Sandra's Saturday Surfing

 

 Let's take a surf through the past week, and the sites that I have visited, found and so on.

 

Thriftbooks - well this is a non shocker, of course.  I actually managed to get the entire Brambley Hedge collection.  I had been wanting it for a while, but it was quite pricey, and was able to get it at a much cheaper price, so grabbed it immediately. 

Turbotax - because you know.  I held off as long as I could this year, but it was time to just pull the bandaid and get it done.  It's done, it's filed, it's over with for now.  Ugh, anyone else hate tax season as much as I do?

 

Hot Topic - Jasmine's birthday is coming up and she loves all things Superhero and X-Men in particular, so I was online looking for some ideas. 

Amazon - Had to order Elliott's food and my Weetabix cereal.

 

YoTurkish - Where I watch all my Turkish shows.

Friday's Letters

 

Dear Heart...You just scared the living daylights out of me, but thank you for hanging tough and helping me through a scary situation.  There was a lockdown at our base and an active shooter.  My husband works on base as an instructor supervisor, and the hour and a half this went on, was terrifying. 

Dear Rain....I love you.  I love how you smell, I love how you sound, I love what you do to the earth, the trees and the plants.  I just love you ♥  

 

Dear Chocolate....Can you please break the hold you have over me?  For Pete's sakes, just let me go already.  Why are you so delicious?  Why do I struggle so much trying to ignore you? 

Cooking Thursday - Bacon, Honey Mustard Chicken

 

Bacon, Honey Mustard Chicken

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I like the thin sliced so that I don't have to pound it down)
Bacon (I do 2 slices per chicken breast)
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. Dijon mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 t. paprika
1/2 t. salt
pepper to taste
American cheese slices (1 per breast)


Preheat oven to 400 F.

Mix together Honey, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, paprika, salt and pepper, in a medium bowl.

Rinse chicken breast and pat dry. If you didn't get the thin sliced breasts, then pound the chicken breast between 2 sheets of wax paper until about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick.

Add chicken to the marinade bowl, swish around a bit to cover completely and set aside.
Fry the bacon in a skillet, remove when cooked and set aside.

Keep the bacon grease in the pan. Pour off the excess marinade and fry the chicken, 3 pieces or so, at a time, for about 2 minutes on each side or until nicely browned.

Transfer to a baking sheet covered in foil. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove. Place two pieces of bacon on each chicken breast, then top with a slice of cheese.

Return to the oven for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
Serve immediately.I served mine with garlic mashed potatoes. YUM!

Wordless Wednesday - Nectarine Blossom

Musical Throwback Tuesday - Listen to your Heart by Sonia

A total throwback to the 80s and my childhood. This used to be one of my favorites back in the day. Such a fun tune to dance to.

Happy Homemaker Monday - 03/31/2025

 

 

Good morning friends!  

Welcome back to another Happy Homemaker Monday!  

 

I am so tired this morning, didn't sleep well at all last night, so I'm hoping I may be able to get a 10 to 15 minute nap sometime this afternoon.  Although, it may not happen because I have a lot to do, it's going to be a busy day.

 

Anyway, I am running a little late this morning, so let's get right on with it. 

 

The weather in my neck of the woods:::

It's been so nice, the temperatures have stayed in the 70s and 80s.  I wish it could be like this all year long.  This week we have quite a bit of rain in the forecast, and I am here for it.  Love rainy weather.

Monday - Sunny to partly cloudy, 69

Tuesday - Mostly cloudy, 83

Wednesday - Partly cloudy, 80

Thursday - Showers, 65

Friday - Rain, 61

Saturday - Showers, 55

Sunday - Sunny, 57

As I look outside my window:::
Beautiful spring day, the sun is shining and the birds are singing.  

   

Right now I am:::
Working on this post to quickly get it up, so that I can get my day started.    

 

 

Something fun to share (a blog, a video, a tip):::

Here's a sweet cottage ambience video.  Hope you enjoy it. 

 

 

 

Thinking and pondering:::
Have a lot I need to get done this week, between spring cleaning, gardening, some sewing for my Jasmine and so forth.    I also need to finish my current read today, before the month of April begins and my TBR kicks in.        

 

On my bedside table:::
Empty cup of coffee, vase with flowers, my book and my phone. 

On my tv:::
Homemaking vlogs

Book vlogs

SIC Portuguese channel

Sangue Oculto Portuguese Soap

Listening to:::

A Promessa on the tv. 

Jets from the base flying above our house.

On the menu for this week:::

Monday - Italian baked chicken legs, Olive oil and garlic Spaghetti, Salad
Tuesday - Fish Fillets in Tomato Sauce, Parley Potatoes, Sauteed Cabbage and Kale    

Wednesday - Greek Beef Stew, Rice for the boys, Polenta for me, Broccoli Cauliflower

Thursday - Baked Thighs with potatoes, Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Friday - Oklahoma Fried Burgers, Fries
Saturday - Pork Shnitzel, Tomato Rice, Salad

Sunday - Scacciata with Sausage and Potatoes

On my to do list:::
Change Bed linens

Water plants

Daily Bible reading and daily decree

Crochet 

Sewing

Spring Cleaning 

 
What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
Finishing off Part 6 on the Cosmic CAL.     

My simple pleasure:::
Letting myself be taken away into a wonderful cozy book ♥      

Looking around the house:::
The usual Monday morning.  There are blankets on the couches, Wii remotes laying around, and the usual tidying up to be done.     

 

 
From the camera:::
Corners of my kitchen which make me smile.    

 

 

Bible verse, Devotional::: 

For it is God who works in you to will and act in order to fulfill his good purpose - Phillipians 2:13 NIV 

Local Library Book Sale

 If there is one thing that I love, is books.  Anytime I see a book sale, it makes me incredibly happy, so every year, I anxiously await our local library book sale.  

 

They do this flash sale, where you can purchase a box for $5 and then fill it with as many books as you want.  There's nothing more exciting than that, to know that you can just fill that box to your hearts content, and not just random books thrown in, but hand picked by you.

 

That's exactly what I did.  So let me show you what I got. 

I actually lucked out and found books 2 and 3 in the series that I am reading.  I didn't even know I could find them at the library, so when I saw them I jumped for joy.  

Bloodroot by Susan Wittig Albert

Wayward Winds by Michael Phillips - Book #2 in the Secrets of Heathersleigh Hall

Heathersleigh Homecoming by Michael Phillips - Book #3 in the Secrets of Heathersleigh Hall 

Heaven is Real by Todd Burpo

Heaven Changes Everything by Todd Burpo

Mezze Modern - a cookbook with Mediterranean appetizers, which is perfect for my diet.

To Green Angel Tower by Tad Williams

 

The Great Alone by Janet Dailey

 

In This Mountain by Jan Karon

 

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Darwinia by Robert Charles Wilson

 

Domino by Phyllis A. Whitney

The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

 

Claim by Lisa T. Bergren

Return to the Misty Shore by Bonnie Leon

 

 

The Solitary Envoy by T. Davis Bunn and Isabella Bunn

Blake's Reach by Catherine Gaskin

 

Frontiers by Colleen L. Reece

A Falcon for a Queen by Catherine Gaskin

 

 

Unto the Hills by Billy Graham

Friday's Letters

Dear Friday...I love you, and am so glad to see you arrive.  Although it means that another week has quickly ended and we are close to April already.  Oh well!

Dear Food....I wish I could say that you don't have a hold on me, but you do.  I don't know why, or how, or if I'll ever stop loving you as much as I do.  But, the truth is that I adore you, I adore everything about you and you make me very happy.  

 

Dear Gym....You have become one of my favorite places to hang out on the weekends.  What a joy you bring to my soul.  You used to intimidate me, if I am to be honest, but I have learned that you are actually one of my safe places, I feel relaxed when I'm there.  Thank you for that!

 

Dear 50 year old body....I am so proud of you, soooooo proud of you.  You don't understand just how powerful and amazing you are.  The way you have changed over the past year, you've gotten stronger, healthier and lighter.  What a blessing!

Cooking Thursday - Barb's Breakfast Burritos

 

Barb's Burritos

1 lb maple sausage
1 small can of diced green chilies
1 bag of Potatoes O' Brien
Scrambled eggs.....depending on how much you're making either a dozen or half a dozen


In a skillet brown the sausage,



then drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Fry the potatoes, add the can of chilies to the meat, add the potatoes to the chilies and sausage.



In a skillet scramble the eggs then add them to the rest of the mixture, mix everything well.

Spoon the filling into the middle of the tortilla and roll up burrito style. (BTW, the original recipe doesn't call for it, but I like to add cheese to mine too)



I use the little ziploc bags to keep mine in, but you can also wrap them in foil.



Once you're done, just pop them in the freezer, they keep really good for 3 weeks or so. To heat them up just place them in the microwave for about 2 minutes.

Wordless Wednesday