Crockpot Stroganoff

We had this for dinner last night and it was so good I just had to share the recipe. It was the first time I made it.

Crock Pot Stroganoff

2 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1-1/2 to 2 lbs. round steak, sliced thin
10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 can of mushrooms
1/2 cup sour cream

- Combine flour, garlic powder, pepper and paprika in crock pot.
- Add steak and toss to coat.
- Add cream of mushroom soup, water and onion soup mix. Stir until well blended.
- Cover and cook on high 3 - 3 1/2 hours or on low 6-7 hours.
- Stir in mushrooms and sour cream.
- Continue to cook for 15 more minutes or until warmed through.
- Serve on a bed of rice.

Enjoy!

Blessings,
Liisa

P.S. Isn't that recipe box cute? It is part of Martha Stewart's Collection

Chance To Win A Stand Mixer!

A Cowboy’s Wife is having a contest on her food blog! You can win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer and she’ll ship anywhere so everyone is eligible!

The Prize:




The winner will receive a brand new
Hamilton Beach 4.5-qt. Eclectrics Stand Mixer, Pineapple Yellow!!

About the mixer:

From Hamilton Beach’s “Eclectrics” line, this all-metal stand mixer comes with a host of accessories - a Flat Beater for cakes and cookies, a Dough Hook for bread and a Wire Whisk for whipped cream or pudding. The 4.5-qt. stainless steel bowl comes with a Pouring Shield that helps prevent splattering while in operation. The pouring shield has a built-in chute for adding ingredients. Powered by 400 watts, the stand mixer has a two-way mixing action to ensure all ingredients are incorporated into the mix. The quick-release, tilt-up head assists when removing the bowl. 9 x 14 x 14-in. When you’re ready for a kitchen re-do, don’t call in the carpenters! Instead, “counterscape” your kitchen with Hamilton Beach’s retro-designed, affordably priced electrics in happy, sun-saturated colors. Their “Eclectrics” line includes updates to those classic appliances from the 1950s. All of their “Eclectrics” are available in six colors: Apple Green, Moroccan Red, Pineapple Yellow, Intrigue Blue, Sugar White and Licorice Black.

This contest begins on January 1, 2008 and will end on January 31, 2008 at 6:00pm CST. Winner will be announced on February 1, 2008! This contest is open to ALL and to anywhere UPS or the USPS will go!

Phone Troubles

This morning when I picked up our phone there was no dial tone. I called for service (from my mother in law's) and tried the tricks they suggested but all to no avail so now I am awaiting the arrival of the telephone repair man. He was very nice and called (my mother in law's) this morning to let me know that he would be arriving sometime this afternoon. I am hoping he comes after nap time is over. I am also praying that the trouble is outside the house so we do not have to pay for a service call.

I was so glad that he called because that enabled us to still go out for our walk. It was so nice in spite of the bit of drizzle as it is quite warm here today!

One thing I have noticed today without the phone is that it is really quite nice! There have been no telemarketers calling and I haven't been on the phone all day which to my shame happens much too often. I am sensing a theme here with the reduction in computer time and now no phone....so much more gets done and there really is a sense of peace in the house. Technology is a wonderful thing but it takes over our lives sometimes and it is good once in a while to step away from all that. The Bible is full of warnings about these things and this incident has really brought them to mind.

2 Thessalonians 3:10-12
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.

1 Timothy 5:13-14
Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.

Titus 2:4-5
Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children,to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

God's Word tells me to be busy and not idle.. To work and not be a busy body. Even though I am at home I can still be a busy body visiting house to house wasting time on the phone or online. It is such an easy thing to do. As I said before technology is wonderful, I just realize that it is important that it does not take over my life and cause me to be idle or a busy body.

Having no phone also gives me a chance to really think things over before I act or say something. Sometimes I go with my impulses and jump on the phone when I have a thought or idea that I would like to share but I often haven't really thought things out fully before I share them. Thinking things out thoroughly before I act is a lesson I have yet to learn fully! ~sigh~

Speaking of being busy I better finish up a few things before my little ones get up from nap time.

Blessings,
Liisa

Titus Women

I have been busy with two other ladies organizing a monthly get together for ladies (anyone over 16). We are calling it Titus Women. Here is the notice we hope to have included in the bulletin at church.





Titus Women
Titus 2:3-5 - Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.


The first in a monthly get together for ladies will take place January 24th, 2008 at 7 p.m. at ___________ ___________ _______. These get togethers will be after the spirit of Titus 2, an event where ladies can meet and learn valuable skills from one another. Each month will have a different theme. For January we will be making Home Management Binders. These are wonderful organizational tools and will help in the running of your home and the lives of your family. We will also be discussing planning our days and keeping our priorities straight. If you have any helpful hints or have something that works for you please come prepared to share that information with the rest of us! We hope to see you there! Bring a Friend! ( All materials will be supplied. There is no cost to attend.)

Please let one of us know if you are able to attend January 24th as we will need to purchase supplies in advance. Thank you !



I am so looking forward to these get togethers. We have many ladies at our church that have so many valuable skills and lessons they can share with everyone. I am looking forward to sharing what I may know but mostly to learning from these other women!

Blessings,
Liisa

The End of Holidays

I was surprised with two extra days with no little monkeys this past week. Thursday my hubby was busy at the farm so I was able to go to the church and help with some sorting out, cleaning up and organizing. It was a really nice time spent with a lady I really admire. Then yesterday I was able to spend the day alone with my hubby and he even took me out for lunch. It was so nice...I felt like we were on a date! It is wonderful because I feel even more in love with him than I did years ago. He still gives me that feeling in the pit of my stomach....you know the one I mean! We've been together since I was 15 and that is 20 years ago now! Life is good!

Anyway, I am actually looking forward to everything getting back to normal and the routine of daily life. Holidays are wonderful but it is good to get things back on track! Monday my hubby is back to his regular shift and my son is back to school and all my little monkeys will be back. ~smile~

Blessings,
Liisa

Little Monkeys and Getting More Done

Three of my little monkeys are back today! I missed them a lot and have really been enjoying my day with them. This morning we went outside and "colored the snow". I took some condiment bottles (the squeeze kind) and filled them with water that I had added some food coloring to. Our snowbanks out front are very pretty now. ~smile~

Then we went for our walk and got some errands done, had lunch and now they are just getting up from nap.

One of my New Year's resolutions was to get more done each day. In order to do this I decided that I would need to limit my computer time to nap time in the afternoon. This will prevent me from getting carried away. Today was the first day and actually I did go online to do the email Bible study I send to some other ladies, but that was it. I did that and walked away. Do you know what happened? I got SO much done this morning. Things were not at all stressful and I have felt happy and relaxed all day. I think this comes from knowing that so much is done and behind me already. I should say that I previously did not just sit around and surf the net while my house went to the wolves around me but I did have a nasty habit of just popping on for a minute while I had a cup of coffee or thinking I'd just pop on and look up something, the computer is conveniently located right next to the kitchen. These little pop-ons must have really added up!

This morning I ironed the bedding and a skirt, made dinner for tonight and also the meal for tomorrow night (I thought I would be away all day tomorrow and wanted to have dinner ready for the guys), made a loaf of bread, cleaned the house, made scrambled eggs, toast and pancakes for my son and his friend that stayed over night. Got all the dishes done, looked after three little girls and several other things before it was time for our morning walk. Wow!

So now it is 3:30 and I have my dinner ready, the pots etc. washed, dried and away so all I will have to wash up is the plates etc.after dinner and I will be able to get some work for the church done tonight as well as some other tasks I haven't had time for.

All in all it has been a great day. I hope yours has been too!

Blessings,
Liisa

Happy New Year

Yesterday I went shopping with my sister and our friend. It was a really nice day and we were all able to pick up the things we needed for celebrations last night, then it was home for a busy time of preparations for the night ahead!

I made some feta fingers which were yummy but so unhealthy! I also prepared chip dip, stuffed mushrooms,feta stuffed cherry tomatoes and made up plates of chocolates and cookies as well and making up a cheese tray....it's a good thing one of my resolutions is to eat healthier - I will need to after the things I ate last night ~smile~

We stayed home and celebrated with another couple that we are good friends with. It was a lot of fun. We played Cranium and a couple of trivia games and ate way too much!
The only down part of the evening was that my son opted to spend New Years at his girlfriend's house in a near by town. It was the first New Year's Eve we have spent without him since he was born. I was a little sad and can see that it was the first of many we will be apart for. We did talk on the phone though. ~sigh~ Where do the years go? If you have little ones at home I encourage you to cherish every moment you have with them.

Today has been off to a slow start as we were up WAY past our bedtime and didn't turn in until almost three. When we got up I made a mushroom, green onion and cheddar omelet for my hubby while he went to pick up our son and now hubby is off to work and my son just finished snow blowing the driveway. We got a lot of snow through the early morning hours and it is still coming down.

This afternoon I will be making a pork roast, mashed potatoes, turnip and carrots, corn and some fresh bread for dinner. My sister and her children, my mother in law and I believe several of my son's friends will be joining us for dinner. We would normally have turkey or ham for New Year's dinner but in the interest of being frugal we opted to use what we already had in the freezer.

I have quite a bit to get done so I better get at it. I also hope to spend some time reflecting on the year past and planning for the one ahead. I would like to go over my resolutions and the steps I need to take to make them a reality as well.

I pray God will be with you and bless you in the coming year.

Blessings,
Liisa