This Week...

 Lake Lunch Date just hubbie and I

Garden blessing us each day with food

Preserving Squash (next weekend we'll preserve zucchini)

Home cooked vegetarian meals

Weekend Dessert

Arizona Sunrise

Finally Monsoons are here!

 This week has been much of just the daily normal our life entails - farm animals, gardening, chores round the house, lake trips, home cooked meals, enjoying time with each other as a family. But what a blessing normal every day is. Our animals bring such joy. Our garden is constantly growing and providing food for us. The beauty in our area with its many lakes and hiking trails. And just being together as a family daily in this life is a huge blessing. Happiness and blessings are surrounding if we only seek them.

We were also able this week to get to the squash and preserve/freeze a bunch and able to bless another family with a huge bag of it. We love that we have enough for us and enough for others.  

We thought Monsoon season had skipped us over only to have a few good storms the last few days- thankful for rain!

 

 

 Vegetarian White Bean Skillet:

2 cans of white beans, 1/2 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of artichokes, 2 tbps of sun dried tomatoes

Onion- garlic - oregano - thyme - salt - pepper

And 2 cups of kale last.  - Served over rice /or pasta - or even by itself. We did it over rice with some crusty bread on the side.

Vegetarian "Beef" Stew:

Can you really say 'beef' stew when there's no meat in it?  But hubbie swore this is exactly like beef stew, same great carrot onion flavor and gravy.

1 lb Mushrooms cut in chunky pieces, Baby Carrots, Baby Onions

1 cup vegetable stock  &  3/4 cup vegetable stock mixed with 2 tbsp of flour to thicken sauce

1 tbsp tomato paste- thyme - pepper - garlic - 2 bay leaves

Cook mushrooms-baby carrots-baby onions in pan with small amount of oil for 5-10 minutes letting mushrooms release juices then add remaining ingredients (except bay leaves) - simmer for a few minutes then transfer to oven safe dish and add bay leaves - Bake for 40 minutes on 375 until carrots are to your liking. We like them semi firm, definitely not too soft- we baked for exactly 40 minutes and it turned out perfect.

Serve over mashed potatoes.

 Mock Eclairs:

Every Saturday is dessert night...so this was ours last night. No bake - quick -easy - good.

1 lb. box graham crackers

1 can chocolate frosting

2 pkgs instant french vanilla pudding

1 small container of cool whip

3 cups of milk

*Due to the milk content already in the pudding and cool whip also does have a milk protein in it - I went with almond milk for the 3 cups of milk.  Next time I may see if I can make this completely non-dairy.

Mix- pudding- milk- cool whip together. Layer in dish/pan graham cracker, pudding mix 2x then on the top the chocolate frosting. It says to fridge it over night- we did 12 hours and it turned out great.

 

Arizona sunrises never disappoint.  So blessed to see this out my backyard each and every morning.

 And finally!! Monsoons are here!

 

May you find blessings in your every day life. May you enter this week with a thankful and grateful heart for all you have in this life.