Thought for the Day

Penelope at The Cafe at the End of the Universe sent me this in an email today and I thought it was something I’d like to share with everyone as it is the epitome’ of much of what I’ve been feeling recently.

There comes a point in your life when you realize

who matters,

who never did,

who won’t anymore…

and who always will.

So, don’t worry about people from your past,

there’s a reason why they didn’t make it to your future.

‘Be kinder than necessary because everyone
you meet is fighting some kind of battle.’

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Favorite Ingredient Friday ~ Sweet & Sour Cabbage

SWEET & SOUR CABBAGE
1 pound bacon, browned and crumbled (save 4 tablespoons of drippings)
1 head red cabbage
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 medium Vidalia onion
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 + 1 cup water
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

  • Brown bacon until crisp. Save 4 tablespoons of drippings.
  • Wash and shred cabbage. Cut onion into thin rings.
  • Heat 1 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup white vinegar to boiling.
  • Add shredded cabbage and onion rings. Cook until tender crisp. Drain.
  • In a dutch oven heat together the 1 cup water, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, bacon drippings, brown sugar and flour until well blended.
  • Add the cabbage and onion mix and heat through.
  • Drain before serving.
  • Top with crumbled bacon just before serving.

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Win a back pack for your young one

Go back to school this year in style with Warm Biscuit Bedding Company!

They are currently promoting their School Time items and you just have to stop by and see and great things they have!

Win it!

Warm Biscuit has generously donated a Classic Cotton Backpack for one lucky winner (your choice of Dragonfly or Vintage Train design). To enter:

  • Stop by Warm Biscuit before midnight, August 28th.
  • Then come back and mention in comments what your favorite item is. That’s it!
  • A random winner will be selected and notified on August 29th.
  • The winner will then have 3 days to claim their prize.

To earn more entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry.

This giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck!

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Firday Fill-Ins

1. Dancing to the MUSIC while CLEANING makes me WORK FASTER.

2. The last time I WALKED DOWN THE STAIRS IN SLIPPERY SOCKS I nearly DIED WHEN I FELL DOWN THEM.

3. When I drive I SING ALONG TO THE RADIO.

4. I saw THE DEER standing IN MY FRONT YARD WAITING FOR DINNER.

5. Give me STRENGTH, give me GUIDANCE, give me MORE STRENGTH.

6. Next week I am looking forward to GETTING MORE ORGANIZED.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to DINNER & A MOVIE WITH HUBBY, tomorrow my plans include OFFICE ORGANIZATION & THE FAMILY ROOM IF I HAVE TIME AFTER PAINTING THE KITCHEN SUBFLOOR and Sunday, I want to RELAX AT THE FLORENCE COUNTY FAIR AND CLASSIC CAR SHOW!
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Aloha Friday

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day to take it easy and look forward to the weekend.
I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer.
Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog
and leave your link at An Island Life.
Don’t forget to visit the other participants!
It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

Today’s question is:
The trend today seems to be bold colors, but I’m just not sure about it.
What is your favorite paint color for interior walls?

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Thursday 13 ~ A list of 13 things I need to Do

  1. Take measurements for lower cabinet kitchen shelves.
  2. Design lower cabinet kitchen shelves.
  3. Finish sorting & organizing craft items.
  4. Finish sorting & organizing rummage sale items for charity.
  5. Finish painting Amber’s bedroom. (It needs a 3rd coat that I’ve been putting off)
  6. Finish building master bedroom closet.
  7. Clean, sort, organize and insulate coat closet.
  8. Finish Christmas and birthday presents that I’m hand making.
  9. Finish sorting & filing the boxes that were dropped and mixed up when we moved in here.
  10. Finish the last (hopefully) 2 loads to the dump from the ‘issues’ we inherited with the house.
  11. Finish the trim molding in the kitchen.
  12. Finish the trim molding in the upstairs bath.
  13. Finish the downstairs bath.
  14. … an so on!!

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Tasty Thursday ~ Chicken Pie

CHICKEN PIE
3 cups cubed or shredded chicken
2 cups hot water
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
1 can cream of mushroom, celery or chicken soup
2 teaspoons minced garlic, Jar
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup self rising flour
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
3/4 cup chopped carrots
1 can Leseur Peas, drained
1 medium onion, chopped

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Spray a 2 quart casserole with PURE.
  • In a medium saucepan whisk together the broth, salt and soup. Bring to a boil.
  • Arrange chicken, carrots, peas and onions in the bottom of the casserole.
  • Pour soup mixture over it.
  • In a medium bowl combine the flour, pepper, butter and buttermilk until well blended.
  • Pour over top of chicken mixture. Smooth it out, but DO NOT mix with the chicken mixture.
  • Bake 45 minutes uncovered until browned and bubbly.

I do the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks, Tasty Thursday hosted by Pumpkin Patch, Watchin’ What We Eat hosted by Lorie at Honey I Shrank Myself and Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

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Slow Cooking Thrusday ~ Everything But the kitchen sink…

I’m going to have a houseful for Christmas and here in the North Woods there is always the possibility of enough snow to keep us all indoors so I’m starting to think menu for a crowd and how I can make it ahead to avoid my spending the entire time in the kitchen. While cleaning out the freezer and fridge today I had an idea and came up with the yummiest soup I can remember in a long time. So we’re calling it Everything but the Kitchen Sink Soup. I plan on making this (and many others) ahead of time and freezing them. I can then just put them in the crock pot and have a delicious meal without all the prep and mess.

4 cups frozen chicken broth (leftover from the last several chicken carcasses)
4 cups water
1 can Campbell’s tomato soup
1 tablespoon Classico tomato pesto
2 tablespoons beef flavor Better Than Bouillon
1 tablespoon minced garlic, Jar
1 bunch green onion, sliced
1 small onion chopped
1 large red pepper, seeded and cut into small slivers
1/2 bag baby carrots, halved
1 1/2 boxes mushrooms, sliced
1 bag frozen white shoepeg corn
2 tenderloin steaks, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup long grain rice
1/4 cup barley
1/4 cup wild rice
1/3 cup split peas

  • Mix together the chicken broth, tomato soup, pesto, better than bouillon, salt, pepper and garlic into the slow cooker.
  • Add veggies and meat as you prep them, stirring well in between.
  • Cook on low 6 hours.
  • Add the rices, barley and split peas.
  • Cook on low 2 more hours or so.
  • Serve with warm beer bread.
I do the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks, Tasty Thursday hosted by Pumpkin Patch, Watchin’ What We Eat hosted by Lorie at Honey I Shrank Myself and Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

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Tasty Thursday & Scrumptious Sunday – Crispy Cheese Puffs

Tasty Thursday is hosted by Trista at Pumpkin Patch
Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks
CRISPY CHEESE PUFFS

2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Frank’s Red hot sauce
4 cups corn flakes, finely crushed
3/4 cup flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon paprika

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Mix butter and cheese with a mixer until well blended.
  • Add Worcestershire and hot sauce.
  • Combine corn flakes, flour and paprika.
  • Add to cheese mixture.
  • Beat together until well blended.
  • Drop generous teaspoons of dough 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
  • Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown.