Answer me this????

I find it amazing how the love I have for my husband can exceed my heart (watching little loves tokens walking around the house)...I am more in love with my husband then ever before (many many times I wonder what did I do to deserve him), his heart, his mind, his faith, yep and definitely his looks ;0)...So today stop and think of how blessed you are to have the wonderful man in your life and while you are at it...What is your favorite characteristic of your husband?

Homemade roasted tomato soup

I first tried tomato soup was sometime after Mike and I got married. I had never tried it before so when he introduced me to the Campbell's canned soup I thought "hey pretty good" So from there I always bought canned soup for grilled ham and cheese nights, figuring that homemade probably took to much time, until I got pregnant and had a major craving for tomato soup and grilled ham and cheese and no soup to be found in the house. I decided really how hard could it be. Not only is homemade super easy it tastes a world better, and roasting the tomato's makes then sweeter. I like mine creamy but if your a purest just leave it out.


Roasted Tomato Soup

2 1/2 pounds of ripe, seeded and cored tomato

1 yellow onion cut in equal slices

2 garlic cloves

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cups of chicken stock

1 bay leave

1 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup cream (I used light cream but you choose)


Preheat oven 300 degrees

On a baking sheet place tomatoes, garlic, onions, thyme. Drizzle olive oil over all and toss to coat. Roast for 2 hours

Let tomatoes cool to touch and remove skins and tear into bite size pieces. Transfer to stock pot along with the rest of the items on the baking sheet. Add chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 40 mins. Remove thyme, and bay leaves add salt and pepper and transfer to a blender (an immersion blender works well too) Return soup to pot stir in cream simmer 10 minutes then serve.

I topped mine with diced avocado and enjoyed with grilled ham and cheese. Comfort food done right.

(sorry the picture is blurry, still getting used to my camera)

Encouragement to chew on:

Aren’t you glad that failure is never final!? “For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again” Prov 24:16, How wonderful that every time we fall, He will lift us up dusts us off and tells us to try again. Keep pressing on and leaning on Him and you will be able to achieve only what you have dreamed.

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Yummy Shrimp and Orzo

This past weekend I made a dish, that honestly since then I gave been craving. I made a shrimp and orzo dish and I don't know about anyone else that tried it (I did have some people ask for the recipe) I thought it was fantastic. Here is the recipe...let me know if you try it

Shrimp and Orzo Dish recipe

Ingredients:
2 pound raw deshelled and deveined shrimp (tails removed)
1 Pound of Orzo
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (to start)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt (to start)
1 tsp pepper (to start)
1/2 bunch of Italian parsley
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 whole english cucumber (sliced in half the long way then cubed)
1 red onion diced
Fresh feta cheese cubed

Here's how you begin

Place raw shrimp on a baking sheet, sprinkle with evoo, salt and pepper (generously)
at 400 degrees for 6-7 mins (that's it)

Make orzo as directed on package...when done strain and pour in to big mixing bowl. In a measuring cup squeeze 1/2 cup of lemon juice (about 2 lemons but you will then add more to taste), then the olive oil, your salt and pepper. Whisk together and pour over pasta. Chop up your herbs and add in to bowl, then onion, and cucumber. Toss together to blend in flavors. Now pour the baking sheet of shrimp and liquid on the sheet right in. Toss to incorporate flavors. Here where you taste and see what you think it needs more of..oil, lemon juice, salt, or even everything..lol season it to your palette. At least ad in cubed feta cheese and toss gently to not destroy feta...Tada yumminess in a minutes.


Here's some more pictures of the dish...keep in mind was taken with my old camera so light isn't the greatest.

                  Encouragement to chew on:
People don’t need us to “fix” them; they need us to love them. Let God’s love transform hearts & His Word transform thinking! Share a smile, be a blessing, life is beautiful.

From our family to yours.....

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Be sure to come over to my Facebook page and "like"

There are day's I don't have much time on the computer so it's easier to update my page on facebook of any giveaways I see or hear about. I just posted two new ones that I came across and they are both wonderful. Come over to my page, and "like" so we can keep in touch.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joyfulmelody/176433765780276?ref=tn_tnmn

My favorite new cleaner....this is some crazy stuff

So one day we were in the dollar store, and hubby was looking for some cleaner for his rims on his car. He looked over the cleaners and picked this one. Then when he decides to clean his rims he calls for me to look over and see how well it cleaned his tires. I thought to myself hmmm I wonder what else this stuff can work it's magic on. So I have been experimenting around the house (Lord knows there is plenty of mess going on on my house) So now I'm in love with this dollar item. I washes permanent marker off the walls

Thanks to Asher, we always have something interesting  to clean. This is his art work on his sisters wall.

So after I sprayed this amazing dollar item on on the wall and gently wiped

Tada

Oh wait there's more

Asher struck again but this time with strawberries in my carpet so I brought out "LA Totally Awesome" and sprayed again gently rubbed and..

Seriously I'm in love....Watch out dollar store I am buying you out on this stuff, I can only imagine the mess ahead of me with 5 kids. Just might have to where this stuff in a gun holder around my waist....Ye haw

Bring Peace Home...part 3

I usually don't write on the weekend so forgive me for being a couple of days late. Here is the last part of the series of Bring Peace Home. Enjoy

Get enough sleep...According to Harvard researchers, lack of sleep can affect learning, memory, and even the ability to make good choices. So be good and get those zzzzz's

Learn to say no....This hard for some more then others. It was for me for a while but now I understand I don't have to do everything to please everyone else. We all get requests for our time, money, attention, and emotional energy. Learn to say yes only to the requests in line with who God has created you to be, not others expectations of you.

Confess a known sin...I don't mean go airing your dirty laundry to everyone, but as a believer in Christ, sometimes it's easy to take for granted the gift of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit calls your attention to sin in your life can be as simple as a tug in your heart that something your doing is giving you a uneasiness, then confess the sin, and move on.

If you are able visit a spa...if you can't afford a spa maybe just a manicure. Something that makes you stop for a little while and makes you feel pretty...quick boast

Take food to your neighbor...We've done this a few times when we make cookies or rolls I have sent it over to the neighbors via my children.

Make comfort food....I am writing this thinking about my friend's post on facebook that she made Beef stew and oh how I love comfort food. There is a reason why they are called comfort food, so with these colder months go ahead make that beef stew, your favorite soup, or what ever it is that makes you feel warm and cozy inside.

Lastly for my series...Sow seeds of peace...."Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness" James 3:18

So there you have it my series of Bring Peace Home...what do you do to bring peace to where you are?