Bump up your breakfast game

July 20, 2020July 19, 2020 RefreshHer7 Comments

I always eat breakfast, but I find it the most difficult meal to want to prepare. I’m ready to get my day started and don’t like fussing over that first meal of the day. Can anyone else relate?

It’s for that reason that I try to have this things on hand that are either quick to prepare or can be made ahead and just warmed up.

If you’re like me and struggle with getting breakfast ready, let me share a few of my favorite go-to morning meals.

Baked Oatmeal with apples or bananas is hearty, easy to prepare and reheats nicely. Here’s one of the recipes I use often. This same page has a delicious Banana Bread that’s another great addition for breakfast, and it’s also a lighter version!

Baked Eggs With Hashbrowns and Canadian Bacon
Here’s an egg dish with all the morning breakfast foods! It is also hearty and reheats well.

6 spray(s)cooking spray
1 tsp olive oil
3 cup(s)frozen hash brown potatoes
1 small uncooked onion(s), thinly sliced
1⁄4 tsp kosher salt
1 1⁄4 tsp dried thyme, plus more for garnish
3 slice(s)uncooked Canadian bacon, diced
12 large eggs

Instructions:
1. Place oven rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 12-hole standard muffin pan with cooking spray.

2. Heat a medium skillet over high heat; add oil and swirl to coat pan. Reduce heat to medium-high; add potatoes, onion, salt and thyme. Sauté until lightly golden and tender, 5-7 minutes; remove from skillet. Spoon about 1/4 cup potato mixture into each prepared muffin hole; bake 15 minutes – Less if you want a runny yolk!

3. Meanwhile, return skillet to heat; add Canadian bacon. Sauté until crispy on edges, 3 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

4. Crack an egg, one at a time, into a small ramekin or cup; gently slide an egg into each muffin hole. Bake for 9 minutes; remove from oven and evenly divide bacon over eggs. Return pan to oven; bake for 3 minutes more.

5. To serve, run a knife around edge of each egg and lift out onto individual plates or a serving platter; sprinkle with dried thyme and serve immediately.

6. Serving size: 1 baked egg with hash brown crust

Then there’s this Fruity Peanut Butter Toast I made recently and LOVED!! It’s as pretty as it is delicious! It’s simply whole grain bread, toasted and topped with peanut butter and whatever fruit you like. Then add a tiny drizzle of honey over the fruit. So good!

There’s no need to go without breakfast just because you don’t have time to stop and make it in the morning. Get a jump on things and prepare ahead so you can have a delicious meal at the start of your day!

Anyone else love breakfast but dread making it?

I hope you’ll refresh your breakfast routine with one of these easy ideas!

gratitude · summertime

Pictures of Summer

July 17, 2020 RefreshHer14 Comments

Perhaps you’ve heard the line, “When this you see, think of me.” What do you see that automatically takes you to summer? Maybe it’s the 100 degrees on the thermometer outside your window accompanied by 100% humidity, but I mean the good pictures, the things that make your heart happy!

It IS hot right now, but there are too many good things we can’t overlook. I’m asking the Lord to give me a heart of thanks in both this season of the year and in our world. That means we need eyes that look for the blessings and a mouth to speak it.

So here are a few of my summer blessings in picture form today!

What blessings of summer are you seeing with your thankful heart today?

Refresh your attitude by choosing to give thanks – even when it’s hot as blazes!

Refreshment in marriage · The Scenic Route

Stay-Cation on the Scenic Route

July 10, 2020July 9, 2020 RefreshHer10 Comments

Dale and I have enjoyed a few days of a “Stay-cation” this week, meaning we have taken some of his vacation days to travel locally. What a blessing it has been to take some day trips and see sights in our area. Of course, you know we didn’t take the main roads! We traveled so many curvy country roads I didn’t regret not getting passes to Dollywood this summer! =)

One day trip took us Midway, Tennessee where we visited this lovely covered bridge. It was so quiet there. We sat on a large rock near the bridge and just listened to the water and the stillness.

While winding through the scenic routes, we were greeted with some incredible rainbows! We saw them spanning mountains, reaching over lakes and embellishing country churches. They were breathtaking…

Watauga Lake is about an hour from us and has become a favorite spot for a picnic or just sitting and watching the boats.

As you can see in these pictures, we’ve had some awesome times together this week on the Scenic Route “Stay-Cation!” We’ve listened to CD’s as we traversed the country. We have eaten simply, but well. We have read Scripture at a picnic table, sat quietly with no words, and also bowed our hearts and heads together in prayer.

Sometimes the Scenic Route is so very simple. It reminds me that just like we “stayed” close to home, we want to “stay” in love and close to one another. It doesn’t necessarily have to cost much in terms of money, but it costs in relation to being intentional – just doing it!

So, I ask you, what simple thing could you and your spouse do even this weekend? Just the two of you!

Is there a local spot you could enjoy together? A lake? An historic spot you’ve not visited? A country road you’ve never driven? Why not pack a simple picnic lunch and head out in the near future? You might have so much fun you’ll forget you missed this year’s destination vacation!

Refresh your marriage with a Stay-Cation on the Scenic Route!

For other Scenic Route dates look here and here for starters!

dinner in 30 minutes · Fast meal · Fish

Tandoori Grilled Shrimp

July 5, 2020July 6, 2020 RefreshHer2 Comments

It amazes me how cheaply, yet how well we can eat at home. A dinner of a pound of shrimp would be pretty high at a restaurant. Last week I made Tandoori Grilled Shrimp Skewers for under $10. We got four FULL skewers and two meals out of it, and was it ever scrumptious!! Also, as I always say, fish is a super fast meal. Because these were grilled, my kitchen didn’t even get heated up. Is that enough positives to make you want to try them for yourself?

This marinade is a lighter version and only needs 15 minutes to coat the shrimp and make it so flavorful. Grilling the shrimp only takes 2-3 minutes in each side. Dinner is ready in under 30 minutes!

Tandoori Grilled Shrimp Skewers

1/3 cup(s) , or plain non fat Greek yogurt
kosher salt, 1 1/2 tsp
fresh lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp
olive oil, 1 1/2 tsp
curry powder, 1 tsp
ground cumin, 1 tsp
ground coriander, 1 tsp
granulated garlic,1 tsp
ground ginger, 1/2 tsp
uncooked shrimp, 1 pound(s) , large, peeled and deveined
cooking spray, 1 spray(s)
cilantro, 2 Tbsp , fresh, chopped

Combine yogurt, salt, lemon juice, oil, curry powder, cumin, coriander, garlic and ginger in a large bowl; add shrimp and toss to coat. Marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature or covered, up to 2 hours in refrigerator.
Divide shrimp among 4 metal or wooden skewers (if using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them for 20 minutes before use).
Off heat, coat a grill or grill pan with cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill skewers until shrimp are cooked through (opaque) and slightly firm, flipping once, about 2 to 4 minutes per side. Serve garnished with cilantro.

The next time you think you should just go out for dinner, think about something this fast, this delicious, and this cost-effective instead. You get choice seating, a view of HOME and a satisfied appetite! I can’t wait to make these again!!

With love from my country kitchen,