Quilt Festival

Quilt Festival

(picture is a link)

Recently while looking up some quilting tutorials I found a blog with some very helpful instruction.  On that blog I saw that she joined in the Blogger's Quilt Festival (link).  After looking at the quilts of all different skill levels, and reading some of the stories of why they made their quilt I have decided to enter my little lap quilt in the festival.  

The story of my quilt is this.  My Loving Father recently passed away in Dec of 09.  During his last few months with us Hospice helped care for him in my Mother's home.  I am very thankful and appreciative of that so my husband and I decided to become volunteers with Hospice.  However, I work full time in the Military and attend school full time.  I do not have time to go on visits and do not think I am strong enough for that yet either.  So I decided to do crafts.  I was working on a crochet blanket for my Dad that I did not get finished before he passed so I picked it up again to complete for Hospice, but I don't like crocheting. I am too antsy and do not like the fact of having to chain one long row turn around and do it again.  Ugh.  So, I switched to lap quilts.

I just finished my first lap quilt and was able to turn it in a couple of weeks ago.  It was my first since the 7th grade( I'm 27 now).  I went pretty much off memory, and it shows.  Folks, our memories are great, but sometimes they're not as great as we thought!   I have now found a few tutorials to help me for my next lap quilt that I will start after I finish that crazy crochet and get it out of my house.  The things I would like to improve on are symmetry and binding.  

Here is my first lap quilt!

Front

Back

My Daddy and Me!

Last Christmas together

My wedding, 6 months before he passed.

God has blessed me so much.  I am very thankful for the time I was able to spend with my Father before he passed.  And the strength God has given me since.  I will always be my Daddy's baby girl.

Jodi

Beef and Broccoli with rice

Tonight's dinner:

Beef and Broccoli with white rice

This is a good recipe.  The only thing I would do differently is 1) add black pepper, which I did and 2) put the beef in very last and stir it up right before putting it on the plate.  My beef was over cooked, but I'm sure it's just chef error not recipe error.  I also added more water because the ginger was a little too strong for me.  I would use less and sprinkle it in to taste.

I also said I had 5 dinners left to make, but I can't count.  The beef stew was #6 and this is #7 so I only have 3 left and I have 2 planned out and one to figure out, and I'll never cook again.  Lol! JK.

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
• 1/2 cup water, plus
• 2 tablespoons water, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 lb boneless round steak or 1 lb charcoal chuck steak, cut into thin 3-inch strips
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 1 small onion, cut into wedges
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• hot cooked rice
Change Measurements: US | Metric

Directions:

s

1. 1In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water and garlic powder until smooth.
2. 2Add beef and toss.
3. 3In a large skillet or wok over medium high heat, stir-fry beef in 1 tablespoon oil until beef reaches desired doneness; remove and keep warm.
4. 4Stir-fry broccoli and onion in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes.
5. 5Return beef to pan.
6. 6Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and remaining cornstarch and water until smooth; add to the pan.
7. 7Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
8. 8Serve over rice.http://chinese.food.com/recipe/the-best-easy-beef-and-broccoli-stir-fry-99476

Apron Swap

Apron Swap

Well, it is finished!  I completed Living From Glory to Glory's apron yesterday.  I just love it.  I almost wish I could keep it.  I hope she can feel all of the love I sewed into it and likes the apron pattern and fabric pattern as well.  I should be able to get it in the mail on Monday.  My "mail man" was supposed to do that for me, but he flew the coop for a little while and went to Texas.  Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

I also received the apron she made and I love it.  It is very sturdy.  I will definitely be using it a lot.  The aprons I have here are very thin, except the one I bought in Italy, but I don't like using it because I want to keep it nice.  It has my name embroidered on it.  I got to watch the lady sewing it on.  I guess I'll have to post a picture of it.

However, for now I'll post of the apron I received and of last night's dinner.  Beef Stew.  I told BJ I'm working on my cooking, starting with soup.  He said, "Praise the Lord!" and that he is very thankful for the blogging world that encourages me to do so.  

Striving to Serve at home put out a ten week meal challenge I didn't sign up, because I'm not that consistent, but wanted to expand my cooking skills for my loving husband, so this is the fifth meal I've posted so I have five more.  He liked the stew, he just had one suggestion and it was the same as the suggestion for the chicken Alfredo soup: "More meat".  LOL!  I guess since he is eating all those veggies a little more meat won't hurt.

Apron from Living from Glory to Glory

Beef Stew with cheesy garlic bread.  The flavor was great!

Take care and God Bless.

Love,

Jodi

New Recipe

We'll I did it!  I made the Chicken Vegetable Alfredo Soup.

I was looking through some Pampered Chef soup recipe cards that I had in my cook book drawer 

found the card for this soup.  I thought, "Mmmm this sounds good, looks good, and seems easy to make". 

So I made it, and it was very good (I almost didn't believe it was me who made it).

 I put extra chicken and a little extra broth.  I also used maybe 1/2 - 1 tsp. of dry basil seasoning instead of the fresh.

I boiled my own chicken so I had plenty of broth, then I just scooped out about 2 1/2 cup of broth and added one boullion cube.

Here are some pics of my cooking success!  Another meal added to my list.  Yesss!  I can do this wife thing after all.  Lol!

Ps.  I didn't make my bread bowl as suggested by the recipe.  I bought it.

However, BJ and I agree that it would have been great in a regular bowl too.  

Those are mashed potatoes on the side.

Take Care and Happy Cooking!

Love,

Jodi

Apron Swap

Aprons, Sewing, and Cooking

I've been working on sewing together an apron I made for the apron swap.  I used a hand me down apron I have here that I like using, as the pattern.   However,  I like the one I'm making more, but  I won't show you it until I know Living from Glory to Glory has received her apron.   I'll only tell you it's green, purple, white, and pink...

I also finished up the little quilt I was working on for Hospice and turned it in on Thursday.  I do hope my next one is better and found a great blog with lots of tutorials. (Luckily you can't see all the imperfections in the picture) Some you have to pay for, but some are free and some are also offered for free on you tube.  Here is the link to the great blog I found: The Crafty Gemini.

I will show you the apron I chose for the pattern and a few things I've cooked up so far this fall.  I'll also post a picture of the dish I'll be attempting to cook up on Tuesday.  Tomorrow my love will be going to BWW to watch the World Series - Texans, and I'll be sewing with Marie!

Chicken and Spinach Alfredo Pizza

Homemade Chicken Soup

An original dish by Me!

Mini beef sausages with potatoes, green pepper, yellow squash, tomatoes, and onions. Topped with cheddar cheese and served with scrambled eggs.  Yummm!  And my husband liked it too!

Beef and Pasta shells served with ranch beans.  We just pour them in on top of the other stuff and eat with corn tortillas or tortilla chips.  BJ is much better at this dish.  He showed me how to make it.

Well, I couldn't find a picture of the dish I'll be making on Tuesday so I'll have to take a picture of the recipe card and a picture of my completed dish.  I'll be making the Pamered Chef recipe for chicken and veggie alfredo soup.  It is served in a bread bowl.  I have all the ingredients and am very excited to try it out.  It's a very simple recipe... I think(hope)!

Hawaii(Again)

~HAWAII~

I promised a repost of my Hawaii trip and I am finally getting around to it.  It has been a busy few weeks.  A few things I have been up to are work(of course).  January will mark four years of my being in the Air Force.  I have very much enjoyed my time this far am so blessed to have been serving during this time of economic struggle.  Through the AF God has supplied my every need and we have felt very few economic hick-ups in my household where I serve as the main bread winner while my husband is a full time student working on his Masters Degree in Divinity and volunteers with the local Hospice during some of his free time.  I have been growing a little weary with this day to day routine ( having had a change of scenery every year or two for the past 8 years or so after graduating high school).  Now I have somewhat settled down, am married and managed to find my way back to Ohio.  We have bought a home and expect to be here for at least another 3 years.  The closer I get to my 4 year mark the more excited I get to know that in just a couple short years my hubby and I plan to switch places and he will get to work while I work on my Master's degree and we will start trying to have children.  I just have 10 classes left for my bachelors degree, not too far off when every semester I knock out four classes.  I was sick this week and the doctor told me to stay home for a few days.  It was a lovely two days of homework and sewing.  It was such a LOVELY two days!  Please pray that I will not grow weary in doing good, but will continue serving our country with excellence and joy every day.

Well back to the subject.  Marie and Jon(http://idreamtidweltinmarblehalls.blogspot.com/) showed me how to re arrange my blog and enlarge my pictures so I am doing a repost after receiving a few requests. Everyone should now be able to see the pictures.

Repost

I will be doing a repost of my Hawaii trip so that everyone can see the pictures without squinting!