Super delicious Chicken Parm, IN the slow cooker.  Oh yeah :)

Sorry this is so late going up, I've been really busy today.  



2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I cut mine into strips, to make them into more reasonable serving sizes for the kids)
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 egg, beaten
4-6 slices mozzarella cheese
1 jar (28-ounces) favorite marinara sauce

Directions: Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the bottom of the crockpot stoneware.
In a medium bowl, beat egg.  In second medium bowl, mix the bread crumbs, spices, and grated Parmesan cheese all together.

Dip chicken in beaten egg and then toss into bread crumb mixture to coat completely on both sides.  Place chicken breasts on bottom of crockpot.  Place a layer of mozzarella slices on top of breaded chicken breasts.  Cover cheese layered chicken with entire jar of sauce.

Place lid of crockpot securely on and turn heat to LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.  Serve over cooked pasta of your choice. 

"Our very nature demands home. It is the first essential element of our social being. This cannot be complete without home relations. There would be no proper equilibrium of life and character without the home influence. The heart bereaved and disappointed, naturally turns for refuge to home life. No spot is so attractive to the wary one: it is the heart's moral oasis. There is a mother's watchful love and a father's sustaining influence. There is a husband's protection and a wife's tender sympathy. There is a circle of loving brothers and sisters happy in each other's love. Oh what is life without these!"

The Home -- taken from The Royal Path of Life (1879)




I have been enjoying the Homestead Blessings DVD's for a while now, I didn't have them all as it was not something that I could put into my budget, so I've slowly been building my collection and I just finished it this past weekend.

Even though I had already watched two or three of the DVD's, I couldn't help but go through and re-watch and enjoy the West Ladies all over again.  To say that watching these ladies is a blessing, would be an understatement.

I think in a way these ladies signify and embody all that I want to be and aspire to be when it comes to Homesteading and living off the land.


Simple, sweet, full of life and just adorable to boot, I always feel like I've known them forever when I'm watching their videos and they've taught me SO much, more than I can ever put into practice.  It makes me yearn even more strongly for a home of my own with some acres of land and veggie gardens and pastures and clotheslines in the middle of trees with the days washing flapping in the gentle breeze.

It's also made me stop and think that in this day and age when things are just so fast paced, we are moving towards an era where HOME is not really the epitome of family, of closeness, of safe haven.

 Why is it that so many of us homemakers have a problem admitting that we work at home, that we are stay at home mothers?  I used to feel that way, when someone asked me what it is I do, I immediately shied away and got nervous because I knew that there was no way of answering that question without some sort of look, of unsaid acknowledgment that what I was doing was not normal, not right.  

Then I realized that I am one of the few, one of a dying species, one of those still trying to hold on to old times and to simple things, to making sure that the home is still that safe haven where the family gathers at the end of a rough day, where you think of chicken soup and warm quilts, of soft candle glow, of homemade goodness, of simple times.  It's quite a realization when it hits you, and when it did for me, it catapulted me into this roller coaster of emotions but most of all it completely knocked me on my tush and made me realize that, hey, I'm not abnormal, I'm not a freak or a weirdo, I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, what I love doing, what I want to do for my husband and for my children and THAT is the best feeling in the world.


 I've often been told that being a homemaker means I'm succumbing to my husband and to the home, that I'm not my own woman, that I'm not independent.....frankly all I can do to that is laugh, and I mean laugh really hard.


I am where I want to be, I am doing what I love the most and yes, I'm independent and I'm my own woman, one thing does not take away from the other.

I could go on and on but I won't, for I think that you all get the idea of what I'm trying to say.  Stop being ruled by what society thinks you should or shouldn't do, follow your heart, follow your instinct and put God and your family above others, live with them and for them and I promise you, you will live in happiness.

I love my home, if you were to walk into it you would see so many handmade items, so many corners that just scream cozy and family.  I don't do my daily chores with heaviness in my heart, I do them with joy in my soul. 

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (March 29, 2011)
Penicillin operates as the source of romance, murder, and melodrama in Belfer's (City of Light) evocative WWII–era novel. When Life magazine sends strikingly beautiful photographer Claire Shipley to report on a promising new medication made from green mold, Claire, 36, the single mother of a young son, who lost her daughter to blood poisoning eight years before, is moved by the drug's potential to save lives. She also becomes smitten with resident doctor James Stanton, a man with two interests: penicillin and bedding Claire. But as the war casualties pile up, penicillin becomes an issue of national security and the politics of the drug's production threaten to disrupt the pair's lust-fueled romance, especially when James is sent abroad to oversee human trials of the drug. The pharmaceutical companies—including one owned by Claire's father—realize the financial potential in penicillin, which leads to a hodgepodge of soapy plot twists: suspicious deaths, amnesia, illness, exploitation, and espionage. Belfer handily exploits Claire's photo shoots to add historical texture to the book, and the well-researched scenes bring war-time New York City to life, capturing the anxiety-ridden period.


My Thoughts:

I loved this book.  It's beautifully written and depicts the race by the big pharmaceutical companies to mass produce penicillin during WWII.  Trust me, it's not a boring book or a heavy book that will leave you feeling drained, I've had my share of those.

There is love and there's espionage and action packed pages.   I think though that some of my favorite parts in the book were the ones where the author describes how the scientists grew mold in milk bottles, from collecting dirt samples throughout the country, even having to wade through sewage at times....all in the name of trying to save lives.

There's so much going on and you get to read the point of views of every part of this story, from the scientists, to the general population who so desperately need these medications, the panic, the heartache, the yearning to help and save lives.

It's a really good read, the author throws you into wartime New York and vividly describes the scene making you feel like you're right there, experiencing everything with the characters.  Brilliant book.

Here's the Tour schedule if you want to follow along with the reviews:


Tuesday, March 29th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Thursday, March 31st: Rundpinne
Wednesday, April 6th: Bibliophiliac
Monday, April 11th: That’s What She Read
Tuesday, April 12th: Books Like Breathing
Wednesday, April 13th: In the Next Room
Thursday, April 14th: Man of La Book
Monday, April 18th: Bookish Ruth
Monday, April 18th: Unabridged Chick
Tuesday, April 19th: Teresa’s Reading Corner
Wednesday, April 20th: Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books
Thursday, April 21st: Debbie’s Book Bag
Monday, April 25th: Laura’s Reviews
Date TBD: Bookworm’s Dinner (guest post)

As a woman, one of the things I most struggle with since I turned 30, is my weight.  It's a roller coaster of a ride, it yo yo's up and down and it's become increasingly harder to drop the extra pounds as I get older.

I'm not one for diets, truthfully I actually avoid them and the main reason being that I love food, I can't live without food, I don't like being told that I am not allowed to indulge or enjoy something delicious.  My body has a way of rebelling and the minute it hears the words DIET, it literally goes into overload and that is when I'll find myself raiding the fridge at 12am.  Not a good thing.

One thing I try to do is eat in moderation but I refuse to give up good food, it's just a NO NO.

I was recently contacted by the folks at Weight Watchers and asked if I would be interested in trying some of their Frozen meals.  Of course, I agreed but I wasn't really sure if I would enjoy the meals, I mean I'm a cook from scratch kinda gal and frozen meals do no enter my home, the most I'll get is a frozen pizza for a quick lunch, but then I have to add in some salad or veggies to balance it out.

Within a few days I had received a big box chock full of Weight Watcher meals, the kids and I opened it up and we all went "Oooohhh now that looks good".


We tried it, yes I said WE because the kiddos wanted to try it as well and the best thing about it is that we ALL loved it, including my hubby who then took one or two to work for lunch.

I think what I most enjoyed about these meals is that they tasted homemade but they weren't fattening and I can totally see myself enjoying more in the future for those days when a quick healthy lunch is in order.

Nicholas of course chose the Three Cheese Mac and Cheese, this kid LOVES Mac and Cheese and he gave it a thumbs up.  I tried a little and it was a little bland for me, but it may be because I'm not really a fan of Mac and Cheese, it was good though when I added just a little pinch of salt :)


Jasmine asked for the Baked Ziti and THAT was really good. 


We all had some of the Rainbow Pasta Salad and the Potato Salad and again, both very good.


I opted for the Chili con Carne with Beans, it was pretty tasty.  Of course I had to dip in some corn chips but what can I say, I'm bad like that.  LOL


So yeah, definitely thumbs up from us all.  I think what most strikes me is that frozen meals have come such a long way from the old days of bland, tasteless, bad for you food. 

If you're currently doing Weight Watchers, have you tried their meals?  What do you think? 

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Had a beautiful weekend with warm weather, the kids even got to play in the sprinklers :)


Things that make me happy:
Being a mom


Book I'm reading:
A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer - For an upcoming review, it's very interesting already.
The Bridge of Peace by Cindy Woodsmall - new one for review, I am just LOVING it, it's so good.

What's on my TV today:

Being Human on Syfy
Five Mile Creek Season 1
Homestead Blessings

On the menu for dinner:
Galinha no Forno com arroz (Portuguese Chicken)

On my To Do List:
Iron and put away Laundry
Wash the floors
Homeschooling



New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan
Mini Hexagon pillow
Crochet Flower Pictures


Looking forward to this week:
Starting our blackouts.  I got the idea from my sweet friend Jen and when I mentioned it to the family, they were ALL for it.  One hour a day, with NO tv, NO computer, nothing electronic being turned on. 


Tips and Tricks:
Involve your children in the housework.  It doesn't have to be boring for them, make it fun.  My kids enjoy dusting, vacuuming, gardening, watering the plants etc.  We give them special rewards too, never monetary, but it keeps them motivated :)
 


My favorite blog post this week:
Nothing, did not get around to reading anything.


Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
Sorry, same thing, was supposed to catch up last week and then ended up not getting around to it.  UGH.  But like I said, I'm finally BACK and I'm going to remedy that immediately :)


No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):
Just knowing that I'm actually GROWING things is making me so happy :)



Lesson learned the past few days:
Not really one learned, but a simple fact that was reiterated for me.  You don't have to spend money to have a good time with your family.  There are so many free places to go and enjoy the day, even if just an hour or so walking around a store like Cabelas, or going to a park and having a picnic, going for a drive in the country, playing in the sprinklers, doing gardening, whatever it is.....enjoy the time with your family :)


On my mind:
Homeschooling - we have AIMS testing coming up soon.
Housework - have lots to do and really don't want to do anything today


Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. – Exodus 20:7

Guess what?  I'm back and I'm here to stay.

I have missed this little blog so much, but life gets hectic at times and we end up focused on other things but, in my heart, I was just missing it so much, missing staying in touch with all of you and sharing my daily going ons and tips and recipes and whatever else I find myself immersed in.

So how about we start fresh?  Starting with this weekend, let me get you all caught up on what is going on here.   I have a pot of tea and some butter cookies for us, so come in and sit with me a little, let's look at some photos :)

Saturday:::::::


Digging up weeds is a tough job, but like every other chore in this house, we make it fun :)


Flowers waiting to be planted into the raised bed just beneath our bedroom window.



At 8:30pm, the lights and all electronics were turned off for an hour in observation of Earth Hour.  It's such a small thing to do but with a huge impact on our planet, I only wish that more people participated.


With the thought of helping out the Earth, fresh in our minds, we have decided as a family that everyday we will have a blackout hour, no computers, no tv, no video games, nothing.....just good old fashioned family time.  We can't wait :)






Sunday:::::

We started the day with a pancake breakfast and then a trip to one of our favorite places to walk around.  Cabelas!




Then it was back home for some gardening, yard work and fun in the sun.

My patio table has pretty much become my little work area, the plants seem to thrive there and I've never had much luck with anything green so I don't want to mess with the goodness LOL

By the way, don't throw out your extra chopsticks that you may have laying around, use them as markers for your pots :)


Here's our corn, I'm so excited :)


The sprinkler was going and of course the kids couldn't wait to get in there.

You know I look at these pictures and I just wonder where time has gone, how is it possible that this girl is getting so big???


Absolutely LOVE this one, it has to be one of my favorites of Jasmine :)


My sweet sweet adorable boy, he makes me laugh on a daily basis and he is always there giving me love and showering me with kisses and hugs :)



Though that shot right there just makes me start laughing, his face is hysterical LOL

So anyway, that's what we've been doing this weekend.  I've also been catching up on my Homestead Blessings DVD's and I have so much planned for this coming week, and I'll be sharing it all with you :)

Before I leave though, take a look at what we had for dinner.  Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan, SO good and the best part is that you can just go on with your day while it simmers and fills your home with delicious scents.


Alright, my tea is getting cold, I'm going to go pour myself another cup and maybe steal another cookie.....or two. I hope you have an amazing night and a wonderful week, don't forget to come back tomorrow for Happy Homemaker Monday, a review on Weight Watcher meals and some other cool stuff too :)

Yummy Nachos!




1 pound lean ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
1 small onion, diced
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 sliced, jalapeno
Shredded Cheese, I like Cheddar or the Monterey Jack mix
Tortilla Chips
Sour Cream


In a skillet, brown the ground beef with the taco seasoning

On a casserole dish (mine was slightly smaller than a 9x 13 but you can also use a deep pie dish), layer the nachos as follows:

Tortilla chips, about 1 cup of cheese, beef mixture, diced tomatoes, diced onions, jalapenos. Sprinkle more cheese on top, again this is up to you how much depending on what your family likes.

Pop under the broiler until the cheese is nice and melted. Serve with a few dollops of sour cream.


NOTE:  I love that with this recipe, I can make more or less nachos as is needed. I can make a single serving or I can make double or even triple the batch if I have more people coming over.

Thank you to all who entered the two giveaways for Dezign with a Z and Fashion to Figure. 

I've used Random.org to draw the winners and here they are:

Dezign with a Z - $30 Gift Certificate

#3 - Karen 

Fashion to Figure - $30 or less item from the website

#9 - Vay

Congratulations Ladies, I will be contacting your shortly with the details.

As always, I like sharing what I find with you and if I knew that you didn't appreciate it, or thought these posts annoying, I would totally stop doing it, but as it stands, I've received numerous emails thanking me over and over for the suggestions found on my blog.

Matter of fact, some of you have found some favorites from the selections I've posted here.  So guess what, I'm back with a bunch more that you have to watch.



The Witches of Oz on SyFy UK - Premieres April 6

"Fantasy adventure starring Paulie Rojas as Dorothy Gale, an author of children's books based on the land of Oz created by her grandfather. After heading to New York following an offer of representation by a large agency, it emerges that the world she has been writing about is based on reality and that the Wicked Witch of the West has plans for global domination - so she and her friends try to stop the inhabitants of Oz from taking over."

Just the kind of show I really enjoy.  If you want to have a sneak peek and also glimpse a little of the behind the scenes and making of this great show, just go here.

Trailer:




Meek's Cutoff - April 8th in select theaters

The year is 1845, the earliest days of the Oregon Trail, and a wagon team of three families has hired the mountain man Stephen Meek to guide them over the Cascade Mountains. Claiming to know a short cut, Meek leads the group on an unmarked path across the high plain desert, only to become lost in the dry rock and sage. Over the coming days, the emigrants must face the scourges of hunger, thirst and their own lack of faith in each other’s instincts for survival. When a Native American wanderer crosses their path, the emigrants are torn between their trust in a guide who has proven himself unreliable and a man who has always been seen as the natural enemy.




Water for Elephants - Release date April 22 2011

When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her. Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.

Been wanting to watch this one for so long, the book was amazing :)




The Mill and the Cross - 

Pieter Bruegel’s epic masterpiece The way to Calvary depicts the story of Christ’s Passion set in Flanders under brutal Spanish occupation in the year 1564, the very year Bruegel created his painting. From among the more than five hundred figures that fill Bruegel’s remarkable canvas, The mill & the cross focuses on a dozen characters whose life stories unfold and intertwine in a panoramic landscape populated by villagers and red-caped horsemen.  Among them are Bruegel himself (played by Rutger Hauer), his friend and art collector Nicholas Jonghelinck (Michael York), and the Virgin Mary (Charlotte Rampling).

Trailer:




Courageous - Premieres September 30 2011

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect.

As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, and their partners are confident and focused. They willingly stand up to the worst the world can offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.

While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they're quickly discovering that their standard is missing the mark.

They know that God desires to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, but their children are beginning to drift further and further away from them. Will they be able to find a way to serve and protect those that are most dear to them?

When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to God ... and to their children?

Courageous is the fourth release of Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Church in Albany, Georgia. Their first release since FIREPROOF, the No. 1 independent film of 2008, Courageous joins Facing the Giants and Flywheel in touching and impacting lives through heartfelt stories of faith and hope.

Moviegoers will again find themselves crying, laughing, and cheering—sometimes simultaneously—as they are inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children.

Protecting the streets is second nature to these law enforcement officers. Raising their children? That will take courage.

Courageous ... honor begins at home.




So there you go, a few more to keep in mind or add to your calendars just like I have :)

Title: The Oracle of Stamboul: A Novel
Author: Michael David Lukas


My thoughts:

The book didn't captivate me from the start.  Whereas with some books I'm immediately drawn into the story, this one at times was quite slow and seemed to drag.  That's not to say that it wasn't a good book or that it wasn't an interesting story, because it was.

The writer did a great job of taking us on a magical journey, to another time and place and I did really enjoy the main character Eleonora.  This is a little girl who for all intents and purposes is a genius, she learns to read in one day at the age of 6 and from that moment on, nothing can stop her, she has an appetite for literature that is unsatiable.

From the minute she stows away in her Father's steamer trunk, the story takes off and we're transported into a world of court intrigue and rich in history.

All in all, I enjoyed the book, I'm glad I kept with it and didn't put it down when it got a little slower.

I WILL say that the one thing that had me sighing in awe was the packaging for this book, absolutely stunning and makes me wish I had taken a photo before I opened it.  I love me a book with an appealing cover and this one had it in spades.

Check out the other reviews on this tour:

Wednesday, March 9th: Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books
Monday, March 14th: Like Fire
Wednesday, March 16th: The Whimsical Cottage
Monday, March 21st: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Wednesday, March 23rd: Layers of Thought
Thursday, March 24th: Janet Boyer Blog

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Hot, already got my first tan Hahahah  But today we have cloudy skies, high winds and it looks like we are also expected to get rain.


Things that make me happy:
Air Shows


Book I'm reading:
A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer - For an upcoming review, it's very interesting already.


What's on my TV today:
Pretty Little Liars

Being Human on Syfy
Five Mile Creek Season 1


On the menu for dinner:
Creamy pasta with asparagus, ham and sausage

On my To Do List:
Put away laundry
Homeschooling
Baking some shortbread


New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Beef and Veggie Pot Pie
Mini Hexagon pillow
Crochet Flower Pictures


Looking forward to this week:
Getting back to homeschooling after Spring Break.


Tips and Tricks:




My favorite blog post this week:
Didn't get any reading done last week, was enjoying Spring Break with the kiddos


Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
Sorry, same thing, but I'm going to catch up today and I'm sure I'll find a good one :)


No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):




Lesson learned the past few days:
That unfortunately sometimes the people in the media are not really the brightest bulbs.  Lawrence O'Donnell made a pretty idiotic comment on MSNBC when he claimed that intelligent people wouldn't believe the Bible.  So guess what I just learned??????????/  That I'm the DUMBEST person on earth and darn proud of it. 


On my mind:
My family, my husband, my kids, homeschooling, cooking, cleaning....hot coffee....so many things.


Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses: