Save Your Potato Skins!

I must admit that as thrifty as I am, I can not force a potato skin down with a baked potato or even a twice baked potato. Shameful, I know! My only consolation is knowing they are going to feed the chickens. However, using them to recreate this little appetizer/side dish is another story! I just tell everyone at the meal, "save your skins!" 

I place the tragic looking peels into a tupperware and the next day is a brand new side dish with new appeal. These are quick and easy to make.

First, preheat your oven control to "broiler". Now, line your baking/cookie sheet with foil because this will save on a potential baked on mess. Slice up your skins to resemble the approximate size above. You can see that anything goes on this one.

Brush your skins with melted butter and broil with potatoes 4-5 inches away from heat. Let them go for about 8-10 minutes or until they start to get nice and brown and crispy.

Sprinkle shredded cheese over potatoes (I use mozzarella for almost everything since I buy a huge block of it in bulk but you can also use Colby/Monterey Jack cheese, or anything else that suits your fancy).

Now, place these back to broil for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until your cheese is nice and melted. I pull mine out when bits of brown bubbles begin to form on the cheese.

Now, serve them with some homemade salsa of diced tomatoes, onions, squeeze of lemon or lime and with a bit of fresh parsley or cilantro. Of course, you can use a bottled salsa as well as some sour cream if you like.

And this is the new way we use potato skins in our home. I hope someone else out there can appreciate this double duty meal of the potato as well. This was a real hit in our home...

Linked up to: Raising Homemakers 

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The Girl I Used to Be...

The Introduction by Emily Crawford

The Girl I Used to Be...

She came tonight as I sat alone,
The girl I used to be...
And she gazed at me with her earnest eye
And questioned reproachfully:

Have you forgotten the many plans
And hopes that I had for you?
The great career, the splendid fame,
All the wonderful things to do?

Where is the mansion of stately height
With all of its gardens rare?
The silken robes that I dreamed for you
And the jewels in your hair?

And as she spoke, I was very sad
For I wanted her pleased with me...
This slender girl from the shadowy past,
The girl that I used to be.

So gently rising, I took her hand,
And guided her up the stair,
Where peacefully sleeping, my babies lay
Innocent, sweet, and fair.

And I told her that these are my only gems,
And precious they are to me;
That silken robe is my motherhood
Of costly simplicity.

And my mansion of stately height is love,
And the only career I know
Is serving each day in these sheltered walls
For the dear ones who come and go.

And as I spoke to my shadowy guest,
She smiled through her tears at me.
And I saw that the woman that I am now
Pleased the girl that I used to be.


—Author Unknown


Linked up to:
Domestically Divine Tuesday
Deep Roots at Home
A Wise Woman Link Up

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Spring Inspired Activities

Spring's a variable season;

First comes zephyr mild and meek,

Then the east wind nips the blossom,

Sun and show'r play hide and seek.

Spring's a sweet and merry season,

Spring with garlands decks the thorn,

Fills the grove with songs of joyance,

Then the lamb and colt are born.

~ Excerpt from "Seasons" by Sara Coleridge

Spring is my favorite season (next to fall!). The great outdoors are blooming with life and have seemed to awaken after their winter slumber. Venture outside with your family and enjoy some of these activities together…

• Prepare the soil together and plant a family garden.

• Take your family on local historical home tours (this is a great time to go since most historical homes have no air conditioner and it could get pretty stuffy inside in the summer).

• Go out on a weekly nature walk.

• Create a nature journal with your family.

• Go bird watching (many nature parks offer bird watching tours and hikes).

• Make a bird feeder for your back yard or paint some bird feeders together. Watch the wildlife come to you as you help to feed and house them.

A Picnic by Henry Nelson O'Neil

• Go on a family picnic when the weather warms.

• Pick some wildflowers and other natural objects to display in your home.

• Listen to the Secret Garden Audio Book by Focus on the Family on those rainy nights.

• Read together some spring inspired picture books:

A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson (Illustrated by Tasha Tudor is my favorite!)

Beatrix Potter The Complete Tales

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons

A Packet of Seeds by Deborah Hopkinson

Spring Charm by Lisa Auger

• Read some spring inspired poetry:

Written in March

The cock is crowing, 

The stream is flowing, 

The small birds twitter, 

The lake doth glitter 

The green field sleeps in the sun; 

The oldest and youngest 

Are at work with the strongest; 

The cattle are grazing, 

Their heads never raising; 

There are forty feeding like one! 

Like an army defeated 

The snow hath retreated, 

And now doth fare ill 

On the top of the bare hill; 

The plowboy is whooping- anon-anon: 

There's joy in the mountains; 

There's life in the fountains; 

Small clouds are sailing, 

Blue sky prevailing; 

The rain is over and gone!

~ William Wordsworth

Wisdom comes with all we see,

God writes His lessons in each flower,

And ev'ry singing bird or bee

Can teach us something of His power.

 ~ Unknown

Linked up to:

Handful of Heart Monday's

 Modest Monday's

Deep Roots at Home

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Bible Primer in Picture Study Series: Part Two

Rembrandt's Mother Reading the Bible by Rembrandt

This marks the second segment of my "Bible in Art Series of Studies" for children (first segment here). These are meant to incorporate basic knowledge of the Scriptures along with a taste of art through picture study. Try one of these lessons a week with your children and watch as they gently teach them a variety of information in just a few minutes or if you aren't a homeschooler, you can see if you can glean anything yourself! Who says we stop learning once we leave "school"?

Have your children study the painting above by Rembrandt and discuss the following with them:

• Have you ever heard of Rembrandt? He painted the picture above of his mother reading the Bible.
• He is a Dutch painter. Can you find Dutch on the map? (No, we call the country that the Dutch people reside in, Holland.) Can you find Holland on the map or globe?
• Rembrandt is considered one of the greatest painters of all time. He spent a lot of time with his family and included them in much of his art. He also liked to dress up and paint fun pictures. Do you enjoy doing that as well?
• What colors do you notice in the painting above?
• Open up your Bible, does it look similar to the one his mother is reading?
• Do you think the woman in the picture will ever learn all there is to know in the Scriptures?
• Did you know that the first five books of the Bible are referred to as the "Law" or "Pentateuch"? Pentateuch comes from the Greek term meaning "five volume book". The Jewish people call this the "Torah" which simply means "instruction".
• Can you locate these five books in your Bible and name them to your mother?

Memorize the following Scripture and discuss the meaning together:

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart,

that I might not sin against thee."

~ Psalm 119:11

Guessing Game:

Rembrandt painted many pictures of Biblical scenes. Can you guess the Bible story that corresponds to the paintings below? Be sure to look at all the details like a detective. I will place the answers at the bottom of this post:

Continue with your discussion using the questions below:

• Now that you have seen some of the artwork of Rembrandt, do you like his paintings?
• Why or why not?
• Ask your children if there is a difference between the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh and Rembrandt (whom were both Dutch). What makes them different? Do they both paint with the same moods? Do they use the same colors and style? Do they prefer one artist over the other? Why or why not?

Books for Children about Rembrandt:

 Rembrandt: Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artist Series by Mike Venezia

Rembrandt by Ernest Raboff ~ Art For Children Series

Instruction from Scripture ~ A Poem for Children by Isaac Watts

How shall the young secure their hearts, 

And guard their lives from sin?

Thy word the choicest rules imparts 

To keep the conscience clean. 


When once it enters to the mind, 

It spreads such light abroad, 

The meanest souls instruction find, 


And raise their thoughts to God. 


'Tis like the sun, a heav'nly light,

That guides us all the day; 


And through the dangers of the night, 


A lamp to lead our way.

The men that keep thy law with care,

And meditate thy word, 

Grow wiser than their teachers are, 

And better know the Lord.

Thy precepts make me truly wise:

I hate the sinner's road; 

I hate my own vain thoughts that rise, 

But love thy law, my God.

The starry heavens thy rule obey, 

The earth maintains her place; 

And these thy servants night and day 

Thy skill and power express.

But still thy law and gospel, Lord, 

Have lessons more divine; 

Not earth stands firmer than thy word, 

Nor stars so nobly shine.

Thy word is everlasting truth,

How pure is every page! 

That holy book shall guide our youth, 

And well support our age. 

Final Review Activities:

• You can finish up this study by reading the poem above by Isaac Watts to your dear students.
• Review the information above through a few minutes of oral quizzes.
• Have your children repeat their memory verse.
• It might be fun to show a variety of paintings to the children and see if they can point out the ones that they think belong to Van Gogh and which ones belong to Rembrandt.
• Bring out some paints and have your children do their own masterpieces.

The answers to the Rembrandt paintings are (in order):

• Moses Smashes the Stone Tablets with the Text of the Covenant
• Haman and Ahasuerus visit Esther
• David and Saul
• Belshazzar's Feast
• Samson tells a Riddle at his Feast
• Storm at the Sea of Galilee

Part One: Featuring Vincent Van Gogh is here.

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Children are a Blessing

A Woman Surrounded by Children by Jessie Wilcox Smith

“She says I shall now have one mouth the more to fill and two feet the more to shoe, more disturbed nights, more laborious days, and less leisure or visiting, reading, music, and drawing. 

Well! This is one side of the story, to be sure, but I look at the other. Here is a sweet, fragrant mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery. Here is a soul to train for God; and the body in which it dwells is worth all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant. I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ's name, I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation my other darlings had left me. Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to your mother's heart, welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderest cares, to her lifelong prayers! Oh, how rich I am, how truly, how wondrously blest!”

― Elizabeth Prentiss, Excerpt from Stepping Heavenward

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"Food for Her Family" ~ An Inspirational Recipe Book Printable

Do you keep your recipes in a binder? I love that concept as you can easily update and add recipes as you come across them. I wanted to encourage you to make an "Inspirational Recipe Book". The reason for the "inspiration"?

I used food and hospitality inspired Scripture to personalize my collection which is a great reminder that when we prepare a meal for our loved ones, the fellowship around that table should be in remembrance of our Lord.

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
“This is My body which is given for you;

do this in remembrance of Me.”

 ~ Luke 22:19

I have updated my original binder to add a section on "Food Preservation" and wanted to share the new Victorian Era style printable with you. (You can view my original Recipe Book here for the concept). You may view the new and improved "Inspirational Recipe Book" below and are welcome to them as a *gift* from me to you as they are printable and/or downloadable.

List of recommended supplies:

• Three Ring Binder
• Plastic Sheet Protectors (These protect your recipes from spills and stains. Simply wipe those away! Hurray!)
• Index Tabs with Printable Inserts
• Our Free Printable (see below)

Included Below in the Free Printable:

Cover Page Insert

Binder Spine Insert (shown below)

"Main Dishes" Section

"Side Dishes" Section

"Salads" Section

"Sauces" Section

"Soups/Stews" Section

"Appetizers" Section

"Desserts" Section

"Food Preservation" Section

"Breakfast" Section

"Yeast Dough/Bread" Section

"Notes" Section

Back Cover Page Insert

"She provides food for her family…"

~ Proverbs 31:15b (NIV)

Simply download and print. Please let me know if you have any printing problems.

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Storing Seasonal Items

I have a very creepy, crawly attic. It is alarming to even think of storing goods up there. However, with limited space, I must utilize this area as it is a blessing. What I came up with is plastic blanket storage bags. These won out over plastic tote boxes and cardboard boxes because they zip up and do not allow for creatures to crawl inside and get comfortable.  What is also nice is that they are affordable, stackable, re-usable and clear so that you can see the contents. (I had tried the space saver bags but found them a pain when needing to use the contents, locate the contents and they really weren't stack friendly in my opinion.)

The other seasonal storage I found to be useful was our luggage. Let's face it, we really don't travel much. And if we do, I simply dump the contents into a laundry basket and replace them when we get home. It's not rocket science but they already take up space so why not utilize them? They zip up nice and tight making them bug proof for the most part. They also have wheels which makes them appealing for the heavier items you want to store.

What are some of the ways that you store your goods?

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The Wedding of Stanley - Hannah

Especially Thanks to : Dreams EO , Bon Cafe 

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