Combining Blogs

I have decided to just combine my feasting blog with our family blog. It is just too much to keep up with two and the grandparents would not be very happy if I stopped writing about the kids. So, please visit us at lifewithmeandmy4.blogspot.com.

Taking a Break

As many of you know we have started homeschooling again this year. I am finding it difficult to fit blogging into our new schedule. Therefore, I am going to take a break for a while. I do keep a family blog. It is lifewithmeandmy4.blogspot.com. It is primarily about the children. The grandparents are always complaining about not knowing what goes on day to day with our kids. So, we started this as a way for them to check in. Prayerfully as we get more adjusted to our new schedule I will be back to blogging about Sabbath feasting.

Feasting on a Budget

Who says feasting can not be done on a budget? As you all know I love to cook and you have probably guessed that if I blow our budget anywhere it is at the grocery store. Well, the budget has been tight. We have one starting with braces this week and were told he will more than likely need them twice. Ouch!! That, with a couple of other things, has required that I cut our grocery bill and other things as much as possible. Last week there just was not any room left to buy extras for our feast. I started going through the pantry to see what I had that was a favorite or something different than I would do during the week. Because I load up on frequently used nonperishable when they go on sale, I had everything but the broccoli for a broccoli and cheese casserole. The Amish guy down the street had fresh broccoli for a very good price, he also had just about the last of his sweet corn. I had the ingredients on hand to make a honey dijon marinade which I grilled on chicken(that I had stocked up on when it went on sale). The grocery store had day old pumpkin and cream cheese whoopie pies for a good price. In the end we had a very affordable yet special meal. I do not want my children or you to get the impression that I play some kind of game to see how cheap our Sabbath feast can be. Honestly, most of the time I make that menu first and with what budget is left I plan the other meals. It just so happens that now is a time when there is not a lot for anything. I think there is a difference between being wise and being cheap. Let's not use the excuse of finances to not feast. At the same time realize it is okay to work within a budget.

After Church Entertaining

Do you find it difficult to entertain after church? Let's share ideas about doing it without having to wait two hours for the food to cook when you get home. In the summer grilling out is always good. Burgers do not take long. You could make them the night before so all you have to do is throw them on the grill when you get home. Potato and pasta salads can be done on Saturday. Baked beans can heat in the crock pot while you are at church. You can have the ingredients for a salad chopped and ready. Just have someone toss it all together when you get home. You can even set the table quickly after breakfast. If you want a more formal meal, anything you can do ahead of time is great. Paula Dean's Pot Roast is great. I put it in the crock pot before church and it is ready by 1:00. I have also done a whole chicken in the crock pot to have after church. Twice baked potatoes can been done ahead of time and reheated quickly. Broccoli and cheese casserole can be put together the day before. Just put it in the oven to cook it when you get home. These are just a few suggestions to give you some ideas. Also, do not be afraid to put the guests to work! I always feel awkward with nothing to do anyway. Does anyone else have any ideas?


I am typically not a Pot Roast fan, but this is really good. I get lots of compliments on it when I make it. Sometimes I substitute beef broth for the Chardonnay.

Pot Roast

1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast
1 1/2 teaspoons House seasoning, recipe follows
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 bay leaves
3 or 4 beef bouillon cubes, crushed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup Chardonnay

Sprinkle roast on all sides with house seasoning. Using a skillet over high heat, sear roast until brown in oil. Place roast in a slow cooker, and layer onions, bay leaves, crushed bouillon cubes, garlic, and cream of mushroom soup. Add the Chardonnay and cover with enough water to cover all of the ingredients. Cook on the low setting for 8 hours.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months

Let's Talk Menus

We had a very busy holiday weekend. On Sunday we had a clam bake with about 55 people. Lots of fun! We started school yesterday. Also lots of fun. With all of that over I am now thinking about our feast this weekend. I have a london broil in the freezer so I will grill it in a marinade. We will have corn on the cob. It is almost out of season. I see the Amish clearing the fields everyday now. We have not done twice baked potatoes in a while, so we will do those. We will most likely have a salad and I am not sure about dessert yet. What are you having?

Entertaining Children

Entertaining families with children can sometimes be difficult. You never know the likes and dislikes of the children. My children are not picky eaters, but I do realize there are some families with children who will not eat anything but hot dogs. What do you do? I always try to have a very simple, common meal planned. I make sure the children or their parents prepare their plates. This way they can get the portions they desire and leave anything out that they absolutely can not swallow. I do want to add here that I believe it is very important that we teach our children to at least try things if nothing else for the sake of politeness. I can handle a child who will not eat things, but I have known adults who will not eat anything but mashed potatoes and chicken. We do have the one bite of everything rule in our house. We did this with brussel sprouts last night. I bought a small amount because I knew the kids would eat one a piece and then be thrilled to be done with the whole experience. WRONG! I fixed them a new way and they loved them. We did not have enough to go around. Back to entertaining. It is good to always serve something safe with children. Chicken or pasta dishes are usually safe. Cook-outs are good too. Burgers and hot dogs are usually pretty popular with the kids. I have a good Lemon Chicken recipe that is very good and different, but common enough for the children. My Broccoli Casserole is also popular with them. There are way too many good things in it to be healthy! I have also done hot dogs just for the kids when I wasn't sure. Do not let families with children intimidate you, just go simple.

Broccoli Casserole

Broccoli Casserole
2 boxes chopped broccoli(cooked)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Cheddar cheese soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 egg


Mix all ingredients. Place in casserole dish. Dot the top with butter. Cover the top with crushed Cheez-It crackers. They have to be Cheez-Its. Knock off brands do not work as well. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

This dish can be assembled a day ahead. Just add the crackers and bake when your are ready.


CHICKEN BREASTS WITH LEMON AND CAPERS

1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 skinned, boned chicken breasts, halved, pounded to 1/4 inch thick (about 1 pound)-I do not pound them that thin. Only enough so cook quickly. Maybe 1/2 inch or a little more.
5 tsp. vegetable oil
1/4 c. low sodium chicken broth or white wine
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. capers, drained

Combine flour, pepper and paprika on a plate. Press the chicken breasts into mixture, coating evenly and shaking off any excess. Heat the oil over moderately high heat for 1 minute. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes on each side; do not over cook. Transfer chicken to a heated platter. Add broth to pan, scraping any browned bits on the bottom. Stir in lemon juice and capers and heat through. Pour sauce over chicken. Serves 4.

Easy Entertaining

Let's talk about entertaining this week. Entertaining is hard and takes a lot of time and money. I think we can all acknowledge that it is important to do, but when it comes to doing it we procrastinate. Let's discuss a few ways to make it less intimidating. First, in the past(before children) I could do things very last minute. Now, I have to have an entertaining routine in place. I try to make sure my house is clean the day before with only the last minute wipe downs and pick ups saved for the day of. Also, any dish which can be made ahead is made ahead. Plan your menu early in the week so you can grocery shop a few days ahead. There may still be a few things which need to be fresh and picked up on the day of the dinner, but it will just mean a quick trip to the store. If you have the freezer room, make a lasagna or something else that freezes well for the times when you do not have the time to prepare ahead.

I will give you a couple of my easiest dishes to prepare. Peach Glazed Salmon is a great dish and is very simple.

4 (4 to 6-ounce) Alaska salmon steaks or fillets
1/4 cup peach jam or orange marmalade
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 large bell peppers (any color)*, seeded and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. Preheat broiler or grill to medium-high heat.
2. Place salmon on a non-stick or vegetable cooking spray-coated baking or broiler sheet.
3. In a small bowl, blend jam, soy sauce, cayenne pepper and ginger. Brush glaze on salmon. Place sliced vegetables on baking sheet, brushing lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Grill or broil 5 to 7 inches from heat, turning vegetables once, about 10 to 12 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork.

Makes 4 servings.


Baked Ziti is also good. It is very simple to make a is good for a crowd. Make a nice salad and garlic bread and you have a great meal. If you want to jazz it up a bit add different kinds of meat. We like to add bacon and Italian sausage. I do not have a recipe that I follow. I just boil the pasta and brown the meat. I then mix it all together with my favorite tomato sauce and cheese. I do not care for ricotta cheese, therefore I use the Italian blend of shredded cheese. Put another layer of cheese on top, cover with foil, and bake at 375 for about an hour. Take the foil off for the last 10 or 15 minutes.

These are a couple of my standbys. What are some of you easiest meals to entertain with?

Happy Birthday, Sarah Beth!!

Today is my baby girl's 6th birthday. Every birthday she has kills me. We had several years of heart breaking infertility before having her. The doctor had tears in his eyes when we finally had a healthy sonogram.(It seemed as though the pregnancy was not viable. We were doing one more last ditch sonogram before a D&C.) Needless to say there are a lot of emotions wrapped up in this child. We try not to spoil her, but being the sister of 3 brothers and Daddy's princess it is hard sometimes. We do a birthday feast for each child. She has chosen hamburgers, asparagus, tomato salad, potato chips, and brownies. I love seeing their menus! So, we are off now to get party supplies for tomorrow night. We do not do friend parties every year. This happens to be one.

I told you I would post our Sabbath feasting menu. We forgot it was a fellowship meal week for church. It is a Mexican theme this time. We do not have a huge feast at home on these weeks. It is too much to prepare food for both on Saturday. We will still celebrate the Sabbath together as a family on Saturday night. We will grill something and have a few salads to go with it.


You will have to turn sideways. I do not know how to turn my pictures around:)

Back to Routine

We arrived home from vacation yesterday. We had a great time enjoying the beach with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Restful, no. Fun, yes. My older sister laughs at my attempts to rest. Her children are older and she can actually set up her station in the sand and sit there the entire day if she chooses. Not so for my younger sister and myself. It becomes a game to see who can sit the longest in our beach chairs. The longest time was 8 minutes. Oh well, memories, right? The children had a blast with their cousins. Now mom and dad get to come home and catch up on things. That said, it has been an incredibly busy summer for us. Our feasting has been hit or miss and we are anxious to get back into our routines. This weeks feast I will cook everyone's favorite. My husband will choose the main dish and the children will pick the side dishes. I will try to make it extra festive as we get back into our routine. I will let you know the menu in the next day or so.

I read this in A Return to Sunday Dinner and thought it was a great explanation of one of the reasons we feast. " The Sunday table, too, has always been a center for family celebrations. Restful Sundays provide us with unhurried hours for enjoying our shared lives-exploring our heritage, remembering the sacrifices of those who made our lives possible, and giving thanks for God's kindness and blessings. But the Sunday dinner offers even more than true rest and joyful celebration. It also provides something often overlooked in this casual age: the gift of encouragement and inspiration. It helps us remember that there is indeed something above and beyond our commonplace world."

This is a great cookbook. I will post more on what he has to say later, but I thought he said so well what I have been trying to say.

This and That

We have had guests all week and are now preparing to be at the beach for the next week or so. Needless to say, not a lot of time for blogging. I did want to tell you about a new tea I have tried. Portsmouth Tea sent me a gift of three different teas to try. They were wonderful! My husband is not a hot tea drinker but enjoyed them. Especially the Apricot Peach Fruit Tea. Thank you Portsmouth Tea!! I will be adding their link to my sight. By the way, when we get back from vacation we will very quickly be getting back into the routine we have lacked for the last 2 or 3 months. Just wanted to let you know that I will be back to regular blogging then. Thank you to those who have not given up on me!

This Week's Feast

This will be the first feast we have had in our home in a few weeks. We will then be at the beach for the following two weekends. We also have company arriving on Monday for a few days. Therefore, because of all of the busyness we will keep this feast very laid back and enjoy our family as we prepare for worship. I have a London Broil in the freezer. I will marinate that and grill it. We will have corn on the cob. Broccoli casserole and asparagus. We have been grilling our corn wrapped on foil with chili powder or Old Bay and butter on the corn. VERY GOOD!! There is also a garlic,basil butter that is really good on corn. I will copy that at the end of my post. For dessert we will more than likely go out for ice cream. If you are trying to find ways to make your everyday meals more special, there are an abundance of ways to do this. When you are doing beef just caramelize onions and mushrooms to serve with the beef. Then add feta or blue cheese. I have even done this to a hamburger. It is delicious and turns something simple into something special. My broccoli casserole is one on my most popular dishes, but it is nothing special. I will bake it in little ramekin dishes and the kids will think it is great to have their own individual servings. What are some ways that you dress up your everyday meals?


Garlic, Basil Butter

1 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup basil, clean and dry,chopped fine
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1. Place the butter in a mixing bowl.
2. Add basil, garlic, and cheese and whip with an electric mixer until mixture is smooth and evenly blended.
3. Add salt to taste.
4. Pack butter into four crocks.
5. Allow flavors to blend for at least 4 hours before serving.
6. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Why do We Feast? Part 3

Another reason our family feasts is because we just like the time it forces us to carve out of our week to devote to the family. I am thinking the entire week about how not only to make this a special time that prepares us for worship and how to set the day aside for God, but I am also thinking about each member of my family. I think of ways to include everyone in the celebration. From helping prepare the food, making center pieces, setting the table, and giving input about the after dinner festivities. I want this to be an exciting night for the entire family. My desire is that everyone would look forward to coming together to celebrate Christ. I realize this may sound overwhelming. It really is not. It does not require a detailed written out agenda. It simply means as you are thinking about your feast through the week, make sure you are taking mental notes to include everyone. As my son gets older my husband has allowed him to do some of the scripture reading. This is a great way to include the boys. We have also allowed him to be more involved in planning the after dinner fun. His suggestions range from just playing football or something in the yard to going out for ice cream or a game of Putt-Putt. Above all I just want to be sure they all feel included and are enjoying themselves. It defeats the purpose if it is something they dread.

This Week's Feast

This week we will feast with our church family. Once a month we have a fellowship meal after church. We typically choose a theme, and a menu is planned and everyone contributes. We take turns planning the meal. It is a rather large undertaking. However, your turn to plan only comes around once or twice a year. Well, this month is my month. It was December when I last did the planning. Somehow I seem to pick our family's busiest months to do this. I have decided to do a summer picnic theme. We will have fried chicken, corn on the cob (because in Lancaster County you cannot have a picnic without sweet corn), a variety of salads, sliced melon, and pies and cobblers for dessert. So for those of you who have been to our fellowship meals and have inquired as to how we do it, this is it.

Why do we Feast? Part II

Okay, I was a lot busier last week than I had anticipated. Sorry it has taken a week for me to get back to my blog. Last week I said one reason we feast is to set the Sabbath aside as a special day. The second reason is, we use it as a time to prepare ourselves for worship the following day. For years we have always done something to prepare ourselves for worship. It has always been a pet-peeve of my husband's to think we could enter God's house to worship Him without preparing our hearts in some way. We have prepared in different ways through the years. When we heard of Sabbath feasting we thought it was a perfect way to do this. We start our Sabbath with a celebration which gets our hearts and minds prepared to set the day aside for God. My feasts are not always perfect, in fact rarely ever, but it is always a time with the family to put everything else aside, and to focus on God and all He has done for us.

Why do we Feast? Part 1

So, my husband was asked recently by someone, "this whole feasting thing, do you guys do it?" This of course led to a whole discussion as to why we do it. It seems as though we are having these conversations on a regular basis. Therefore, I thought I would think through our reasons for feasting with you guys. We have always felt a need to set the Sabbath apart from the rest of the week. We have done little things for years like making it a restful day, concentrating on quality family time, and of course going to church. When were first heard of Sabbath feasting we thought it was a perfect way to make the day even more special. Some may ask, why set it apart? First, God commands us to in the 4th commandment. As a culture we have drifted to such a casual view of God, we forget to honor Him and set His day apart. You have heard me say I believe your view of the Sabbath has a lot to do with your view if worship. If you do not have a high view of worship, which also shows your view of God, then of course it will not be a priority to set the day aside and honor Him. So, in feasting we have developed a tradition which sets this day apart from the other days of the week as something special. A day worth celebrating. I'll be back tomorrow with reason #2.

Too Much Travel!!

We will once again be out of town this weekend. Our feasting opportunities have been scarce because of all our travel this summer. It has made me think about other ways to to set the Sabbath apart. We really miss our feasting, and cannot wait to get back on a more consistent routine, but we do not desire to forgo all festivities just because we are not home. Therefore, we are considering our on-the-road options. I do not want to come across legalistic, but we have literally been gone more weekends than not since the end of May, and I can see my children's view of the Sabbath suffering. It has just been one of those summers full of out of town weddings and other things which cannot be avoided. Do not get me wrong we have enjoyed all of the activities, it has just been a bit difficult. Any suggestions?

P.S. Next week I will try to post a different reason to celebrate the Sabbath everyday of the week. Do not hold me to everyday, but I will try.

Clam Bake

The children have been taking turns staying with grandparents. They are home for a week and then the younger three will go to the other grandparents for a week. So, we decided to do a very casual low key feast last night. We wanted time to just enjoy our children. We did a clam bake. My husband had never done it with the corn and potatoes and all the other stuff. It was a lot of fun. The kids labeled it the best feast ever. I wish I could say it was because the food is so good, but I think it had more to with all of the clam shells left to play with. I never knew you could pick up so many things with clams shells. I have had several conversations recently about feasting and why we do it. I need to put my thoughts together and post on it. Why do you feast with your family?

Happy Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July!! This is one of my favorite holidays. I grew up in an area which is rich in Revolutionary history. Our celebrations were big! Very Americana. My birthday is July 1, so my celebration was always at the lake with the entire extended family on the 4th. We would spend the entire day there eating, swimming,and boating, and then caravan to see fireworks. Some years instead of the lake it was to the Independence festival downtown. There were raft races on the river, craft fairs, and a parade where the kids decorated their bikes and wagons in red, white, and blue and rode in the streets for everyone to see. The day ends with fireworks at the river. This is the only time of year I can say I get truly homesick. Cherish your time with family today. Have fun feasting! Nancy Wilson wrote a great post today. You should read it.


P.S. My project is almost done. I will be back to regular blogging soon.

Camping

We are going camping this weekend, so we will not be feasting. I thought about trying to come up with some sort of rustic feast using my new picnic cookbook, but I am not the one in charge of food. We have not camped since we were children and our families had campers. So, this should prove to be fun with a tent. We did decide to leave the one yer old with the grandparents. I do have to provide lunch and campfire snacks for our family. Any ideas?

This Week's Feast

I have not had time this week to search for new recipes so, our feast will be our old favorites. We will be having grilled steaks, roasted potatoes, asparagus, and dinner rolls with honey butter. We have not feasted for a couple of weeks, I am looking forward to having the time with the family. We will have to do it for Sunday dinner. Bruce and Isaac will be on a Father/Son bike challenge. This is quite comical as neither one are huge bike riders and the ride is 24 miles. Somehow Bruce committed himself to being a leader. Obviously, they will want to fall into bed when they get home. Then again maybe they will not be able to move on Sunday. We'll see!