At Considerable Cost

I'm so blessed he sleeps in the car and will even stay asleep when removed from his seat! New dress, new shoes, cutie pie With glasses

Blackberry Pie

This week, I cooked my first spaghetti squash!   I have to be honest, though.   I wasn't feeling well, so I didn't actually eat my meal!   The kids would have liked it less spicy. Spaghetti Squash Marinara (from Better Homes and Gardens) 1 medium spaghetti squash (2 1/2 to 3 lbs.) --This seems too small, but trust me, it will produce a lot of strands! 1/4 cup chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 (16 oz.) can whole tomatoes, cut up (On a cooking show, I once saw the chef say whole tomatoes were best because they go through the least number of steps in the processing/canning process; a food processor makes them more kid-friendly).   I only find 14.5 oz. cans in the store. 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper (maybe cut back to avoid making it too spicy) Grated Parmesan cheese, optional Heat oven to 350 degrees. Halve squash lengthwise (nice heavy knife); scoop out seeds.   Place squash, ...

This was meant to be last week's Tuesday folder, but blogging has taken its place behind our family activities.   Time to catch up a little! Shoes, Shoes, Shoes We did some serious shoe shopping two weeks ago.   It's the first time we've had to buy multiple pairs of shoes for several children.   In the past, we've had shoes handed down or shoes bought on clearance the year before and put away until they fit.   They were all very happy with their shoes.   For each of the girls, I gave in on one pair of cute, non-sensible shoes.   E has not worn hers yet, so no pictures, but C wore her to RE (Religious Education) and mass.   I think she's still in shock that we bought them. Her new dress that she calls her "Annie" dress--such a sweet, classic little-girl dress! Since we don't have any living grandparents, I feel like I have to buy some of the frivolous things grandparents today often buy.  ...

A friend and I were talking about enchiladas this morning at a swim play date.   She shared a delicious sounding recipe for meat-less enchiladas.   I'm so happy to have another enchilada option, as the one below is the only one I've ever really made. 8  6-inch corn tortillas 1/2 cup chopped onion 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp. ground coriander (I usually use cumin, though) 1/4 tsp. pepper 2 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1  8-ounce container dairy sour cream 2 cups chicken broth 1   4-ounce can diced green chili peppers, drained 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz) 2 cups chopped cooked chicken Optional: sliced pitted ripe olives, chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions Heat oven to 350 degrees.   Wrap tortillas in foil.   Heat in oven for 10 to 15 min. or until softened. For sauce, in a saucepan, cook onion, garlic, coriander, and pepper in butter until onion is tender.  Stir in flour into sour cream; ...

This is one of those simple recipes that allows you to feed your family pancakes without preservatives and additives. Easy Buttermilk Pancakes 2 eggs 2 cups buttermilk (in a pinch, substitute 2 Tbsp. vinegar plus milk to make 2 cups) 1/4 cup oil 1 3/4 cups self-rising flour 2 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt Heat griddle or large skillet to medium high heat (375).  Grease lightly with oil.   Griddle is ready when small drops of water sizzle and disappear almost immediately.   Pancakes will stick if griddle is too cold. In large bowl, beat eggs.   Add buttermilk and oil; mix well.   Add all remaining ingredients; stir just unitl large lumps disappear.   For thicker pancakes, add additional flour; for thinner pancakes, add additional buttermilk. For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle.   Drop blueberries onto each pancake.   Cook 1 to 2 min. or until bubbles begi...

I usually catch a glimpse of Mama's face in my baby girl's face.   As a friend, the daughter of Mama's best friend, told me, "It's a special blessing." My baby girl Mama Thanks be to God for little blessings everywhere.