Wednesday Eats and Treats: Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

My friend, Christie Pettibon, gave me this recipe several years ago. It's good for church fellowships, showers, and other parties, as well as to keep on hand for easy lunches. We served this as the main dish at my parents' anniversary party last month. It can be prepared ahead of time and keeps well in the refrigerator. It's also great for road trip picnics. I make a batch and then we stop at a nice park while traveling, stretch our legs, and fix chicken salad sandwiches. These little picnics, coupled with a steady supply of snacks and fruit for in-car consumption, really cut down on the expense of traveling.

Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

Ingredients

4-6 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (4-6 cups)

1 tablespoon walnut oil (Key ingredient!)

1 cup mayonnaise

2 stalks celery, diced

red seedless grape halves to taste

3 teaspoons poppy seeds

1 cup pecans, diced

Directions 

Mix and enjoy. 

Garnish with fresh strawberries and grape clusters.

Monday Musings: Week 9

In many ways, this week was better than last. I spent slightly less money. Because of my trip to Nebraska, I needed to stock up on groceries for the family, so that category is a bit high. Josiah and I spent Thursday and Friday at the home-school basketball tournament where they had a strict "No Coolers. No Outside Food or Drinks" rule, so I was only able to smuggle in a limited amount of rations in my purse.

Here's the spending breakdown for Week 9.

Groceries/Food                            $179.64
Piano Lessons                                $10.00
Clothing                                           $5.41
Toiletries                                          $31.06  
Total                                               $226.11

Savings from February -- $423.00

Between our January and February savings, we now have an emergency fund that exceeds our preliminary $1000 goal.

Since Esther and I will be traveling when this post is scheduled, I'm writing it ahead of time. I know we'll have some travel expenses. The trip from our house to Rachel's is 732 miles. We'll need to take breaks, but I plan to pack a cooler with sandwiches and snacks so we don't blow the budget. We travel on 3 toll roads between here and there, so there will be tolls to pay. They're well worth it -- the alternative is driving on Oklahoma 2-lane highways. Scary!

We've never had a debit or ATM card, and for the past several years, I've been operating on a cash-only basis for everything except gasoline. I'm considering opening a checking account for household expenses and using a debit card. It seems so easy to swipe a card, whereas it hurts just a little more to hand over cash. I wonder if using a debit card will affect my spending patterns. 

I'm going to be on the lookout for some budgeting or expense recording sites. I'm sure there's a smartphone app, but I don't have a smartphone. Can apps be used on an iTouch? One of my older children who has upgraded to a smart phone might have an unused iTouch lying around. Hint, hint...

Any advice on debit cards, budgeting sites or apps? I'd love to have your input.

Clutter's Last Stand Project 6: More Bathroom Storage

I’m writing this post between games at the home school state basketball tournament. As I was rushing around getting ready to leave Thursday morning, I grabbed my camera to get a photo of the bathroom cabinet I organized this week. I pressed the switch to turn it on and nothing happened. I pulled the battery, put it in the charger, waited an hour, re-installed the battery, and tried again. Still, there was no whirring sound of the opening lens. I fear some young person may have broken yet another camera. Arrrrgh! I have the “smartest” basic phone, but the picture quality leaves a lot to be desired. Until I can get Wonder Husband to repair the other camera, the phone camera will have to do.

In the past, this calamity would have been all the excuse I needed to march down to the Verizon store and sign up for a smart phone. Since we are committed to a non-consumptive lifestyle, I’ll just have to make do with what we have. I hope the camera can be fixed. It takes great pictures, even if a photography moron is operating it. Still, if any of you have a digital camera languishing in a drawer somewhere, think of me before you toss it in the next mission trip garage sale.

Back to that bathroom cabinet…

Earlier in the week, I was taking a shower. When I reached up to grab the shampoo, I discovered that both it and my conditioner were gone. I was one unhappy mama. When I found out they had been swiped and carried up to the girls' bathroom, Leah informed me that we were completely out of shampoo and conditioner. How could that be? If you read my toilet paper post, you know I abhor running out of anything essential. (I know, a true minimalist would question the assigning an “essential” label to shampoo and conditioner. We’ll have to look past that. It’s a heart change we’re after here.)

Determined to make sure this never happens again, I decided to have one central location for all extra shampoo, soap, etc. Since I do the toiletries shopping (and I avoid the kids’ bathroom like the plague), I decided the logical storage location is the cabinet above the toilet in the master bath. That way I can monitor consumption and purchase replacements as needed. This required some reorganization, but I think it turned out nicely, as you can see in this picture.

Baskets which we already had hold like items – all the bar soap, sunscreen, etc. In lieu of baskets, I would have used shoe boxes. Shampoos, conditioners, and body washes are organized in a straight line on one shelf. I can easily see what I have and what I need. Did you notice the bottle of Eckerd Body Wash? That’s a classic. Anyone know how long ago CVS bought out Eckerd? I know it’s been at least 6 years. Well, at least it isn’t Revco brand!

I tend to be queen of the store brand products. In 95+% of the cases, I've found store brand toiletries to be of excellent quality. Back in the Eckerd Drug days, every 3-4 months they would have a sale – buy one Eckerd brand product, get a second product of equal or lesser value free. I took these opportunities to stock up on everything from soap, to feminine products, to meds, shampoos, school supplies, foil, zipper storage bags, cleaners, food items, etc. It was a great deal that CVS has yet to reproduce. (I guess they heard about me and didn't like my ways!) Wal*Mart, CVS, Walgreens, and Kroger all market excellent store brand products – I've tried them all, and have found this to be a very simple way to cut my spending. Usually the stores place the store brand item next to the comparable national brand product. Often their will be a little label on the shelf or container that says, "Compare to Robitussin," or "Same Ingredients as NyQuil." Thar makes it super simple to find the product I need.

Next week, I will be blogging from the frozen land of central Nebraska. Esther and I are leaving Sunday and will get to spend a week with our Rachel, her husband, Jacob, and his family. I can hardly wait. If you think about it, keep us in your prayers for good weather and safe travels. 

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday Eats and Treats: Kathleen's Mean Beans

With 4 teenagers and 2 "tweens" in the house, someone is always hungry. I usually prepare beans on Mondays. We have beans and rice or super burritos on the first day. Then we mash and re-fry the leftover beans. The beans stay in the refrigerator, along with a steady supply of flour tortillas and shredded cheese. When someone is about to perish from hunger, the making a of bean burrito are close at hand. So far, no one from this household has died from hunger!

Kathleen's Mean Beans

Ingredients

• 2 pounds dry pinto beans
• 8 cups chicken broth (or water + bouillon)
• 2 large onions (or 2 T onion powder)
• 2 fresh jalapenos (or 2 T pickled jalapenos)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
• 1 cup green salsa (or red picante sauce or salsa)
• 1 T cumin
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• Water, if needed

Directions

1. Soak pinto beans overnight.
2. Rinse beans and pour into large slow cooker.
3. Pour in chicken broth.
4. Stir in onion, jalapeno, garlic, salsa, cumin, and pepper.
5. Cook on high for 6 hours, low for 8-10 hours, until beans are tender.
6. Add water as needed to keep the beans moist.

Addendum

To turn Kathleen’s Mean Beans into creamy refried beans, perfect for burritos:

1. Drain or ladle out broth* until the level is a little below the top.
2. Add 1 tablespoon each of chili powder and ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon of garlic salt.
3. Mix in 2 to 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil or melted animal fat. (Lard is traditional.**)
4. Use blender to puree or potato masher in a cast iron skillet until smooth.
5. Simmer in frying pan, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until desired thickness is achieved. (Like gravy, it will thicken slightly after cooling down.)

*   Makes a great stock for vegetable soups – I like to add beef bouillon & sautéed onions for a hearty onion soup.

**I prefer rendered beef or chicken fat, and bacon grease is also pretty tasty. Although not as healthy as vegetable oil, this is the secret to a creamy texture and soul comforting satisfaction. I think olive oil is the best alternative.

Monday's Musings: Week 8

This was my highest spending week of the year. It's probably no coincidence that it came on the heels of my lowest spending week of the year. 

Here's the spending breakdown for Week 8.

Groceries/Food                            $130.75
Piano Lessons                                 $10.00
Gifts                                                 $95.53
School Expense (Leah)                  $10.00
Toiletries                                            $5.02  
Total                                               $251.30

Here are a few things that contributed to my increased spending.

• Overconfidence -- Considering myself an expert "non-spender" because of the previous week, I let my guard down. 
• A major case of writer's block -- A serious misunderstanding regarding one of my current projects may have some serious financial implications, not only to our family, but to others I hold near and dear. The gravity of the situation really knocked the wind out of my sails. I spent hours last week staring at my computer screen, unable to produce anything of merit. Criticism of my work led me to doubt my abilities as a writer. 
• Worry -- I began to worry about our future financial condition. As we're going through Financial Peace University, Syd and I are changing some spending patterns and setting short and long range goals. We've determined that I am at a place where I can contribute more to our finances by working part-time from home. When the above-mentioned fiasco happened, I began to worry that I had really messed up the great opportunity I have to do work that I love from home. 
• Conflict -- Relationship struggles that are inherent with raising a large family (especially when dealing with adoption-related issues) reared their ugly heads, and I spent most of the week feeling like the poster child for "Worst-Mom-Ever."
• Time Constraints -- 3 nights of basketball games, dentist appointments for the entire family, Syd and David being at a conference on Friday and Saturday, a wedding to attend, school work for my 3 home-educated children, helping my older three with their school-related needs, and running our household were just too much to handle. I realize we don't just have too much physical "stuff." We have too many demands on our time and energy. As much as we all enjoy basketball, I'm really looking forward to the season's end on March 1. 

With everything that was happening this week, I just didn't have the energy to fight the battle against consumerism. As a matter of fact, it actually felt good to spend money. I was trying to make myself feel better by indulging in spending. Bad, bad idea.

What I'm realizing is that this is a spiritual battle we're waging. Cutting our spending and getting on top of our finances will free up resources that will allow us to give more of ourselves to things in life that are really important. Not being owned by our possessions will help us gain an eternal perspective on the pressing needs of the world's poor and oppressed. Not being tied to our comfort level might even allow us to one day answer a call we both felt when we were in college -- to serve in the mission field where Syd can help bring clean water to villages and I can help in educational efforts, all the while sharing the love of Christ with others.

Our challenge isn't just a simple little social experiment. It has eternal implications. The forces of evil will seek to destroy us, to make us despair, to cause conflict within our family. And so, in the midst of our efforts, it is imperative that we find our strength, our hope, and our help in the Lord.

Unless the Lord builds the house,

the builders labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

    the guards stand watch in vain.

2 

In vain you rise early

    and stay up late,

toiling for food to eat—

    for He grants sleep to those He loves.

Psalm 127:1-2

As I first sat down to compose this post, I felt like a defeated and weary failure. In my dark place, God reminded me of some very important truths. If I try to complete our challenge in my own strength, I am doomed to failure. If I try to have a sanitized blog that won't offend anyone because of it's Christian tone, then it is worthless. This battle is not mine, it is the Lord's, and He deserves all the glory. I don't want to live a life filled with vain efforts. Instead, I want to live in the house that HE builds, and have HIM standing watch over the affairs of my life.

Clutter's Last Stand Project #5: The Master Bedroom Corner

I knew I was asking for trouble when we put the crib in our bedroom when we have no crib occupant living here. That's just an invitation to fill it with stuff. And then, there is the example of my grandmother. She had a crib in her guest room, and while it was never piled high with assorted clutter, it did always contain a couple of old fabric store pattern books and assorted goodies. I don't recall ever seeing a baby in there, even though she had 20 grandchildren, and I was the third oldest.

While the laundry room was bad, at least it was presentable. On the other hand, the bedroom corner is a place no one dares to look. Who knows what lurks beneath the piles and piles of stuff?

There were gift-wrapping supplies from Christmas, miscellaneous objects from both weddings & Mother's Day 2013, assorted craft projects, palette-making materials from our two youngest who still like to sleep in our room from time to time, outgrown kids' clothing, and assorted bed linens. In other words, it was a MESS!

I set up my sorting station in the center of my bed and got to work.

I pulled out all the big items first -- the broken chair, crash pad, and Christmas decorations. That made a big difference. My corner began to look manageable.

Then I started on the crib -- comforters and blankets, clothes, etc.

Before long, the crib was empty,

and I had 3 sacks of things to give away, 3 containers of trash, a neat bedroom corner,

and a bedroom that looks so much better.

WHOOP!

Wednesday Eats and Treats:Best Ever Chocolate Birthday Cake

I've been making this recipe for 25+ years. It was given to me by Carol Hearne, one of  my beloved's coworkers, when he worked for the City of San Marcos.

It's simple and delicious -- perfect for choc-aholic birthday celebrations.

Best Ever Chocolate Birthday Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar

In a saucepan, combine:
1 cup water
4 tablespoons cocoa
2 sticks of butter (NOT margarine)

Bring mixture to a boil. Add to flour-sugar mixture. Blend.

Add:
2 slightly beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon soda dissolved in 1/2 cup buttermilk
(I usually substitute 1/2 cup milk + 1 teaspoon lemon juice for the buttermilk.)

Mix together. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Icing - prepare while cake is baking

In a saucepan, combine:

 1 stick butter  (NOT margarine)
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/3 cup milk

Bring to a boil. Remove from fire. (I love that line...)

Add:
3 1/2 - 4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (We prefer pecans.)

Mix together and spread on hot cake in pan.

That's it -- warm and delicious. 

Best when served with copious amounts of ice cream! Blue Bell Natural Vanilla Bean, Coffee, or Mocha Almond Fudge are our favorites. Peppermint and Mint Chocolate Chip are also quite good with this cake.