Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

I've mentioned a couple of times how much I love this little treat for breakfast.
Some of you have asked for the recipe, so here it is: =)
Enjoy!

I wish I had my own picture of these, but alas, I do not, so I took this one off of pinterest. ;) They look pretty similar.

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
2 eggs
zest of one orange
juice of half an orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup greek yogurt or sour cream
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 425*
In large bowl, whisk dry ingredients. Cut cubes of butter into flour mixture with a pastry cutter. In small bowl, stir together eggs, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, and yogurt. Add egg mixture to flour. Knead in chocolate chips. If dough seems too wet, I just add a bit more flour. Form dough and bake 18-25 min.

I recently made this recipe dairy-free and egg-free by substituting Earth Balance for the butter, flax meal for the eggs (2 Tablespoon + 6 Tablespoons of water), and applesauce for the yogurt. I was pleasantly surprised with how well they turned out. The only difference we could detect was that they were slightly more dense. I may try a little less flax meal next time to see what happens.

Eat these with your favorite green smoothy and it helps balance out the sweet goodness you receive from these. ;)

Eunora

Strawberry Shortcake Muffins

I am always looking for new recipes to make for my family.
Although I plan my dinner menu, I don't have a set breakfast plan.
So yesterday morning I found myself thinking,
"What shall I make for breakfast today?"
And then I remembered a pin I had on a pinterest board.

Strawberry Shortcake Muffins



I love finding recipes that are not only tasty
But also provide a healthy meal.
(I used agave for sugar).
We ate these for breakfast along with our green smoothie.
Fortunately, we had enough for the boys' mid-morning snack.
Success!

For more fun breakfast ideas, check out my
'Startin' the Day' pinterest board here.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Eunora

What's for Dinner-

I've been MIA when it come to posts on menu ideas.
This Summer has once again proven to be a busy, inconsistent time.
I have to admit, we've eaten out, had last minute BBQ's with friends,
And eaten leftovers.
I know this happens for many,
But when it happens more regularly than irregularly,
It leaves me with, well, not much to put down as our menu. =)

But, in the midst of crazy schedules I have been able to try out a few new recipes.
So for those looking to try something different, here are some we liked.

Crockpot Korean Beef Tacos with Cucumber Slaw

These were tasty. A little Asian twist to the Mexican taco.
I also did the suggested leftover meal by adding mangos and wrapping in spring roll wrappers.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup


This soup was really yummy and very hearty. I can't wait to make this again in the Fall.

Salmon Teriyaki Bowl


Not only was this a delicious meal, it also tasted 'clean' and healthy.

Kale Meatballs
I served these with roasted sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli and a green salad.


And for dessert.... these are wonderful!! Not only tasty, they are also flour free, dairy free, and egg free!

Brownies


OK, go try something new, and tell me what you think when you do!

Happy Cooking!

Eunora

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Craft Time

I had so much fun recently creating some of my own Christmas gifts.

Not only was it fun, but they were also easy and inexpensive.

So, if you are looking for a couple of DIY Christmas gifts,

Here are two for you.

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

These were so fun and easy to make!

I simply melted chocolate chips in my microwave,

dipped the pretzel into the chocolate to coat,

and then sprinkled on the sprinkles.

After cooling on parchment paper,

I bagged them individually in pretzel bags

that I purchased at JoAnn's.

I tied them with decorative ribbon

and attached a Christmas tag.

Whalla! Christmas treats for my kids' friends!

(one quick note: all microwaves heat differently. I learned this the hard way.

So, lower the power level if your chocolate doesn't seem to be melting).

Homemade Hand Soap

So, I saw this project on Pinterest

and had to give it a try.

Click here for the instructions on how to make your own.

I will add that I used another brand of soap

from our local bath shop-

Pear Apple, doesn't it sound yummy?!

The bar was 8.8oz and I used the whole thing.

I ended up needing to add a lot of water,

but I saw this as a good thing

as it made for more jars of soap.

I ended up with eleven mason jars full of hand soap!

That's eleven gifts!

I cut a piece of Christmas fabric leftover from the stockings I made last year.

After placing it on the lid, I screwed on the ring

wrapped it with ribbon and a tag.

Oh, and one more thing, the DIY site didn't mention

the cost of the liquid glycerin.

My costs:

soap- $6.90

liquid glycerin- $7.89

I believe I can make about five batches with the glycerin,

so that makes the total $0.77 a jar!

I also want to tell you about a wonderful site that sells downloadable gift tags.

Last year I purchased the set below for under $10.

I printed and used them for all my Christmas wrappings last year,

and now I am doing it again this year.

I punch out the little squares with my scallop punch.

There are so many uses:

gift tags,

dessert toppers,

matching game,

print off 25 for an advent calendar,

address labels,

the possibilities are endless.

Happy Crafting!

Eunora

Linking up today here:

I'm Thankful!

I have so much to be thankful for!

I want to (hopefully weekly) share these things with you.

I'm thankful for...

... all the Christmas preparations I made this weekend!

I had so much fun making some

fun gifts to give away this holiday season.

I will share all about it in an upcoming post. ;)

... a good message in church covering the ten commandments.

... for all the Christmas parties coming up.

... for the new Christmas flour sack towels my husband gave me!

... sharing a new yummy treat with my family.

You should try it too. ;)

Source: zoomyummy.com via Eunora on Pinterest

You can find the recipe here.

Oh boy! This is what I'm thankful for, what are you thankful for?

Snack Ideas

This is the second year we have included 'snack time'

In our home school schedule.

It has been a beneficial addition.

It provides the boys a break from their studies.

It keeps them from getting too hungry before lunch is ready.

And, most of all, it has provided 'Snack Man' a job

That shows his importance

As well as giving him a productive activity to do.

I'm writing this post for those of you

Who may need ideas to give keep your little ones busy.

Here are a few of the snacks the boys (and I) have enjoyed.

Slices of Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Source: allrecipes.com via Eunora on Pinterest

Sliced Bananas With Peanut Butter

Source: fizzbathshop.wordpress.com via Eunora on Pinterest

Smoothies

Source: annies-eats.net via Eunora on Pinterest

Apple Slices with Peanut Butter

Source: google.com via Eunora on Pinterest

Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows

(try home made- yummy!)

Source: lylaandblu.com via Eunora on Pinterest

Linking up today here:

Oreo Apple Pops

As a fun school treat, I tried to a new craft.

Key word: tried.

The picture in the magazine was oh, so cute,

and looked easy.

(did you catch that other key word? looked?!

And so, I gathered my materials,

(story on that here)

Waited for a free evening, and began.

My first attempt at inserting the popsicle stick into the Oreo

resulting in a broken cookie.

Note to self: be more gentle next time.

Next came coating the cookie in the melted chocolate.

First attempt: cookie falls off into chocolate.

This is going to be a long craft night. But by golly, I am going to do this

and have fun doing it!!!

Now insert husband to the rescue.

He aids in the coating of the cookies and huh?!

it's working for him, no complaints, but rather, much thank yous!

Now for the finishing touches.

I purposefully did not buy the healthy fruit leather

to apply for the smiles and leaves.

I bought the ones filled with additives, preservatives, and colorings.

(I was going for the look, people, not the health =))

But, alas, I still got it wrong because

after applying the bright green fruit roll up cut-outs

you can't even tell they're green!! Ahhh!

Oh well.

I was so pleased at my husband's comment after

showing him the picture I was trying to recreate.

He said, "It's probably not even food."

I totally forgot they could do that!

Use styrofoam and photo shop away?!

I'm telling myself yes and saying mine's the best

that could be done using real food. Haha!

So, my friends, this is how mine turned out.

(And my kids LOVED them. Thank you kids!)

And this is how they were suppose to look:

Source: familyfun.go.com via Eunora on Pinterest

Totally overrated, don't you think?!

Happy Crafting,

Eunora

Love At Wal-Mart =)

So, I went to Wal-mart.

What?!

I know, for those who know me well,

Wal-Mart is not a place I find myself very often,

It’s actually quite rare for me ‘save money and live better’ there.

It’s just not my favorite place.

I know many of you like this super-store,

So I will leave all other comments alone. =)

Truth be told, I actually had a pleasant experience there!

Now what took me to this store in the first place?

Well, I had been wanting to do a cookie craft for some time.

I needed some of those colored chocolate wafers

That melt and are used in candy molds.

I didn’t have plans to visit our closest craft-store

(which is a half an hour away)

And I already checked our local kitchen shop

And discovered they did not carry the desired item.

So, I did it.

I went to Wal-Mart and headed to the craft aisle.

I was trying to get in and get out

So as to not experience any negative experiences that somehow usually happen.

I entered the express line behind an older woman with a big smile.

She immediately engaged my baby in a pleasant conversation.

I joined in and in the course of the conversation

Disclosed that I enjoy a drink from Dutch Bros. from time to time.

She in turn asked, “Oh, you go to Dutch Bros.?”

As I was answering in the positive,

She pulled out a free-drink card for a Dutch Bros. drink

And gave it to me!

Wow! What a sweet act of kindness from a stranger.

I can’t tell you how this made the rest of my afternoon.

It made me think of the Give Love that Ashley promotes over at La Luce.

I immediately began to think,

Small acts of kindness really can go along way!

This made me really want to purpose to look for ways to bless others.

One simple act of kindness changed my perspective concerning Wal-Mart.

Here I was, heading into the store expecting something negative to happen.

Maybe I should be the one to change the atmosphere

And seek to give love and show kindness

To the other shoppers, clerks….

I want to be the one who makes the difference in someone’s life.

I need to look for ways to be positive rather than expect the negative.

Because of Jesus,

Eunora

Here's the craft I made with my Wal-Mart purchase. =)

Linking up here today!

Cinnamon Rolls Start Our Year

Although it's been over a week since our first day of school

and we are well through our second week,

I wanted to post a few pictures of our yummy breakfast.

It's alway fun to add a little fun

and something different

for the start of a new school year.

How about you? What did you do for the first day of school?

Happy Schooling,

Eunora

Bitter? No Better!

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

I’ve been taught before that in unfortunate situations, I can choose to go away bitter or better. Oftentimes my flesh wrestles with being bitter and disappointed with the lot that befalls me. But every now and then, some place deep inside decides to do the right thing (oh that these times were more)!

Well, I am happy to share, not that this last week provided an opportunity to test the bitter/better choice, but that I actually choose the 'better'. (Applause!) But before I get carried away with all the bowing and waving over making a right choice, and you pat my back and congratulate me, it was kind of easy this time. There you have it. Glory gone.

OK, enough build up. The story goes like this: my mom was scheduled to arrive for a week-long visit a week ago Monday. Since we only see my parents about twice a year, this was a big deal. Well, someone/something named Irene (insert eye roll, and huff) decided to visit the east coast and reek havoc on my plans. Although it’s nice that technology allows us to predict when natural disasters are about to occur, it's really too bad they can’t be rescheduled). So, Miss Irene stole my mother’s flight plan, pushing her arrival date back several days.

Poor me! Mama’s not coming for a few days. So here’s the silver lining in the storm. Since my calendar was empty with the assumption my mother would fill our days, I now had unexpected extra time. What? Extra time?! This is a good thing.

So this is what I did: with one day I completed the preparations for my son’s upcoming birthday. This probably would have gotten done, but in a hurry, somewhere I could squeeze it in. And with the next day, I picked blackberries with my baby, came home to make jam, and now have many beautiful jars of jam all ready for the cupboard. Oh the satisfaction productivity brings me!

(aren't they pretty?!)

Do I wish my mom arrived on time? Well, sure! Did the Lord bless what couldn’t be? Oh my, He did! Maybe there’s a start to me becoming more flexible after all! Oops, maybe I shouldn’t have said that, don’t want to jinx it! (be filled in on that bit here).

Because of Jesus,

Eunora

Linking up today with:

Camping Treats-

My family recently had the opportunity to go camping!

In our home, preparing for camping means baking.

When I first discovered a recipe for

homemade marshmallows and graham crackers,

I knew I had to try it.

Well, ever since then, there was no turning back.

I have become convinced that a truly ooey, gooey smore

must be made with these fine components.

Try them and tell me I'm wrong.

When I announced to friends that I would

be repeating my baking tradition this year as well,

my dear friend (ahem, you know who you are)

launched back, "Bet you can't make Oreos!"

(Her camping treat of choice).

Oh yah!?! I couldn't resist. I was on to find a recipe

for homemade Oreos and by golly, I did it!

You can try it too.

Once you click here, scroll down until you find the homemade

recipe in the comment section.

I have also been asked many times for the recipes

for the marshmallows and the graham crackers,

so I've taken it upon myself to find you all

some so that you too can make and enjoy them yourselves.

So, for the marshmallows click here.

And for the graham crackers, click here.

Happy Baking,

Eunora