Garden Saute

This past summer my garden determined what I cooked. I'd go pick what was ready and brain storm as I did it. Thats how this recipe was born. Its ridiculously easy and you could throw anything in it. Its delicious, too! This recipe has it all. Clean eating and loving every bite of it! You have got to try this!

Now being October and my garden season coming to a close I'll miss my shoot from the hip meals from my garden. But you can always get this produce at your local grocery store so this dish can go year round!

Wanna fork?

Garden Saute

1 Pound ground burger meat (Elk, beef, whatever you have!)
1 Yellow onion, chopped
1 Zuchinni, chopped
1 Yellow squash, chopped
1 Pound green beans
4 Green onions, chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped chives
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Teaspoon montreal steak seasoning (Add more as desired.)

Cook your burger meat in steak seasoning. Once cooked set aside and saute your garlic in butter until fragrant. Add veggies and saute until cooked. Once cooked add burger to veggies and stir together allowing to saute for about five minutes or so.

Serve with warm Dinner Bread and enjoy!


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Thankful Tree

It's getting nearish to thanksgiving, so for once I'm posting this in time for you to make your own.  Go me! I wouldn't count on it happening again anytime soon, though I do try!

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV

We decided to do a thankful tree last November(and will do another this November).  My original plan was that we would all pick one thing to be thankful for every night at dinner.  I didn't know how well the girls would do with this.

They love watching the tree fill up so much that they had a having a hard time containing themselves to just one a day.  And who am I to tell them when to stop being thankful? I refuse to stop them.

They have been thankful for everything and anything.  Cheyenne is thankful for snakes(gross!), the vacuum, leaves, and apples.  Harlee is thankful for wish presents(and if she ever gets a wish present she is going to wish for a dragon that eats hearts), jugs, and blue sky.  They are both thankful for their mom and dad, each other and God.  Just to name a few.

I do love these girls and I love seeing what they are thankful for.  I couldn't of imagined how big our tree was to get by the end of the month.

One day, Harlee said she was thankful for today.  How profound for a five year old! I have to say today didn't even come to mind for something to be thankful for, but it should of.

I'm thankful for thankful girls, who think of new things to be thankful for everyday.  They think of the little things, the big things and everything in between.

Here is our finished thankful tree.  It has been so much fun.  The girls actually ask to do it in the evenings.  We got these leaves, which made it super easy, but I didn't realize how many of them we would use. I only have about half left, but I am thankful we are thankful for so many different things.  I'm glad I didn't cut all those leaves out of construction paper! That would take way to long and I just don't have time for that.

Flashback Friday: Southwestern Macaroni Salad

Happy Flashback friday everybody, and apparently Fourth Of July, too! Rewind back with us and enjoy this old post with a delicious recipe!!!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!

 Best wishes for a safe and fun holiday full of memories to you all from Crafty Honey Badgers! 

Isn't this holiday the greatest? Well every holiday is great in its own way, but independence day is different! You feel a pride to be an American and thankful for all the brave men and woman who have fought to keep it AMERICA! Plus, a hot summer day on the lake ended with some fireworks is pretty hard to beat!

Kids playing with anticipation for the firecrackers when night fall covers. Family gathering and catching up around a BBQ. People wearing red, white and blue with lots of cheer. Parades bringing communities together to celebrate our freedom. This holiday brings us all as one together to be proud of this great country we live in! For one day we all can agree on one thing and thats what a beautiful country we live in and how we are blessed in so many ways. Holidays seem to have that effect on people and thats what I love about them. Opinions separate us quite often but holidays bring a spirit from deep down in us that makes us look one another eye to eye. As a country we can wave our flags and rejoice in cheer for old glory. Our beautiful country the United States Of America.

So I say it again, we wish you all a cheerful, sunny fourth of July. May the fireworks shoot high and light up the sky above you and fill you with cheer! Whether your on the mountain staring at the stars, or down on the streets of your hometown celebrating with your community we wish you a blessed day!

Anyways what's a holiday without a great recipe? Heres a last minute save for a delicious side dish for any of you who may be running behind today! Fourth of July or not, This recipe is a great all american side dish with a twist that will please any hungry appetite! 

Grab a spoon and crack your screen, you know you wanna!

Southwestern Macaroni Salad

1 Pound macaroni or ditalini pasta (Pictured is ditalini)

5 large pieces of roasted red peppers. (I use jar kind from condiment isle)

4 Green onions

1/2 Cup mayo

1/4 cup milk

2 Teaspoons sugar

1 Teaspoon chili powder

1/4 Teaspoon salt

LOTS of black pepper

Boil your pasta on medium high heat until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta has cooled off. Pour pasta in large salad bowl.  Chop your peppers and onions and stir into pasta. Whisk your milk, mayo and spices together and pour over pasta mixture. Stir until everything has combined and that heavenly dressing has touched EVERY piece of pasta!

Serve with your favorite summertime meals and enjoy! Or just eat a bowlful by itself.. Been there, done that! 

Have a GREAT fourth of July everybody!

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Pinquito Beans

You want an amazing and easy side dish that is great to have for a last minute save? Look no further! This recipe is delicious and I promise its not only because its easy as 1, 2, 3. It packs a bold combination of flavor. I must thank my Mom for this recipe. She always amazes me on what she can whip up in the kitchen in a short order and it still hold bold flavors that linger on your tongue tempting you to have more. 

With fall among us and the temperatures dropping and the air getting a little more crisp. This is a nice warm recipe to come home to. Specially with some corn bread! Give it a try and make bringing dinner to the table a little bit easier while keeping the delicious side!!

Want a spoon?

Pinquito Beans

2 Cans pinto beans --One drained one not

1 Yellow onion chopped

1/2 Teaspoon chili powder

1/2 Teaspoon cumin

1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon olive oil

Saute onions in a pot in olive oil. Once translucent add beans and spice and allow to simmer all together for 10-15 Minutes. 

Ta Da! Eat alone (I don't judge, I do that!) or serve as a side with a delicious steak or Barbeque'd chicken! 

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Dave Ramsey Money Envelopes

Once I saw these Dave Ramsey money envelopes I just knew I had to make a pile for myself.  Before we were just using regular paper envelopes and every other second I was switching one out because they were getting all haggard.  And since your on a budget these can be made entirely from scraps. Can you say upcycle? Upcycle! Let's do this!

1. Cut two squares (matching or not!) 7 3/4'' by 7 3/4''

2. Apply medium weight interfacing to one of the squares. I save my scraps just for this.

 3. Sew the squares, right sides together, leaving a hole to turn it right side out.  Clip the corners.

4. Turn and sew along two opposite sides of your square. 

5. Fold the square in half, bringing the seams together. I like the piece with the interfacing on the outside, but I have made them with the interfacing on the inside fabric and it doesn't make much of a difference.

6. Sew the other opposite edges.

7. Stuff with money.  I also put in a index card where I write what the envelope is for and how much goes in each month.

8. Go forth and multiply.

9. Just look at them...they are beautiful!

Flashback Friday: 9 Unexpected Effects of Homeschooling

Welcome to Flashback Friday, where we bring you a totally awesome post from the past that you may have missed. Since we are busy with school again this seemed like an appropriate way to start.

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9 Unexpected Effects of Homeschooling (from May 2014)

We are about to wrap up our first year of homeschooling and I'm pleased to say it has been a success so far. Harlee has learned so much this year and I'm so proud of what she has done, but I have learned even more!  And we are both so ready for summer! So in my short stent of homeschooling (so far) here are a few things I didn't see coming at us.

1) If I make my children get dressed they ask where we are going.

I tell the girls to get dressed everyday, half the time they come out in summer dresses in the winter or in different pajamas than they wore to bed.  It's when I pick out proper seasonal clothing that are appropriate to wear in public that they start to interrogate me.


2) My yoga pants get quickly worn out, without ever making it to yoga.

Right after you order your homeschool curriculum you might as well stock up on yoga pants, they are more important than new pencils. Come on now, all the homeschool moms are doing it.

3) After moving to a new state it was actually easier to meet people and make friends compared to life before homeschool.

I have found a fantastic homeschool group that does a lot of cool things together. We have P.E. together and co-ops and all kinds of fabulous things. It's a lot of fun and I have met some fabulous ladies that are know-it-alls in all things homeschool.  (And not the annoying show-off-I'm-bettter-than-you kind of know-it-all either.)

4) Exasperating questions from strangers.

General curiosity I can handle, but please don't look at me in horror, ask me how in the world my children will ever learn to stand in line, especially while we are standing in line at the grocery store.  Clearly we are here on a field trip to learn how to stand in line and all the groceries are just for the heck of it.  We don't actually need milk and toilet paper. (Yes, this has happened to me...twice.)

Besides I have two children not one, we do stand in line practice for exactly 27 minutes every Friday, see my schedule?

Friday:
8:45am give pet fish a bath
9:00am standing in line practice
9:27am pin things on pinterest
9:30am brush teeth while eating an Oreo

I know, I know you're looking at my Friday morning thinking about how ridiculous it is that I only spend 3 minutes on Pinterest; I mean is that even possible!?!

5) How much it costs.

First,  I pay taxes for public school and then I have to buy a curriculum and supplies for my children and for me as the teacher.  Even more money for science experiments and homeschool group projects and activities, and don't forget the yoga pants.

6) My house is always a mess.

Dusting has been replaced by phonics and vacuuming has been replaced by math. Science experiments have taken over my sewing time and TeachersPayTeachers has replaced working on my blog and writing my book.

7) I have lots of time to fold laundry.

Math time is laundry folding time.  Harlee needs me to be near her but not hovering, so I sit by her and fold lots and lots of laundry. The house might be a mess but at least I have clean yoga pants.

8) It is so so hard.

Most parents teach their kids their colors and how to count to ten. That's not so hard.  This is not like that.  Not even close. I'm teaching my 5 year old fractions and phonics while teaching my three year old number recognition and letter sounds, or on some days just to please leave her sister alone so at least one of them can learn. And try to not let our house end up on a FaBreze commercial all at the same time.

9) How worth it it is.

I get to watch my children learn everyday.  I know what they are learning and I can teach them in a way that they learn best. Harlee gets good grades all the time.  If she doesn't, then it's my fault for not teaching her better or spending more time on a topic.  We say the Pledge of Allegiance and we study the Bible every single day.  It might be the hardest thing I have ever done, but it's also one of the best, and I wouldn't change it for the world.

Dinner Bread

Leave it to me to come up with a special way to jazz up the basket of bread on the table. Not like warm rolls or sour dough isn't amazing enough, right? WELL I have made a big mistake. Butter, cheese, green onions, ON BREAD.... Yikes. My sincere apologies in advance, but you gotta try this!

I'm sorry your fingers can't go through the screen to grab a piece. 

Dinner Bread

*This is a pizza dough recipe from my Stuffed Crust Chicken Alfredo Pizza*

This dough recipe makes 2 pizza doughs. Use one freeze the other!

3 Cups flour extra (have an extra half cup for dusting and so on)

1 package instant dry yeast sugar

2 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 Cup HOT water

1/2 Teaspoon olive oil

Mix all these ingredients together and knead. Cut into 2 equal balls and allow to rise in a olive oil lined bowl under a tea cloth for about 2-3 hours. If you do not intend to use both dough balls no need to rise what you won't use. Wrap tightly in saran wrap and stick in freezer.

 Once your dough has risen roll out on flowered surface into long and wide rectangle shape to fit on a cookie sheet. Dough will roll out a little thinner. Allow to rise for 15-20 minutes under a tea cloth in cookie sheet. 

Topping

3-4 Tablespoons butter, melted 

1/3-1/2 Cups parmesan cheese (Depending on your cheese preference)

1/2 Cup chopped green onions

1 Tablespoon italian seasoning

1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder

Sprinkle of chopped chives on top (Optional)

Heat your oven to 375 degrees. Pour melted butter on to raw rolled out dough. Cover entire dough surface even over "crust" area so your edges brown a little. Sprinkle parm, then green onions, spices and optional chives over the top. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

Cut into squares for serving and enjoy along with a delicious dinner or as an appetizer, or with just a glass of wine. Been there done that and no complaints with that combo. 

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