Starbucks-style Frappuccino!

Oh my - this is yummy..............!

I adapted the below recipe slightly - instead of the ice and instant coffee (cause if you know my husband he doesn't do instant coffee in this house!) - I froze sweetened coffee in ice cube trays and used that. And because I wasn't sure if I had made the coffee sweet enough, I did go ahead and add another 1-2 TB of sugar to the mixture.

Oh - go try it - you'll love me!

Starbucks-style Frappuccino

makes 2 grande (16 oz each)

• 3 cups ice
• 1 1/2 Tbs. instant coffee - I use decaf. A good national brand tastes best, but even the cheap stuff will make you regret you ever paid $4 for a frap.
• 3 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup heavy cream - Not strictly necessary, but makes it even yummier. Try this at your own risk.

Blend til smooth and enjoy. Drink with a straw. Remember to share, because this was 2 large servings.

options:

1. Mocha: add 2 Tbs. of unsweetened cocoa powder.
2. Java Chip: blend in chocolate chips
3. Caramel Macchiato: replace the sugar with a 1/3 cup of caramel sauce.
4. Get really fancy and top it with real whipped cream.
5. Try drinking it all yourself.

thanks to This Blog!

a thought for this week

As I was cleaning out some stuff I came across this quote I printed and was reminded once again of it's timeless truth and thought I would share it.

"Busyness is not Godliness. God is not impressed with your production capacity as much as He is concerned that the product of your home--your own children--be chiseled and molded and perfected to the best of your ability. You may tire of this mundane task, but the Lord admonishes you not to grow weary and promises to supply the energy and strength as needed in this all-important task (Isaiah 40:28-31). God's strength is for what He plans for you to do--not stamina for everything you might want to do."

--Dorothy Patterson

Do not grow weary in doing good - Keep on keeping on - Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

Quinoa Taco Salad

This post is part of "Pennywise Platter Thursday" over at

The Nourishing Gourmet

I love making "taco-seasoned" quinoa and I decided to get creative this week and I made it into a taco salad. It turned out pretty good. This recipe would probably feed 4 adults, or maybe closer to 6 with some kids in the mix. Keep in mind when you make it though, it doesn't keep well, make what you can eat 'cause the leftovers get pretty mushy!

Quinoa -

Cook 1 cup of dry quinoa according to the directions (2 cups boiling water, add 1 c. quinoa- simmer and cook till water is absorbed)

Add taco seasoning -

I usually do something along the following, but add what spices you like - it's pretty forgiving!

1 can tomato sauce

1-2 TB BBQ sauce, chipotle flavor is my favorite

couple dashs of Chipotle Tabasco hot sauce

2-3 TB chili powder

1-2 TB cumin (vary depending on your preference for hotness)

1-2 tsp garlic powder - or fresh garlic

1-2 tsp onion powder - or fresh onion (I like red onion best)

Mix throughly

Prepare 1 head of lettuce in a large bowl

Add a couple chopped tomatoes (fresh is best but especially in taco salad you could get away with canned if you had to, I would add to the quinoa above and mix there)

Add 1-2 cups crushed/broken up tortilla chips

Add 1 cup cheese

Add 1 cup of kidney or black beans

Add quinoa mixture

Mix everything together and serve immediately.

We all enjoyed this and even my 2 year old ate a full serving and my 4 year old declared it his favorite salad!

salad dressing

One of my favorite blogs is the Nourishing Gourmet - Kimi is having a giveaway for a free case of (really yummy looking) salad dressing - go here to enter!

find joy

I often remind myself of 2 words - "find joy". In whatever is happening, find joy. Whatever you are doing, find joy. We are not suppose to be living this life and going about frustrated, mad or just bored at our life, we are to have joy. Whether we are planning the meals to serve our families, compiling a grocery list, watching and playing with little kids, folding laundry, washing dishes...... we should have a joyful heart and attitude. I don't always, but I try. And I am trying to remind myself of this more often throughout the day.

I often find myself wanting to share a thought, a recipe, a good book with those around me, but often by the time I find the time I have forgotten about it. So, I am going to try and write some of that stuff down here and let you have that way. I have been focusing recently on concentrating on keeping good meal plans, planning the grocery trips and being more intentional about discipline and training the kids. I welcome your thoughts and feedback.

Below are some of the verses I enjoy that remind me about being faithful to find joy in my life.

"Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation"

~Habakkuk 3:18

"If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

~John 15:10-11

"So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy..."

~Colossians 1:10-11

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

~Hebrews 12:1-2

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

~1 Peter 1:3-9