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!

Wednesday Hodge Podge

                                                  

Hosted by Joyce!  

1. Feb 2nd is Groundhog Day in the US of A. Tell us about one day you wouldn't mind living over again, and why you chose that day.  I think it would be the day Hubs and became parents, November 9 th. We had waited almost 20 months since we   began the adoption process and finally the great day arrived.. during the week of the 100 year flood in our area. ... the flood of ‘85.  Praise God we had just a trickle of water in our basement so we were ready to go.  We drove to Philadelphia to pick her up  at the International airport.  We had adopted her through Welcome House who collaborated with Holt in Seoul, Korea.  Amanda was 15 weeks old when they placed her in my arms.  We were in our mid thirties, so this was quite a defining moment in our lives.  It was the happiest day in our lives, apart from our glorious wedding, 15 years prior to that cold autumn day! Amanda completely changed our lives in the very best possible ways.!  Photo 1  Photo 2

2. Something you know beyond a 'shadow of a doubt'? I think it should be known beyond a shadow of a doubt that our 2020 election was stolen.

3. Give us an example of history repeating itself in some way, in your own life or the lives of your children.sad to say the first thing I thought of was Christmas season of 2014 when we lost my daddy, and the very next Christmas season of 2015, when we lost my mom.

4. Snowed under, snow job, not a snowball's chance, snowbird, on thin ice, snug as a bug in a rug, tip of the iceberg, snowball effect, run hot and cold....choose a wintry idiom and tell us how it best applies to your life right now. Snug as a bug in a rug is me now.  I love our gas logs.  I love that with a  click on the control I am sitting cozily by a toasty fire.  Just like I did yesterday as I was reading my book, enjoying tea and a scone!

5. Your favorite sign of spring? I love  to see the   crocuses  peep up and  bloom,  I  used to get  pretty excited driving to work  and seeing the  willow trees that lined the creek    by the road to school  that  were  bursting forth in  their  beauitful  spring green glory!  That signalled the  beginning of counting down the  days of school.

6. Insert your own random thought here.No random thoughts today!

Happy Homemaker Monday

 Hosted by Sandra!
♥♥The Weather♥♥   We'll see how long our lovely snow lasts!!

I love to sit in our cosy sunroom  after a snow... I wrap up in my    comforter and  enjoy the ambience and the views!

MONDAY2/1

37°/

31°

AM Snow

TUESDAY2/2

36°/

21°

Partly Cloudy/ Wind

WEDNESDAY2/3

40°/

22°

Sunny & Windy

THURSDAY2/4

48°/

36°

Partly Cloudy

FRIDAY2/5

50°/

36°

Showers

♥♥How I am feeling this morning♥♥
I usually wake up with a stiff back lately..   thank heaven's for  Tylenol and  a bit of exercise!   Otherwise, all is good!

♥♥On my mind♥♥   

I am wondering if my  church committee meeting will actually be held  later tody.   Ok. yes, it is!I am on the Missions committee, and our  foreign missions pretty much take care of themselves  with bi- annual giving and   a couple of  seasons of  collecting for  La Plancha,  Honduras  and   the Christmas Shoe Box ministry... Our mission is to coordinate  activities  in our local area.  Today we are making  plans  for the Keystone  Children's Center...  I have, also, been assigned  to get in touch with Straight Street.  I'm still waiting for a return call.

 ♥♥On the breakfast plate♥♥

Coffee and fruited yogurt, as usual...   I made some scones  yesterday  and a scone will be nice a bit later!
     

♥♥On my reading pile♥♥ 

We are finishing up the book of Judges  and beginning  a new book of the Bible soon  in Sunday School...I hope it will be Ezra.   I've never really studied  that one!  But I'm not sure what yet.   Meanwhile, I will probably finish The Magician's Nephew  this week!

 ♥♥On my tv♥♥

I have so many favorite vlogs,  Kirsten and Joerg, Fairyland Cottage,  The Cottage Fairy,   Darling Desi, Aprons of Stones,  Entertaining with Beth,  Little House on the Mountain, Talasbaun

♥♥On the menu this week♥♥ 

Monday - homemade chicken soup
Tuesday - beef stew
Wednesday - dinner with friends
Thursday - taco  salad
Friday - cod  fish and chips

♥♥From the camera♥♥

I absolutely love this   photo taken 2 years ago... Our grands  back before  the wee one decided she wanted to   follow right in her older sister's  footsteps.. although  they are both very different..   This  photo sort  demonstrates  that difference..  bless her little pea pickin' heart!!

♥♥Looking around the house♥♥

During the month of January,   with the lockdown,  I havent had a lot of ambition.   Keeping  a couple of downstairs rooms  clear and  cooking is about it for me...  Thankfully, Hubs  can't sit still so,   he  gets  a lot of  the deeper cleaning done, and I say,  have at it!


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

Panko Crusted Cod Recipe

• CourseMain Dish
• CuisineAmerican

Servings Prep Time 2servings 15minutes

Cook Time 15minutes

Ingredients

• 1Lb Wild caught cod filetscleaned, two pieces
• 1cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1large eggbeaten
• 1/4tsp garlic salt
• 1/4tsp onion powder
• 1/4tsp fresh, chopped parsley
•  Olive Oil sprayer

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray large baking sheet with oil   Place breadcrumbs and seasonings into a large bowl.   Dip the cod pieces into the egg mix and then into the panko mix, covering light in breadcrumbsSpray each piece of cod with cooking spray and bake about 15 minutes, until fish is golden brown and flakes easily.

♥♥To relax this week, I will♥♥

Probably  watch a favorite vlog and    enjoy  my russian tea

  ♥♥Something I want to share♥♥ 

♥♥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!