Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy Homemaker Monday!

 Hosted by Sandra!

♥♥The Weather♥♥   

Winter has arrived  and it will be coming more and bitterly cold as the 

week wears on!

♥♥On my mind♥♥  

I am on the Missions Committee at our church and our group  met at Sam's  and using budgetted and donated  monies  we were able to  provide  over $500.00  worth of  food   to a  Children's  mission  in our inner city and $150.00 worth of diapers and wipes to  our Straight Street ministry.   What a blessing.!

 ♥♥On the breakfast plate♥♥

Coffee and fruited yogurt!

     

♥♥On my reading pile♥♥ 

I am beginning a reading plan for the Bible...  it is a wonderful study and read.. called  The Bible Recap.. found for free online.. I found it on Youtube,  but  once you go to the website  there are other means to get it ..  After you read the assigned passage, then you listen to a recap (podcast)  of  what you should have gleaned from  your reading .. It focuses mainly of the character of God and Christ!

 ♥♥On my tv♥♥

I love Masterpiece Theater~ All Creatures Great and Small- true to the book and the  older PBS version whcih I loved!

♥♥On the menu this week♥♥ 

Monday - homemade beef stew

Tuesday -tomato soup and grilled cheese

Wednesday - dinner with friends

Thursday - breakfast for dinner

Friday - cod  fish and chips

♥♥From the camera♥♥

I had almost forgotten I had this wonderful dutch oven. I got it out over the weekend and made the most delicious stew!  Recipe below!

♥♥New recipe I tried last week, or one that we really enjoyed♥♥

Classic, hearty Beef Stew

ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 1 (2 pound) boneless beef round steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
• kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 cups beef broth, or more as needed
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cups chopped carrots
• 3 cups cubed Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 cup fresh peas
• 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or to taste

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

• Step 2

  Place beef cubes into a large bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Add flour and paprika and toss until evenly coated.

• Step 3

  Heat oil in an oven-safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef cubes in batches until dark brown, about 4 minutes per side. Flip or stir gently with a wooden spoon until all edges are dark brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove beef and set aside.

• Step 4

  Add onions to the beef fat with more salt and pepper; cook and stir until they begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir until aromatic and soft, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook until it turns brown and begins to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with red wine, scraping up the flavorful browned bits on the bottom. Let the wine reduce until almost dry again, about 3 minutes.

• Step 5

  Add dried thyme, dried rosemary, herbes de Provence, and bay leaves. Add 2 cups beef broth and Worcestershire, stir, and bring to a boil. Add the seared beef cubes back into the stew liquid. Remove from heat and cover the pot.

• Step 6

  Braise in the preheated oven until meat is almost tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven. Add carrots, potatoes, and more beef broth if needed. Cover and return to the oven to braise until meat and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes longer.

• Step 7

  Discard bay leaves. Stir in peas, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme. Serve hot.

Cook's Note:

You can use frozen peas instead of fresh.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

 

366 calories; protein 28.1g; carbohydrates 32.1g; fat 9.3g; cholesterol 60mg; sodium

377.6mg.

        

Be sure to have some buttery bread ready to sop up that delicious broth!!!!!

♥♥To relax this week, I will♥♥

read in my new Hevbrew, Greek key Bible. I am very excited about it..

  ♥♥Something I want to share♥♥ 

                   Happy Valentine's Day!!

♥♥On my prayer list♥♥

Dear  God,  nothing takes you by surprise. You know everything that has transpired in the last  few years in  our nation..  I won't take your time reminding you but please  know  that our hearts are wrenching from the  knowledge that our nation  has  fallen beyond the pale into the  hands of an evil entity  that has been brewing for  a long time,  but  who has  reared its ugly head  mightily  in the last   few months. Deception, deception, deception!!!   You know best what is to be done,  so  we wait patiently for your help! Thank you for your peace  that passes all understanding.

 Meanwhile,  we pray that the covid vaccine is   truly  safe and  leaves  NO  long lasting  problems. That  the roll out for it will be  swift and  securely  given..  That those who  have limited means of  acquiring the vaccine will be  found and  help administered.   I pray the the  virus will  run its course in due time and   I speak to the virus, "do not mutate any more, in Jesus name!... Give the scientists and  govenment officials  wisdom beyond their  usual understanding and  I pray that all politization of  health issues will be   stopped in the name of Jesus!!  God we  know that without you, we  are and can do nothing. Our trust in in you by the power of the name of Jesus Christ our Lord!  Amen!

Happy HomemakerMonday

Hosted by Sandra!

The weather outside is::::

We had a skiff of snow this morning..    alas, it was gone   in an hour,  but it  was lovely on the trees.  Milder temps all week!

On the breakfast plate this morning::::

Coffee and yogurt, then around 11  we had   biscuits and gravy.. Yummy  .  it was  for  brunch!

 

As I look outside my window::::

The light is fading and I am very late to  post this today!

As I look around the house::::

I am excited we did something new in the den...

What I'm wearing today::::

I have been wearing lounge wear all day!  

 

Currently reading::::

Ann Voskamp's book 1000 Gifts.  I have done the online study and now starting a new journal of 1000  blessings!

 

On the TV for this week::::

Christmas  Vlogs on Youtube

Christmas movies

 

 

On the menu this week::::

 

Monday - General Tso's chicken, fried rice, and kale

Tuesday - Grilled cheese and soup

Wednesday - Sir fried  Basmati Rice with veggies

Thursday - 

Friday - 

Saturday - 

Sunday -

 

 

Something fun to share::::

 I wonder how many have discovered the PBS channel called Create.  It is wonderful.. Some of my favorite  shows  are   tops chefs, like Kevin Belton,  of New Orleans fame..  He is  so cute and fun!!!

 

Nick Stellino,  of Sicily:: 

And Ming Tsai

We really enjoy these shows!  Check our the Create Network!

 

 

Favorite photo from the camera::::

This is our sunroom..  I need to get started decorating in there!!!

 

Prayers, Inspiration quotes, Devotionals::::

Dear  God,  nothing takes you by surprise. You know everything that has transpired in the last  few years in  our nation..  I won't your time reminding you    but please  know  that our hearts are wrenching from the  knowledge that our nation  has  fallen beyond the pale into the  hands of an evil entity  that has been brewing for  a long time  but  who has  reared its ugly head  mightily  in the last   few weeks. Deception,   deception deception!!!   You know best   what is to be done,  so  we wait patiently for your help!   Thank you for your peace  that passes all understanding.

Happy Homemaker Monday

To return to Sandra click here!

The weather:::

Very thankful for the milder , more seasonal temps! And we do need that coming rain... just hope it is not a deluge! 

On my breakfast plate:

I am meeting  a friend at IHOP!

As I look outside my window...

A stroll through the yard revealed some flourishing going on!

My new rose garden is taking root and looking very nice!

This older rose bush needs a bit of loving care!!!

I'll be happy when these stumps are gone! But the hydrangea is really making up for a lack-luster season last year!

On my bedside table..

 An organization of my bedside drawers has made a positive impact on my table top... I am feeling really good about some order there beside me! hehehe

On my reading pile:::

Continue through the Bible readings from Psalms, Hebrews, and Isaiah

Movies or Shows I watched this weekend:::

I saved When Calls the Heart to watch today..

Thank goodness for Contour tv

On my TV this week:::

Worst Cooks in America, Celebrity 

various vintage game shows via You Tube

HGTV 

Food Network

On the menu for this week:::

Nothing planned yet.. We need to do some marketing!

On my to do list this week :::

Marketing

laundry

Bible Study at a new church we have been visiting

Brunch/Coffee time with my Prayer Sista's

Looking around the house:::

general cleaning, vacuum, dust

spend some time going through magazines and recycle at least half of them

I have got to overcome this issue...

What am I listening to:

Hubs has talk radio on here n the kitchen

From the camera::: 

Somebody had her recital photos taken

God bless her sweet heart!

What I'm wearing today:::

Denim Capri's and a navy peasant blouse

One of my simple pleasures:::

Planning... I love to plan things like tea or dinner parties, tablescapes, room arrangements. These things may never come to fruition, but I love to plan them anyway!

Bible verse, Devotional, prayers::: 

Prayers 

Continuing prayers for our nation:

Pray protection over The President and his family. Scatter the network of evil schemes that thwart 

the Constitutional flow of government

Pray that many who serve in our government will experience a God encounter that will bring them to their knees in humility and repentance, that they would be saved and have a gigantic shift in their political stance.

For the God's will to work its way through our Congress to promote a healing and a functioning environment.

Pray against delusion and lies of the enemy, protect the hearts and minds of the young, bring them into the Great Shepherd's Fold that they might truly understand Truth and the right.

Pray that pastors across the nation are renewed and re edified to preach the gospel using the whole counsel of God.

Please, God, take back our institutions of higher learning

Pray for the sick that they might be healed

Pray for the peace and harmony of Jerusalem ...also pray God's favor over Bibi Netanyahu ..I have some friends flying there for a tour of the Holy land today.. keep them safe, Lord!

Pray for our service men and women overseas who put their life on the line everyday to protect our freedoms. 

Pray for the lost who are bewildered and lost... they are hopeless in need of a loving savior

Happy Homemaker Monday

I have been so consumed with creating a page of posts about our Irish trip and then on the trip,,and then not feeling well, that I have been terribly negligent to post for some time previously.. it is nice to get back to business at hand.... blogging, to me, is a great motivator... it helps me get things done so that I have something to write about!

CLick here to return to   Happy Homemaker Monday.

The weather in my neck of the woods:

The past few days have been simply divine,,, except for the awful pollen count which has necessarily kept me indoors unless i simply had to get out! Today is another grand day!

Things that make me happy: 

getting done that have been on a back burner for a very long time... more about that in the coming day!

Menu for this week:

That is one organizational tool I would love to implement and not any time soon.

What's on my TV today: 

If it's not HGTV, the Food Channel, The Middle, or Tom Selleck.... IM not interested.... we did away with TCM and so I am training myself not to watch as much tv.

Looking around the house:

Without giving too much away... I have cleaned out a bookcase cabinet and put it all on the sunroom table. I need to clean out a hutch in the kitcehn and I ahve no idea where to put that stuff.. dining room table I guess.. then move a desk, and a filing cabinet and take a computer table to the goodwill. do all that to clear a spot in the kitchen..... lots to do this week,, and meanwhile, every clear surface will be piled to the ceiling..

On my To Do List:

Like I said, empty several pieces of furniture. get rid of about half the stuff accumulated in these items of furniture, to move them around from room to room to make space in our kitchen....

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:

Well, I have definitely been ahving withdrawals from Irish tea and scones, so I will probably figure out an easy scone recipe this week.

In the craft basket:

I am crafting ideas in my mind and on paper about a major project in the works!

Looking forward to this week:

Talking to a home improvement coordinator and freelance contractor about said project 

Tips and Tricks:

Take it from me.... just because you could, don't.... just because I could take some of my grandma's books when they were unloading stuff, I did,, just old books... they looked nice on the book case , but now I dont need or want them, but it is hard work to get them together and lug them to whereever I can get rid of them... Ok, Cousins, believe me... you dont want them either... just old agriculture books....also, just because I grew up with momma's glass serving dishes... doesnt mean I had to keep them.... I already had my own... too much stuff in cabinets now I have to decide how to dispose of a ton of this stuff....

My favorite blog post this week: 

NO time to look at any..... maybe I can do this soon.

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):

Same answer

No words needed (favorite photo or picture):

Lynn and I riding the jaunting carts in Killarney!

Lesson learned the past few days:

Trust and Obey, for there's no other way.. to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey! 

On my mind:

I am so thankful that even though this past week was horrid when our little granddaughter was ill, God is faithful, and He answers our prayers unceasingly!

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

Many places in Scripture extol the faithfulness of God.Lamentations 3:22–23says, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” So, what is faithfulness?

The Hebrew word translated “faithfulness” means “steadfastness, firmness, fidelity.” The opposite of being faithful is to be ever-changing or wishy-washy.Psalm 119:89–90says, “Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations.” Here faithfulness is equated with God’s Word. God speaks never-ending truth. If God spoke something a thousand years ago, it still stands. He is faithful to His Word, because His Word is an expression of His character. The promises He made still hold true because He does not change (Malachi 3:6). We see this illustrated from a human perspective in a couple married for eighty years. When the wife lies on her deathbed, her husband sits nearby holding her hand. He won’t leave her, even though she no longer recognizes him. He is faithful to the promises he made to her. In the same way, God remains faithful to His promises, even though we are often unfaithful to Him (2 Timothy 2:13).