Pumpkins!

Have spent the past week cooking and freezing pumpkins.

I just halve, seed, cook until soft, peel, cube, and freeze.

These are what thickens hubby's chocolate protein smoothies,

so I am thankful for the full freezer.

I am excited for the number that the garden produced this year 

before the cut worm and squash bugs took over.

There are a couple more pumpkins left and then it is on to piles of Spaghetti Squash.

There is another squash in the garden, but I am not sure yet what it is.

I have read that you can freeze it too.

Do you have any experience with Frozen Spaghetti Squash?  

Feel free to share.

This week's menu:

Sunday:  Grilled Chicken and Tossed Salad

Monday: Spaghetti Squash, flat bread, and bean soup

Tuesday:  Fish

Wednesday:  Stir Fried Veggies on Rice

Thursday:  Grilled Chicken

Friday:  Squash and Beans

Saturday:  Penne, stir-fried veggies, and salad

Barnabas - Son of Consolation

It is Thankful Thursday.

This week I am thankful for the encouragers that God sends our way.

Often those that encourage me are those who do not merely talk - 

they don't theorize,

they don't lecture,

they live life in such a way that I am encouraged.

Their desire to do right encourages me to do right.

I am thankful for that kind of encouragement

and I desire to be that kind of encouragement.

Two Become One

It is the summer wedding season.

Around a Christian college, relationships are often on the mind.

One common phrase in the wedding is "two become one."

I have thought about this much this week.

My parents celebrate their 46th anniversary this weekend,

and they have had to unite together in a very difficult situation recently.

I am thankful for that unity.

In our home, we have sought to present that unity.

We are one.

We seek to make decisions together.

We uphold one another.

We encourage each other.

Have we done it perfectly? Of course not.

... but it is a worthy goal.

How does it show itself?

Two Examples:

Hubby makes decisions to protect my health and well-being.

He plays the "bad guy" if necessary to preserve my sanity.

I seek to protect his expected dinner hour -

it is rare when we are not sitting down at 5:30 for dinner

and seek to keep a few evenings free each week for his writing and studying.

We talk to each other before making plans (most of the time).

We are one.

The Return of Transformation Tuesday

Well, I expected to be sharing some pictures with you today,

but it will have to wait for next Tuesday.

Why?

Well,

Over the holiday weekend,

hubby installed a new floor in our guest bathroom.

It is a groutable sticky tile ... and it looks great.

Grey stone Luxury Vinyl Tile from Lowes

But ...

When it was complete,

I decided that I did not like my painted stripes with the beautiful tile ...

so today I sand the stripes ...

and tomorrow I paint ...

the color ...

Coastal Villa.

Stay tuned for pictures next Tuesday.

Does it seem like we do a lot of home improvement projects in July.

Lowes and Home Depot offer military discounts for veterans over the Fourth - 

good inspiration to get some stuff done.

Cucumber Noodles

I am still having a good time experimenting in the kitchen.

We tried a different sloppy joe this past week which was requested again.
We shared in a picnic this weekend and wanted to stick with the low preservatives-type meals,

so I took another new experiment and a tried and true.
Hubby requested Egg Salad made with avocado (instead of the mayo)
with flat bread.

The flat bread was a hit and one of my little friends was convinced that I must be from Vietnam :)
My experiment was Cold Sesame Noodles - 

Very Asian and very good.

Cold Sesame Cucumber Noodles

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

2 cucumbers

1 tablespoon tahini

1 tablespoon natural peanut butter

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 

1 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

Directions:

Peel the cucumbers, then turn them into noodles with a julienne peeler or veggetti.
Place in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mix the tahini, peanut butter, oil, soy sauce, vinegar, water, red pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger with a fork until smooth.

Pour the dressing over the cucumber noodles and toss gently with a rubber scraper until evenly coated. Mound on a plate and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. 

This Weeks Menu:

Sunday: Burritos
Monday: Turkey
Tuesday: Chicken and Brocolli Pasta
Wednesday: Flatbread Pizza
Thursday: Squash and Rice
Friday: Beans and Grilled Veggies
Saturday:  Fish Tacos

PESTS!

So last week I was experimenting with squash bug killer.

I have sprayed 3 times and am satisfied with the results - 

less eggs and no huge infestations (yet).

I am harvesting pumpkins and am excited to put some in the freezer this weekend.

I also have a lot of spaghetti squash ripening.

Now we are working on another pest - bunnies.

I removed one early in the season ...

hubby got another one shortly thereafter ...

but it appears that a litter was left in the garden before the big bunnies were taken care of...

because this week we have removed 3 young rabbits.

I saw another bouncing around this afternoon,

but didn't get to it fast enough.

Supposedly my bug spray should deter them, 

buy I am not convinced ...
I sure hope it was a small litter that was left in the garden.

I am going to try to clean out a little tomorrow - dead leaves, weeds, etc.
 in hopes of removing some hiding places...

this gardening is hard work!

Sweet Treat

Last week, I made a simple recipe for peanut butter fudge.

It was not sticky sweet and was "different" but we were both satisfied by it.
Note: we both like banana and pb - so we didn't mind the combo.
It was creamy like fudge and though we could have eaten the whole batch,
we were content with just a small piece each night.
I made it in a plastic dish the first time and then cracked it trying to cut my fudge - DUH!
Probably a bread pan or something smaller than an 8x8 Pyrex would work well.
The recipe could also use palm shortening for the the coconut oil which I may try next which may keep OK in the fridge and be easier to eat at room temp.

Peanut Butter Fudge

1/2 cup peanut butter
 1 large banana 
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/16 tsp salt
 2 tbsp melted virgin coconut oil
 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a mixer until completely smooth.
Scoop into a parchment-lined glass container OR candy molds OR mini cupcake liners.
Freeze until firm.
Due to the melty nature of coconut, this fudge is best stored in the freezer.


This Week's Menu

Sunday: Chicken Fajita
Monday: Spanish Fried Rice
Tuesday: Tilapia
Wednesday: Stuffed Peppers or Spanish Rice
Thursday: Flat Bread Pizza with Grilled Veggies
Friday: Picnic - Avocado Egg Salad and Flat Bread
Saturday: Turkey

Amazing Frame

It is thankful Thursday.

This week, I am thankful for the amazing human body that God created.

I am reminded this week as I nurse some low back pain

that the human body is amazing.

My strain or tweak will get better.

I will nurse it with rest, healthy food, and mild exercise.

I look forward to free movement again soon.

I am thankful that God created the body to heal itself many times.

Change of Title

I frequently take online surveys to earn extra spending money.

I typically use the funds for Amazon orders - household paper goods, health foods ...

Right now I am saving for a high power blender - 

one that can make nut butters, ice cream out of frozen bananas, 

smoothies out of whole fruits and veggies.

On the surveys,

I am typically asked my employment status.

Typically my closest choice is "stay-at-home parent."

Recently I have seen a change.

This week I have seen "manager of the home."

I like that.

I know it is mind games,

but it seems to give my work an element of seriousness,

it makes me want to manage more,

it makes me want to act appropriately in my field.

It is similar to the word in the Bible - "keeper of the home."

Stick with it - be the best you can be.

Killing Bugs or Seasoning Their Food

I was tickled this morning as hubby left for work.

As I inspected my garden for squash bug eggs and baby squash bugs,

I told him that I thought that my natural bug spray had diminished the number of babies and eggs.

I told him that I planned to spray again on Wednesday.

He commented, "Well, either your killing them, or you are seasoning their food!"

The bug spray is a mix of onion juice, garlic juice, cayenne, soap, oil, and baking soda.

It is a little smelly to make, but I like that it is natural and I hope to save my many pumpkins and squash this year.  It also seemed to work on the bugs on my green beans.

Only time will tell if it is a true success, but the first attempt looked promising.

Curious about the recipe?

I found it here.

Ingredients

4 Tsp baking soda

1 Tsp vegetable oil 

1 Tsp soap (such as Dr. Bronner’s)

1 to 2 tbs garlic juice 

 To make juice: 1 medium bulb (not clove) of garlic blended with 1 to 2 cups of water. Let sit a minimum of 15 minutes and strain.

1 medium onion, made into a juice concentrate as above.

1 Tbs dried cayenne pepper.

Instructions

Add all ingredients together in a bottle with a screw top and shake well to mix.

Add concentrate to a gallon of water and spray liberally. 

Repeat as often as needed to drive off or kill the squash bugs.