels for me and DH. Although we didn't exercise regularly, we were still active. We didn't eat out a lot and ate relative healthy. We ate a lot but not unhealthy.  I knew we needed to make changes, but where?

There were two things that really made me stop and re-evaluate our food choices. The first was the documentary "Food Inc." The second was a cook book called "Nourishing Traditions." Both of these things really gave me cause to think and a new perspective of food and the food industry. 

Reading labels on foods became the new normal for me. I began to look at the ingredients in a product and would opt for the one with the less ingredients. I began look for copycat recipes to boxed foods we liked. I tried to avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup in it, which is hard to do. We switched from margarine to real butter. I bought more fresh ingredients. Started adding more raw fruits and vegetables to our diet. I opted for frozen products instead of their counterparts in cans. I switched to sea salt. Substituted white sugar for raw sugar. Went from bleached white flour to unbleached. Incorporated whole wheat flour into recipes where I could. Changed from white bread to whole wheat bread. Switched from regular pasta to whole wheat pasta. Went from vegetable oil to olive oil. I made sure to add probiotics to our diet. It was a slow stead process, but we did begin to see change.

It has been several years now since I began to make changes. Our digestive system is working better. We don't get sick as often and seem to be able to avoid all those nasty stomach viruses that seem to make its rounds every year. When we do break down and eat a lot of processed foods, boy, we can tell it the next day. Our stomachs' get cranky. While we haven't cut out all processed foods - I still have to have my Cheerwine, Little Debbie Fudge Cakes, and boxed mac&cheese occasionally-, we are eating healthier than ever. We have also seen a improvement in our lipids panels. 

Changing our diet was just part of our journey to a healthier lifestyle. We also began down the road to regular exercise and weight loss. I will share that journey with you tomorrow. 

Living life simply and loving every minute of it!