What’s Cookin’ in the Country?

March 2, 2015March 2, 2015 RefreshHer5 Comments

Remember Dr. Seuss? Here’s my likeness to his stories…

I love bread.
Sweet bread, crunchy bread, corn bread or French bread.
I love bread.
Homemade or Bakery bought,
High and low I have sought because
I love bread.

This was the reason I named my baking business I had for several years, Breads on Boone. I love baking, eating, learning about, and trying to make new breads! This weekend I even purchased a huge bowl because the recent bread recipes I’ve made are too much dough for my mixing bowl and it’s spilling out! Do you remember the I Love Lucy episode where her dough is rising all over her kitchen? Yeah, that’s kind of how I’ve felt recently! I can’t wait to test another recipe in the new big guy (bowl)!

I’m thankful for cookbooks like Cooking Light that allow me to indulge without as much guilt! I recently tried a new Banana Nut Muffin recipe from Cooking Light that was so moist and full of that wonderful Banana flavor! The Streusel topping adds a nice little sweetness and crunch. These are a great beginning to my bread-loving days! When I made them I knew I couldn’t keep this recipe to myself, that I needed to share it with you!

Banana Nut Muffins:

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 bananas)

3/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

STREUSEL:

6 tablespoons regular oats

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare the muffins, lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine banana and next 4 ingredients (through egg) in a bowl; stir well. Add to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened; fold in walnuts. Place 12 muffin cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups.

To prepare streusel, combine oats and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Blend with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle streusel over batter. Bake at 375° for 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

I paired my muffin with a bowl of oatmeal and it was a great breakfast!

I love to make up a batch of muffins and either share half with someone, or put half in the freezer for an easy breakfast in the days ahead. These freeze great, by the way!

Do you enjoy making breads? I hope you’ll try these! You could celebrate this new month of March by baking up a batch! I know I say to bake something for every holiday, event or day of the year, but why not? These are “light” and God gives us richly all things to enjoy! Sooo, Enjoy!

With love from my country kitchen,

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Freshen Up Friday

February 27, 2015February 26, 2015 RefreshHer6 Comments

During this week of all our wintry weather, I got an email from a store in our area ~ Gracious Designs. They were inviting customers to their store so they might turn their home and thoughts from winter to spring. My thoughts are definitely there! How about yours?

I guess it’s no surprise that we’re all anxious for some sunshine, warm temperatures, and flowers!

Even my chalkboard and mantle have spring fever!
I drew this the day before we got six more inches of snow!

As I suggested earlier this week, we can still think about spring, even if it will be a while before it arrives! I went to my Pinterest board for a little inspiritation for the inside of my house. I am hoping to make this adorable wreath for my Apricot-colored front door…

wreath

How cute is that?!

I’m also planning on doing this little craft from Better Homes and Gardens…

Use paint chips to create cute Easter art! See more Easter crafts that are perfect for kids: http://www.bhg.com/holidays/easter/crafts/easter-crafts-for-all-ages/?socsrc=bhgpin022313paintchipeggs=2

You use paint strips from the hardware store to make the eggs. I’ll be shopping for paint for my dining room, so I’ll use the colors I find for it, then it will also blend into the room’s decor! Ahhh, I can’t wait!

So along with my longing for spring, my shopping list is also growing. But when spring arrives, I’ll have several adorable projects under my belt!

What projects are you working on while you’re waiting for spring to arrive?

Stay refreshed! The best way to do that is to attend a Bible-preaching church on Sunday!

With prayers for a wonderful weekend,

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A Peek From My (Snowy) Porch

February 25, 2015March 13, 2015 RefreshHer6 Comments

This snowy scene was my view yesterday, and perhaps yours, too. It was a bit of a surprise! They had predicted snow flurries, but we got four inches after most of the previous snowfall had melted the day before. I love it, so I’m not complaining. However, I am dreaming and planning a bit for spring, as I’m sure many others are.

As I rested inside all warm and toasty, I enjoyed looking through my new March issue of Southern Living Magazine. I was delighted to see the articles about The Doors of Charleston. There were gorgeous pictures of the houses in this historic South Carolina city, whose homes boast front doors of many hues. This was one that caught my eye…

Do you know why? Because last summer I painted my front door.
Maybe you saw this picture I’d posted…

I went with an Apricot color, very similar to the Southern Living photo. I LOVE it! It sets the house off so nicely, rather than just blending in.

But I feel like the front door needs plants that will set it off. So while the snow is blowing around me, I’m looking at the topiaries and flowers they added to the Charleston house and making notes for springtime purchases.

The Southern Living containers boast of petunias and calibrachoas in peach and orange, which echo the door’s lovely color. I have made a note of this so when the snow melts and spring comes, I’ll be ready for the local nursery with list in hand!

MiniFamous™ Double Rose Chai Calibrachoa Annual Plant

So rather than pout while the winter weather stays around like an unwanted cold, why not do some planning for your yard and house?

What could you do to improve your patio?
Will you need new outdoor rugs? What color?
How’s the umbrella for your patio table? Will you need to replace it?
Do you need to add a nice fresh color and coat of paint to your front door? You could even do that while you wait for the white, fluffy stuff to melt!

Some shopping on Amazon won’t even require you to get outside!

What are you dreaming and planning for as the snow flies?

With love from my country porch,

Christian Life · friends

Show Yourself Friendly

February 24, 2015March 13, 2015 RefreshHer8 Comments

Our world teaches us how to be:

Budget-Friendly Pet-Friendly

Eco-Friendly Kid-Friendly

But the Bible teaches us to be People-friendly. In truth, it’s pretty easy to be Budget-friendly (spend wisely), Pet-friendly (create spaces Fido and Fluffy will love), Eco-friendly (treat the earth well) and Kid-friendly (give children foods they’ll eat). But sometimes coming up with ways to be just plain ol’ friendly to another human being stumps us!

In a world that drives up the driveway, pushes the garage door open, closes it quickly, and goes inside before anyone sees a real, live person getting out of the car, being friendly can be uncomfortable. However, if we love the Lord Jesus and desire to be like Him, we won’t avoid people; we’ll look for ways to minister to them.

Proverbs 18:24

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly:

Not – Should, might, or maybe, but MUST shew himself friendly.

How could you and I show or prove our friendliness today?

Reach out – Make contact. Smile. Give a hug. Send a text. Make a call. Send a card. An unfriendly person will turn and go the other direction to avoid others.
Give out – Give of your time – make a visit. Give of your possessions – provide a need. An unfriendly person will only see their own needs. If they do see the needs of someone else, they’ll dismiss the thought of helping.
Speak out – Use your words to be a blessing. Give a greeting at church to the visitor you don’t know. Stop to chat and get acquainted. Speak with the stranger in the grocery store. Don’t be afraid to engage in conversation. An unfriendly person only speaks to people that makes them feel comfortable.

Now, you evaluate – are you friendly? What could you do to change that today? The Lord will help you! Philippians 4:13

Don't wait for people to be friendly, show them how. ~Author Unknown

John 13:35 – By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Will others know by watching us that we are Christ’s followers? Open more than your garage door – open your heart’s door to someone today and show the love of Christ to them!

How has someone recently shown friendliness to you?

With love,

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What’s Cookin’ in the Country?

February 23, 2015March 13, 2015 RefreshHer14 Comments

In the Old days women made amazing Sunday dinners that included yummy fixings like Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes and white, cream gravy. But also in the old days, everyone had to wait until 2:00 to eat dinner! Most of us are starving when we get home from church, and if dinner isn’t on the table in thirty minutes, people at my house start snacking!

Lucky for me, years ago I found a recipe from Carnation Evaporated Milk that is called, Baked Chicken that Makes it own Gravy! No need to stand and fry chicken pieces after church – this dish is baked in the oven, topped with a Cream soup mixture and baked a little longer, yielding a lovely creamy gravy – perfect for those mashed potatoes that were cooked in the crock pot!

Here’s my menu for yesterday:

Baked Chicken that Makes its own Gravy

Mashed Potatoes ~ ~ Honey-Glazed Carrots

Salad ~ ~ Make-ahead Butterhorns

Light Chocolate Pie ~ ~ Laura Bush’s Texas Buttermilk Coconut Pie

Baked Chicken & Gravy

3 to 3 1/2 lb. frying chicken pieces
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. melted butter
2/3 c. (small can) undiluted Carnation Evaporated Milk
10 1/2 oz. can cream mushroom soup
1 c. grated process American cheese – I don’t add this – I don’t feel like it’s needed.
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 c. (1 lb. can) drained whole onions – I love onions, but I don’t add this either!
1/4 lb. sliced mushrooms
Dash paprika

Coat chicken with flour. Arrange in single layer with skin down in melted butter in 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. Bake uncovered in moderately hot oven (425 degrees) for 30 minutes. Turn chicken, bake until brown, 15 to 20 minutes longer or until tender. Remove from oven; reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Pour off excess fat. Add onions and mushrooms to chicken. Combine Carnation, soup, cheese, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover with foil. Return to oven, continue baking 15 to 20 minutes. I found it helpful to add some chicken broth as it’s baking. It needs a little more liquid to keep from getting dry, and I love the the addition of the chicken broth to the gravy!

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes

Peel potatoes and place in crock pot with water to cover. Add salt. Cook on high for several hours ( I do it on high for about 3 hours, then allow my cooker to move to low for the next couple hours until I get home). Drain water and mash as normal.

This was a pretty heavy meal in my book, but I was feeding a some young people who I thought would appreciate old fashioned kind of cooking! They don’t have to know how easy it was to put together! Shhhhhhh. If you’re a chicken and mashed potatoes kind of girl you need to try this recipe! Your grandma will be proud!

What recipe of your Grandma’s carries special memories?

With love from my country kitchen,