I’ve posted a LOT of cookie recipes on my blog over the years, but when it gets tight down to it, my favorite would have to be the infamous Chocolate Chip Cookie! I like them soft in the middle and full of chocolate chips! I’ve also recently added a little something else that I love (Read on!)!
Continue reading “My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies”Author: RefreshHer
Managing Motherhood Woes
Getting older has its advantages. One plus is that after having passed through the years of motherhood when my children were little, I can reflect with a little more insight. Sometimes looking at motherhood through the rear view mirror (my mistakes) gives a better perspective. I certainly don’t have all the answers (who does?), but as I reflect on my own mothering years, and watch and listen to young moms, I have a different perspective. When I was experiencing it myself there were days when I felt like I was drowning. Now I stand on the shoreline to throw you young moms a rope of encouragement.
Tortilla Shell Quiche
While on the hunt for healthy alternatives for some of my favorite breakfast foods, I found the delicious Three-Ingredient Pancakes that I shared here recently. I have made them several times and swoon at their texture and flavor!
Then my daughter told me about making a quiche and swapping out the caloric crust for a tortilla shell! I buy the La Banderita Carb Counter tortillas and they are super low in calories, so I knew they would be a good choice for my “crust.”
Mayo-Free Potato Salad
Happy July! That means Fourth of July picnics, picnics at the park, picnics at the lake, and also picnics in the backyard! We LOVE eating outdoors and do so at any opportunity! But with that, there’s always the need to be careful with food preservation. After having food poisoning once, I’ve been quite careful about keeping food cold!
It’s for that reason that I recently went searching for a recipe for potato salad to take to our church picnic this weekend that didn’t require any mayonnaise. The German potato salads are vinegar based, making them the perfect addition. I found a great recipe on Taste of Home’s web site. I made it a day ahead so we could have some for supper, and then also enjoy it at our church picnic.
German potato salad is typically served warm. It was delicious that way when I first made it, but it was also good cold the next day. The recipe calls for several kinds of potatoes to make it “red, white and blue.” I used what I had on hand – red and yellow potatoes. It didn’t change the taste at all. Here’s the recipe:
Red, White and Blue Potato Salad
- 1-1/4 pounds small purple potatoes (about 11), quartered
- 1 pound small Yukon Gold potatoes (about 9), quartered
- 1 pound small red potatoes (about 9), quartered
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup white wine or additional chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1-1/2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
- 8 green onions, chopped
- 3/4 pound bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
- 3 tablespoons each minced fresh basil, dill and parsley
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Directions
- Place all potatoes in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain; transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle potatoes with stock and wine; toss gently, allowing liquids to absorb.
- In a small bowl, whisk vinegars, mustards, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in oil until blended. Add vinaigrette, vegetables, bacon and herbs to potato mixture; toss to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve warm.
This salad is delicious either hot or cold, and there’s no worry of it spoiling since there’s no mayo! This would be the perfect addition to your Fourth of July gathering!
Enjoy a worry-free Happy Independence Day!
The Cost of Neglect In Marriage
Weeds! It’s amazing what just a little time away will do to a summer yard!
Proverbs 10:4 reminds us ~
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand:
but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
I remember a time when my hand had been idle, while on away on vacation, but when the temperatures had cooled off some and the humidity was in breathing range, I donned my garden gloves and headed out to give this poor Dianthus some badly needed attention. My hand was diligent to take care of the neglected landscape.
While I was tugging and pulling at the stubborn intruders, the Lord brought to my mind a simple truth: neglect in any area of our lives spells t-r-o-u-b-l-e! You name it – if you neglect your health, your work, or your spiritual walk, it’s an invitation to disaster.
Let’s think about another area in which neglect is deadly…a marriage. It’s so easy to “take a little vacation” from really connecting with our spouse.
Continue reading “The Cost of Neglect In Marriage”
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