Gluten Free Basil Dip

This time of year is a great time for fresh basil from the garden.  The smell of  basil is one of my favorite summer aromas, especially when I know we are in for a light, tasty lunch treat!  Today we gathered a lovely bunch of our basil after working in the garden and made this quick dip in our blender:

1 bunch basil
2 cloves garlic ( also from the garden!)
1 cup Parmesan
1/4 cup olive oil
red pepper to taste ( optional)
lemon juice to taste (optional)

 Blend and enjoy with fresh veggies, chips, or spread on a rice cake or slice of fresh bread.

*It turns out we weren't the only ones out in the herb garden this morning.... The Lord is so kind to grant us little moments to enjoy His creation right here in the city! Isn't this little guy a beauty?!

I hope that each one of you, regardless of where the Lord has placed you, will enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of His creation today !

Our Summer: May Trip to Amish Counrty

  Our summer began with a May trip to Amish country....just me and my girls! We watched the sunrise on the flight out, and watched it set on the flight home; the first ones at a smallish airport the morning we departed, the last ones to arrive " home" at the same airport a few days later!

                      Lots of fun lay-over time in much larger airports :)......always pants on airplanes...always! Just in case we have to slide down one of those exit chutes on the plane!! :)

Most of my memories are stored in my mind as I just can't bring myself to take photos in Amish country. This is a photo of "my" room at our Mennonite relative's house. I love the simplicity and beauty of this space. Among the most restful sights I look for each year is the  white farm houses the plain white curtains framing each window. They are so simple and lovely to me.  The green yards are tidy and uncluttered, the laundry on the line....I just feel at home ( well, except for the tidy yard part....still working on that a little, but it is my ideal!). 

 We enjoyed some corn hole with the relatives one evening.  My most memorable sight in the Amish country this year was on a  Sunday afternoon.  Two conservative Mennonite couples, both young with little babies, were in their side yard as we drove by.  The bearded men laughing and playing corn hole, and the ladies, in those lovely pastel print dresses, bouncing babies as they sat in woven lawn chairs. Their eager visiting reminded me of how I feel when I am visiting with my "mom friends".  Where ever I went I loved the sight of rosy cheeks and simple hair and dress on the ladies, especially among the conservative Mennonites. Something to take back to my normal life for sure!

 Our drives took us to a petting farm this year, and of course, we visited our favorite bulk food pantry. ( I actually had to get the grand "pat down" at the airport because I brought back several containers of arrow root powder in my suitcase!  EEK! Not sure why I thought I could carry a white powder on an airplane these days! But, everyone was super nice about it and I got to give a good talk about food allergies and arrowroot powder  to a captive audience of security officers while we were waiting for the "test" on the "white powder" to get done!)

 I love seeing the different ways the Amish and Mennonite support themselves and employ their children. Ice cream stands, bulk food stores, thrift food stores, roadside stands, pies ( oh, the pies!!!!), sewing....I find busy , creative people so inspiring. Especially when their families are by their side!

 I also had the privilege of visiting my 100 year old birth-grandmother! I love this lady! We poured over a photo album that encompassed the entire century she has lived and what a blessing to be part of her story!

Our time of rest ended before we knew it, but as always we returned refreshed to the boys we missed so much! A pleasant start to the summer!

The Omelet: It's What's for Dinner!!

Several weeks ago I did a post about how beans can provide a wonderful and inexpensive allergy-free meal, especially when you are feeding a large family. Eggs are another "secret weapon" in the war against high priced, nutrient-empty meals for the allergy crowd (assuming that you are not dealing with an egg allergy, of course!).

Omelets are a weekly event at our house.  It is the one night that children are allowed to customize their meal according to their preferences.That is a big deal around here...and let me tell you, creativity abounds!!! Here are some of the toppings we keep on hand so that omelet night is never boring:

fresh peppers ( green, red, yellow,orange)
green onions
bacon bits
diced ham
spinach
diced fresh tomatoes
Rotel canned tomatoes ( mild, regular, or HOT)
black beans
cilantro
chives
rosemary
Cajun seasoning ( McCormick brand is gluten free)
cheddar cheese
American cheese
Swiss cheese
salt and pepper
...and whatever else we happen to find in the kitchen...the options are limitless!

If you have your own chickens and your own garden with fresh herbs, greens, peppers, and tomatoes, omelets can be the ultimate fresh and economical meal during the summer months!  And don't forget about quiche as another egg option. Milk substitutes work very well in quiche if you are needing to avoid dairy. A crust-less quiche is a great gluten-free option.

You may be interested in reading here  and here about some of the health benefits of eggs.  Pleasant Eating!

Pleasantburg: All is Well ( ...but I haven't had much time to blog !)

 It is true! Pleasantburg Blog has not been abandoned!  Thanks for all concern and inquiries about the lack of regular posts recently. Life is just quite full at the moment and my brain has lacked the necessary space for quality writing.  I am realizing that lack of brain space seems to come with multiple teenagers in the home, especially during the "approaching graduation" phase.  So many decisions to make, so many things to explore, so many places to visit and research, so much to pray about! This is the first of several upcoming years like this for our family, so pray for us :). And with young ones in the mix as well, the task of making sure all are attended to and loved on is often all-consuming.  Each morning I come to the Lord and asked to be filled up, and during the day I pour it all out.  Not a bad way to live, not at all :). Hopefully the summer will provide more time to share  posts with you on a regular basis ( I do miss the chance to think complete thoughts on a single topic...blogging is so good for that!). In the mean time, feel free to subscribe via email or RSS feed so that you can be notified when I do manage to put up a post :). 

 Here is a song that has been running in my mind during these busy days, reminding me of why I do what I do and why I must make the choices I do. It's old, and I've probably posted it before because it is one of my "life songs", but I hope it will encourage you as you work on your legacy in the midst of your daily life! 

Allergy Free Cooking on a Budget: Beans!

People often comment that feeding a large family with food allergies must be very expensive.  It certainly can be! But I have also found that there is a learning curve as far as balancing food limitations, good nutrition, and the family  food budget. To put it simply, at first just do what you have to do "get by" while you get everything figured out. Use mixes, buy ready made food that you know is acceptable....after all, you are probably spending all your free time reading and learning about your new lifestyle!  But know that this phase will not last forever! Gradually move on to making more and more things by scratch. 

Using simple ingredients, fresh food, and great spices will go a long way in providing healthy, tasty, and affordable meals. One of my favorite reasons to stick to fresh ingredients is that there are no labels to read!  (Can I please hear a hallelujah and four amens?!) Until you get your feet on the ground in dealing with all the dietary changes, keep dinner simple: a meat, rice , and veggies. And don't forget beans....

Since I am currently feeding a husband who does hard, physical labor, three active teens, and two growing youngsters, we need affordable,  filling food in large quantities. More and more we are turning to beans as either a main or side dish. Nearly every night I am soaking  beans or cooking beans in the crock pot.  They freeze well and can be pulled out and quickly defrosted to put in bean dishes as needed ( ...very important when dealing with allergies! Going out to eat is generally not even an option, so use your freezer to stay ahead in the meal preparation game!). Here is how I prepare red beans:

Soak one package overnight. Rinse beans the next morning.
Place in crock pot with water and a bit of ham, sausage, or left over pork chops.
Add a few tsp. of salt and pepper, 4 cloves garlic, and 2 cans tomato sauce.
Cover with water and cook on low for 12 hours. If I need them for dinner I will cook them 6 hours on high, and then on low until dinner time.

These are delicious for dinner served onto of rice, but they also are great in the following dish:

Cajun Beans
1 package all natural chicken and garlic sausage ( I use Applegate brand), cut into bite sized pieces
red beans (several cups as prepares above or several cans if you can find some without preservatives)
1-2 cans crushed tomatoes with green chills ( I use Rotel brand)
1 onion, chopped
Cajun seasoning as desired ( I use McCormick)

Cook on low in crock pot for 8 hours for a wonderful, affordable, healthy allergy-free meal! This can be served over rice, or with roasted potatoes and carrots as pictured above. Enjoy!

Quote of the Week

This passage is from our reading this week. I have thought of it often and hope it will be an encouragement to you!

" Throughout his ministry Edwards was blessed to have a lovely, godly wife by his said. Sarah Pierrepont saw it as her spiritual duty to keep her home peaceful and pleasant so Jonathan could devote the maximum amount of time to his studies and ministry.  That she was able to do this with eleven children is a testimony to her qualities.  When the rigors of the day came to a close, Jonathan and Sarah would ride horseback through the nearby woods and Jonathan would freely share with Sarah all the spiritual riches he had mined in his studies that day.

  When the evangelist George Whitfield was in the Edwards' home he was impressed by their happiness and wrote, 'I felt great satisfaction in being at the house of Mr. Edwards. A sweeter couple I have not yet seen.  Their children were not dressed in silks and satin, but plain, as become the children of thoses who, in all things, ought to be examples of Christian simplicity.  Mrs. Edwards is adorned with a meek and quiet spirit. She talked solidly of the things of God, and seemed to be such a help-meet of her husband, that she caused me to renew those prayers, which, for some months, I have put to God, that He would be pleased to send me a daughter of Abraham to be my wife. "

                                                        ~ from Heroes of the Faith, by Gene Fedele
                                                                         ( emphasis added)

Creative Glory Photography

Several of you have complimented us on our new blog design. I have told you that I would be introducing my designer soon and the time has arrived!

Our beautiful new look was put together by my friend Kathryn at Creative Glory. In this post I am going to focus on her photography business, but...yes! She does blog design as well! If you need blog buttons she can put one together for a mere three dollars. And a new header is only five dollars! Kathryn has an eye for beautiful design and great color combinations. If you are like me and find it hard to make time for blog design (and don't have a lot of money to spend on such things), I highly encourage you to take advantage of her custom blog design services.  I will include her contact information at the end of this post, but first, let me tell you a bit about her wonderful and affordable photography services and show you some of her work. 

Kathryn lives in the Knoxville, TN area and will meet you for your session anywhere within an hour of  her home. This is wonderful if you are planning a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, or will be visiting the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, TN area. Knoxville is quite close to these destinations has many beautiful venues for photography. Kathryn can provide you with suggestions if you need them.    

A photo session is fifty dollars and usually lasts one to one and a half hours. You are welcome to change outfits during this time.  She spends about a week editing photos, and then will post a few of her favorites on her blog for you to preview. ( She is very discrete and uses nicknames if you desire so your family can remain anonymous.) She will then mail you a CD for you to print and share photos as you wish. That is it!  No high pitch sales or pressure...none. 

Professional photographers can charge several hundred dollars per session, plus pricey fees for prints and so on. I love that Creative Glory offers quality at an affordable price.  In addition, if you are a family that had brought a child into your family through adoption within in 6 months of scheduling your session, your first session is free! What a blessing!

This is an excellent and affordable option for those senior portraits!

As a former school teacher and experienced nanny, Kathryn is excellent with children and can quickly build rapport with even the most reluctant subject.  If you are interested in setting up a session, or if you have further questions, you can contact Kathryn at cre8tiveglory@gmail.com . 

Her blog is still a work in progress, but she welcomes you over to take a look!  You can also click on the Creative Glory button in our sidebar. Enjoy!

English Country Dancing...Fun for Everyone, Especially Great for Teens!

This summer our family discovered English Country Dancing.  Our community has a local, family oriented group that meets on a regular basis. We love attending and learning various dances. The setting is laid back and informal, and it is great fun!  Dads with babies in front backs, ladies in their seventies, middle aged folk, engaged young couples, singles, teens and elementary aged children...all spending a delightful evening together learning an old art form.

When our family heard that there was a formal event geared towards families with older children, we were thrilled! I whole heartedly support the Christian community reclaiming the art of beautiful, wholesome social dancing. Our entire family was not able to attend this event, but two of our teens were able to travel with good family friends and enjoyed a wonderful new experience.

 For the young men it is a wonderful way to learn about being a gentleman, even to their sisters!  The focus is group dancing  (you are forever switching partners in English Country Dancing), but the gentlemen must ask a lady to dance.  They are instructed to make sure all the ladies are being included, especially since there are often more ladies than gentlemen. It is an excellent opportunity for young men to initiate and lead. Even the occasion to dress like a gentleman is a benefit in this day of grunge and shagginess. I notice that our own young men stand a bit straighter and speak with a bit more confidence when they have a sport coat on their backs!

 For the ladies, a formal ball is a chance to delight in godly femininity. It is a time to be dignified  and graceful. Ladies are instructed to respond graciously to requests to dance, whether they accept or decline. I will do another post on how to dress modestly/modify a typical formal gown for modesty, but it is a wonderful time to consider these issues as mother and daughter ( not to mention learn useful techniques for modifying everyday clothing). Our gown modification was a three generation event in and of itself! And what a fun time of shopping and planning together!  Many of the ladies at the ball wore period costume dress, which I think will be on a wish list sometime soon. There are some lovely patterns out there!

One area I especially appreciate about such an event is the atmosphere that emphasizes godly relationships.  Modeled before my children are both older couples that love each other very much and  couples in the courtship and engagement phase of life. Several college age couples were present (couples who had attend these events as younger teens) and they, along with other couples in our circle of friends, provide a healthy "normal" of how such relationships can be approached. The whole emphasis on "otherness"... considering another's needs above your own...is what impresses me most. My favorite picture of the evening was of  a special set of four dancers: my son, a friend's daughter, another friend's son, and this young man's 20-something year old sister. The sister has severe autism and functions as a preschooler. When she heard there was a ball she wanted to be in on the action and came decked out in her own fancy dress. It brought tears to my eyes hear ( and see, thanks to a kind photographer) that our teens were thoughtful enough to see that she was included and had fun.

So....if you are looking for something fun and worthwhile, check out the English Country Dancing opportunities in your community. I hear they are springing up all over.  You Tube has come excellent tutorials, as well as video from various ball events.   Pleasant Dancing!

Morning Prayer

The past few weeks have been full and beautiful. There hasn't been much time to sit down and write, but lots of good living going on here.  House sitting, soap making, reading, celebrating birthdays ( including that of our former preemie...always an extra special time of thanksgiving!), hosting gatherings, getting to know a mom with a new preemie, English Country dancing and ball gown outfitting.... even saying good bye to a grandmother who lived  life to the full and has gone on to glory.  All great blog material should my turn on the computer ever last more than 2 minutes :), but no real complaints...blogging is awesome, in my opinion, but living,making memories, and seeing my children explore their gifts ( including blogging...three of us now in this house!) is better! 


One of the books I have enjoyed this winter has been The Valley of Vision. As you start a new week, I hope this excerpt will be a blessing to you:


O God, the author of all good,
I come to thee for the grace another day will require for its duties and event.
I know that without thee I can do nothing,
     that everything with which I shall be concerned ,
     however harmless in itself,
     may prove an occasion of sin or folly,
     unless I am kept by thy power, 
Hold thou me up and I shall be safe.
Preserve my understanding from subtilty of error,
    my affections from love of idols,
    my character from stain of vice,
    my profession from every form of evil.
May I engage in nothing in which I cannot implore thy blessing
 and in which I cannot invite thy inspection.


May every creature be made good to me by prayer and thy will;
Teach me how to use the world, and not abuse it,
     to improve my talents,
     to redeem my time,
     to walk in wisdom toward those without, and kindness to those within,
     to do good to all men, and especially my fellow Christians.
And to thee be the glory. 
     

Homemade Instant Breakfast

 My friend Jonquil  is an former food scientist who is brimming with wonderful ideas when it comes to thrifty, healthy homemaking. I am so thankful to know her! We have bounced babies on our laps together, and spent hours watching teenagers bounce basketballs in the gym.  She sports her tranquil demeanor as beautifully as she sports her all-natural-west-coast-native-L.L. Bean-look :), and is one of the best listening ears around. She is a dear sister in the faith ... and this week is her birthday!

 Today I am sharing one of her great ideas with you: homemade instant breakfast. This is not a concoction for the allergy crowd, but is wonderful money-saver if you are a fan of the store bought Carnation Instant Breakfast.  One of the main ingredients is dry milk. Did you know that you can add extra dry milk in your baking to boost nutrition value of baked goods and casseroles?  I learned this trick from a NICU nutritionist that was trying to fatten me up/increase my nutrition while I was pumping for our preemie. (The nutritionist also said it is a great technique to use if you are recovering from a broken bone and want to speed healing.) Here  is what you need for this protein/calcium boosting drink mix::

3 cups dry milk
1 package instant chocolate pudding

Mix together and store in an air tight container.  Add desired amount to you milk, stir, and enjoy!

Seeing The Bright Side

Winter is often a season that is tainted with discontent. There is plenty of grey and cold....an abundance of things to fuel your pity party fire if you choose to go there! After almost four years of living in an urban location, I can say that the same is true for city living. It is easy to neglect the art of appreciating the distinctiveness that makes each day (and each situation!) unique. During the warmer months, both gardening and walking allow my thoughts to easily turn back to the good things. I am creating a place of fruitfulness and love in the midst of concrete and traffic! Somehow the importance of the mission I never would have chosen drowns out the sirens. The urban clutter and the people here become beautiful to me. But now, in the midst of the brown grass, indoor season, I have to redouble my efforts to relish the blessings of this place where the Lord has led us. This week the Lord has challenged me to dwell on the benefits and blessings of this place:

*People of every race and economic level walk by my house daily. Some walk to catch the bus, some walk to be "green"; some to shop and some for exercise; some because they have nothing else to do and some because they are, as my mother would say, "up to no good."

*My children are not growing up isolated from the poor. Although sometimes we feel somewhat "disadvantaged" around those we know, rubbing shoulders with true poverty keeps this in perspective. We are warm, we are loved, we are fed. The rest isn't all that important.

*Seeing those who daily rely on the bus for transportation, and moms who must walk with their little children to the grocery, causes me to feel blessed to own a 14 year old van.

*The dozens of police and ambulance sirens I hear each day give me the opportunity to pray for those in distress. I remember that there is no certainty in life and people everywhere are scared and suffering.

*Friends and relatives drop by our house often. Our clutter is not hidden, and it keeps us humble. We are connected to our community because our location allows us to be in the middle of people's lives.

*You never know who will show up in our driveway or be knocking at our door. A woman trying to sell her coffee pot so she can pay a bill, a mom with a broken down car, a man looking for lawn care work. We have the unique opportunity  ( providing our ferocious dogs are visible and hubby is at home!) to hand hot children cups of juice, share our jug of milk, and provide information about community relief ministries to those who are in need.  I recently heard some one say that it is fashionable to talk about the poor,but sadly, not fashionable to talk to them. We (using prudence of course) get to talk to them.

*Our family is visible. One day when our car was smoking, the mechanic called us because he noticed our situation. A man asked if we ran a nursery school because he frequently saw a crowd of children playing in the yard. Older neighbors tell me memories of this house we call home and appreciate a young family giving life to an old house. Our family can be a city on a hill, a little place of love in a cold world.  There is a mom at home stirring the soup, a dad working hard day in and day out, and people see it all...fish bowl living at its best. And, on those weeks when we miss trash day and everyone knows it because our trash can sits there overflowing, we glory in the fact that the Lord keeps us humble. Perfect we are not, and what a blessing to know it!



















Heart Macro Monday , Wise Woman Builds Her Home link up.

Pleasant Projects: Creating a Personalized Name Canvas

Although I wasn't doing much writing during the holiday season, I was quite busy crafting gifts with my girls.  This project was one of my favorites!  My sincerest apologies for the poor picture quality in this post.  The good camera was still in the shop at the time we did this project!

 Here is what you need for this project: a canvas, craft paint, card stock, school glue, assorted trims, fabric for embellishment, hot glue gun.

First, we painted our canvas with two thin layers of craft paint. While the canvas was drying we cut out the letters on card stock, using a computer font as a pattern. ( My daughter actually ended up doing our letters free hand, but you can easily print out the letters you need, cut them out, and trace around them.) We did not have the color of card stock that we needed to match our sweet niece's nursery, so we also painted our letters with craft paint.

Next, we searched our craft closet for suitable embellishments. We came up with a stained hand-me-down shirt that had been saved for its cute-fabric value, buttons from the same shirt, a wide lace scrap, and a narrow lace scrap. Both lace selections from a box of trims that an elderly neighbor gave to us!  Next, we used a flower shaped cookie cutter to trace/cut out our fabric flowers.

When our canvas and letters were totally dry, we created a mixture of equal parts school glue and water. Using a paint brush we glued down our lace, also "painting" the top surface of the lace with the glue. We did the same with the flowers and letters, taking care to cover the top surfaces thoroughly and fix wrinkles. Later, we gave the entire surface of the canvas ( embellishments and all!) a second coat of the glue mixture. The next day we used the hot glue gun to secure the buttons in place.

Although the photos really don't do the final project justice, I can tell you that this canvas ended up looking surprisingly "professional" as we placed it in our gift bag. We were thrilled! Our only expense was the canvas (less than $5.00) and two bottles of 99 cent craft paint! It was a wonderful lesson to our girls on reusing/re-purposing items, as well as on the value of sharing what we can't use with others. It was such a joy  to be able to provide my niece with a cute, personalized gift while staying within our budget. I am fairly sure that we will be revisiting this project for future baby and birthday gifts!  

Happy 2012!

Happy 2012 to all of you!  I have certainly missed blogging regularly over the holiday season, but it was a lovely, restful, and creative time for our family.  We made many the gifts we gave as Christmas presents, which was great fun for me.  I have sunk deep into several challenging books and lingered over some good poetry in spare moments.  Mostly, we have just "slowed", stepped back from the normal, and, at least in my case, gained fresh perspective.  Now that we are pulling out of that wonderful "lull week" between Christmas and New Year and are getting back into the normal routine again, I am eagerly waiting to what the Lord will do with 2012!  In several areas, I feel the Spirit's wind at our backs, pushing and challenging our family in several areas.  I'd love to know your how you feel the Lord is leading you as the new year begins!  And if you have any thoughts on posts you would like to see from Pleasantburg this year, shoot me and email or leave a comment....I am doing a bit of planning and praying in that department as well!