Thursday, January 31, 2013

Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Crockpot Casserole

Want something yummy that you can just throw together and forget about?  Well I have one for you!

For this recipe I use my Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe.  You will want to check that out or if you don't need gluten free feel free to use two cans of the condensed cream of mushroom soup and one can of milk(my mom has used this recipe and that is what she did to get the same consistency). 

You will need:

2 chicken breasts- I pulled the meat off a chicken I had roasted.
1 lb asparagus- I bought some fresh to frozen at Aldi's.  It's really good when you can't get fresh.
8 oz mushrooms
one batch of my Cream of Mushroom Soup

Put all together in the crockpot and cook on low all day.

Chicken, asparagus, and mushrooms.
I LOVE asparagus!

I placed the chicken, asparagus, and mushrooms in the crock first and then poured the cream of mushroom soup over them.

Ready to simmer all day long.


You can serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

The perfect supper served over rice.


Super yummy and good for you!  I hope you like it.  My kids LOVE it.  The last time we had this for supper most of the kids had 2-3 helpings and there was none left over when we were all through eating.  I of course, really just wanted to pick out all the asparagus and eat it on my own!

Shared on:  Gluten Free Fridays

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Ashton Park -Review CFBA

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Ashton Park
Harvest House Publishers (January 1, 2013)
by
Murray Pura


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




Murray Pura was born and raised in Manitoba, just north of Minnesota and the Dakotas. He has published several novels and short story collections in Canada, and has been short-listed for a number of awards. His first books to be published in the United States are the inspirational works Rooted and Streams (both by Zondervan in 2010). His first novel to debut in the USA is A Bride’s Flight from Virginia City, Montana (Barbour), which was released January 2012. The second, The Wings of Morning, will be published by Harvest House on February 1. Both of these novels center around the Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.



ABOUT THE BOOK

For fans of the hugely popular Downton Abbey series, comes this equally enthralling story of the Danforth family of Ashton Park. Among the green hills and trees of Lancashire, only a few miles from the sea, lies the beautiful and ancient estate of Ashton Park. The year is 1916. The First World War has engulfed Europe and Sir William's and Lady Elizabeth's three sons are all in uniform--and their four daughters are involved in various pursuits of the heart and soul.

As the head of a strong Church of England family for generations, Sir William insists the Danforth estate hold morning devotions that include both family and staff. However, he is also an MP and away at Westminster in London whenever Parliament is sitting. During his long absences, Lady Elizabeth discreetly spends time in the company of the head cook of the manor, Mrs. Longstaff, who is her best friend and confidante. This friendship includes visits to a small Baptist church in Liverpool that exposes Lady Elizabeth to a less formal approach to Christian worship and preaching than she is used to and which she comes to enjoy.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Ashton Park, go HERE.

My thoughts:  I have never seen Downtown Abbey but fell in love with this book!  The family draws you in and you want to constantly read on and know more of what is going on.  The seven children lead such unique and interesting lives that I am hoping we'll soon find books about each one!  Definitely recommend this book!

I was provided with this book for free from CFBA to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own solely and not influenced in anyway. I was compensated in no other way than a copy of this book.



Monday, January 28, 2013

Tuesday's Good Eatin Recipe Hop -The Pitch List

 
Welcome to the Good Eatin' Recipe Hop
hosted by
The 'Pitch List' Bloggers

Every Tuesday you can join us to share great recipes.........
There are no specific themes. 
Add your recipe of choice to the linky.
No Giveaways Please...all giveaways will be removed.
We Love Comments! Please Share!

I linked up some of my yummy Valentine's Day treats!  Two cookies and one cupcakes.  Very good and the Red Velvet Cupcakes are sugar, dairy, and gluten free!



Friday, January 25, 2013

Grace Given -CFBA Review

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Grace Given
Realms (January 8, 2013)
by
Beth Shriver


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Childhood memories of her grandfather's ranch came alive as Beth wrote her first Amish story. Her parents grew up in the country, so she appreciates pastoral life and respects those who make a living off the land. She visits a nearby Amish community just south of Fort-Worth for an occasional church service or brunch with the bishop and his wife. And on the way home she stops at the community store to get some plum jam!

Beth received a degree in social work and psychology from the University of Nebraska. She worked as a caseworker for Boulder County Department of Social Services before starting a family. Beth and her husband, two children, along with two cats and a beagle live in Texas after moving from their first home in Colorado. She freelances for the local papers in her area and writes columns, devotionals for magazines, and novels in a variety of genres in both fiction and nonfiction. Beth is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Literary Agency.



ABOUT THE BOOK

“Never doubt in the darkness what God has shown you in the light.” —Amish Proverb

Elsie Kline can’t forgive her sister for leaving the community. Gideon Lapp helps Elsie through her bitterness by studying the Martyr’s Mirror book that is centuries old, describing their ancestors’ sacrifice for their faith. But he feels there is something more. When the community moved to Texas, they were not welcomed by some of the locals. They have told Katie and Elsie that harm will come to their community if don’t go back up north where they came from. Gideon stays by Elsie’s side as she learns to give grace and to humble herself to accept grace as well. “Beth has a heart for helping others, whether through her nonfiction and fiction writing or in other capacities. It has been my pleasure to read and respond to her work during the past few years of knowing her.” —Leanna Ellis, Author of Facelift and Forsaken and winner of the National Readers Choice Award.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Grace Given, go HERE.

My thoughts:  This was another of those books that I really didn't want to put down.  Of course, I did have a slightly different ending in mind for Elsie.I think it's  a must read.  I fell in love with shy Ruby and worried over Katie with the others.  I definitely recommend this book and think it's a good one to read.




I was provided with this book for free from CFBA to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own solely and not influenced in anyway. I was compensated in no other way than a copy of this book.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Mystery of the Heart -CFBA Review

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Mystery of the Heart
Realms (January 8, 2013)
by
Jillian Kent


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jillian Kent is a busy writer and the alter ego of Jill Nutter, a full-time counselor.

Jill spent the first semester of her senior year of college at Oxford studying British Literature, where she fell in love with England. During this season, she came to appreciate the written word, the rich imagery of romantic poetry like The Highwayman, and historical novels of many types, including Jane Austen and all things Regency.

Jill received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Bethany College in West Virginia, and her Masters Degree in Social Work from WVU, and she brings her fascination with different cultures and societies into her writing.

Jill has always been a romantic at heart, so readers will find a good dose of romance woven through each of her novels. Jill, her husband Randy, and children Katie and Meghan are animal lovers. They currently own two dogs, Boo-Boo and Bandit and a menagerie of cats, Lucky, Yuma, Snow, and Holden. Critters of all assortments make their appearance in her stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Lord Eden is intrigued when he discovers Lady Mercy Grayson’s secret, but how can he hope to gain her heart when he is forced to betray her?

Lady Mercy Grayson longs be a physician like her big brother, Devlin, Lord Ravensmoore. However, society would never tolerate a female physician, let alone one who is a noblewoman. So Mercy takes matters into her own hands, disguising herself as a man to get through medical school. But then a male colleague discovers her secret, which is only the beginning of Mercy’s problems that could destroy her dreams forever.

The Prince Regent is awaiting the return of Vincent St. Lyons, Lord Eden, whom he sent on a secret voyage to locate and bring back a relic that some believe possesses the power to heal. St. Lyons discovers Mercy washed up on England’s shore upon his return and agrees to give her safe passage to London aboard a ship of men practicing African Vodun. Both must face treacherous circumstances, difficult decisions, and a growing attraction to one another that could forever change the course of their lives.

As the final installment in the series, the theme of this book is God’s plans for our lives. “Whatever the hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might” (Eccles. 9:10).

If you would like to read the first chapter of Mystery of the Heart, go HERE.

My thoughts:  I have a confession to make.  I read this book in two hours.  Yes it was that good!  I couldn't put it down!  Oh my I am now on the search for the first two books in the series.  I am an RN and so fell in love with the medical part of the story, but the adventure and intrique is what held me spellbound!  I highly recommend this book and stop just short of demanding everyone go find a copy to read now!

I was provided with this book for free from CFBA to facilitate this review.  All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own solely and not influenced in anyway.  I was compensated in no other way than a copy of this book.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Tuesday's Good Eatin Recipe Hop -The Pitch List

 
Welcome to the Good Eatin' Recipe Hop
hosted by
The 'Pitch List' Bloggers

Every Tuesday you can join us to share great recipes.........
There are no specific themes. 
Add your recipe of choice to the linky.
No Giveaways Please...all giveaways will be removed.
We Love Comments! Please Share!

This week I'm linking up two recipes that I have posted on the Grainmill site.  They are Lemon Poppyseed Bread and Pumpkin Bread!



$50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!



Welcome to the Amazon Gift Card Giveaway sponsored by Discount Queens!
One lucky reader will win a $50 Amazon gift card - will it be you?
Giveaway is open US only  and ends January 28th at 11:59 PM EST.
Discount Queens  is responsible for prize fulfillment.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

GMO Free Giveaway Hop 2013 -Little Soya Gift Pack


Welcome to the GMO Free 2013 Giveaway Hop, hosted by Real Houston Housewife and Hello Houston! Media. To introduce our readers to new GMO Free options in 2013, members of the Hello Houston! Media Blogger Team have come together to offer giveaways of their favorite GMO Free products. Be sure to visit Real Houston Housewife to enter to win one of the grand prizes, totaling over $400, sponsored by: Little Soya, Bob's Red Mill, Pure Indian Foods, Cultures For Health, Little Duck Organics, Amy's Kitchen, Alter Eco and Kurrenci After entering my giveaway below, please visit the other blogs listed under the Rafflecopter form to find the rest of the GMO Free giveaways.

Did you know that most soy sauces contain gluten?  It's true somehow they get gluten even into soy sauce.  It is also normally a highly processed GMO food.  What would you say if I told you that I know of a brand of soy sauce that does not contain gluten, is GMO free, and has less sodium than other brands?  I'm telling to truth!  Meet Little Soya!

I have the great fortune to get to offer up to you in the form of a giveaway, two Little Soya packs and a t-shirt.  All you have to do is enter on the rafflecopter below.  Also stay tuned for my review of their soy sauce in the near future!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Your Daily Bible Verse Review


This is a wonderful little book of Daily Bible Verses.  You get a year in Bible verses.  It also contains tips on how to memorize Bible Verses.   The suggestion is you find your birthday or anniversary and that verse is your life verse.  You should then memorize it  and use it to help in your daily life.

There are 366 verses in the book, one for each day of the year including February 29th!  All come from the King James Bible.

I think this is a great little book and have not heard of anything quite like it before.  I'd recommend giving it a go even if you just wanted to see what verse is correlated to your birthday! I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Simple Scents Australia Natural Soaps Review




I recently tried out some lovely soaps made in Australia.  They are french milled(long lasting) and made from plant oils.   They have several different scents and even types of soap.  Wrapped, unwrapped, scented, unscented, are only some of the options you find with these soaps.  Due to the plant oils in the soap they also do not dry out the skin which is wonderful!  I have dry skin so much of the time due to having my hands in water so much, that having a soap that doesn't dry out my skin is great!!

I received three bars of the Australian Natural Soaps.  Two came unwrapped and one wrapped.  My kids of course unwrapped it as quickly as they could!  The wrapped soap was the wild honeysuckle which has a lovely soft feminine scent.  The other two scents that I got to try out were the Fresh Eucalyptus and French Pear.  The pear was again a very soft scent that didn't overpower us.  I am in love with the Eucalyptus.  Not only is it a great cleaning soap, but it also has a very nice smell that even helps to clear out the sinuses some.

Australian natural soaps also sells hand creams that are paraben free.  These sound wonderful as well and I'd love to try them out.

I was very impressed with the soaps and how clean and soft they made my hands feel.  My hands also did not get dried out.  I wash my hands so many times a day with two littles in diapers still and all the cleaning I do that it is very hard to keep my hands from feeling dried out and cracked.  I'm definitely liking these!



 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Giveaway- Rudi's Soft and Fluffy Bread is Missing!


Would you like a chance to win a giveaway sponsored by Rudi's in celebration of their new Soft and Fluffy Bread?  Of course you would!  So I am here to offer it up!  You can soon check out my review of the new breads, but for now make sure to enter to win in the giveaway below for the tools you will need to help local Soft and Fluffy!

Also make sure to check out Rudi's facebook page and enter to win in their promotion for spotting Soft and Fluffy!  Lots of chances to win and tons of great prizes!

In our giveaway you will win:
-compass
-field notebook
-organic trail mix
-Peter Rabbit organic fruit snack
-Kelty backpack
-Stainless steel water bottle


Also make sure to print off the coupon that Rudi's is offering on their facebook page as well!

Simply enter here(oh and please share):




a Rafflecopter giveaway

I have not been compensated for this giveaway. I enjoy working with Rudi's and am going to be reviewing their soft and fluffy bread. I am receiving nothing in exchange for this.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Simply 7 Health Chips- Review

 

I recently was sent a case of the Simply 7 chips to review.  They say that they are gluten free so we thought we'd try them out.  Upon receiving them and reading the labels, while they are gluten free they are also processed in a facility with wheat.  Since I am being super sensitive to any gluten/wheat right now with this pregnancy, I did not actually try them.  I did however have my mom try them.  She really liked them.  The hummus chips were her favorites with the pomegranate being the least favorite.  Though she did admit that she was surprised that the pomegranate did not taste as bad as she thought they would.

The flavors we received were:
Pomegranate(3 flavors)- black pepper, white cheddar, and sea salt
Lentil(4 flavors)- jalapeno, creamy dill, bruschetta, and sea salt
Hummus(4 flavors)- roasted red pepper, sea salt, spicy chili pepper, and tomato basil

Simply 7 was created due to noticing a distressing trend among the chips on the shelves.  They were reading the labels and seeing that these were in no way good for us, but could actually be killing us!  So they set out to create a snack or chip that would actually be good for us and taste good as well.

They ask that you take a simple test yourself(similar to what they did) by going to your pantry and looking at your favorite snack.  Read the label.  Can you name the natural source of each ingredient?  Do you know what you are really eating?  Can you pronounce the ingredients on the label?

Around here we know exactly what we're eating and yes we can pronounce everything.  We rarely actually have chips in our house, they have become  a treat for us.  I would recommend Simply 7 chips to anyone who would like a healthier chip!  Make sure to check out their website and read the ingredients and what else is processed in the facility though before buying so you don't have an allergic reaction.  I do want to once again point out that though they do advertise as being gluten free and using gluten free ingredients that they are processed in the same facility with wheat.

 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Grapefruit Glycolic Wash -Review


What do you wash your face with?  Is it natural?  Is it organic?  Does it do a good job of cleaning, exfoliating, and renewing your skin?

You might want to check out Made From Earth's Grapefruit Glycolic Scrub if you are still looking for a face wash described above.

Before I go much further telling you about the product let me share an interesting fact I found.  Grapefruit contains an antioxidant that is used in treating skin allergies and irritated skin.  It also can kill bacteria that cause redness and acne when applied to the face!  Wow makes me want to start liking grapefruit, but sadly I have never appreciated grapefruit.

Until now that is!  Now I use the grapefruit scrub on my face and feel invigorated.  My face feels clean and fresh and looks more even in color and overall tone without the aid of make up.  I only wish I had found this sooner.  One should apply the scrub to a wet face, rubbing in a circular motion for 1-2 minutes before rinsing off and patting dry.  It is designed to be used 2-3 times per week.


 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Scar Serum -Review


Do you have old acne scars that really bother you?  Or perhaps you were a bit of a tomboy and have the scars to prove it but are not a little lady who wants nothing more than to hide those hideous scars?

Look no further!  You can now use Dr Max Powers Scar Serum to help reduce the appearance of those old scars.  The main ingredient is organic rosehip oil which not only smells good but is great for your skin. Rosehip oil has also been proven to be effective in the regeneration of skin, as well as provide results in the treatment of burns and scars.  Containing rich antioxidants, fatty acids, and Vitamin E it can also help diminish signs of aging.

The scar serum is also hypoallergenic and contains no preservatives.  Yeah for no preservatives.  Those really are not good for us at all.

I'm not at an age yet that I'm too worried about signs of aging, but I do have lots of old scars.  I really am the tomboy, but I also bruise easily and had a tendency to scrape and bleed rather well as well.  I was also very clumsy as a child which turned out to be related to the fact that I had poor eye sight and needed glasses.  Now I wear glasses and it helps me to see those scars oh so much better!

The only downside I saw to the scar serum was the fact that you do have to use it for an extended period of time to see results.  If the scar is fresh you only need apply 3-4 times per day for 8 weeks while if the scar is old you need to apply 3-4 times per day for 3-6 months!  While I did see improvements on my scars, I probably would have seen more if I would have remembered to apply at this frequency.  However, my busy life and children helped me to regularly forget to put the serum on. I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Sharpie Retractable Fine Point Pen -Review


stock photo used from Sharpie website.

Does anyone else love Sharpies?  I really love them.  They are wonderful for marking things and getting them labelled so I'll know what is where without opening the package or tub.  It really helps keep me much  more organized than just putting stuff in tubs for storage and having no clue what is in them.

The one thing that I did have against the regular Sharpie was the fact that the tip is so large.  It is hard to write well with them and often my letters would run together making them a bit difficult to read.

No longer do I have that problem!!  The new retractable fine point sharpie pen is wonderful!  It's just like writing with an ink pen only it's a Sharpie.  Now my tubs are clearly marked with no run together letters and it looks like I'm super organized!  I'm not super organized, but I love giving that illusion!

A few other plus points for the new pen come in the form that it is retractable so you don't have to worry about losing or misplacing the cap and it then drying out.  It has a clip so you can clip it to your pocket or shirtfront while you're moving those storage boxes you just labeled.  Some features are that it is fade resistant, water resistant, and that it is a special formula for quick drying.  I'm a fan of the quick drying.  I've always hated writing something and then accidentally smearing it everywhere when your hand rests on it.  Yeap I have done that numerous times.  Especially when putting my bulk groceries into smaller containers.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Path of Freedom -Review

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Path of Freedom
Abingdon Press (January 2013)
by
Jennifer Hudson Taylor


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Jennifer Hudson Taylor is an award winning author of historical Christian fiction set in Europe and the Carolinas and a speaker on topics of faith, writing and publishing. Her debut novel, Highland Blessings, won the 2011 Holt Medallion award for Best First Book. Jennifer's work has appeared in national publications, such as Guideposts, Heritage Quest Magazine, Romantic Times Book Reviews, and The Military Trader. She serves as the in-house Publicist at Hartline Literary Agency and co-owns Upon the Rock Publicist. Jennifer graduated from Elon University with a B.A. in Communications. When she isn't writing, she enjoys spending time with family, long walks, traveling, touring historical sites, hanging out at bookstores with coffee shops, genealogy, and reading.



ABOUT THE BOOK

2nd in the Quilts of Love series

When Quakers Flora Saferight and Bruce Millikan embark on the Underground Railroad, they agree to put their differences aside to save the lives of a pregnant slave couple. With only her mother’s quilt as a secret guide, the foursome follows the stitches through unknown treachery.

As they embark on their perilous journey, they hope and pray that their path is one of promise where love sustains them, courage builds faith, and forgiveness leads to freedom.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Path of Freedom, go HERE.

My thoughts:  I loved this book.   This is the 2nd in a series and thankfully I did get to read the first one so I knew what to expect.  I was in love shortly after starting the book and honestly don't think I really put it down, just read it the whole way through!  I love this time period.  I love a quilts, and I love a good history.  I highly recommend this book to all!

I received a copy of this book for free to facilitate this review.   My thoughts and opinions are my own and not influenced in anyway.  I was not compensated in anyway other then the book.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Hurt -Review

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Hurt
David C. Cook; New edition (January 1, 2013)
by
Travis Thrasher


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

After college, he targeted working in the publishing industry and was fortunate to find a job early after graduation. He worked as Author Relations Manager for Tyndale House Publishers, the publisher of his first two novels.

The thirteen years he spent working in author relations taught him the business of publishing as well as the psyche of writers.

Early on, he made a deliberate choice of not wanting to be boxed in by a brand or a genre. Instead, Travis has chosen time and time again to write the stories that mean something to him at that moment. He views his first ten years of being published as training and practice. Those novels in many ways were written for himself.

The four years of writing full time have taught him the discipline and determination necessary to make it as a novelist. They’ve also served to close the chapter on what is hopefully just one era in his writing journey.

The stories continue to fill his head like they did when he was in third grade. The only difference is that Travis now knows what to do with those stories. His goal continues to be to tell stories that move him as well as his readers. He wants to continue to experiment and take risks, but more than anything he wants to provide readers a satisfying experience.

The dream remains the same. To try and write something magnificent. To make up wild worlds full of wonderfully rich characters. To make sense of the world through the stories he tells. And to try and inspire hope with the words he writes.

ABOUT THE BOOK



His Rebellion Will Soon Turn to Hope

When Chris Buckley first encountered the mysteries of creepy Solitary, North Carolina, he had little idea how far he would fall into the town’s shadows. After losing the love of his life, Chris tried to do things his way. He hunted answers. Then he gave up trying to find them.

But now Chris comes back to Solitary knowing there’s a purpose for his being there. As he watches his place in a twisted and evil bloodline become clear, Chris waits for the last battle—and wonders who will be left when he finally makes his stand.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Hurt, go HERE

My thougths:  I was very lucky to receive all four books in this series to read for this review.  I feel that just starting out with book four I think I would have been totally lost.  At first upon reading, I didn't really think I was going to enjoy these books.  They are not something that I would normally pick up and read at all.  But, I ended up really enjoying them!  I read them quickly as though they are thick books and do make you think some, they were a quick read.  I highly recommend, but do hope that you read the whole series and not just one book from the series or you will be missing out on a lot of important information.


I received a copy of this book for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts and opinions are my own and not influenced in anyway. I was not compensated in anyway other then the book.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Tuesday's Good Eatin Recipe Hop -The Pitch List

 
Welcome to the Good Eatin' Recipe Hop
hosted by
The 'Pitch List' Bloggers

Every Tuesday you can join us to share great recipes.........
There are no specific themes. 
Add your recipe of choice to the linky.
No Giveaways Please...all giveaways will be removed.
We Love Comments! Please Share!

The Gluten Free Peanut Butter Sheet Cake is one of mine that I've posted on the Grainmill website as I'm reviewing one of their mills!  Loving it by the way



Green Carpet Cleaning -Sponsored Post

Last night we had a salesman from Kirby here.  He didn't seem to like the fact that we had no carpets to clean and was wanting to try his vacuum on our hardwood floors, that is until my husband mentioned we had a protective dog, and then he couldn't leave fast enough!

This made me think of carpets and cleaning.  We do have a few rugs.  I take my rugs outside and beat them out weekly.  We do have a small vacuum that I can use on those rugs and I normally just sprinkle baking soda on the rug and then vacuum that up to help keep the rugs clean and odor free.

When I was approached by Green Choice Carpets about posting on their carpet cleaning ny service I was a little leery because I really don't use carpets and have never used a carpet cleaning service.  But then I realized I'm a green cleaner.  I love using green ways and all natural chemical free ways to clean my house so why not my carpets too if I had them.  So this post is just to tell you a bit about Green Choice Carpets and what they do offer in the New York area.  If you're a reader in that area you might want to give them a closer look!

Green Choice Carpets offers like I said carpet cleaning services in the New York area.  You can read on their website what specific locations they are willing to go to.  I was more interested in how they cleaned carpets and what they used.  But they are not limited to carpet cleanings!  They also show on their website that they upholstery, rugs, rug repair(how awesome!), leather cleaning, mattress cleaning, and even air duct cleaning.  I know from personal experience that it is hard to find anyone willing to clean air ducts let alone do it in a green way so that your family won't get sick from the cleaning agents as much as from the ickies out of the ducts!

organic carpet cleaner nyc
Image from the Green Choice Carpet website.  Not my image.

Now I'm curious on other green methods to clean carpets and rugs and may be doing some research soon on better ways to clean without all the harsh chemicals.  Make sure to check out the Green Choice Carpet website so that you can read about the harmful effects of some of the chemicals in standard dry cleaning and carpet cleaning.

I am being compensated for this post.  However, this post only contains my thoughts and opinions on a subject.

It Has What In It????!!!!

If you go to the grocery store and start looking at deodorants, what do you expect to find as the main ingredients?

Do you expect to see a fragrance?  A wonderful synthetic fragrance that contains alcohol and who knows what else all those weird scientific words are!  That one I do expect in  most deodorants; however, I only wear ones that contain a natural scent normally from essential oils.

I can tell you one thing I did not expect to find.  As I was reading the label on a deodorant labeled "natural mineral" I was shocked and greatly dismayed to find ANHYDROUS as the second active ingredient.  Yeap you read that correctly anhydrous!  AHHHH!  Really women are putting that on their armpits?  Wow!

I can't tell you how horrible that made me feel.  They were labeling this product as natural and a mineral deodorant that is better for you, and yet here on the label is a deadly chemical!

Now what is normally the first active ingredient in most store deodorants?  Come on what do you think?  It's aluminum.  Yeap great old aluminum.  Did you know that some time ago they linked aluminum to Alzheimer's?  Studies show an increased amount of aluminum in the brain of victims of Alzheimer's via autopsy.  Aluminum is also thought to increase your breast cancer rates.

So tell me again why we as women constantly put that stuff on our arm pits?  Truly?  Okay so yeah I don't.  I use only deodorants that do not contain fake chemicals or harmful ingredients.  These normally have oils(coconut mainly) with beeswax and some essential oils.  I have some deodorant that is a baking soda base with peppermint oils that works wonderfully for when I'm going to be very active and sweating.

My deodorant ingredient list.  This is so much better than  aluminum being #1.
I'm not going to do name drops here on deodorants that I use.  You'll see some that I use in reviews I'm sure in the future as I'm working on getting some.  However, I'm also not putting out names of the name brands I refuse to use!  And yes I do refuse to use them.  I was given some the other day and they went in the trash.  I don't even pass them on.  It's all about what's important to us and what we choose to do about it.

Okay off my soapbox for now.  Enjoy your day and maybe please take the time to read the labels on your favorite deodorant and also don't forget about body care products(that's a whole nother post waiting to happen).

Shared on:  Modest Mondays, Natural Living Mondays, Weighing In, Wellness Wednesdays, Healthy 2Day Wednesdays, Wisdom Wednesdays


Thursday, January 10, 2013

$250 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!!




Welcome to the Amazon Gift Card Giveaway! I’ve teamed up with some amazing blogs to give our readers the chance to win a$250 Amazon Gift Card. Could you be our big winner?
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This giveaway is open worldwide and ends January 31st at 11:59 PM EST. Good luck!
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Wednesday, January 9, 2013

VACCeptable Injuries Book Giveaway -The Pitch List


Have you ever wondered about the vaccines that we give our children?  Why even such young children are required to get several shots?  Well look no further than this book to give you information and make you question what you believe!

Enter on the form below to win a copy of the VACCeptable Injuries book.

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Our Newest Members to the Farm

We had our first baby lambs today.  It was an odd occurrence though as one ewe had triplets!  You don't see that often with sheep.  We lost the male but have two surviving females.  Very cute little Corriedales.  I went out and took a few pictures and thought I'd share how cute they are!

The bigger of the two little girls.

Newborn lambs are so cute!  Well at least I think so!

Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Before going gluten free I would make cinnamon rolls quite a bit.  We always ate them on Christmas morning, but we also ate them about once a month.  I would use whole wheat flour in them and they were so good.  The best part was that they would rise.  That is what I miss the most after going gluten free.  Things that rise.

I am pleased to announce that I finally found the perfect recipe and mix of flours to get my cinnamon rolls to rise again!



I used Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman Cooks recipe but tweaked it to be my own!

Here is the recipe I used, notice this is what I used not what the original recipe calls for.  You'll need to go to the actual recipe to view the regular gluten filled recipe.

Ingredients:
1 quart lactose free whole milk(or can use goat milk)
1 cup olive oil
1 cup demerara sugar(I ground this up with a coffee grinder to make it very fine)
2 Tb active dry yeast
8 cups(plus 1 cup separated) gluten free flour blend
2 tsp guar gum
1 heaping tsp baking powder
1 scant tsp baking soda
1 Tb salt
melted butter(I use real butter and used 1 cup)
2 cups finely ground demerara
cinnamon(I didn't measure this, but I used quite a bit because I love cinnamon)

Heat the milk up in a saucepan with the olive oil and 1 cup sugar over medium heat.  You want to scald this well.  For those that don't know to scald is to get it to the point right before boiling.  Normally you'll see bubbles starting to form around the edge of the pan.

Remove this from heat and set aside until it is just warm, no longer hot.  Sprinkle the 2 Tb yeast over the top of this.  I let this set for around 10 minutes or until you can smell the yeast working and start to bubble or froth.

Add the 8 cups of flour.  Stir until combined.  Then cover with a clean kitchen towel and let set aside in a warm place for one hour.  This allows it to start rising and lets the yeast continue to feed and build.

After the 1 hour, remove the towel and add the guar gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and last cup of flour.  Stir thoroughly to combine it all.  Here is where you have a choice to make. You can either use the dough all up now,  refrigerate part of it, etc.  I always just use it all up now!  However, the recipe did say you can refrigerate for up to 3 days, I'm not sure though what this would do with gluten free dough.

Now comes the fun of making the cinnamon rolls!!

Take half the dough to work with and put the other half in the refrigerator for now.  I took and put  some parchment paper down on my countertop and put a small sprinkling of my flour blend on that to help with sticking.  I then placed the dough ball down and put a bit more flour on top of that to allow me to roll it out into a good sized rectangle.  The recipe says 30 by 10 inches, but I didn't measure mine.  I made it the same size of my parchment paper.  Very important not to go off the paper as it's important to help with rolling.

Now is the fun part.  Melt up your butter and place it on the dough.  Use your hands or a pastry brush to smooth the butter out over the dough.  This is going to help it stick together so use a good amount.  Sprinkle half of the finely ground demerara(so 1 cup) over the dough and cover with cinnamon.  If it's doesn't look like it's going to be enough you're free to add more butter, cinnamon, or sugar of course!

Now is the part that can be tricky with gluten free, the rolling up.  I took the edge of parchment paper furthest from me and slowly pulled it up off the counter and towards me.  Just the edge.  You don't want to pull too much up or it won't roll correctly.  The dough falls down off the edge and ontop of the next part and you just continue to gently do this until it's fully rolled.

Cutting.  I have always used a knife to cut my cinnamon rolls.  You cut them to your desired thickness.  I cut mine at about an inch thickness each.  You can do smaller or larger at your own taste.

Take the pan you're going to use.  I have an 11 by 19 cake pan that I use.  Put more butter into the bottom of the pan and swirl it to make sure the sides get coated as well.  Then place the cut cinnamon rolls into the pan.  If I have any cinnamon sugar mixture that has oozed out of the cinnamon rolls I make sure to scrape that off and put it on top of the rolls before baking.

Preheat the oven now for 375 degrees and place the pan of rolls on the counter covered with a kitchen towel.  Let these set for at least 20 minutes to let them rise again.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.  Don't let them get too brown or they'll be hard and dried out.

Fresh out of the oven.


You can use the icing recipe that The Pioneer Woman uses with this recipe but I just made a simple cream cheese icing recipe and topped them with that.  Best served warm.  These were so good!   Yum!

Gorgeous and delicious!

Shared on:  Wellness Wednesdays, Simple Living Wednesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Homemaking Linkup, Wise Woman Linkup, Real Food Wednesday, Proverbs 31 Thursdays, Thrifty Thursday, Gluten Free Fridays,



Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Starbucks Gift Card Flash Giveaway



Welcome to a flash giveaway for a $30 Starbucks gift card.  Giveaway will end on January 10th at 11:59pm EST.  Make sure to get those entries in!!


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Monday, January 7, 2013

Tuesday's Good Eatin' Recipe Hop -The Pitch List

 
Welcome to the Good Eatin' Recipe Hop
hosted by
The 'Pitch List' Bloggers

Every Tuesday you can join us to share great recipes.........
There are no specific themes. 
Add your recipe of choice to the linky.
No Giveaways Please...all giveaways will be removed.
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Doctor to the Rescue -Review

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Doctor To The Rescue
Love Inspired (December 18, 2012)
by
Cheryl Wyatt


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born Valentine’s Day on a Navy base, Cheryl Wyatt writes military romance. Her Steeple Hill debuts earned RT Top Picks plus #1 and #4 on eHarlequin's Top 10 Most-Blogged-About-Books, lists including NYT Bestsellers. Cheryl loves interacting with her readers and can be found almost daily on Facebook.

Word from the Author:
I do regular giveaways including a Kindle for every 250 people who join (aka "Like) my Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/CherylWyattAuthor and I'd LOVE for word to spread about that. We have a lot of fun there as I ask for frequent reader input on current books, with helpers being mentioned in the acknowledgements and fun stuff like that.


ABOUT THE BOOK



Combat doctor Ian Shupe returns home from overseas with his most important mission: to raise his little girl. But Ian's a single dad, and working at Eagle Point's trauma center means having to find child care. When bighearted, struggling lodge owner Bri Landis offers babysitting in exchange for construction work, Ian accepts. He vows to keep his emotional distance from Bri, yet can't deny that his daughter is blossoming under her tender care. But is he ready to believe that his heart's deepest prayer may finally be answered? If you would like to read the first chapter of Doctor To The Rescue, go HERE.

My thoughts:  As soon as I started reading this book I knew I wouldn't be able to put it down.  I read this one clear through and then was ready for more!  I fell in love with Bri, the precocious little girl, and Ian.  A great read that has many little funnies and extras thrown in to keep your attention.


I received a copy of this book for free as part of the CFBA. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in anyway. I was not paid for this review in any way except for the book.