1.3.2016 - Chicken Soup

It has been cold here, colder than I like. When it gets cold that means it's time for chicken soup.
 My Italian husband's family have made this soup since long before I came into the family. My kids wait for the cold every year because they know it will be time for chicken soup. This recipe is very simple but give yourself 2-3 hours to complete.

Here are the ingredients:

1 whole chicken (make sure you remove the inerds)
1 lb. bag of carrots
2 bunches of celery
1 medium onion
salt and pepper to taste


In a large pot boil and salt water. When water is boiling drop in the whole chicken, let cook for about 45 minutes (depending on size of chicken).
While the chicken is cooking, chop celery, carrots and onions. Set aside until chicken is done.
                                                       Remove chicken from pot.

 Let your chicken cool for a few minutes as to not burn your fingers.

Add vegetables to pot and debone your chicken. Salt and pepper to taste.
Cook until vegis are cooked.

OK. Now, here comes the Italian part!
Boil a pan of water for your Pastina. What is Pastina, you ask? As my nephew calls it, the little pasta balls.
That is basically, exactly what it is. Boil some water and add the amount of Pastina you want to go in your soup. ( I always cook too much, leftovers!)

This is what I usually buy but you can use just about any kind of pasta. Elbow, shells anything small will work.
You can usually find these in the Italian section of the grocery store. There are also some similar ones in the Mexican section.

This much soup makes enough to feed probably 8 people with maybe some leftovers. It really all depends on the size pot you use and how big a chicken and how many vegis you put in also. It is really up to you.

I have put meatballs in my soup before also. It takes a bit longer when you do this but it really is good. I won't put the recipe for meatballs in on this post but if you decide to add them they should only be the size of large marbles.

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as my family does.  Good Luck!

1.2.2016- Purging

I didn't post yesterday because I was so exhausted from the sheer task of cleaning and throwing out things I have either not used EVER or not used in forever! I really concentrated on one area, the bar. It seems to be our "catch all" in this house! You wouldn't think such a small area would take all day but, trust me when I tell you, it did.

And I'm still not completely done. But even with all that we did not go out to dinner! It was no gourmet meal but it was a home cooked meal just the same. The hubs had steak and I baked myself a chicken breast and we ate leftover Bush's baked beans from New Years Eve. Again, not gourmet, not 4-seasons worthy, but home cooked just the same.

Thats about it for today, the sinus gremlins are pounding away in my head today! Thank goodness for my Young Living Essential oils! They are a life saver when the gremlins move in! If you have any questions about oils click on the Young Living tab at the top of the home page and learn more. You can also find my email info there and send me a email and I will answer any questions you have.
Happy Sunday!

Tomorrow's post will be better! Promise!

1.1.2016 Happy New Year!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "the plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:11-13

What a great verse to start the new year!

So our new year started out just like every other day...

 

 Our German Shepherd, Elsa, is OBSESSED with her Chuck-it ball. She is like a clock. Wake up, go out do her business, then it is time for ball playing! This happens at least 3-4 times a day. Again, obsessed! It was then time to do the deed that I know everyone dreads this time of year- take down the Christmas decorations! Ugh! I HATE taking down the decorations! It takes hours! But doesn't it feel great when it's all done? Yes, yes it does! My husband hates this task more than me. He actually every year doesn't even want to put anything up just so we don't have to take it all down! But thankfully he was in a giving mood this morning (or he wants something) and helped me take it all down! Isn't he a sweetheart?

 I have NEVER made New Year's resolutions! Last year I made myself a promise that I would give a set amount each and every week to my church. If I missed a week of church I made up for it the next Sunday by doubling up. It was a small goal I set for myself, no one else but me and God needed to know about my promise. I am proud to say I accomplished my goal and feel pretty good about it. I realize it seems like a small thing but if you knew me and the scatterbrained life I lead you would understand what a big deal this really is. I plan on continuing my giving this year and as long as I live. My mother always told me that writing that check first to the church every month made sure that she had enough to get thru until the end of the month. God will provide to those who trust in him to provide.

I have decided this years goal will be to pay off some debt. That means there will be much more at home meals and me starting to cook again. I feel like I have become a bit lazy since we have become a house of just 2 (down from 7 at one point). We go out waaay to much! Not only is it unhealthy but expensive. So I plan on blogging about different recipes I make this year. I will give props to where ever I find the recipes, whether it be a magazine or Pinterest or my mother-in-law. By the end of the year my goal is to lower our debt by $1000 a month, baring any unforeseen emergencies that could come up (medical, etc.) I don't know if I can pull this off but I am going to really put all I have into it. I am actually going to implement more of my Young Living Essential oils into my cooking, also. I have been afraid of using them but I am really going to put them to use.

So that I can remain completely open and honest, I will not be cooking tonight, We will be having leftovers. Oh, so many leftovers. I tend to over buy at the grocery store. Once again, going from a large family to just the 2 of us is hard!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016!

Stop Bugs with Essential Oils!

Summer is in full session here in Texas! With all the rain we have had in the last couple of months the bugs are crazy bad! No matter what time of day you go outside, you are eaten alive! It's not just mosquito's, it's those little yellow microscopic I don't know what they are biting bugs that just eat the fire out of you! If you want to make homemade bug-spray with out chemicals you must get these Essential Oils! Purification, Peppermint and Thieves! Making your own is a great way to begin your journey to a Chemical Free Home! If you have any questions or would like to try any oils at my 24% wholesale discount you can contact me at katlag2016@gmail.com or just click here

A good day, indeed!

I have been very neglectful in writing on my blog. It has been a crazy first part of the summer. We are basically "empty-nesters"! Yea, right!

I have been studying Proverbs this month and I can't tell you how much it has enlightened me to look outside myself and see God's word and his laws. I wrote this on the Facebook page of the Bible study group:

"I have been catching up with my reading and caught up today, I have to let you know what God showed me today is that no matter what you think, no matter how bad you feel, God's plan is always good. My best friend has breast cancer and before her 3rd round of chemotherapy this morning her Dr's are telling her that her tumor has all but disappeared. She was a between a 2-3 when diagnosed. Secondly, my youngest daughter took her Nclex-RN Exam on Sunday and was convinced she had not passed, we got the word today that she did indeed pass and is a fully licensed nurse in the great state of Texas! My prayers are always for guidance to understand God's plan, today he showed me that he does answer prayers and he is there putting our prayers in the golden bowls. (Rev: 5:8)"

I have been in church my whole life, but I am just beginning to REALLY study and understand God's word. There are so many everyday things that are in the Bible that I never realized had something to do with one another.  I am actually embarrassed to admit that fact. I was not a good steward when I was younger. I have always known the way to the Father was thru the Son, but I will tell you that it has taken me a lot of years to truly understand. I was always afraid of being labeled a "Bible thump-er". But you know, If that's what I am then so be it. I want to be with my Father in heaven when he calls me home. I want to be reunited with my mother again one day. I know that the way to have every lasting life is -believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved (Acts 16:31).

Pain Cream

I made my first recipe with my Young Living Essential Oils! My son-in-law has a flooring business and his back is constantly hurting so I made him this pain cream. My daughter has been using it as a massaging cream instead of the store bought pain creams. The recipe is very simple:

1 Cup Coconut Oil
10 Drops Valor
10 Drops Panaway
10 Drops Peppermint

Add all ingredients together with a hand mixer for just a couple of minutes until it is creamy and store in a mason jar (or any container you have, I personally love Mason jars)!
That's it, easy enough!

My daughter says her husband tells her his back feels better after she has rubbed this on. 

Disclaimer: This is not a cure for medical issues. If you have a serious medical condition seek the advice of your Doctor!

Springtime in Texas!

Well, it's Springtime! The birds, the flowers the budding tress! The POLLEN!!! OMGoodness! I have never had allergy problem like I am having allergy problems this year! Maybe its my advanced age :/ I don't know. All I know is I feel horrible. the yellow pollen is covering everything! It does this every year here in Texas. BTW, if you don't live in Texas, 1st of all, I'm sorry, 2nd, you would not understand. People move here and find out that they have allergies they never knew they had. I will tell you that the only thing getting me thru this is my oils! I have been diffusing like crazy and putting tea tree down my neck because my ears hurt from all the gunk! I have been taking a Zyrtec everyday for a couple of years and it is not even coming close to cutting it anymore. This morning when the hubs left for work I refilled the diffuser with Eucalyptus and Roman Chamomile and Lavender. I put the Tea tree all along the outside bone of my ear and down my jawbone and added some Lavender with it also and crawled back in bed. Honestly, a couple of hours later and no more earache and I feel way better! Don't get me wrong I still have the gunk in my head but my ear doesn't hurt and neither does my throat. Oh yea, my throat has been killing me too from all the gunk draining down the back of it! These are pictures I took from around my house of the literal piles of pollen. Isn't it lovely!