Friday, March 13, 2009

Beans in My Cupboard...


I've got beans in my cupboard. Don't you just love beans? You can do so very many things with them! My family's favorite is homemade refried beans. They think that mine are far better than those you get in restaurants. I have to agree...must be the garlic! ~smile~ We're garlic lovers at our house.

There's a little Mexican store down the street called La Tiendita that sells fresh hot corn tortillas on Fridays and Saturdays. Goodness they're delicious when they're hot and fresh! The ones in the grocery store just don't compare. Someday I'll try making my own. For now, it's La Tiendita for me. It sounds so good, I think I'll go plunk down my $2 plus tax and get a big stack and make up some refried beans for tonight.

Here's my refried bean recipe. It makes enough for my family of 6 with plenty of leftovers.

4 cups of pinto beans (2 lbs.)
1 small onion, chopped
3-5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 T canola oil

Put the beans in a colander. Sort out all the uglies and broken beans. Then rinse them well in cool water, continuing to look for bad ones.

Now put everything in a your Crock Pot. Cook on high for around 7 or 8 hours. If you have a smallish Crock Pot, you'll want to halve this recipe. If you run out of time, you can put them on the stove to finish them up. You can also just cook them on the stove for 2-3 hours. You want them good and soft. Now add salt to taste, usually at least a tablespoon. Don’t put it in until your beans are soft, or they’ll be tough.

Now, put 3 or 4 ladles full of beans and juice in a large skillet. I spray mine with cooking spray first. Over medium heat, mash the beans until they have the consistency of refried beans. If you want to, add some shredded cheddar, Pepper Jack, or Monterrey Jack cheese. Now they’re ready to wrap up in warmed tortillas for burritos or use for dip with chips.

You'll be so glad you tried this.

Laura
Happy at Home



Photo Credit: Roxy Jones via Pixabay

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Why Isn't This Blogger Blogging?

I attended our homeschool moms' support group meeting last night. One of my friends commented that she can always tell when I've been really busy because I don't write on my blog. Yep. She's right. It seems that the last few weeks have been crazy busy.

I've written an article for The Kingdom Business Journal which was published online this month. Go take a look if you like, it's free. I've also been working for The Shepherd's Guide, a yellow page directory of Christian businesses. It's all been data entry type work. I've spent quite a bit of time on it; but, I think I'm finally going to be able to purchase a grain mill. I'd love to hear your recommendations. I'm looking at the Wonder Mill pretty seriously.

I've also had my house torn apart because the carpet cleaner came last week. I was ready for him upstairs. When he told me he'd do the finished basement for only $20 more, I had to take him up on it. School was put on hold while we pulled furniture etc out of the rooms and got the floors ready for him. Of course, I've been trying to sort things out before it all just gets stuffed back in the kids' rooms! Ugh, I feel like I'm in chaos because of these extra things I've been doing. Can anyone relate?

My oldest son has spring break next week. I'm thinking about doing some spring cleaning. Then, I suppose I'll be having a spring yard sale soon. We'd like to get some money together to buy season passes to our zoo for our family. My little ones haven't been to a zoo yet. Wouldn't that be a great new experience? Just that is motivating. Well, I'm off to get busy.

God bless!
Laura
Busy at Home

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Something to Think About...Words Matter

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Words matter for so many reasons. Think about it. Our very world was spoken into existence by God with words. "Let there be...and it was good." God walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. The peoples were divided at the Tower of Babel by their language, their words. They couldn't understand each other. Jesus is the Word in the flesh. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." 1 John 1:9. This was confirmation that Jesus is himself God. The Word of God is referred to as a two edged sword, as the sword of the Spirit. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 Words Matter to God.
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"Be ye kind one to another, tender hearted forgiving one another just as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you." Ephesian 4:32 With our words, we can bless or curse. We can encourage or discourage. We can hurt or heal. We can love or hate. We can show empathy or judge. We can share the hope we have in Christ Jesus or we can share hopelessness. The word says that the power of life and death are in the tongue. Proverbs 18:21
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Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. All fruits of the Spirit. All available to us through believing and confessing Jesus as our Lord and Savior. All available to us by repenting of our sins, by turning to Him daily, hourly, and moment by moment as needed for a fresh filling of His strength, hope, power, and love.
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Jesus said that all the commandments were summed up into two. “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and (love) your neighbor as yourself."
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Love God and love others. Everything we need for success in life and relationships wrapped up in a few words.
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Words Matter.
Just Something to Think About....
~~~~
Laura
Thinking about my words....
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~~~~~
May I suggest?

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Minutes...Coffee or Tea...My Friend and Me

I've just had a wonderful morning. I slipped away to have coffee (tea for me) with my heart friend Sherry. She is so dear to me for so many reasons. She's a friend that I can share my heart with openly and honestly. She always points me back to God. I thank God for her.

Sometimes we think we need a lot of time to be with a friend. Friend Sherry and I haven't talked for weeks. That happens when we think we need hours. God blesses us with minutes. I thank God for my Friend Sherry and that we took the minutes and redeemed them this morning.

Who do you need to call or spend a few minutes with?
God is in the minutes. Relationships and friendships are in the minutes.

Blessings,
Laura

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Thoughts of Love...

YYYYY

"Without His love I can do nothing,
with His love there is nothing I cannot do."

YYYYY


Author Unknown



Monday, February 16, 2009

Something to Think About...Thoughts on Life... Laura Ingalls Wilder


"...but, at long last, I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all...I believe we would be happier to go back to simpler living and more direct thinking. It is the simple things of life that make living worthwhile, the sweet fundamental things such as love and duty, work and rest and living close to nature. There are no hothouse blossoms that can compare in beauty and fragrance with my bouquet of wild flowers."

Laura Ingalls Wilder




Sunday, February 15, 2009

Thoughts of Love... Mother Teresa

YYYYY
"Spread love everywhere you go:
first of all in your own house.
Give love to your children,
to your wife or husband,
to a next door neighbor...
Let no one ever come to you
without leaving better and happier."
YYYYY

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