Saturday, April 30, 2011

Rebecca's HEARTH AND HOME - April 30, 2011



Greetings, Dear Friends!

Spring has sprung in all it's glory here in southwest Missouri! As I type this issue of HEARTH AND HOME I can see the brightly-colored hummingbirds flitting around the hummingbird feeder outside our front door, as well as my beautiful lilac-colored irises blooming in their ring around the walnut tree in our front yard. Two squirrels play in the neighbor's red bud tree across the way. What a lovely site to behold! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the peace of God comes flooding over my soul like sunshine spilling over the eastern horizon causing the darkness in its path to flee and retreat quickly away as the dawning of a new day bursts forth. But, sad to say, that was not the case earlier today.

As problems plague us on all sides it's easy to lose site of what's what and where we're going...and that's where I've been much of the past few days...lost in a world of troubles and trials, not seeing what's what, shaken in spirit, fearful, dark. Thanks to some good, godly council, a timely sermon on-line, and the grace of God, I have once again, with God's help, fought my way back up to the top and see the Lord's hand in, and over, all! Praise the name of the Lord!

Won't you come join me for a cup of tea as we sit and visit a spell at my HEARTH AND HOME? Here we go...



1) Things here have been pretty hectic since our last visit. I've been wanting to get to spring cleaning, but it seems I can never get enough hours in a day together to do anymore than I have to, so, thus far it hasn't happened, but I am still hoping for a uninterrupted day or two to come along at some point and make it possible. In looking through old issues of HEARTH AND HOME, I found this piece that was originally published on April 26, 2002. I thought I'd share it again...

SPEEDY SPRING CLEANING: 5-Minute Sprints


- Shake out and hose down a winter's worth of mud and salt from a doormat. A clean mat will catch the muck, but a dirty one brings it into your home.

- Remove the grill from the condenser at the bottom of  your refrigerator, and sweep or vacuum out the annual deposit of dust. Dusty coils will make unit's motor labor.

- Empty the refrigerator drip pan. A full pan can become the local watering hole for parched pests.

- Clean the refrigerator door seals with a mix of baking soda and water. Then apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to the seal to prevent it from sticking and bending out of shape.

- Toss the cook-top filter into the dishwasher. The heavier meals of winter can leave a filter caked with grease. If you don't have a dishwasher, let the filter soak in water with soap and baking soda, then rinse away the buildup.

- Clean the microwave in a blast. Nuke a few tablespoons of baking soda in a cup of water and wipe up the fallout with a paper towel. Then use the damp towel to wipe the surrounding area.

- Remove the garbage disposal's splash guard and scrub off the gunk. Replace. Then sweeten things up by sprinkling about a quarter cup of baking soda over the grind chamber, followed by a little distilled white vinegar.

- Scatter a few bay or mint leaves on pantry shelves as a natural defense against warm-weather pests.

- Change the furnace filter to avoid spewing a season of dust and odors through your home next fall.

- Add fresh cedar shavings to a just-washed pet pillow to keep pets, and your house, flea free.

- Pare down bed coverings for warmer nights. Once fluffy comforter and a set of wrinkle-resistant sheets make bed-making a snap.

- Hose out and wipe down a few wastebaskets. Keep a supply of plastic liners in at the bottom of baskets for lickety-split changes.

- Open windows on the first warm and sunny day. Fresh air and sunshine make rooms smell and feel clean.

(I got tickled when I read over these just now. A cook-top filter? A dishwasher? A garbage disposal? And a furnace? I don't even have any of these things! At the time I was thinking of folks who do have them, I suppose. Now...a refrigerator? A microwave? A vacuum? And windows? Those I do have! LOL!)


2) Our son got a hankering for sourdough pancakes the other day and came up with this recipe...

SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

    3/4 cup sourdough starter
    1 egg, beaten
    2 tablespoons water
    2 teaspoons vegetable oil
    1/4 cup flour
    1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder
    3/4 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar

In a large bowl, combine the sourdough starter, egg, water, and oil. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, nonfat dry milk, salt, baking soda, and sugar. Stir to blend dry ingredients. Add to sourdough starter and mix until batter is smooth. Bake in a cast-iron skillet that has been sprayed with pan spray until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and bake on opposite side.

3) Since I'm sharing that recipe, I thought I might as well go ahead and share these, too!


SOURDOUGH STARTER

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water (potato water is good)
2 cups warm water
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar

Using a quart size fruit jar or crock, dissolve yeast with 1/4 cup water. Allow to stand several minutes then stir in water, flour, and sugar. Cover with a cloth. Leave overnight at room temperature. Stir down several times as mixture rises to top. The longer the mixture stands at room temperature, the stronger the sour taste. Replace cover and refrigerate until ready to use. To maintain an ample supply of starter, each time you use it, replenish it with equal amounts of warm water and flour. Makes about 2 cups.


SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

(This is the sourdough recipe that we usually use.)

Mix the night before using:

2 cups flour
2 cups milk
1 cup starter

Let stand overnight at room temperature.

Whey ready to bake, add:

2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Stir batter until well mixed. Grease griddle if necessary. Pour or spoon pancake batter onto hot griddle. When bubbly and puffed, turn and brown other side. Serve with your favorite syrup. Makes 16 pancakes.

For future use, add to starter:

1 cup water to original jar
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar

Keep refrigerated.


SOUR DOUGH BISCUITS

Mix the night before using:

1 cup sourdough starter, at room temperature
 1/2 cup warm water
1 cup flour

Let stand overnight at room temperature.

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
Bacon drippings or butter or olive oil

About 1 hour before serving, turn dough out on 1 cup of the flour on a bread board. Combine remaining 1/2 cup flour with baking powder, soda, salt, and sugar. Knead flour lightly into batter. Make a well in the dough and mix dry ingredients into the batter, kneading lightly to get correct consistency for rolling dough without sticking. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut biscuits with a cutter or into 2" x 3" rectangles. Brush tops with warm bacon drippings or warm butter or olive oil. Place biscuits 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet, or close together in a 9-inch square pan, and set in a warm place to rise about 1/2 hour. Bake at 400 degrees about 20 minutes. Makes 14 biscuits.

(My husband particularly likes this recipe as it contains no hydrogenated anything in it.)


4) Okay...who's heard of 'dryer balls'? I never had until I got in on a giveaway for them online. I didn't win the giveaway, but I was so fascinated with the idea of the product that I ordered a set of three of them and, boy, am I ever glad I did! I love them!




Since ordering a set of three natural-colored dryer balls from The Willow Store, I have not used a single dryer sheet...not a single drop of fabric softener...not a single drop of white vinegar! There's no need for any of them AND our clothes dry in a shorter amount of time! To find out more visit The Willow Store by clicking HERE.

5) How many of you are putting a garden in this year? My husband has been trying to get our garden planted, but the cool temperatures and rain have made it difficult. We have been eating lots of fresh salad material (spinach, several kinds of lettuces, green onions, etc.) and the potatoes are in, but we're so looking forward to getting our tomatoes and peppers in the ground. Hopefully next week!

6) In fighting the debt battle we have paid off another credit card and we are so thankful! Beginning in May we plan on tackling next one! Here are some other money saving ideas and budget basics...

SAVING MONEY: Budget Basics      

- Track your spending for a month. Then give it a good hard look and figure out where to cut back.

- Take a look at your attitude toward money. Paul warns that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Jesus urges us to lay up treasures in heaven rather than on earth and to seek His kingdom  and His righteousness first (Matthew 6:33). He called the rich man a fool for storing up treasures for himself and forgetting about God (Luke 12:20-21). God instructed the Israelites to remember that He was the One who enabled them to get wealth (Deut. 8:18). David said, "Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might." (1 Chronicles 29:12). To whom does our money belong? The worldly man insists it is his. Many Christians believe 10% belongs to God and 90% belongs to them. Other Christians realize rightly that all of their money and other treasures belong to God; they are merely stewards of it. This is the attitude we should have as Christians. If we believe that all of our resources are a gift from God and should be used for His glory, we will not quibble about giving a tenth of our income to God; rather, we will give more than a tenth. God promised His blessing on those who give back to Him of what He has given them. "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out  a blessing, that  there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Mal. 3:10).

- After tithe, then take care of everything else putting as much money as possible into savings or debt reduction.

- If you want a new bedroom set, winter coat, or vacation, try saving for it the old-fashioned way. Put away at least a dollar a day  on payday, if possible.

- Deposit spare change directly into your savings account weekly or monthly. All that change adds up and so does the  interest! Or try rolling your change and saving it for something special like a weekend away, a new piece of furniture, or to go toward Christmas gifts.

- Pay off your high-interest-rate credit cards first, even before you start saving money. You'll be saving money in the long run!

- Save whatever you can, when you can...whether it be $1, $5, $50, or $100. Eventually, it will add up.

- For a month, pay for everything in cash: meals, groceries, trips to the mall. As you shell out $20 after $20, you'll become much more conscious of your spending.

- To find out if you're paying too much in property taxes, go to your local records office, appraisal district office or tax assessor's office and ask for your public assessment information. Look for obvious errors, like being charged for five bedrooms when you only have four. Then compare your assessment and property tax to that of other houses in your neighborhood with  similar square footage and lot sizes.

7) It's been a long time since I've asked a 'HEARTH AND HOME Question' and I think it's high time I did so...

Proverbs 19:14 tells us that "...a prudent wife is from the Lord."

Based on the scripture above...what exactly is a "prudent" wife? What does she look like? What does she do? How is it that she is "from the Lord?" In what ways are you "prudent?"

If you don't mind me sharing your answers to these questions in a future issue of HEARTH AND HOME, please e-mail them to me at: proverbs31heart@yahoo.com. Be sure and put 'PRUDENT WIFE' on the subject line, so I won't overlook it. Thank you!

8) On May 15, 2011 we will celebrate 15 years of living in Liberal and being in ministry.

The ministry began in 1996 when we packed up our six children and all our belongings and left our life-long home in the Kansas City metropolitan area to answer the call of God. For the first two years we held services in our tiny rental home in the country (you can read more about that HERE)...while passing out tracts, Bibles, and literature door-to-door...praying with folks along the way. We also conducted services at the community center, hosted a weekly Christian movie night, held a Friday night prayer meeting, and did whatever we could to reach out to the people of the community and surrounding area.

In 1998 the Lord graciously provided facilities in which to house the ministry within the city limits. During the next four years we continued to serve the people of Liberal and beyond in a variety of ways...through Bible-based preaching and teaching of the Word...children's classes...free Bible courses by mail...an audio tape ministry...a free annual Thanksgiving dinner to all area residents who had no one with whom to spend the holiday...a food pantry, a free newsletter and teaching sheet which was received by hundreds of people around the world each month.

In October of 2001 we went back to our original format of in-home meetings and in October of 2002 the Lord, again, saw fit to house us in a building. We continued on there for a couple of years or so. At the present time, however, we are back to holding in-home meetings and, despite the fact that our focus has changed, and that we're in a different season of our lives now, we continue to press forward with the message that the Lord has given us, and we will proceed however and wherever He directs.


9) Here's a recipe that my husband has been asking me to make for quite some time, and I finally found the recipe again!

RUSTIC OATS AND WHEAT BREAD

1 cup rolled wheat
1/4 firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup molasses
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 packages active dry yeast
2/3 cup water heated to 105 to 115 degrees F.
4 3/4 to 5 3/4 cups unbleached flour
1 cup regular old-fashioned oats

Topping

1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon old-fashioned oats

Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine rolled wheat, brown sugar, salt, 2 cups boiling water molasses and oil; mix well. Cool to 105 to 115 degrees F. In small bowl, dissolve yeast in 2/3 cup water. Add to cooled rolled wheat mixture. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add 2 cups flour to rolled wheat mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in 1 cup regular oats and 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 cups flour until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.

On floured surface, knead in 1/2 to 1 cup flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl; cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F.) until light and doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Punch dough down several times to remove all air bubbles. Divide dough in half; shape into balls. Place on sprayed cookie sheets. With sharp knife, slash a 1/4 inch deep lattice design in top of each loaf. Cover; let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush loaves with beaten egg; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon regular oats. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes or until deep golden brown and loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. Remove from cookie sheets; cool on wire racks. Makes 2 (16 slice) loaves.


10) Here's another family favorite dessert...


TAPIOCA PUDDING

1/3 cup granulated tapioca
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg beaten
2 3/4 cup skim milk

Mix all ingredients together. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 3/4 teaspoon vanilla. Cool and serve.


Well, Ladies, I think that's it for this time. It's getting late and it's time to start supper. You all have a wonderful evening and a blessed Sunday!

Until Next Time...

~Rebecca

Friday, April 29, 2011

And The Winner Is...



The winner of April's giveaway...Candace Cameron Bure's RESHAPING IT ALL...is....(drumroll, please)...

AuntieM2011!

(True Random Number Generator # 13)

AuntieM2011, please contact me within 48 hours letting me know where to send the book. Otherwise another winner will be selected. Congratulations! And I hope you enjoy the book as much as I have! It's AWESOME!!! God bless! And, again, congratulations, AuntieM20111!!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
~Rebecca

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Recipe: SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

As per request...



SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

2 sticks butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together by cutting together until crumbly. Pat into shortbread pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. This is one of my favorites to serve with tea!

Life With Lily

Thought some of you might enjoy viewing these photos of life with Lily...

Audrey, Silas, and Lily on Sunday Morning
Amber Feeds Lily Her Morning Bottle

Lily and Churchill Take A Nap Together

Silas and Lily After A Hard Day's Play

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Book Review - CAPTIVATING by John and Stasi Eldredge


I have wanted to share with you about CAPTIVATING - UNVEILING THE MYSTERY OF A WOMAN'S SOUL, and the effect that it has had on me, for a long time. I was a little apprehensive about reading it at first because...for #1 - I thought that it was a book that I had received as a gift a long time ago that turned out to be very New Agey and that I had gotten rid of once before, but it wasn't the book that I thought it was, and #2 - Because I had heard bad reviews about the authors of this book, John and Stasi Eldredge...but, a dear friend had recommended it to me, so I got on www.half.com and ordered a copy of it.

Now, before I start, I will say that there are a couple of things about the book that I definitely do not like, but, I'm not here to focus on the negatives. I want to share the positives. This book did more, in just a few days, to help get me past some of the things that have held me in bondage for years...some of them since childhood...than all the other stuff I've read over the years put together. It's been several months since reading it now and I'm STILL free! It was the bridge that finally got the stuff that I already knew in my head down into heart, and it truly made a difference in my life. I stand in awe of what the Lord has done!

And I will say this, too...

It was during this same time period that the Lord Himself brought a beautiful Christian lady into my life that made a HUGE impact in my life. She's not even aware of what she has done, but, through her own experiences, her openness about them, and her willingness to share, she helped me to overcome something that I NEVER thought I'd never get over. I didn't believe it was even possible, but praise the Lord! It was all during this same time period that the Lord, through this book (CAPTIVATING) and the writings of my friend, delivered me from a whole bunch of baggage that I have carried around in my heart and life for many, many years...and it feels so good to finally be free of them!

Instead of trying to tell you more about the book and its effect on me, I'm just going to share a few quotes from it...

(page 13) "Remember twirling skirts? Most little girls go through a season when they will not wear anything if it does not twirl (and if it sparkles, so much the better). Hours and hours of endless play result from giving little girls a box filled with hats, scarves, necklaces, and clothes. Dime store beads are priceless jewels; hand-me-down pumps are glass slippers. Grandma's nightie, a ballroom gown. Once dressed, they dance around the house or preen in front of a mirror. Their young hearts intuitively want to know they are lovely. Some will ask with words,  "Am I lovely" Others will simply ask with their eyes. Verbal or not, whether wearing a shimmery dress or covered in mud, all little girls want to know."

 (page 41) "One of the deepest ways a woman bears the image of God is in her mystery. By "mystery" we don't mean "forever beyond your knowing," but "something to be explored." "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter," says the book of Proverbs, "to search out a matter is the glory of kings" (25:2). God yearns to be known. But he wants to be sought after by those who would know him. He says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jer. 29:13). There is dgnity here; God does not throw himself at any passerby. He is no harlot. If you would know him you must love him; you must seek him with your whole heart."

(page 45) "...most women doubt very much that they have any genuine beauty to unveil. It is, in fact, our deepest doubt. When it comes to the issues surrounding beauty, we vacillate between striving and resignation. New diets, new outfits, new hair color. Work out; work on your life; try this discipline or that new program for self-improvement. Oh, forget it. Who cares anyway? Put up a shield and get on with life. Hide. Hide in busyness; hide in church activities; hide in depression. There is nothing captivating about me."

(page 51) "She needs no one. She is in charge -- "on top of things constantly." She is a woman who knows how to get what she wants. (Some of us might even admire that!) But consider this -- there is nothing merciful about her, nothing tender, and certainly nothing vulnerable. She has forsaken essential aspects of her femininity."

(page 54) " Sadly, desolate women also tend to hide their true selves. We are certain that if others really knew us, they wouldn't like us --- and we can't risk the loss of a relationship."

(pages 56 and 57) Whether we tend to dominate and control, or withdraw in our desolation and hid, still...the ache remains. The deep longings in our hearts as women just won't go away. And so we indulge."

"We buy ourselves something nice when we aren't feeling appreciated. We "allow" ourselves a second helping of ice cream or a super-sized something when we are lonely. We move into a fantasy world to find some water for our thirsty hearts. Romance novels (a billion-dollar industry), soap operas, talk shows, gossip, the myriads of women's magazines all feed an inner life of relational dreaming and voyeurism that substitutes -- for a while -- for the real thing. But none of these really satisfy, and so we find ourselves trying to fill the remaining emptiness with our little indulgences (we call them "bad habits").  Brent Curtis calls them our "little affairs of the heart." They are what we give our hearts away to instead of giving them to the heart of God."

(pages 64 and 65) "You cannot be alive very long without being wounded. The sun rises, the stars follow their courses, the waves roll in crashing against the rocks, and we are wounded. Broken hearts cannot long be avoided in this beautiful yet dangerous world we live in. This is not Eden. Not even close. We are not living in the world our souls were made for. Something's rotten in the state of Denmark and in our own backyards as we journey through the unknown terrain of the moments and months that make up our lives."

"Take a deep look into the eyes of anyone and behind the smile or the fear, you will find pain. And most people are in more pain than even they realize. Sorrow is not a stranger to any of us, though only a few have learned that it is not our enemy either. Because we are the ones loved by the God, the King of kings, Jesus himself, who came to heal the brokenhearted and set the captives free, we can take a look back. We can take his hand and remember. We must remember if we would not be held prisoner to the wounds and the messages we received growing up."

"The horror that abusive fathers inflict on their daughters wounds their souls to their very core. It breaks their hearts, ushers in shame and ambivalence and a host of defensive strategies that shut down our feminine hearts. But at least the assault is obvious. The pain that absent fathers inflict on their daughters is damaging as well, but far harder to see."

(page 73) "As a result of the wounds we receive growing up, we come to believe that some part of us, maybe every part of us, is marred. Shame enters in and makes its crippling home deep within our hearts. Shame is what makes us look away, so we avoid eye contact with strangers and friends. Shame is that feeling that haunts us, the sense that if someone really knew us, they would shake their heads in disgust and run away. Shame makes us feel, no believe, that we do not measure up -- not to the world's standards, the church's standards, or our own."

"Others seem to master their lives, but shame grips our hearts and pins them down, ever ready to point out our failures and judge our worth. We are lacking. We know we are not all that we long to be, all that God longs for us to be, but instead of coming up for grace-filled air and asking God what he things of us, shame keeps us pinned down and gasping, believing that we deserve to suffocate. If we were not deemed worthy of love as children, it is incredibly difficult to believe we are worth loving as adults. Shame says we are unworthy, broken, and beyond repair."


(Rebecca speaking here...) I could go on and on with these quotes...there are so many of them that are good and they go straight to the heart, but I will end with these...


(page 195) "Ladies, you are the Bride of Christ...and the Bride of Christ is a warring bride."

"Now, often the hardest person to fight for is...yourself. But you must. Your heart is needed. You must be present and engaged in order to love well and fight on behalf of others. Without you, much will be lost. It is time to take a stand and to stand firm. We are at war. You are needed."

(pages 217 and 218) "There is a scene near the end of the film Anna and the King I wish I could now play for you. Let me describe it."

"The setting is nineteenth-century Siam, a tiny but beautiful Asian country still in the grips of its ancient past. Anna, an English woman living in Siam as a tutor to the king's many offspring, has helped King Mangkut prepare for a state dinner. He wants to show the British that his country is ready to enter into the affairs of the world, so the dinner is given in the English style -- silverware, tablecloths, candlelight, and, at the end of the meal, ballroom dancing."

"When the feast is over and it comes time for the first dance, the king stands and extends his hand to Anna. He invites her to dance with him. He fixes his gaze upon her and is distracted by nothing and no one else. He waits for her response. She is clearly surprised, taken aback, but has the grace to respond and stand. As they walk past the long table, the king's eyes never stray from hers, a smile playing on his lips. Other are upset that he has chosen her. Some watch with contempt, others with pleasure. It is of no consequence to the king or to Anna."

"Anna came to the ball prepared. She was beautiful in a striking gown that shimmered like starlight. She spent hours getting herself ready -- her hair, her dress, her heart. As they read the dance floor, Anna expresses her fear of dancing with the King before the eyes of others. "We wouldn't want to end up in a heap," she says. His answer to her questioning heart? "I am King. I will lead."

"Jesus is extending his hand to you.  He is inviting you to dance with him. He asks, "May I have this dance...every day of your life?" His gaze is fixed on you. He is captivated by your beauty. He is smiling. He cares nothing of the opinion of others. He is standing. He will lead. He waits for your response."

"My lover spoke and said to me, Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me" (Song of Solomon 2:10).

Using Up Leftovers - Recipe - VEGETABLE LAMB SOUP

Vegetable Lamb Soup

Saturday night we celebrated our Shabbet/Passover meal and, of course, Sunday was Resurrection Sunday, and I had plenty of leftovers from both...lamb from Saturday night and fresh vegetables from Sunday. I had even saved all the vegetable ends that had been trimmed away from the vegetables when making Sunday's vegetable tray. I just bagged them all up in one Ziploc bag and saved them back for use later. So...since today was damp and chilly, I decided to just put them altogether and make a nice VEGETABLE LAMB SOUP!

I started with the vegetable ends that I had cut away and saved. There were the ends that I had cut away from several large carrots and a half stalk of celery, a broccoli stem or two, the leaves and center core from a huge head of cauliflower, the top and core of a green pepper, and even a few potato skins that I had added to the bag during the week. I boiled all of these together, then drained them to create a nice vegetable broth. The cooked vegetable ends were cooled and tossed out for the chickens to enjoy.

Next, I added a bottle of tomato juice. We have been blessed with several large bottles of it lately, and I thought this might be an interesting way to use some of it up. It worked beautifully!

To this I added most of the leftover vegetables that I had chopped for Sunday's vegetable tray...broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery...as well as several cubed potatoes and a handful of fresh cut cabbage. I also cut the leftover lamb into small pieces and added it, and threw in a handful of pearled barley. For seasoning I added salt, pepper, thyme, and several beef bouillon cubes.

The soup turned out delicious and I served a nice, crusty loaf of homemade French bread to go with it. It was a hit and there's enough leftover for lunch again tomorrow!


Speaking of lambs  (I just have to throw this in) here's a picture of our grandchildren's new little lamb, Lily. She joined us for dinner Sunday...NOT as the main course, but as our guest. Isn't she cute in her diaper??? She's so precious! The whole family just loves her! And, yes, she's in the house...most of the time...for now.

Lily

Tea Party Giveaway - 'How To Be God's Little Princess' (Legacy of Home)



Be sure and check out this AWESOME 'Tea Party Giveaway' on Legacy of Home's Blog today! I would love to win this and bless my little granddaughters with a 'How To Be God's Little Princess' tea party!  To do so CLICK HERE!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Stones

My son, James, helping me over some of the 'stones' that line the shore of Lake Superior when we visited last summer.



“We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them, climb over them, or build with them.” – William Arthur Ward

I've thrown stones...I've complained about them...I've stumbled on them...I've climbed over them...hid underneath them AND worked around them! Maybe it's time that I start building with them!

Have a blessed week everyone! And don't forget...only a few day left to enter the giveaway for Candace Cameron Bure's book RESHAPING IT ALL! Don't miss the opportunity! YOU could be the winner!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

The Legacy of Home: The Christian Home - Issue 12

Please visit The Legacy of Home. Mrs. White has graciously included a link to my Strawberry Gelatin Dessert in this week's issue of The Christian Home. Thank you, Mrs. White! 

The Legacy of Home: The Christian Home - Issue 12

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Shabbet/Passover Meal - 4/23/11 / Recipes: OLIVE OIL DIP AND ROASTED LAMB CHOPS



We just got done with the most lovely Shabbet/Passover meal, and we were blessed to be able to share it with others. The evening started with my husband opening in prayer, then I lit candles thanking the Lord for being the creator of light and for sending us the Light of the world, His Son, Jesus Christ. After that my husband read from Provebs 31 and blessed me by saying a few sweet things about me. Then I read from Psalm 127 and I, in turn, blessed my husband. Then it was our guests' turn to speak sweet things...the husband over the wife and the wife, in turn, over the husband. Then both husbands/fathers spoke blessings over their children, and what a beautiful thing it was to witness. By the time we were done just about everyone was crying.

After that came the washing of hands, then the blessing over the Hallah bread and grape juice. After that, it was time to enjoy the meal. I served fresh garden salad with a homemade olive oil vinaigrette dressing, Herb Roasted Lamb Chops, parsleyed potatoes, asparagus, hallah bread served with an olive oil dip, grape juice, and Strawberry Gelatin Dessert. Everything was delicious and it was indeed a blessing for all in attendance.

For those who are interested, I am including the recipe for the olive oil dip...which would be great to dip broken pieces of homemade bread in as part of any meal...and the recipe for the Herb Roasted Lamb Chops. Here they are...

OLIVE OIL DIP

1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon crushed, dried oregano
fresh ground black pepper, to taste


HERB ROASTED LAMB CHOPS

4 large garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons sea salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 1 1/4-inch thick lamb loin chops

Mix first four ingredients and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Ziploc bag. Add lamb; shake to coat. Let marinate at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast-iron (or other large, oven-proof) skillet over high heat. Add lamb; cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven and roast lamb chops to desired doneness Transfer lamb to platter and serve.

I wish each and every one of you a blessed Sunday and a Happy Resurrection Day! God bless all here!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

Friday, April 22, 2011

A Passover Lamb

Who would have imagined that God would bless Silas and Audrey with a lamb? And on Good Friday!

Coupon Savings - 4/22/11



Coupon savings today totaled 38 plus dollars. Many of the items above were free or nearly free; some I even MADE money on! Free items included 2 - 32 oz. bottles of Heinz vinegar, 3 - 16.9 oz. bottles of Nineva body wash (2 for women; 1 for men), 4 trial size Degree Plus Deodorant, 2 Reach brand dental floss, and 1 - 3-pack Bic Razors. Total cost of the items shown above was $21.29.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Song - HE IS RISEN

Here's a song that I wrote back in 1990. I know that you all can't "hear" the tune, but I thought that you might enjoy the words. God bless! And Happy Resurrection Day! ~Rebecca



HE IS RISEN

They placed a scarlett robe around Him
A crown of thorns upon His head
They mocked and spit upon Him
Then to crucify away they led
Upon His cross was written words
This is how they read
"Jesus, the King of the Jews!"

CHORUS:

He is risen!
He is risen!
Oh, yes, my Savior's risen!
He's washed me white as snow
Salvation to me He's shown
He is risen!
He is risen!
Oh, yes, my Savior's risen!
"Jesus, the King of  the Jews!"

Two thieves were crucified with Him
One on either side
Darkness fell across the land
In the ninth hour Jesus cried,
"My God! My God! My Father, Thee!
Why hast thou forsaken Me?"
"Jesus, the King of the Jews!"

CHORUS

After three days of mourning
The death of my Lord
An angel did appear
And rolled the stone away
Behold! Behold!
Where Jesus had lay
The tomb was found empty
Upon that blessed day!
Jesus Christ is King!

CHORUS

Copywrite 1990
Words and Music by Rebecca Knox

Recipe - STRAWBERRY GELATIN DESSERT



I originally intended to make a Paula Deen dessert that I had seen on Swagbucks TV the other day, but, when I started making it I tweeked and tweeked and kept tweeking until I think I ended up making more of an original dessert than not...so...here it is...

STRAWBERRY GELATIN DESSERT

2 boxes strawberry flavored Jell-O
1 cup boiling hot water
1 pound fresh strawberries
3 bananas
1 can chunk pineapple
1 cup chopped pecans
1 box sugar-free French vanilla instant pudding
2 cups plain yogurt, sour cream, or milk

Open Jell-O and pour into bowl; add boiling water and stir until dissolved. Crush strawberries and bananas, slice pineapple chunks, and mix together with chopped pecans (I did this with my kitchen aid. Spray an oblong glass baking dish with pan spray and spoon half of the Jell-O mixture into the pan and flatten out level. Put it in the fridge to set (this only took about 20 minutes). While that's setting, mix instant pudding and yogurt, sour cream, or milk (I used plain, homemade yogurt and it worked really well or any combination of the three however you choose would work well, too). After fruit and gelatin mixture is set, spoon the pudding/yogurt mixture over that, then top with the remaining fruit and gelatin mixture. Chill until ready to serve.


This is part of the 12th edition of The Christian Home Magazine.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Recipe - DOUBLE ORANGE SCONES


DOUBLE ORANGE SCONES
 
2 cups flour
3 T. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. grated orange peel
1/3 c. margerine
1/2 c. manderine oranges, drained
1/4 c. milk
1 egg

Mix all ingredients together. Flatten dough into a disk in the middle of a cookie sheet. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of sugar over the top and, using a floured knife, cut disk into eighths. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with Orange Butter (recipe below). Make 8 scones.

    Orange Butter

   1/2 c. margerine
   2 T. orange marmalade

   Mix together until well blended. Serve on warm scones.

Until next time...
~Rebecca

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Recipe - POUND CAKE

I had never made one before, but my dad requested a pound cake for his birthday. I had never attempted any kind of bundt cake, either, but found this bundt pan at a thrift store a while back and bought it. This was the result of my first attempt at both...

Fresh From The Oven Pound Cake In Thrift Store Find Bundt Pan

Pound Cake Cooling On The Cooling Rack

Pound Cake With A Powdered Sugar And Milk Icing Drizzled Over Top


 POUND CAKE 

2 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups butter, softened (I used light butter)
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup evaporated milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour tube pan, 10x4 inches, or 12-cup bundt cake pan. Beat sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 30 seconds. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 5 minutes. Beat in flour, baking powder and salt alternately with milk on low speed. Pour into pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 70 to 80 minutes. Cool 20 minutes; remove from pan.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Bleeding Hearts - 4/14/11



These are my youngest daughter, Amanda's, favorite flowers. These are the ones that we planted here for her, and the ones that she planted at her grandma and grandpa's are twice this size now and covered in blooms. They're so pretty!

For Lunch - 4/14/11 - Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwiches and Fried Mushrooms

Turkey Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwiches and Fried Morel Mushrooms

As a general rule we don't do a lot of fried foods around here anymore, but since we were blessed with a variety of fruits and vegetables (including several heads of lettuce) over the weekend and a mess of fresh morel mushrooms last night, I decided to make bacon (turkey bacon), lettuce, and tomato sandwiches and fried mushrooms for lunch. God is so good to us! His provision miraculous!

Morel Mushrooms

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Saving Bananas

Molly's Bananas

 This weekend we were blessed with an abundance of fruit among which was lots of bananas. I still freeze bananas whole in their skins and, when it comes time to use them, I just run them under warm water for a moment or two until the skins slide off and viola'! Fresh, white, frozen banana ready for use in smoothies, banana-oat bran muffins, banana-nut bread, banana cake, or whatever...BUT...I just found this link on saving bananas in a different way from Molly over at Econobusters, so I thought I'd share. Be sure and read the comments following to find even more great ideas on how to use bananas! Wow!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

One-Bowl Brownies

ONE-BOWL BROWNIES

(This recipe is as good as any boxed brownie mix that we've ever tried without all the extra hydrogenated junk added! Enjoy!)

2 cups sugar (we've actually cut this down to 1 cup and like them just as much)
1 1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
2/3 cup olive oil
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and nuts. Add oil, eggs and vanilla; stir just until moistened. Do not overmix. Spread in a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Yield: 2 1/2 dozen.

Monday, April 11, 2011

The Valley Of Baca

This story is for anyone who is experiencing trouble in their life right now...
 
Psalm 84:5 and 6 says, "Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools."
 
Baca means "weeping." There is a massive valley in northern Israel on the direct route south to Jerusalem. In Bible days, the valley was heavy with mulberry trees. Pilgrims who came down from the north country for the Passover feasts had to pass through the valley. The pilgrims would stop to rest in the heat of the day and would often spend the night there and sleep beneath those same mulberry trees for refuge in case it would rain.
 
You see, the mulberry tree, whenever one of its twigs or leaves is wounded by man or wind, exudes from the wound drops of thick saplike tears on the underside. Thus, the valley once dense with mulberry trees became known  as the valley of Baca...the valley of weeping.
 
Isn't that a beautiful picture? A hidden treasure from God's Word!
 
Now, the valley of Baca in Psalms 84:6 can also be used in a figurative way. It presents an image of human life in this world...our troubles and sorrows. All believers go through the valley of Baca on their journey toward heaven.
 
But in order to have a valley there must be mountains on both sides. Christians will have their mountaintop experiences while passing through this world, but at times they will find themselves loaded with heartaches, trials, troubles, and burdens that will take them down into the valley of Baca where they will shed tears of sorrow and grief.
 
But, remember the part of that verse that says, "...Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well...?" The Lord is saying that His children won't stay in the valley. They will get through the valley. And beyond the valley lies another mountaintop.
 
(Originally written and posted on the Proverbs 31 Woman 2 (Yahoo Group) March 3, 2002)
 

Deliverance From Addiction

19 years ago today the Lord, literally, delivered me from cigarettes! And I am still just as amazed now as I was then about how He went about it!

It was April 11, 1992 and I was smoking four packs of cigarettes a day (I had been smoking since I was 15, and I was 31 at that point)!!! I had tried to quit smoking many times, but couldn't. Even though we weren't doing a very good job of it, John and I had committed our lives to the Lord, and were serious about getting our lives, and our household, in line with His Word. Needless to say, we're still working on it!

On the evening of April 11, 1992 I was sitting in a chair in the corner of our bedroom reading my Bible. I heard a voice just as clear as day say, "Throw away your cigarettes and lighters away and wait 24 hours."

I immediately picked up all my cigarettes...I had an open pack, an open carton, and an unopened carton...and all my lighters and went carrying them through the house. John was in the livingroom and, when he saw me, he said, "What are you doing?"

Anyone who know my husband knows that he HATES cigarettes (he always has), and he hated me smoking them, and he was very skeptical. He knew how many timed I had tried to quit smoking...and how often I had failed at it. He knew how awful my lungs were. Not only did I smoke like a chimney, but I had chemically burned the lining out of my lungs a few years earlier when I mixed sulfuric acid and Clorox in an attempt to unclog the toilet. I ended up in the hospital. After that I could hardly breathe most of the time...I couldn't even blow a balloon up for my children to play with!

Anyway, I threw the cigarettes away, and I waited. That 24-hour period was one of the longest...most awful times of my life, and I never thought I'd make it through it...yet, somehow, I knew that, if I did, the Lord had something very special waiting for me on the other side. I knew that He was going to do something very special for me!

Well, sure enough, the next night...the evening of the 12th...I was sitting there reading my Bible again. All of a sudden I had the most horrendous pain in my stomach. I looked up at the clock, and it was 11:00 p.m. I jumped up and hit the bathroom. I was there until 4:00 a.m. My stomach hurt so bad! It wrenched in pain, and I kept passing this black, tarry-like substance. When it was over, I KNEW that the Lord Jesus had, literally, cleaned me out, and, to this day, I've not been able to stand the thought of smoking another cigarette. I can't even stand the smell of one! It's been 19 years and I still stand in awe! Praise be to the Lord above!

Friday, April 8, 2011

Giveaway - Candace Cameron Bure's "Reshaping It All"



I have been reading Candice Cameron Bure's Reshaping It All (written with co-author Darlene Schact over at Time-Warp Wife) and, even though I'm not done with it yet, it has made such a big impact on me that I have decided to host a giveaway to give someone out there an opportunity to win a copy of their very own. The giveaway will run from Friday, April 8, 2011 until Friday April 29, 2011. To enter for your chance to win choose any or all of the following:

- Leave a comment below telling me why you would like to win a copy of this book.
- Post about this on Facebook.
- Post about this on Twitter.
- Become a public follower through Google Friend Connect, or let me know if you are already a follower.
- Follow me on Twitter (jkswife).
- LIKE Rebecca's HEARTH AND HOME on Facebook. 
- Write a post, linking to this giveaway, on your own blog. (This is worth 3 entries. Please leave 3 separate comments.)
- Subscribe in an e-mail to Rebecca's HEARTH AND HOME
- LIKE Candace Cameron Bure on Facebook.
- LIKE Time-Warp Wife on Facebook.

(Please leave one comment for each entry. One winner will be selected on Friday, April 29, 2011. If I am unable to reach the winners within 48 hours, alternate winners will be selected. Your entry is only valid if you include a way for me to contact you.

~Rebecca

Monday, April 4, 2011

Hearth and Home Notes - 4/4/11

It's been a busy day here, and it's been Monday all...day...long!

Overnight I experimented in making a double-batch of yogurt, but, unfortunately, it didn't work out so well. I think there should probably be adjustments made in how long, initially, to heat the milk, etc. The yogurt tastes okay, but it is extremely thin and kind of clumpy...almost curdled...looking. I will still use it...probably more in cooking than for fresh yogurt. I will purchase another container of Oikos Greek yogurt and start another batch as soon as possible and, from now on, I will only make one batch at a time...even if I do have to do it twice a week instead of once.

First thing this morning we had a refrigerator crisis. When I got up everything in the refrigerator was warm and several items in the freezer were defrosted. The fan was frozen in a block of ice, but in just a short time I had the cover off, the block of ice removed, and the fan running. I was so thankful that the motor wasn't burned out. The freezer was working great, but, after cleaning the fridge out I discovered that there was still ice blocking the flow of cold air to the refrigerator part. At the suggestion of a friend, I used a hair dryer to melt the ice and that seemed to do the trick. The fridge is now cool and running well. Praise the Lord!

As part of trying to use up items in the refrigerator and freezer that had thawed and/or needed used up right away I baked four loaves of bread, baked six dozen banana, oat-bran muffins, and made a big pot of beef stew. I froze part of the muffins for later, saved some for breakfasts this week, served the stew and bread for supper at home, and delivered stew and bread and muffins to two other households for supper as well. Very little of what was in the fridge had to be thrown out.

Despite all of this I managed to get in a good day of school with ds, ran errands for our own household, and my dad's, as well, and did two loads of laundry. I am very thankful to the Lord for keeping everything up and running...including ME! He is so good to us!

Well, it's been a long day and I'm going to say, "Good night!" I pray that all is well with you and yours. God bless all here.

Love and Hugs,
~Rebecca

For Supper - 4/3/11 - Bacon Brussels Sprouts, Fried Mushrooms, and Corn-on-the-Cob



For supper tonight I made a recipe that I found in Candace Cameron Bure's new book RESHAPING IT ALL. The recipe is for 'Bacon Brussels Sprouts' and my family absolutely loved it. It was very good and definitely a recipe that I will make again!

Here's the recipe...

BACON BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

   12 ounces thickly sliced lean bacon (or turkey bacon), but crosswise into thin strips
   1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
   8 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise
   2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
   Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large, deep skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat until browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Pat off excess fat. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the softened vegetables from the pan and set aside. Add the Brussels sprouts in batches and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown on the outside. Add the reserved bacon and vegetables to the Brussels sprouts in the pan along with salt and pepper to taste. Cover skillet with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts are just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

I also made corn-on-the-cob and button mushrooms cut in half, rolled in flour with a little salt and black pepper added to it fried in a little olive oil.

(By the way...I am going to be having a give-away for Candace's book in the very near future, so be on the look out for details! :)

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Walgreen's Savings - 4/3/11



I just got back from my first Walgreen's shopping trip ever. I don't know that I did exceptionally well, but I know I saved big on Scott brand toilet tissue. I normally purchase 9-roll packages at Dollar General for $6.75. I was pleased to see in this week's paper that they were on sale for $6.00. Then I saw the Walgreen's ad. They had 12-roll packages of Scott brand toilet tissue on sale with their own coupon for $6.99. That means that instead of paying 75 cents per roll, I only paid 58 cents per roll. I got the limit of 2 packages. My total purchase today cost $32.50 and I saved $28.50.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Hearth and Home Notes - 4/2/11 (Part 2)

Wow! Two HEARTH AND HOME NOTES in one day! That's a first! LOL!

I've got all the bedding done and it's hanging out on the line to dry. I just started my first load of clothing. After that I've just got whites and towels left to go, then the laundry will be done.

I've also organized the pantry and all of this week's coupon buys and have the bedrooms and bathroom done. Next comes the livingroom, then the kitchen and back porch.

For lunch I decided to make fish and chips (ds has a fish allergy and it makes his lips and face swell up like a big balloon and he can't breathe. That's always fun, so I don't make it anymore when he is home). Anyway, dd told me that Dillon's in Pittsburg sells these HUGE bags of wild-caught cod and salmon, so I bought a bag of each. The cod is what I chose to make today. I baked it in the oven with lemon, light salt, and black pepper, and made oven-baked cottage fries to go with it (potatoes sliced into rounds, drizzled with olive oil, and baked @ 450 degrees until tender and slightly brown). I baked it all on one tray and by the time dh got home from Dad's a late lunch was ready. I served the fish on bread with tarter sauce (a little Miracle Whip with dd's home-canned relish mixed in with it) and the fries with ketchup. Delicious and filling!

Fish and Chips - Before Baking

Fish and Chips - After Baking

Hearth and Home Notes - 4/2/11

I am enjoying one of those deliciously rare moments when I'm alone in the house (after 22 years of homeschooling it doesn't happen often)! Ds spent the night at his sister's and dh is away helping my dad with a project this morning. I am sitting here having ham and provolone on a mini whole-wheat bagel and a cup of tea before digging into today's tasks.

There's so much to do that I hardly know where to begin...the fridge needs cleaned, I've got a mountain of bedding to wash (THAT I've already got started), every room of the house needs deep-cleaned...as do the sheds, garage, and chicken house, the yard needs mowing...as does our other property across town, and the list goes on and on. It is now that I need to slow down, prayerfully make a list, pace myself, roll up my sleeves, set to work, do what I can, and not worry about the rest. It will all get taken care of in due time...and, if it doesn't...it's not the end of the world. I need to just take one thing at a time and do all in God's timing...not my own.

I do have a couple of praise reports...

1) My dad is doing very well. It's hard to believe that just a few days ago the doctor was telling us how amazed she was that, after operating at such a low percentage of oxygen for so long, that he was still alive and able to talk about it...and, now, he's up and out and about. It's wonderful! God is so good! Dad was even able to go to Lamar and play in his band at the nursing home this week! THAT is awesome! (That's always the measure of how well my dad really is or is not...if he's still playing music, all is well with the world. :)

2) We just paid off another credit card! Praise the Lord! That's one less bill to pay each month and all the extra that we were paying on that one will now go towards the balance of the next one. Now we can really start snowballing our debt!

I want out from under the credit cards as soon as possible. Truth is, a few years ago we were headed towards it, when everything went haywire and we've never recovered. We found ourselves in situations that were beyond our control and we had to do what we had to to in order to make everything come together. In just a short time our savings was wiped out and our credit cards were the only thing keeping us afloat with gasoline, home repairs, etc. BUT we finally got to a point a few months ago where we had to say, "We just can't do this anymore!" We put a plan in motion and, hard as it's been, we've pretty much stuck to it. There have been a couple of times we've HAD to put gasoline or home repairs, etc. on the card, but we've worked towards getting those things paid right back off of there and, so far, so good! Anyway, with the pay-off of this card, it gives us hope for the future and we know that our plan (actually, I believe that it is God's plan) is working! Again...praise the Lord!

Well, I better get busy! My bagel is gone, as is the tea, and the first load of bedding is ready to be hung out on the line. You all have a beautiful weekend and I'll be with you again soon. God bless all who read this!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

Friday, April 1, 2011

Coupon Savings - 4/1/11



It's triple coupon week at Summer Fresh this week and I really took advantage of it! Didn't purchase many food items, but got some fantastic buys on personal care items. I also got a few good deals at Dollar General and Wal-mart. Coupon savings this week included the following:

- 2 bottles of Hunts ketchup @ 24 cents each
- 2 boxes of Lipton tea (16 pk.) @ 59 cents each
- 2 bottles French's Worcester Sauce @ 69 cents each
- 3 bars of Dial bar soap @ 36 cents each
- 1 men's Speed Stick deodorant @ 49 cents
- 1 Lady Speed Stick deodorant @ 49 cents
- 6 bars Irish Spring bar soap @ 31 cents each
- 2 bottles Soft Soap pump @ 65 cents each
- 2 boxes 60-count Band-Aids @ 85 cents each
- 2 bottles Suave Professionals shampoo @ 59 cents each
- 2 bottles Suave Professionals conditioner @ 99 cents each
- 1 bottle Herbal Essences Conditioner - FREE
- 2 BIC Razors (10 pk.) @ 50 cents each
- 2 Degree men's deodorant @ 85 cents each
- 1 pkg. Ball canning jars @ $1.97
- 3 pkg. Oscar Meyer turkey bacon @ 1.88 each
- 1 pkg. Peanut M&M's - FREE


Retail total of coupon items = $86.02
Total price paid = $44.09
Total coupon savings = $41.93 (That's a savings of 49%!)