5 Hits and A Miss

I've tried several new recipes over the past week, and thankfully, only one was a flop!  That one would be the Overnight Crockpot Grits. 

The night before I was making those, after getting all my ingredients put together, I checked the recipe site again to find out the serving size.  That's when I noticed in the comments a good ol' Southern gal crying foul on this recipe because it's really Polenta and not Grits.  I decided to give it a try, but our grit-lovin' family was disappointed.  Mountain Man, being the easy-to-please guy that he is, was the only one who enjoyed a hearty serving of these fake grits.:)

So, here is the applesauce muffin recipe that I made the other day.  These truly were moist and delicious, and I didn't even add the nuts in. 

The Crockpot Fajitas were great, too, although I'll try a different fajita seasoning next time and add more since we do like the spicy flavor.  We stir-fried the peppers and onions instead of adding them to the crockpot.

2 lbs. thin cut stir fry beef (or chicken)
1-2 packets of fajita seasoning
1 onion
2 bell peppers
1/2 c. water

Put meat in crockpot...can be frozen or thawed.  Cut the onion and peppers in strips and add to crockpot.  Add seasoning and water.  Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 6.  Squeeze fresh lime over meat before adding fixings if you desire.
~Stephanie O'Dea
Make it Fast, Cook it Slow

In addition to the grits, I made three more new recipes on Christmas Day.  They're all keepers, and the Mini-Frittatas are quickly being added to our breakfast rotation because they really are simple and delicious. The possibilities are endless as far as what you add to the eggs.....peppers, onions, bacon, sausage, cheese, etc.

Mini Frittatas

8 eggs
1/2 c. half-half
1 tsp. salt
Assorted mix-ins such as shredded cheese, peppers, cooked sausage or bacon, etc. (make sure whatever meats you use are already cooked)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat 12 cup muffin with non-stick spray.

Whisk together eggs, half and half, and salt.  Even distribute among muffin cups. ( I poured the mixture into a liquid measuring cup to make this easy).  Add about 2 T. mix-ins and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if you like.

Bake until puffy and edges are golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
~from Family Fun's Cooking with Kids

For dinner, I made these yummy Golden Honey Pan Rolls.  Mine didn't look as perty, but they sure tasted fine!  These are definitely sweet and would be delicious for breakfast, too.

And, finally, we enjoyed some Roasted Broccoli.  It was a big hit especially with Mountain Man and Scribe.  The added red pepper made it look quite festive, too.

Roasted Broccoli

2 tsp. olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced ( I just used the stuff in the jar.:))

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 large head broccoli

1 red pepper, cut into small strips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix olive oil, garlic, and salt together.  Cut broccoli into florets, and toss with oil mixture.  Add red pepper strips if desired.  Arrange in single layer on an ungreased rimmed baking sheet.  Roast for 12-15 minutes or until just tender.  Stir a few times while roasting.

Love,

Queen Mom

Bursting Smiles

"A laugh is a smile that bursts." ~Mary H. Waldrip

~those laughs inspired by sweet Boo, who always brings a smile to Peep's face

Christmas Joy

I love this camera!  My family was so patient with me as I took shot after shot.  I escpecially like not having a delay when taking a picture.  You actually get what you aimed for! 

There's A Rebel in Our House

No, not me.  The camera.

Yes, my Beloved bought me a Canon Rebel for Christmas, confirming what a dear friend recently told me, that I'm spoiled. :)

What fun it was taking pictures with the new camera yesterday.  As soon as I figure out how to upload to the computer, I'll share our Christmas moments with you.

I also tried 4 new recipes yesterday, and most of them were a hit, so I'll post those as well.

Love,

Queen Mom

The Good News of the Gospel

Merry Christmas!  Here's a beautiful post on why, as Christians, we have Christmas JOY.

"This is the good news of the gospel. It is not just a slogan on a beautiful card. We have joy because our Lord has won a great victory. The Christ child became the Warrior King who defeated sin and death. The gospel message of Christmas shows how God's ways are different from our own. He sends his Son to earth, not as a conquering hero, but as an infant, noticed only by shepherds and foreigners. His great victory is won thirty-three years later, not on a grand battlefield, but on the cross. The good news of the gospel is that the greatest warrior of all time has provided hope for a people who are more lost and sinful than they could ever imagine. These same people now have joy and riches beyond anything that they can conceive. The incarnation of Christ is the one, true, great hope for man. It is the one reason for joy."

Read the entire post by Jay Yount at Shepherd Press.

And here's another great article, "Where Does the Story of Christmas Begin?" by Al Mohler.

A Happy Christmas Eve

What a fun, busy day it has been.  We started the day off with these yummy applesauce muffins that have plenty of sweetness and lots of spice.  They are so moist, too.  Just don't overfill the muffin pan as I did.

I've been wrapping gifts much of the day, and Mountain Man dared to venture to Albuquerque to push through the maddening crowds   pick up a few things.  The children and I accomplished a bit more of our deep cleaning goals (we've been going room by room this week), and it feels great to sit in a space that is a bit less cluttered!

For dinner we tried what might become a Christmas Eve tradition.  Normally, we grab a meal out when we drive around to look at lights, but tonight we decided to make fajitas.  I cooked the meat in the slow cooker, and it was delicious and tender.  You can add the peppers and onions at the beginning or about an hour before serving, but we just sauteed them in a bit of olive oil instead.

We're packing up to see the pretty lights, listen to our favorite Christmas Carol audio and enjoy some Satellite hot chocolate.  I'll post the recipes later as well as some pictures of this evening if I manage to snap a few.

Love,
Queen Mom

Meet the Cookie Family

This is one of the most creative gifts we've ever received!  My dear, dear friend, Miss Caity, knowing my sentimental heart, made a gift that would not only satisfy my sweet tooth but would make me make me gush with awe, too.

Meet the Cookie Family....absolutely one of the sweetest families ever. :)    There's Mountain Man, Queen Mom, Scribe,  Scribe, Little Big Man, Whistler, Reaches Up, Boo, Little Bit, Peep, and even Baby-On-the-Way. (Some members are hiding behind each other.)  Can you imagine the time and effort that this gift required?  Perhaps it was effortless for my talented friend, but it looks like so much work.  Thank you, my friend, for such a priceless gift!

Here are some more close-ups.

Yes, we devoured this entire basket in a day, and I even let Peep enjoy the fun.  She ate Baby-On-the-Way's cookie.

"I can't believe Mommy is letting me have this."

"Ok, I think this is what I'm supposed to do.  I have been watching my siblings."

"Yeah, I've got the hang of this now."

"Mmm, thank you Caity!  I didn't have to wait until my first birthday to taste such delectable sweets!"

"It really is hard to eat just one bite at a time.    Moooommmmm, I'm ready to get cleaned up."

Christmas Windows

One of the ways our family enjoys decorating for Christmas is to draw and write on our outside windows.  Yes, the children are a bit happy when we give them window markers and tell them to have fun!  I tried to post the slideshow directly here, but it's giving me trouble and taking too much time, and I've got lots of gifts to wrap!

So, you can enjoy seeing the Christmas Windows at the site.

Easy Cheesy Potatoes

In my recipe book, these are actually called "June's Potatoes."  What's funny about that name is that, as the story goes, June never even made these.  Call them what you will...this is an easy and tasty side dish.  We enjoyed it with kielbasa and a salad.

30 ounce pkg. frozen shredded hashbrowns, divided
12 oz. pkg shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 c. whipping cream
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1/2 c. soft bread crumbs
2 T. butter, melted

Pour 3/4  hashbrowns into a large bowl; use remaining hashbrowns for another recipe.  In a lightly greased 2-1/2 qt. baking dish, layer half the hashbrowns and top with half the cheese; repeat layers.  In a separate bowl, combine whipping cream, salt and pepper; pour over potatoes.  Mix bread crumbs with butter and sprinkle on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  8-10 servings.  (I actually had to bake this an hour.)
~from Simple Joys by Gooseberry Patch

This One's a Keeper

If our children only take one tradition of ours with them when they leave home, the Ebenezer Box is the one I pray they'll continue to embrace.

Recording our blessings to praise God and remember His faithfulness is a priceless way to invest our time.

On Thanksgiving Day, after enjoying a bounty of God's provision, we sat at the table and savored the reminders of how great God is to us every single day.  We read each one, and the children eventually turned it into a bit of a game, trying to guess who recorded the blessing just read.  It was a time of laughter, of remembrance, of thankful hearts.  It was a time of slowing down to reflect on just how blessed we truly are.  It was my own favorite part of the day.

Here are a few observations after using the Ebenezer Box for a year...

1)  We forget.  It is so easy to forget all that God has done for us.  Even as we read the notes, we often would have that "Oh, I forgot about that" look on our faces.  Recording blessings provides a tangible, lasting memory of God's wonderful works to the children of men.

2)  We're unfaithful.  Even with the box readily available, there are so many blessings we failed to record.  The tyranny of the urgent or the pleasures of the moment would steal our attention, having many of us say, "We'll write that down later."  But later never came.

3)  Noting God's blessings encourages thankfulness for the smallest of things.  There were many cards expressing gratitude for the simplest pleasures and for the many blessings we simply take for granted each day.

4)  When we record our blessings, we're recording our family history.  Many of the cards told the story of our lives for the past year.  How encouraging to see God's hand in it all, working all things together for good.

There's one change we're making to how we use the Ebenezer Box.  We'll be setting aside time on Sundays to record the blessings for that week.  If we're not intentional, it just doesn't happen....or at least it doesn't happen as often as it should. 

We want our children to have a habit of, to practice without giving it a second thought, praising God and thanking Him.  When our hearts begin to grumble and murmur against our circumstances, and ultimately against our God who is sovereign over all, gratitude steps in and reminds us that God is faithful and trustworthy.

We'll be using the same box we made for last year, but we've chosen a new verse for the year. (Psalm 107:15 was last year's.)   "Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward; they cannot be reckoned up in order unto Thee; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Psalm 40:5

I'll be scrapbooking the notes from last year as a lasting reminder of God's faithfulness.  If we're faithful to continue this, what a treasure our children will have before them in being able to read of God's many blessings on and deliverances of the Poff Family.

Do this!  Start today.  Perhaps it could be a New Year's Tradition.  However you do it, you'll never regret the time spent reflecting on God's provision.  This tradition truly is a keeper!

Sweet Blessing

Here's a picture of our baby...amazing, isn't it?

Watch closely and you'll see baby's heartbeat!

Surgery Update

God is amazingly merciful!

My surgeries were much less invasive than expected, and I was able to leave the office without even a stitch (though Scribe did keep me in stitches during the procedures.)

The doctor was able to cut away at the surfaces and then cauterize (that didn't smell too good!) the areas since both cancers were superficial.

Scribe offered a much different perspective of everything since he could see so much more than I could. What a trooper he was, and I'm so glad he came with me.

A sweet friend took me and Scribe to the appointment, and we were even able to enjoy lunch together afterwards.

Blessing upon blessing....I'm very thankful to God as well as to everyone who prayed for me.

Off to rest a bit...

Queen Mom

She's Joined the Club and Why I Can Bear These Workouts

The weather is colder and that means the exercise DVDs are dusted off and in use again.

This time, we have another workout partner. That's right. Peep is now part of the fun.....even if it's just to tell the instructor to put on a sweater and step things up a bit.

And here are two of the reasons I'm able to stick with these workouts........(at least for now. :))

Don't you wish you had such inspiring exercise buddies?

Goodbye, Dear Jessie

"My little dog--a heartbeat at my feet."

~Edith Wharton

"Scratch a dog, and you'll find a permanent job."

~Franklin P. Jones

"We long for an affection altogether ignorant of our faults.  Heaven has accorded this to us in the uncritical canine attachment."

~George Eliot

Best Dog Ever

April 1998-December 2009

Biopsy, Cut, Repeat

I actually like the sound of  "lather, rinse, repeat" better than "biopsy, cut, repeat."  And, I'd rather be washing my hair than getting shots in the forehead (doesn't that just sound creepy?).  But that's not the plan for Friday.

Surgery is back on, and I'll be under the knife.  The doctor is kind enough to do surgery on both my forehead and my arm at the same visit.  Believe me....I really do think that's kind. (The dermatologist and my perinatologist both agree it would be foolish to not treat these cancers now. )

Mountain Man won't be able to be with me, so Scribe will be a tower of strength and support for his kinda-sorta-don't-wanna-do-this-but-know-I-must-slightly-anxious Mama.  And I'm thinking anything he reads to me would be better than the uplifting Oliver Twist I was finishing while going through this last year. 

Any recommendations for some funny reads to keep me distracted from the bright lights and latex gloves that will be looming overhead?

So, please pray for a steady hand for the surgeon and a calm spirit and quick healing for me.  And remember to praise God for His goodness.  For He truly is good all the time.


Trusting Him,
Queen Mom

The Almost-Perfect Oatmeal Muffin

"Muffins are just an excuse to eat cake for breakfast."

~Anonymous Pastry Chef

I've tried a few oatmeal muffin recipes, and I've finally found one that I love!

It's almost perfect.

This muffin's only fault is that it doesn't always come out perfectly from the muffin pan.  I detest really don't like using cupcake liners, so I haven't tried that option. 

I know a few expert Bakers......surely you can give me some tips?  Pretty please?

Even if I never fix this one imperfection, this muffin is so yummy, I'll soon learn to accept less-than-perfect.


2 c. quick-cooking oatmeal
2 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
2/3 c. oil
1 c. brown sugar
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix the first two ingredients together and let stand 45-60 minutes.

Add eggs and oil to oatmeal mixture.

Mix remaining ingredients together in a separate bowl.  Add liquid ingredients, mixing well.  Pour into greased muffin tins.   Top with cinnamon sugar before baking. Makes about 24.

Bake at 400 degrees (I did mine at 375) for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Of course, I put pats of butter on ours when they're done baking.....

Love,
Queen Mom

~This is from Just A Matter of Thyme by Roxie Kelley.  I added the vanilla and topped with the cinnamon-sugar.  You can try the recipe without those two ingredients, but I can't promise these will be as delicious as mine are. :)

She Did It!

Whistler just completed her first crocheting project, a baby blanket to give to Peep for Christmas. 

Our dear friend and neighbor, Mrs. F., has been coming over weekly to give lessons, and we're very proud of Whistler's perserverance and hard work.  Great job, sweet daughter!

Because Life's Too Short

...to NOT eat the cookie dough.