Thursday, May 30, 2013

Recent Reads


     One of my favorite activities is to sit outside in the lovely sunshine with a cup of tea or coffee and read a book. On occasion, my husband has even joined me. I really enjoy those moments of peacefulness. 

      In the past I've written an entire post reviewing the book upon completion (see: Hidden Art of Homemaking, What Women FearLiving With Less). However, I've finished several books since the last book post. For the purposes of covering all of them at once, the formal individual writings will be exchanged for quick summaries.

     The latest reads are: 

Left to Right: "The Resolution for Women" by Priscilla Shirer, "Cent-sible Homemaking" by Jean Clark, "Faith Begins at Home" by Mark Holmen, "The Reluctant Entertainer" by Sandy Coughlin, and "The Eat-Clean Diet for Family and Kids" by Tosca Reno"
1) The Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer
       This book can be described in one word- phenomenal. I reserve that label for truly exceptional material, and this book was just that. I read this book over the course of several months because it was the kind of material you need to read and then really let it sink in. The book covers womanhood across all it's seasons in life. It's equally applicable to the mom as the non-mom. The book is organized in parts and then in smaller chapters. I enjoyed the brevity of the chapters as that allowed me to read a chapter even when time was limited. At the end of each chapter are a few reflective questions or statements, each intended to challenge the reader towards growth. The parts conclude with a "resolution" statement. The book is about growing personally, and recognizing the implications of that growth. All content is grounded in a Biblical foundation. I highly recommend this book to every woman!

2) Cent-sible Homemaking by Jean Clark
         This book was like sitting down with an older woman and listening to how she managed her home through each season of her life. The author provides a plethora of money-saving techniques and home management advice. Although the suggestions are of value, I felt that the material was inadequate for a published book. For instance, out of the 336 pages only 90 of them were on the topic. The large majority of the content was recipes. Furthermore, the writing itself was somewhat disorganized and prone to repetitiveness. While I cannot assert that the work was devoid of any worth, I also cannot honestly give a full recommendation. 

3) Faith Begins At Home by Mark Holmen
          I love the premise of this book! The author discusses the various influencing individuals/ places in an individual's growth and walk in faith. Would you believe the church is actually pretty low on the list and may not contribute as much as it believes it does? Correct! The greatest influence on an individual's faith walk is actually...the family. Holmen examines the place of responsibility for the conveyance of faith being that of the parents/family or that of the church/programs ("ministries"). He discusses the growing role the church has assumed, and asserts that the church is meant to merely supplement the teaching within the home. Instead, it has come to replace it.  Moreover, with a growing prevalence of separate ministries and/or worship for adults and children the church is actually contributing significantly to division within families instead of unity. Holmen  supports the significance of home and family on faith development in returning the place of responsibility to it's primary place. The book presents ideas and perspectives that are some what contrary to that which is commonly accepted, which ought to prompt the reader into deeper thought. I personally agree with the author and his work, and would highly recommend the book. 

4) Reluctant Entertainer by Sandy Coughlin
        Of all the materials on hospitality, this book is supreme. It approaches the subject from a place that is very real to many women. For me, I've read and agreed with all the "whys" to the practice of hospitality, but yet still have a tremendous time overcoming the hurdles to actually incorporating it into my life. Coughlin discusses each and every "joy" and "joy buster" surrounding hospitality. She focuses so much on developing a confidence in the reader for the heart of the matter instead of the details. I highly recommend this book for anyone with a heart for hospitality but yet also a hard time practicing it. 

5) The Eat-Clean Diet for Family and Kids by Tosca Reno
          The premise contained in the "eat-clean" or "clean eating" movement is to consume food as close to the source as possible. While I agree with this foundation, I don't necessarily agree or adopt the other tenets (as I wouldn't for other "diet/lifestyle" plans). Nonetheless, the notion of combating the "kid food" mentality with real foods was intriguing. The content of the book was rather superficial however. Reno established the need for introducing and implementing real foods as a normal way of eating for children. She provides generalized steps for achieving this goal like eliminating processed foods, packaged foods, fast foods, sweets etc. The material and suggestions did not, in my opinion, reveal anything new to the topic. I recognize that I may be biased as we already strive to consume real foods in our home. Yet, I would have liked to have seen the author further discuss issues such as real foods on a budget and transitioning a picky-eater. At the conclusion of the book were several recipes, which I did find to be quite tasty. All in all, I would hesitantly recommend it for someone who is starting at the ground level in transitioning towards real foods in her home for her family. I maintain caution out of concern for the issues such as taste preferences and expense which would undoubtedly be encountered and perhaps result in discouragement. 


*Note: Reviving Homemaking is not an affiliate of the authors, books, or publishers. As such, Reviving Homemaking does not receive any compensation in any form for the reviews of these materials. The opinions shared are entirely my own and have not been influenced or solicited in any particular direction in any manner. 

What is a book you've read recently and would recommend? I'm needing a new book and would enjoy hearing what you would have to suggest!

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Menu Plan: Spring (May 26 - June 1)



Strategies
  • We found a great little farm that offers milk, cheeses, beef, and some pork. We were pleasantly surprised to find the prices of grass-fed meats & dairy products to be less than (or for some, comparable) offered conventionally in the grocery. We took a little drive this past weekend and stocked several meats in our freezer. We're certainly enjoying the availability of local meats & produce within only a short distance of our current hometown!
  • This week, we decided to use the extra time afforded by the holiday to cook the extra turkey we purchased on sale back during the fall. Turkey is a great economical meat option. We can probably get up to six meals from the one bird, depending on the meals. In addition, turkey is just too tasty to only have it one time a year! 
  • Since we've worked from within our freezer and pantry stock these past few weeks, we figured this week would be good to get some extras and try out some new ingredients and dishes. I also picked up some mini cucumbers to make into homemade pickles. I love pickles, but I don't love the added colorings and other unnecessary junk contained in purchased pickles. So, I'm going to make my own! 
  • Tip: write your grocery list and the date in a little notebook each week/month. This way you can easily see how much and how frequently you purchase items. You can then use that information to determine the value of purchasing in bulk for your family's needs. If you don't use the entirety of a bulk purchase before it goes bad, then it would have been wiser to buy the smaller quantity even though it would have been at a higher unit price. Below is a copy of our list for this week:


OUR MENU PLAN FOR THIS WEEK:

*Note: I include links to the recipes if they are available online. Some recipes are from cookbooks we have at home, and while I can't share the recipe I can direct you to the source. Other dishes or meals are created by myself or my husband, and we can do our best to explain how to recreate it. If you'd like additional information on any of the meals or our menu planning, then please feel free to contact me. :) 

Breakfasts
- oatmeal with diced apple, walnuts, and flaxseed meal
granola cereal, banana
- oatmeal with dried cherries, almonds, and flaxseed meal
- whole wheat biscuit/toast with peanut butter and drizzle of honey 
(repeat all to keep it simple!)

Lunches
- Strawberry & spinach salad (spinach, strawberries, homemade feta cheese (blue cheese if feta isn't ready yet), raisins, pecans and/or almonds with a homemade vinaigrette dressing)
- Turkey salad wrap (using homemade tortillas) or panini-style sandwich (if I make bread in time)
- Veggie spring rolls (using this recipe as inspiration)


Dinners
- Turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans
- Fish tacos with mango salsa (Hubby's recipe that I cannot seem to master. haha)
- Leftover turkey, homemade mac n' cheese, swiss chard (we've never had swiss chard, and so decided to give it a go!)
- Bean & rice burritos (great economical meal option!)
- Breakfast for dinner: hubby's favorite --> eggs, sausage, biscuits, fresh apple juice (we'll make sausage biscuits from any leftovers and wrap them up to store in the freezer. Then, we'll have a quick breakfast to grab and go whenever we need!)

Snacks
- homemade crackers with peanut butter
- cottage cheese and diced cantaloupe (fruit stored in the freezer)
- apple and cheese slices
- almonds
- yogurt with dried apricots
- homemade granola or other bar



*Note: Reviving Homemaking is not affiliated with any of the sites or companies included in the links, and was not asked to include or recommend them or their recipes in this post. (I simply like what they have to offer!)





Sunday, May 19, 2013

Menu Plan: Spring (May 19-25)



Strategies
  • We got hubby a grill this past weekend, and so we're adding a "grill night" to our "themes." Each week we have certain meals we try to include such as: pasta, fish, salad (warmer weather months)/ soups (colder weather months), and now, grill. In general, we alternate between meat and meatless meals throughout the week. 
  • Tip: write your grocery list and the date in a little notebook each week/month. This way you can easily see how much and how frequently you purchase items. You can then use that information to determine the value of purchasing in bulk for your family's needs. If you don't use the entirety of a bulk purchase before it goes bad, then it would have been wiser to buy the smaller quantity even though it would have been at a higher unit price. Below is a copy of our list for this week:
    Click image for larger view

Our menu plan for this week:

*Note: I include links to the recipes if they are available online. Some recipes are from cookbooks we have at home, and while I can't share the recipe I can direct you to the source. Other dishes or meals are created by myself or my husband, and we can do our best to explain how to recreate it. If you'd like additional information on any of the meals or our menu planning, then please feel free to contact me. :) 

Breakfasts
- oatmeal with diced apple, walnuts, and flaxseed meal
granola cereal, banana
- oatmeal with dried cherries, almonds, and flaxseed meal
- whole wheat biscuit/toast with peanut butter and drizzle of honey 
(repeat all to keep it simple!)

Lunches
- Club salad 
- Veggie fajitas
- Pork ribs, collard greens, sweet potatoes
- Stuffed pasta shells, asparagus 
- repeat pizza leftovers

Dinners
- Miso glazed salmon, broccoli
- Spatchcock chicken, potato salad, asparagus
- repeat chicken meal leftovers

Snacks
- homemade crackers with peanut butter
- cottage cheese and diced cantaloupe
- apple and cheese slices
- almonds
- yogurt with dried apricots
- homemade granola or other bar



*Note: Reviving Homemaking is not affiliated with any of the sites or companies included in the links, and was not asked to include or recommend them or their recipes in this post. (I simply like what they have to offer!)



Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Three Truths Regarding Blog & Social Media Connectivity

           



     This has been on my heart lately. I realize even as I write that I may be a contributor to the noise. Nonetheless, I wanted to share this struggle because it too is a part of my homemaking journey.

     When I began my homemaking journey (which also simultaneously became my blogging journey) there were few resources available. Now, just a few years later, there appears to be an abundance of voices contributing to the subject. So much so that at times I walk away from the pages discouraged and unsure as to what my roles are and how I ought to perform them. Am I fulfilling my duties of embracing myself as I am, remaining and growing in Christ, performing my homemaking role, and making my blog and business “successful?” With so many voices on what to be or do it can become confusing, overwhelming and just noise to my own journey.
       
       Connecting with others who share a common faith, interests, and lifestyle can be comforting, encouraging and joyful. I can, however, become so connected to the lives of others that I unintentionally disconnect from my own. How much time is spent immersed in the world of Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs or other online media? If a timer could record each moment that the eyes meet the screens, then the time accrued would be revealing of true priority placement. All that time spent there is less time spent here. Here- the home and family within which I am called to be present. It’s unwise for me to be so fixated on the journey of others that I lose sight of my own.

        Ultimately, I’ve come to see three truths regarding the connectivity provided by blogs, vlogs, and other forms of social media. First, the purpose of blogs, vlogs, and other forms of social media are for inspiration not obligation. The content within these mediums are intended to serve as inspiration. The reader is never intended to feel obligated to agree or abide by any material presented. One should always think critically through and question that which is consumed. Second, true authority and guidance can only come from God. Connecting with other believers is a form of fellowship, but the use of the “follow” phraseology on all of the social media forms can create ambiguity. This is absolute truth: fellowship with friends, and follow Jesus. I have to stop for a moment and consider: “Have I opened blog pages more than I have turned Bible pages?” Even if the blog, status, or tweet is Christian-oriented, my primary source of spiritual encouragement and guidance must come from God and His Word. A message on God’s Word in whatever form cannot substitute the Bible itself. The final truth I have come to understand is that we are all on a journey. If I fixate on that of another, then I miss out on my own. This journey is walked with steady steps. There might be less than desirable lags of the trip. Those moments of struggle are part of the journey and serve the purpose of providing opportunities to learn and grow. 

     I have previously been cautious about sharing the less than put together side of myself or the roles I fulfill in life. Yet, I have grown conflicted about this partial admittance. Have I truthfully conveyed my real homemaking journey? This post is one step in that direction. I’m a blogger and a reader of blogs, and yet have found them to be confusingly encouraging and exhausting. I have tripped numerous times while watching the journey of others’ instead of my own. I have questioned if I really have anything new to contribute or am I simply another voice amongst the others. Am I the obstacle in someone else’s journey that causes her to stumble in realizing and embracing her own walk? Whether blogger or blog reader, I’m there with you.  The three statements mentioned above may not be appropriate for a generalized application, but for me they have spoken truth. 


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Friday, May 10, 2013

Selecting Background Noise For the Home

        


          Studies have shown background noise to have an affect on attitudes and behavior. In essence, the more active the sound the more activity generated within the mind and behavior. Similarly, calmer and more melodic the music generates less activity and promotes relaxation. Retailers and other places of business have long used this research in determining the type of music to be played. Trendy clothing retailers will likely prefer to play fast beat and high energy music to create a sense of excitement and even connect the shopper to a fashion runway setting. Doctors offices typically play classical or easy listening styles of music to calm anxiety that may be present in their patients. Places with a lot of visitors and commotion may also use classical music to ease the chaos. Selecting the type of music or background noise is critical but so is the level. Too much of a background noise produces the opposite affect. For instance, classical music produces a calm affect but not when played too loudly. Too little background noise results in individuals becoming uncomfortable and seeking to escape the silence. 

        The home environment is similar in demonstrating the affect background noise has on attitude and behavior. I've personally noticed that what I listen to even if only played in the background has an affect on my attitude, concentration and productivity. The absence of noise is uncomfortable as I am highly conditioned from the loud modern day life to expect some degree of input at all times. The simplest response is to turn on the television, movie, radio or log onto social media. However, those resources are rarely beneficial in moving me forward in life in a positive direction. They also have a tendency to turn into needless noise themselves.  

        Over time I've come to rely on a handful of sources for adding more favorable background noise to my home during the days. One of my favorite verses is Philippians 4:8 which states: "Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy --think about such things." I know that for me I'm more likely to think in this manner if I have made an effort to put such content into my mind. The effort is not as much about blocking any and every poor influence, but to use greater discretion as to what will be primary. For me, and in my home, I desire for the noise to be uplifting and edifying while also spiritually and intellectually challenging.


     For the most part, I have my Pandora Praise & Worship station playing hymns. I'm not opposed to contemporary worship songs, and, in fact, I do enjoy many of them. However, I love a good hymn! Many more of those speak to my heart. At times throughout the day I find a moment or situation that brings a lyric to mind. How often I have sung "I need thee every hour!" A few favorites on my Pandora station include:
          Journey: A Praise Offering [album] by David Carnes
          Adoration: Solo Piano Hymns [album] by David Nevue
          Beginnings [album] by Fernando Ortega
          Hymns: A Place of Worship [album] by 4Him
          Greatest Hymns [album] by Selah

      One aspect of seemingly everything transitioning to an online presence is the ability to find great sermons and messages. My top favorites are Greg Pinkner from a program called Crossroads held at Fellowship Church in Tennessee and Andy Stanley of North Point Ministries in Georgia. I had the privilege of attending Crossroads while in college. I enjoyed that Pinkner had a very unforced sense of humor, and taught Bible-based lessons on a college level. Even though I'm no longer in college, I still tune in to his messages and they still challenge and convict me. I really enjoy reading the Bible and learning on matters of faith, and his messages support that endeavor. Andy Stanley's messages are, to me, of a similar strong foundation. He also mixes humor with more serious content. He has a great real-life application approach without turning into a self-motivation talk.

      It's been great to listen to messages and music online while doing the mundane household activities like dishes and laundry. I've also played them while working on long projects, especially sewing projects. I'm not opposed to non-Christian media, and frequently part take of them as well. The above mentioned sources are, however, my favorites for accomplishing the goals of providing calm and edification. I've found that in the noise of everyday life, there are means of issuing calm. Even greater is the ability to for spiritual growth in and praise to the Lord!


*Note: Reviving Homemaking is not affiliated with any of the sites, companies, products or individuals mentioned or included in the links, and was not asked to include or recommend them in this post. (I simply like what they have to offer!)

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Menu Plan: Spring (May 5-11)




Strategies
  • We've decided to begin taking steps to cleaner foods. We believe food should be as natural and close to the source as possible. Thus far, we've lived this by focusing on making meals and snacks from scratch instead of consuming packaged and processed food products. We discussed focusing on one food group at a time to clean up over the course of several weeks. To take on more is just too overwhelming. Our first area will be the largest component of our grocery shopping which is produce. We're using the Dirty Dozen list by the EWG as a guide. These items we'll be buying organic either from the grocery, farmers market, or friend who is growing produce for us (kind of an unofficial csc arrangement). Since we're only switching these items and not all produce items, we're able to soften the adjustment needed in our budget. ALDI has also been fabulous in providing organic produce at lower costs.    

  • We're still working with meats that we already have stored in the freezer. By buying meats in larger quantities and/or on sale we're able to save in this pricey grocery category. 

  • We're having a couple of friends for dinner one night! We keep hospitality meals simple and often just something we'd ordinarily have anyways. We believe in incorporating hospitality into our daily lives, and so strive to make the effort more casual than fussy. 
Breakfasts
- cottage cheese with mango
- oatmeal with diced apple and walnuts
- granola cereal, banana
- (repeat all to keep it simple!)

Lunches
- pizza leftovers (We splurged last week and got a pizza. Sometimes you need some junk food!)
- B.L.A.T. sandwiches (bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato) - one of our favorites!
- Pot roast turnovers (dice veggies and mix with gravy and then enclose with a whole wheat crust)
- repeat barley casserole

Dinners
BBQ portabello quesadillas (using homemade tortillas) (we didn't get to this last week)
- {hospitality meal} baked chicken, mashed potatoes, zipper cream peas, homemade applesauce
- Pot roast (yum!)
- breakfast for dinner: Italian Sausage Egg Bake
- Barley casserole -my favorite casserole!
- Market salad (greens, mandarin oranges, apples, candied walnuts, almonds, raisins, cranberries with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing)

Snacks
- almonds
- yogurt with strawberries and walnuts
- homemade whole wheat crackers with peanut butter
- cottage cheese
yogurt
- apples and cheese slices



*Note: Reviving Homemaking is not affiliated with any of the sites or companies included in the links, and was not asked to include or recommend them or their recipes in this post. (I simply like what they have to offer!)

Friday, May 3, 2013

Date Night: Cooking Challenge


     My husband enjoys the show "Chopped" on the Food Network. While watching it one evening I began devising a way to create a date night inspired by the show's premise. I thought it would make a fun date night, and I knew that he would love it. 
     
      The rules were a bit different to accommodate the game being played as a date night. At the beginning of the week I handed him a card with how the game would be played. We each then had $10 to spend on ingredients that would serve as the mystery ingredients (three ingredients per person). Each person then wrote the name of the ingredient on a piece of paper and folded it to be drawn at the beginning of each round. This meant, that we were eligible for drawing our own ingredient. This was one of the safeguards I placed so that the mystery ingredient wouldn't be too wild with which to work. The second safeguard was that each person would have to eat the opponent's dish at the end of the round. So, while shopping we had to keep in mind the questions: 1) would I be able to work with this ingredient if I chose it? and 2) would I want to eat it if I'm served it in a dish? I'm not a professional chef and so I needed to make sure the game didn't come to a stop at the first round! The one aspect I didn't think of at the time was that all ingredients needed to work for all rounds. I purchased steak and after I realized it could be drawn during the dessert round too I was holding tightly to the hope that it would be drawn in one of the first two rounds only! (It was drawn for the main course- phew!).

      To make up for the fact that we aren't pros I added an allowance for the use of recipe books, online or other resources five minutes before each round and then during the round as well. Each round was timed as follows: Appetizer 20 minutes, Main Course 50 minutes, Dessert 30 minutes. We actually did pretty well with making each dish within the time limits! (If only I was that good on an everyday basis when cooking meals! haha).

      Finally, the last twist was that we would both prepare our dishes at the same time. Cooking within a time limit while using the same space and tools will either make or break you. But with this being a date night activity, the goal is to come to work together well, which we did. We definitely had to have a teamwork approach for cleaning up the massive mess after each round. Many hands really did make light work! But where's the studio clean-up crew when you need one?!

      All in all, it was a really fun date night adventure. Most of the dishes were really good. Some (uh hem..a certain dessert) were .... not saved. If you enjoy cooking, then I highly recommend trying out this little date night game! The following is a bunch of photos and a video from our game :)




How many attempts does it take for us to get one good posed photo? 6+ ! Apparently, a "tough face" is a challenge in itself for us!

The fennel gratin tasted better than it looked! 


Round 2 was a success!
The celery root for the dessert round was our one wild ingredient. I was just grateful it wasn't the steak! haha



And the winner is...
He outscored me in the creativity category. He cooked based on a concept like creating a gratin or pudding. I, on the other hand, found and followed recipes. haha!



     I'm a firm believer in designating a couple of nights a month to a date night. I think it's so important to be intentional about staying connected and having fun in a marriage. It doesn't have to be something elaborate or expensive. It can be as simple as cooking in your home kitchen together! The point is to always make one's marriage a priority, and designating date nights is a great means for achieving that goal. 

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