This and That from a Busy Week

Missy Tippens, here. Sharing a hodge lodge of photos. And I still haven't cooked anything worth sharing with y'all! It's a crazy time with my daughter nearing graduation. In the last week, we've had the school awards ceremony, prom, the senior luncheon at church, my United Methodist Circle spring luncheon, two AP tests and a Mother-Daughter banquet. I've also sent a proposal to my agent, revised it, then re-sent it (would appreciate prayers my editor loves it!).

Sooo, crazy week, and I've only cooked old stand-by meals that I previously shared here on the blog. Thus, the sharing of a mix of photos today. :)

First, the senior members of the club at the Mother-Daughter banquet showing off their graduation cords. It was so fun that they got to wear their prom and homecoming dresses again!

I thought it would be fun to share a couple of cute center pieces with you. These are from two events at church. This first one, you can see she took two spring napkins, alternated them, then attached with some string to the jar. (Click to enlarge it.) The flowers are mountain laurel.

And this one was gorgeous as well. I don't know what the plants were, but at first I didn't think they were real! I plan to ask my friend what she put in the vase.

Now, I'm asking for your help. This is the plant I bought for my porch, and I have no idea what it is! I sure hope one of you knows. :)

www.missytippens.com

Oh Spring, How I Love Thee! Let Me Count the Ways!

Well, this is just a wonderful, marvelous state of affairs, in which the sun actually shines, baby leaves are budding on the trees, flowers are blooming and mud puddles abound!

SPRING!

We don't always get spring like this. Heavy, cold rains are not unusual for upstate New York, but we've only had a couple of those... and some softer, sweeter, spring-scented rains! And now sun.

Oh, sun! It started with these friends, missed for so long!

And with that warming trend came these!

The five-year-olds have graduated to being allowed to CLIMB TREES IN THE SWINGY JUNGLE.

Now if you've ever read Bridge to Terabithia, you know that Swingy Jungles hung with vines might be way fun... or lethal. But we're voting WAY FUN. You don't get to go to the Swingy Jungle until you're 5 years old or ready for kindergarten, so Megan, Mary, Elijah and Brody are getting their first taste of big kid freedom!

Elijah, shimmying up the branch... And hanging on tight, which isn't a bad idea!

Notice the monster children in the background, scaling other trees?

God built our playground. Well done, Lord of Lords! :)

The ten-year-olds.

They pulled the old rowboat into the jungle and created a bridge to it (ooo, there's that Katherine Patterson thing, yikes!) and they have to "walk the plank" to get across the water. The water is only a few inches deep, but enough to soak you if you fall!

Old lawn chairs and tires complete the eclectic look, it reminds me of that country song "Redneck Yacht Club". Yup. We're that house!

And then there was this, oh, so sweet! Goodnight, Moon!

Singing frogs, singing birds, crowing roosters, squawking hens.... it is a barnyard of noise and mayhem, with the chatter of kids mixed in, and annoying barking dogs. (Mine!) :(

And another glimpse of God's beauty:

Even the kitty is happy!

And a little boy's tenderness welcomes new life on the farm.

We're tilling and taking care of chickens and children and not much clever cooking this week as we play catch up (and fix tools that break down!) and get kids ready for Mother's Day, so special!

May God bless every child with a mother who loves him or her so much that it shows in every word, smile and touch! May God bless the mothers in our amazing country with strength and faith and persistence and the courage of pioneers as we face challenges that aren't only in our back yards, but across the world... and may we all see the miracle before us in the face of each child.

Happy Mother's Day, my friends! God bless you!

The Hot and the Cold of Cold Brewed Coffee

Oh, morning coffee, how I love thee. But coffee and I have a problem right now. When coffee is put in a coffee pot and heated it releases all sorts of acids and the bitterness it's known for. My stomach is not a happy camper, neither is my esophagus. Hence, my problem. I was looking at giving it, my coffee pot and my local roaster up.

I ran into my coffee roasting guy at the farmer's market and brought up my dilemma. Little did I know, cold brewing coffee reduces the acid in your morning cup by over 60% .   He suggested putting a cup of coffee in a four cups of water in a one quart mason jar, putting a lid on, shaking it and letting it sit for 12 hours. Then you strain it, store in the refrigerator and use your concentrate for your morning cup whether hot or cold.

But there is a controversy over HOW exactly to cold brew it. I found this great article that focuses on the cold brew technique. Here and Now on Cold Brew Coffee    

The mason jar and even the guys' advice seemed too simple, too inexpensive. So I went to google and found this baby averaging $250.

Um, no. Besides being pricey, this one, found on Reddit, reminded me too much of my days working in a lab. But it is all glass, another reason I wanted to ignore my coffee pot (hence, the sad face).

So I did a hack using what I had to see: 1) if I really liked cold-brewed coffee and 2) if it really was low acid as everyone from baristas to scientists claim.  I needed filtered water (just because I think it makes a better cup of coffee), a four cup measuring cup, an old loose tea filter, and my favorite freshly ground coffee. 

You will also need plastic wrap to cover the cup.

  
There are a gazillion articles out there about the mason jar method, room temp brewing versus refrigerator, how to strain the coffee, how long to brew it etc. I've been experimenting and made the following decisions for what I'd try.

1) Refrigerator method: Lots of folks swear by room temperature for 12 hours. But my microbiology trained mind worried about bacteria and mold. Didn't need to chance that and I even found some articles to support it. So I decided it was worth doing the colder brew, even if the coffee wasn't quite as aromatic.

2) Loose coffee versus permanent filter or coffee "sock":  I tried it both ways. I made sure to swirl the coffee during the brewing process to make sure the grounds were really wet, just like if I had used the mason jar. I managed to strain the loose just fine through the filter that is a part of my coffee pot system. The filter worked fine too. Again, I made sure I stirred the ground coffee and swirled the container (holding the filter of course).

3) Time brewed: Lots of various advice but 12 hours seemed to do for me.

4) So here is the set-up for an experimental try:     

Add a half cup of ground coffee to the filter. Set in measuring cup. Slowly pour three cups of water through filter (it will seep out the filter). Stir grounds gently to get thoroughly wet. Filter shouldn't move or tip. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 12 hours, swirling the water gently at 2-3 hours.


Remove grounds and filter. Store in refrigerator a few days, recovering with fresh plastic wrap.

Determine your own ration of coffee to water and/or milk but most folks suggest one to four or one to three.  That works best for me.  I just put it in the microwave and zap for a few minutes on high and have my latte in my favorite mug!

My two cup measure takes 1/3 coffee concentrate, 1/3 water, 1/3 milk. 

Bonus: To make iced coffee, add ice instead of water to your concentrate. You may want to use a sugar syrup since regular sugar will not dissolve as easily.

PS: I also forgot cold brewing extracts less acid but MORE caffeine. Oops! I was hopping around like a crazed rabbit for a couple days before I remembered. I needed to use less concentrate.

There you go, an alternative to iced tea in the summer! Have you tried iced coffee? Made cold brewed coffee? Or are you still an iced tea person?  

Manly Breakfast Casserole

Today we're talking breakfast. But before we do that, I thought I'd share a couple of gratuitous puppy pictures.
I'm sure you remember Maddie, the puppy we adopted a year ago last Valentine's Day. Well, turns out Maddie is quite the ball player.

I mean this dog loves/lives to play ball.

Ever hear of Air Bud?

Meet Air Maddie.

This is one focused puppy. Pro ballplayers could learn a thing or two from her about keeping their eye on the ball. I've seen her leap four feet off of the ground, twist around and catch the ball.

Uh-mazing.

So last weekend we were at the ranch and, aside from playing ball, I found myself needing to prepare breakfast for 15 hungry men. Since it needed to be ready by 6AM, I immediately thought of breakfast casserole, my go-to dish for holidays and those  mornings when I don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen, but still want a stick-to-your-ribs, eggs-and-bacon kind of start to my day.
However, I feared my usual breakfast casserole wasn't going to be enough for these hard working fellows. I needed to take things up a notch. 

As you will see, I made two extra large batches, but I'm giving you the ingredients for a single, regular batch.

Here's what you'll need:

6 slices of bread, cubed

6 eggs

1 lb. of your favorite breakfast sausage

Half a pound of bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped

2 cups whole milk

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 tsp. salt

Pepper to taste

1/2 tsp. ground mustard 

First, you'll need to brown your sausage and cook your bacon. I've found the easiest way to cook up a lot of bacon is to do it in the oven. Place the slices in a single layer on a large foil-covered baking sheet (the foil makes for easy cleanup) and bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Then I simply drain and chop the bacon before stirring it into the drained sausage.

Next, I mix together my milk, eggs and seasonings.

Sometimes I'll add a dash or two of cayenne for nice little kick. 

Then it's on to the assembly.

Place your cubed bread into a greased pan.

Top with your meat mixture.

And pour the egg mixture over that, making sure to wet everything.

Finally, top it all with cheese.

Cover and place in refrigerator overnight.

When you're ready to bake it, place in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes, or until set. The cheese will be slightly golden and the edges bubbly, even a bit crisp.

But, of course, I forgot to take a pic of the finished product. I just hurriedly covered them with foil and was on my merry way out to the pasture. Because when one has hungry men waiting, there's no time to waste.

Adding bacon to the classic breakfast casserole really ramped up the flavor. Of course, as we all know, everything's better with bacon (sorry, Kav, but it's true), so I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner. 

The guys loved it and I was happy to fill their tummies. And on the way back to the camp house, I was treated to a beautiful sunrise.

An experience that was far more pleasant than what happened later in the day. I was picking dewberries, minding my own business, when a red wasp decided to take aim at me.

Stupid little critter nailed me right between the thumb and index finger. Two days later, my hand still looked like this. Next time, I'm taking bug spray.

What's your go-to when making breakfast for a crowd?

Simple Sunday Afternoon

Sunday is my favorite day of the week. Church, quiet afternoons, church again, and then a Netflix movie with my hubby before bed.

The biggest challenge for Sundays, though, is feeding my family a good meal after church with very little prep time.

Both my husband and I teach Sunday School on Sunday mornings - he teaches adults and I teach kindergartners. (I won't ask you which of us has the harder job. Let's just say that his students rarely write on themselves with markers!) And after Sunday School is the worship service, which lasts about an hour and a half at our church - and we love it!

One of my Sunday School students on
her birthday. Isn't she adorable?

But by the time we get home, there are five or six starving people who want food. NOW!

A couple Sundays ago we had beautiful weather, so I fired up the grill to make my favorite quick dinner - Grilled Chicken and Summer Squash.

The grilled chicken is super simple -

Just take boneless chicken breasts cut into serving sizes (face it, some of those chickens must be Amazons....), season with your favorite spices, and grill until done. It takes about twenty minutes if your chicken is cut up and ready to go. I do that as a night-before prep.

Before you put the chicken on the grill, though, slice some zucchini and/or yellow squash, onions and mushrooms. Toss them together in a bowl with olive oil and more seasoning, and start them on the grill about five minutes before putting the chicken on the fire.

I love this pan for doing veggie stir-fries on the grill. It's non-stick, and the holes in the pan allow for the grill's heat to sear those veggies to a golden brown.

Turn the chicken a couple times, and stir the veggies often, and they'll soon be done.

Be sure to check the chicken with a thermometer to make sure it's done! You want it to be at least 165°.

I added some green beans seasoned with butter, salt, pepper and sesame seeds. Delicious! And ready to eat about thirty minutes after we got home from church. :)

After lunch, we often play a game or two. Settlers of Catan is one of our favorites.

The idea of the game is to collect resources in order to build cities and roads, and they add up into points. Those little houses are settlements, and the sticks are roads. My color is blue, so every time a nine, two or twelve is rolled on the dice, I get the resource that corresponds to the number. Nine is rolled quite often, so I should be able to collect a lot of wood, right?

My strategy for that game didn't work. When my son, Benjamin, won the game with his ten points, I still only had the two points everyone gets at the beginning of the game :(

I blame this creature.

This guy isn't part of the game - it's what Benjamin makes with his extra pieces while he's waiting for his turn. But do you see how he's bearing down on my little blue settlement???

Oh well. Someone has to lose the game.

What is your favorite way to spend a Sunday afternoon?

Becky Avella brings her debut book and Aunt Angie's Pasta !

Hi everyone! The Fresh Pioneer is back with another special guest! 

Becky Avella is here in the cafe to tempt us with a delicious dish for those busy weeknights. (Isn't she pretty?? And that top... love that color. I think she lives somewhere near me, so I'm just going to really quietly look up her address and wander over to see if she'll loan it to me. And the necklace. Ok, and the jacket. )

But before we get to the recipe, I want to say Becky's debut book, Targeted, released in April 2015 and you can get it here. Look at that cover! Love Inspired Suspense covers really give that scary vibe. 

MARKED FOR MURDER 

When photos of Stephanie O'Brien are found in a serial killer's home, she must face the horrible truth that she's the next intended victim. She has nowhere to hide, nowhere to run—except to K-9 cop Rick Powell. As her self-appointed bodyguard, Rick will do anything to protect the innocent teacher—even keep his attraction at bay. He's known loss; he won't lose Stephanie. But the killer seems to anticipate their every move. And Rick fears he's never faced an opponent so cunning. One who won't stop till he has his victim right where he wants her…six feet under.

Can't wait to read this! Ok, I'm turning over the cafe to Becky... 

I am so happy to be visiting the Yankee Belle Café for the first time. Thank you Mary, for inviting me! I’ve been scrolling through past posts and drooling over all the good-looking recipes. 

Now I’m hungry. J 

Today, I thought I’d share one of my go-to meals. It originally came from my sister-in-law, so our family affectionately refers to it as “Aunt Angie’s Pasta.”

When Angie gave me the recipe, I didn’t know how much I would grow to appreciate it. I enjoy entertaining and bringing meals to people when the need arises, but I used to get so nervous about whether or not my cooking would turn out okay. But this meal is easy to make, is a crowd pleaser, and seems to always turn out yummy. Having this recipe has solved the “what should I make” worries. I hope you and your family will enjoy it, too.

 Aunt Angie’s Pasta:

2-3 frozen chicken breasts (I use Foster Farms from Costco)
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1 jar of Alfredo sauce
1 box of Rigatoni noodles
Approx. 2 cups of shredded Mozzarella or Italian Blend Cheese
(But you can never have too much cheese, right?)

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.     Boil chicken breasts until cooked through.  (Approximately 14 minutes if breasts are frozen)

3.     For efficiency sake, I cook the noodles at the same time that I’m cooking the chicken.

  Chop cooked chicken into bite size pieces and stir together with both sauces, the cooked noodles, and half of the cheese. Pour mixture into an 11 x 13 pan and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. 

 Bake at 350 degrees or until cheese is melted and the pasta is hot throughout. 

6.     Serve with Caesar salad and warm garlic bread. Enjoy!

(Me again, just drooling over here. OH MY WORD. Yum!)

As I was preparing this post, I debated between sharing the pasta and sharing my microwave caramel corn recipe. The caramel corn is another go-to recipe of mine (a favorite of my writers group). It’s also a perfect treat to munch on when you are reading a super-suspenseful book, hint hint. J 

You can find that recipe here. (http://teamloveontherun.com/2014/12/15/best-ever-microwave-caramel-corn-recipe/)

Thanks again for having me! Have a delicious weekend!

-Becky 

OK, I'm back and now I want to make caramel corn, too. My sweet neighbor used to make us caramel corn all the time. We were so spoiled! And I never learned how. Now is the time... I can feel it.

 Thanks so much for stopping by, Becky. Pasting your bio and links below so we all know where to go to find great recipes and keep in touch!

Becky Avella grew up in Washington State with her nose in a book and her imagination in the clouds. These days she spends her time dreaming up heart-pounding fiction full of romance and faith. Becky married a real life hero and follows him around begging him to give her material she can use in her stories. Together with their children, they make their home in the beautiful Northwest.

You can connect with Becky on:

FacebookTwitterInstagramPinterest
Amazon Author Page
www.teamloveontherun.com  

College and Shoe Shopping!

Missy, here. Can you believe my "baby" will going off to college in the fall? I still can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday she was bravely marching off to kindergarten, only to turn and look at me as if she wasn't sure she wanted to walk through the classroom door. Thankfully, her teacher was a church friend of mine who teased her about coming on is. She shyly smiled, and then headed off to begin her school career.

Sob!!

Okay, trying not to cry here. Y'all may have to hold me together in August. For now, I'll enjoy the excitement of shopping for her dorm room.

We found a beautiful duvet set at Target, part of their Simply Shabby Chic line. It's white and lacy. This photo doesn't show detail. But you can see it by clicking here.

She plans to decorate with colorful pillows. We found this beautiful soft pink square one. 

And a round white lace pillow--that's actually called a Petticoat pillow. :)

Now she's deciding on another accent color--choosing between yellow and aqua. Haven't found just the perfect one yet (the Target website lists over 1300 decorative pillows!!). Besides, she needs to pick out sheets first.

Here's a quick shot (sorry it's a little dark) of the items we have so far. At least you can see how gorgeous the pink is.

We also looked at prom shoes…a GAZILLION pairs of prom shoes. But she ended up deciding she liked her homecoming shoes (that she wore this year AND last year--yes!) better and will wear them again. Nice for saving money--but I had told her to do that before we spent all the time shopping! LOL (I couldn't get a photo to download, but if you'd like to see her princess shoes, click here.)

The last stop we made to look for pillows was at Kirkland's. She loves that place. I found some really fun items and snapped some photos to share…

I really wanted to buy Sweet as a Peach. I may yet go back and do so. :)

All fun for the Belle. :)

I also loved this…

And we bought this! This is the closest I'm getting to cooking today. :) It smells amazing.

And here's one last item we spotted as we were checking out. We had to have it.

This is her most important room accessory. Yes, I made sure she'll think of me every morning when she has her coffee. :)

Any tips for dealing with empty nest syndrome?


www.missytippens.com