Have You Thanked Your Hand Mixer Today!!

I try to limit my shopping to thrift stores mostly because I love a bargin, but also because if I'm tempted to make an impulse purchase it usually won't set me back too badly. Such was the case recently when I just had to buy this hand held mixer. I don't know if it was because it reminded me of a type I had seen at my grandmother's house or if I thought it would actually be useful.

Unrealistically, a fault my optimistic nature, I did indeed think it could be useful. Just think of the possiblities: if the power goes out; if the power hand mixer is broken (which happens to be true right now); if I need more exercise (which is also very true!!); to save money on the power bill- never hurts, right? Anyway, my first experiment of creaming butter in sugar was totally exhausting. Fortunately, due to the fact that we are on vacation right now the cookies were saved by powered method.

Oh well, maybe I'll see if there's a market on ebay. However, on the other hand I do have a friend that loves retro..... are you there? Any more suggestions?

I've Been Tagged!!!

Six Random Things About Me:

1. I enjoy playing the violin with my sister Allison. :)
2. I am on vacation right now.
3. My family and I are in the process of listening to the 200 year plan by Doug Phillips and Geoff Botkin.
4. My middle name is Elizabeth
5. I am reading When in the Course of Human Events by: Charles Adams
6. I am preparing to be a godly wife and mother someday.......

The Rules:

Link to the person who tagged you.

Post the rules on your blog.

Write Six Random Things about yourself.

“Tag” six-or-so other people at the bottom of your post.

Leave comments on their blogs, letting them know they’ve been tagged.

Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve written the post.

I tag:

Taylor

Bria

Hannah F.

Mrs. Kristin F.

A Fall Garden

"For the beauty of the earth......."

Yes, those are watermelons!

Beautiful zinnias!

"Healthy Version" 2

Here's another healthy recipe of chocolate chip cookies to try!
This recipes new twists are peanut butter, dark chocolate, and honey.
The honey in these cookies gives them a tender, chewy texture.


Whole Wheat Chocolate Peanut Oatmeal Cookies

1 c. melted butter
1c. honey
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. oats
6 oz. chocolate chips or 3.53 oz. bar of dark chocolate, chopped (we put about 2/3 of the bar into the cookies, but you could use the whole thing if you like a lot of chocolate in your cookies)


Mix all ingredients together and place them by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cookies will still be soft when done.

Another idea: Sucanat is a unrefined natural sugar that would probably be a good substitute for the sugars in this recipe. We didn't have any on hand so I couldn't use it in the cookies but you can find it at health food stores.

I'm Such A City Slicker

When harvesting my leaf lettuce I have always pulled up the plant and cut the root stem off and tossed it into the compost simply because I hated to leave the chopped off stub in my lovely garden bed. Lately I've tried leaving the stalk in the ground. I noticed the other day new leaves started to grow from the old stalk. Yeah! More lettuce less work.

How do you harvest your lettuce- just the leaves or the whole head?

"Healthy Version" 1

Who doesn't enjoy a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie? Here's a recipe that uses whole wheat flour instead of refined white flour. My sister Hannah made these yesterday and they were delicious.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies:

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 cup oats
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine softened butter and sugars. Beat for 3 minutes or until fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla, mixing together well. Next add in flour, salt, soda, and oats. Lastly fold in chocolate chips and nuts.
Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.


Chocolate chip cookies with dark chocolate coming up so stay tuned!

Monday Meditation

This helps me put the week into perspective