Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Menu Plan for the Week and a 48-hour Giveaway!!

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This is a very long post filled with pictures, a menu and a little bit of silliness. If you can hang with me until the end, you will be rewarded with a giveaway. :)

For our Thanksgiving meal this week, I will be feeding just the six of us with the possiblility of a couple of extras. However, that evening we’re feeding 20 members of the York College men’s basketball team since they have games all weekend and are unable to go home. SO, I spent the weekend cooking and baking and getting ready Thanksgiving Day!

My turkey is cooked and being deboned by my husband right this very minute.

turkey22smWow, did the red button pop up or did the red button pop up?
Yes, I believe the turkey is done.

My rolls are baked and in the freezer.

rolls1smAin’t they purty?

rolls2smI have no idea what happened to that one.

rolls3smOr that one.
(Hey, someone had to be on quality control duty.)
ehem

thanksgivingcookingsmHere are the rolls (before quality control moved in), pumpkin pie and a big pot of
hamburger meat (which is for the b-ball team dinner).

Thank you for humoring me and looking at the fruit of my labor this weekend. Now here is my menu for the week:

Sunday, November 22
Oatmeal, peaches
Italian roast wraps, tossed salad
Spicy avocado dip with chips, grapes

Monday, November 23
Whole wheat waffles, blueberries
Salmon patties, creamy mac and cheese, peas
Chili on baked potatoes, pomegranates

Tuesday, November 24
Yogurt, toast
Corn dog muffins, steamed cauliflower and carrots
Chicken veggie stir fry, pineapple

Wednesday, November 25
Strawberry bread, applesauce
Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, carrot sticks
Chipotle chili hamburger skillet, green beans

Thursday, November 26
Caramel apple dip with apple slices
Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, creamy green bean casserole, homemade dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, Donna’s Oh My Stars Cookie Bars (I’ve been waiting for a special occasion to try these!!)
Taco Salad, fruit tray, butterscotch brownies, Lynn’s no bake cookie bars  (The YC b-ball team will be fed a traditional T-giving meal at noon. I figured they’d like something besides turkey for their evening meal!)

Friday, November 27
Scrambled eggs, oranges
Turkey sandwiches on rolls, mashed potato pancakes, fruit
Leftover taco salad stuff

Saturday, November 28
Sweet potato streusel muffins, bananas
Shepherd’s pie, apples
Turkey and biscuits

This is the last week of the November Gratitude Challenge! I know this is a busy week for many of us…but please take the time to reflect on what God is doing in your life and join us for Gratituesday! Remember, there are prize drawings for those who participate in the November Gratitude Challenge!

Be sure to sign up for this Children’s Book giveaway if you haven’t already!

And now for this new 48 hour giveaway!

Because this weekend I used so many of the methods in Heavenly Homemaker’s Guide to Holiday Hospitality ebook…and because using these methods and recipes have been SO HELPFUL to me and will make Thursday (and this whole week) SO much simpler for me…I wanted to spread the organizational fun. Leave a comment on this post and you will be entered into a drawing to win this ebook.

hospitalityebookcoversm

And also…I’m going to let you in on a little secret (just in case you’re going to be NOT reading blogs this weekend). There may be a little Black Friday love going on in the Heavenly Homemaker’s shop this weekend. Be sure to watch for it!
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This giveaway is now closed!

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Treasure – Question #49

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Last week I was reading a book to the boys in which the child was on a search for a treasure chest. When the child finally found the chest and opened it up to reveal the treasure…it was full of toys and doo-dads. The child was so excited!

Me? I’d have been a little disappointed. All that work to find a treasure chest full of doo-dads? 

Now, if I’d have worked hard and searched and found a treasure chest full of kitchen utensils…baking stones…stainless steel bowls…yummy ingredients? THAT would have felt I’d found a treasure. Or what about a chest full of chocolate fruit?! Or maybe books!!!

Everyone’s idea of a treasure is different.

My question for you today is:  What would your idea of a treasure be? If you searched and searched and found a treasure chest…what would you want to be inside?!

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I Haven’t Forgotten

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I don’t know how it happened, but somehow I’m in a new season of my life.

For over a decade (which sounds like a long time…but really it isn’t…even though it is) I was either pregnant or nursing and changing diapers and potty training and teaching children to dress themselves. And I always had someone hanging on me or pulling the clean kitchen towels out of the drawer onto the floor. I had a perpetual glob of sweet potatoes smeared across my shoulder.

And now. Now my littlest one is almost five. And my oldest one is twelve.

Part of my life is a little easier now. The part where I can just say, “Everyone go upstairs and play for a while.” And they do. And I don’t have to follow any of them around making sure they don’t put marbles in their mouths (or up their noses) or climb onto anything dangerous. (Well, sometimes they still like to climb onto dangerous things…but you get the point.)

I know some parts of parenting are just about to get harder. Like the “I think girls are cute” part and the “Can I have the keys and go somewhere by myself” part. And, oh my word, someday really really soon my boys are gonna have whiskers and be taller than me and their voices will crack and, and…(breathe, Laura!)

I’ll try to just take that stuff one day at a time.

In the meantime, I just wanted to encourage all of you mamas out there with little bitty ones. The days of chasing and wiping and wiping and chasing are long and hard and full of joy and lack of sleep.

I refuse to get all cheesy on you and say, “Enjoy those moments because they get big before you know it.” I was always irritated when someone with big kids would tell me that. I KNEW I needed to enjoy it and that they’d get big before I knew it and blah, blah, blah. I WAS enjoying it. I just needed a nap.

So, hang in there, Mama. Some day, you’ll be able to play an entire game of cards with friends without pulling your hand of slobbery cards out of the mouth of the baby in your lap. Some day, you can sit down and watch an entire movie without a toddler climbing all over you and the back of the couch you’re sitting on. And some day…you’ll be able to read an entire blog post like this one without getting up twelve times to get the baby out of the china cabinet.

Someday.

And…well…if you and I are ever in a hanging out together and you’ve got your little baby with you…HAND HIM (or HER) OVER. You need a break and I need a baby fix. Everyone wins.

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Holiday Help: How to Make Turkey Gravy

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Turkey Gravy is easy when you follow these steps!

How to Make Turkey Gravy

I think gravy is my family’s favorite part of the holiday meal. “You want any potatoes with that gravy?!”

I know some people are intimidated by making gravy…afraid to make it lumpy and all that. (And then there are people who like lumps in their gravy. “What are these delicious lumps you put in your gravy?”)

Here’s the easiest way I’ve found to make turkey (or chicken or beef) broth gravy:

Easy Turkey GravyYum

You will need:

Step One: Pour broth into a medium saucepan.

gravy2sm

Step Two: Spoon arrowroot powder (or cornstarch or flour) into a small jar or glass.
(Surprise, surprise…I use  a jar.)

gravy1sm

Step Three: Add water to arrowroot powder and whisk smooth with a fork.

gravy3sm

Step Four: Bring broth to a boil  (Try saying “bring broth to a boil” five times fast.)

gravy4sm

Step Five: Slowly pour arrowroot powder (or cornstarch, or flour)/water mixture into boiling broth, stirring while you pour. (I usually make gravy with a whisk. On picture taking day, I used a wooden spoon. Either one works, but a whisk usually helps in case lumps want to form.

gravy5sm

Step Six: Stir at medium to high heat until gravy thickens.
Turn down the heat and allow the gravy to simmer for a minute or two.
Salt to taste and serve your gravy.

gravy6sm

Trouble Shooting:

  • If gravy refuses to thicken, stir in tiny bits of arrowroot powder (or cornstarch, or flour)/water mixture until it is thick enough for your liking.
  • If gravy is too thick, stir tiny bits of water or milk to thin it out.
  • If gravy doesn’t have enough lumps for your liking, add sprinkles of arrowroot powder or flour and just try to stir them in. They won’t stir in no matter what you try, thus causing lumps.
  • If conversation around the Thanksgiving Table is lagging…challenge your guests to say “Bring Broth to a Boil” five times fast. That’s sure to liven up any party.
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Just in Case You Want to Stare at My Groceries With Me

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Just a little reminder (and warning) for you about what a nerd I am:  I really like looking at my groceries after I bring them home and before I put them away.

I also like looking at pictures of other people’s groceries. What is it with me and food?

It’s been a while since I took a picture of my Azure Standard food co-op order and shared it with you. Some of you have even written me and asked why I don’t do that anymore.

I don’t know. Sometimes I guess I just get busy putting away my frozen peas and forget to get out the camera. But far be it from me to forget my weird bloggy-ness by NOT taking a picture of all of my daily activities. (Check out this post for a reminder of what bizarre kinds of pictures are in my picture file.)

And now what you’ve all been waiting to hear. All SIXTY pounds of the apples I ordered from Azure Standard arrived on the delivery truck today. Check out these beauties:

azurenov09sm

I got twenty pounds each of organic golden delicious, gala and spartan apples. The total cost for these apples? $47!!!  For sixty pounds of organic apples!!!!  I love Azure Standard! 

Here’s the rest of my order:

azurenov092sm

Fifty pounds of hard white wheat, three pounds of yams, two cans of black olives, six pounds of fresh pears, five pounds of cocoa powder, five pounds of white cheddar cheese, ten pounds of carrots, two avocados, one big cabbage, a huge head of cauliflower, five pounds of frozen peas and one tub of whole milk maple yogurt (special treat!).

The wheat will last us about two months and the cocoa will last longer than that. Everything else will be gone within the month (or by tomorrow).

Total cost with the apples and everything else (including delivery charges):  $188.54

Ooh, and guess what else? Our friends shared a deer with us this week. Matt even got to go help process it! They were so generous to share it with us! Cost? A few freezer bags. Wow.

Not pictured:  Red, raw deer meat.

You’re welcome.

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Gratituesday: Books, Books, Books!

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gratituesdaynov09

Lately I’ve been very thankful for books. 

First, that we are blessed with SO many wonderful books. Books are everywhere in my house…and the library is just a few blocks away. Is the library not one of the beautiful and exciting places in town?

Next, I’ve been thankful that we can learn so much from books.  And experience places and people and activities that we never could in “real life”. In a really good book…you can visit a far off country or travel in time. You can expand your vocabulary, grow in compassion, gain wisdom, and better understand other cultures.

Best of all…I love how reading books with my kids or husband brings us all together. Books make us sit down together. They make us be quiet together. They make us talk together. They force us to listen.

When a day is so full of activity and busyness…sitting down to read books together brings so much peace and joy.

I hope that my children never outgrow the love of books and that together as a family we can always enjoy them together.

Next time you’re having a rough day…sit down with your kids and a big pile of good books. Just see if it doesn’t make you grateful and joyful!
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What are you grateful for this Gratituesday? Leave a comment or blog about what you’re grateful for and link up here!

novembergratitudechallengesm

Be sure to join us for the November Gratitude Challenge!  Challenge yourself to focus daily on what God is doing in your life!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Ever Tried Cinnamon Apple Toast?

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I mentioned here that I may be getting sixty pounds of apples in my co-op order this week. (UPDATE!!! Click here to see if the apples all came in or not!)  If they all actually come in, I have no doubt that they will all get eaten. The kids love snacking on apples…they are SO nice to have on hand! The apples I mean. Well actually, the kids are pretty nice to have on hand too.

I ordered twenty pounds each of Gala (my favorite!), Yellow Delicious and Spartan. I’ve never even heard of Spartan apples before. Have you? Are they good? I ordered them because they were $11 for 20 pounds!!! I can’t wait to try them (if they come in)!

Here’s a very simple apple idea we’ll be snacking on with all of our apples:

Cinnamon Apple ToastYum

Your favorite whole grain bread (I use this homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread…or Whole Wheat Sourdough if I have it made.)
Apples, sliced thinly
butter
cinnamon

Place slices of bread on a baking pan. Butter each slice. Lay three or four apple slices on each piece of bread. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Broil Cinnamon Apple Toast in the oven for 2-3 minutes.

Cinnamon_Apple_Toast
So simple, your bigger kids can help you or make these themselves!

Other ways to eat apples…

What are your favorite ways to eat apples? If you have one, feel free to leave a recipe link in your comment! Really, because sixty pounds of apples? I might need to get creative!

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Menu Plan for the Week

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Remember when I went on this shopping trip last year? I got to do that again this weekend. It was SO much fun! I found myself some new jeans!!!!! I so needed some new jeans! I was  also able to get Matt some dress clothes for his new job. (You can read about his new job here.  The restaurant still hasn’t opened yet, but they’re working now toward December 1st! Oh lovely red tape.)

In food news, my Azure standard order is set to come in this week. Crazy me, I sort of ordered sixty pounds of apples. BUT, sometimes my produce doesn’t come in. So just in case, I ordered three different twenty pound boxes of three different varieties of apples…hoping that at least one of them comes in. So I may end up with only twenty or forty pounds of apples. But I may end up with sixty pounds of apples. But it’s okay because we’ve been feeding a lot of people lately and our boys like apples for snacks a lot and…and…we can even share with our friends if we need to.

Want me to let you know if they all come in or not (so that you know whether or not you should be coming to an apple eating party or not)?

Here’s our menu this week:

Sunday, November 15
Oatmeal, peaches
Simple soaked pancakes, turkey bacon, scrambled eggs
Veggie soup, crispy cheese crackers, fruit-kefir smoothies

Monday, November 16
Warm vanilla soother
Cheese quesadillas, pears
Beef stew, sourdough biscuits

Tuesday, November 17
Fried eggs on toast, oranges
Sweet baked beans with hot dogs, apple slices
Oven fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas

Wednesday, November 18
Whole wheat waffles
Tuna melts, cottage cheese and peaches
Potato soup, tossed salad

Thursday, November 19
Cinnamon swirl bread, applesauce
Hamburger patties, stir fried rice and veggies
Italian roast beef and pasta, green beans

Friday, November 20
Yogurt, toast
Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, carrots
Cheesy beef and rice, fruit salad

Saturday, November 21
Cream cheese breakfast pastries
Baked potatoes with chili
Homemade pizza, salad

I’m enjoying reading all of your Gratituesday posts so much! Thank you so much to everyone who has joined in the November Gratitude Challenge!! Be sure to join us again this week!
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Fine more menu planning inspiration at Organizing Junkie!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Oh, That Looks…Lovely

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We have a super cool brown rectangular basket that sits up high in the kitchen looking cute and adorable. It holds the gum and candy people from church give our boys as rewards during Bible classes. The treats go into the basket and every once in a while, they get to pick something from it. 

rectanglebasketsm

Last week Malachi decided to redecorate.

Now the super cool brown basket sits empty. 

In it’s place is this box, now full of candy and gum.

rectanglebasket2sm

So, should I make it a new kitchen theme? Because there are more of those kind of boxes where that one came from.

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Holiday Help: The Easiest Way (in My Opinion) to Cook a Turkey

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Ready to learn the easiest way to cook a turkey? Lean in. This is so helpful!

turkey

Yum

Clearly the easiest way to cook a turkey is to let someone else cook the turkey. ;)  But, if you’re the one in charge of preparing the meal this year…let me share the easiest way I’ve found to cook a turkey.

I remember being so intimidated to cook a turkey the first time I hosted a Thanksgiving dinner. I called my mom a million times to ask questions. Could it really be that cooking a turkey is as simple as taking out the innards, putting it in a pan, covering it, and baking it? Yes, it is that easy.

My holiday turkeys are not fancy. I don’t stuff them. I don’t slather them with anything. I just put them into the oven and cook them. They create their own broth…smart little birds that they are.

Easiest Way to Cook a Turkey

How to Cook a Turkey the Easy Way

Pick your turkey:  You will need about 1 ½ pounds of turkey per person you are serving. Buy your turkey accordingly. Or, buy a larger one if you want to have lots of turkey leftovers. (Here are all kinds of ideas for what to do with leftover turkey.)

Thaw your turkey: Place the turkey in the refrigerator for 3-4 days until thawed.

Prepare your turkey: Once the turkey is thawed, reach in and grab out the bag of giblets. (This is by far every one’s favorite step, right?!)  Empty the giblets into your roasting pan as they help make a good, rich broth. Place the turkey, breast side up, into a large baking pan or roaster.

turkeyroaster

These are my favorite kinds of turkey roasters.
I picked mine up at a garage sale one year for 50 cents!

Cook your turkey: Season your turkey any way you like. I find a turkey to be so flavorful as-is, I rarely do much with seasonings. Though salt, pepper, garlic, and onion make the turkey a step above!

Cover with foil or with your roaster lid. Cook at 325° for 15-20 minutes per pound. (For instance, a 20 pound turkey would need to bake for five hours.)  You know your turkey is done cooking when the little red button pops up, or when the legs start to pull away from the body. Your turkey should be golden brown and slightly crisp looking. (Light brown and slick looking? Mr. Turkey is not done yet.)

To Cook your Turkey ahead of time (I highly, HIGHLY recommend doing this!!):

You can cook your Thanksgiving turkey as many days ahead of time as you want. I know most of you like turkey fresh out of the oven on Thanksgiving Day. But, here’s what I learned from my mom, and it really saves a lot of trouble on the big day when I’d really enjoy visiting instead of messing with a big bird.

Cook and cool your turkey any day before Thursday. De-bone and put meat in baggies. Pour broth into jars (3/4 full). Freeze or refrigerate, depending on how far in advance you cooked the turkey. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator the day before serving.

To reheat turkey, put as much light and dark meat as you think you will need for the Thanksgiving meal in a 9×13 pan. Drizzle a liberal amount of broth over turkey, cover and warm in 300° oven for 30-45 minutes or until meat is hot and steamy.

No one will ever know that you prepared your turkey ahead of time (except for the fact that you won’t be carving the turkey in front of them). It is always juicy and moist. I do it this way every year, and I’m always so thankful that the messy part is over before Thanksgiving day!

Are you in charge of cooking a turkey this year?! Do you stuff your turkey? Have any more helpful turkey cooking tips to share?

The Easiest Way to Cook a Turkey

You might also want to know:  How to Make Turkey Gravy.

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